Viola odorata. Sweet-scented Violet. *N. O. Violaceae (an order most members of which contain Emetin., and under which *Ipecac. is sometimes placed: allied to Cinchonaceae). Tincture of fresh plant in flower.
Clinical
Cancer. Chorditis. Cough, spasmodic, by day. Hoarseness. Hysteria. Neuralgia, supraorbital. Otorrhoea, suppressed. Rheumatism. Seminal emissions. Styes. Whooping-cough. Wrists, rheumatism of.
Characteristics
The Violet was introduced by Gross and proved by Hahnemann, Gross, and Stapf. Gross says of his symptoms that they recurred equally in all positions, were mild, yet more definitely than from other drugs. Hahnemann had bruised pain in all the bones in the morning, in bed after waking, better after rising. Stapf had relaxation of all the muscles. The mind was greatly excited and disturbed, and *V. od. found its first uses in hysterical cases. Aversion to music, especially the violin, is one of the peculiar symptoms. There is increased activity and rush of ideas, generally confused: “Can only grasp half an idea, puts it in its proper place but cannot hold it.” A keynote symptom of *V. od. is *Tension: “Tension of the occiput and forehead,” “Tension of the scalp of occiput even when not moving, though worse bending head forward and backward, painful, compelling him to wrinkle forehead, lasting several days.” Gross experienced the former and Stapf the latter of these. The following is from Gross: “Tension which at times extends to upper half of face, especially of nose, thence to forehead and temples, as far as ears, alternating with a similar sensation in occiput and cervical muscles.” Cooper (*H. M., xxix. 154 and 640) has illustrated the action of *V. od. on the head and eye by a case: Miss X. had for twenty years attacks of fearful headache which began suddenly and without apparent cause at intervals of a week or more. The pain was throbbing under right temple and eye, sometimes flying for a short time to the other side. Vision very defective, especially on dull, wet days, chronic choroiditis had been diagnosed by one prominent oculist. On September 11, 1893, a single dose of *V. od. O was given. Next day the patient had a headache, not in the usual place, but quite at the vertex. After this there were no severe headaches and very few threatenings. General health improved and the sight also, the pain and irritation, which were formerly distracting, disappeared. Cooper ordered discontinuance of glasses. On March 10, 1894, there was a rather pronounced attack of headache, with sick feeling, at the time of the period, “the first day the pain was through my head, the second day about an inch of two above the right ear.” Another dose of *V. od. O was sent. From this time the cure went steadily forward. Appetite and strength increased, and sight gradually became normal. On May 11, 1894, the patient wrote, “I am quite well, and my sight is in splendid order.” Cooper considers *V. od. has a very specific relation to the lateral sinuses and their vasomotor nerves. Symptoms of the proving show a “decided pitch” on the interior of the eyes: “Oppression in the eyeballs, heat and burning of the eyes,” “Fiery appearances (a fiery semicircle) before the eyes,” “Stinging in the eyes.” Cooper has also published an ear case treated with *Viola (*H. M., xxix. 154): A child of seventeen months had been affected with recurring otorrhoea of both ears (< right) from birth, and two other children of the same parents were said to have died from discharges of the ears, coming on in the same unaccountable manner. *V. od., O one dose, was given, and the next day of great quantity of ill-smelling discharge came from the right ear, with immediate improvement in the child’s condition, from being drowsy and listless she became bright and intelligent. Thereafter both discharge and deafness disappeared. Ear affections with pain about the orbits indicate *V. od. *V. od. has cured a number of cases of rheumatism, chiefly right-sided. It has a marked affection for the wrists, especially the right. Cooper considers it *suited to “dark-complexioned people of the *Ferrum pic. type”, Hering says to: “tall, thin, nervous girls,” to “mild, impressive girls of fair complexion,” and to “tuberculous patients.” Teste, who used *Viola frequently, described the type as “a lymphatico-nervous temperament, a mild disposition, dry and cool skin.” Many patients cured by him were tall and slender [The cure of Lady Margaret Marsha, 67, of an affection of the throat pronounced to be malignant (apparently epithelia of tonsil), with an infusion of Violet leaves is on record (*H. W., xxxvi. 556). Boiling water was poured on the fresh leaves and allowed to stand twelve hours. Compresses moistened with this were applied externally to the throat and covered with oil-silk. Relief of pain, dysphagia, and suffocative symptoms was immediate. The external swelling disappeared in a week, the growth on the tonsil in a fortnight.] *Peculiar Sensations are: As if everything in head whirled around. As if eyeballs were compressed. As if nose had been beaten and blood were pressing out. As if hard palate were dried up. As if a stone were lying on chest. Burning like a small, transient flame in spots here and there. The symptoms are worse Bending head backward and forward. worse By day (cough). worse From music. Bone pains better after rising in morning. worse Cold room (hoarseness). worse Dull wet day (vision).
Relation
*Antidoted by: Camph. *Compatible: in whooping-cough, Coral., in helminthiasis, Cina. *Compare: Pain in right wrist, Actea spi., Bryonia Ropy sputa, K. bi. Weakness of muscles of neck, Verbascum, Antim tart. worse Music, Nux vomica, Sepia, Ph. ac., Aco., Natrum carb., Pulsatilla [Cooper has pointed out a close relationship between the Violaceae and the Rubiaceae, notably between Viola and Ipecac. Both Viola and Ipecac. have been used externally as remedies for stings and snake-bites (*H. W worse, xxxvi. 249).] Teste puts Viola in the Chelidonium group, and finds a striking analogy between these two remedies.
Causation
Suppressed discharges.
SYMPTOMS.
Mind
Sombre melancholy and sadness.- Hysterical humour, with constant weeping, without knowing why.- Aversion to conversation.- Great weakness of memory and forgetfulness.- Great concourse (excessive flow) of unsettled and confused ideas.- Insane confusion, childish behaviour, disobedience, refusing nourishment, talks in a low, soft voice.- Remarkable perspicuity and great activity of brain.- Predominance of intellect over feeling.- Increased activity of the intellect.
Head
Dull and painful confusion in the head.- Turning vertigo, also when seated.- Headache, sometimes with cramps in eyes and luminous circles before sight.- Drawing in left frontal eminence.- The head feels heavy and skins forward, sensation of weakness in muscles of nape.- Rush of blood to head, with prickings in sinciput (forehead).- Tension in integuments of the head, extending into face, nose, and ears, frequently causing a knitting of the brows.- Burning in forehead.
Eyes
Cramps in eyelids.- Closing of eyes as from drowsiness.- Heaviness of eyelids.- Sensation as if eyeball were compressed.- Pupils contracted.- Heat and burning sensation in eyes.- Myopia.- Flames before eyes.- (Chronic choroiditis with fearful throbbing headache under right temple.- ***R. T. C.)- Caused styes on right eyelids in a case of Cooper’s.- (Vision dim, worse on dull, wet days).
Ears
Shootings in (and around) ears.- Aversion to all kinds of music, principally violin.- Murmuring and tinkling before ears. (Discharges of both ears with deafness disappeared after one dose of O ***R. T. C.)- Brings on a discharge that has stopped, or heals a discharge in a few days (***R. T. C.).
Nose
Numbness of tip of nose as from a blow, and as if blood were pressing out.
Face
Hot forehead.- Pain in face, with drawing pressure in zygomatic process.- Tension in integuments of face, especially above eyes.- Tension below eyes and above nose, extending to temples.- Tearings in (left) lower jaw in direction of ear.
Teeth
Tearing pain in (right) lower teeth.
Mouth
Sensation in hard palate as if it were completely dried up. – Aphthae.
Abdomen
Distension of abdomen.
Stool & Anus
Constipation, with ineffectual want to evacuate.- Helminthiasis.- Itching of anus every afternoon.
Male Sexual Organs
Pollutions, followed by headache.
Female Sexual Organs
During pregnancy, dyspnoea.
Respiratory Organs
Hoarseness, followed by coryza.- Dyspnoea with violent cough, worse in daytime.- By day chiefly, in long-lasting spells, dry, short, violent cough, with much dyspnoea.- Whooping-cough in nervous, thin little girls.- Sputum profuse, clear, ropy, jelly- like.- Respiration difficult, and scarcely perceptible, with painful expiration, excessive anguish, and violent palpitation of heart.- Shortness of breath.
Chest
Violent oppression of the chest and dyspnoea, with pressure on the chest, as by a stone.
Neck and Back
Tension in muscles of the neck.- Jerking drawing in cervical muscles, near nape, extending down, worse lying on opposite side.
