VERBASCUM


Hahnemann’s proving symptoms of homeopathy remedy Verbascum from Materia Medica Pura, which Samuel Hahnemann wrote between 1811 to 1821…


(Mullein.)

(From vol. vi, 2nd edit., 1827.)

(The freshly expressed juice of Verbascum thapsus at the commencement of flowering mixed with equal parts of alcohol.)

Who would believe that the medical school, as if has hitherto existed, in place of earnestly endeavouring to ascertain experimentally what genuine, peculiar dynamic powers this plant manifests on the health of human beings was content to ascribe to it conjecturally (falsely)a demulcent, resolvent and laxative medicinal power, from the sickly odour of its flowers when crushed with the fingers, and from the slimy character of its juice, and to employ it blindly, in combination with other herbs whose medicinal qualities were equally unknown, for such conjectural objects in the form of gargles, poultices, and clysters?

The following pure symptoms and morbid states which have been produced by this plant on healthy persons will show how much mistaken the medical world was in its frivolous conjecture, and, on the other hand, for what true curative objects it may be employed with sure effect in natural morbid states corresponding in similarity to the characteristic symptoms produced by it.

A small portion of a drop of the above juice is a sufficient dose for homoeopathic purposes.

[HAHNEMANN was assisted in this proving by GROSS, HARTMANN, LANGHAMMER, MOSSDORF]

No old-school authorities are cited.

The 1st edit. Has 175 symptoms, two less appear in this 2nd edit.]

VERBASCUM

Attacks of vertigo when the head is supported by pressure on the left cheek. [Gss.]

Sudden vertigo, as from a pressure in the middle on the whole head. [Gss.]

Confusion of the head (aft. 5 h.). [Mss.]

Diminished memory, it costs him a great effort to recall ideas he had had a short time previously (aft. 4 h.). [Mss.]

5. He is stupid and dazed in the head, as if all would come out at the forehead.

Violent pressure in the whole forehead. [Gss.]

Violent but transient outward-pressive pain in the whole right half of the brain, which gradually declines (aft. 4 h.). [Htn.]

Persistent pressing outwards in the forehead, especially between the eyebrows (aft. 3 h.). [Htn.]

Violent outward-pressive pain in the forehead, which is removed by stooping (aft. 2.1/2 h.). [Htn.]

10. Twitching pressure in the left half of the brain (aft. 5 h.). [Mss.]

Violent, stupefying deep pressure in the right frontal protuberance, on coming from the cold into the warmth. [Gss.]

Stupefying pressure on the whole left side of the head and face (cheek). [Gss.]

Aching stupefying pain in the head, which affected particularly both sides of the forehead, in every position (aft. ½ h.). [Lr.]

Violent pressing inwards in the left side of the frontal bone, like a stupefaction. [Gss.]

15. Aching stupefying, more external pain, especially in the forehead, in all positions (aft. ¾ h.). [Lr.]

Severe pressure in the right side of the occipital protuberance (aft. 4.1/2 h.). [Htn.]

Pressing pain in the occiput (aft. 1/8 h.).

A stitch in the left side of the occiput (aft. 1.1/2 h.).

Tearing pressure in the right half of the brain (aft. 4 h.). [Htn.]

20. More pressive than tearing pain above the left orbit (aft. 2.1/4 h.). [Htn.]

An intermittent pressure and fine throbbing near the left frontal protuberance. [Gss.]

A slow hammering in the left frontal protuberance (immediately). [Gss.]

In the right temple an aching pain (immediately).

Pressure in the left temple an aching pain (immediately). [Gss.]

25. Sensation as if both temples were pinched together with forceps. [Gss.]

Violent intermittent deep shooting behind left the parietal protuberance. [Gss.]

Violent, slowly occurring and slowly declining stitch in the left frontal protuberance, going outwards (aft. 2 h.). [Htn.]

Prickling in the left frontal sinus (aft. 5 h.). [Mss.]

Stupefying, deeply penetrating shooting in the right temple, while eating, increased by external pressure; it extends as a tearing into the upper teeth of that side, after some hours. [Gss.]

30. Aching pain in the crown of the head.

Pressive, long drawing stitch through the left half of the brain, from behind forwards (aft. 2 h.). [Htn.]

Just above the right temple, sharp, stupefying knife-stabs. [Gss.]

Deep, sharp, intermittent stitches between the left frontal protuberance and the parietal protuberance. [Gss.]

Intermittent fine needle-pricks in the right side of the forehead (aft. 1.3/4 h.). [Lr.]

35. Stupefying drawing in the left frontal protuberance, in a draught of air (aft. 72 h.). [Gss.]

Burning and prickling in the left temple (aft. 8 m.). [Gss.]

When walking a tingling in the head (aft. 4.1/2 h.). [Mss.]

Tension on the left side of the vertex, which gradually becomes a sharp pressure, during which the left ramus of the lower jaw feels pressed against the upper jaw. [Gss.]

Shooting twitching externally, first on the left temple (aft. 1 h.), then on the right, externally. [Mss.]

40. Dull, painful heaviness in the head (aft. ¾ h.).

Heat in the eyes and feeling of contraction of the orbits (aft. ½ h.).

Dilated pupils (aft. 7.1/2 h.). [Lr.]

A myope became still more myopie (dim-sighted?); he could hardly recognise objects at a yard distance, on account of gauzy and watery dimness of vision; the objects, as they became indistinct, seemed to be imagined, and the daylight generally seemed to be diminished, though such was not the case (aft. 8.1/2 h.). [Lr.]

Violent pressure on the right zygomatic process (aft. 36 h.). [Gss.]

45. Obtuse pressive shooting sensation on the left zygomatic arch (aft. 2.1/2 h.). [Htn.]

Stupefying. Intermittent pressure on the upper border of the zygomatic process. [Gss.]

Tension in the left zygomatic process, in the articular projection of the temporal bone, and on the frontal protuberance, when exposed to the air and when in a draught of air. [Gss.]

Obtuse pressure on the articular projection of the temporal bone, painfully increased by biting the teeth together. [Gss.]

50. The whole cheek takes part in the obtuse pressure in the left maxillary joint and the pressure becomes a stupefying tension. [Gss.]

Sensation as if the left zygomatic process as far as the ear were violently pressed, aggravated by the pressure of the hand, frequently during the day, in the evening before going to sleep, and in the morning on awaking. [Gss.]

Sensation as if both the articular projections of the temporal bone were forcibly seized by a pair of forceps and pinched together. [Gss.]

Obtuse pressure on the articular projection of the temporal bone just in front of the left ear. [Gss.]

Tearing shooting downwards in front of the left ear (immediately).

55. Quickly occurring pressure, coming on with a severe stitch behind the right ear, which gradually went off (aft. ¾ h.). [Htn.]

A tearing stitch in the left ear (while eating) (aft. 2 h.).

Violent tearing in the interior of the right ear. [Gss.]

Painful tearing and drawing inwards in the left ear. [Gss.]

Sensation as if the left ear were drawn inwards. [Gss.]

60. Sensation as if something had fallen before the ears first the left then the right ear. [Gss.]

He is as deaf in the left ear. [Gss.]

On reading aloud feeling as if the nose were stopped up, also the larynx and the ears, which, however, did not interfere with hearing (aft. 8 h.). [Lr.]

In front of the right ear, on the cheek, a papule, which has shooting pain when touched (aft. 24 h.).

A pressive squeezing pain on the right side of the lower jaw (aft. ½ h.). [Htn.]

65. Great tension in the integuments of the chin, of the masseter muscles and of the neck, during which, however, the jaws can be readily moved (aft. 10 m.). [Gss.]

On the neck, near the thyroid cartilage, a large red lump, which is painful when pressed for two or three days (aft. 2 d.).

Tearing in the large right lower molars. [Gss.]

Intermittent tearing in the small left lower molars. [Gss.]

Brownish yellow tongue, covered with viscid slime, without bad taste, immediately after dinner. [Gss.]

70. In the morning on rising and in the forenoon the root of the tongue is brown, without bad taste in the mouth. [Gss.]

Root of the tongue brown, with flat, disgustingtaste, in the forenoon. [Gss.]

Flat taste some time after a meal. [Gss.]

Flat taste, with disagreeable smell of the breath and brownish-yellow furred tongue, in the morning (aft. 96 h.). [Gss.]

(Salt water collects in his mouth.)

75. Empty eructation (immediately). [Lr.]

Much empty eructation.

Belching up of a tasteless fluid (aft. 5 m.). [Htn.]

Bitter nauseous eructation (immediately). [Mss.]

Hiccup (aft. ½ h.).

80. Frequent hiccup (aft. 2.1/4 h.). [Lr.]

All day hunger without appetite; he relishes nothing and yet he will eat. [Gss.]

Pressure in the stomach.

Intermittent, blunt needle-pricks on the left near the ensiform cartilage. [Gss.]

On the left near the ensiform cartilage, under the last ribs, an intermittent, benumbing, frightful cutting. [Gss.]

85. In the left side, where the ribs terminate, a deep sharp stitch, so violent that it makes him start. [Gss.]

In the region below the right ribs (hypochondrium) a shooting pinching (aft. 1/2.). [Htn.]

In the scorbiculus cordis feeling of great emptiness, which went off with a rumbling under the left ribs. [Htn.]

Samuel Hahnemann
Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) was the founder of Homoeopathy. He is called the Father of Experimental Pharmacology because he was the first physician to prepare medicines in a specialized way; proving them on healthy human beings, to determine how the medicines acted to cure diseases.

Hahnemann's three major publications chart the development of homeopathy. In the Organon of Medicine, we see the fundamentals laid out. Materia Medica Pura records the exact symptoms of the remedy provings. In his book, The Chronic Diseases, Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homoeopathic Cure, he showed us how natural diseases become chronic in nature when suppressed by improper treatment.