Chloral Hydrate
- This drug, used in physiological doses, is a powerful hypnotic and cardiac depressant.
- It has a marked effect on the skin, producing erythema, ecchymosis, etc. which symptoms have been utilized homeopathically with much success, especially in the treatment of hives.
- Emotional excitability, hallucinations.
- Night terrors in children.
- Muscular prostration.
Head
- Morning headache; worse in forehead, also in occiput, on motion; better in open air.
- Passive cerebral hyperemia (use 30th).
- Feeling as if hot band were drawn from temple to temple.
- Hears voices.
Eyes
- Eyes blood-shot and watery. Circles of light, black spots.
- Illusions of sight where eyes are closed or at night.
- Dim vision.
- Conjunctivitis, burning in eye and lids; eyeball feels too large; everything looks white.
Skin
- Red blotches, like measles.
- Urticaria, worse, spirituous liquors, hot drinks.
- Erythema aggravated by alcoholic drinks, with palpitation; causes pain in tendons and extensors.
- Intense itching.
- Surface of body stone-cold.
- Wheals come on from a chill; better, warmth.
- Purpura (Phos; Crotal).
Respiratory
- Extreme dyspnea, with sensation of weight and constriction of chest.
- Asthma, with sleeplessness.
Sleep
- Insomnia, hallucinations, horrid dreams.
- Somnolence.
Modalities
- Worse, after hot drinks, stimulants, eating, night.
Relationship
- Antidotes: Ammon; Atrop; Dig; Mosch.
- Compare:
- Bell; Opium; Apis;
- Veronal--(a dangerous drug made by the action of alcohol upon urea and contains the same radical that alcohol does. Makes a man just as drunk as pure alcohol. Staggers, cannot stand up) (Dr. Varney). (Confluent reddish spots; dermatitis, itching of glans and prepuce; circumscribed dermatitis patch on first metacarpal phalangeal joint).
- Luminal--(Sleeplessness with skin symptoms in migraine; lethargy like epidemic encephalitis) (Dr. Royal).
Dose
- First trituration in hives, otherwise, higher potencies.
- Locally, in offensive foot-sweat, bathe with one per cent solution.
- For its physiological effects, five to twenty grains.
- Use cautiously.
