Mezereum mez.
Characteristic
For light-haired, irresolute persons of a phlegmatic temperament.
Hypochondriacal and despondent; indifferent to everything and everybody; angry at trifles and perfectly harmless things, but is soon sorry for it.
Eczema: intolerable itching, < in bed and from touch; copious, serous exudation; itching eruptions after vaccination.
Child scratches face continually, which is covered with blood; eruptions moist; itching < at night; inflammatory redness of face.
Violent headache, after slight vexation; it was painful on the slightest touch; generally right side.
The head is covered with a thick, leather-like crust, under which thick and white pus collects here and there; hair is glued together; pus after a time is ichorous, becomes offensive, breeds vermin.
Toothache: in carious teeth (Kreos.); feel elongated, dull pain when biting on them and when touched with tongue, < at night; > with mouth open and drawing in air.
Ulcers covered with thick, whitish-yellow scabs, under which thick yellow pus collects.
Linen or charpie sticks to the ulcers, when it is torn away they bleed.
Vesicles appear around the ulcers, itch violently, burn like fire (Hep.); fiery-red, shining areola around.
Bones, especially long bones, inflamed, swollen; nightly pains going from above downwards; after abuse of Merc., after venereal diseases; caries; exostoses, tumors soften from within out.
Pain in periosteum of long bones < at night in bed, least touch, in damp weather (Mer., Phyt.).
Neuralgic burning pains, after zona.
Aggravation
Cold air; cold washing; night; contact, motion; one side (right) is usually affected; bad effects of mercury or alcohol.
Type
Fevers tend to remittent or typhoid. Epidemics occurring in January and February often call for Mezereum.
Chill
With thirst, with dry mouth posteriorly, and much saliva anteriorly; predominates even in a warm room, with sleepiness; from upper arms extending to back and legs (Mer.). Chilliness out of bed; heat in bed (same during heat, Mer.). Asthmatic constriction and oppression of chest (oppression of chest as if the patient would smother, Apis). Chilliness, of single parts, as if dashed with cold water, especially over arms, abdomen, hips, feet, with yawning, while face and hands are warm (Led.). Great chilliness over the whole body, hands and feet very cold, with blue nails, with small hot spot on top of the head. External coldness for 36 hours, with great thirst, without desire for warmth or dread of open air, and without subsequent heat (chill 24 hours, Aran.—12 hours, Canth.). Chill > by heat (Ars., Ign.—> by drinking, Ipec., Caust.). Very sensitive to cold air—less so in hot stage.
Heat
Burning of internal parts with external chilliness. Heat of left side of body (of right side, Meny.). Following the chill, intense heat with sleep, sweat breaking out during sleep (deep sleep as chill passes off and breaks out with urticaria, Apis—falls asleep at climax of hot stage, and sweats profusely, Pod.).
Sweat
Skin dripping with cold perspiration.
Tongue
Thick, white coating on the tongue, with large, red, elevated papillæ (Acon., Bell.).
Pulse
Full and hard; accelerated in the evening; intermittent at times; morning frequent, evening slow.
Apyrexia
Headache; pale face; hardness and swelling of the spleen, with pressive pain in left hypochondrium; loss of appetite; sensitiveness to cold air. General weakness. Great tendency to run into remittent or typhoid, particularly the latter.
Analysis
Chill; severe, long-lasting; of single parts; great thirst, no desire for heat or dread of open air, no subsequent fever.
Heat; intense, with sleep, sweat breaking out during sleep.
Sweat; drenching, cold.