Homoeopathy — Page 677
Zincum Metallicum 677 Agaricus, a patient appears to be old at a very young age. In Sarsaparilla, even children look old. Some of the Zinc patients, like those in Apis, may scream during sleep due to the excitability of nerve fibres in the brain. Symptoms of Apis are easily identifiable. In their absence, Zinc should be started without any hesitation. Once again, the relatives of the patient must be clearly warned that the tendency to scream may become aggravated before it gets better, slowly but surely. The symptoms of Zinc include profuse sweating, severe nausea and vomiting. The heart sinks. All these symptoms do not manifest at the same time. Sometimes, it is the gastric symptoms, which appear first, while at other times the limbs or the heart become affected first. If the progressive slowing of the intestinal activity is suspected on the basis of a change of bowel habits, Zinc must be started without hesitation. If the diagnosis has been correct, then the condition may be completely cured. Sometimes such a patient starts vomiting as a reaction to Zinc. This is a good sign indicating that Zinc has reverted the slowly progressive intestinal paralysis (ileus). Initial severe reaction to Zinc therapy is temporary, but must occur, before the restoration of health. However, severe reactions may also be noted during the treatment from the improper homoeopathic remedy or potency, with serious consequences. In , every untoward serious reaction should not be considered a prelude to a successful outcome because the condition may sometimes keep becoming serious with no sign of improvement. Zinc is also useful in the treatment of spinal meningitis. If remedies like Bryonia, Belladonna and Gelsemium etc. , stop working, then Zinc will prove to be very beneficial. Zinc has also proved successful in the treatment of tubercular meningitis. During an epidemic of meningitis, Zinc 200 taken once or twice a week, proves to be a very good preventive measure. Zinc is also very useful in the treatment of many eye diseases such as progressive swelling and heaviness of the eyelids, chronic redness of the eyes associated with the dimness of the vision and the affliction of the optic nerve (optic neuritis). Zincum Sulph is an excellent treatment for cataract. I once treated one ninety-year-old man with fairly advanced cataract. The surgeon had refused to perform surgery