Ferrum. Haemorrhage from the uterus, with labor-like pains in abdomen, and glowing heat in the face; blood light or lumpy, coagulates easily; flow generally delayed and frequently intermittent, comes hours, returns, again causes, but returns, and so on. Women who, though weak and nervous, have a very red face; in delicate chlorotic women.
Hamamelis: Active haemorrhage; blood bright red, or, passive flow of venous blood; no uterine pains. According to Winterburn this remedy is useful in those passive haemorrhages, without much pain, in patients who suffer from varicoses, and who belong to the class of easy bleeders.
Helonias. Atonic and passive menorrhagia; very profuse flow at every period, so that her strength is exhausted, and she suffers from debility; swallow and pale complexion, menorrhagia from ulcerated os or cervix, the blood being dark and bad smelling and continuing a long while; the flow is increased by the least exertion.
Ipecacuanha. Blood bright red, profuse clotted; nausea, breathing heavy, oppressed; stitches from navel to uterus. This remedy is more often used than any other in uterine haemorrhages, but is seldom useful unless there is constant nausea. Winterburn says: “If the haemorrhage is very severe, and it seems desirable to stop it at once. I give Ipecacuanha, unless some other remedy is characteristically indicated.”
Millefolium. Haemorrhage of bright red and fluid blood; uterine haemorrhages after great exertion; with congestive headache.
Nitric Acid. This remedy is not often used in menorrhagia, but Dr. Ludlum recommends it highly in cases of supervening abortion or during the menopause where there is a passive, irregular, flow, and other remedies have tailed. There is a loss of appetite, headache, malaise, and a series of symptoms that are chargeable to the continual drain upon her physical resources. She cannot sit upright or stand erect but the difficulty is increased.
Nux Vomica. Especially suitable to women of irascible temperament; fiery and easily excited, and to those who suffer from mental over-exertion, sedentary habits, excess of coffee- drinking or stimulants, or from too much rich food; flow dark, thick and coagulated; preceded by contractive uterine spasms.
Platinum. Flow dark and clotted, with much bearing down and drawing pains in abdomen; sensation as if she were growing large, r and feels that everything about her is small and inferior; hysteria; great sexual excitement, but shrinks from an embrace because the organs so painfully sensitive; organic menorrhagia, accompanying carcinoma, fibroids, etc.
Sabina. This is one of our most frequently used remedies in uterine haemorrhages; the flow occurs in paroxysms; worse from motion, blood dark and clotted, sometimes offensive. The chief characteristic is a drawing pain from the back through to the pain. I once cured the most desperate case of menorrhagia that ever came within my knowledge, of over twenty years’ standing, with this drug, my attention being called to it by the fact that the patient could not endure the sound of music. Dr. Winterburn says: “The pathological condition calling for Sabina is hyperaemia of the uterus; and the nearer this approaches the inflammatory stage, the more likely is this remedy to be of service.” This is true, yet, nevertheless, Sabina will often cure long standing cases resulting from atony, and, on the other hand, also menorrhagia from plethora. Lilienthal says “plethoric women with habitual menorrhagia.” In some respects the remedy is similar to Belladonna, but the symptoms will readily differentiate. Secale Cor. Discharge black, fluid and very fetid; worse from the slightest motion; strong, spasmodic, expulsive pains in the uterus; especially in feeble, cachectic, dyscratic women.
Trillium. Active or passive haemorrhage; gushing of bright red blood at least movement; later blood pale, from anaemia; sometimes blood dark, thick and clotted; pain in back and cold limbs; flow returns every two weeks; at menopause; after exhaustion from exercise.
Ustilago Maidis: From atony of the uterus; blood dark and clotted; aching distress in uterus; slow and persistent oozing of dark blood, with small black coagula; the finger upon being withdrawn from the vagina is covered with dark semifluid (but not watery) blood, as though partial disorganization had taken place; uterus enlarged, cervix tumefied, os dilated, swollen, and flabby; perfect inertia of the uterus (Lilienthal).
Zincum. Dr. Winterburn says of this remedy: “It has this singular characteristic, that although the flow is abnormal in frequency and quantity, she feels perfectly well as soon as it sets in and as long as it continues. Before menstruation she is in constant pain in the small of her back, especially about the last lumbar vertebra; worse when sitting, better when walking, and relieved by pressure. Her restlessness is peculiar. She cannot keep her feet still, and she suffers from a variety of hysteric complaints. These conditions all return after menstruation, and with them an irresistible sexual desire, caused by vulvar pruritus. Zincum vies with Hamamelis in the varicose diathesis, Varices on the genitals, legs and elsewhere are the source of the eroticism and of much of her pain; hence the relief from a free catamenial discharge. Zincum cures the varicosis and restores the functional operations of the womb to pristine rectitude”.
ALLEN CORSON COWPERTHWAITE was born at Cape May, New Jersey, May 3, 1848, son of Joseph C. and Deborah (Godfrey) Cowperthwaite. He attended medical lectures at the University of Iowa in 1867-1868, and was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in 1869. He practiced his profession first in Illinois, and then in Nebraska. In 1877 he became Dean and Professor of Materia Medica in the recently organized Homeopathic Department of the State University of Iowa, holding the position till 1892. In 1884 he accepted the chair of Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and Clinical Medicine in the Homeopathic Medical College of the University of Michigan. He removed to Chicago in 1892, and became Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. From 1901 he also served as president of that College. He is the author of various works, notably "Insanity in its Medico-Legal Relations" (1876), "A Textbook of Materia Medica and Therapeutics" (1880), of "Gynecology" (1888), and of "The Practice of Medicine " (1901).