“About two months ago Miss W., aged about forty, an inmate of my house, was seized with very severe neuralgia about both temples. I gave her tincture of *Gelsemium 10 minims, with a bismuth mixture to be taken every two or three hours. After taking this for about a day and obtaining no relief _ but rather she grew worse, being as is described. `nearly mad with pain’ _ I gave her the full dose of the tincture of *Gelsemium, according to Squire’s *Companion of the Pharmacopeia, 1882, and Whitla’s *Materia Medica, third edition, namely, 20 minims in a quinine mixture, This was taken every three hours, but with only moderate
relief, three or four doses having been taken during the night. At about eight o’clock the following morning Miss W. was able to speak pretty well, and said she thought she was better. At about nine o’clock she was speechless and in the greatest distress of mind and body, there was total loss of power in the tongue, it could not protruded, she could not articulate, and with very great difficulty could she swallow the brandy and water we forced upon her. There was alteration in vision, she could not distinguish us clearly, and the pupils were widely dilated. She had uncertain power over the muscles of the hand and arm, so that she could not write her name. All this time she was perfectly conscious, and nodded her head in answer to questions. She was greatly alarmed as to herself, and, as she informed us afterwards, she thought she was about to have a fit. Not knowing of any special antidote for *Gelsemium, and seeing that there was no time to lose if we wanted to avert any increase of the paralysis, it fortunately came into my mind to give her a subcutaneous injection of *Strychnine, using I minim of the liquor *Strychnine, or 1-120th part of a grain. Ten minutes after this the change for the better was most marked, there was return of power in the tongue and in the hands, and an improvement in the vision. I again injected a minim of the *Strychnine, and with further improvement in the condition of the patient. After this she took food and stimulants, and all paralysis disappeared. The vision was not perfectly restored for some hours, the pupils being less dilated. She had some return of the neuralgia and was very weak for a few days, but eventually she quite recovered, and has had altogether better health since this event than she had prior to it.” *Gelsem. in the attenuations is a great neuralgic remedy. I have cured among other cases one of neuralgia of the anterior crural nerve. The paralysis of the tongue recalls another condition, trembling of the tongue, which is one indication for *Gelsemium in typhoid, in which it is a leading remedy. The tongue is only thinly coated, and has not the dark streak of the *Baptisia tongue. The *Gelsemium face is flushed crimson, but not quite as besotted as that of *Baptisia* There is excessive weakness and trembling, but the consciousness is not so clouded. In coryza and hay fever *Gelsemium has an important place. Early morning sneezing and streaming colds are a strong indication. The characteristic headache of *Gelsemium begins in the occiput and spreads over the whole head, settling down over eyes. Dizziness and dim vision, and dizziness rising up from occiput and spreading over whole head, with depression, from heat of summer. Headache with stiff neck, worse morning, better urinating, preceded by blur before eyes, drowsiness with headache, difficulty in keeping eyes open, dull headache over eyes to vertex and occiput, with irregular action of eye muscles. Neurotic symptoms in cigar-makers, impotence, palpitation. Many symptoms occur in connection with the sexual organs, male and female (***J. H. Allen (***H.P., xiii.244) cured a case of hydrosalpingitis, if gonorrheal origin, with *Gels, I.m. The symptoms were: Feeling of fullness and heaviness in uterine region, cramp-like pains during menses, sharp pains moving from uterus to back and hips. A languid aching in back and hips a day or so before menses, great weakness and loss of power in lower extremities, very little pain after menses began. Lump in throat which she cannot swallow. After menses, pains in back of head and spine. Pains running up back of head and spine. Pains running up back of neck, with a feeling of tightness in the brain, irritable, easily angered. Fever in afternoon, twitching of muscles. Menses last eight days, for first three days appear natural, but afterwards very light-coloured, like serum. The tumour, which was in the left side of abdomen, disappeared in three months, improvement having set in from the first.)
Dysmenia, epileptiform convulsions at menstrual period, rigid os in labour, chill, beginning in hands, or feet, and running up back. There is worse both before, during, and after menses. Itching of skin, eruption like measles. Sensations of lightness: of head, of body. Sensation as if the head were enlarged, as if there were a tape round the head, as if the skin were contracted in the middle of the forehead, sensation from throat up into left nostril like a stream, of scalding water, sensation as if a lump were in esophagus, load in stomach, as if stomach were quite gone, as if the uterus were squeezed by a hand, as if he would die, as if the blood ceased to circulate, as if the heart would stop unless he kept moving, as if a knife were thrust through from occiput to forehead, as if eyes were jumping out of head, as if a lump were in throat which could not be swallowed. The stools of *Gelsem., whether loose or constipated, are mostly yellow, like the flower. The colour comes out also in the colour of the tongue, and bilious symptoms generally. Wants to lie down and rest. Wants to be held, that he may not shake. Motion worse most symptoms, better muscular pains, better heart. Rising from seat causes pain in heart. Shaking head better heaviness of head. Lifting arms causes trembling of hands. Playing piano causes tired sensation in arms. (***J.G. Blackley pointed out the suitability of Gelsemium to writer’s cramp and professional paralyses. I have relieved with it cases of Dupuytren’s contraction.) Great distress and apprehensive feeling at approach of a thunderstorm. Heat of sun or summer worse. Hot applications better pain back of head. Must be covered in all stages of the paroxysm. Complaints from sudden change from hot or dry to damp air. Catarrh occurring in warm, moist, relaxing weather. Worse Damp weather, cold, damp atmosphere, better cold, open air, worse from fog. Cold drinks are vomited immediately, warm or spirituous drinks can partially be swallowed. ” better From stimulants” is a very general characteristic.
Relations
*Antidoted by: Atrop, Chi., Coffea, Digitalis, Nux. mos. In cases of poisoning, artificial respiration and faradization of respiratory muscles. Foy found Nitro-glycerine a perfect antidote in one case. Jephson antidoted his case with Strychnine. *It Antidotes: Mag. phos. *It antagonizes: Atrop., Opium *Compatible: Baptisia (in typhoid, influenza), Ipecac. (in dumb ague). *Compare: Bell (labour), Caulo., Causticum (complaints of women), Coccul., Conium, Curare (paralysis), Ferrum phos. (fever), Phosphorus (effect of thunderstorms), Ol. an., Veratrum (headache): Borax (sense of falling); Bryonia (typhoid, dreads movement, Gelsemium because he is so weak, Bryonia because movement worse pains), Hypericum ( Worse from fog).
Causation
Depressing emotions. Fright. Anger. Bad news. Sun. Heat. Damp weather, warm or cold. Thunderstorms. Alcohol. Self-abuse.
SYMPTOMS.
Mind
Great irritability, does not wish to be spoken to. Irritable, sensitive, desires to be let alone. Incapacity to think or fix the attention. Vivacity, carelessness, followed by depression of spirits. Unconnected ideas, cannot follow an idea for any length of time, if he attempts to think consecutively he is attacked by a painful vacant feeling of the mind. Loss of memory, with headache. Unconsciousness. Delirium in sleep, half-waking, with incoherent talk. Acts as if crazy, brandishes a sword in a threatening manner. Stupor, cannot open the eyes. Dullness of the mental faculties. Sensation of intoxication, with diarrhoea. Cataleptic immobility, with dilated pupils, closed eyes, but conscious. Confusion, when attempting to move, the muscles refuse to obey the will, head giddy. Strong inclination to suicide. Want to throw myself from a height. Invariably think of going to the window. This is succeeded by an inclination to weep, and I generally have a good cry, and while the desire to throw myself from a height lasts, I clench my hands and nervous rigors run all over my body down to fingers and toes. It seems as if I should lose my senses. Dread of being alone, afraid of what may happen, think I may lose self-control. These feelings are followed by a strong inclination to talk or write, increased sense of mental capacity and memory. Every exciting news causes diarrhoea, bad effects from fright and fear. Cowardice.
Head
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