AMYGDALUS AMARA AQUA

(Bitter Almond)

PHARMACY - amyg-am. Amygdalus amara aqua. Bitter almond. Amygdalus communis amara.

N. 0. Rosacae. An ounce of alcohol is added toa pound of bitter almonds, then six pounds of water are added and distilled down to three pounds. Hydrocyanic acid is formed by the action of water on the amygdaloids.

Historical dose: Tincture and all potencies.

CLINICAL - Asthma, Coma, Diphtheria. Epilepsy. Headache. Syncope. Tetanus. Urticaria.

HOMEOPATHIC - The symptoms of Amyg-am. are not very distinguishable from those of Hydrocyanic acid. Jerking, hesitating, stuttering speech. Dark red palate and fauces: Swallowing impossible. Vomiting of undigested food and bile.

Cough with soreness of chest extending down to stomach. Stitches under left nipple, going deep in, making exhalations more difficult. Convulsive and at intervals very short respiration with fear of suffocation.

Heaviness in forehead (Laur.). Head drawn backward. Congestion of vessels of brain and general effusion on both hemispheres, dura matter gorged. Opisthotonos. Dullness of left half of the head (Hydr-ac., right). Venous system gorged with dark liquid blood. Blood, muscles and bile of a violet color. Snoring. Surface cold, clammy, pale or blue.

Convulsions. Most violent convulsions, which last almost three-quarters of an hour. The convulsions returned after a quarter of an hour, but less violently. General tetanus. Complete opisthotonos.

Excessive languor. General debility from seven bitter almonds. Feeling of weakness, as if the muscular vigor was deficient and he would fall down. Fainting. Syncope. Death in thirty minutes. General malaise. Weight on the eyes and in the limbs.

MIND - Mild delirium. The patient stammers incoherently. Appearance of intoxication. She is so much affected that she can hardly utter a word (after four hours). The feelings were deeply affected, she began to weep. Extreme anxiety. Falls down unconscious.

Loss of consciousness of voice and of motive power. Senseless. Coma with stertorous respiration and involuntary stool, but she revives suddenly and looks wildly her.

Abdomen - Abdomen relaxed, soft, hardly of natural warmth. Pains in abdomen. Colicky pains, which increase, until the abdomen is distended like a balloon.

Chest - The chest heaved spasmodically and its movements were hurried. Oppression of chest. Several transient stitches and pains.

Ears - Ears white and cold. Humming in the ears.

Eyes - Sunken eyes. The eyes are turned upwards. Eyes glassy. Brilliancy of the eyes. Eyes wide open and motionless. Eyes are closed, cold. Spasmodic movements, especially of the eyelids. Upper eyelids convulsed. Eyeballs protruding from their sockets. Eyes open and rolling from side to side. Contracted pupils. Pupils widely dilated and insensible to light. Motionless pupils. Dimness of sight.

Face - Face becomes deadly pale. Face yellowish-gray and moist. Lips bluish, white and cold. Countenance is very flushed. Spasmodic distortion of the features. Frequent convulsive action of muscles of face and neck. Sardonic laughter. joyful countenance, sparkling eyes.

Head - Heaviness and confusion of head and of thought. Head drawn between shoulders. Violent headache. During the forenoon a sense of heaviness in the forehead. Slight pressure in forehead. Sense of weight and oppression on top of head.

Heart- Heartbeats very feebly. Beat of heart feeble. sometimes intermittent.

Kidneys - Scanty and painful urination.

Limbs - Limbs were completely lax and fell lifeless when lifted. Unsteadiness on the limbs. Upper and lower limbs cold. Could not stand on legs. Formication in the legs with staggering gait. Knees flexed on the abdomen. Heaviness of limbs and whole right thigh.

Lungs - Short, painting respiration, suffocative attacks. Breathing stertorous and at long intervals. Breathing slow and gentle. Respiration heavy. Difficult respiration.

Male - Penis shriveled.

Mouth - Tongue dry and coated. Mouth tightly closed. Froth at the mouth. Breath smells of bitter almonds.

Neck - Swelling and undulatory motion in the jugular veins, the carotids beat quickly and fully.

Nose - Nose white and cold.

Pulse - Pulse strong, frequent and wiry. Pulse at first small, frequent and intermit-tent, then slow and regular. Pulse slow, vibrating, small, flickering. Diminished pulse, scarcely perceptible.

Rectum - Copious, but especially watery evacuations. Stool seldom.

Skin - Skin blue and bluish-red, especially on scrotum, where it was blue and almost greenish-yellow. Wheals over the whole skin. Urticaria with fever.

Sleep - Yawning with irresistible tendency to sleep. Drowsiness. Inclined to sleep the afternoon. Depression in the afternoon and evening. Inclination to sleep soundly and deeply through the night. difficult to rouse. Deep, stertorous sleep.

Stomach - Nausea and vomiting of food.

Vomiting of a bitter Viscid substance, bile smelling strongly of prussic acid.

Temperature - General coldness. Surface cold and clammy.

Throat-Increased discharge of mucus from The larynx. Hoarseness caused by scraping in the larynx. Swallowing is impossible. Burning sensation in throat. Excessive burning heat in laryngo-pharyngeal region.

Vertigo - Vertigo, as if gradually passed off by noon. Vertigo in strong air. Vertigo, as if intoxicated, followed by sudden death (from taking many bitter a almonds).

COMMENTS – Farrington noted "Very brilliant appearance of the eyes without corresponding mental expression. Eyes drawn to left side. Burning heat in laryngo-pharyngeal region. Sharp pains through tonsils."

RELATIONS

Antidoted by: Op. - convulsions., strong coffee, cold water poured over head.

Compare:

(I) Laurocerasus. Hydr-ac., Op. - spasms, stertor, slow pulse, stupor.

(2) Stram., Tab., Ant-t.

(3) Lach., Naja (heart).

REFERENCES - Allen. Clarke.