Wormseed” so-called: but not seed-unopened buds.
Introduction
HAHNEMANN, in the preface to his provings of Cina, tells us that ” for centuries no other use had been made of this very important vegetable substance, except for the expulsion of lumbrici in children, in doses of 10, 20, 30, 60 and more grains. I will pass over the not unfrequently dangerous, or even fatal effects of such doses, nor will I dwell on the fact that a few lumbrici are not to be considered as an important disease in otherwise healthy children, and are common in childhood (where psora is still latent) and are generally unattended by morbid symptoms. On the other hand, this much is true, that when they are present in large numbers, the cause of this is always some morbid condition of the body and unless this be cured, though large numbers of the lumbrici may be expelled by Cina they are soon reproduced. Hence, by such forcible expulsions of the worms, not only is nothing gained, but such improper treatment, if persisted in, often ends in the death of the tortured children. *And Clarke says of Santonin “the favourite antihelminthic of the old school- chiefly against lumbrici”-“from 2-5 grains are the ordinary doses, but these have caused severe and, in one or two instances, fatal poisonings- convulsions, left side paralysis, delirium, vomiting and purging.”
In Lectures on Materia Medica as students, we were warned against the doses of 2-5 grains given in Hale White for Santonin (the active principle of Cina). “They had caused the death of children, and we should modify them.”
Recently a child was seen who after dosing with Santonin for worms, had become deaf. Proving showed effects on the ears, but not, apparently, deafness.
“This vegetable substance has much more valuable curative properties, which may be easily inferred from the subjoined characteristic morbid symptoms produced by it in the healthy.
“Experience of what it can do, for instance in whooping-cough and in certain intermittent fevers accompanied by vomiting and ravenous hunger, will excite astonishment.
“Formerly I used to employ the tincture potentized to the trillion-fold dilution, but I have found that when raised to the decillion-fold dilution” (the 30th potency) “it displays its medicinal powers still more perfectly.
Cina and Santonin seem to have been used chiefly for the expulsion of round worms, but here one recalls a rather dramatic experiences from the use, not of Cina but of Natrum phos. 6 a few doses. This is Schuessler’s great medicine for rheumatism- and round worms. A housemaid with an acutely swollen and inflamed knee got Nat. Phosphorus, one evening, and in the morning the knee was practically well, and she had passed a couple of round worms. The drug was naturally looked up as to worms and remembered. For thread-worms, however, with the Cina symptoms, restless nights, dilated pupils, grinding of teeth, boring in nose, irritation at anus, one has given, again and again. Cina 200; and so far as one remembers “worms” have not cropped up again in later reports.
But there is another trick to help to get rid of thread- worms:smear the anus, inside and out, getting well into the folds, with olive oil, or (? better) vaseline. It is said, with what truth one cannot say, that the worms come down to breed, and bite-hence the itching: that where the lubricant is, they fail to get a hold, and are gradually passed, when the trouble ends. Numbers of mothers have been instructed in this simple measure: and, so far as one remembers, either the Cina, or the vaseline, or the two combined, have been successful. One does not remembered trouble-some cases of worms returning for treatment; just once complained of and then either no further mention, or the report, ” no more worms seen”.
And while on the subject of “worms” everybody does not know the trick to catch a tape-worm!-simplicity itself!-and it works. The tape-worm seems to have a great liking for pumpkin seed! Get one ounce of fresh pumpkin seed, take off the shell and pound and mix with two ounces of honey. Give fasting in the morning in three doses one hour apart. The worm may come away or it may need a dose of castor oil. And here a caution: if the worm is coming away, it is necessary not to stir till it is passed, head and all, otherwise the worm will grow again from the head. One has had such tape-worms brought in a bottle for examination as to the presence of the small head. The explanation given is that the tape-worm gormandizes on the pumpkin seed till stupid and comatose, when its hooks relax, and it gets passed on and out. But, “a Carrive!” for that one can vouch.
It is always a mistake, to say the least of it, ” to do harm that good may come”, and to use harmful measures, when simple and harmless ones succeed. Give Cina 200 to children, with the trying Cina symptoms, and they are not only rid of their thread-worms, but of all the nervous symptoms, dependent on them, or accompanying them, or permitting their continuance; because healthy children probably would make short work with “worms”. A healthy mucous membrane would not provide them with a suitable habitat. As Kent says: “The old routine of giving Cina for worms need not go into your notes, for if you are guided by the symptoms, the patient will be cured and the worms will go.”
HUGHES, Pharmacodynamics, says, ” Hahnemann refers to this use of it” (to expel worms); ” and very justly, as it was then given in doses of from ten to sixty grains, warns against its danger. He says nothing about the dynamic use of Cina in helminthiasis. But his experiments and citations revealed the curious fact that Cina produces on the healthy body nearly, if not quite, all those symptoms whose presence leads us to suspect the existence of worms. There are the dilated pupils, with dimness of the sight and twitching of the eyelids, the ravenous appetite, the pinchings in the abdomen, the itching at the nose and anus, the frequent micturition, the spasmodic cough with vomiting, the restless sleep, the fever and the twitchings in various parts of the body. General convulsions also have frequently resulted from the large doses of Cina or Santonin given as a vermifuge. Homoeopathic practitioners practitioners thus came to give this drug in minute doses to children suffering from worm affections. They calculated that, on the principle similia similibus it might at least relieve the symptoms caused by the presence of the parasites, though they themselves remained in situ. It fully answered their expectations, and a curious result followed. By some inexplicable influence these infinitesimal quantities of Cina not only relieved worm symptoms, but promoted the death and expulsion of the worms themselves. This occurred so often, that a length it became a recognized homoeopathic practice to dispense with vermifuges, and to rely upon dynamic remedies alone.”
Cina “seems beneficial in all varieties of the malady, as Dr. Bayes says he has repeatedly killed tapeworm with it, as well as the lumbrici and ascarides for which it is generally given; and it acts omni dosi, from the 12 th dilution of Cina of this writer to the 20th of a grain recommended by Dr. Dyce Brown.”
NASH is quaint in what he says about Cina. “Here is a truly unique remedy that none but the homoeopath knows how to use. The old school, chagrined at our success with it, and not willing to resort to our small doses, have bungled with its alkaloid, doing more harm than good, and at last have come to sneer at the idea of children being troubled with worms at all. I have known of several instances of the kind and it has become so common in the region where I practice that the people often ask-me-`Doctor, do you believe in worms? Old School doctors don’t. I have found several worms that my child has passed, and have come to see if you can do anything for them.’ It is a great advantage to cure the little patients, whether we believe in worms or not.” And he says, ” Another thing I have proven to my entire satisfaction, and that is, that it is more efficacious for these cases in the 200th or highest potencies than in the alkaloid or lower potencies.” Here Nash follows Hahnemann. If you only thought of poisoning worms, you would naturally give the biggest dose you dared risk; whereas if you merely provide the vital stimulus for the patient, the most-like remedy to his symptoms, and so, causing him to cure these, leave no vantage ground any longer for the troublesome parasites, you will have to do this a la Hahnemann, in regard to preparation and dosage. The unit dose generally suffices, in our experience, in the incredibly fine potency which we label the 200th.
We will let Nash describe the leading symptoms that spell “Cina”. He says: “The wormy child will be very restless at night, ‘screams out sharply in sleep’. making one think of Apis, but other symptoms appear which rule Apis out. The child is cross and ugly like Chamomilla. Kicks and strikes at the nurse, wants to be carried (Chamomilla) or rocked, or don’t want to be touched or looked at (Antimonium crud.),. desires things and then refuses them when offered (Bryonia and Staphisagria), or, unlike Chamomilla, if anyone tries to take hold of it or carry it, it cries. Isn’t that a perfect picture of the mind of a wormy child?” Then he diagnosis further between Chamomilla and Cina. The Cham face is frequently red and hot on one side, and pale and cold on the other. Cina has glowing redness both sides, or is pale and sickly, with dark circles round eyes, or red with great paleness round mouth and nose. Then Cina has, in addition, boring and picking its nose, gritting its teeth in sleep, jerking in sleep, and frequently swallowing, or even coughing and choking. Such a combination is not found under any other remedy. Then Cina has alternating canine hunger and no appetite at all.
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