Neck and Back
Neck. Indurated lymphatics in the nape of the neck. Boring sensation in right side of neck (after a few minutes). Back. Softening and curvature of the spine. Periosteal aching down spine (after twenty minutes). Twitching pain in back. Dorsal. Sensation of heat and hyperaesthesia in upper half of back (after a few minutes). Aching in mid-dorsal region to right to spine (after twenty minutes). Right subscapular aching, becoming also interscapular, lasting two hours, at 11 A.M. (second day). Right subscapular, aching, extending over hepatic region, on waking (third day). Continuous achings beneath lower angles of scapulae, severe continuing three-quarters of an hour (after one hour and a half). Continuous aching beneath right scapula (after twenty minutes). Long-continued severe interscapular aching (after twenty minutes). Slight tenderness on pressure over the fourth and fifth dorsal vertebrae, but the rest of the spine exhibited no increase of sensibility. Throbbing over left acromion (after a few minutes).
Extremities in Generals
Objective. Caries, once in the elbow once in the ankle. Loss of power in the limbs was accompanied by a certain hastiness of motion. Tremor of the limbs, etc. Trembling of the extremities, especially of the hands, so that the patient cannot hold them still for a moment, indeed, can carry nothing to the mouth. Tremor of the upper and lower limbs, which became worse when they were spoken to at all severely. Electric irritability was good, but the muscles of both the upper and lower extremities did not contract in a tonic manner but tremulously, so that the finger upon the electrode felt a kind of whirring. Trembling of the hands and feet, so that the patient was unable to write. Trembling of the hands sometimes also of the feet. Periodic trembling of the extremities. Great trembling of the limbs. Trembling of the limbs so great that she could no more use her hands and could not ascend a height alone; she could only talk with difficulty, and sometimes could not at all carry the food to her mouth, and was even disturbed in bed by trembling, though it never amounted to convulsions; she could not hold light things in her hands, for the violent trembling would throw them away; but she was able to carry heavy articles. Excessive trembling in all the limbs, especially the upper; progressively increasing, until he was unable to work, or to eat, drink or perform the offices of nature, without assistance. A woman had violent tremor of the extremities. Legs trembled moderately; arms violently; had to be assisted in everything, like a child. So much difficulty in walking, that he often fell to the ground on his back, as if from some external force, even while striving to keep himself up by bending forwards. Quite unable to hold either hand steady for a moment; the muscles are wasted and thin, and always in a state of spasmodic activity; it is with the greatest difficulty that he can manage to feed himself; the affection is not so severe in the legs; he walks very slowly, and with a tottering gait; he continued, however, to come upstairs without assistance, holding on by the banister all the way; in bed his movement are often sufficient to shake the bed. The principal affection under which he labored was not, as has sometimes been described in these cases, a constant tremor of the limbs and seesaw of the head, such as occur in old paralytic persons, but a sort of rapid convulsive agitation of the limbs (whenever the act of volition was exerted upon the muscles), which moved the extremities quickly in all directions except that which the will prompted. Thus, he could sit on his chair still and nearly unmoved, but the moment he got up and attempted to walk, his legs began to dance, as it were, in spite of himself and performed very rapid and irregular motions, with so much violence as to compel him to drop on his chair again or to throw him down. Somewhat similar motions were performed by his arms, if he attempted to use them; so that he was unable to carry anything to his mouth, and the smallest quantity of liquid was immediately dashed out of any vessel from which he made an attempt to drink. He was under the necessity, therefore, of being fed like a child. These spasmodic tremors were greatly increased by any circumstance that agitated his mind, or occasioned any anxiety (one). They thought they were cured, when in about fifteen days after leaving off treatment, they were seized with jactitation of the muscles of the limbs. Sudden jerking of the extremities, so that he could scarcely walk or eat; the fear of falling induced him to keep his bed. Paralysis of the extremities except of the left arm; afterwards motion returned in the arm but not in the lower extremities. Weakness of the limbs. Painful prostration in all limbs (second day). Subjective. Frequent falling asleep of the arms and legs, especially at night. Sensation of fuzziness and paralysis in the limbs. Unusual heaviness of the limbs. Feeling of heaviness and fuzziness in the limbs. Feeling of heaviness in the extremities, especially feeling very sleepy, especially at night. Pain in the extremities. Pains in the arms and legs. Pains in the forearms and legs. Slight pain in the joints, especially of the wrist, elbows, knee, and ankles. Great pain and tremor in the limbs. Obstinate and intense pain in the limbs for a month. Dull pains in the joints. Returns of aching pains in limbs (second day). Tearing in the limbs, especially in the arms. Tearing pains in the extremities. Painful tearings in the hands and feet, worse at night. Violent tearing pains, like rheumatism, in the arms and legs; increased in bed, so that she was often obliged to leave it.
Superior Extremities
Objective. Trembling of the arms. Suddenly seized after a day of unusually laborious work, with cramps in the fingers, which were shortly followed by a shaking and tremulous motion of both upper extremities. They were slight at first, but gradually increased, so as to become very distressing. This agitation of the muscles continued even during sleep, and was accompanied with a gnawing pain, as he expressed it (after two weeks). The symptoms have become still more general, the lower extremities having been affected the previous evening, so that, in fact, the whole body appeared in constant motion. Towards the latter part of the day, the tremulous motion of the muscles of the right arm subsided, but the limbs remained almost paralyzed (after three weeks). Entire loss of control of the left upper extremity; all the limbs were more or less affected. The left arm cannot be raised; the forearm is moved with difficulty, the hand more easily, while the fingers are perfectly flexible; right arm similarly affected, but in a less degree; the right hand can be lifted to the chin. Paresis of the right upper extremity, with trembling. Subjective. At times, a disturbance of sensibility in the left arm. Rheumatic pains in the arms. Rheumatic pains in the left arm. Drawing pains in the arms and hand. Tearing pains in the left arm. Much soreness in the muscles of the arms. Periosteal aching in outer side of left arm, changing to left wrist and forearm, on waking and subsequently (second morning). Forearm. Patients are subject to cramps and paralysis of the extensor muscles of the forearm. Achings in flexor muscles of left forearm (after two hours and a quarter). Periosteal aching down left forearm; then down right forearm; then in right elbow; then down spine; with varying intensities (after twenty minutes). Constantly repeated, prolonged convulsive movement of both forearms on the radial side, causing flexion of the thumb and forefinger. First symptom was weakness of the forearm and pain of the elbows. Wrist. Wrists permanently flexed at a right angle with the forearm, but are easily straightened out. Acute aching in left wrist and dorsum of hand, succeeded by subacute aching over hepatic region (second day). Hand. As soon as they were desired to do anything with their hands, it was evident that they had no power of directing them with decision to the performance of voluntary motion; thus, instead of taking hold of a book or paper presented to them, they caught at it with sudden spasmodic jerks; and whenever at last the paper was seized it was crumpled in the hand. Tremor of hands. Trembling of the hands, so that it became impossible to hold anything, with great weakness. Trembling of the hands, at first lasting about a quarter of an hour, and passing off, afterwards becoming more and more frequent, and lasting a longer time. Hands trembled so that he could scarcely work. Constant trembling of the hands, so that the patient cannot hold them still for a moment, and every movement is impeded thereby. Involuntary trembling of the hands. He could neither feed nor dress himself. One could not carry a glass of water to the mouth without spilling it;could take neither food nor drink, but had to be fed like a child. So paralytic that he could not, with both his hands, carry a glass half full of wine to his mouth without spilling it. Frequent involuntary jerking of the hands and fingers; the convulsions are greatly aggravated by every exertion. A slight loss of power in the hands, which came on at, various times, and was generally relieved by the use of ardent spirits. He was in the habit of intoxication; and noticed that when in this state he could hold his glass without spilling, which he could not do when sober. Fingers. Finger nails blue. Trembling of the fingers. The fingers of the left hand become permanently contracted. Sensation of coldness and deadness of the fingers.
Born in 1837in Westminster, Vermont. . He was an orthodox doctor who converted to homeopathy
Dr. Allen compiled the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica over the course of 10 years.
In 1881 Allen published A Critical Revision of the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica.