MERCURY VINE-POISON IVY-THE THREE-LEAVED IVY.
Introduction
(Rhus, sumac;toxlikov, toxikov, poison plus sevspov, dendron, tree)
Some of the peculiarities of this plant in reference to it poisonous qualities are, that it is ‘more poisonous at night, or at any time during. June or July” (at time of flowing) “when the sun is not shining upon it. Absence of sunlight, together with dampness, seems to favor the exhalation of the volatile principle” (oil) “contained in the leaves” (Millspaugh). In the homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia we are told to father the leaves after sunset on cloudy, sultry days, from shady places.,
Another peculiarity is its choice of victims, many persons being entirely devoid or response to its influence and can even chew the lease the impunity, while others are so susceptible to it that with the wind blowing in their direction from the plant a severe case of poisoning is contracted. Again,”it has no apparent external effect upon animals, and a few it them, such as the horse, mule and goat, et its leaves with impunity”(U. S. Depart of Agriculture. Bulletin, No. 86).
The degree of susceptibility possessed by different people to disease and to poisons is of especial interest to us as homoeopathic physicians and it is, I believe, something the each one of the us must study by noticing the effete or potencies on his various patients.
At the present time, the best potency of particular remedy to be used, as a general rule, is our individual preference. This, I ear, will always remain the case. It surely will unless we are more willing to give others credit for honesty of purpose who differ with us, and are will in to listen, like the scientific men we claim to be, to anyone of our friend who uses a potency different from the one that we are accustomed to. Physicians must work this problem out, for we cannot depend on the laymen’s;s fee; the stronger the medicine must be to effete a cure, and I believe it to be against the best interests of our patients do discuss potency with them. If I have knowledge knowledge of the patients peculiarities to lead me to think peculiarities to lead me to think differently, my fist choice of potency for Rhus tox., is the 30TH, as it seems to me to work more satisfactory than any other; yet, on two well-remembered occasions it had no apparent effect, while the 3rd cured promptly.
Symptoms
The local skin symptoms of Rhus tox, especially the itching, are worse from warmth (122), while the rheumatic and neuralgic pains are worse from cold and relieved by warmth (10).
Another pronounced peculiarity of Rhus tox. is spoken of by Hahnemann, who first proved the remedy as follows: “We observe this curious action (which is found in very few other medicines and in these never in such a great degree), viz., the severest symptoms and sufferings are excited when the body or the limb is at rest and kept as much as possible without movement.” There is an aggravation on first beginning to move, from dampness, and during stormy and wet weather (000) and it is of value for he “bad effects of getting wet, especially after being heated” (Hering).
It is one of our restless remedies (160)
A prominent action of Rhus tox, is on fibrous tissues, with especial reference to the sheaths of muscle, the TENDONS and aponeuroses. Allen says: “The rheumatic pain it produces and like multiple neuritis and inflammations of the fibrous sheaths of muscles; its numbness like the effects of neuritis.” In muscular rheumatism and lumbago there is not much inflammation or fever, but there is soreness and stiffness of he parts and general aggravation from cool air. the pains are worse while at rest and on first beginning to move, a nd while this is true, the patient is restless and must shift his position, although he knows that it will hurt and afford no relief, except momentarily
to his restlessness.
However if he is up and able to keep in motion he will find that he limbers up, the stiffness wears away and he feels gently relieved, provided he does not overdo. If he does too much or walks too far, it seems to cause a strain on the muscles and aggravates the condition. In lumbago there is relief from bending backward (128).
It is of great value for muscular pains resulting from a suddenly checked perspiration, especially by dampness \, for rheumatic paralyses from getting wet or lying on damp ground 9149) and for neuritis of almost every nerve in the body, characterized, among other symptoms, by numbness (146) and paralytic stiffness.
It is of value for the effects of strains on muscles (173), especially from over0-exercising, lifting, stooping or from working in water (8). The pains of rhus tox. are worse from cold and better from heat (the stiffness being notably relieved by warm applications), nd there is general aggravation during wet weather.
It is generally indicted in low types of disease, including typhus fever (1930 or when acute diseases assume a typhoid form. In typhoid it is very frequently called fro, with great prostration and offensive, involuntary diarrhoea. There is usually a milk delirium, perhaps with attempts to get out of bed (53) but especially with fear of being poisoned (53) an refusal to take either medicine or food. The tongue in fevers is sore dry and cracked and has a red triangular tip (192). The tongue in fevers is sore, dry and cracked and has a red triangular tip (192). there is in these cases extreme nervous restlessness (160). both mental and physical, and it is sometimes difficult to say whether the mental anguish or the physical suffering is the causes of the restlessness.
It is also useful in intermittent fever, and here, beside the usual rheumatic aching and restlessness so characteristic of he remedy, we often have a dry, teasing cough (121) that precedes and continues during the chill;this cough is apt to be aggravated by cold air (40)
I once cured a case of intermittent fever of two weeks standing, being guided and restlessness so characteristic of the remedy, primarily by a cough excited by any breath of cool air.,
During the febrile stage of intermittent fever, there is no cough but urticaria (121) breaks out over the whole body, with intense itching.
There is more or less vertigo in Rhus tox. and at times, on shaking the head, a sensation as if the brain were loose (91) and hit against the skull.
The headaches are severe, neuralgic or congestive, and frequently located in the occiput (100), better perhaps by bending the head backward (98). They may be the result of exposure to a draft or to dampness, are worse from cold, during wet weather (98) and in the morning after lying (95) and are better from heat (92) and motion (93). We also have neuralgia headache or migraine (99) that is only relieved by taking a long and brisk walk.
In meningitis (133) calling for this remedy, we would have rheumatic stiffness in nape of neck and generally better from lying with the head on something hard (92).
in the eye Rhus tox. is indicated in many and severe inflammatory disorders, characterized in a characterized in a general way by great external swelling of the lids and sun mucous cellular tissue, and profuse, yellow, purulent discharge. in he causes where the lids are affected there will be found usually, spasmodic closure, with ‘;profuse gushes of hot tears on opening them” (Hering). It is useful in conjunctivitis from exposure to wet (73), in ptosis (78) and “paralysis of any muscles of the eyeball” (Hering from cold or wet, and in scrofulous ophthalmia (76), in pustules (76) and ulcers (77) of the cornea,; in the latter class of cases the photophobia is so great that the patient lies constantly with the head buried in the pillow.
In suppurative iritis, especially if of traumatic origin as after cataract operation, and for orbital cellulitis, whatever the origin of the trouble, traumatic or not, it is of the first importance., It is also of great value and frequent indicated in rheumatic iritis (74).
Rhus tox, is of value in rheumatism of the jaws (123) with a feeling as if they would crack of break o chewing (123), and, says Dunham, “there is constant desire to yawn, until it seems as though the jaw would break (This corresponds with, and is analogous, to, the stretching twisting to characteristic of (Rhus)” It is also of value in those cases where the law dislocates easily (123).
rhus tox., has facial neuralgia (79) and toothache, worse in the evening and from cold air (187) and relieved by heat or warm applications; sometimes in jumping toothache calling for this remedy is momentarily relieved by the application of a cold hand to the face.
Erysipelas of the face and head (68) frequently a call fro rhus tox. and will be spoken of under the skin symptoms. It is of value in mumps, especially when it accompanies or follow scarlet ever or diphtheria, and in particular with pronounced and continued hardness of the parotid gland.
There are no pronounced gastric symptoms, but in the abdomen we have numerous inflammatory conditions, inducing appendicitis and peritonitis, associated with typhoid fever or typhoid symptoms, such as the dry, cracked tongue, with red triangular tip, putrid, involuntary stools, prostration, restlessness, etc.
