Mineral
Plumbum Metallicum
Lead
Repertory abbreviation: Plb.
The great drug for general sclerotic conditions; hardening of tissues from sclerotic processes. The blood, alimentary and nervous systems are the special seats of action of Plumbum.Haeinatosis is interfered with, rapid reduction in number of red corpuscles; hence pallor, icterus, anxmia. Delirium, coma and convulsions. Hypertension and arterio-sclerosis. Trembling, or followed by paralysis. Progressive muscular atrophy. Infantile paralysis. Lo- comotor ataxia. Excessive and rapid emaciation. Bul- bar paralysis. Important in peripheral affections. 'The points of attack for Plumbum are the neura
Mind
Fear of being assassinatcd. Quiet melan- choly. Slow perception; loss of memory; amnesic apha- sia. Hallucinations and delusions. Intellectual apathy. Memory impaired. [Anac.; Baryta.] Paretic dementia.
Head
Delirium alterating with colic. Pain as if a ball rose from throat to brain. Hair very dry. Tin- nitus. [Chin.; Nat. salic.; Carbon. sulph.]
Eyes
Pupils contracted. Yellow. Optic nerve in- famed. Intraocular, suppurative inflammation Glau- coma, especially if secondary to spinal lesion.
Face
Pale and cachcctic. Yellow, corpse-like; cheeks sunken. Skin of face greasy, shiny. Nat. mur.; Sanic.] . Mouth.—- Gums swollen, pale; distinct blue limes 603 along margins of gums. Tongue tremulous, red on margin.
Stomach
Contraction in asophagus and stomach: pressure and tightness. Gastralgia.
Abdomen
Excessive colic, radiatinq to all purts of body. Abdominal call feels drazom by a string to spine. Pain causes desire t stretch. Intussusception; strangy- ated hernia. Abdomen retracted. Obstructed flatus. with intense colic. Colic alternates with delirium and pain in atrophied limbs.
Rectum
Constipation; slools hurd. Jump, bluck, with urging and spasm of anus. Obstructed evacuation from impaction of facees. [Plat.] Neuralgia of rec- tum. nus draun up uitl conslriction.
Urinary
Frequent, ineffectual tenesmus. Album- nons; low specific gravity. Ch'onic interstitial nephritis, with great pain in abdoinen. Urine scanty.
Male
Loss of sexual power. Testicles drawn up, feel corstricted.
Female
Vuginisms. Induration of mammary glands. [Plumb.iod.] Stitches and burning pains in breasts. .[Apis; Con.: Carb. an.; Sil.j Tendency to abortion.
Heart
Cardiac weakness. Pulse soft and small, dichrotic. Wiry pulse, cramp-like constriction of peri- pheral arteries.
Back
Spinal cord sclerosed. Lightning-like pains, especially in thighs; temporarily better by pressure. Paralysis of lower extremities.
Extremities
Paralysis of single muscles. Cannot raise or lift anything with the hand. Extension is dif- ficult. Paralysis from overexertion of the extensor muscles in piano layers. [Curare.] Pains in muscles of thighs; come in paroxysms. Wrist-drop. Cramps in calves. Paralysis. Feet swollen. Pain' in atrophied Jimbs alternates with colic. Loss of patellar reflex. Hands and feet cold. Pain in right big toe at night, very sensitive to touch.
Skin
Yellow, dark-brown liver spots. Jaundice. Dry. Dilated veins of forearms and legs.
Modalities
Worse, at night, motion. Better, rub- bing, hard pressure, physical exertion. [4lumen.]
Relationships
Compare: Plumb. acet. (painfu! cramps in paralyzed limbs; severe. pain and muscular cramps in gastric ulcer; locally, as an application (non- homceopathic) in moist eczema, and to dry up secre- tions from mucous surfaces. Care must be used, as sufficient lead can be absorbed to produce lead poison, one to two drams of the liquor plumb subacetatis to the ounce of water: also in pruritus pudendi, equal parts of the liquor plumb and glycerin). Compare: Alumina; Plat.: Opium; Podoph.: Merc.; Thall. Plectranthus (paralysis, 'spastic, spinal form) ; Plumb. chromicum (convulsions, with terrible pains; pupils greatly dilated; retracted abdomen); Plumb. phosph. (loss of sexual power; locomotor ataxia). Antidotes: Plat.; Alum.; Petrol.
Dose
Third to thirtieth potency.