Iodoformium
Iodoform (triiodomethane, CHI3) · Human-made/chemical
Iodoformium suits patients with tubercular conditions, especially tubercular meningitis, presenting with profound drowsiness, amnesia, and failure to recognise persons. Children with chronic diarrhoea and suspected tuberculosis, with scaphoid abdomen and enlarged mesenteric glands, are characteristic. Apathy and inability to recognise surroundings mark the mental state.
Key symptoms
- Tubercular meningitis with sleep interrupted by sighing and cries
- Failing sight from retro-bulbar neuritis with central scotoma and partial optic atrophy
- Pupils dilated, contracting unequally with poor reaction to light
- Head feels heavy as if it cannot be lifted from the pillow
- Chronic diarrhoea with greenish, watery, undigested stools and irritable temper
- Mesenteric glands enlarged, abdomen distended (scaphoid abdomen)
- Cannot stand or walk with eyes closed
- Drowsiness developing into hebetude; amnesia for recent events
Worse (aggravation)
- At night
- Warmth and heat
- Touch
- Motion
Better (amelioration)
- Uncovering
Iodoform (IODOFORMUM)
Should not be forgotten in the treatment of tubercular meningitis, both as a local application to the head and internally (Bacil). Tuberculous conditions. Subacute and chronic diarrhœa of children.
Head
Sharp, neuralgic pain. Head feels heavy, as if it could not be lifted from pillow. Itching of occiput. Meningitis. Sleep interrupted by sighing and cries. Very drowsy.
Eyes
Pupils, dilated; contract unequally, react poorly. Diplopia. Failing sight due to retro-bulbar neuritis, central scotoma-partial atrophy of optic disc.
Chest
Sore pain in apex of right lung. Feeling of a weight on chest, as if smothering. Cough and wheezing on going to bed. Pain in left breast, like a hand grasping at the base of the heart. Hæmoptysis. Asthmatic breathing.
Abdomen
Scaphoid abdomen. Chronic diarrhœa with suspected tuberculosis. Abdomen distended; mesenteric glands enlarged. Cholera infantum. Chronic diarrhœa; stools greenish, watery, undigested, with irritable temper.
Extremities
Legs weak; cannot stand and walk with eyes closed. Weakness of knees when going upstairs.
Dose
Second trituration. Three grains on the back of the tongue will relieve attack of asthmatic breathing.
Iodoform. CHI3. Trituration. Solution.
Clinical
Breast, pains in. Chancre. Cough. Delirium. Diplopia. Eczema. Enteric fever. Eye, affections of. General paralysis. Headache. Heart, affections of. Hydrocephalus. Locomotor ataxy. Mania. Meningitis. Tuberculosis.
Characteristics
Iodoform has been proved by Underwood and Haines. To the symptoms experienced by them have been added the recorded effects observed on patients treated with it in old-school practice. Many cases of fatal poisoning have occurred. All the symptoms of acute meningitis have been produced in some instances, and this fact has been turned to good account by homœopathists. An excellent collection of the pathogenetic effects of Idf. will be found in C. D. P., from which I take the following: A boy of 10 had Idf. thickly applied to a point in amputated limb at which the stitches did not hold well. On the third day he was sleepy, after a restless night with frequent sighing. The dressing was renewed, and on the same day, not having eaten …
Phatak's chapter on Iodoformium is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
