A. C. Shute, M.D., Pottstown
For that complex of symptoms of gastric origin, dominated by the condition of the nervous system, now present and now absent, aggravated by any irritation of the nerves, where food can at one time be taken and digested easily, and then again causing distress, it is well to give the name nervous dyspepsia. Here Kali carb. has seemed to me to cover the symptoms of many cases better than any other one remedy, such as:
Mental and physical weakness, mind is dull, cloudy, confused; mental labor is a burden; physical excitement is attended with undue prostration and a general lack of tone through the body. Pains are especially of a stitch-like character; they may be shifting, but are most likely to be in left chest, very real, and making the possibility of the heart as their cause come to the mind of the patient. Nerves are unstrung; noise is especially unpleasant; fear or an unexpected touch will aggravate unduly.
Faintness and weakness when the stomach is empty, driving patient to eat, and then the taking of food is followed with faintness, nausea, colic, but especially with sense of bloating, which cannot be relieved, although belching does relieve if it occurs without any particular taste to the gas. Thus aggravation from eating, and aggravation from fasting.
Constipation alternates with diarrhoea.
Time of aggravation at 3 A.M. marked, in some cases whether the symptoms are mental, pain, cough or dyspnoea, palpitation; or insomnia after that hour.
Here this remedy has done much for me, and by careful tests from 6x to 30x to 30c, I have been able to satisfy myself the best results are obtained with the trituration, and so much of this malady is found in this locality that I use pounds of it.
While I may detail case after case, the singularity of the symptoms is great, and these patients of all types, dominated as they are by their nerves, find the needed relief in this remedy to justify them in sending for the same, when they cannot come in person and keep on hand to take at varying intervals, and such patients have, with happiest results, taken this remedy for years.
With the remedy in all gastric conditions I emphasize the necessity of thorough mastication of the food, and the avoidance of all liquids at meals, and, in large measure, meat. Where the stitches do persist alone after other symptoms have cleared up, I have found Cactus grand. 3x the remedy. Where I cannot get the action of remedy an occasional dose of Sulphur will act nicely.
I feel confident the action of remedy is through the nerves, restoring that balance to the nerves of the organs of digestion that they will regularly pour out the natural secretions for digestion, and the necessity for repetition of the remedy, I think, is mainly due to improper mastication and too much liquid at meals, rather than the impairment of the nerves. The three cardinal symptoms that I look for are:-
Bloating, fullness after eating, with inability to get relief.
Stitches in chest, and Dulness and pressing in the head.
