Ferrum Metallicum (HMT)

The homoeopathic physicians have noticed that when a person is

given iron excessively, his colour becomes yellow or greenish. The

face looks greasy, as if waxed. The skin over the entire body turns the

same. There is a tendency to bleed, with the blood being thin and

watery. Blood clots can also form , which are reddish in colour,

whereas the blood clots formed as a result of poisoning are usually

darkish in colour. The appropriate homoeopathic treatment for this

kind of condition is Ferrum Meta llicum, commonly called Ferrum

Met.

One sign of Ferrum Met is that the entire body feels weak. Even mild

physical activity causes tiredness. In Acid Phos, the body remains

lethargic constantly. In the case of Ferrum Met, the weakness ensues

suddenly after a trifling job, as if the torch co ntaining old batteries

may light up and then turn off abruptly. As long as the patient does

not move, he is not aware of his state of weakness. Even if he walks a

little or very slowly he will still become weak. But if he remains lying

down or sitting for long time he may still feel weakness because by

remaining in one state, the previo us aches in the body flare up. On

walking fast, both weakness and pa in become pronounced. Even a

long conversation can exhaust him physically.

In spite of being anaemic, the patient’s face is somewhat flushed,

which is known as a False Plethora. Both cheeks become flushed and

may be only a day or two without bl eeding. The bleeding is thin and

light yellowish in colour. It may sometimes contain the shreds of the

Like China, in Ferrum Met there is decrease in the number of red

cells. The face however remains flushed and there may be redness

and pallor on the face, alternating with each other. Similarly, the

patient feels extremely chilly during the onset of fever.

appetite or no appetite at a ll. He hates sour things. On taking them,

regurgitate undigested food without the feeling of preliminary

digest an egg. Even if he likes to eat eggs, they do not suit him. At

night, he passes stools consisting of undigested food, but if he passes

stools during the daytime, it is soon after taking food, which is not

accompanied by pain. Sometimes, th e stools are hard and there is

tendency towards prolapse of the r ectum. Some patients lose control

over passing urine. This is more common during the day.

bouts, sometimes associated with pa ssing of red blood (haemoptysis).

There are rheumatic pains in the shou lders as well as in the lower part

Adjuvants: China, Alumen, Hamamelis

the soles of the feet. All these symptoms become somewhat relieved

on light movement.

Regarding the symptoms pertaining to the lungs, there is a feeling of

pressure over the chest and a difficulty in breathing. The voice

becomes hoarse. The cough is dry a nd comes in the form of repeated

Regarding the gastric symptoms, the patient has either a voracious

the patient develops diarrhoea. Soon after taking the food, he may

retching. Sometimes, vomiting is preceded by nausea as well. Such

vomiting follows taking food, imme diately or after midnight. The

abdomen becomes bloated with wind. The patient will not be able to

especially in women, it resembles th e blushing as a result of feeling

shy. The menstrual bleeding con tinues over a long period and there

inner lining of the uterus. In spite of all this, strange it is that the face

still has a reddish glow. Such wo men frequently abort due to the

vaginal irritation. Similarly, the prolapse of the uterus is not unusual.

associated pain in the back and gripe at the rectum. There is a

of the back. Similarly, there is pain over the buttocks , calves or in