Nux vomica.
What is the leucorrhoea of Hydrastis?
Like all the secretions of Hydrastis it is thick, yellow and tenacious, and is accompanied with great weakness and constipation.
What is the principal use to which the eclectics put this remedy?
As a “tonic” in digestive complaints. Here it is distinctly homoeopathic, as it produces a general weariness, excessive weakness, painful sensations of tiredness even early in the morning on rising. Muscular pains in the lumbar and sacral regions and lower extremities, inclination to lie down and to stretch and yawn. Exhaustion of intellectual functions.
What are the chief ear symptoms of Hydrastis?
Muco-purulent discharge, roaring in the ears and catarrhal deafness, with heavy, dull condition of the head.
STAPHISAGRIA.
Where is the pathogenesis of this remedy found?
In Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura.
What is the habitat and common name of Staphisagria?
Southern Europe; Larkspur.
What part is used in making the mother tincture and how is it prepared?
The ripe seeds. These coarsely powdered are covered with five parts, by weight, of alcohol and allowed to remain eight days in a well-stoppered bottle in a dark, cool place, being shaken twice a day. Decant, strain and filter. Drug power, one- tenth.
What are its alkaloids?
Delphinine and Staphisagrine.
Give in brief its general action.
It seems to act chiefly on the genito-urinary organs, prostate gland especially, and corresponds to many conditions proceeding from abnormal states in this region.
Give three characteristic applications of Staphisagria.
1. The results of suppressed anger, peevishness and hyper- sensitiveness.
2. Mind dwelling on sexual subjects and for sexual excesses and onanism.
3.Premature decay and discoloration of teeth.
Give the mental symptoms of the drug.
Sad and irritable, especially depressed after a fit of anger or after an insult; a sort of mental colic; very peevish and gloomy.
What are the nervous conditions?
“So weak! so weak!” Memory weak. The nervous system is worn out, exhausted; the patients are pale, the nose is peaked, the eyes are sunken and surrounded by dark rings.
Give the sexual symptoms.
The patient is moody, depressed, prefers solitude, is shy of the opposite sex. Sexual excesses and especially self-abuse from allowing the mind to dwell too long on sexual subjects. The lunacy of the act is met by this remedy.
What symptom is sometimes found in the female organ?
A crawling on the external genitals as from insects; parts very sensitive.
What is peculiar and characteristic about the skin symptoms?
An eruption with violent itching, which when scratched, changes place and itches somewhere else.
What two other drugs have this last symptom, though less marked?
Anacardium and Mezereum.
What are the symptoms of the teeth?
The teeth turn black and crumble as soon as they appear, a condition found in sycotic children.
What other drug has a premature decay of the teeth; they first become yellow then dark?
Kreosote.
What are the chief eye symptoms which have been verified clinically?
Itching of margin of lids, styes, nodosities resulting from styes, chalazae on lids, one after another, sometimes ulcerating.
What are the stomach symptoms of Staphisagria?
A sensation as if the stomach were hanging down, relaxed; it seems to be flabby and weak; a great desire for wine, brandy or tobacco. Pain in abdomen after every morsel of food and drink.
What other drugs has similar symptoms?
Ipecac.
What is a grand characteristic which runs all through the drug, a keynote?
Sensitiveness; sensitiveness of the sexual organs, ovaries, teeth, abdomen, wounds, etc.
HELLEBORUS.
Where is the pathogenesis of Helleborus to be found?
In Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura.
What is Helleborus, from what is our mother tincture made? Give its alkaloids.
Helleborus is a plant growing on the mountains of Central Europe; our tincture is made from the fresh root. This is cautiously dried and teared in the same manner as described under Staphisagria. The tincture must be imported. It contains two alkaloids, Helleborin and Helleborein.
Give in brief its general action.
Helleborus produces a condition of sensorial depression and general muscular weakness, which may go on to complete paralysis, accompanied by dropsical effusions, hence it is a remedy in low states of vitality and serious diseases.
In what disease is it most often called for and what are the indications?
Hydrocephalus; in stage of effusion, with signs of depression; stupor and unconsciousness; pupils sluggish; forehead corrugated, automatic action of one arm or one leg; the face flushes and pales; drinks greedily, from nervousness; child suddenly screams out and bores its head into the pillow; the head is hot and the eyeballs are distorted; motion of jaws as if chewing.
Give some further indications for its use.
It may be employed like Arsenicum, Apis, Nitric acid and Hepar sulphuris in scarlatinal dropsies when the urine looks quite dark flocks.. In such a case frequent doses of the tincture, two or three drops at a time, are useful.
Give diarrhoea indications.
When in acute hydrocephalus or during dentition there is a diarrhoea of jelly-like mucus or clear water.
RANUNCULUS BULBOSUS.
Where do we find the original provings of this remedy?
In Stapf’s Additions to the Materia Medica.
What is its common name, what part is used, and when should it be gathered?
It is the Buttercup, or bulbous crowfoot; the whole fresh plant is used; gathered in June while in flower.
How is the tincture prepared?
The herb is separated from the bulbs, and the juice pressed out; the bulbs, with the addition of a little alcohol, are pounded to a viscid pulp and also expressed. These juices are mixed, and an equal weight of alcohol is added. Two parts by weight of alcohol are poured upon the residuum of the expressed bulbs, macerated three days and pressed. The essence is mixed with that of the herb and bulbs, and stood eight days in a well- stoppered bottle in a dark, cool place, then filtered, Drug power, one-fourth. The tincture is clear yellow, slightly sweetish taste, changing to acid and has a strongly acid reaction.
What other varieties of Ranunculus are there?
Ranunculus ficaria, Ranunculus sceleratus, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, etc.
What is the general effect of Ranunculus upon the system?
It acts especially on the muscular tissue and skin, and its most characteristic effects are upon the chest walls, causing pains like pleurodynia. Its symptoms are especially worse from change of weather.
Give some general indication for its employment?
Sensation as if painful parts were ulcerated. Aggravation of the troubles in damp weather, and from changes in temperature.
Name some diseases in which it may be employed?
Dropsy from kidney affections, hemiplegia from apoplexy, and in epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis.
What are the indications in the latter affection?
Relief of the symptoms from sweat and sleep.
In what affection is it most frequently indicated?
In intercostal rheumatism, with a sharp stitch in the chest, much soreness, and a feeling as if the parts were pounded, worse from every change of weather.
What is the action of Ranunculus on the skin?
It produces an eruption similar to herpes zoster or shingles, which occurs along the course of nerves; there are burning vesicles filled with serum and associated with sharp, stitching pains.
What uses may we make of Ranunculus clinically?
In delirium tremens, to calm the maniacal attacks, and in non-syphilitic pemphigus in children.
RANUNCULUS SCELERATUS.
Where do we find the pathogenesis of this remedy?
In Stapf’s Additions to the Materia Medica.
What is this drug, what part is used and when should it be gathered?
It is the Celery-leaved Buttercup. The fresh herb is used and should be gathered when in fruit, but still green and untouched by frost.
How is the tincture prepared?
Chop and pound the fresh herb to a fine pulp and enclose in a piece of new linen and submit to pressure. The expressed juice is then, by brisk agitation, mingled with an equal part, by weight, of alcohol. Let this mixture stand for eight days in a cool place, and then filter. Drug power, 1/2. The tincture is clear, reddish-orange color, acrid odor and taste, and acid reaction.
How does this drug differ from the preceding?
It possesses more irritating properties than the preceding. It develops a vesicular eruption on the skin with tendency to form large blisters, from which exudes an acrid discharge, making the surrounding parts sore. It differs from the bulbosus simply in the degree of its irritation.
PULSATILLA NIGRICANS.
Where do we find the original provings of Pulsatilla?
In Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura. See, also, Dunham’s Materia Medica.
What is the common name of this drug, where does it grow, and how do we obtain the tincture?
It grows in Central and Northern Europe; its common name is the Wind flower, and our tincture is made from the fresh plant in the same manner as described under Aconitum. It must be imported.
Is there not an American variety, and how does it differ from the European?
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.