Common names (Tahitian), Ava, Kava-Kava.
Introduction
Piper methysticum, Forst.
Natural order: Piperaceae.
Preparation: Tincture of the root.
Mind
When concentrated, drunkenness is almost instantaneous; with the ordinary dose, it occurs about twenty minutes after ingestion. In a small dose, kava is a tonic stimulating beverage, producing an agreeable excitement, and affording support against great fatigue. In increased doses, this root determines an intoxication of a sorrowful, silent, and sleepy character, completely different from that produced by alcoholic drinks. The habitual drinkers of kava take it six or eight times a day, but then a nervous trembling seizes them, and they can scarcely raise the cup to their lips. The intoxication dose not last longer than two hours, but if a person only takes it occasionally, the effects may continue twelve; when taken at intervals of some days, the intoxication continues for six hours. When made from the root grown in damp soils, the drinker remains plunged in a deep torpor, and becomes irritated by the least noise. Often, when the dose is too great or too small, instead of the sleep an intoxication, accompanied by fantastic ideas and a strong desire to skip about, although one cannot for a moment hold himself on his legs. I felt these symptoms for sixty hours the first time I tasted this Polynesian liquor. (During this week my system was gradually “toned up,” so that I was able to do a (for me) large amount of miscellaneous reading after business hours, without more than usual fatigue and with a relish. This was extraordinary, because for years (since December, 1867) I have not indulged in light reading, it having fatigued and brain- fogged me equally with professional reading, and my strength, perforce, has been reserved for necessary scientific and professional reading). (Have, for a long time, not gone through my daily work with such a cheerfulness and ease as to-day), (third day). Felt all day unsatisfied and hilarious, since 10 A.M. (thirty-third day). Soon after 10 P.M. felt lively and wakeful (second day). Felt bright and lively after emission (third day). I feel more lively than usual; in better spirits; inclined to work (sixth day); feel lively; can dance with more ease than usual (seventh day). Want of vigor, timid, apprehensive, during day (second day). Feelings varying and generally depressed (ninth day). (Capable of doing more work, without fatigue or brain-fog), (third day).
Head
Dizziness and frontal pressure, even when lying in bed, in the morning (seventh day). From 5 to 9 P.M. unusually dizzy; assisting at obstetrical case, came near falling several times; swimming sensation and faintness, partly produced by going past evening meal without eating, but not all; never had such a dizziness and swimming sensation on going without food, usually a faint feeling near umbilicus or in epigastrium (seventh day).
Pains (especially of the head) relieved temporarily by turning the mind to another topic. Soon felt uneasiness in the head.
Slight heaviness in the head (fourth day). Slight sensation of fullness, sometimes in one part of brain and sometimes in another, mainly in frontal region (first, second, or third day).
To-night brain feels tired; a little rest relieves the tired feeling (seventh day). Awoke with very worn feeling of the brain, decided brain- fog; getting on foot felt better (eighth morning).
Brain-fog is spoken of during the primary or active part of the proving; it was then caused by an excessive use of the brain in miscellaneous reading; in the latter part it was secondary or reactive effects of the drug, for I read as much as I could stand during the first period, and abstained from all reading as far as possible during latter part of proving. Headache and sleepiness so great that I could hardly attend to a patient (after eight hours and a half). Dulness, fullness, and pressure in forehead, and vertigo on elevating or moving the head to either side; after the noon meal the pressure shifted to both lateral and the occipital regions, and on lying down increased to a considerable degree, not enough, however, to constitute real pain; pressure in head increased by remaining in one position, decreased by moving; impelled by something to move cautiously, as if there was some condition which would not admit of rapid movement; apprehensive of pain by rapid movement, but the move being made, temporary relief, as by slower movement (third day). Head ached all night, with fullness of frontal region (ninth night); aching continues; feeling as if frontal part of brain was solid with pain; this ache, during the day, gradually moved backward to base of brain and along the medulla oblongata; relieved by slight motion, increased by large, continued, and more active motion (opposite of Rhus); slight mental effort, passing from topic to topic, for an instant relieves; sustained effort increases the aching pain; lay down this P.M. (with head elevated (bent forward) on a hard cushion) to rests the brain; frontal pain decreased, occipital increased; gravity seems to have overcome the force of the circulation in the vessels of the brain; vessels of neck and base of brain full, as if circulation had been cut off by a cord; whole back of head, neck, and cerebellum felt congested to the brain and cord-centre; sore inside and tender to outside pressure; all those parts of the nervous system (head, neck, etc.) felt as if double or treble their ordinary size; I lowered my head and straightened my neck, called for a soft pillow, caused mesmeric passes to be made down ward by sides of the head, and with frequent slight changes of position; in about one hour relief began to come; action of the cerebrum weak, but clear; during the whole evening these conditions continued, gradually decreasing (tenth day). After business anxieties, in the evening, pain commenced along the middle of the forehead, proceeded outward to each side of head, and after retiring at night, it followed around both sides of the head and attacked the posterior part of the brain, medulla, etc.; the sensation was not extremely painful, but almost indescribable; all the cerebellum, medulla, etc., were as if compressed by an even pressure from every direction, especially from front to back; nervous system was forced to its highest tension; could not sleep first part of night, and later part only at intervals; could lie still but a few moments at a time; seemed as if head and neck would be compressed to death if I remained quiet long; changed form side to side, from back to face, and vice versa; hands sought cool places, otherwise no perceptible increase of heat; no thirst; constriction extended to chest and stomach as well as brain, though in less degree; the drug seemed to have affected, secondarily, the sources of animal life in cerebellum and medulla, partially and temporarily exciting, and then, to an extent, paralyzing, those functions; called up at 1 o’clock; while moving, much relieved (twelfth day). Nervous system still strung up (or on tension); considerable compressive pain about back of head and cervical part of spinal cord, gradually diminishing during the day (thirteenth day). The symptoms of twelfth night repeated (twentieth and twenty-ninth days). For the last month or more I have spent Tuesday or Wednesday night of each week with distress of head and sleeplessness, as above recorded, though the symptoms each week have gradually decreased in intensity (sixty-first day). Great frontal headache all day; at 8 P.M. the ache especially over the eyes and deep seated (second day). Pain in frontal part of head (immediately after first dose, eighth day). Frontal headache and pressing pain, especially on left side, and deep in upper part of the orbits; moving the eyes hurts (eighth day). Frontal headache, just above the eyes, at 5 P.M. (tenth day). Pressure in the head, back of the eyes (fifteenth day). Frontal pain, left side, 7.30 P.M.
(eighteenth day). Frontal headache, at 7 P.M. (nineteenth day).
Frontal headache, at 9 A.M., worse at 3 P.M.; slept from 5 to 6 P.M., hoping to sleep the headache away, but the pain was so distressing as to compel me to take, 6.30 P.M., a dose of Nux vomica; pain being worse, took Belladonna 3x; great headache at 12 P.M.
(twentieth day); had disappeared when I was called at 2 A.M., then reappeared (twenty-first day); gone to waking at 5 A.M.
(twenty-second day). Pain over the eyes, radiating from right frontal side, just above the eye, at 10 A.M. (twenty-fourth day).
Headache, with pressure in upper part of the orbits of the eye (immediately after a dose, twenty fifth day). Dull aching at intervals in the right frontal eminence (tenth day). Dull frontal headache during the whole afternoon and evening, with drowsy and stupid feeling (seventh day). Dull heaviness across the forehead (soon, first day). Heaviness in forehead (seventh day). Heavy pressure on the whole frontal part of the head (seventh day).
Heavy dull headache in temporal and frontal regions, increased by thinking and reading (ninth day). Head aching at right temporal region, across the eye and bridge of the nose, with feeling of pressure along the sides of the nose, half way to tip; right temporal pain not uncommon with me when fatigued (seventh day).
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.