Ruta is another remedy often overlooked. It is sometimes overlooked and Rhus or Argentum nitricum given, or other remedies not fully related to the case are given because Ruta is not well known.
Many of its symptoms are difficult to classify in the Repertory. A knowledge of its nature must be obtained. It falls under a class of complaints that resemble Rhus, in that it is sensitive to cold, aggravated from cold, damp weather; aggravated from becoming cold, and the complaints are often brought on from straining the part; overstraining or overexertion of parts, but principally confined to parts that are of a tendinous character aponeurotic fibres; white fibrous tissue; the flexor tendons especially flexor tendons that are overstrained by exertion.
Rhus has something like this, but nothing like what is found in Ruta. Ruta often suits in various surgical conditions; periosteal troubles from injury. Periosteal trouble where the flesh is thin over the bone; over the tibia. Bruises go away slowly and leave a hardened spot; thickening of periosteum; a knotty, nodular condition; it remains sore; slow repair. A lump in the periosteum that has existed for months or years; sensitive and sore and nodular; as a result of a blow with a stick or a hammer, or from bumping the shin bone,
Bruises: In farmers, woodmen, mechanics, from holding a hammer or iron instrument; hard nodules form in the palm from clasping the hand over an iron instrument in projecting it forward, as from using a crowbar; a hardened mass of tissue in the tendons, like a bursa.
Tendency to the formation of deposits in the periosteum, in bone, in tendons, about joints. The especial location is in the wrist; bursae and nodules form in this part. Overstraining of tendons and in the place where it is likely to give out a nodule will form in the tendon; lumps, bunches, little tumors in the tendon. Gradually increasing contraction of flexors, so that the hands become permanently flexed; the foot becomes flexed so that the sole becomes increasingly concave, and the toes are drawn under from overstraining and violence to the flexors.
Eyes: Overstraining of the muscles of the eye.
These muscles are largely tendinous. Continual use until it becomes an overuse. Eyestrain followed by headache, and the effects are also; on the globe of the eye, and coating of the eye, so that the overstrained eye is red.
Pain in the eye, above and through the eye when he attempts to use the vision, that is, aggravation from the exertion of vision. From looking at fine print, fine sewing. This overexertion of vision brings about redness, pain and inability to concentrate vision on one point.
Headache follows. Here Argentum nitricum resembles Ruta. Argentum nit. and Natrum mur are the two remedies most frequently used, but Onosmodium is a very frequently indicated remedy for headaches from eyestrain.
But they can be easily differentiated. Ruta is aggravated from cold, wants everything warm. Argentum nit. is aggravated from heat wants to be in a cool place. The patient must be considered.
There is general exhaustion in Ruta. The legs give out on rising from a chair, the patient totters and makes several efforts on rising from a seat. Routinists give Phosphorus and Conium for this. Ruta and Phosphorus both have violent, unquenchable thirst for ice-cold water. Compare Phosphorus and Con. because of the weakness through the hips and thighs.
Mind: The remedy has not been proved sufficiently to bring out the mental symptoms.
They are only common and belong to many other remedies.
“Inclination to contradict and quarrel.”
“Dissatisfied with himself and others.”
“Anxious and low-spirited, with mental dejection.”
These symptoms are only common; they can be grouped in one of two classes. The patient can be irritable, or the opposite-good-natured. This remedy is classified among the irritable.
“Despondent,” that is, the opposite of happy-another of two classes.
“Melancholy disposition toward evening.”
The only thing here is that it is aggravated toward evening. When things are brought out so that they belong to one of two classes, they are important only in a mild degree.
Pains: Many of the complaints are worse lying down, especially the pains that are sharp, stinging, tearing in the nerves.
Ruta is a painful medicine, but is slow in producing symptoms, hence it of a chronic nature. Old neuralgias, stinging, tearing, burning pains, especially in the lower extremities, about the eyes; faceaches. It has all the pains, described by all the adjectives that apply to pain, but it is worse lying down and worse from cold.
In 1881, Kent accepted a position as professor of anatomy at the Homeopathic College of Missouri, an institution with which he remained affiliated until 1888. In 1890, Kent moved to Pennsylvania to take a position as Dean of Professors at the Post-Graduate Homeopathic Medical School of Philadelphia. In 1897 Kent published his magnum opus, Repertory of the Homœopathic Materia Medica. Kent moved to Chicago in 1903, where he taught at Hahnemann Medical College.