Bone-set. Ague-weed. N.O.Compositae. Tincture of the whole plant.
PATHOGENESIS.
FOR our knowledge of the action of this drug we are dependent entirely on the provers, whose symptoms can be summarized as follows:-
In the head an internal soreness is felt, which is worse on going into the open air, and better in the house and from conversation. Pain extends from the forehead to the occiput; in the nape and occiput it is of a throbbing character, and is relieved by rising in bed; darting pains are felt in the temples and in the vertex, which feels hot and is aggravated by pressure.
The eyeballs are sore, the margins of the lids red and covered with glutinous mucus, and there is lachrymation.
Face.-The face is flushed, and the cheeks are red.
Digestion.-The mucous membrane of the mouth is pale, the tongue covered with white fur, the throat dry, the taste insipid, there is loss of appetite, and thirst for cold water and ice- cream. There are eructations of tasteless wind. A feeling of obstruction at the pit of the stomach, and general shuddering proceeding from that region, fulness so that tight clothing is oppressive, heat and pulsation in the epigastrium are accompanied by nausea and vomiting of food or bile. Vomiting is preceded by thirst. There is qualmishness from odours, ex. gr., of food cooking. Nausea and vomiting may be associated with free perspiration and copious expectoration. Soreness and fulness are felt in the region of the liver. Purging occurs, with smarting and heat in the anus, or there may be tenesmus, with small, loose evacuations.
Urine.-Urine is scanty, clear and dark coloured, or it may be profuse and limpid; the former is the more characteristic.
Respiration.-A hacking cough occurs in the evening, with soreness and heat in the bronchi, there is soreness or grating in the chest on taking a deep inspiration. Aching may be felt under the left breast with inability to lie on the left side.
Back and Limbs.-There is throbbing pain in the nape, and weakness, with a deep-seated aching and soreness, as if beaten occurs in the small of the back, which is increased by motion, especially by a twisting movement.
The arms are stiff, both wrists are sore as if broken or dislocated, and the fingers are stiff and obtuse to the sense of touch.
Stiffness and general soreness are experienced in the lower extremities when rising to walk, and pain and sensitiveness in the left glutei, which passes round in front of the trochanter. There are aching in the right hip when sitting, pain and soreness in the dorsum of the left foot, pain in the first joint of both big toes, and prickling and heat in the soles of the feet. The pains make the patient restless but movement aggravates them.
Chill, Heat, Sweats.-The patient is chilly through the night and with the chilliness sweat may occur, which is worse from movement, and from removing the bed-clothes. The least movement aggravates the chill, trembling and nausea accompany it. There may be alternate chilliness and flushes of heat. Chilliness occurs in the morning, heat through the rest of the day, but no perspiration. Chilliness predominates, and the patient wants to be covered.
THERAPEUTICS.
Fevers.-These symptoms experienced by the provers suggested the used of eupatorium in fevers, in which pains in the bones and bilious vomiting were prominent symptoms, and clinical results have justified the practice. Such fevers are certain intermittents, dengue, bilious remittents, and some forms of influenza. In the intermittent and remittent fevers, for which it is useful, there are intense aching “in the bones, described as if broken, and violent thirst beginning before the onset of the chill, which occurs usually from 7 to 9 a.m. The patient wants to be covered during the chill. Between the chill and the heat, vomiting of bile sets in and continues through a good part of the hot stage. Thirst is present before and during all the stages, including all the stages, including the sweating. The heat is prolonged till evening and may or may not be followed by perspiration; with perspiration, if present comes chilliness.
In intermittents the periodicity may be double, i.e., chill may come on in the morning on one day and in the evening on the next. Shiverings commence in the back and spread thence all over the body, and though there is violent thirst they are aggravated by drinking. Perspiration relieves all pains, except headache, which grows worse during the sweat.
“Bilious fever,” with vomiting of bile and violent bone pains and influenza when the pains in the loins and limbs are unusually severe, should be treated with eupatorium.
Head.- Eupatorium is useful for congestive headaches with flushed face, yellow skin and conjunctive, and pain in the region of the liver. With the headache is nausea, from the sight or smell of food, and inability to retain it if taken. Eating causes distressing pain only relieved by vomiting. The drug is also a good remedy for “arthritic” and “bilious” headaches, when the pain is at the back of the head and is associated with gouty joints: it is so intense that vomiting is induced. Headaches and gouty pains in the joints may come on alternately when one comes on the other goes away Headaches may be preceded by giddiness with swaying to the left.
Respiratory.- Eupatorium is useful for a cough accompanied by irritation of the liver, the region of which is full and tender there are bilious vomiting and diarrhoea, and extreme soreness down the trachea, the cough is worse while lying on the back and better from turning over on to hands and knees.
It is of service in the bronchitis of aged people when the characteristic bone pains are present.
LEADING INDICATIONS.
(1) Pains in the bones, as if broken bruised, sore aching.
(2) Bilious vomiting.
(3) Fevers with bilious vomiting severe pains in the bones and thirst preceding chill and persisting through all stages.
(4) Headaches, with vomiting; congestive, bilious, arthritic.
(5) Cough originating from liver irritation.
(6) Intermittents, remittents, dengue, influenza, bilious chills.
AGGRAVATION;
From motion, cold air, 9.a.m drinking cold water (causes shuddering and vomiting of bile), uncovering, after being in an ice house lying on back (cough).
AMELIORATION:
From vomiting of bile, sweat (except headache of intermittent type), in the house, rising from bed (headache), kneeling with face towards pillow (cough).
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,