What are a few of its chief characteristics?
1. Deathly nausea, giddiness and vomiting.
2. Icy coldness and cold sweat.
3. Intermittent pulse and precordial oppression with palpitation.
What are the remedies for dyspepsia caused by Tobacco?
Sepia and Ignatia.
What for the impotence caused by the drug?
Lycopodium.
What remedy is said to cause disgust for Tobacco?
Plantago major.
What drug has bad taste and headache in the morning from smoking?
Nux vomica.
CAPSICUM.
Where is the original pathogenesis of Capsicum found?
In Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura.
How do we prepare this remedy?
A tincture is made from the dried fruit of the Red Pepper, in precisely the same manner as described under Tabacum.
What is its general action, and how does it differ from the other members of the Solanaceae family?
It has many more irritating properties, and effects especially the mucous membranes, chiefly of the alimentary canal. It seems to suit especially persons of lax fibre and weak muscles. Recent observers assert that the long continued use of the red or Spanish pepper causes cirrhosis of the liver and kidneys.
What are the ear symptoms of Capsicum?
Chronic otorrhoea and acute median otitis when the mastoid cells are involved and there is swelling of the bones behind the ears, sensitive to touch.
What are the indications for Capsicum in sore throat?
Sore throat of smokers and drinkers with burning, and relaxed uvula, throat sore and contracted even when not swallowing.
What are the chill symptoms of Capsicum?
The chill commences in the back with thirst, but drinking causes shivering, associated with pain in the back and limbs.
What are the stools?
Small and frequent with burning and tenesmus, slimy with thirst, yet drinking causes shivering. Soreness of anus.
What are the members of the Leguminoseae family that we employ in Homoeopathy?
Baptisia, Dolichos, Melilotus, Physostigma and Robinia.
PHYSOSTIGMA.
Where is the proving of Physostigma found?
In the transactions of the American Institute of Homoeopathy for 1874.
What is Physostigma?
It is the Calabar bean, and the tincture is made from the pulverized bean in the same manner as the Nux vomica or Ignatia tincture is made.
What is its alkaloid and its principal use?
Eserin or Physostigmin. It produces a specific contraction of the pupil. Dose, 1-60 of a grain in solution, applied locally.
What is its general action?
It irritates the fibres of the third nerve, producing contraction of the pupil and spasm of accommodation. It acts powerfully on the spinal cord, producing motor paralysis.
In what diseases do we sometimes find it indicated?
Spinal irritation, tetanus and trismus or lockjaw, but its use in diseases of the eye such as spasm of the ciliary muscle, myopia, etc., is most important. Post-diphtheritic paralysis.
BAPTISIA TINCTORIA.
Where are the original studies in Baptisia found?
In North American Journal of Homoeopathy, Vols. V. and VII.; Hale’s New Remedies; Monthly Homoeopathic Review, 1872.
What is Baptisia?
It is the Wild Ind..
What part is used and how is the tincture prepared?
The fresh root with its bark. The tincture is prepared in the same manner as described under Gelsemium.
What is its general action?
The influence of this drug is shown by its effects on the blood, where it sets up a disorganizing process, tending to putrescence, similar to that seen in low fevers. It produces great prostration, and also ulceration of the mucous membranes.
In What disease do we find it most indicated and what are its indications.
Typhoid conditions. The patient’s mind wanders; he is restless and disturbed; he cannot sleep, and he thinks he is double or scattered about and he must move to get his pieces together again; there is great prostration; the back and limbs ache, and the patient feels bruised and tired all over; he is weak and faint.
How does the face look?
It has a heavy, besotted look, as if drunken; the eye are stupid and heavy.
What other symptoms would still further indicates Baptisia in typhoid fever?
High temperature and pulse, tenderness in the iliocaecal region, yellow offensive stools, patient may be in a stupor and fall asleep while answering questions; brown, dark streak through the centre of the tongue; all exhalations are offensive, sordes on the teeth, fetid breath, offensive urine and sweat.
How does Gelsemium compare with Baptisia in typhoid fever?
1. Both have muscular soreness and prostration.
2. Both have drowsiness and nervous excitement.
3. Both have feeling of expansion as if head and body were large.
4. Both have afternoon exacerbation of fever. The difference is simply one of intensity, Gelsemium being milder.
How does Rhus tox. compare?
The restlessness in Rhus is to relieve pain, and there is a triangular red tip to the tongue, and the discharges are not so offensive as under Baptisia.
What are the indications for Baptisia in sore throat?
Solids cause gagging; excessive putridity, ulcerations with an excessively offensive odor from the mouth and throat.
What is Dolichos, another member of this same family?
The Cow-itch. The tincture is prepared from the hairs of the pods.
What is our use of Dolichos?
A violent itching all over the body without any visible eruption; useful in intense itching of jaundice, which is worse at night.
What is Robinia?
The Yellow Locust. Tincture from the bark of the fresh young twigs.
What is the chief characteristic symptom of Robinia?
Acid dyspepsia with weight in the stomach and eructations of a sour fluid; intensely acid vomiting, it sets the teeth on edge.
What is Melilotus alba?
The White Sweet Clover. Tincture from the fresh flowers.
What is our chief use of Melilotus alba?
In a violent congestive headache, where it seems as if the brain would burst through the forehead with throbbing almost as violent as under Glonoine; sick headache relieved by nose bleed. It is useful also in certain attacks of acute insanity.
What members of the Anacardiaceae family do we employ in our Materia Medica?
Anacardium orientale, Anacardium occidentale, Comocladia dentata, Rhus toxicodendron, Rhus glabra, Rhus radicans and Rhus venenata.
What is characteristic of this whole family?
They all poison the skin, producing an erythema, ending with erysipelas.
ANACARDIUM ORIENTALE.
Where is the original pathogenesis of this remedy?
In Stapf’s Archives, and in the Chronic Diseases of Hahnemann, New Materia Medica of Drs. Marcy and Peters.
What is this variety of Anacardium?
It is the Marking Nut, a native of the East Indies, and a tincture is made from the fresh seed.
What is its general action?
It depresses the nervous system, producing symptoms of cerebral weakness and general nerve prostration. It also acts powerfully on the skin, producing an active inflammation and vesicular and pustular eruption.
What are the characteristic mental symptoms of Anacardium?
Loss of memory; imagines that he hears voices afar off, and there is a characteristic sensation as if the patient had two wills, one urging him on to do what the other forbids; very irritable; irresistible desire to curse and swear.
What is the characteristic sensations of Anacardium?
A sensation of a plug in various parts of the body, as in the head, abdomen, rectum, anus, etc.
Give the stomach symptoms of Anacardium.
Faint feeling in the stomach, extending to the spine, one or two hours after eating. Tasteless or sour eructations. All symptoms are relieved by eating, but they return and continue until the patient eats again; violent gastralgia and urging to stool, which passes off on going to stool.
What other drugs have relief from eating?
Graphites, Chelidonium and Petroleum.
What is the stool of Anacardium?
There is a sensation of a plug in the rectum, it seems powerless to expel the stool; even a soft stool is expelled with difficulty.
What is action of Anacardium upon the skin?
Intense itching and pustular eruptions; part swollen, with burning pains. Wheals exuding a viscid, yellowish fluid. Warty excrescences, with thickened epidermis.
What is our use of Anacardium occidentale or the Cashew nut?
In a vesicular eruption on the skin, which is umbilicated and which itches terribly.
Where does Comocladia dentata grow?
In Cuba. Tincture from the fresh bark.
What is our principal use of Comocladia?
It has many symptoms on the skin similar to Rhus tox., but its peculiar symptom is a pain in the right eye as if it were pushed out of the head; worse near a warm stove.
RHUS TOXICODENDRON.
Where are studies of Rhus tox. to be found? In Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura; American Homoeopathic Review, Vol. I; Hughe’s Pharmacodynamics.
What is Rhus tox? It is the common three-leaved poison Ivy, the middle leaf being stalked.
What part is used, when gathered and how is the tincture prepared?
The fresh leaves collected after sunset on cloudy, sultry days from shady places, in May and June before the period of flowering. The tincture is prepared in the same manner as that of Gelsemium. It is of dark brown color, of biting and astringent taste and strong acid reaction.
What are some other varieties of Rhus?
Rhus radicans, which is the same as Rhus tox., being a creeping variety clinging to trees.
Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College. Member of American Institute of Homeopathy. In addition to his editoral work he authored or collaborated on: Boericke and Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies, Essentials of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Essentials of Homeopathic Therapeutics and Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics.