Doryphora decemlineata. The Colorado Beetle. Potato Bug. *N. O. Coleoptera. Tincture prepared by covering the crushed live beetles with alcohol.
Clinical
Diarrhoea. Diphtheria. Dysentery. Erysipelas. Fevers. Gastric affections. Gleet. Gonorrhoea Myxedema. Parotitis. Spleen, pain in. Typhoid. Ulceration. Urethritis.
Characteristics
*Doryphora in its general effects bears a strong resemblance to *Cantharis. An extensive proving has been made, and to this have been added the effects of poisoning from handling the insects, and from inhaling the vapor when they have been burned or scalded. Like *Cantharis, *Doryph. produces burning in mouth, throat, gullet, stomach, abdomen, rectum and urinary passages, strangury, urethritis, and itching burning and inflammation of glans penis. It has been successfully used in urethritis in children under ten, provoked by local irritation. A feeling of weight or heaviness is common. Fainting, weakness, prostration, collapse, great trembling of extremities. Prostration after typhoid and diphtheria has been cured. The weakness is worse by talking. Local application causes ulceration. The blood will not coagulate, blood globules disorganized, enormous swelling of whole body, swelling of feet with burning, elastic swelling of whole body which will not pit on pressure (suggesting its applicability in myxedema). The symptoms are worse by motion, worse from smoking, worse in warm room, better in open air, pressure worse (pain in kidneys).
Relations
The local effect is *antidoted by: Earth, other antidotes are: Vinegar and other vegetable acids, Stramonium *Compare: Agaricus, Ail., Apis, Cantharis, Crotal., Lachesis, and with the Solanacea. generally, as the beetle partakes of the properties of the plants it infests. In non-coagulation of the blood, Sanguiso.
SYMPTOMS.
Mind
Stupor, with muttering and loud rumbling in bowels. Delirium, talkative, red, bloated face, protruding eyes. Irritability.
Eyes
Eyes red, sore, protruding, pupils much dilated, sight much impaired.
Face
Face bloated and red, giving appearance of a confirmed drunkard.
Mouth
Dark brown coating on tongue. Offensive taste. Violent heat in mouth, severe pain across kidneys, face red and bloated, constipation and retention of urine. (parotitis.).
Throat
Dry feeling in throat with desire to swallow. Throat raw and constricted. Burning in throat and down oesophagus, with stomachache and cough.
Stomach
Loss of appetite, great thirst. Craving for something sour, symptoms worse by smoking. Nausea and vomiting, vomits dark, grumous acrid matter, of dirty brown fluid with diarrhoea.
Abdomen
Pain in spleen. Rumbling in bowels (with stupor). Pain in bowels, worse by eating and drinking and by deep inspiration. Abdomen feels heavy, sore and tender, burning.
Stool and Rectum
Morning diarrhoea, with pain in abdomen and burning in rectum. Bloody, slimy stools. Heaviness, intense pain in rectum.
Urinary Organs
Retention of urine. Dysuria, with burning, stinging pain.
Male Sexual Organs
Itching and burning of glans penis, which is swollen and bluish red, urethra inflamed, with excruciating pain, especially when urinating.
Chest
Soreness and oppression of chest with sore throat.
Back
Pain in lumbar region.
Limbs
Great trembling in extremities, in right arm and leg.
Skin
An abraded surface on the wrist of one engaged in picking the bugs became painful, a deep sloughing ulcer developed, and the bones were laid bare.
Sleep
Tossing about all night. Sleepless till 12, then restless sleep with terrifying dreams. While sleeping, wild dreams, screams as if in great distress.
Fever
Skin alternately cold, clammy, and hot with fever. Coldness of hands and feet. High fever during night, restless and sleepless. Violent fever 8 a.m. to 2 P.M. Of children who inhaled vapor from a kettle in which some beetles had been placed, one died and the other recovered after a serious illness resembling typhoid fever.
