Oxytropis Lamberti (Pursh). (including O. Campestris, Hook.) “Loco” Weed. Rattle-weed. *N. O. Leguminosae. Tincture of fresh plant (without root.).
Clinical
Amblyopia. Bladder, irritability of. Cough. Fever. Impotence. Locomotor ataxy. Ovary, pain in. Paralysis. Rheumatism. Spermatic cord, pain in. Sphincters, relaxation of. Testicles, pain in. Vertigo.
Characteristics
The “Loco-weed” or “Crazy-weed” (“loco” is of Spanish origin, and means “crazy’) has been variously identified by Gray as *Astragalus legum, by others as *Astragalus mollissimus, and by ***W.S. Gee, who made the proving, as *Oxytropis Lamberti (*M.A., xvii. 441). Probably the writer of the botanical articles in the *Century Dictionary is nearest the mark in saying that Loco-weed is “any one of several Leguminous plants producing the loco- disease in animals. Among them are *Astragalus mollissimus and *A. *Hornii, with several other species of the genus, and *Oxytropis Lamberti.” Henfry’s Botany remarks that the foliage of “*O. *Lamberti is said to be injurious to cattle,” so Dr. Gee was quite justified in taking this plant for the proving. (The Astragali are very closely related to the Oxytropis. *A. *gummifera is the source of *Gum tragacanth. A few observations with *A. *Menziesii will be found in Vol. I. of this work.) Gee’s specimens were obtained by Dr. Hawkes, of Chicago, and a tincture was made from these by Boericke & Tafel. Gee quotes from Coulter’s *Manual of the Botany of the Rocky Mountain Region a description of *Oxytropis Lamberti. ***W.D. Gentry in June, 1895, sent Boericke & Tafel specimens of loco-weed, and as this firm are extremely careful about the botany of the plants they make their tinctures from, I conclude these plants must have been *Oxyt. *Lamberti or they would have mentioned the fact. Gentry makes these remarks concerning the plants he sent (*H. R., x. 364): “My attention was first called to this plant last winter during January, soon after my arrival on the territory, as it was almost the only green thing showing itself above the snow, which covered the ground at that time for two or three days. Some cattle had been eating the weed, and as I approached them they tried to move away, but in spite of their efforts they backed towards me, and in their efforts to escape made some ludicrous manoeuvres. I observed them closely for more than an hour, and was reminded most forcibly by their actions of the symptoms of locomotor ataxy.” Gentry made provings of the O tincture of the whole plant and seeds on three persons. He gives the “leading symptoms” which will be found with his authority (Gent.) appended to each in the Schema. Gentry’s observation of loco-disease in *winter bears out what is said by other writers, namely, that it is only in winter, when food is scanty, that animals can be induced to commence eating the weed, and then they cannot leave off. An account of loco-disease appeared in *Brit. *Medorrhinum *Jour. of March, 23, 1889 (*H.W., xxiv. 177), which contains some
observations bearing on the *season at which the disease occurs, and at which the plant is poisonous. I quote from the article: “The animals affected loses flesh, has a feeble, staggering, uncertain gait, a rough coat, and general appearance which is said to be characteristic, it loses all sense of distance or direction, and is liable to fits of rearing, plunging, and wild excitement, pregnant animals drop their offspring prematurely.” The account goes on to say that the plant is generally identified as *Astragalus mollissimus. ***H. C. Wood and Mr. Kennedy, of Texas, failed to produce poisoning in animals experimented on. Later, Dr. Mary Gage Day made experiments with a decoction of roots, leaves, and stems *gathered in September. She is convinced from experiments made with materials gathered in different months that the greatest amount of poison is present in autumn and winter after the seeds have ripened _ the seasons at which the disease is most rife. The account does not give the botany of the plants she used, but cats, kittens, and a jack-rabbit were decidedly “locoed,” and died, the jack-rabbit in ten days after commencing to eat the plant, fore which he speedily acquired a liking. In Gee’s proving the O tincture and potencies from I x to 30X were used. A number of mind and brain symptoms were produced, despondency, forgetfulness, a feeling as if consciousness would be lost, fullness in the head and instability standing. Two provers had “symptoms worse when thinking of them.” Gentry’s provers had “pleasant, intoxicated feelings.” Both Gentry’s and Gee’s provers had well-marked pains in the eyes and disturbance of vision, and Gentry’s had “numb, pithy, or woody feeling about and on the spine,” and “loss of power to control movements of limbs.” In Gee’s provings there were pains both in testes and ovaries, and one male prover, naturally passionate, became impotent. The symptoms are worse on thinking of them (urging to urinate if he thinks of it), better on side lain on, worse immediately after eating, better an hour after. Sick, exhausted feeling at 10 a.m., chill 11. 40 a.m. Pain (also bladder irritation) better when moving about, better in cool air. Any little exercise causes dry cough. better After stool. better After sleep. Pains go from right to left Dyspnoea with chill.
Relation
*Compare: Lath., Astrag. menz., Physostig., Laburn., and other Leguminosae. In symptoms worse when thinking of them, Ox-ac. ( better, Camph.). Pain in cord and testes, Ox-ac. Pains right to left, Lycopodium better moving about, Rhus.
SYMPTOMS.
Mind
Great mental depression. Stimulation of mind, pleasant, intoxicated feeling (Gent.). Satisfied indifference to all influences and interests (Gent.) _ Cannot think or concentrate his thoughts. Very forgetful of familiar words and names. Disinclination to talk or study. Wants to be alone. Feeling as if I would lose consciousness. All symptoms worse when thinking of them.
Head
A feeling as if I would lose consciousness, or as if I would fall when standing. Sense of fullness of head, and of instability, when standing or sitting. Head has a feeling of great pressure, especially on moving eyeballs. Head, hot. Was unable to move around on account of this strange, uncertain feeling of numbness, with prickling sensation in left arm and hand. Full, uncomfortable feeling in head. Slight headache in vertex and occiput in forenoon, over eyeballs about noon. Pain in helix of ear for two or three minutes, then pain commenced between the eyes and went in a straight line up over head and down to base of brain. Pain across base of brain (“gone in a minute or two “). Pain in occipital region, heavy ache, as if a weight were attached to lower edge, pulling it back, but pain does not extend down back, I p.m. to 3 p.m. Head very sensitive, worse on side on which he lies. Pressure on head better after sleep. Dull, heavy feeling in head, with uncertain gait and walk, so that she was obliged to lie down, when she fell into a deep sleep and woke up with the metallic taste. Full, warm feeling about head (Gent.).
Eyes
Feel dull and heavy, blurred, pupils dilated. When reading, it seems as if a light were reflected from a bright copper plate seen at left side, as if the light were at the end of the room. Pain in eyeball Pain over right eyes. Strange feeling of fullness about eyes with sight obscured, so that it appears that one is looking through clear water which produces the seven prismatic colours (Gent.).Amblyopia from paralysis of nerves and muscles of eyes (Gent.). Pupils contracted, do not respond to light (Gent.). Sight lost with feeling as if from long exposure to strong electric arc-lights. (Gent.).
Ears
Roaring sound in ears.
Nose
Nose very dry, scab form in it. Frequent violent sneezing, with fluent coryza in evening. Nose feels as if sunburnt, red and shining, especially on alae. Feeling of pressure over bridge of nose. Fluent coryza, somewhat bloody.
Mouth
Mouth very dry, especially in morning. Metallic taste in mouth strongly marked. Gumboil on left lower jaw, profuse saliva. Pain in left lower jaw.
Throat
Slight inflammation of pharynx, a “husky” feeling. Throat dry and sore.
Appetite
Appetite gradually increasing. Appetite good, symptoms worse after eating, better after an hour. Loss of appetite (unusual).
Stomach
Eructations, as after taking soda-water (after each powder), with colicky pains, and looseness of bowels (constipated before taking remedy). Tenderness in epigastric region. Cold during the chill.
Abdomen
Sharp, lancinating pains all through abdomen, early in evening (observed but once). Sharp pain, running from right to left across bowels, for several minutes, followed by a very strong desire to go to stool, entire relief after stool. Slight griping pain in region of umbilicus, working down at 8 p.m., followed at 10 p.m. by discharge of flatus. Full feeling in abdomen, causing short breathing after lying down in bed.
Stool and Rectum
Faeces of consistency of mush, which slips through sphincters in little lumps, very similar to lumps of jelly. Stools dark brown, or like jelly. Urgent desire for stool, sometimes removed by passing wind, quantity normal. Sore feeling in rectum. Crawling sensation in rectum as if little worms were there. Stool inclined to be hard, unsatisfied feeling, as though not done. Stool solid at first, then diarrhoea. Movement of bowels at an unusual time (6.30 p.m., had moved morning of same day). Sharp pain from right to left across bowels, followed by very strong desire for stool. Stool, first hard, then loose. Entire better from pain after stool.
