Silver nitrate (a compound of silver) is caustic and antibacterial and was once used medicinally to cauterize wounds and to treat warts, epilepsy, and eye infections in newborn infants. In large amounts silver nitrate is highly poisonous and causes severe breathing difficulties and damage to the skin, kidneys, liver, spleen, and aorta. The Argent. nit. remedy is mainly used for nervous and digestive problems. This remedy is used for all types of fears and anxieties brought on by an overactive imagination. Stage fright, claustrophobia, and anxiety in the face of unexpected situations are all helped by Argent. nit. Often these fears and phobias are accompanied by a superstition that something awful is about to happen, for example, being crushed by a tall building. Sometimes there is also a sense of great difficulty in resisting reckless behavior and dangerous impulses, such as jumping from a high window. Anxiety-induced sweats or palpitations are also helped by Argent. nit. This remedy is given for digestive complaints, for example, diarrhea, gas, and vomiting, and pulsating headaches with a slow onset, which are caused by eating too many sweet foods or by nervous excitement. Argent. nit. is also effective for pain that is better from pressure and fresh air but worse with movement or from talking; asthma; colicky pain during weaning; warts; laryngitis with splinter like pain and hoarseness; sore throats; epilepsy; and dizziness. In women, this remedy is given for a bearing down sensation in the uterus due to prolapse or menstruation. Argentum is also good for inflammation of the mucous membranes, especially in the eyes, and is used to treat conjunctivitis.