📖 Ferrum Metallicum (HMT) Introduction

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 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 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 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. 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. Regarding the gastric symptoms, the patient has either a voracious appetite or no appetite at a ll. He hates sour things. On taking them, the patient develops diarrhoea. Soon after taking the food, he may regurgitate undigested food without the feeling of preliminary 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 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 associated pain in the back and gripe at the rectum. There is a tendency towards prolapse of the r ectum. Some patients lose control over passing urine. This is more common during the day. 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 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 of the back. Similarly, there is pain over the buttocks , calves or in the soles of the feet. All these symptoms become somewhat relieved on light movement. Adjuvants: China, Alumen, Hamamelis Antidotes: Arsenic, Hepar Sulph Potency: 30 to 200