Aesculus hippocastanum


Proving Symptoms of homeopathy medicine Aesculus Hippocastanum, described by Richard Hughes in his book, A Cyclopedia of Drug Pathogenesis, published in 1895…….


Introduction

Aesculus Hippocastanum, L. Horse-chestnut. Nat Ord., Sapindaceae.

1a. Dr. BUCHMANN, aged. 40, sanguine temperament. Easily chilled, but in good health. a September 17, 1857. – At 3 p.m., chewed and swallowed gr. 30 o fresh kernel. Tasted like aloes. In 5 morning contractive pin in throat, nausea, tightness of chest; hot feeling night chest with cold rising; sweetish taste; hawking of thick mucus; frequent eructation; short cough, increased by swallowing and breathing deeply; violent burning in throat with raw feeling there. Voice became hoarse; speaking brought on the cough. Dry feeling and sensation of heat in nose, especially point, as when coryza is supervening. Pains in right scapula and in left side of chest, increased by inspiring. Flying heat in left side of face. Itching in anus. Left arm and hand become strikingly warmer, and feel as if swollen and heavier. Thin mucus from throat and (frequently) nose. After 2 hours two moderate stools, and symptoms disappear.

1b. October 4, 9 a.m. same dose. In a few morning nausea; burning and scraping in throat, exciting cough; tightness in chest, pressure in pit of throat, as if something had stuck there which needed expulsion. Raw feeling in chest, and throughout nasal cavity; burning in nostrils and internal canthi. Sudden stitches throughout chest; frequent nasal defluxion; rheumatoid pain in right scapula, itching in anus, shoots in orifice of urethra. In 2 hours symptoms had gone (Hom. Vierteljahrschrift, x, i)

2a. Mrs. BUCHMANN, aged. 29, brunette, choleric temperament, nervous and sensitive. a. Took same dose September 29th, 2 p.m. In a few morning nausea, retching, tightness of chest; raw feeling in throat and chest; heat in chest with cold rising, as after taking peppermint drops; hawking of thick, afterwards watery mucus; pain in chest as if stone lay on praecordia, increased by deep inspiration; palpitation in frequent attacks; twitching from chest to left shoulder; frequent eructations of wind with water. Burning like fire on swallowing, and whole throat was excoriated and constricted. Pain now in hypochondria through to back, especially on inspiring; chilliness and goose- skin; burning in palms and soles. At each eructation desire to go to stool. Within 1/2 hour three moderate stools. Feels very weak and extremely ill, totters when she walks, has pale, miserable appearance. Pains in sternum, as if a piece were torn out of chest; pains in small of back and cramp like feeling in bowels, with urging to stool, ending in a fourth evacuation (2 hours). Flying heat and redness of left side of face; yawning and stupefying sleepiness; pains in chest and abdomen alternately; eructations relieve. Slept well; next morning liquid motions preceded by griping.

2b. October 8th, 9 a.m., took gtt. v of tinct. Burning of throat and tightness of chest; retching; eructations and flow of water into mouth; tearing and jerking in right arm, which felt paralysed and useless. Periodical palpitation; formication in nose; weariness. She falls asleep, when sitting for 1/2 hours; on waking cannot recognize what she sees, knows not where she is, or whence come objects about her. Burning in left cheek. Immediately after, sleep for another 1/4 hour. On waking, same dazed state; feeling as if board were on head; rigor for 10 morning, cannot get warm, constant yawning; violent formication severe fluent coryza. On right side of chest feels lung moving painfully up and down; at each inspiration, griping in bowels pain extends from bowels to small of back. Pale, miserable appearance; feels like to faint; tottering gait. Symptoms gone in 3 hours.

2c. June 4th, 1858, took gtt. x.. Burning in throat and stomach; great flow of water into mouth; severe periodical palpitation with great anxiety; cutting stomach ache; constant yawning and weariness; tearing pain in back right side, and shoulders. Again on respiration feels right lung move up and down; pressing downwards in abdomen; cramps in bowels; constant jerking in right arm; rigor as of ague for 1/2 hour. Afterwards, four loose stools within 1/4 hours; pains in small of back from abdomen; severe coryza; constant shooting and raw pain in throat; motions preceded by pinching in bowels. Later, stool of mixed character, with raw feeling in anus; disposition to sneeze; shooting pain in nose; weight in eyes; weariness; nausea; inclination to sleep. Looks ill. Duration of action 4 hours. (Ibid.)

3. Miss W. B.-, aged 52, sanguine. October 2nd, 2 p.m. took gr. 40 of kernel. Much raising of mucus, burning in throat, nausea, violent vomiting; aching in forehead, with feeling in it as during cold in head. Viscid mucus continued to be raised periodically; feeling in nose as after a pinch of snuff; heat in whole body; sensation in head as if intoxicated; tightness of chest; laboured breathing; heat in head and eyes; mucus in throat excites cough; eructations, preceded by flying heat; in 2 hours several thin stools. (Ibid.)

4. Miss N. N.-, aged 33, sanguine. October 2, took gr. 40. Contractive pain and burning in throat; rigors; periodical tightness in praecordia with laboured breathing, later twisting there; pain in throat as if burnt; fatigued feeling as from long walk; rush of water into mouth; fluent coryza, with twisting sensation in front part of nose; pressure as from stone in pit of stomach; frequent eructations; inward cheerfulness and placidity. (Ibid.)

5. Mr. R. H.-, aged 48, pale, black hair. September 30, 8:30 a.m., took gr. 40. Rising of thick mucus; heartburn for 1/2 hours; afterwards, tickling in throat causing cough for 1 hours, with occasional eructation. Frequent call to expectorate mucus, which becomes watery; inclination to swallow; some urgency to micturition; sensitiveness of nasal mucous membrane to respired air, which causes feeling of coldness in nose; fluent coryza; frequent explosion of flatus; stitches in left side. Nasal mucus becomes even more watery, inspired air more felt; in 3 hours after taking drug severe fluent coryza, after which symptoms gradually subside. (Ibid.)

6. Mr. E. B.-, aged. 22 blonde and sanguine. July 4th, 7 a.m., took 30 drops of tincture. Bitter burning taste, stringing mouth and gullet; occasional eructation; aching and rumbling in stomach; tickling in larynx, causing cough with mucous expectoration; coryza, with cool feeling in nose in inspiring; burning in mouth and gullet; water flows into mouth; shooting pain in sternum; aching in stomach extends downwards; shooting in right side above hip, deeply seated; headache over left eye; lachrymation, quivering of lids; flickering before eyes. In 1.1/2 hours inclination to vomit; thence gradual decline of symptoms. (Ibid.)

7a. Mrs. T-, aet. 54, nervous temperament. July 25th, at 7:45 a.m., 30 drops of tinct. Immediate nausea; in 15 morning burning in throat, of varying severity; eructation. IN 15 morning more fulness of stomach; distension of abdomen, going off in perspiration; confusion of head; dryness of larynx. Vision clearer than usual. At night, jerking in right eye; formication in front of temple; burning in mammae. At 2 p.m. flatulent discharges with griping. Usual stool did not occur.

7b. July 29th, 10 a.m., same dose. Same symptoms, with at (at 11) headache over right eye and leucorrhoea, also drawing in right nostril as in violent coryza. (Ibid.)

8. Dr. C. W. BOYCE, August 24th, took 10 gr. of lx trit. Nausea immediately; and constant desire to swallow, with feeling of dryness and stiffness at throat when swallowing. 28th, 11 a.m., same dose. Nausea again, constant; with dryness and roughness of throat as from taking cold. At 5 p.m., 10 gr. more. For 2 days after almost constant inclination to stool, with out any, or with very slight, evacuation. September 12th, 9 a.m., same dose. Sick feeling in stomach all day, but increased appetite. At 4 and 8 p.m., repeated dose. With nausea, salivation [Nausea and salivation recurred after almost every dose, and will therefore not be repeated.-EDS.] and metallic taste, dryness of throat, and sense of dryness and itching in rectum, with stiffness of skin and adjacent cellular tissue, continuing several days 24th, 3 p.m., 10 gr. “Diarrhoea of ingesta. ” For several day following sensation as if mucous membrane of rectum was thickened, obstructing passage of faeces. Dryness of passage coincided, ending in a moist secretion; and soreness, with feeling as if something would pass off. October 3rd. – Same dose. Dryness of throat and rectum. 4th. – Same. With dryness, tickling scraping feeling of laryngo-pharyngeal mucous membrane. Nose stuffy, as from catarrh, with sneezing. 5th. – Dose at 9 a.m. With throat symptoms of yesterday, stiffness also. After second dose at 2 p.m., increased dryness there, followed by secretion of mucus, as in catarrh. Dry uncomfortable feeling in rectum, which feels as if it were filled with small sticks. 6th. – One dose. Dryness of throat for 6 hours, painful. General prostration. 7th. – At 10, 4, and 9 same dose. In latter part of days ineffectual desire for stool, with straining; dryness and heat in rectum, with feeling as if folds of mucous membrane obstructed passage, and as if, should efforts continue, rectum would protrude. For 3 days after soreness there, with increased secretion of mucus and continued ineffectual desire for stool. 10th. -Two doses without effect, save nausea. 11th. – Early in morning feeling of emptiness and gnawing in stomach. Dose at 10 a.m. After eating stomach feels full, and considerable pain exists there for 4-5 hours, with quite severe pain in right side of head above temple. At 3 p.m., another dose. Soreness at tip of tongue; even thinking of drug produces nausea; rectal symptoms the same. (Hale, New Remedies, 2nd ed.)

Richard Hughes
Dr. Richard Hughes (1836-1902) was born in London, England. He received the title of M.R.C.S. (Eng.), in 1857 and L.R.C.P. (Edin.) in 1860. The title of M.D. was conferred upon him by the American College a few years later.

Hughes was a great writer and a scholar. He actively cooperated with Dr. T.F. Allen to compile his 'Encyclopedia' and rendered immeasurable aid to Dr. Dudgeon in translating Hahnemann's 'Materia Medica Pura' into English. In 1889 he was appointed an Editor of the 'British Homoeopathic Journal' and continued in that capacity until his demise. In 1876, Dr. Hughes was appointed as the Permanent Secretary of the Organization of the International Congress of Homoeopathy Physicians in Philadelphia. He also presided over the International Congress in London.