My homeopath just gave me benzoic acid, and am trying to learn about it, and can't seem to find information. Is there another name for this homeopathic remedy? Thanks.

Here is some info on the remedy from Boericke and keynotes.

BENZOICUM ACIDUM (benz-ac.)
(Benzoic Acid)
The most marked characteristic pertains to the odor and color of the urine. It has a marked action on metabolism. It produces
and cures symptoms of a uric acid diathesis, with urine highly colored and very offensive, and gouty symptoms. Renal
insufficiency. Child wants to be nursed in the arms, will not be laid down. Pains suddenly change their locality. Anti-sycotic.
Gouty and asthmatic.

Mind.-Prone to dwell on unpleasant things in the past.
Omits words in writing. Depression.

Head.-Vertigo inclination to fall sideways. Throbbing in
temporal arteries, causes puffing around ears. Noises when
swallowing. Ulceration of tongue. Swelling behind ears.
[Caps.] Cold sweat on forehead. Pricking, puckered constriction
of mouth, bluish and bleeding gums. Wens.

Nose.-Itching of septum. Pain in nasal bones.

Face.-Copper-colored spots. Red, with little blisters.
Circumscribed redness of cheeks.

Stomach.-Sweat while eating; pressure in stomach, sensation of a lump.

Abdomen.-Cutting about navel. Stitching in liver region.

Rectum.-Stitches and constricted feeling. Puckering constriction of rectum.
Itching and watery elevations around anus.

Stool.-Frothy, offensive, liquid, light-colored, like soapsuds,
bowel movements, mostly windy.

Urine.-Repulsive odor; changeable color; brown, acid. Enuresis; dribbling, offensive urine of old men. Excess of uric
acid. Vesical catarrh from suppressed gonorrhoea. Cystitis.

Respiratory.-Hoarse in morning. Asthmatic cough; worse at night;
lying on right side. Chest very tender. Pain in region
of heart. Expectoration, green mucus.

Back.-Pressure on spinal column. Coldness in sacrum. Dull
pain in region of kidneys; worse, wine.

Extremities.-Joints crack on motion. Tearing with stitches. Pain in tendo Achillis. Rheumatic gout; nodes very painful.
Gouty deposits. Ganglion; swelling of the wrist. Pain and swelling in knees.
Bunion of great toe. Tearing pain in great toe.

Fever.-Cold hands, feet, back, knees. Chilliness; cold
sweat. Internal heat on awakening.

Skin.-Red spots. Itching in spots.

Modalities.-Worse, in open air; by uncovering.

Relationship.-Useful after Colchic. fails in gout; after
Copavia in gonorrhoea.

Compare : Nitric acid; Ammon.benz.; Sabina; Tropoeolum.

Garden Nasturtium - (fetid urine).

Antidote : Copaiva.

Incompatible : Wine.

Dose.-Third to sixth potency.

BENZOICUM ACIDUM (benz-ac.)
MOUTH:
- Tongue thick, spongy, with ulcers.
URINARY:
- Urine: very OFFENSIVE, like horse's (Nit-ac),
dark colour,
full of sediment.
- Kidney stones < right side.
EXTREMITIES:
- ARTHRITIS, GOUT with or alternating with offensive, thick urine.
- Arthritic nodosities.
- Contraction, esp. hands.
CHEST:
- Heart problems from suppressed gout (Abrot).

Thank you SL. That was very informative and interesting. There are a few characteristics that I display, and the remedy seems to be working. Could you please send me similar information on Silica and Ruta, or please explain how I can obtain the information from Boericke on-line. Thank you very much.

Heres some keynotes from Vithoulkis on Silicea and below that Ruta...
Hope its not too long...

"Silicea Terra"," *LACK OF STAMINA.*
MIND:
- YIELDING, mild, refined, sensitive temperament.
- Want of self-confidence. Irresolution. Timid.
- Conscientious about trifles. Fixed ideas.
- Fears: public speaking, examinations, pointed objects and pins.
- Complaints from long mental exertion. Brain fag.
- Clairvoyance from mental weakness.
- Children: Sensitive, delicate, well-behaved, refined with fits of obstinacy. Sometimes because of fixed opinions.
Timid, answers only to the mother.
Irritable when don't feel well.
Anxiety from noise.
GENERALITIES:
- REFINED, DELICATE people.
- Children: Thin body with big head and enlarged abdomen.
Slow development. Slow learning to walk and talk.
Aversion to and < mothers' milk.
Bad assimilation, defective nutrition.
- CHILLY (can be < heat in acutes).
- < COLD, DRAFT, UNCOVERING.
- < Suppression of perspiration.
- < Changes of moon, full moon.
- < Coition.
- Stitching pains, splinter-like (Hep, Nit-ac).
- Frequent colds and infections with enlarged glands, that may suppurate.
- SUPPURATIVE PROCESSES. Fistulas.
- Ailments after vaccination ( Thuj).
- Weakness, lack of energy.
- Caries of bone.
FOOD AND DRINKS:
- Desire: Eggs, fat, ice, ice-cream, cold food and drinks.
- Aversion: FAT, (MOTHERS') MILK, salt, meat, warm food.
- < MILK.
HEAD:
- PAIN: FROM OCCIPUT TO FOREHEAD or right side.
< COLD, DRAFT, uncovering of head, fasting, mental exertion, light.
> Wrapping up, warmth, pressure.
- Perspiration of scalp and neck, < during sleep (Calc).
- Sensitive to cold (Chin, Hep, Nux-v, Psor).
- Falling of hair in intellectual types. Premature balding.
- Open fontanelles (Calc, Calc-p).
EYE:
- Inflammation and obstruction of lachrymal duct.
- Styes. Ulcer and absces of cornea.
EAR:
- Acute and chronic ear infections. Purulent discharge.
- Impaired hearing, stoppage, > yawning, relieved after loud report.
- Meniere associated with sinus problems.
- Caries of mastoid.
NOSE:
- Catarrh ext. to sinuses (Kali-bi, Lyc, Merc).
- Chronic coryza with dry obstruction.
MOUTH:
- Sensation of a hair on the tongue.
- Abscess at root of teeth. Fistulas. Inflammations of gums.
TEETH:
- Difficult, slow dentition. Caries.
FACE:
- Acne that leaves scars.
- Neuralgia < cold, draft, dampness; > warmth.
THROAT:
- Recurrent inflammation. Tonsillitis.
- Splinter-like pains.
- Swelling of glands, induration and suppuration.
STOMACH:
- Vomiting from milk (babies).
ABDOMEN:
- Swelling, suppuration of inguinal glands.
RECTUM:
- CONSTIPATION, < menses. RECEDING STOOL.
- Fistulas. Fissures and hemorrhoids, with spasms of sphincter.
- Diarrhea from milk.
MALE GENITALIA:
- Elephantiasis of scrotum. Hydrocele.
- Burning and soreness with eruption extending to inner surface of thighs.
- Prostatitis.
FEMALE GENITALIA:
- Menorrhagia and after-pains while nursing.
- Fistulas, abscesses. Bartholin's cysts.
- Leucorrhea offensive.
- Eruptions.
RESPIRATION:
- Asthmatic, < exertion, cold.
COUGH:
- Cough < cold, cold food and drinks, > warmth.
EXPECTORATION:
- Purulent. Offensive.
CHEST:
- Abscess or tumor mammae. Induration. Nodules. Fistulas.
- Mastititis of nursing women.
Sensation of a stone pressing in breast (Phyt).
- Nipples sore, ulcerated, drawn in.
- Colds fail to yield. Pneumonia.
BACK:
- DISEASES OF BONE OF SPINE. Scoliosis. Curvatures. Caries.
- Weakness. Lumbago. Sciatica.
- Coldness. Sensitive to draft.
- Ailments from injury to the spine (Hyper, Nat-s).
EXTREMITIES:
- Coldness.
- NAILS: Break easily. Crippled. WHITE SPOTS.
- INGROWN TOENAILS (Calc, Graph).
- Bunions. Felon, panaritium.
- PROFUSE, OFFENSIVE, CORROSIVE FOOTSWEAT. Excoriates skin and destroys socks.
- Arthritis < cold, cold wet weather.
PERSPIRATION:
- OFFENSIVE. SOUR. ACRID.
- Draft drying up the perspiraton may cause headache or arthritic pains.
SKIN:
- UNHEALTHY. TENDENCY TO SUPPURATION.
- FISTULAS. ABSCESSES.
- Delicate, pale skin.
- Promotes expulsion of foreign bodies through skin (Anag).
- Keloid. Scars become painful, stinging and red.
- Eruptions, itching > night.
- Vitiligo. Ringworm. Impetigo.
- Tumors and warts.
Compl:
Calc, Fl-ac, Hep, Lyc, Phos, Puls, Sanic, Thuj.
DD:
Calc, Calc-p, Gels, Hep, Lyc, Merc, Psor, Puls, Sanic, Staph, Thuj."
_________________________________**************___ _____________________


"Ruta Graveolens"," *Stiffness. Inflexibility (mental/emotional and physical).*
MIND:
- The mind loses flexibility.
- Fogginess, slowness. Difficulty understanding gives all sort of reactions.
- Irresolution.
- Defensive, irritability, discontented, quarrelsome, defiant.
- Difficult thinking and communicating. Dullness, aversion to mental work. Forgetfull.
- Loathing of life < evening.
- Remorse. Feel guilty, as if they did something wrong.
- Fears: Cancer, heart disease, evil, water, death, fainting, something terrible will happen, heights, snakes, agoraphobia, claustrophobia.
- FEARS AND ANXIETY < WHEN BECOMING WARM. Fears during fever.
- Panic attacks (Acon, Ars, Phos). They need someone to pull them out of their panic.
- Nightmares in children. Desires company at night.
- Restlessness < evening, during headache.
GENERALITIES:
- STIFFNESS. Loss of elasticity of muscles and tendons.
- < Overexertion.
- < Cold, wet weather.
- Weakness, easily tired.
- Bruised pains (Arn).
HEAD:
- Pain from straining eyes.
EYE:
- AILMENTS FROM STRAINING EYES (Phys, Nat-m, Onos), esp. from fine work, < exertion of vision. Stiffness of eye-muscles.
- Conjunctivitis, pain and heat, as if eyes of fire.
- Disturbances of accommodation (Phys).
FACE:
- Neuralgia < cold, lying.
RECTUM:
- Cancer of lower bowels.
- Constipation alternating with mucus, frothy stools.
- Prolapse, after delivery, < stooping, bowel movement.
MALE GENITALIA:
- High desire. Easy ejaculation.
FEMALE GENITALIA:
- Leucorrhoea before or after menses for a few days.
- Tendency to miscarriage, 6th or 7th month.
CHEST:
- Pain and stiffness restricting respiration.
BACK:
- PAIN > LYING ON BACK, pressure.
- Drawing pain and stiffness in neck.
- Stiffness and pain making breathing difficult.
EXTREMITIES:
- RHEUMATIC PAINS: < cold wet, exertion.
- STIFFNESS WITH BRUISED PAINS and weakness.
- Stiffness, compelled to move limbs or walk, but < motion.
- Weakness, esp. of lower extremities. Standing and rising difficult.
- HARD NODULES IN TENDONS AND PERIOST FROM OVERUSE OR INJURY.
- INJURIES TO TENDONS AND PERIOST.
- INFLAMMATION AND CONTRACTION OF TENDONS (Caust).
- Pain in thighs when stretching legs.
- Dupuytren (Plb). Ganglion cysts.
Compl:
Calc, Sil.
DD:
Arn, Caust, Onos, Phys, Plb, Ran-b, Rhod, Rhus-t."


------------------
Govind
http://homeopathyworld.cjb.net
govi@homeopathyworld.cjb.net

Thanks Govi. Not too long. Very interesting. Could you please also include the "keynotes from Vithoulkis" on Benzoic Acid. Would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

From Vithoulkas 2:-
Region - urinary organs, joints, heart, bowels, left side predominately but can go left to right and vice versa.

Leading symptoms ( he doesn't have keynotes in Book 2)
Dwells upon disagreeable occurrances
Alternating states
>copious urine
Throbbing in the eyeballs
Strong, hot, dark brown urine
Enuresis noturna with urinous smell.
Cracking of knee joint especially when moving or walking.

Interesting that the most mentioned marked characteristic for benzoic acid is dark, offensive urine, which mine is not. Mine is light and watery. However, the benzoic acid seems to have helped get rid of a ganglion cyst, and helps me not dwell on negative things in the past.

You don't have to have everything shown in the remedy but everything you have should be in the remedy.

To Ricky: WHAT???!!!! Rather, what exactly do you mean?

I thought what I wrote was self explanatory but obviously not! I will try again!

There are a lot of symptoms given above for Benzoic acid and you do not have to exhibit all those symptoms. However all the symptoms you have should be found somewhere in the description of the remedy.

Is that any clearer?