Solanum dulcamara. Woody Nightshade. Bitter-sweet. *N. O. Solanaceae. (Not to be confounded with “Deadly Nightshade,” Belladonna, nor with “Climbing Bitter-sweet,” Celastrus.) Tincture prepared from fresh green stems and leaves, gathered just before flowering.
Clinical
Adenitis. Angina faucium. Aphonia. *Bladder, *affections of. Blepharophthalmia. Catarrh. Cholera. Crusta lactea. *Diarrhoea. Dropsy. Dysentery. Emaciation. Exostoses. Haemorrhage. Haemorrhoids. Hay-fever. Headache. Herpes. Influenza. *Irritation. Lichen. *Lumbago. Measles. Meningitis. *Myalgia. Myelitis. *Nettle-rash. Neuralgia. Ophthalmia. Paralyses. Pemphigus. *Rheumatism. Scarlatina. Scrofula. Stammering. *Stiff- neck. *Thirst. Tibia, pains in. *Tongue, *affections of. Tonsillitis. Tumour. Typhoid. Urine, difficulty in passing, incontinence of. Warts. Whooping-cough.
Characteristics
The leading indication for the homoeopathic use of *Dulcamara is found in its modality, ” worse from cold and damp.” Any condition which has this feature may find its remedy in *Dulcamara Effects of lying on damp ground (*e.g., paralysis), conditions which are worse in cold, damp weather, or, from changes from hot to cold weather, especially if sudden. Phlegmatic, torpid, scrofulous patients, who are restless and irritable and who take cold on damp changes, are especially suited for *Dulcamara Sensitiveness to cold and damp runs through the Solanacea., and is marked in *Belladonna and *Caps., but it is supreme in *Dulcamara This feature among others renders them all good antidotes to *Mercurius. *Baryta carb. is the complement of *Dulcamara in “worse from cold weather, especially in scrofulous children.” In poisoning cases *Dulcamara produces: Hard, griping pains in bowels, unconsciousness, tetanic spasms, trismus, loud, rattling breathing, death. Paralyses are numerous: paralysis of tongue, of lungs, of heart (pneumogastric paralysis). (I once gave *Dulcamara 30, with complete relief to the pain, in a case of sarcoma of the bones at the base of the skull, in which there were stabbing pains in the front of the head, and partial paralysis of the tongue. It was the latter symptom which determined the choice of the remedy.) Paralysis of the bladder. Rheumatic paralyses. Paralysed part feels icy cold. One-sided spasms. Convulsions beginning in face. Trembling, especially of right arm. It cured: “Paralysis of vocal cords (aphonia) from sleeping over a damp cellar.” McLaren cured with a single dose the following case, which was the result of a wetting: Facial paralysis (left) following neuralgia, the eye having remained unclosed for eight months. Red rash with itching worse in damp weather. After a slight aggravation improvement began in two weeks and continued steadily (*Medorrhinum *Adv., xviii. 214). *Dulcamara is a scrofulous remedy and has many scrofulous-looking eruptions: moist or dry, red, tettery eruptions, especially on face, furfuraceous, herpetic, urticaria, skin callous, warts, fleshy or large, smooth. Painless ulcers. (*Dulcamara 30 cured in two doses a rash like mosquito-stings appearing every month before the menses, worse when warm, compelled to sit where it is cold.) It corresponds to results of repercussed eruptions. Offensive sweat, effects of sudden cooling while sweating. Dropsical affections. Catarrhal troubles. Dryness of mucous membranes strongly indicate it. *Dulcamara causes diarrhoea, and a characteristic form is when there is vomiting with the stool. It causes a mucous-like sediment in the urine and is particularly indicated when a mucopurulent urine is associated with general one-sided sensitiveness, especially of the abdomen. (*Amer. *Hom., xxi. 317, records the cure with six doses of *Dulcamara 200 of the following case: A prison-warder had difficulty with urine four years, frequent micturition, dribbling a few drops. Stains linen yellow. Worse Afternoon, in damp cold weather. Some pain over left kidney and left iliac region, better after moving about or in warm weather. Sweats easily and often takes cold, when he suffers from sore-throat. Dislikes sweets.) Pains in many parts, as if from cold. Bruised feeling. Sensations: as of a board pressing against forehead, as if head were enlarged, as if hair stood on end, as if fire were darting out of eyes, as if worms were crawling up and down in abdomen, biting in rectum as from salt, as if lung moved in waves, as if arms were of wood, as of needles over whole body. Crawling, tickling itching of various parts, of tip of tongue. Worse Lying on back, better lying on side. Worse Stooping, better erect. Worse Bending diseased part backward. Most symptoms worse at rest and better by motion. Most symptoms are worse evening and night. Warmth better most symptoms, but worse cough and nettle-rash. Worse Cold air, cold change of weather, damp weather, getting wet, using water. Worse From cold drinks, from ice-creams. Skin eruptions are sensitive to touch, pressure better. Small furuncles appear on places hurt by concussion.
Relations
Dulcamara *antidotes: Cuprum and Mercurius *Is antidoted by: Camph., Cuprum, Ip., Kali-c., Mercurius *Follows well: Bryonia, Calcarea c., Lycopodium, Rhus-t., Sepia, Veratrum *Incompatible: Belladonna, Lachesis *Complementary: Baryta c. *Compare: Aconite, Arsenicum, Chamomilla, Helleborus, nitricum acidum, Pulsatilla, Staphysagria, Sulphur In faintness during stool, Crot- t., Veratrum Effects of cold, moist winds, Arsenicum, Calcarea, Nux-v. m. (cold, *dry winds, Aconite, Bryonia). Effects of exposure to wet, and better by motion, Rhus. Rheumatic paralysis, Rhus, Causticum Hasty speech and actions, Hepar, Belladonna, Lachesis, Sulphur Paralysis of lungs, Solanum.
Causation
Damp with cold. Wading. Washing. Injuries. Checked eruptions. Checked perspiration.
SYMPTOMS.
Mind
Mental agitation. Great impatience and restlessness. Impatient desire for different things, which are rejected as soon as they are obtained. Inclination to scold, without being angry. Combative disposition, without anger. Nocturnal delirium, with aggravation of pains.
Head
Vertigo when rising from bed, with darkness before the eyes. Giddiness early in the morning, better on getting up. Giddiness so as to occasion falling, with trembling of the whole body, and
general weakness. Giddiness, with heat ascending to the face. Dull pressure, as if a board were resting heavily on the forehead. Pressive stunning pains in different parts of the head Piercing and burning pain in the forehead, with digging from the inside outwards, with the sensation as if the brain were enlarged, worse in evening till midnight and when becoming cold, better when lying down. Bursting pains extending from forehead to bridge of nose. The headache is worse by the slightest movement, and even by speaking. Boring headache, from within to without, in the temples and forehead, worse before midnight and when lying quiet, better when talking. Sensation of heaviness in the head. Congestion in the head, with buzzing in the ears, and hardness of hearing. Sensation in the occiput as if it were enlarged. Stupefying headache, heaviness of the head. Stupefying ache in occiput ascending from nape of neck. Unpleasant sensation of chilliness in the cerebellum and over the back, with the sensation as if the hair were standing on end, returning every day in the evening. Thick crusts on the scalp, causing the hair to fall off.
Eyes
Aching in the eyes, especially when reading. Sensation as if fire were issuing from the eyes when walking in the sun or in the room. Inflammation of the eyes (ophthalmia from catching cold). Itching of the eyelids in the cold air. Ptosis. Eyelids dry. Sparks before the eyes. Confused sight, as from incipient amaurosis, sees everything as through gauze.
Ears
Otalgia, at night, with nausea. Acute pullings, with shootings in the ears.
Nose
Epistaxis of a very hot and bright red blood, with pressive pain above the nose. Coryza, dry, with stoppage of the nose, worse in cold air.
Face
Paleness of the face, with circumscribed redness of the cheeks. Eruptions and warts on the face. Thick, brownish or yellowish, scabs on the face, on the forehead, on the temples, and on the chin. Crusta lactea. Moist tetter in the cheeks. Twitching of the lips in the cold air. Paralysis of the lower jaw. Swelling of the sub-maxillary glands. Redness of the face. Distortion of the mouth, it is drawn to one side.
Mouth
Salivation, saliva tenacious, soap-like. Dryness of the tongue and roughness, with much thirst and increased flow of saliva. Tongue loaded with thick mucus. Swelling of the tongue, hindering speech and impeding breathing. Stammering from time to time as if drunk, indistinct articulation, though he tried constantly to speak. Pimples and ulcers in the mouth. Gums loosened and fungous. Paralysis of the tongue, and obstructed speaking, especially after taking cold. Itching, crawling on the tip of the tongue.
Throat
Sore throat, as if from elongation of the uvula, with pressive pain. Burning heat in the palate. Sore throat, as after a chill. Continual hawking up of very tough saliva, with much rawness in the fauces.
