Vinca minor. Lesser Periwinkle. (Woods and shady places). *N.O. Apocynaceae. Tincture of whole fresh plant.
Clinical
Acne. Alopecia. Crusta lactea. *Eczema. Favus. Neck, stiff. Nose, redness of. *Plica polonica. *Seborrhoea. Throat, sore. *Uterus, *bleeding from.
Characteristics
*Vinca was proved by Rosenburg on four healthy persons, who took the tincture in 20 to 60 drop doses. It produced a deep impression on the organism and tissues. Weakness and prostration accompanied many of the sufferings, the stool caused exhaustion, great debility accompanied the uterine haemorrhage. There was “weakness as if he would die,” inclination to stretch, tremulousness and tendency to start, especially on exciting the mind, and tremulousness in all the blood-vessels. Allied to this an empty, all gone sensation appeared in the stomach and chest. A corresponding deep impression was made on the tissues: blood and blood-vessels, skin, hair, and nails, bones. In passive uterine haemorrhages *Vinca has a wide range. This case is related in *Ind. ***H.R. (ix. 113): Uterine haemorrhage, blood dark red, flow copious, uninterrupted, with extreme debility. *Chi. And *Helonias failed to relieved, *Vinca 1 x effected a rapid and permanent cure. Frequent nose-bleed is another effect of *Vinca. And there is a curious symptom in connection with the nose which it is well to remember: it “becomes red from the slightest cause, *when the least bit angry.” There are scabby eruptions about the nose and on the septum, which are part of the general skin effect of the remedy. It causes corrosive itching of the skin provoking scratching, moist spots, and burning in ulcers. The most characteristic effect is on the scalp, where it produces a condition having many features of crusta lactea, favus, and plica polonica. I have cured with *Vinca “sore spots on the scalp” in a young lady. A number of symptoms were produced in the throat and oesophagus. ***C.M. Boger records this case (*M.Coun. xvi. 265): Women, 31, had a cutting sensation in lower part of oesophagus while swallowing food, continuing after. Empty faintness in stomach better by eating. Stomach sore to touch or pressure of clothing. Constipation from induration of faeces. Haemorrhoids constantly sore, smarting after stool. *Vinca 41M (Fincke) cured. *Peculiar Sensations are: As if a hammer were beating from within outwards in vertex. cold wind in ears. As if something sticking low down in oesophagus. As if a weight lying on cervical muscles. As if he would die from weakness. The left side was most affected. A peculiar symptom was distension of abdomen *after stool. “Toothache better in warmth of bed” is an unusual. The symptom are: worse On stooping. worse walking. worse Reading. >moving in open air. “Toothache better in warmth of bed. Drinking worse: liquids (especially beer) causes eructations, coffee causes nausea. Mental exertion worse, causes tremulous feeling and tendency to start.
Relations
Compare: Peevishness with repentance, Croc. Crusta lactea, Medorrhinum, Melit., Mez., Jug-r., Oleander, Viol-t. (with strong-smelling urine), Arct. 1. (glands swollen, axillary glands even suppurate), Staphysagria (sickly children, pale face, dark rings round eyes), Ustil. (filthy eruptions, part of hair comes out, part matted). Alopecia, Bacil., Pho.
Causation
Anger (red nose). Mental exertion (tremulousness and starting).
SYMPTOMS.
Mind
Sadness with fear of death.- Lachrymose.- Peevish and quarrelsome, soon followed by repentance.
Head
Whirling vertigo with flickering before eyes.- Pressure on head, in temples.- Dullness of sinciput with slow pressure towards eyes and dimness of vision, worse stooping when writing.- Sticking in left temple extending to malar bone.- Tearing in vertex with feeling as if a hammer beating from within out.- Corrosive itching on the hairy scalp.- Badly-smelling eruptions on the head, in the face, and behind the ears (breeding vermin).- The hairs are entangled, as in plica polonica.- Hair falls out and is replaced by grey hair.- Bald spots, covered with short, woolly hair.- Humid eruptions on the head, with much vermin, and nightly itching, with burning after scratching.
Eyes
Itching and burning of lids, which become red.- Eye dry, on getting snuff into it there was so little secretion he was obliged to wash it out.- Obscuration of vision (fog before eyes) while reading, at times also while walking.
Ears
Ringing and whistling in ears, with feeling of cold wind, especially 1.
Nose
Nose becomes red on becoming the least angry.- Tip of nose becomes red from slightest cause.- Frequent nose-bleed.- Stoppage of nose, mostly of one nostril, with discharge of much mucus through posterior nares.- Distressing dryness and heat in nose extending into frontal sinuses.- Itching in nose.- Moist eruption on septum exuding moisture which forms light-brown scab, skin dirty white, elevated, with red areola.
Face
Bloated face, with pimples.- Tearing in malar bones.- Dry lips.- Swelling of upper lip and corner of mouth.
Mouth
Tearing in teeth better by warmth of bed.- Aphthae.- Increased secretion of saliva.- Insipid taste in mouth, to all food.
Throat
Frequent hawking through day.- Ulcers in throat (?).- Sore throat, with difficulty in swallowing.- Sensation as if something was sticking low down in oesophagus, which provokes swallowing.
Stomach
Hunger alternating with loss of appetite before the hunger has been satisfied.- Scarcely any thirst.- Empty eructations after drinking beer, and generally worse from taking liquid.- Nausea after coffee.- Violent, bitter, copious vomiting of yellowish- green liquid.- Gastric disturbance. Emptiness in stomach.
Abdomen
Distension after a stool.- Abdomen full, tense but painless.- Rumbling and gurgling, with passage of much offensive flatus.- Griping.
Stool & Anus
Urging to stool.- Stool first hard, then soft.- Stool exhausting, with burning in anus.
Urinary Organs
Diminished secretion of urine.- Urine pale yellow.
Female Sexual Organs
Excessive, profuse menses, flowing like a stream, with great weakness.- Passive uterine haemorrhage from fibroid tumour.- Passive uterine haemorrhage in women long past their climacteric.
Respiratory Organs
Hoarseness.- Tenacious mucus in trachea.- Spasmodic cough, with little tickling in larynx.- Rapid respiration.
Chest
Pains in chest, with sticking and dyspnoea.- Pressure on sternum, with feeling of emptiness in chest.- Stitching in sternum.
Neck
Painful tension and stiffness of cervical muscles, with an illusive sensation as if a weight were lying on them.
Limbs
Inclination to stretch limbs.- Tearing pains in limbs.- Arthritic tearing in bones.
Upper Limbs
Cramp-like drawing in upper arm and tips of fingers.- Swelling and stiffness of first joints of fingers, with burning pain in the nails.
Lower Limbs
Cramp-like drawing in feet and toes.
Generalities
Weakness as if he would die.- Tremulous feeling: in all the vessels, in upper extremities, with tendency to start, especially on exerting the mind.- Emptiness or hungry feeling.- Most symptoms better moving about in open air.
Skin
Great sensitiveness of skin, with redness or soreness even from slight irritation.- Burning in the ulcers like bed-sores on left buttock.- Corrosive itching provoking scratching.- Itching, moist spots on upper part right ankle.
Sleep
Frequent yawning.- Sleeplessness and restlessness at night.- Lascivious dreams.
Fever
Sudden paroxysms of shivering.- Heat with firm, hard pulse.- Great warmth in scalp with prickling.- Heat of cheeks with redness.- Tremor in every blood-vessel.
