ALUMINA

Characteristics
Like its relative *Alumen, *Alumina produces irritation of
mucous membranes with dryness or extreme secretion and
paralysis
of involuntary muscles, as those of the rectum and of the
nervous
and muscular systems generally. *Alumina paralyses the bowels
in
the same way as lead, to which it is an antidote. Even small and
soft Stools are passed with great difficulty. Pregnant women and
children are liable to this kind of constipation. A very
prominent characteristic is that a person *must strain at stool
in order to *urinate. Teste groups *Alumina with *Sepia and
*Copaiva. He considers it the chronic of *Sepia as *Silic. is of
*Puls. Paralysis of the internal rectus muscle of the eye,
causing squint. Also ptosis. Drawing, pains appear in the limbs,
a sensation of constriction in several organs. Several painful
symptoms show themselves after the midday meal, and continue
till
evening, when they disappear or are replaced by others which
begin only then. On the other hand the pains which appear in the
morning or in the evening are abated after eating.

Trembling of the whole body with desire to lie

down, which, however, worse the fatigue. Great general fatigue,
even after a short walk, but chiefly after speaking. Frequent
stretching while sitting. The nates go to sleep while sitting.
Drags legs (especially left).

Boenninghausen cured a case with

*Aluminium. Sluggishness of action is characteristic of this
medicine, urine is slow in passing, great straining to pass even
a soft Stool, can only evacuate bowels when standing, has to
strain as if abdomen and rectum were paralysed. (*Caust. has
defecation only when standing, but the straining is less.)
Sensation are slow in being transmitted to the centres

"When he says anything he feels

as if another person had said it, and when he sees anything, as
if another person had seen it, or as if he could transfer himself
into another, and only then could see." A feeling of hurry
follows, things do not move fast enough. Impulses. Suicidal
tendency, a sudden impulse from seeing blood on a knife. Sad,
apprehensive, wants to get away, fears going crazy. Mental
symptoms mostly come on in the morning on waking.

Catarrh is a very general feature. Catarrh with

dryness of mucous membranes, The throat looks parched and
glazed.
The nose is stopped, feels dry, and the point of it is cracked.
*Alum. has the fish-bone sensation in the throat on swallowing.
There is profuse leucorrhoea running down to the heels,
sometimes
excoriating. As with the mucous membrane so with the skin:
itching eruptions worse from warmth of bed.

*Alumina has some

curious symptoms in the digestive sphere. There is a craving for
dry rice and dry food. It has worse from starch, especially the
starch of potatoes. Worse From salt, wine, vinegar, spirits.
Burning pains in the back are very characteristic, and especially
a sensation as if a hot iron were forced through the lower
vertebrae.

There are pulsations in various parts. The pains go upward.

Upper left, lower right affected (opposite of *Lyc.).

he symptoms are worse on alternate days, periodically.

Guernsey describes a characteristic periodicity thus: "Patient
gets along nicely for a time, then, from no apparent cause, gets
worse for a time, then better, and soon a relapse may be worse
than the original illness, another relapse not so bad, and so on
with longer intervals between." In afternoons, at new or full
moon, worse in the morning on waking. Worse after coitus,
worse
in cold air, out of doors, in dry weather. They are better by
cold washing, by moistening the part, by warm food or drink, by
warmth generally.

*Alumina is *suited to persons of sedentary habits who

suffer from chronic ailments, to constitutions with diminished
animal heat. Psoric persons. The action of *Alumina is slow in
developing, and the remedy must not be changed quickly.

nguish and anxiety as if one were threatened with some fatal

accident, or had committed some crime.

Apprehensions. Disposition to be frightened. Air

sorrowful and morose. Ill-humour, with unfitness for Labour.
Disposition to be angry. Obstinate, and contradictory humour.
Taking everything in bad part. Humour changeable, at one time
bold, at another timid.