MAGNESIA PHOSPHORICA

Magnesium phosphoricum is one of the most important of Schüssler’s original additions to the materia medica. It has had a very fine proving in the potencies, conducted by H. C. Allen (Med. Adv., xxxiii. 386-415), but I will first give Schüssler’s own account:
Phosphate of Magnesia is contained in─blood-corpuscles, muscles, brain, spinal marrow, nerves, teeth. Disturbance of its molecules results in─pains, cramps, paralysis. The pains are─shooting like lightning, or boring; often combined with or alternating with a sensation of constriction; at times wandering; >by warmth; >by pressure; by hot drinks, by bending double, by pressing on abdomen with the hand, sometimes accompanied with watery diarrhœa. Spasms of various kinds─of glottis, whooping-cough, lockjaw, cramps of calves, hiccough, tetanus, chorea, spasmodic retention of urine, &c. In caseous tuberculosis and lupus Mag. p. has a place. When the cells near the caseous masses are too weak to expel them, it is because they are deficient in Mag. p., and Mag. p. given medicinally will enable them to do it.─
This sketch of Schüssler’s is confirmed in every point by Allen’s proving, and by the clinical use of Mag. p. in the highest attenuations. Moreover, there is a very strong family resemblance between these features and those of Mag. c. and Mag. m. But it is only right to say that Schüssler arrived at them by a way of his own, which shows that there are other means besides provings of finding the keynote symptoms of remedies. Allen adds to the above that the pains rapidly change place; that cramping is the most characteristic type of the Mag. p. pains. Dread of cold air; of uncovering; of touching the affected part; of moving; of cold washing.
It is best adapted to: thin, emaciated persons of a highly nervous organisation, of dark complexion; to affections on the right side of the body; to complaints from standing in cold water; complaints of dentition; headaches of school children; professional neuroses (e.g., writer’s cramp); after-effect of catheterism.
Nash says Mag. p. is in the first rank as a pain remedy, and it has all kinds of pain (though cramping pain is the most characteristic) except burning pain, and this distinguishes it from Ars., since both have >from heat.
Allen’s proving brought out canker sores in mouth, sore lips, and cracked lips. A patient of mine who suffered intensely from cracks at the corners of the lips found nothing relieve so well as Mag. p., and it did it best in the ix strength. Higher were tried.
Hering says it is suited to: Young and very strong persons; teething children. Allen says that though it is best adapted to emaciated persons, it acts promptly in stout, fleshy persons when well indicated. The attacks (of pain, &c.) are often attended with great prostration, and sometimes with profuse sweat. “Languid, tired, exhausted; unable to sit up.” Mag. p. is more often called for in men than Mag. c., but the indication, “worn-out women,” answers for both. The affections of Mag. p. are often periodic.
I cured with Mag. p. 6x a very severe attack of chorea in a girl of six. The spasms were general, but they affected the speech to such an extent that she could not make herself intelligible. Rappaz, of Montevideo (quoted H. M., xxix. 178) cured with Mag. p. a young man of 17 of cerebral meningitis which began with violent pain and inflammation in left eye, with terrific pains in head and delirium and intense fever. He was at first treated allopathically, without success. When Rappaz first saw him he was hemiplegic, with frequent and alarming convulsions, crying out violently, involuntary passage of fæces and urine; dilated pupils, dropped jaw, escape of saliva, speech and comprehension difficult. Under Mag. p. 6x in water general improvement set in. Later the 12x was given, and in two months he was well. W. T. Ord cured Miss G., 48, of pain in back extending down right sciatic nerve and up spine, following influenza, with Mag. p. 3x, 5-gr. doses. The pains were shifting, > by rest, < at night. The parts were tender to pressure and numb. Pains sometimes tense in paroxysms, compelling her to cry out. Anxiety; depressed vitality. Skinner has cured with Mag. p. a case of prolapse of rectum with feeling as if rectum were torn, the symptoms being > by heat. The symptoms are < by: Motion; cold air; draught of air; cold wind; COLD WASHING; TOUCH; lying on the back stretched out; when eating. > By: HEAT; WARMTH; PRESSURE; BENDING DOUBLE (the italics and capitals are H. C. Allen’s). .

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Kartik Raghavamurty

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