Common names: White lettuce, rattlesnake root.
Introduction
Nabalus albus var. serpentarius, Gray. Nabalus serpentarius Hook. (Praenanthes serpentaria, Pursh.) Natural order: Compositae. Preparation: Tincture of the whole plant.
Mind
Depression of spirits, not deep, but quite remarkable during both provings, in the evening; giving place to a prompt decided reaction into increased cheerfulness and buoyancy during the interval between the two provings; not so as yet after the second proving, with the first dilution, when melancholy has continued for a fortnight after discontinuing the drug. Vague and sinister presentiments, in the mornings. Irritability of temper, complained of in the evenings.
Head
Sensation of tipsiness comes and goes often, during the first day of either proving. Frontal pains, deep seated, behind the right eyeball and over the eye, for about five minutes, on the second evening, in either proving, sharp, called neuralgic. Headache in the frontal and vertical regions, with irritability, and in connection with persistent irritations of the throat, eyelids, and skin, and with constipation, on the eleventh day, a week after discontinuing the drug the second time. Occipital pains, probably muscular, with pain and feeling of stiffness in the nucha and in the trapezoid region of both sides, increased by turning the head; most severe on the second evening of the second proving, and continuing slightly for a week, worse in the evening.
Eye
Palpebral irritation, continuing for a fortnight after leaving off the medicine (1st dil.). An old chronic disease of the eyelids is reproduced. The margins of the palpebral conjunctiva are very troublesome, and rather get worse than better hitherto, for a week since discontinuing the drug; they sting and smart, and are slightly swollen and dry. Weakness of sight; she cannot use the eye to sew or read without pain (this may be simple a consequence of the palpebral irritation).
Nose
The nose (right nostril) is sore, without catarrh; a swelled sore point is complained off. Smell slightly impaired during latter part of proving (1st dil.).
Mouth
Taste slightly impaired during later part of proving (1st dil.).
Throat
The throat is sore, without catarrhal angina; swallowing is not difficult, but troublesome; much tickling and scraping is felt, only on the left side, worse when she lies down and swallows the saliva, then both eyes, especially the left, tingle painfully and fill with tears (probably from irritation of the submucous glands), (eleventh day). Guttural irritation, continuing for a fortnight after leaving off the medicine (1st dil.).
Stomach
Appetite diminished; she neglects her meals; yet food causes no inconvenience. Prefers acids, lemons. Thirst diminished; she merely wets her mouth. Gastric secretions perverted; she has acid burning eructations, in the forenoon (during the first four days of second proving).
Stool
Constipation; only three stools in twelve days, hard and painful, followed by languor and even by prostration.
Urinary Organs
Sharp pain in the right kidney, for about five minutes (fourth day of first proving, and eleventh day of second). Renal secretion diminished, very little urine passed, and no prompting to urinate.
Sexual Organs
Sharp throbbing pains attributed to the uterus (third day of first proving). Discharge of a white jellylike matter from vagina, accompanied with weakness (third day of first proving). The catamenia, usually tardy, are more so than usual after the proving, delaying nine days.
Neck and Back
Dorsal pains like those of torticollis, with like pains in the nucha and occiput.
Extremities in General
Joints affected with dull pain, and numbness on waking (fourth day of first proving).
General Symptoms
Susceptibility to magnetic contact excited, unpleasantly so, to the personal aura of her friends (slight). Sensation of heaviness, as if the blood vessels were filled with lead, the body feels heavy, she leans about.
Skin
Subcutaneous glands irritated and swollen, most observable before and behind the root of the right ear and in the neck. Pricking sensation over the body, especially over the loins and lower limbs, as from suppressed perspiration; on the fourth of the first proving and the eleventh of the second these itchings are most troublesome; but they last throughout both provings, and continue to develop themselves after discontinuing the drug; this whole series has been thoroughly marked. Cutaneous itching, continuing for a fortnight, after leaving off the medicine (1st dil.). The pimples on the face itch about the nose, upper lip, and cheeks.
Sleep
Somnolence; characteristic of both provings, chiefly in the afternoon and early evening, with sleep sound yet unrefreshing, sometimes feels tired on waking. Night sleep prolonged, afterwards lighter and more broken.
Fever
Calorific functions depressed, chilliness, which the heat of the fire did not remove, not intense; observed during the third and fourth days of first proving, and several times during the second, not followed by any febrile reaction, unless we may also consider hot flushes over the head and face, after going to bed on the third night, and a few times since.
Conditions Aggravation
(Morning), Presentiments. (Evening), Irritability of temper; occipital pains.
Born in 1837in Westminster, Vermont. . He was an orthodox doctor who converted to homeopathy
Dr. Allen compiled the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica over the course of 10 years.
In 1881 Allen published A Critical Revision of the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica.