SPHERE OF ACTION
This remedy seems to spend its action upon the great sympathetic nervous system, and may be termed and acute ganglionic. Dr. Hempel says: It acts particularly upon the sentient nerves, especially upon those which go to make up the plexus coeliacus. It likewise acts upon the trigeminus, or fifth pair, upon the sacral plexus, upon the lumbar and crural nerves, and upon the mucous and fibrous tissues over which these nerves are ramified. In affecting the coeliac plexus, it may give rise to inflammatory symptoms in the bowels; and in affecting the crural nerve, its action may lead to paralysis of the extremity.
Its action upon the trigeminus is manifested by various neuralgic affections of the face, eyes, and head. It may likewise cause sympathetic irritations in the lungs and heart, by its action upon the peripheral extremities of the pneumogastric nerve and the solar plexus, by means of the great sympathetic.
I am inclined to the opinion that Colocynth has a special action upon the peripheral sentient nervous system at their extremities.
GRAND CHARACTERISTICS.
The GRAND sphere of Colocynth lies among the neuroses, especially where pain is the most prominent symptom. It is in colic and sciatica that its greatest triumphs have been achieved.
Digestive Organs.-The. grand sphere of usefulness for Colocynth is in the digestive organs below the stomach.
Terrible colicky pains, causing him to bend up double, with great restlessness, moaning and lamenting.
Severe colicky pains mostly around the navel, has to bend double, being worse in any other posture, but with great restlessness, and loud screaming, on changing it; worse at intervals of five or ten minutes.
Colic so distressing, that they seek relief by pressing corners of tables or heads of bedposts against the abdomen.
Child writhes in every possible direction; doubles itself up, and screams in great distress; it cries very hard.
Feeling in the whole abdomen as if the intestines were being squeezed between stones.
Much distress and distention of the abdomen with diarrhoea, which is aggravated by everything eaten or drunk.
Agonizing colic brought on by cold wet feet.
Inflammation of the bowels, in consequence of violent indignation.
Affections from anger, with indignation, particularly vomiting and diarrhoea.
More cutting pains in the bowels than tenesmus; with great tenderness of the abdomen to contact; desire to bend double.
Intense boring or tensive pain in the ovary, causing her to bend double, with great restlessness, moaning and lamentations.- Dysentery, where the disease is located in the small intestines; stools slimy, bloody, like scrapings; during stool, sometimes tenesmus, at other times not; after stool relief of the pain.
Bloody diarrhoea, with violent pain in the bowels, extending down the thighs.
Dysentery, like diarrhoea, renewed each time after taking food or drink.
Chronic, watery diarrhoea in the morning, with pain in the sides of the abdomen.-RAUE.
Green, watery diarrhoea, after indignation.
Bitter taste in the mouth.
Urinary Organs.-Urinates small quantities, with urging; fetid, thickening, viscid, jelly-like urine.
Dysuria; straining ineffectual; worse before, during, and after urination, which is scanty.-HEMPEL.
Head.-Neuralgia of the face: tensive, tearing, with heat and swelling; especially left side; motion and touch increase the pain; better from rest and warmth.-RAUE.
Cephalic pain; tearing, screwing together, with great restlessness and anxiety.-R.
Does not like to talk, to answer, to see friends.
Generalities.-The nerves about the hip joint suffer most severely; the pain darting sometimes down the anterior crural, and sometimes down the sciatic trunks even to the feet.
Also in neuralgia of the fifth nerve, of the solar, and other abdominal plexuses, and of the lumbar and femoral nerves.
Pains in the limbs; worse from slight touching, and then increasing gradually.
Adapted to choleraic temperaments in persons subject to neurosis of the bowels.
(1836-1897)
Characteristic materia medica Published 1873
Physiological materia medica, containing all that is known of the physiological action of our remedies; together with their characteristic indications and pharmacology. Published 1881