Corallium rubrum
Red coral. · Animal · Coralliidae
Corallium is most appropriate for critical, peevish, angry people who tend to swear and curse when they are in pain. They may have a craving for sour foods, and like wine but easily become stupefied and drunk. Prone to extreme tiredness, they may even fall asleep when standing up. The remedy is used chiefly for whooping and spasmodic coughs, which tend to occur in rapid, frequent fits, accompanied by violent paroxysms, exhaustion, a smothering sensation, and the bringing up of blood. The face may become purple and congested. The air passages may feel cold on breathing in deeply, and there may be profuse catarrh. The throat is very sensitive, especially to air.
Key symptoms
- very rapid cough
- Violence of paroxysm
- expectoration
- especially to air
- spasmodic
Worse (aggravation)
Better (amelioration)
Red Coral (CORALLIUM)
The provings of coral develop much coryza and epistaxis, and even ulceration within the nostrils. It is to be thought of for whooping and spasmodic coughs, especially when the attack comes on with a very rapid cough, and the attacks follow so closely as to almost run into each other. Often preceded by sensation of smothering, followed by exhaustion. Congestion of face after dinner. Patient becomes purple in face. Violence of paroxysm, even with expectoration of blood. Feeling as if cold air were streaming through skull and air-passages. One is too cold when uncovered and too hot when covered; relieved by artificial heat.
Head
Feels very large; violent pain as if parietal bones were forced apart; worse stooping. Eyes hot and painful. Deep-seated frontal headache with severe pain back of eyeballs. Pain aggravated by breathing cold air through nose.
Nose
Odors of smoke, onions, etc. Painful ulcer in nostrils. Post-nasal catarrh. Profuse secretion of mucus dropping through posterior nares; air feels cold. Dry coryza; nose stopped up and ulcerated. Epistaxis.
Mouth
Food tastes like sawdust. Bread tastes like straw. Beer tastes sweet. Pain in articulation of left lower jaw. Craves salt.
Respiratory
Hawking of profuse mucus. Throat very sensitive, especially to air. Profuse, nasal catarrh. Inspired air feels cold (Cistus). Profuse secretion of mucus dropping through posterior nares. Dry, spasmodic, suffocative cough; very rapid cough, short, barking. Cough with great sensitiveness of air-passages; feel cold on deep inspiration. Continuous hysterical cough. Feels suffocated and greatly exhausted after whooping-cough.
Male
Ulcers on glans and inner prepuce, with yellow ichor. Emissions and weakened sexual power. Profuse perspiration of genitals.
Skin
Red, flat ulcers. Coral-colored, then dark red spots, changing to copper-colored spots. Psoriasis of palms and soles.
Modalities
Worse in open air, changing from a warm too cold room.
Relationship
Complementary: Sulph.
Compare: Bellad; Droser; Mephit; Caust.
Dose
Third to thirtieth attenuation.
Gorgonia nobilis. Class, Zoophytes. N. O. Gorgoniaceæ. Trituration.
Clinical
Asthma milleri. Catarrh. Chancre. Cough. Eruptions. Glands, inflamed. Hysteria. Measles. Post-nasal catarrh. Psoriasis. Purpura. Syphilis. Whooping-cough.
Characteristics
Red coral, the product of a coralligene zoophyte, contains carbonate of lime, oxide of iron (whence its colour), gelatin, and other elements. In old physic it was considered to have "strengthening properties," and to be astringent, sudorific, diuretic, and absorbent. In homœopathic practice Corallium corresponds to a combination of syphilis and psora. Is suited to persons of nervous temperament; nervous coughs. It causes eruptions which are for the most part of its own colour, coral-red. Red spots on the palms of the hands, at first coral colour, then darker, and finally coppery. The chancres to which it corresponds are coral-red. The cough is of the whooping-cough type; smothering sensation before, and great exhaustion after cough. Cough in "minute-gun" …
Nose
Profuse secretion of mucus dropping through posterior nares, obliging frequent hawking; inspired air feels cold.
Male Sexual Organs
Ulcers flat and extremely sensitive to touch; chancres on any part of penis or scrotum.
Phatak's chapter on Corallium rubrum is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
