Synonyms

Calcii Sulphas. Calcium Sulphate.

Common Name

Gypsum. Plaster of Paris.

Chemical Properties

Formula, Ca SO4. It is found in nature as anhydrite, gypsum, alabaster and selenite; also in various waters constituting one source of permanent hardness. Molecular wt, 172. It occurs in flattened prisms (selenite) and in earthy masses (gypsum). It is a fine, white crystalline powder, soluble in 400 parts of cold water, insoluble in alcohol and in dilute uitric and hydrochloric acids. It can be obtained by precipitating a solution of calcium chloride with dilute sulphuric acid.

Preparation

By trituration, as directed in our Pharmacopeias.

Pnysiologico-Chemical Data

Present only in the bile according to Bunge, and even here not constant. The Calcarea sulph. contained in the bile comes from the liver, where it fulfilled the function of destroying worn-out, red blood corpuscles, by taking away their water.

* In the last years of Dr. Schussler's life this remedy was discarded from his list, leaving only eleven, instead of twelve tissue remedies. It has been thought beat to retain the original number contained in the previous editions of this work, as much clinical evidence in favor of this remedy has been collected. In the later editions of Schussler's Therapeutics Natrum phos. and Silicea are substituted for this remedy.

Through a deficiency of Calcar. sulph. in the liver this destruction of unfit corpuscles is delayed, hence the blood soon contains an oversupply of useless cells. Under normal conditions all useless blood corpuscles disintegrate by means of Calcar. sulph. in the liver; their remnants are excreted through biliary action from the circulation by the shortest route. But if a part of these useless corpuscles must be destroyed by oxidation within the circulation, their elimination will thereby be rendered tardy.

Such remnants as are not excreted by way of the liver from the circulation, nor taken up by the lymphatics, reach the mucous membranes and skin, producing there catarrh and eruptions.

General Action

Calc. sulph. stands in close relation to suppurations. It cures purulent discharges from the mucous membranes and purulent exudations in serous sacs, as well as tubercular ulcers or abscesses of the intestines, and ulcers of the cornea, etc. It is curative in suppurations at that stage in which matter is discharging or continuing to ooze after the infiltrated places have discharged their contents of pus. All ailments in which the process of discharge continues too long and the suppuration is affecting the epithelial tissues. Acts upon the connective tissue. If there is a deficiency of it in any small part of its domains, suppuration is the result. The presence of pus with a vent is the general indication. (J. C Morgan).

Guiding Symptoma And Characteristic Indications. Mental Symptoms

Changeable mood. Sudden loss of memory; of consciousness.

Head And Scalp

Scaldhead of children, if there be purulent discharge or yellow, purulent crusts. Suppurations, etc., about the scalp. Headache with nausea and with feeling as if eyes were sunken. Pain around whole head, worse forehead. Craniotabes. Vertigo, with deadly nausea.

Eyes

Deep-seated abscess of the cornea. Inflammation of the eyes with discharge of thick, yellow matter. Hypopyon; to absorb the effusion of pus in the eye, after Silicea. Retinitis. Deep ulcers of the cornea. Ophthalmia, pus thick and yellow. Cornea steamy, pus in anterior chamber; sensation as from a foreign body; has to tie up eye; after injury to the eye from a splinter. Phlyctenular keratitis and phlyctenular conjunctivitis when accompanied by swelling of cervical glands. Hemiopia. Twitching of eyelids. Inflamed canthi.

Ears

Deafness with discharge of matter from the middle ear, sometimes mixed with blood, after Silicea. Pimples around ear. Sensitive swellings behind ear with tendency to suppuration.

Nose

Cold in the head, with thick, yellowish, purulent secretion, frequently tinged with blood. Nosebleed. Onesided discharge from nose. Edges of nostrils sore. Yellowish discharge from posterior nares.

Face

Swelling of the cheek if suppuration threatens. Tender pimples under the beard. Hepetic eruptions on the face. Pimples and pustules on the face.

Mouth

Inside of lips sore. Raw sores on lips.

Tongue

Tongue flabby, resembling a layer of dried clay. Sour, soapy, acrid taste. Yellow coating at base. Inflammation of the tongue when suppurating. Clay-colored coating.

Teeth

Rheumatic toothache. Toothache with inside of gums swollen and sore; swollen cheek. Gums bleed on brushing teeth. Gum boils, ulcerated teeth. "The best remedy in gum boils" (M. F. R).

Throat

Suppurating sore throat. Last stage of ulcerated sore throat, with discharge of yellow matter. Suppurating stage of tonsillitis when abscess is discharging. Diphtheritis of the soft palate; fauces are much swollen. Quinsy, discharging pus.

Gastric Symptoms

Desire for fruit, tea, claret, and green, sour vegetables. Great thirst and appetite. Nausea, with vertigo. While eating, roof of month sore. Burning pain in stomach.

Abdomen And Stool

Purulent diarrhoea, mixed with blood. Dysentery, stools purulent, sanious. Intestinal ulcers with typhus. Painless abscesses about the anus in cases of fistula. Pain in region of liver, in right side of pelvis, followed by weakness, nausea and pain in stomach. Diarrhcea after maple sugar and from change of weather. Prolapsus ani. Costive-ness, with hectic fever and difficult breathing. Pus-like, slimy discharge from the bowels.

Urinary And Sexual Organs

Red urine with hectic fever. Cystitis, chronic state, pus forming. Nephritis. To control the suppuration in cases of bubo alternately with Silicea. Gonorrhoea with purulent, sanious discharge. Abscess of the prostate. Chronic suppurating stage of syphilis. Glandular ulcerations, etc. Spermatorrhoea. Menses late, long-lasting, with headache, twitchings, great weakness. Extravasation of pus within the pelvic tissues unconfined by any pyogenic membrane (Betts).

Respiratory System

Cough with purulent and sanious sputa and hectic fever. Asthma with hectic fever. Empyema, pus forming in the lungs or pleural cavities. Purulent, sanious expectoration. Pain across the chest. Pneumonia, third stage. Obstinate hoarseness. Third stage of bronchitis. Empyema after thoracentesis. Consumption. Purulent sputa. Catarrh, with thick, lumpy, white-yellow or pus-like secretions. Croup after Kali mur. In children, severe cough with malaise in the chest, green stools, herpetic eruptions.

Pregnancy

Mastitis, when matter is discharging, after Stlicea.

Circulatory Organs

Pericarditis, suppurative stage.

Back And Extremities

Pain in back and coccyx. Fingers stiff. Carbuncles on the back. Last stage of gathered finger, when the suppuration is continuing and only superficial. Ischias. Acute and chronic rheumatism. Hip-joint disease, for the discharge of pus; this remedy with Ferr. phos. and complete rest will cure this disease. Suppurating wounds. Burning-Itching of soles of feet.

Nervous Symptoms

Twitchings. Weakness and languor. Neuralgia in aged persons.

Sleep

Sleepy during the day, wakeful at night. Dreamed she had a convulsion from fright.

Febrile Symptoms

Typhus when diarrhoea sets in. Hectic fever, caused by formation of pus, with burning in soles. Herpetic eruptions all over. Itching of soles.

Skin

Boils; to reduce and control suppurations. Cuts, wounds, bruises, etc., unhealthy, discharging pus; they do not heal readily. Burns and scalds, second remedy for the purulent stage. Carbuncles discharging pus. Chilblains, suppurating stage. Crusta lactea. Yellow, purulent crusts or discharge. Purulent exudations in or upon the skin. Festers, furuncles, pimples, pustules, scabs. Skin affections with yellowish scabs. Smallpox pustules discharging matter. Purulent sores and suppurations. Ulcers of lower limbs. Many little matterless pimples under the hair, bleeding when scratched.

Tissues

Abscesses; to shorten the suppurating process and limit the discharge of pus. If given after Silicea it will cause the abscess to heal. Serous swellings. Cystic tumors. Third stage of inflammation, with lumpy or bloody discharge. Mucous discharge in cough, leucorrhcea, gonorrhoea, etc., yellow thick and lumpy. Discharges of matter or sanious pus from the skin or mucous linings. Effusions when pus forms. Lymphatic glands discharging pus. Ulcerations of the glands. Suppurations, articular or anywhere on the body. Excessive granulations, painful, etc.

Modalities

Aggravation and renewal of the symptoms after working and washing in water.

Homoeopathic Data

Calc. sulph. was proved by Dr. Clarence Conant. The proving appeared in the Transactions of the American Institute of Homoeopathy, 1873. It is also to be found in Allen's Encyclopedia, vol. ii, page 410. Nothing especially characteristic appears in this proving. In the Guiding Symptoms, vol. iii, page 227, is found a complete arrangement of the symptoms of this remedy.

Administration

This remedy is also useful externally in such affections as felons, ulcers and abscesses. The most common potencies for internal use are the 6x and I2x. Low potencies are most useful in purulent eye troubles.

Homoeopathic Relationship

Calc. sulph. resembles Hepar sulph., but acts deeper and more intensely, and is often useful after Hepar has ceased to act. It is also useful when Kali mur. ceases to act. Apocynum contains Calc. sulph. Compare Calend. in suppurations; Kali mur. in milk-crust and other skin affections, swollen cheek, croup, dysentery; Natr. sulph, in post-scarlatinal dropsy; Silicea in hard or suppurating glands, ulcers of the corneae, tonsillitis, mastitis, frost-bites.

In neuralgia it occupies a ground between the very acute pains of Magnes. phos. and the paralyzing ones of Kali phos, (more in aged persons, if there is a want of regenerative force for the nervous tissue).

In the third stage of inflammation (resolution) after Kali mur., if the discharge is lumpy and bloody; but if yellow or mucous, Kali sulph.; if puslike or bloody pus, Silicea. In carbuncles, Anthracine is better. Calc. sulph. is often useful after Kali mur., when the latter has but partially relieved, also after Bellad. and other acute remedies.