XANTHOXYLUM AMERICANUM-NORTHERN PRICKLY ASH. YELLOW WOOD-TOOTHACHE TREE.
Introduction
(Xanthoxylum-Xavos, xanthos, yellow; xylon, wood, from the yellow color of the heartwood.)
The prickly ash is a shrub or small tree, with ash-like leaves, and branches armed with strong prickles.
Symptoms
Xanthoxylum was first used by our Indians for neuralgic pains, gonorrhoea and rheumatism. It was first proved by Dr. Charles Cullis, of Boston, three men and three women taking part. The report of the proving being published 1861-66.
This would be a drug with which to make additional provings, as its sphere of usefulness is by no means fully known. Others besides our Indians have found relief from the pains of toothache by chewing the bark, but all that the proving brought out in reference to it, was pain in lower jaw and l. side of face.
As we know the remedy at present, it seems to have an especial affinity for the l. side (125), for the sensory nerves and for the female sexual organs.
It is useful in amenorrhoea from getting her feet wet (134), with headache (95), extreme nervousness, food causes distress and the sight of it nauseates (6). It has proved beneficial in amenorrhoea when there is leucorrhoea instead of the menses (136).
The menses are too early and too painful and the severity of the pains has been my chief guide in the selection of the remedy, Hering describing them as “agonizing pains, driving patient almost distracted.”
It seems to be of especial value in neuralgic dysmenorrhoea (139), which may be preceded by headache (96) over the l. eye and accompanied with great bearing-down pains, mostly l. sided, and extending down the thigh (139) along the course of the anterior crural nerve, the menses being scanty (135), thick and black (136).
It is of value for after-pains (153), with violent pains in the loins and lower part of the abdomen, and extending down the l. thigh.
It is to be though of in sciatica that is worse in hot weather (164), and for sciatica of the anterior crural nerve (164).
I use Xanthoxylum in the tincture.
