SCOURING RUSH–SCRUBBING RUSH–WINTER HORSETAIL. (Equisetum–equis, a horse set, a hair, a bristle. Hiemal, belonging to winter.).
Introduction
Equisetum belongs to the series Cryptogamia, or flowerless plants. The cuticle of the Equiseta abounds in silica, on which account the stems of some species are used for polishing wood or metal. The scouring rush is best suited to this purpose and it was formerly “gathered into bundles by many housewives and used to brighten tins, floors and wooden-ware” (Millspaugh).
The first proving of Equisetum was made by Dr. Hugh M. Smith for his thesis when he graduated from the New York Homoeopathic College in 1876, he taking the 30th, 3d, and tincture, the latter is 50-drop doses.
Symptoms
The most prominent effects of Equisetum are noticed on the urinary tract, especially on the bladder.
There is pain in the bladder as from distention, with constant desire to urinate, but only a small amount is passed, which seems to aggravate rather than relieve the pain. It is useful in cystitis, with tenderness over the region of the bladder, as from distention, and it is especially to be thought of in women, the urine containing perhaps blood as well as mucus. It is of value in dysuria during pregnancy and after confinement, and in either sex in dysuria, with extreme and frequent urging, and pain (194) worse just after micturition (197).
Equisetum is to be thought of in weakness of the bladder (21), with dribbling, in insane people who will not attend to the bladder, and incontinence of urine in old men (199). It is very useful in nocturnal enuresis of children (198), especially “when there is no tangible cause, except habit” (Hering).
I use Equisetum in the tincture.
