Hecla lava

Volcanic ash (Mt. Hekla) · Hekla lava. · Mineral

BoerickeClarkePhatak

Hekla is best suited to people who are rather volcanic in temperament. They usually suppress any anger, but after a certain point they erupt. The remedy is typically used for bone disorders, such as exostosis (benign bony outgrowths) or osteitis (inflammation of the bone). It is considered particularly suitable for treating sarcoma (cancer of the connective tissue) and osteosarcoma (a malignant bone tumor), especially if they occur in the jaw, head, or legs. Glandular swellings, particularly those in the neck, can also be treated with Hekla, as can toothaches.

Key symptoms

Marked action on the jaws; exostosis and gum abscess
Difficult teething with nodosities and caries of bone
Osteitis, periostitis, osteosarcoma, and rachitis
Facial neuralgia from carious teeth and after dental extraction
Toothache with swelling about jaws
Enlargement of maxillary bone; abscess of gums
Cervical glands enlarged and indurated; bone necrosis after mastoid operation

Worse (aggravation)

For pressure on the affected area; for sitting; on beginning to move.

Better (amelioration)

For continued movement; toward 3 p.m.

William Boericke

Homoeopathic Materia Medica · 1901

Lava Scoriæ from Mt. Hecla (HEKLA LAVA)

Marked action upon the jaws. Of great use in exostosis, gum abscess, difficult teething. Nodosities, caries of bone, etc. Osteitis, periostitis, osteosarcoma; rachitis. Tumors in general. Bone necrosis. Necrosis and sinus after mastoid operation.

Face

Ulceration of nasal bones. Facial neuralgia from carious teeth and after extraction. Toothache, with swelling about jaws. Abscess of gums. Enlargement of maxillary bone. Cervical glands enlarged and indurated.

Relationship

Compare: Silica; Mercur; Phos; Conchiolinum--Mother of pearl (diaphysis of bone affected; parts extremely sensitive to touch).

Amphisbæna-Snail-like lizard (great affinity for the jaw bones, worse by air and dampness).

Slag--(Great itching of parts).

Dose

Lower triturations.

John Henry Clarke

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · 1900

Heclæ lava. The finer ash from Mount Hecla, falling in distant localities. Trituration.

Clinical

Antrum of Highmore, tumour of. Bones, affections of. Breast, tumours of. Dentition, difficult. Exostoses. Glands, affections of. Jaws, tumours on. Milk, deficient. Neuralgia. Osteitis deformans. Osteomalachia. Osteosarcoma. Periostitis. Rickets. Syphilis. Teeth, caries of. Toothache. Tumours. White swelling. Whitlow.

Characteristics

I have chosen the single word Hecla in preference to Heclæ lava, as being simpler and more convenient. The ash and scoriæ of this volcano contain Silica, Alumina, Lime, Magnesia, with some Oxide of Iron. When travelling in Iceland, Garth Wilkinson noticed that the sheep in the vicinity of Hecla had immense exostoses on the jaws. Another effect noticed was the drying up of the milk both in sheep and cows. The finer ash which fell on pastures at a distance, was the most deleterious; the gross ash near the mountain was inert. In cows, post-mortem examination showed the intestines …

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S. R. Phatak

Materia Medica of Homoeopathic Medicines

Phatak's chapter on Hecla lava is available in the app.

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Classical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.