Onion.
Introduction
WE all know what happens when we cut a raw onion and experience its emanations, or when one happens to rub ones eyes with a hand that has been in contact with its cut surface. Nose tingles: eyes water profusely, and all the symptoms of an acute catarrh instantly appear.
Therefore Allium cepa is one of our very best and most frequently indicated remedies for an early, more or less superficial, cold. Get it in while symptoms agree, and you will have saved yourself.
KENT gives us the PARTICULARS OF THE CORYZA. “Sneezing which come with increasing frequency. Watery discharge drips from the nose constantly; burns like fire, and excoriates upper lip and wings of the nose, till there is redness and rawness. Notice (he says) that the fluid from the nose is excoriating, and the fluid the eyes bland. But when we come to study Euphrasia, we will find just the opposite-just such a watery discharge from the nose, and just such copious lachrymation: but the lachrymation here is acrid, and the discharge from the nose bland. The nasal discharge of Allium Cepa fairly eats the hair off the upper lip. There is so much congestion that the patient has a sensation of fullness in the nose, with throbbing and burning, sometimes nosebleed. Pain through jaws, in face, extending into the head. Frontal and occipital headaches-so severe that the eyes cannot stand light.
He gives another phase of the medicine: “Why it begins on the left side and goes over to the right, I do not know, but it usually does this. Stuffing up of the side of the nose; watery, acrid discharge from left side of nose-in another twenty-four hours the right side is invaded. Profuse nasal discharge. Colds after damp cold winds. Fluent coryza with headache; tears from eyes; want of appetite, cough and trembling of hands; feels hot and thirsty; worse evenings and indoors; better in open air. Every year in August, morning coryza with violent sneezing; very sensitive to the odour of flowers and skin of peaches. This is one form of hay fever cured by Allium cepa. It will wipe out an attack of hay fever in a few days when symptoms agree.”
Of hay fever he says further, “It is really an explosion of chronic disease. It may be wiped out in one season by a short acting remedy, only to return the next just the same, and perhaps another remedy will be required. As soon as the hay fever is stopped you must begin with constitutional treatment. There will be symptoms, if you know how to hunt for them, that differ altogether from the acute attack.
It is difficult to find a constitutional remedy when the hay fever is at its height.
“The inflammation soon spreads to ears, throat and larynx. The old mother used to put onion on the body’s ear when it had earache. In households where a medicine case is kept, Pulsatilla is the standard remedy for earache, and only occasionally has a doctor to be sent for. Pulsatilla will cure earache in almost all sensitive children who cry pitifully. But those who are snappish, who are never suite, who will throw away something they have asked for and slap the nurse in the face, must have Chamomilla. With Pulsatilla, and Allium cepa you can cure the majority of earaches in children.
He also says, “We all know what a flatulent vegetable the onion is, it is a wonderful medicine for babies with colic. Cutting, tearing pains draw the poor little thing almost double. It screams with the violent cutting pains in the lower abdomen.” Again “A wonderful remedy for whooping cough, with indigestion, vomiting and flatulence. Flatus offensive; doubled up with the colic it also cures a ragged, sensitive anus, with bleeding, in infants.”
“Violent, rapid inflammations of larynx. Sensation as if something were torn loose, or as if a hook were dragging up through larynx with every cough. In whooping cough the child shakes and shudders, and you can see it dreads and cough because of the tearing pain in larynx. Allium Cepa has a reputation for croupy cough. The old lady binds onion on the throat of the child with croup. Another affection over which this remedy has marvellous power is traumatic neuritis in a stump after amputation. Pains almost unbearable, rapidly exhausting the strength of the patient.”
H.C.ALLEN in his invaluable Keynotes of Leading Remedies, gives a few more valuable hints, as to the scientific uses of Allium cepa-homoeopathically prepared and potentized onion. “IT is a great eye medicine, where eyes burn, smart as from smoke, are watery and suffused, capillaries injected and excessive lachrymation.” He says, “Useful for nasal polypus; for catarrhal laryngitis, where cough compels patient to grasp larynx; seems as if cough would tear it. Neuralgic pains like a long thread, in face, neck, chest, head.
“Panaritis; with red streaks up arm; pains drive to despair in child-bed.”
“Sore and raw spots on feet, especially heel, from friction.” He quotes Dioscorides, “Efficacious when feet are rubbed sore”.
CLARKE used to say, “When ever you find a book by H.N.GUERNSEY, buy it.” He had the greatest respect for his knowledge and acumen as regards our Materia Medica. So we will turn up for possible further valuable hints in regard to the onion as a remedy, to Guernsey. We will not repeat, only attempt to add more to the curious and characteristic symptoms.
He starts, “Catarrhal conditions most decidedly lead the way to the useful employment of this remedy. All catarrhal symptoms and pains are, as a rule, worse in the evening. Lachrymation and running from the nose, worse in a warm room. Coughs are worse in cold air. “Fear that the pains will become unbearable pain in temples, aggravated by winking. Eyes. Very much lachrymation and coryza. Paralysis left-half of face; also of limbs of the same side: copious flow of urine.
“Hawking of lumpy mucus from posterior nares, sometimes tough and difficult to detach. Pain in throat as if one had swallowed too large a substance, the pain extends into the right ear.
“Strong craving for raw onions. Cannot take any other nourishment. Nausea from stomach up into throat. Belching and rumbling and puffing up of abdomen.
“Pains liver region. Violent pains left hypogastrium, with urging to urinate, urine scalding.
“Patient inflates the lungs, raises up, gives a hearty sneeze.
“Chilly crawls run down the back; especially at night, with frequent urination.”
Old CULPEPPER, some 300 years ago, wrote of onions: “They are wholly flatulent, or windy, and provoke appetite, increase thirst, ease the bowels, provoke the courses, help the bites of mad dogs and of other venomous creatures, used with honey and rue kill worms in children. Roasted under the embers, and eaten with honey, or sugar and oil, they much conduce to help an inveterate cough, and expectorate tough phlegm.” (And here comes a little bit of Homoeopathy.) “The juice, snuffed up the nostrils, purges the head, and helps the lethargy: yet often eaten is said to procure pains in the head.” He tells us that the juice is good for scalds and burns. “Used with vinegar it takes away all blemishes, spots and marks on the skin; and dropped into the ears, eases the pains and noise in them. Applied also with figs beaten together, helps to ripen and break imposthumes (boils) and other sores. Onion bruised, with the addition of a little salt, and laid on fresh burns, draws out the fire and prevents them blistering.”.
