Natrum Muriaticum
is a polychrest among polychrests. Nat. mur is one of the 12
tissue remedies of the Schussler. If Natrum carb is the typical
salt of the Natrum group, Nat-mur is the most important. Nat-mur
is one of Dr.Hahnemann’s topmost constitutional
deep-acting remedies which ranks in the first order for its
power. It is prepared from the common salt which is a very
common article of the diet and it had been taken for granted
that it would be of no use as a medicine. But it possesses a
wonderful hold on the human economy when it is served in a
potentized form. Nat-mur has been extensively proved both in
lower triturations and in 30th & higher potencies and
the latter produced the most marked effects.
SYNONYMS
Sodium Chloride,
Chloruretum sodicum, Ntarum Chloratum purum, sodii chloridum,
Chloride of Sodium.
COMMON NAMES
Common Salt, Table
Salt
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
It occurs abundantly
in nature, nearly everywhere. It crystallizes from aqueous
solutions in colourless, transparent, anhydrous cubes. It is
soluble in three parts of cold water but is insoluble in
absolute alcohol.
PREPARATION
One part by weight
of pure chloride of sodium is dissolved in 9 parts by
weight of distilled water.
CLINICAL
Anaemia, Marasmus, Rickets
Catarrhal and
glandular affections- goiter, hyperthyroidism, Addison’s disease
Intermittent fever
Heart affection
GIT troubles- constipation
Respiratory troubles
Urinary affection,
Diabetes
Skin troubles etc.
SPHERES OF ACTION
It acts on blood and
lymphatic system, alimentary tract, genital organs, urinary
organs, skin, mind etc.
PATHOGENESIS
Nat. mur was reproved by
Austrian physicians. Some of them died from the effects of
their proving. One of them, when he published his proving about
Natrum mur said that the
higher potencies of the drug
produced the most symptoms and these symptoms were more valuable
than those produced by the low.
Natrum mur enters into every
tissue of the body, even into the enamel of the teeth. It exists
in quite considerable quantities in the various humors of the
eye. Virchow, in his pathology, quotes an authority who
gave chloride of sodium to dogs until he produced opacity of
the crystalline lens. Hence, cataract may be produced by
Natrum-mur.
Sodium chloride in
the stomach stimulates digestion in various ways. Firstly, it
improves the flavour of the food. Salt also acts on the stomach
itself by favouring the secretion of gastric juice.
Schussler
argues that salt is
excreted through the mucus. Therefore he says that as salt has a
function here, it must be the remedy for all catarrhs. It
also acts upon the sebaceous glands and as a result the skin
becomes oily in appearance, particularly face and scalp.
Salt also has a
stimulating effect in the nervous system, keeping up its
tone. Muscular tone is also favoured by the
presence of salt within the tissue of the muscles. Therefore,
common salt may be used as an external application in the
weakness of muscles and nerves that favor the deformities of the
limbs (E. A. Farrington). But it cannot cure all deformities,
e.g. Deformities arising from inflammation of the anterior gray
cornua of the cord.
Nat.mur is indicated in scorbutic
states of the system when the patient suffers more or less from
scurvy. It is quite likely that the prolonged use of salt
meat is common cause of
scurvy.
Excessive use of
salt causes deterioration of the blood in quantity as well as in
quality, producing anaemia & leucocytosis.
As a result of this
impoverishment of the blood, we find the nervous system
suffering secondarily.
It has marked action
on male genital organs causing great weakness and giving rise to
seminal emission during sleep
CONSTITUTION
It covers all the
three miasms.
Diathesis:
Scrofulous diathesis.
Nat. mur is suited
for the anaemic and cachectic persons. Anaemia from loss of
vital fluids; profuse menses, seminal emissions or mental
affections.
The skin
is shiny, pale, waxy, looks as if greased. There is
weakness and nervous prostration with blue ring around the eyes;
most weakness felt in the morning in the bed.
Great emaciation;
losing flesh while living well (abort, Iod); throat and
neck of children
emaciate rapidly during summer complaint (Sanic)
Descending
type of marasmus; upper part is emaciated & lower part is
dropsical.
.
Coldness and
great liability to take cold
easily.
It is suited for the
bad effects of anger, acid food, bread, quinine, excessive use
of salts, of cauterization of all kinds with silver nitrate, of
grief, vexation, mortification or reserved displeasures (staph).
MIND
All the mental
symptoms are due to the bad effects of anger, grief, vexation,
excessive use of salt, bread, quinine, fright, loss of vital
fluids etc
Irritability:
Child crosses when spoken to, crying from slightest cause, gets
into passion about trifles. Consolation aggravates. He stores in
mind every little real or imaginary offence. He wakes up night &
can’t go sleep again because past unpleasant events occupy his
mind.
The lachrymal
disposition & hypochondriacal mood are the two striking
features.
Marked disposition
to weep; weeping mood without cause (puls), but consolation <.
Wants to be alone to cry. Depressed particularly in chronic
diseases. Natrum mur finds a sort of happiness in indulging in
painful thoughts. Patient is sensitive to music. Tearful
condition is associated with palpitation of the heart &
intermittent pulse. This intermittent pulse does not necessarily
imply organic disease of the heart, but simply a nervous weak
heart.
Hypochondriasis is directly
associated with indigestion, as in Natrum carb.
Patient is
awkward & hasty & drop things from the hand due to nervous
weakness.
Dreams of robbers
at night & on waking do not believe to the contrary unless a
thorough search is made. Dreams of burning thirst.
Forgetful. Brain fag
from study.
Natrum mur patients are
emotionally very sensitive. They become enclosed in their
worlds. They avoid being hurt at all costs. Their primary
concern in life is not to hurt & not to be hurt. They tend to be
self contained, desiring to solve problems by themselves.
Mentally they have a
high degree of objectivity and awareness, as well as a great
sense of responsibility. They enjoy receiving affection
from others- indeed they expect and demand it, even though they
themselves don’t express affection easily.
A Natrum mur child
is very sensitive to disharmony. If the parents fight, they do
not react immediately but will suffer inside, perhaps even to
the point of acquiring a physical ailment.
Hysterical condition
of the mind and the body; weeping alternating with laughing.
Irresistible laughing at unsuitable times.
The hysterical
tendency of Nat. mur in children is seen readily when they are
severely reprimanded. Ordinarily Natrum mur people do not
express emotions readily, they do not cry easily. At a party,
they tend to sit on in sidelines, enjoying themselves by
watching others. A young girl who needs Natrum mur will easily
fall in love with a married man or someone unattainable. She
knows that it is foolish, but lies awake with love for him. This
then causes intense anguish and grief and the result is an even
greater introversion.
Mentally Natrum mur is the
chronic of Ignatia. In many respects they are virtually
identical. Generally Ignatia acts more superficially.
Natrum mur patients have greater strength, they can tolerate
more emotional stress and more intense and shokes with out
breaking down. In Ignatia, the person breaks down with
relatively minor stress. In addition, the Ignatia pathology does
not readily affect the physical level. Thus Ignatia is more
indicated in emotional reactions appearing after ordinary
grieves experienced in life spheres Nat. mur is more commonly
indicated in instances of extraordinary stress. The
characteristic Ignatia sighing is an attempt to relieve the
sensation of constriction in throat, following an emotional
shock. Ignatia cries
more easily than Natrum mur.
Pulsatilla
is some times confused with Natrum mur. Both are intolerant to
heat, aggravated in the sun and averse to fat. Pulsatilla is
emotionally highly expressive, automatically giving
affection. When a Pulsatilla patient cries, it is a sweet gentle
crying whereas Natrum mur weeping is spasmodic, loud sobbing
which shakes the whole body. Pulsatilla will actively seek help
from others. But Natrum mur is self reliant.
PHYSICAL GENERALS
Complaints come in
the warm room and there is general > in the open air.
Patients have a
strong desire for salt and aversion to bread,
fats, slimy food and rich things. Most of the symptoms are
worse from sunrise to sunset; esp. from 10 -11am, but
are relieved by perspiration. (Psorinum,; reverse; Merc.
Sol, Verat. Alb)
They drink enormous quantity
of water there is extreme
dryness of all mucous membranes.
PARTICULARS
HEAD:
Headache:
of anemic school girls (Calc. Phos). Aches as though a thousand
little hammers were knocking in the brain in the morning
or awakening, before, during and after menstruation and
during fever; especially left sided clavus as if
busting with red face, nausea and vomiting.
Chronic head ache
Headache starts with
blindness,
Zig zag, dazzling, like lighting in eyes (Gels, Kali Bi)
< Sunrise to
sunset especially from 10- 11 am, eye strain
> Perspiration.
EYES:
Eyes fee bruised
with headache in school children. Muscles weak & stiff. Fiery,
zig zag appearance around all objects.
Lachrymation tears stream down
face whenever he cough down (Euph). Aesthenopia due to
insufficiency of internal recti muscles.
Pain in eyes when
looking down. Incipient cataract.
EARS:
Cracking when
chewing.
NOSE:
Violent, fluent
coryza lasting form 1 to 3 days; then changing into stoppage of
nose making breathing difficult. Discharge thin and watery like
raw white of egg., Violent sneezing coryza. Infallible
fro stopping a cold commencing with sneezing. Use thirtieth
potency (W. BoeRicke). Loss of smell and taste.
MOUTH:
Sense of dryness.
Numbness & tingling
of tongue. Sensation as of a hair on tongue.
Tongue
Mapped,
with real insular patches like ringworm on sides (Ars, Lach,
Merc, Nit. Ac, Tarax)
Heavy difficult speech.
Children slow in learning to
talk.
Immoderate thirst.
STOMACH:
Hungry, yet loose
flesh (Iod)
Sweats while eating
Craving for salts
Aversion to bread,
fat etc
RECTUM:
Constipation:
sensation of contraction of anus.
Stool: dry, hard
difficult,Crumbling (Am-c, Mag. m).Torn, bleeding, smarting
feel after stool, with stitches in rectum.
Painless, copious
diarrhea;
Involuntary stool,
knows not whether flatus or faeces escape (Aloe, Iod, Mur,ac,
olean, podo)
URINARY SYSTEM:
Cutting pain in
urethra just after urinating (Sars). Urine involuntary when
walking coughing, laughing ( Caust, Puls, Squilla). Has to
wait a long while for urine to pass if others are present.(Hep
Mur. ac). Must wait before the urine will start and then it come
slowly; there is no much force in the flow. After
urination there is sensation as if more urine remained in
bladder.
GENITALIA:
Male:
Seminal emission
soon after coition with increased desire or weakness of organs
with retarded emission during an embrace; impotence, spinal
irritation, paralysis after sexual excesses.
Gonorrhea:
The discharge is
usually clear though it may be sometimes yellowish.
Female:
Menses:
Irregular, usually
profuse. Hot during menses.
Vagina dry. Loss of
sexual desire and aversion to coition.
Leucorrhoea: acrid
and watery
Prolapsus:
pressing,
pushing towards genitals every morning,
Must sit down to prevent prolapsus (Lil, Mur, Verat) uterine
complaints> lying on back on a pillow.
Hair
falls out when touched in nursing women.
Useful after labour
when the mother doesn’t progress well.
HEART:
Fluttering of heart
with a weak faint feeling.
< Lying down
The hearts pulsation
shakes the whole body.
Intermits on lying
down.
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM:
Whooping cough with bursting pain
in head with flow of tears when coughing. Shortness of
breath especially from
going upstairs (calc).
BACK AND EXTEMITIES:
Painful contraction
of hamstrings
(Caust). Ankles weak and turn easily. Cracking in joints on
motion. Coldness of legs with congestion to head, chest and
stomach.
Pain in back with
desire for support. > lying on back on a pillow.
INTERMITTENT FEVER:
Nat mur not only
removes tendency to intermittents but restore the patient to
health.
Old, chronic, badly
treated cases, especially after suppression of quinine.
Paroxysm at 10 or 11
am; every
day, every other day, every 3rd or 4th day
with unconsciousness during chill & heat.
Sweats on every exertion &
> by perspiration.
Coldness of the body
& continued chilliness very marked.
During the entire attack there is
thirst for cold water.
During coldness; not
ameliorated by heat but wants cold water.
Fever blisters like
pearls
about the lips. Lips dry, sore & cracked & ulcerated.
SKIN
Eczema:
raw, red, inflamed especially in
edges of hair.
< eating too much
salt, at seashore.
Urticaria:
acute or
chronic; over whole body especially after violent exercise (
Apis, Calc, Hep, Sanic, Urt)
Wart:
warts on palm of hands (sore to touch: Nat- c)
Herpes:
especially around the edges of hair.
GENERAL MODALITIES
Aggravation
Sunrise to sunset
especially from 10- 11 am, at seashore, heat of sun or stove,
mental exertion, talking, writing, reading, lying down,
consolation.
Amelioration
Open air (Apis, Puls), cold
bathing, going without
regular meals & lying on right side.
RELATIONS
Complementory: Apis.
v
Natrum mur is the chronic of
ignatia: which is its vegetable analogue but in mental plane
only.
v
It is followed well
by Sepia & Thuja.
v
Cannot be repeated
in chronic cases without an intercurrent.
v
Should never be
given in fever paroxysm.
v
If vertigo &
headache be persistent, or prostration be prolonged after Natrum,
Nux will relieve.
Reference:
v
Lectures on Materia
Medica by J. T. Kent
v
Allen’s Keynotes by
H. C. Allen.
v
Clinical Materia
medica by E. A. Farrington.
v
Text Book of Materia Medica by S.
K. Dubey |
