Gentiana cruciata


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


Introduction

Nat. Ord., Gentianaceae. Gentiana cruciata. – Crosswort gentian.

Provings

Dr. FROHLICH chewed and swallowed the juice of 2 or 3 roots. They caused confusion of head, pressure in forehead and stomach, vertigo, increased appetite. (Oest. Zeitsch. f. Hom., i,,133).

2. Dr. GERSTEL took, June 20th, a teaspoonful of tinct. Scraping and roughness in throat. On September 16th one tablespoonful of expressed juice. Pressure in stomach repeatedly during day, and an in-pressing feeling in right eye. (Ibid)

3. Dr. REISINGER took first daily in morning 10 dr. tinct, increasing the dose every 3 days by 5 dr. After 4 weeks, when he was taking 60 dr. daily for several day, he had eructation of air with the odour of the tinct., astringent taste; roughness in throat, causing him to hawk frequently; transient stitches in tonsils, difficulty of swallowing; increased flow of saliva, anorexia. No more symptoms occurred after 8 weeks of the med. He then took 1/2 oz. of expressed juice, which caused extreme nausea and vomiting of the whole dose (Ibid.)

4. Dr. SCHWARZ took 1st dil. every forenoon and afternoon, from July 4th to 8th 5, from 8th to 12th, 10, from 12th to 16th, 15, from 16th to 20th, 20 from 20th to 30th, 40, dr. Sensitiveness, pinching, sore feeling in umbilical region, worse after dinner, like slight colic, for 1/ hour. After the larger doses the pain was more marked, more frequently occurring, and lasting longer, relieved by sitting and lying, aggravated by standing, walking, and smoking, compelling him to bend forwards; the navel seemed drawn forwards. At same time in right inguinal region a feeling as if something would come through the ring. This went off when

sitting or lying. On July 30th, on coming from shade into sunlight, he sneezed violently, and observed a lump the size of a hazel-nut at the place indicated, which was peculiarly sensitive. He left off taking the G., but the abdominal symptoms continued 3 weeks longer. (Ibid., 134.).

5. Dr. WACHTEL took, May 25th, morning 10 dr., increasing the dose by 10 dr. tinct. daily until June 1st. On this day, when he took 80 dr. he had scraping and roughness in throat. Next day there was slight redness and tiresome constrictive pain in throat that made swallowing difficult. He felt constantly obliged to hawk in order to get rid of the viscid and adherent mucus. Also pressure in forehead and great pulsation of carotids. These symptoms lasted till June 8th. – 9th and 10th, took 150 dr. tinct.; 11th, 80 dr.; 12th, 100 dr.; 13th, 120 dr.; 14th, hoarseness, loss of voice whilst speaking, difficulty of swallowing, with anxious constrictive feeling, and slight but uniform redness of velum palati, inner and posterior part of pharynx; pulsation of carotids; pressing aching in both temples; in night between 15th and 16th restless sleep. All these symptoms ceased on 20th. – August 10th, 50 dr.; 11th 60 dr.; from 15th to 18th, and 22nd, 100 dr. from 23rd to 27th, 200 dr.; 28th, 300 dr.; and 29th and 30th, 1/2 oz. tinct. He had repeatedly hoarseness and sensitiveness of throat, feeling of pressure in stomach as if a stone lay there, with nausea (after 1/2 oz.) going off in 1/4 hour (Ibid.)

6. Dr. WURSTL took, July 6th, a tablespoonful of expressed juice. After 2 hours great distension of abdomen, which went off after asking for some time. – 7th. Same dose. Soon searching in bowels, with slight headache, followed by a copious pappy stool. After 2 hours scraping in velum palati and throat half way down oesophagus, which went off during forenoon. -8th. Same dose: he must frequently spit, and there appeared on inner side of lower lip at both sides of forename, 2 aphthous ulcers, which lasted 6 days. When they were gone, he felt frequently during day scraping and roughness in throat, with constriction when swallowing. The back of palate, both tonsils and upper part of fauces were very red. This affection was intermittent; for several weeks it appeared and disappeared several times during day. – August 16th, morning, took 1 tablespoonful of expressed juice. After 1 hour, full feeling in stomach, with constant urging to eructate; head confused, whirling; constriction of throat, must often hawk and spit. After 4 hours much eructation of air, which relieved the tension in abdomen and the head. – 17th. Same dose: soon searching about in stomach, and later in abdomen, which went off when walking. after 2 hours repeated sour eructation, and soon afterwards vomited sour water 3 times in 1/2 hour. Felt very ill, all the nerves seemed tense, so that walking was difficult. All symptoms, relieved after warm soup. – 18th. Same dose: thereupon full feeling in stomach, distension of abdomen, frequent empty eructations. The tiresome tension in abdomen lasted all day, and was only removed by a copious pappy stool. (Ibid 135.)

7. Dr. WURMB took large dose of tinct. and juice without effect except once (after two tablespoonful of juice) he had a feeling in stomach and oesophagus as though he had swallowed a hot mouthful and then drunk cold water. This lasted all day was aggravated by eating, relieved by drinking cold water. (Ibid. 137.)

8. Dr. v. ZLATAROVICH took, August 19th, 1/2 oz., 20th to 23rd, 1 oz. of expressed juice. Except slight drawing in limbs, had no symptoms till 23rd. Then after 1 hour he felt a peculiar anxiety with increased quickness and difficulty of breathing, swelling of temporal veins, and feeling of pressure in temples. While reading, the letter wee indistinct, as if covered by a veil. At same time fulness and contraction in abdomen; drawing in nuchal muscles to ears, increased by turning head; restlessness, so that he could not remain long in one spot. When sitting still, had a constrictive sensation in head. Symptoms relieved in open air. In afternoon well. – 12th to 29th. Three tablespoonfuls daily. Restlessness, sinking, burning in stomach unusual thirst, a pappy stool; repeated drawing in nuchal muscles, cramplike pain in soles; evening, running over body as of fleas. (ibid.)

9. Mrs. v. ZLATAROVICH took, August, 1/2. oz., 22nd, 2 tablespoonfuls of juice. Feeling of distension and contraction of abdomen; tension in lumbar region; menses came on 23rd, 3 days too soon, with headache, as if head were too full, sensation of bursting of skull, relieved by rest, aggravated by movement, preventing her from sleeping for a long time. – 27th. After 3 tablespoonfuls, very much out of humour, lachrymose, dislike to talk. Eyes felt as though they lay deeper in orbits. Some hour later 3 fluid stools, preceded by pinching. (Ibid, 128.)

10. a. Dr. WATZKE took, August 15th, 7 a. m., 2 tablespoonfuls of juice. Immediately frequent eructations of air and belching up of sour fluid; then tension of abdomen and great nausea. 8:30 a. m., vomited with effort a small quantity of sour- smelling and intensely bitter slime, leaving scraping and

roughness of throat.

10 b. From September 25th to October 1st took daily 10 dr. of dilutions from 6 to 3. When he took 5th dil. he had slight pains in abdomen, frequent discharge of fetid flatus, and several loose stools.

10 c. September 19th, at noon, 3 dr. 12th dil., and the same at 3 and 9 p. m., Soon after 1st dose he had repeatedly a feeling of pressing in scrob. cordis. At 6 p. m. a sudden stitch through left temple; later a disagreeable tension and occasional transient jerking pains in crown, which changed to continued painful pressure; straining the eyes and thinking much increased the headache; felt indisposed and went to bed at 9 p. m. when the headache soon went off, and he slept well. – 20th, 9 a. m., took 3 dr. 12th dil. Some hour afterwards had frequently recurring painful drawing in mastoid process; after dinner, sensitiveness of scalp and of whole brain, increased by moving head; tensive drawing in right shoulder for several morning 3 p. m., 3 dr. The sensitiveness of brain lasted till evening – 25th Th same dil. caused the same symptoms, but slighter, and besides drawing and twitching along right side of neck to shoulder, recurring every 1/2 till evening (Ibid., 38.)

11. Dr. WATZKE’s brother, aet 29, robust, always in good health, took 2 tablespoonfuls of fresh juice in a glass of after. In a few morning complained of inclination to vomit and constriction in throat; frequent sneezing. After 1/2 hour, vomited his breakfast and his medicine. At 10 a. m., when in church, had violent urging to stool, and then 3 copious watery stools At 11 a. m., when walking, had violent vomiting of bitter slime, which was repeated after a short time. (Ibid., 139).

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.