Oreodaphne Californica. Mountain Laurel. Spice-Bush. Balm of Heaven. *N.O. Lauraceae. Tincture of the leaves.
Clinical
Headache, fronto-occipital, occipital.
Characteristics
*Oreodaphne Calcarea is a tree which grows to a hundred feet in height. When bruised it emits a strong spicy odour which may cause sneezing. ***J. Murray Moore proved on himself and friends a tincture of the leaves and produced well-marked fronto- occipital headache worse by movement, better by rest. The symptoms were more violent when the tincture was olfacted than when taken internally. The *Medorrhinum *Cent. (quoted *H.W., xx. 84) gives the characteristics of one of its headaches thus: “Dull ache in occipital and cervical regions, extending down to scapulae, great heaviness of the head, with a constant desire to move the head, which, however, gives no relief.”
SYMPTOMS.
Head
Confusion of head. Dizziness worse on stooping and moving about, followed by dull, pressive fronto-occipital headache, better after night’s rest. Internal aching with pressure at inner angle of orbit, right or left (especially left), never in both simultaneously, extends through brain and across scalp to base of occiput, lasted from 30 minutes to 7 hours, worse by light, noise, motion, better closing eyes, and perfect quiet.