• Bleeding from nose in children
• Frontal headache, relieved by epistaxis
• Unnatural excitement, very talkative (painful)
• Parotid – swollen, red and painful
• Paroxysms of cough at night

Source: Mineral kingdom
Synonyms: Ferrum phosphate, Phosphate of iron, Ferroso-ferric phosphate
Prover: Dr J. C. Morgan in 1876 also Dr W. H. Schussler in Biochemic system of medicine
Duration of Action: Not definite
Miasmatic Background: Psora
Temperament: Leucophlegmatic
Diathesis: Haemorrhagic
Thermal Relationship: Hot in general and chilly at a particular level

Introduction and History: It is a great homeopathic as well as a biochemic medicine. It is the phosphate of iron and constitutes one of the organic tissue salts of Schussler. Its function is to lend colour or pigment to the blood corpuscles. It also carries oxygen to all parts of the body. The deficiency of this cell salt leads to disturbance in circulation and causes other disturbances in the normal equilibrium of the human system. This remedy has not been fully proved.

According to Dr Schussler, this remedy is of great economic importance in setting things right by supplying the deficiencies of the cell salts. In the early stages of febrile conditions, it stands midway between the asthenic activity of Aconite and Belladonna and the asthenic sluggishness and torpidity of Gelsemium.

Constitution and Physiognomy

1. It is best adapted to anaemic, nervous people who lack vital heat and are sensitive to open air.
2. Young people with varicose veins.

Ailments From: Becoming cold, cold drinks, lifting and straining muscles, sprains, suppressed perspiration, etc.

Seat of Action (Pharmacodynamics): Blood, circulation, brain, mucous membranes, nerves, heart, thermal centre, bones, etc.

Physio-pathological Changes (Pathology)

1. It is present in the form of haemoglobin in red blood corpuscles. It’s deficiency causes a decrease in the oxygen carrying capacity of blood that is, anaemia resulting in exertional dyspnoea or cyanosis.
2. Acts mainly on the blood, producing more rapid oxidation with rise of temperature.
3. Due to the disturbance in equilibrium it causes relaxation of the vessel. As a result, the walls of the vessels dilate, causing congestion.
4. Due to the action on blood, it at first increases the red blood cell count and the red colour causing a false plethora.
5. Due to the action on circulation, it increases blood pressure and there is haemorrhage in the intestinal canal, nose, lungs, etc.
6. It acts on bones causing softening of the same.
7. In the muscles, Ferrum phosphoricum is a constituent of myoglobin. It carries out various oxidative mitochondrial enzymatic activities. Its deficiency results in easy tiredness and muscle fatigue.
8. Its deficiency causes diminished intestinal secretion resulting in poor digestion and absorption of food. Lienteric stools or diarrhoea occur initially. Later, due to decreased peristalsis and paresis of muscularis mucosa, constipation appears.
9. During the first stage of inflammation, initially there is constriction of blood vessels due to serotonin liberation, which causes a pricking pain. Later on vascular dilatation occurs increasing blood supply to the part that is, causes hyperaemia and signs of inflammation set in. Therefore, Ferrum phosphoricum must be used in the first stage of inflammatory conditions.

Characteristic Mental Symptoms (Psychology)

1. Aversion to company, feels better when alone.
2. Unable to concentrate thoughts, very talkative.
3. Impaired memory for names, facts, etc.
4. Vertigo, throbbing sensation; headache better by cold applications.
5. Very fearful, irritable and nervous with alternation of moods.

Characteristic Physical Guiding Symptoms

Fullness: Irregular blood distribution; inflammation characterized by dilatation of blood vessels.

Haemorrhage: Blood vessels are distended; bleeding from anywhere and everywhere in the body. In haemorrhages, blood is bright red and coagulates very easily.

Numbness: Numbness of parts, strong pulsations, tossing about in fever.

Headache: Congestive and gouty headache of children, better by cold application. Rush of blood to head.

Urine: Incontinence of urine from weakness of sphincter. Sudden urging to urinate, must hasten or urine will escape.

Vomiting: Vomiting of bright red blood, also vomiting of undigested food with sour eructations.

Cough: Bronchitis of young children, cough with vomiting of food.

Relaxation: Prolapse of rectum, uterus, vagina; dragging down sensation, as if the organs would come out.

Face: Face is alternately flushed and pale with a rapid and thready pulse.

Right-sidedness: Right sided pleurisy. Rheumatic pain in right shoulder and right arm; rheumatism of right deltoid.

Injuries: It cures fresh mechanical injuries, wounds, contusions, sprains and strains from lifting; gives relief by removing the congestion.

Sexual instinct: Sexual instinct completely in abeyance, vagina dry, sensitive, painful during coition.

Drowsiness: Drowsiness with rush of thoughts; late falling asleep, eyes half open in sleep.

Weakness: Weakness and dyspnoea after rapid motion or exertion with sinking and fainting.

Desires and aversions: Great desire for stimulants, but aversion to milk, beer and meat.

Haemoptysis: Congestion of lungs, haemoptysis; short, painful, tickling cough, hard, dry, with sore chest; expectoration of pure blood in pneumonia; cough better at night.

Irritability: Patient is very irritable; even slight noises like crackling of paper cause irritation.

Dropsy: Dropsy after loss of vital or animal fluids, by suppression of intermittent fever or by abuse of quinine.

Emaciation: Great prostration with anaemia, weakness, trembling and emaciation in general.

Fever: It is useful in the first stage of all catarrhal and inflammatory fevers; chill daily at 1 pm.

Diarrhoea: Diarrhoea from Suppressed perspiration on a warm summer day. Pain in stomach worse after eating.

Sensitive: Patient is very sensitive to open, fresh and cold air; takes cold very easily.

Important Characteristic Features

Haemorrhage: Blood, red, easily coagulates into a gelatinous mass. If the blood is black, thick and viscid, Kali-m has to be given. Blood not coagulating, Kali-p and Nat-m. In Ipecacuanha, haemorrhage is bright red, profuse with heavy breathing and nausea, and the haemorrhage comes with a gush.

Anaemia: Ferrum phosphoricum follows Calcarea phosphorica as soon as improvement in general health sets in. There is want of red blood in the system. Ferrum phosphoricum, by its power of attracting oxygen, colours the newly built cells red and enriches them after they have been supplied by Calcarea phosphorica. Schussler says, ‘Iron, which enters into the formation of young blood cells, is never absent in the blood stream of chlorotics.’

Fever: Simple fever. The pulse is full, round and soft. Catarrhal fever with quickened pulse. For feverishness in all stages, all inflammatory fevers, rheumatic fevers, etc., Ferrum phosphoricum is the chief remedy. The most beneficial results are obtained from its use in the prevention of traumatic fever. Chill everyday at 1 pm. Dry heat of palms, face, throat and chest. The first dose is Ferrum phosphoricum, the second dose is Kalium muriaticum, the third one is Ferrum phosphoricum and the fourth is Kalium muriaticum and so on. This is alternation; however, please select only one remedy as far as possible.

Cold: Ferrum phosphoricum is for the first stage of cold in the head, with circulatory disturbances, catarrhal fever and congestion of nasal mucous membranes. It is excellent for the predisposition to take cold, alternately with Calcarea phosphorica. White, frothy expectoration. ‘For incipient colds, it is it’s worth in gold,’ according Dr Lambert. Small bleeding ulcers in the nose. If a patient with phthisis should take cold, and so becomes greatly prostrated and have blood streaked expectoration, Ferrum phosphoricum, even in the 200 potency will quickly relieve the pulmonary congestion.

Dysmenorrhoea: Pain during monthly periods, with a flushed face, quick pulse and vomiting of undigested food; sometimes with an acrid taste.

Urinary disorders: Retention of urine in little children with heat. Wetting of the bed, especially in children. When every cough causes the urine to spurt, Ferrum phosphoricum is to be thought of; excessive passage of urine.

Cystitis: First stage, with pain, heat or feverishness. Kalium muriaticum is the principal remedy for cystitis in second and chronic stages. For irritation of the neck of the bladder, Ferrum phosphoricum may be given when the symptoms are worse the longer the patient stands and better after urination.

General Modalities

Aggravation: Violent motion, physical exertion, after eating, rest in bed, standing, 4 to 6 am, cold air.

Amelioration: Walking about slowly, pressure, after rising, solitude, after evacuation.

Remedy Relationships

Compare: Acon, Chin, Ars, Graph.

Potency: 3x, 6x, 12x, 30, 200, 1000.

Dosage

1. Schussler recommends 3.x to 12x triturations.
2. Kent recommends higher potencies in chronic diseases and considers it to be a deep acting remedy.

Repetition: It is to be repeated in acute conditions.

Therapeutic Value: Anaemia, Bed wetting, Cold, Coryza, Cough, Croup, Cystitis, Debility, Ear affections, Epistaxis, Fever, Haemorrhage, Inflammation, Influenza, Mumps, Urinary incontinence.