For so-called “simple” pericarditis it has been used with advantage, but the records of its use in septic peri-and endo- carditis are not encouraging.
Fevers.-Bryonia has a well-earned reputation in some of the exanthemata, where the rash fails to appear at its normal date or in its normal colour or intensity, and where the patient is at the same time more ill than normal, with a tendency to wandering or mild delirium, weak, irregular pulse and high temperature.
A similar condition may occur as the result of the sudden suppression of secretions or excretions-milk, perspiration, lochia, gonorrhoea, &c. Bryonia should be studied and if its symptomatology corresponds with that of the patient it may be relied on to do good, probably by bringing out the rash or restoring the discharge. In relapsing fever – “famine fever” of true spirochaetal origin – bryonia holds its own and a little more. Before the spirochaetal cause of this condition was know, it was used with success in epidemics an Germany and in Ireland, and in recent years in India. Whether it can complete with antimony used intravenously we have no statistics to prove. It does not appear to cut short the fever so rapidly. We look forward injections are not available. The early delirium of bryonia fever patients is more marked from 9 p.m. It is liable to dwell on the business of the day, or the patient may misjudge his surroundings and asks “to be taken home.”
The ear affections amenable to bryonia are chiefly of middle-ear origin, consisting of sharp pains; and of internal ear sources in the shape of aural vertigo. The characteristics of bryonia giddiness will be found on p. 260.
Glands.-Pains in the breast prior to or during menstruation find a remedy in bryonia, and if the “pictures” correspond (drug and disease) the associated menstrual pains will be relieve as well as the mammary pains.
In the early stage of acute mastitis, where the breast is very hard and tender, this remedy must be thought of.
Excessive [perspirations with the characters already mentioned call for bryonia. They may form part of the acute rheumatism complex. Ailments traceable to sudden arrest of perspiration (by cold, excitement, anger, &c.) may also be amenable to out drug.
Menstrual and uterine disorders in the shape of dysmenia in rheumatic subjects, suppressed menstruation, inducing vicarious epistaxis or other discharges, or acute ovarian pain or ovaritis (especially right-sided), may require bryonia in their treatment. The abdomen in dysmenia requiring it, is likely to be distended and sore, and sensitive generally to touch and is easier from lying on the back with the knees drawn up. The flow is free, early and dark in colour.
“GENERAL” SYMPTOMS.-Polychrest remedies like bryonia remedies like bryonia require especial care in the study of their “general” symptoms.
Mind.-The leading feature is irritability, amounting to anger, at any small opposing or disturbing circumstance. The tendency to heaviness, confusion, inability to concentrate and undertake work, physical or mental, is not a chronic condition, or is a warning of some impending illness; it is temporary. But the temperamental state which is easily upset in some form by controversy, disappointment or anger is a constitutional individuality, and is one of the indications for bryonia; it is permanent.
Movement and Rest.-This may be regarded as the leading modality of bryonia, if rightly understood; it bears upon most of the symptoms of a patient who requires it. It is expressed a
AGGRAVATION
FROM MOVEMENT WITH CORRESPONDING RELIEF FROM COMPLETE REST”; “the longer he moves the more be suffers.” Some even of the mental irritability of a bryonia patient is due to annoyance at having to talk or make some kind of effort involving movement.
It not only refers to easily understood symptoms like muscle or joint-pains and maladies, but to cough, nausea, movements of eyeball, &c. When the movement is of a jarring nature, like a false step or a stumble against a stone, it is especially emphatic (berb., bary. carb. and bell., rhus0. There are, however, some bryonia symptoms which qualify the rigidity of the rule. In the Materia Medica Pura, pains and cramps (hips, &c.) are recorded as being better when walking, or as present when sitting or lying. Again, shooting pain in the wrists when at rest, but not going off on movement. This symptom (apparently Hahnemann’s own) illustrates the importance of accuracy in observation and care in application, for it also states that the pain comes “when the hand becomes warm,” the temperature modality (see later) thus over-riding, as it were, the strong movement modality.
Pressure and Touch.-Some contradiction appears to exist in the interpretation of his condition. Some authors describe “relief from pressure” with exceptions in favour of acute abdominal conditions, whole others give “aggravation from touch and pressure.”
The explanation seems simple: inflamed or damaged parts are sensitive to touch or pressure-abdomen, breast, inflamed joints, &c.-“aggravation from pressure or touch.” Pressure, or perhaps more correctly, “support,” which puts parts at rest, gives relief. An instance of this is “lying on the painful side or part.”
Temperature.-The “general” attitude towards warmth of a bryonia patient is aggravation from warmth in the sense of a warm room, especially if close, from hot weather, particularly at the onset of it, getting overheated (open windows are desired). This refers to the patient’s feeling of discomfort, malaise or faint feeling, and to some local symptoms like cough, oppression of breathing. &c. On the other hand, many local conditions of bryonia patients are relieved by local applications of heat- abdomen, joints, pleurodynia or pleurisy. The “relief from warm drinks” is a local exception to the “general” state, while the simultaneous “desire for cold drinks” conforms to it. Kent says, “I sometimes wonder whether bryonia has a greater element of relief from heat or… relief from cold.” Discrimination therefore is necessary.
Time.-Some of the digestive disturbances, headaches, &c., of bryonia are subjects to morning aggravations. On the other hand the chill and fever are liable to evening exacerbation-about 9.p.m., lasting on with the pyrexia until the morning remission takes place. A general fatigued, bruised feeling may have the same time aggravation (9 p.m.)
Weather.-Warm or damp weather aggravates a bryonia patient – a “genera” symptom.
Eating and Foods.-Digestive symptoms are worse after food- nausea, eructations (bitter), gastric and abdominal pains (as of a “stone in the stomach”); appetite disappears on beginning to eat; excessive hunger but cannot take food when offered; distention after every meal.
Aversion from milk, but it is relished and digested when taken, is another modality.
Desires wine, coffee, sour salads, oysters, &c., which disagree, as do cold fluids after the patient has been overhead.
Cough, breathing, headache are all worse after eating even a little.
In fevers large quantities of cold water are desired to relieve that thirst-compare relief from warm drinks in dyspepsia.
LEADING INDICATIONS.
(1) Pains in muscles, fibrous tissues, mucous, synovial and serous membranes.
(2) Inflammation of the above, e.g., rheumatism, acute or chronic, acute arthritis, pleurisy, pericarditis (rheumatic), pleurodynia.
(3) Respiratory diseases: “Cold on chest,” coughs, bronchitis, pneumonia (lobar).
(4) Digestive and liver disturbances.
(5) Dryness of mucous surfaces-lips to anus.
(6) Headache-throbbing or bursting (frontal).
(7) Free perspiration and profuse urination relieve.
(8) Thirst for large quantities.
(9) Fevers with gradual onset-tiredness, headache, apathy, chilliness, aching &c., with onset of tendency to wandering, &c., as in early typhoid.
(10) persons of dark hair and complexion, bilious tendency, firm, fleshy and or choleric, irritable temperament.
(11) “Vicarious” haemorrhages.
AGGRAVATIONS :
Movement – a general modality(see exceptions, p.267); warmth and warm and close rooms (general); eating (all digestive symptoms). Evening, 9 p.m. (chill, fever, delirium); pressure (inflamed tissues); suppressed rashes or discharges.
AMELIORATION :
Rest (general); pressure (local-setting part at rest, headache); drinking large quantities (febrile states); warmth (exceptions in local inflammations and neuralgias); eructations (epigastric pain).
Edwin Awdas Neatby founded the Missionary School of Homeopathy and the London Homeopathic Hospital in 1903, and run by the British Homeopathic Association. He died in East Grinstead, Sussex, on the 1st December 1933. Edwin Awdas Neatby wrote The place of operation in the treatment of uterine fibroids, Modern developments in medicine, Pleural effusions in children, Manual of Homoeo Therapeutics,