Argentum Metallicum is the other name for silver. Pure
silver cannot be absorbed into the body. However,
when silver is combined with other elements, the body is able to
absorb its compounds. In Greek medicine, it was used in the form of
silver foil as a tonic, but pure silver cannot become a part of the
body tissue. Unfortunately, these days lead is beaten into the form of
a foil and sold as silver even though lead is very harmful to the
health of a person.As
far as homoeopathy is concerned, any metal which comes into contact with the
lining of the skin or the inner lining of the gut is absorbed into the
body, although it may not be detectable by any sophisticated
gauges.
The main effect of the Argentum Metallicum is on the elastic cartilage bones,
which become thick and hard. The thickened nasal bone can cause
difficulty in breathing. Small bones of the ears develop nodular
thickening. This process of progressive thickening of the bone can lead
to cancer formation.Argentum Metallicum works profoundly on the brain cells.
The cells
start melting away slowly, and premature senility sets in. The capability
to comprehend deteriorates. This weakness starts in the central part of
the brain and then spreads gradually to other organs of the body. Mental
faculties start failing. Hands and feet start to bend. The memory
becomes weak to the extent that the patient goes out of his
senses and talks nonsense. The ability
to think decreases. Serious
thinking causes dizziness.
This is a danger signal and indicates the degeneration of brain
cells. In such cases, Argentum Metallicum in high potency should be
administered without delay and repeated every fifteen to twenty days
or monthly. The inhaler used by asthmatic patients also contains a
poisonous substance which, like Argentum Metallicum, makes the brain
tissue shrink and then degenerate.Argentum Metallicum resembles Lachesis in the way that the symptoms
aggravate during sleep, especially the nervous exhaustion leading to
generalized physical fatigue. Argentum Metallicum works deeply on the muscles of the
limbs.
Neuralgic pains mostly affect both the legs and the feet. The nerve
fibres feel as though they are being torn apart. These neuralgic pains aggravate
during sleep and in cold and wet weather. (Rheumatic aches and pains
also get worse in stormy and humid weather). In the rainy season,
they also get worse before and after the rain. There is no associated
swelling of the limbs, but the patient is definitely very restless. Light
movements lessen the joint pains while rapid motions intensify them.
The discomfort is not due to the sleep itself, but the rest offered by
sleep. The pains are worse at night as in Rhus Tox.The difference is that in Rhus Tox, there is a
severe physical uneasiness and the person spends the
night tossing about. Argentum Metallicum is very useful in the cancers of the skin and mucus membranes. Cancer
at the uterine neck, which most doctors label as incurable, is very amenable to Argentum
Metallicum,
even curable. In case the cure is not achieved, the patient
can still remain comfortable for a long time. Tarentula Hispania,
Helonias and Carbo Animalis are also very useful
in cancer of the cervix of the uterus.
In Argentum Metallicum, there are widespread ulcerations
on the body.
The ulcers over
the cartilage bones respond very well to Argentum
Metallicum. It is also associated with the lining of veins. A very special feature of Argentum Metallicum is
that it affects the internal organs of women strictly on
the left side, and the internal organs of men strictly on the right
side. Usually it is not difficult to differentiate the remedies specific
for the right or the left and upper or lower part of the
body. This remedy, however, particularly differentiates
the ailments of right and left in men and women respectively. In
women, the ovary swells into a form of a large cyst. Accumulation of different materials makes it large
and more thick. The uterus also expands and loses its elasticity. Once
expanded, it does not return to its original condition. This problem
aggravates after
every delivery and sometimes the uterus descends down.
Argentum Metallicum is extremely useful in such women, offering cure.
The uterus becoming hard and the cervix stiff, in association with a putrid discharge, indicate the presence of a deep serious
problem. Administered early on, Argentum Metallicum can abort the
disease. If the legs hurt but the real cause is not
known, Argentum Metallicum is worth a trial. It can be very
useful in post-menopausal bleeding. Argentum
Metallicum is generally, though not necessarily, indicated in women of thin,
lean build with long slender hands. It may be useful in obese women
also.
Some people feel sudden jerks on retiring to sleep or during sleep.
This is quite troublesome. Grindelia is ideal in such
cases. Arsenic may also be useful. Argentum
Metallicum is indicated if such jerks
of violent
motion are secondary to severe physical fatigue. Generally, Grindelia
is good enough in most such patients. One single dose may work for many
weeks, and does not need to be repeated. Argentum Metallicum symptoms are at the climax
exactly at midday. The
patient feels dizzy. The headache
is localised to the forehead and face or sometimes
on any one side of the head, but mostly on the right side. It
intensifies gradually, but then subsides rapidly. This pain is related
to facial neuralgia, because basically this is a neuralgic remedy and
headache is also related to nerves.
Severe
itching, limited to one ear and leading to the injury and thickening
of the ears, is indicative of Argentum Metallicum. Thickening of both ears is an early sign of leprosy.
Leprosy, a very slowly progressive disease, can best
be controlled by early use of Hydrocotyle.
Argentum Metallicum is extremely useful in diabetics and patients passing
albumin in the urine. Provided its other signs are also present, it can
be completely cured. Argentum Metallicum is also very beneficial in inflammation
of the inner lining of the kidneys (Nephritis).In Argentum Metallicum, two signs are shown in urine. If it
is dark coloured,
this indicates passage of albumin in the urine. If it is cloudy
and copious, this indicates the presence of sugar, as is in juvenile diabetes. Argentum Metallicum would only be useful
if other
constitutional symptoms are also present. Argentum
Metallicum would be useful in diabetics
with failing kidneys who
wet their beds at night. In Argentum Metallicum there is a feeling of extremely
unusual
weakness and lethargy and the body feels lifeless. Argentum Metallicum
is the treatment for this extreme fatigue. Argentum Metallicum is a
remedy of speakers and singers. It is well known for the treatment of hoarseness of the voice following
excessive speaking and singing. Hoarseness is known in
other homoeopathic remedies too, such as in Rhus Tox, however, it
is not difficult to differentiate between them. In Rhus Tox, the
patient feels a hoarseness of the voice at the outset, which gradually
gets clearer and better gradually on continued talking. If the voice
becomes worse on talking, Borax can be used. However, if the overall
symptoms are of Argentum Metallicum, this will prove better
than Borax.
In Argentum Metallicum, the trachea swells up and is very painful.
The cough becomes aggravated by laughing (as in
Phosphorus). Argentum
Metallicum patients develop cold
on exposure to the cold which can lead to irritation of the
throat, and discomfort at the upper part of the chest. The fever comes on
in the afternoon. There is severe weakness in the chest and pain
on the left ribs. Argentum Metallicum is of good use in diseases of the lungs.
Stanum is better than Argentum Metallicum in diseases
associated with a lot of sputum/expectoration, unless the
overall picture resembles that of Argentum Metallicum. There is premature ageing in
Argentum
Metallicum. Even at the age of 20 to 25 years, the face appears
full of
wrinkles. Sarsaparilla is the best remedy for premature ageing.Chinisum Ars is good in ageing
which is secondary to deep illnesses of long-standing. The liver and
spleen fail. In Sarsaparilla the skin shrivels. In Argentum Metallicum, if the patient lies flat on his
back, watery fluid
accumulates in the lung, causing palpitations and difficulty in breathing. On sitting up and standing, the upper part of the
lung becomes
clear of the fluid, and the person can breathe easily. Argentum Metallicum is very advantageous in pregnant women experiencing sudden
or severe palpitations of the heart. Typically, the symptoms of Argentum Metallicum aggravate by touch and
at midday.
Sleeping in the open air at night lessens the severity of the cough,
but other physical ailments get worse.