📖 Carbo Vegetabilis (HMT) Introduction

The vegetable carbon i.e. coal pr epared from wood, is called Carbo Veg. Dr. Hahnemann experimented with this on himself and noticed its long-lasting effects and therefore used it in the treatment of deep, chronic illnesses. In allopathy, Ca rbo Veg tablets are used to combat gas in the abdomen. To some extent , they absorb some gas, but have no effect on the acid production by the stomach. In homoeopathy too, Carbo Veg is used for excessive gas in the stomach . In addition, it controls production of gas by suppressing the causative mechanism. Carbo Veg is one of the most potent life-saving treatments. When a serious sickness advances and brings the patient on the verge of death, Carbo Veg plays a very important role in reviving the dying patient. It is extremely difficult to encompass the basic mechanism of its extraordinary functions, but it has been repeatedly found to be very effective in bringing a dying person b ack from the verge of death. It restores the body temperature. In view of this, I thought that Carbo Veg would certainly raise a lowered blood pressure. On use, I found that it definitely elevates the blood pressure . I also noted that it does not elevate the blood pressure blindly. There is certainly no danger that Carbo Veg would unnecessarily raise the blood pressure to an abnormal level, it simply normalizes the blood pressure after it has seriously dropped. Normally, th e blood pressure drops profoundly when the patient is at the point of death. A single dose of Carbo Veg starts warming up the body. Once I happened to see a patient who had suffered a very severe heart attack. He was virtually dead when I saw him. His forehead was covered with profuse cold sweat and the breathing was hardly noticeable. I dropped two or three drops of Carbo Veg into his mouth. Within a very short time, he started breathing normally. The cold sweats disappeared from the forehead, and his body started to warm up gr adually. I then gave him the specific remedies to strengthen his heart which, with the help of Carbo Veg, became very effective. I have used Carbo Veg in many other patients and have always found it very effective. It should be in the first-aid kit for saving lives. Carbo Veg is also deeply related to asthma, especially when the patient’s temperature has dropped, there is profuse cold sweating and the patient is so weak that he can not expel the secretions from his chest. This kind of patient may be of two types: one exhibiting the symptoms of Ammonium Tart whose initial symptoms have been of Ipecac. The symptoms of Antimonium Crude are the worst type of symptoms of Ipecac. The stomach becomes inflammed, resulting in the tongue being covered with a dirty white coating. When the condition of this patient further aggr avates, and he is unable to expel the sputum from his chest due to severe weakness, Antimonium Tart may well stabilise the condition of the patient and bring him back from this dangerous situation. However, Antimonium Tart is not curative for asthma. Carbo Veg resembles Antimonium Tart. Once I saw a patient who was seriously sick with asthma. When I gave him Carbo Veg and his body gained strength. He coughed out the expectoration and his sturtrous breathing became normal. When given the appropriate asthma treatment, he recovered completely. It proves once again that Carbo Veg is a vi tal homoeopathic remedy when the patient is in moribund state. Typi cally, the asthmatic patient sweats profusely, is cold and has air hunger. For this purpose, fanning on the face helps. On the contrary, the Arsenic patient does not sweat, and his chest does not rattle with accumulated secretions. Carbo Veg is very useful in treating the failing heart muscle. It is the best tonic for the muscles. When the pressure of gas from the stomach is directed upwards, Carbo Veg is very beneficial. The accumulation of gas in the stomach is mentioned in reference to many homoeopathic medicines. This alon e will not help to arrive at the correct diagnosis. One has to try di fferent medicines. There is no equal to the long, vigilant experien ce of the treating physician. With repeated use, the remedies start manifesting their symptoms which may not have been detected with formal proving. Gas in the stomach is also mentioned in relation to Ar senic Iodide. In fact, it is the treatment for the peptic ulcer of the stomach and its deleterious effects. In Carbo Veg, the gas is in the upper part of the abdomen and smells foul. The stools in Carbo Veg diarrhoea also smell foul and the patient feels extremely weak. As such, its symptoms resemble those of Baptisia. Baptisia however, works more profoundly in such a condition as well as for the treatm ent of foul-smelling diarrhoeal stools of typhoid. Carbo Veg is of no use in typhoid diarrhoea. The symptoms of Carbo Veg also include numbness of hands and feet. Legs feel numb too , especially the calf muscles. In medical terminology, the calf muscles are called the second heart, because they pump back the venous blood towards the heart. One may feel light- headed on sudden standing up, showing that the calves have not pumped the blood back up sufficiently. Carbo Veg is very useful to treat this condition, because it not on ly elevates the blood pressure but also invigorates the calf muscles. This is how it helps to revive a dying patient. Another important characteristic of Carbo Veg is that it prepares the body to properly react to Kali Carb. Many of the symptoms of Kali Carb resemble those of Carbo Veg, but Carbo Veg is a relatively mild remedy while Kali Carb produces a strong body reaction. Most Kali Carb diseases are chronic in nature. The direct initial use of Kali Carb may produce a serious reaction. Th erefore, Carbo Veg should be given first before administering Kali Carb, especially for the treatment of joint pains in hands, feet and wrists. When I first started homoeopathy, I used Carbo Veg. My experience showed that Carbo Veg itself has some beneficial effects on the pains and aches, especially backache and muscular pains . However, if blood pressure is high and the face is flushed with blood, Belladonna and Aconite are more effective th an Carbo Veg. In addition to Aconite and Belladonna, Carbo Veg a nd Kali Carb may also be used after Rhus Tox. After these, Calc area Carb would further prolong the effect of Aconite, Belladonna and R hus Tox. All these homoeopathic remedies contain the element of Carbon, which is deeply related to the muscles. In a Carbo Veg patient, the acidity in the stomach is not due to excess of hydrochloric acid but rather due to the lack of it. When the normal acidity of the stomach ( hydrochloric acid) is not sufficient, food starts decaying and produces foul acidic substances, resulting in severe compromise of the process of digestion. In simple terms, it may be said that the stomach has two ends that are capable of remaining open or closed. The upper end of the stomach is the cardic end, and the lower end is known as the pyloric end. The foul acidic matter puts both ends into a state of contraction and the blocked-up food containing foul acidic contents prod uces gas, distending the stomach. Under pressure, the upper end ma y open letting the foul-smelling gases, as well as the acidic contents of the stomach, regurgitate. This produces burning and foul eructati on or belching. The pyloric end opens only under very high pressure. Normally, digestion of the food in the stomach takes about three hours. After this, the stomach contents are let to pass into the intestines and the foul gas also enters the gut. These foul contents work as a good medium for the growth of germs and worms which cause further putrefaction. Carbo Veg is used in controlling this vicious symptom complex and after use for some period, it normalises the digestive system. When given in appropriate potencie s, Carbo Veg as well as Carbo Animalis, helps to kill germs and worms in the intestines. However, some kinds of bacteria and worms settle permanently inside the stomach and intestines and are difficult to completely eradicate. In my experience, the most effective medicines to kill worms in the intestines are Santoninum, Cina and Te ucrium. I have also used Sabadilla for the same purpose, ev en though most of homoeopathic books only describe Sabadilla in reference to sneezing and irritation of the nose due to allergies. I believe that the allergy of the nose and itching can be secondary to the pres ence of worms in the intestines. The irritation they produce inside the stomach and the intestines also gets referred to the nose and the face . In Boericke, Sabadilla has been mentioned for the treatment of worms, although Boericke does not specifically describe its use for worms under Sabadilla. Carbo Animalis is probably the most effective remedy for hookworm infestation of the abdomen. Besi des these, there are many more homoeopathic remedies for the tr eatment of worms. A detailed repertory should be consulted as needed. In Carbo Veg, there is a tendency towards hoarseness of the throat in the evening. Hands and feet become numb . There is physical as well as mental lethargy. In f act, the entire life process becomes sluggish. There is a feeling of bur ning inside, while the patient feels cold outwardly. The patient takes no interest in any kind of news, be it of sorrow, happiness or something st artling, as if he does not care. It seems as if he is not tuned to think any more. In Carbo Veg, the headache is usually towards the back of the head. It starts with the onset of cold and then makes the entire head throb as if being hammered. This also happens in Natrum Mur. The hair tends to fall . Cold sweats appear on the forehead. Its patient gets frightened at night and thinks of demons and the devil. The ears discharge foul smelling material indicating the presence of deep infection and fever. In Carbo Veg, the chronic cold can afflict any part of the body making the patient permanently sick. If the chronic cold of a Carbo Veg patient is suppr essed by some other treatment, it may result in serious consequences later. Hence, the chronic cold should better be treated with Carbo Veg. Carbo Veg will also clear the picture of suppressed diseases. Carbo Veg will best treat sores in the mouth and white blotches, inflammation of the gums and loosening of the teeth, if its other symptoms are also present. It is also very useful for the treatment of ulcers in the stomach, which result in foul smelling diarrhoea and swelling of the liver. The limbs become flabby and the legs and feet gradually start withering away. The feet may suffer in many different ways. Carbo Veg is also useful in the treatment of varicose veins. Carbo Veg is also very useful in th e treatment of the early stages of whooping cough and rattling chest . The cough of a Carbo Veg patient resembles that of Laches is. Asthma comes on suddenly at night. Carbo Veg should be the treatment of choice for a prolapsed uterus associated with foul smelling, darkish vaginal discharge. Carbo Veg is also very useful in the treatment of lactating mothers when the milk is not enough; they are very weak and suffer from remittent fever. Carbo Veg patients usually see fire, stealing and accidents in their dreams. Adjuvants: Kali Carb, Drosera Antidotes: Camphor, Ambra Grisea, Arsenic Potency: 30 to 200