Exploring the Acid Remedies

We have 37 acids in our Materia Medica that have wonderful uses in homeopathy. Let's explore what’s common about all of the acid remedies and learn a little more about a few of them.

The acid remedies all have a common theme; a person being worn out. All acids will burn and eventually will burn through substances. In the same way, the acid remedies are for those individuals that are burnt out. There is a certain self-destructiveness to these remedies.

There are many ways this burnt-out state can appear. It could be from too much work over an extended period of time. It could be from too much mental activity, too much sex, too much travel. The person does not seem to have a limit on the pattern of the self-destructiveness. Eventually, it leads to the complete breakdown of the system, either mentally, emotionally, physically, or all of the above together. Any number of things can add up to a depleted state for the person and the acid remedies are potential remedies for helping the person.

Here is a list of the remedies made from the acids:

acet-ac.,  benz-ac., bor-ac., but-ac., camph-ac., carb-ac., chr-ac., chrys-ac., cit-ac., cupr-acet., fl-ac., form-ac., gall-ac., hip-ac., hydr-ac., hydrobr-ac., hydroc-ac., iod-ac., lac-ac., mur-ac., nat-cac., nit-ac., nit-m-ac., ox-ac., ph-ac., pic-ac., pyro-ac., rib-ac., sarcol-ac., succ-ac., sul-ac., sul-ac-ar., sulo-ac., tann-ac., tart-ac., tell-ac., ur-ac.

Let's look at a few of the more common acid remedies and see if we can find a theme.

• Acetic Acid – Acetic acid is Vinegar. In higher concentrations than what we are most familiar with within the household, it will cause indigestion, dyspnea, and fatigue. It is a remedy for anemia and the deep weakness associated with it. Emaciation and debility. Wasting away. Useful to clear the ill effects of anesthesia. Will liquefy fibrous tumors and cancer cells.
• Carbolic Acid – Like all of the Carbon remedies, it is a powerful anti-septic. Its use in surgery has led to many poisonings of the patient and the surgeon. Useful in diabetes. Acute smell is a keynote of this acid. Allergic reaction to bee stings. Pains come and go suddenly. Burning and pricking pains. Mental and bodily languor. Disinclination for physical or mental work. Reading aggravates all symptoms.
• Fluoric Acid – Destructiveness is the keynote of this acid-producing slow deep destructive effects. Decay of the long bones, ulcerations, Bedsores, varicose veins. Syphilitic miasm. Prematurely old with weakness. Always feels hot. Aversion to his family and those loved most. Lascivious and lustful. Catatonic without response. Impulse to walk quickly.
• Formic Acid – The largest component of tincture from fire ants and the remedy Formica Rufa. Apis, other insects, and Urtica Urens contain Formic Acid. Chronic muscle pain. Will increase vitality when given homeopathically. Muscular pains and soreness. Rheumatism and gout pains that appear suddenly. Arthritis.
• Gallic Acid – An astringent derivative from Tannic acid of gall apples of the oak tree. It affects the lungs and useful in pulmonary hemorrhage. Tuberculosis. Rude and abuses everyone.  Delirium at night. Jumps up and afraid to be alone.
• Hydrocyanic Acid – From Cyanide, this acid is one of the most deadly poisons. Very rapid action. Collapse and convulsions in severe attacks of illness. Foaming at the mouth. Cyanosis. Intense coldness. Lack of reaction. unconsciousness. Fainting prolonged. This poisonous acid brings death or death-like symptoms.
• Nitric Acid – When exposed to the skin, it causes a burn that self cauterizes preventing further damage, unlike Sulphuric Acid that burns through. If inhaled will cause spasms of the glottis or severe bronchitis . Used locally for warts and other tumors. Old people with great weakness. Bitterness of emotions. Does not forgive. Pains as of splinters. Effects the margins of the outlets of the body. A syphilitic, sycotic, and cancer remedy. Great anxiety about health. No disposition to work or perform serious business. Offensive urine like a horse.
• Phosphoric Acid – Great debility. Can’t get out of bed. After the loss of vital fluids or strong emotion. Shock, grief, homesick.Indifferent to everything. Can not collect his thoughts. Brain fag. Settled despair. Emaciation, weakness, and debility. Nervous exhaustion.
• Picric Acid –  Formed by the action of Nitric acid on Carbolic acid Salicin, silk and many other substrates, Picric acid forms bright yellow crystals that have a bitter taste. Disorganizes the liver creating jaundice. Acts upon the brain, spinal cord, lumbar region kidneys, and sexual organs. Weakness, heavy tired, feeling in mind, and body. After prolonged mental strain. Anemia, degeneration of the spinal cord with paralysis. Increased sexual desire.
• Sulfuric Acid – Great weakness and exhaustion. It affects the digestive tract and the blood and blood vessels. Craving for alcohol. Weakness out of proportion to the disease. Great painfulness. Very hurried.

The acids all have a quality similar to their root substance. For example, Phosphoric Acid will have Phosphorus qualities, Sulphuric Acid will have Sulphur qualities, etc. Acid remedies are the destructive qualities of these substances. Understanding this will help in remedy differentiation when an acid remedy is considered.

Study the acid remedies and become familiar with them. Even though they are all different, sometimes it may be more difficult to decide on one acid over another when you are sure the case needs an acid remedy.