Rhatany Root. Ratanhia, Mapato. Pumacuchu. The root of several species of Krameria, especially Krameria triandra. *N. O. Polygalaceae (or Leguminosae according to some). Tincture of the root.
Clinical
Anus, fissure of. Breathe, offensive. Constipation. Diabetes. Dysentery. Dyspepsia, atonic. Epistaxis. *Eyes, pterygium. Fissures. Gonorrhoea. Haemorrhages. Haemorrhoids. Hiccough Hydrothorax. Inframammary pain. Itching. Metrorrhagia. Miscarriage. Nipples, fissures of. Pimples. Pleurisy. Scurvy. Snoring. Speech, arrested. Stomach, distension of, ulceration of. Throat, contraction of. Tinnitus. Worms.
Characteristics
*”Krameria triandra, remarkable for its entire, ovate, acuminate leaves, covered on both sides with silky hair, is one of the species most known as yielding the Rhatany root of commerce, but all the species (of *Krameria), as far as known, are intensely astringent. In Peru an extract is made from this species which is a mild, easily assimilated astringent medicine, possessed of great power in passive, bloody or mucous discharges, it acts as a tonic in weakness of digestive organs and muscular debility, and is even useful in intermittent and putrid fevers. It is also styptic and restores tone to relaxed parts, and when applied as plasters is said to cure all kinds of ulcers. An infusion is used as a gargle and wash, and the powder forms with charcoal and excellent tooth-powder. The colour of the infusion of the root of the *Krameria is blood-red, on which account advantage is taken of it to adulterate port wine.” (*Treas. of Bot.). Teste (who puts *Rat. in his Sulphur group), writing of its pre homoeopathic use, says, “There is perhaps no plant the properties of which have been so well indicated by chance as this. Used as an astringent and tonic, this root sometimes arrests passive haemorrhages (*epistaxis, hemoptysis, metrorrhagia, &c.). It was successfully used against *scurvy, mucous discharges, such as chronic catarrh of the bronchia, vagina, large intestines, &c., against various forms of *incontinence of urine, chronic oedema of the skin. Dr. Tournel, who, no doubt, did not suspect that *Ratan. produced abortion, had the happy idea of prescribing it as a tonic in cases of incipient miscarriage, and thus preventing that accident in delicate and nervous females who had never yet been able to go their full time. ‘ All these uses are really homoeopathic, as is also the cure of a case of fissure of the rectum by Bretonneau, whom Teste quotes from Trousseau and Pidoux: A lady suffered from constipation and fissure of rectum, which caused her horrible pains and had damaged her health. Bretonneau ordered a daily injection mixed with one-fourth of *Rat., and in a short time constipation and fissure were cured. Other like cases were cured, and then the same treatment was given in cases of fissure without constipation, and again with the same success. The provings (Hartlaub and Trinks chiefly) bring out the keynotes of *Rat. in rectal cases: “Straining, stool so hard she cried out, with great protrusion of haemorrhoids, *followed for a long time by burning in anus. ‘ The burning persisting for a long time after the stool is very characteristic of *Rat., and it occurs when the stool is diarrhoeic as well as hard. Burning also precedes and accompanies the stool. Another peculiarity in connection with the stool is a bursting headache, which accompanies and follows a straining at stool. Dry heat with sudden stitching like knife-stabs. Oozing at anus. Dropping of blood from anus. One patient cured by *Rat. of fissure had better by application of hot water, he sat in a sitz- bath as hot as he could endure, the relief only lasted while in the bath. In connection with the rectal symptoms is an important head symptom: “Pains in middle of forehead, as if brain would fall out, ‘ and a similar pain after stool. The head pains are also worse on bending forward. The eye symptoms are striking: burning, smarting, twitching of lids, obscured vision. This symptom has led to the cure of cases of pterygium: Inflammation of whole eye, a membrane seemed to extend to central point of eye, which burned. The old use of *Rat. in nose-bleed, scurvy, and as a tooth-powder are justified by the symptoms of the proving: Violent nose-bleed, bleeding gums, toothache worse lying down. A curious symptom in the aching molars is a sensation as if coldness rushed out of them. Toothache of pregnancy compelling the patient to get up at night and walk about. “Tasteless water collects in mouth’ may meet another condition of pregnancy, and *Rat. both causes and prevents abortion, metrorrhagia and leucorrhoea. It also meets fissure of the breasts in nursing women, as well as fissure of the anus. Contractive sensations (*Rat. is “astringent’) are numerous: in stomach, groins, anus, eyes, neck, muscles, throat, “painful spasmodic contraction of throat during which she could not speak a loud word. ‘ *Peculiar Sensations are: As if intoxicated. As if head in a vice. As of a white speck before eyes, skin before eyes. As if coldness rushed out of molars. As if rectum and anus were all twisted up. As if splinters of glass in rectum and anus. As if rectum protruded and then suddenly went back with a jerk. As if abdomen (and chest) cut to pieces. Movement as if something alive in abdomen. As of cobwebs about right side of mouth. Jerkings and quivering. *Eyelids feel stiff. Right side is most affected. Cushing, who made a proving of *Rat., says (*Medorrhinum Cent. quoted *H.R., XI. 142) it caused great itching in the rectum, and he has cured with it since nearly every case of pin-worms in his practice. In a woman, old and feeble, he cured with *Rat. 3x internally, and a *Rhatany rectal suppository each night, frequent discharges of mucus, blood and pus from the bowels night and day with great pain and burning in rectum almost wholly preventing sleep. Cushing considers that, next to *Sanguinaria *nit., *Rat. meets more rectal cases than any other remedy. Rummel (quoted *H.R., i. 140) relates the case of a servant girl who had rapid twitching of the lids of right eye to such an extent as to hinder her seeing. There seemed to be also a rotary motion of the ball. *Belladonna and *Calcarea failed to relieve. *Rat. 12 relieved quickly. The symptoms are: worse by touch (teeth). Pressure ameliorates pain in chest. worse Lying down, better by motion. worse Straining at stool, sitting bent over (headache), stooping. Stepping causes pain in ribs. Sitting causes weariness and heaviness in right thigh, pain in right knee and great toe. Bending arm worse<, extending it better. Eating worse, emission of flatus better. After dinner, hiccough, before dinner, abdominal distension. better Hot-water applications. better Open air, moving about in open air. worse Night, “most symptoms come in evening, night and morning. They are ameliorated by exercise and in open air, very much worse by uneasiness of mind’ (Teste).
Relations
*Follows well: Sul., Bovis, Sepia in uterine affections (Teste). *Compare: Botan., pleurisy, Seneg. Fissure of anus, nitricum acidum Anal symptoms, Sul., Ir-v., Cantharis, Peon., Graphites (Graphites is nearest, but has not the constriction of *Rat.). Splinters of glass in rectum, Thu. (Sticks, AEsc. h.). Pain in head from straining at stool, Pul., Silicea Hiccough, Cyclamen Burning on tongue, Rap. Ranunculus s., Sanguinaria Toothache of pregnancy, Rap., Mg. c., Chamomilla Alive sensation, Croc., Thu. Cobweb sensation, Ranunculus s., Barayta carbonica
Mind
Irritable, peevish, and quarrelsome humor. Apprehensive depression when alone, better in company. Woke with a start, 2 a.m., with trembling apprehension and fear. Changeable mind.
Head
Dullness of head as if intoxicated. Bruised pain in small spots on head. Jerking in small spot right temple. Pains in head, as if cranium were about to burst, especially when sitting with body bent forwards. Long-lasting headache as if screwed in a vice. Jerking, smarting, and shooting in head. Congestion in head, with heat and heaviness. Dull, deep stitches on vertex. Painful tearing and burning on vertex, even at night, better in open air, during menses. Pain in middle of forehead, as if brain would fall out while straining at stool. Pains in head as if it would burst after stool. Tearing from occiput to vertex. Sensation as if scalp from root of nose to vertex were stretched. Stiff feeling in forehead worse knitting brows. Itching of scalp not better by scratching. itching left occiput, where small glandular swellings were found.
Eyes
Pains in eyes as if compressed in a vice, and could not be moved. Sensation in right eye as if screwed in, or as if there were an impediment so that it could not be moved, still she could move it easily. Contractions and burning sensations in eyes, especially in evening. Inflammation of sclerotica, a membrane seemed to extend to central point of eye that burned. Sensation as if a cuticle were placed before eyes. Agglutination of eyes at night, and lachrymation in morning. Jerks and quivering of eyes and eyelids. Twitching in right eye and right upper eyelid. Stiffness of upper lids with soreness of upper tarsal edges. White spot before eye, which obstructs the sight ( in evening, by candle-light, with constant urging to wipe the eyes, and better after wiping). Vision dim for distant objects. Myopia.
