Mephitis putorius

Mephitis putorius is a small carnivorous mammal of the family Mustelidae, native to North America. Its most notorious feature is the secretion from anal glands, a pungent, highly penetrating fluid used as a defensive spray. In crude form this secretion causes violent spasms, nausea, suffocation, and nervous irritability [Hering]. Homœopathically, the tincture is prepared from the fresh anal secretion [Clarke]. The chief action is upon the respiratory tract, producing violent spasmodic coughs resembling whooping cough, and on the nervous system, causing spasms, choking, and suffocative states [Allen]. Its violent, suffocative cough, occurring at night and aggravated by lying down, makes it a characteristic whooping cough remedy.

Proved by Dr. Hering and colleagues in 1834. Recorded in Guiding Symptoms [Hering] and Allen’s Encyclopaedia. Symptoms developed included violent suffocative cough, nausea, spasms, and paralytic sensations. Clinical confirmations quickly established its value in spasmodic whooping cough, asthma, and suffocative paroxysms [Clarke], [Kent].

Mephitis putorius epitomises spasmodic suffocation, expressed through violent, suffocative cough and asthmatic crises. Its essence is the violent nocturnal cough, worse lying down, threatening life with choking and suffocation, but relieved by cold air, sitting up, or drinking cold water. The polarity lies between violent spasm and profound exhaustion. The mental state mirrors this—fear of suffocation, anxiety, irritability, dread of lying down. The animal nature of the remedy gives it intensity and violence, much like its source secretion—penetrating, acrid, and overwhelming.

Its role in whooping cough is classical, where attacks are violent, suffocative, and end in vomiting or faintness. In asthma, it is indicated when paroxysms occur after midnight, with gasping suffocation in bed, forcing patient to rise and seek cold air. Its nervous action produces spasms and twitchings, tying it to Cuprum and Drosera, yet distinguished by the keynote amelioration in cold air. The miasmatic colouring blends tubercular (respiratory spasms, suffocative diathesis) and syphilitic (violence, congestion, bluish face). In essence, Mephitis is the remedy of spasmodic suffocation at night, in whooping cough and asthma, where relief is found only in cold air.

• Respiratory tract – Marked spasmodic, suffocative cough, whooping cough [Hering].
• Larynx and trachea – Extreme irritation, suffocative spasm, sense of constriction [Allen].
• Nervous system – Spasms, choking, suffocative paroxysms, neuralgic states [Clarke].
• Circulation – Sense of congestion in chest with suffocative spells [Allen].
• Skin – Irritant action of secretion on skin, causing burning and inflammation [Hughes].
• Eyes and nose – Irritation, lachrymation, coryza from odorous vapours [Hering].
• Digestive tract – Nausea and vomiting associated with suffocative spells [Allen].
• Sleep – Cough and suffocation worse on lying down at night [Clarke].

Irritability and anxiety dominate, linked to suffocative paroxysms [Hering]. The patient fears suffocation at night, dread of lying down. Nervous excitability with exaggerated reflexes, trembling, and restlessness. Fear of death during attacks, resembling acute asthma. Sudden anger or nervous irritability precedes spasms [Allen].

Sleep disturbed by violent paroxysms of cough and suffocation after midnight [Hering]. Drowsiness after attacks, but sleep restless.

Anxious dreams of suffocation and death [Allen].

Animal secretion remedy, marked by spasmodic, suffocative states. Characteristic: violent whooping-cough-like paroxysms, worse at night, lying down, better cold air. Livid face, protruding eyes, anxious expression. Exhaustion follows attacks. A remedy of nervous irritability and respiratory spasm [Hering].

Heat in head and face during paroxysms, cold extremities. Feverish restlessness with cough [Hering].

Chilliness during night attacks. Sweat after paroxysms, leaving exhaustion [Clarke].

Congestive fulness during suffocative spells. Vertigo, pressure in forehead, with rush of blood to head [Hering]. Headaches after violent coughing, sensation of bursting in temples [Clarke].

Profuse lachrymation during paroxysms. Eyes protrude and water during cough, redness of conjunctiva [Allen]. Burning and irritation from odour exposure [Hughes].

Ringing in ears during paroxysms. Roaring sounds with congestion [Allen].

Sneezing, fluent coryza, irritation from vapours. Nose bleeds sometimes after violent coughing [Clarke]. Odour of secretion intolerable, producing nausea and faintness [Hughes].

Bluish, livid face during suffocative cough [Hering]. Expression anxious, gasping, with distended veins. Redness alternating with pallor during paroxysms.

Dryness of mouth, hawking mucus. Bitter taste in morning [Allen]. Frothing during cough spells described [Hering].

Grinding of teeth during nervous spasms [Allen].

Constriction of throat during paroxysms, choking sensation [Hering]. Scraping, burning irritation in larynx.

The chief region of action. Spasmodic, suffocative cough, worse at night, worse lying down [Hering]. The cough is dry, violent, and exhausting, resembling whooping cough. Paroxysms end in gagging, vomiting, or faintness. Asthmatic suffocation, worse warm room, better cold air [Allen]. Sensation of fulness, congestion in chest. Expectoration scanty, difficult, sometimes blood-streaked [Clarke].

Palpitations during suffocative attacks. Anxiety and oppression in precordium [Allen].

Extremely laboured, gasping respiration, paroxysms of suffocation [Hering]. Wheezing and rattling noted during spasms. Suffocative cough wakes patient from sleep.

Nausea and vomiting, often accompanying violent coughing [Allen]. Aversion to food during attacks.

Epigastric pressure during coughing fits. Abdominal muscles ache after spasmodic cough [Clarke].

Not a leading sphere; no characteristic proving symptoms.

Frequent urging during night cough spells [Allen]. Incontinence during violent coughing paroxysms.

Aversion to food. Symptoms worse from alcohol or coffee, which excite nerves [Clarke].

No prominent proving symptoms.

Menstrual irregularities occasionally noted with spasmodic coughing [Clarke].

Pain in cervical region after paroxysms. General weakness of spine [Allen].

Cold extremities during paroxysms, trembling and spasms [Hering]. Weakness after attacks, lassitude and prostration [Clarke].

Burning and inflammation if crude secretion touches skin [Hughes]. Bluish skin during suffocative spells [Allen].

• Drosera – Both have violent whooping cough; Drosera has hoarse, barking cough, Mephitis suffocative paroxysms [Hering].
• Coccus cacti – Whooping cough with profuse ropy expectoration; Mephitis scanty expectoration [Allen].
• Cuprum – Spasmodic cough with convulsions; Cuprum more violent general convulsions [Kent].
• Ipecacuanha – Cough with gagging, nausea, vomiting; Ipecac more constant nausea, Mephitis suffocation [Clarke].
• Pertussin (Nos.) – Whooping cough nosode, overlapping indications; Mephitis characteristic suffocative paroxysm [Hughes].
• Ant-t. – Rattling in chest, weak expulsion; Ant-t. passive, Mephitis violent spasmodic [Allen].
• Belladonna – Sudden spasmodic cough with congestion; Bell. more cerebral symptoms [Kent].
• Arsenicum – Asthmatic attacks at night; Ars. restless, anxious, prostrated; Mephitis more spasmodic cough [Clarke].
• Kali-carb. – Asthma at 2–3am, sharp stitches in chest; Mephitis more spasmodic suffocation [Allen].
• Lachesis – Night aggravation, suffocative cough; Lach. worse sleep, Mephitis better cold air [Kent].

• Complementary: Drosera – both for whooping cough [Hering].
• Complementary: Ipecacuanha – for spasmodic coughs with gagging [Clarke].
• Antidote: Coffee – antidotes nervous excitation [Allen].
• Follows well: Belladonna – after cerebral congestion with spasmodic cough [Kent].
• Follows well: Cuprum – if convulsions persist [Allen].
• Precedes well: Pertussin – in whooping cough cases [Clarke].
• Compatible with: Arsenicum – for asthma states with suffocation [Hering].

• One of the best remedies for whooping cough, especially when Drosera fails [Hering].
• Suffocative asthma at night, compelling patient to seek open air [Clarke].
• Useful in spasmodic coughs after suppression of eruptions [Allen].
• Potencies: Clarke used 3rd to 30th; Kent often recommended 200C for whooping cough.
• Case: “Child with violent night cough, livid face, suffocation, only relieved in cold air—cured by Mephitis 200C” [Kent].

Mind

• Fear of suffocation at night [Hering].
• Irritability during spasmodic attacks [Allen].

Head

• Headache after violent coughing [Clarke].
• Congestion of head during paroxysm [Allen].

Eyes

• Protrusion, lachrymation during cough [Hering].

Nose

• Epistaxis after paroxysms [Clarke].

Face

• Bluish face during suffocative spells [Hering].

Chest

• Cough, whooping, suffocative, worse night, lying down [Allen].
• Asthma, suffocative, better cold air [Hering].

Respiration

• Suffocation, worse lying down at night [Clarke].
• Difficult respiration, paroxysmal, spasmodic [Allen].

Extremities

• Cold extremities during suffocative attacks [Hering].

Generalities

• Spasms, nervous, with suffocation [Allen].
• Better cold air, worse warmth [Clarke].

Hering — Guiding Symptoms (1879): proving, clinical confirmations (whooping cough, suffocation).
Allen, T. F. — Encyclopaedia of Pure Materia Medica (1874–79): proving data, spasmodic cough, toxicology.
Clarke, J. H. — Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica (1900): clinical notes, respiratory cases.
Hughes, R. — Cyclopaedia of Drug Pathogenesy (1870): toxicology and crude action.
Kent, J. T. — Lectures on Homœopathic Materia Medica (1905): essence, clinical pearls.
Boericke, W. — Pocket Manual (1901): condensed clinical keynotes.
Farrington, E. A. — Clinical Materia Medica (1887): differentiations, remedy comparisons.
Phatak, S. R. — Materia Medica (1941): concise keynotes, modalities.
Boger, C. M. — Synoptic Key (1915): essential keynotes (night cough, better cold air).
Nash, E. B. — Leaders in Homœopathic Therapeutics (1899): clinical emphasis on whooping cough.
Dunham, C. — Homœopathy, Science of Therapeutics (1878): clinical generalisations.