Achillea millefolium. Millefol, yarrow. N.O. Compositae. Tincture of whole fresh plant.
PATHOGENESIS.
THE provers experienced a rush of blood to the head and face with a sensation of heat in those parts, throbbing of the arteries of the head, redness of the face, a dull occipital headache or shooting pains in the whole head, a sensation of stoppage in the ears and a feeling of congestion in the eyes and nose. With these symptoms were vertigo, worse on stooping, a confused feeling in the head aggravated by wine or coffee, aversion to all business and an inclination to be violent and irascible when opposed. A leaf of the plant when placed in the nostrils will cause epistaxis, hence its popular name “nose- bleed.” There are burning and fulness in the stomach, a sensation of “liquid” flowing from the stomach to the anus, flatulent distension of the abdomen with the frequent discharge of foetid flatus and diarrhoea of soft stools with some soreness of the anus afterwards. Pains, mainly of a shooting character, occur in the limbs, and tenderness on pressure in the nates. Yawning and stretching are associated with a state of general lethargy.
THERAPEUTICS.
Millefolium has been used as a vulnerary from very ancient times and is mentioned in the “Iliad” as having been used by Achilles to heal the wounds of his troops. It is a remedy for hemorrhages that are less passive than those of hamamelis but not connected with expulsive action like those of ipecacuanha. The blood is bright and clotted and may proceed from wounds or from the nose, chest, bowels, kidneys or uterus. It has been employed in epistaxis and haemoptysis, for black, offensive or blood-strained diarrhoea, haematuria, menorrhagia and wounds that bleed profusely, especially when they are caused by a fall. It will be useful in epistaxis or other haemorrhage when occurring in connection with suppression of the menses or lochia. The fact that its haemorrhage are worse from exertion has led to its employment being extended to the results of violent exertion, to sprains, blows, overlifting and to painful varicose veins during pregnancy.
LEADING INDICATIONS.
(1) Florid haemorrhages, especially when caused by exertion or issuing from atonic tissues.
(2) Painful varices during pregnancy.
(3) For the aged; atonic; women and children.
AGGRAVATION:
From stooping, doubling up (burning pain in stomach), much exertion, lifting, coffee or wine (head).
AMELIORATION:
From lying down (nausea), violent exertion (vertigo).
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,