Sulfonalum
Sulfonal (acetone diethylsulfone) · Human-made/chemical
Sulfonalum suits conditions arising from nervous system toxicity, particularly cerebellar and ataxic disorders. It is indicated in patients showing profound muscular incoordination, ascending paralysis, and alternating mental states with extreme weakness and despondency.
Key symptoms
- Vertigo of cerebral origin with inability to rise
- Profound weakness, faint gone feeling, and despondency
- Mental confusion, incoherency, and apathy
- Alternation of happy hopeful states with depression
- Staggering ataxic gait with legs too heavy
- Tongue feels as if paralyzed; difficult speech
- Eyes bloodshot, restless; double vision and ptosis
- Urine scanty, dark brownish-red with albuminuria
- Muscular twitchings worse by voluntary movement
- Erythema and purpuric spots on skin
Worse (aggravation)
- From voluntary movement (twitching worse)
- Physical exertion
- On attempting to rise
Better (amelioration)
- From cold douches or cold water applied externally
A Coal-tar Product (SULFONAL)
Vertigo of cerebral origin, cerebellar disease, ataxic symptoms and chorea, present a field for the homeopathic employment of this drug. Profound weakness, gone, faint feeling, and despondency. Loss of control of sphincter. Muscular inco-ordination.
Mind
Mental confusion, incoherency, illusions; apathetic. Alternation of happy, hopeful states with depression and weakness. Extreme irritability.
Head
Dropsy, stupid; pain on attempting to raise head. Double vision; heavy look about eyes; tinnitus, aphasia; tongue as if paralyzed. Eyes bloodshot and restless. Vertigo, unable to rise. Double vision; ptosis; tinnitus; dysphagia, difficult speech.
Urinary
Albuminuria, with casts. Scanty. Pink color. Constant desire to urinate; scanty, brownish red. Hæmato-porphyrinuria.
Respiratory
Congestion of lungs; stertorous breathing. Sighing dyspnœa.
Extremities
Ataxic movements, staggering gait; cold, weak, trembling; legs seem too heavy. Extreme restlessness; muscular twitchings. Knee-jerks disappear. Stiffness and paralysis of both legs. Anæsthesia of legs.
Sleep
Fidgety, wakeful, drowsy. Insomnia.
Skin
Itching, bluish purpura. Erythema.
Relationship
Trional; insomnia associated with physical excitement; (vertigo, loss of equilibrium, ataxia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhœa, stertorous breathing, cyanosis, tinnitus, hallucinations).
Dose
Third trituration.
*Non-Homeopathic Uses.--*As a hypnotic. Dose, ten to thirty grains in hot water. Takes about two hours to act.
Diethylsulphone-dimethyl-methane. (CH3)2C(C2H5S)2. Trituration.
Clinical
Albuminuria. Cramps. Cyanosis. Ears, noises in. Epilepsy. Headache, with tinnitus. Hæmatoporphyrinuria. Locomotor ataxy. Paralysis, ascending. Reflexes abolished.
Characteristics
Sulfonal was at first regarded as one of the safest of hypnotics, but many cases of poisoning by medicinal doses have occurred, and my Schema is made up of reported effects produced on patients. The accounts will be found in recent numbers of H. W. Prominent symptoms were: Stupor. Headache, with noises in ears. Vomiting and diarrhœa. Urine retained, or secretion arrested; claret-coloured; containing albumen; porphyrin. Ataxic gait and diminished or abolished reflexes point to locomotor ataxy. Ascending paralysis has been observed. The heart is weak; fainting occurs; and death takes place by heart failure. Rashes have been noticed on the skin, purpuric, erythematous, &c. One man (H. W., xxxii. 174) observed uniform skin effects every time he took Sfo., more …
Phatak's chapter on Sulfonalum is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
