DEADLY NIGHTSHADE.
Introduction
This European plant, Atropa Belladonna, is of the family of sedatives.
(Atropha-Atropos, one of the Fates whose duty was to clip the thread of life. Belladonna-the Italian for beautiful lady, probably because the Italians made an extract from the berries for preserving the freshness of the complexion).
(A student from another College once gave this explanation for the calling of deadly nightshade, Belladonna or beautiful day; he said e supposed it was “because its physiological action was to paralyze the heart and top stimulate the sympathetic.”)
Belladonna was first proved by hahnemann.
We all know that when he commenced to give medicine on the homoeopathic principle of the similarity of the drug to the diseased process, he prescribed the usual doses of the time, Opium, once fifth to half a grain, Ignatia, two or three grains, Ipec, five gains, Nux vomica, four grains, Camphor, thirty to forty grains, Cinchona bark, one to two drams; and as he found that such dosage caused aggravation, for that reason and for no other, he reduced the amount for he was not subject to criticism, for the mouth that he had administered. It may not be known, however, that when he used Belladonna, for instance, it excited a good deal of adverse comment, notwithstanding that at this he advised its use in the 30th potency, for he says: Those small- souled persons who cry out against its poisonous character must let a number of a patients die for want of Belladonna, and their hackneyed phrase, that we have well tried remedies for these diseases only serves to prove their ignorance, for no medicine can be a substitute for another” (Mat. Medorrhinum Pura).
Symptoms
Dunham says: “The action of Belladonna on the system is so general and so complex as almost to defy analysis. On the vital forces of animal life its action is pre-eminent,” while “on the organic substance it acts less profoundly.”
On the heart is two-fold, stimulating the accelerator centers and paralyzing the pneumogastric, or “the motor power of the heart is increased in activity, and the inhibitory control is lessened” (Bartholow). The heart’s action is rapid, pulse full and frequent, the peripheral vessels dilated. There is wild delirium ending in stupor; convulsions, with dilated pupils. The urine is at first increased then suppressed, and it suppresses the secretion of glands, of mucous membranes and of the skin. It produces intense scarlet redness and hyperaesthesia of the skin (166) and high fever, with absence of thirst (189). There is irritability and acuteness of all the senses, taste, smell, sight, hearing touch (166), and the mind is easily moved and the thoughts are more active.
Belladonna is a remedy for acute conditions; the pains in many lesions are in short attacks, or are characterized by the fact that they come and go quickly (148). It is a remedy where the affected part is congested and full of arterial blood, and the skin is dry and burning to the touch (in Aconite the skin is dry and hot; in the Belladonna condition the word burning is more appropriate).
Belladonna is particularly useful in plethoric persons. It is a right-sided remedy (163).
“Belladonna develops two distinct states of mind. One where the patient is flushed; the mental powers seem unduly excited and exaggerated” (Talcott). He may have hallucinations of sight, of horrid monsters or of mice (54), which excite fear or laughter, but more characteristic of this stage is great excitement and fury, with tendency to run about and escape from the room or bed (53). He tears clothing, howls and strikes, bites or spits at his attendant. Associated with this we have dryness of the skin and mucous membranes, with an aversion to water amounting to a dread of drinking. Hahnemann was the first to advise the use of Belladonna for hydrophobia (119).
“There is also a contrary state where the patient passes into a stupid and dazed condition; the pupils remain wildly dilated; there is heavy stertorous breathing; the face is purplish red; there is marked rigidity or steady tension of the muscles; and occasionally there is low muttering delirium” (Talcott).
The headaches calling for Belladonna are very severe, “terrific” says allen, and there is throbbing (102) and a congested feeling as if the head were full of arterial blood (104). the headaches are violent at the base of the brain (100) and the head is generally drawn backward, with aggravation in bending the head forward. There is violent throbbing in temples and carotids, there is a rash of blood to the head (102) and a sensation” as though the brain rose and fell” (106) “in. hot waves” (Allen’s lecture), and the face is red and burning hot. The headaches may be so violin that the patient seems to get blind (104) and becomes unconscious. “At time, the pain becomes a severe aching or stabbing and is sometimes associated with extreme sensitiveness of the scalp externally” (Allen’s lecture) (91), when even the pressure or dragging of the hair causes pain. the headaches are almost universally aggravated by light (95), by motion (96) or any jar and by noise (96).
Belladonna is also of value for sunstroke (98) and in the early stage of meningitis (133) and apoplexy (18).
Dunham sums up these head conditions thus: “Belladonna seems to be required in cases in which the arterial storm which would have indicated Aconite has already burst upon the patient and localized its action in he encephalon; this localization is still in the first state of engorgement and plastic deposit. When the period of serous effusion arrives or when the deposit is complete, the case has already passed beyond the province of Belladonna.” In the eyes we have the dilated pupils (76) and photophobia, the protruding or sparkling eyes, with injected conjunctiva, especially with dryness, and a feeling of stiffness of the muscles, or heat, as if the eyes were enveloped in a hot vapor, with vision of sparks before the yes, or of flashes of light (78).
It is of value in supraorbital (76) and infraorbital neuralgias of the right side, in ciliary neuralgia (75), for congestion of the conjunctiva, inflammation of the optic nerve and hemorrhages from the retina (77) due to suppression or eruptions or of the menses. It is seldom to be thought of in glaucoma and not to be used unless you are an oculist and willing to take the responsibility. (Atropine is never to be used in glaucoma).
Belladonna is frequently indicated in acute earache (63), especially of the right side, with throbbing and burning, the child screams with the pain, which is paroxysmal in character, and with relief, as if seems to me, from pressure or when lying on a hard pillow.
In facial neuralgia (80) and in toothache, the r. side is mostly affected, the pains come and suddenly and while light tough may aggravate, pressure or clenching the teeth tightly seems to stop the blood supply and give momentary relief (187). It is useful in erysipelas (68) of the face, with the bright redness and heat, and it is to be thought of in lock-jaw and tetanus (189).
It is of value in teething of children (187), with fever, flushed face and excitement, and it is one of the remedies spoken of for stuttering (182).
The mouth and throat are hot dry and red, and the tongue presents the well-known strawberry appearance, characterized by the deep redness of the papillae, and Belladonna is indicated in he beginning of many inflammatory diseases of the throat, when the right side is more affected and with great hyperaemia and dryness and a sensation as if too narrow when swallowing, or with spasmodic contraction of the pharyngeal muscles and regurgitation of liquids on attempting to swallow (183).
In the stomach, we have nausea and vomiting of food, soreness and burning (178) and usually thirst for cold water. Allen says: “Nausea and vomiting are among the most persistent effects of this drug; these symptoms than is generally supposed.” It is useful in gastritis and for most violent gastralgia, with as our chief guide in the selection of the remedy, the paroxysmal character of the pains (180), without desire to double up, but rather with necessity to bend backward (174). Hering speaks of “pain in stomach extending through to spine (180), between shoulders.” This is a purely clinical symptom and I do not know of its value. In inflammatory conditions of the abdomen, three characteristic indications for the remedy are, skin hot and burning extreme sensitiveness of the abdomen to ouch and intolerance of even the pressure of the clothing (12).
It is to be thought of for bleeding hemorrhoids (85), with forcing downward and great tenderness to touch, in dysentery, especially in children, the mucous membrane of the anus swollen.
Menstruation is too early and too profuse (13), bright red and hot, at times coming out in gushes (137) or decomposed, putrid odor, and found especially in women of full habit. We may have suppressed menstruation with violent cerebral symptoms even convulsions(135), and dysmenorrhoea, especially neurology (139).
