Cadmium metallicum

CADMIUM METALLICUM
SUBSTANCE
Cadmium. Element 48. Group or Column 12 of Periodic Table.
Belonging to group 12 of the periodic table, cadmium stands at the transition of zinc to mercury. As the sulphate or the carbonate, cadmium almost always appears in common with zinc. The name is derived from Greek 'kadmia', the earth.
A bluish-white metal, cadmium is used in alloys, magnets, batteries, metal-plating, photography, electrochemistry, and as a control in nuclear reactors. Though more expensive than lead storage batteries, nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries have the advantage that they can be hermetically sealed so that if they are overcharged no gas evolution occurs. Therefore they are used in such portable devices as flashlights, radios, hearing aids and hand tools.
Cadmium sources are environmental. It can be found in air pollution in the vicinity of industrial smelting plants, as part of fertilisers such as superphosphates, in drinking water, dental amalgams, car exhaust fumes and tobacco smoke, from which cadmium is better absorbed than from food and drink.
It is extremely poisonous, with an action similar to that of mercury. In a manner similar to lead and mercury, it accumulates both in the environment and in the body, causing long-term damage to life everywhere it is found. Its salts are also poisonous and little used in medicine. A few compounds have been used as ascaricides. antiseptics and fungicides. Cadmium is thought to be one of the major contributors to high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, strokes and heart attacks. Emphysema patients have more cadmium in their kidneys and liver than healthy people.
Root vegetables such as potatoes may accumulate cadmium and grains can concentrate it. Seafood particularly crustaceans such as crab or lobster and molluscs such as clams or oysters have high cadmium levels. Many of these animals are also higher in zinc, balancing the cadmium. Other food sources include organ meat and mushrooms. Some fungi, such as Amanita muscaria. the Agaricus muscarius of homeopathy, have the ability to absorb cadmium. Mushrooms can contain 100 times more the amount of cadmium than the soil on which they grow provides. Cadmium builds up in animal milk and fatty tissues. Alcohol increases cadmium uptake and accumulation into the body.
Although it has been determined that cadmium occurs as a trace element in the human organism, its physiological role is not clear. Since in nature cadmium is linked to zinc, the element right above it in group 12, it is difficult to distinguish the two. Cadmium is constantly present in zinc, even in its purest forms. Cadmium stands in antagonistic relationship to zinc. Intake of dietary zinc is antagonised by cadmium. For instance by smoking tobacco, which contains high amounts of cadmium, body zinc levels fall. Conversely, zinc aids in the excretion of cadmium. The amount of cadmium taking into the body seems to depend on the amount of zinc absorbed: the more zinc, the less cadmium. Since cadmium is a zinc antagonist and zinc is essential for the formation of testosterone, cadmium may decrease testosterone production by zinc reduction. This effect suggests interesting hypotheses about why people smoke. Since testosterone is a known activity stimulant, perhaps people are drawn to smoking to become more relaxed by the reduction in testosterone. Zinc is also a crucial factor in insulin activity. Lower zinc as a result of smoking may contribute to the significant increase in diabetes in smokers as compared to non-smokers. Zinc is a major player in healthy functioning of the thyroid. Since cadmium displaces zinc it can accumulate in the thyroid, causing thyroid disease. Combined smoking and drinking increases the risk of damage to the thyroid.
The zinc-cadmium ratio is very important, as cadmium toxicity and storage are greatly increased with zinc deficiency. Good levels of zinc protect against tissue damage by cadmium. The refinement of grains reduces the zinc-cadmium ratio. During the growth of grains such as wheat and rice, cadmium from the soil is concentrated in the core of the kernel, while zinc is found mostly in the germ and bran coverings. Cadmium is present in proportion to zinc in a ratio of 1 to 20. It is kept in check by zinc. With grain refinement, zinc is lost, leaving cadmium unchecked and increasing the cadmium ratio. Refined flours, rice and sugar all have relatively higher ratios of cadmium to zinc than do the whole foods. Zinc deficiency and cadmium toxicity are more likely when the diet is high in refined grains and flours.
Cadmium and calcium are also antagonists. They may compete for binding sites for absorption and in the bones and other tissues. Dietary intake of cadmium has been implicated in osteomalacia, osteoporosis and spontaneous fractures. In Japan, these conditions are collectively termed "itai-itai” [ouch-ouch] disease and were originally documented in postmenopausal women in cadmium-contaminated areas of Japan. Cadmium is also antagonistic to iron, manganese and chromium.
The target organ for cadmium toxicity via oral exposure is the kidney. Although cadmium is widely distributed throughout the body, most of the body burden slowly accumulates in the kidneys, liver and bones. Cadmium levels in the atmosphere are much higher in industrial cities. Cadmium is absorbed more efficiently by the lungs [30 to 60%] than by the gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms of poisoning through swallowing are characterised by intense gastro-enteritis. headache and thirst. Inhalation of cadmium fumes or dust may result in a wide range of effects, including a metallic taste, headache, dyspnoea, chest pains, cough with foamy or bloody sputum and muscular weakness. Acute symptoms disappear, but a chronic bronchitis almost always remains behind. Prolonged inhalation of cadmium dust causes emphysema and chronic rhinitis. The patient's condition suffers a general deterioration
with weight loss, anaemia and pain in the bones. A characteristic symptom is a yellow ring round the base of the teeth.
Workers who consistently come into contact with cadmium have a strong tendency towards caries of the teeth. The teeth of more than half of the workers turn yellow and the yellow ring at the base of the teeth starts to develop.
Provings by Templeton [UK; 9 provers: 2c; 1949]. Pahud [Switzerland; 16 provers: 1949]. Gutman [USA. 38 provers: 2c, 3c, 6x and 12x; 1951], Gringauz [Argentina: 2 provers: 1951], and Patricia Hatherly [Australia; 5 provers. 7c, 8c and 30c: 1998. Clinical observations by Grimmer [UK] and Scholten
[Holland].
AFFINITY
Gastrointestinal. Respiratory. Spinal column. Limbs. Neuromuscular.
SYMPTOMS
M Desire for solitude, yet worse when alone: so ends up wanting company.
M Hard-hearted, haughty, impatient. Flares up easily.
M Great irritability. Dislikes everybody. Irritability at home. Irritable as if someone was criticising him: suspicious of what people are thinking about him.
M Quick to anger. < nightfall. < 3-8 p.m., < noise. Tendency to swear; wants to argue; revengeful.
M Drags about. Tends to put everything off. Cannot be bothered about anything. Apathetic: prefers talking to action. Desire to do anything but study: to play piano.
M Indifferent; apathetic: detached: unmotivated: bored: lacks purpose: lazy: indolent; desires rest; flat.
M Indifference to everything, to joy of others, to work. Wants to be quiet.
M Sensitive to and starting from noise.
M Delusion as if everything were covered by a cloud
M Sensation that there are no boundaries: that boundaries have been defined: that boundaries have been invaded.
G Extremely tired and sleepy. Complete exhaustion. Feeling awful on waking, all of a tremble.

G Insatiable appetite: not satisfied no matter how much he eats
G Desires milky products after eating.
G Symptoms > eating – head, throat, stomach.
G Pains throbbing, stabbing, pressing.
G Warm room <. S Head as if empty, hollow. Occiput as if numb. S Brain as if enlarged, with outward pressure, like a balloon. S Tight band around forehead. Temporal regions as if kneaded. S Dull feeling as if head were not part of him. S Feeling as if head is going to drop off. S Pressure behind eyes extending to ears with a sensation of being pushed out of sockets. S Eyes feel pushed out of sockets by pressure in head. S Burning in throat as if inhaling hot air. S Backbone as if bent the wrong way, twisted S Weakness "giving out" feeling in limbs S Legs feel wobbly: sensation of heaviness, muscles stiff, painful. Tension in hamstrings and calves. Sudden twitching of legs: sensation of "jumpy legs" when at rest. Wandering pain in lower limbs from knees to ankles. S As if burnt or as if a warm object were placed on skin over a small area of body surface. L Headache behind eyes & empty feeling head: & vertigo > walking quietly.
L Congestive headache from temple to temple. < light, warmth, facing into sun, rising, motion, laughing, mental exertion, being rushed or hurried, cloudy weather, afternoon. > lying down. rest, eyes closed.
L Pain above eyes. & tingling sensation over upper spine, tingling radiating over occiput; the latter spreading to sides of face about every other day. > rubbing.
L Dryness mouth, > drinking cold water or warm drinks; & bitter, acrid taste in mouth.
L Dryness throat in morning on waking, < talking, > cold water, eating or tea.
L Throat sore, dry: feels like tonsils are shrivelling up > drinking water.
L Throat parched, not > drinking water.
L Intense nausea < any motion. > bringing knees up.
L Nausea before meals. & sinking > eating
L Nausea travelling. Afraid to travel lest he vomit.
L Increased urination, increased desire to urinate. Pain on urination, pale frequent copious urine every half hour.
L Sharp pain over heart, suddenly on and off. afraid to move.
L Aching pain in lumbar region round to groins and pubis, tingling over whole back and body.
L Cramp-like pain neck and dorsal region. < rising, going downstairs, lying on back; cannot stand, must constantly change position, walks bent forward, > warmth.
L Desire to stretch and bend backwards to relieve tension in upper back.
L Shortness of breath < walking upstairs, or up a hill, after sex. Feeling as if someone were sitting on chest. RUBRICS STRANGE, RARE & PECULIAR Mind Desires creative activity. Anger from hearing others being reproached. Aversion to certain persons. Delusion everything seems unreal. Fears: Cancer; dark; high places: narrow places. Weakness of memory for details. Making mistakes, putting salt instead of sugar in his tea. mistakes in speaking: mistakes in time. Aversion to music. Too proper. Restlessness < sunlight. Violent# sadness. Vertigo Looking at movies. Head Pain & frequent sneezing: > cold application. Dull or pressing pain, as from pressure of hat.
Eyes Burning pain < reading: < warm room. Burning pain upper eyelids. Pressing pain, as if pushed out of sockets, < sun, glare. > closing eyes, cold compress. Tired sensation in morning, on waking
Vision Objects seem to approach and then recede, when looking at movies. Bright silver sparks in field of vision.
Ears Noises, voice re-echoes in head < blowing nose: buzzing in ears < background noise. Sensation of water in inner ear. like running wax, wet and cold. Hearing Impaired > discharge.
Nose Obstruction, right nostril blocked when lying on left side, left nostril blocked when lying on right side. Sneezing < air-conditioning.
Face Dryness, face feels dry: lips feel dry, desire to lick lips. Itching, wandering. Tingling < warm room.
Mouth Stale, musty, offensive breath. Breath like rotten onions during night. Mouth feels gummed shut on waking in morning.
Teeth Discolouration, vellow.

Throat Sensation of coldness < open air. Constriction oesophagus. Sensation of swelling on waking. Stomach Cancer from aluminium poisoning. Heaviness > eating. Nausea < odours. Gnawing pain > eating. Vomiting # heat and coldness
Abdomen Pain umbilicus < lying on back. Stool Mushy and black. Reddish. Like sheep dung. Urine Colour brown, difficult to wash off. Female Vagina sensitive, external genitals feel swollen during menses < touch [heavy or light], walking around, pressure of sanitary napkin. Respiration Difficult, < motion: looking at movies. Chest Retraction of nipples Back Heaviness, weight in lumbar region. Cramping pain cervical region / dorsal region < bending forward: < descending stairs; < lying on back; > warm applications. Numbness hands and feet < sitting. Burning pain soles of feet. Tingling palms of hands < warm room. Sleep Sleepiness after dinner. > cold shower
Dreams Coloured, yellow. Unable to reach destination. Falling. High places. Jewellery. Running after someone.
Skin Itching < cold air.
Generals Ailments during convalescence, after influenza.
FOOD & FLUID
Aversion Dairy; cheese. Sweets
Worse Alcohol; beer. Coffee. Dairy; milk. Vegetables; onions.
Desire Coffee. Dairy; milky products. Fish. raw. Fruit. Jasmine tea. Meat. Salt. Spices. Sweets. Water.
Better Alcohol; brandy.
PLUS GROUP
Decline, deterioration, breaking down, up in smoke

• Indifference yet quick to anger and flaring up
• Weariness, weakness, giving out, dragging about
• Weakness muscles and spine
• Hypertension
• Not enough air – breathless