Pix liquida
Pine tar · Plant · Pinaceae
Pix Liquida suits patients with chronic respiratory mucous membrane involvement combined with troublesome skin symptoms. The typical patient has offensive muco-purulent expectoration, skin eruptions that itch intolerably, and a history of post-influenzal bronchial irritation.
Key symptoms
- Chronic bronchitis with muco-purulent, offensive sputum
- Bronchial irritation persisting after influenza
- Pain at third left costal cartilage where it joins the rib
- Constant vomiting of blackish fluid with stomach pain
- Skin cracks, itches intolerably, bleeds on scratching
- Scaly eruptions on back of hands
- Alopecia
Pine-tar
Tar and its constituents act on various mucous membranes.
Its skin symptoms most important. A great cough medicine. Bronchial irritation after influenza (Kreosot; Kali bich). Scaly eruptions. Much itching. Constant vomiting of blackish fluid, with pain in stomach. Alopecia (Fluor ac).
Chest
Pain at a spot about the third left costal cartilage where it joins the rib. Rales through the lungs, and muco-purulent sputum; offensive odor and taste. Chronic bronchitis.
Skin
Cracked; itches intolerably; bleeds on scratching. Eruptions on back of hands.
Relationship
Compare its constituents: Kreosol; Petrol; Pinus; Eupion; Terebinth; Carbolic acid.
Dose
First to sixth potency.
Liquid Tar. (A product of dry distillation of various coniferous woods.) Tincture.
Clinical
Acne. Ardor urinæ. Bronchitis. Desquamation. Diarrhœa. Eczema. Enuresis. Eruptions. Hands, eruptions on. Phthisis. Psoriasis. Vomiting, black.
Characteristics
In old-school practice Tar is known as a "stimulant expectorant" in chronic bronchitis and phthisis, a stimulant to the skin in psoriasis and scaly eczema. Buckley (quoted by Allen) has recorded severe constitutional effects following the local application of preparations of tar in skin affections. Among these are: High fever; black vomit; black stools; dark-coloured urine; acute eczema; acne. Homœopaths (led by Jeanes) have brought out the special indications for the remedy; and chief among them is a pain at the third left costal cartilage, where it joins the rib. This is really a pain of the left bronchus (Hering), and when associated with offensive muco-purulent expectoration the indications for Pix are complete. Cases of phthisis and chronic bronchitis with …
Classical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
