Synonym Amanita. Natural order Fungi. Common names Bug Agaric. Fly Agaric. Habitat A poisonous mushroom growing in dry pine and birch forests in Europe, Asia and America. Preparation. Tincture from the entire younger fresh plants.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
According to T. F. Allen (Hand-book of Materia Medica, p. 19.), “Agaricus acts energetically upon the circulation, respiration, peristalsis and secretion. It irritates and excites the cardiac filaments of the pneumogastric, causes tonic contractions or arterioles and smooth muscle fibre (intestines, bladder, iris), increases secretion from the salivary glands, liver, pancreas, mucous membranes of intestinal canal, etc., and causes contraction of the pupil and spasms of accommodation. Paralysis results as a reaction from prolonged spasm or as the primary effect of large doses. Numerous effects (motor and sensory) may be referred to anaemia of nerve centers (brain and spine), caused by persistent spasm of blood vessels.”
From the mother centers we obtain tremors, chorea, convulsions, etc., and from the sensory, pain in the spinal cord and nerves, and tenderness of the spine of the touch, especially in the lumbar region.
Mind. Indifference; disinclined to answer questions (Phosphorus, Phosphorus ac.). Delirium, with constant raving; tries to get out of bed; great exertion of power (Belladonna, Hyoscyamus). Ill humored, self-willed; morose, stubborn (Bryonia, Chamomilla, Nux v.).
Head. Vertigo, in morning from strong sunlight; from heat of sun, when walking in open air (Antim crud., Calcarea c., Gloninum, Sepia, Sulphur); reeling as if drunk (Stramonium).
Confusion, dullness and heaviness in head. In forehead, stitches, tearing, drawing, aching and burning pains; more on left side. Aching in the vertex.
Dull headache, especially in the forehead; obliging him to move the head to and fro, and to close the eyes as for sleep. Drawing from both sides for the frontal bone as far as the root of the nose. Pains as from a nail in the right side of the head (Anacardium, Coffea, Ignatia); twitching and stitches, more on left side. Great weight in the occiput; the head constantly falls backward (Cinchona). Stitching, tearing, aching and boring pains in the occiput.
Headache of those subject to chorea, or who readily become delirious in fever; or with pain (Belladonna); twitchings or grimaces.
Eyes. Burning and itching. Pupils dilated. Twitching in the eyelids (China sulph.); in eyeballs. Spasms, with acting in left eyeball. Feeling of weakness in the eyes without having exerted them. Agglutination of canthi, viscid, yellow humor. Burning and itching in canthi; stitches; vision dim, as from a mist; after looking long at any object while reading; also with flickering. Shortsighted. Motion of type while reading, with itching and burning. Flickering before the eyes while writing (Senega). Muscae volitantes (Physos.); vibrating spectra, with vertigo. Black spots, motes or mists before the eyes (Cyclamen, Mercurius, Phosphorus, Sepia, Silicea, Sulphur).
Ears. Redness, burning, itching of the ears, as if they had been frozen.
Nose. Nosebleed when blowing the nose, early in the morning (Ambra., Bryonia,); followed by violent bleeding. Sensitive smell (Aconite, Belladonna, Colchicum, Coloc., Hepar, Lycopodium). Nose dry and stopped at night, sneezing in morning. Fluent coryza; clear water drops from nose without a cold in head.
Face. Face pale and sunken, with bluish appearance around eyes, nose and mouth. Lancinating and drawing pain in right cheek. Twitching of the facial muscles (Cicuta, Ant. tart., Belladonna, Ignatia, Nux v., OEnan.). Redness, with itching and burning, as from freezing. Pricking in chin, as from needles. Herpetic eruptions; pimples changing to vesicles filled with yellow serum.
Mouth. Tearing, pulsating toothache, worse from cold air. Stitches, soreness or burning at tip of tongue. Tongue dry (Arsenicum, Baptisia, Belladonna, Phosphorus, Rhus tox.) Tongue coated white; gums swollen. Salivation. Taste sweet.
Throat. Stitches extending along eustachian tube to right ear (Belladonna, Hepar s., Kali bichromicum). Distension, with feeling as if the cravat were too tight (Lachesis). Dryness and constriction of pharynx, as from an astringent drink.
Stomach. Much hunger, but no relish for food. Eructations, tasting of rotten eggs (Ant. tart., Arnica, Psorinum, Sepia) or rotten apples; hiccough. Nausea and vomiting. Pinching, boring or gnawing pains in pit of stomach.
Abdomen. Stitches in region of liver; in umbilical region. Loud rumbling in the bowels (Aloe, Lycopodium, Sepia, sulph.). Cutting, gripping pains in the bowels. Meteorismus. Stitches under short ribs; left side. Passage of much inodorous flatus; distension.
Stool. Grass-green, bilious stools (Ipecac., Mag. carb.), watery, (Podophyllum, Cinchona). Diarrhoea in morning after rising (Aloe, Podophyllum, Rumex., Sulphur). Crampy colic, and passing wind (Coloc.). Dysenteric flux. Urging in rectum; haemorrhoids. Burning in anus.
Urinary Organs. Urging to urinate; stitches and burning while urinating. Urine clear; lemon colored; copious; scanty and dark. Viscid, glutinous mucus from urethra.
Male Organs. Great desire for an embrace, the penis being relaxed (Agn., Argentum, nit., Baryta, Coni., Caladium). After an emission great debility and lassitude (Chinch., Phosphorus ac., Staphysagria); Pins and weakness in thighs. Complaints after sexual debauches (Chinch. Phosphorus).
Female Organs. Awfully bearing-down pains; almost intolerable.
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Itching and irritation of external genitals (Ambra., Coni., Kreosotum, Natr. mur., Nitr. ac.), with strong desire for an embrace (Cantharis).
Respiratory Organs. Violent cough in isolated attacks, ending in repeated sneezing. Sudden convulsive coughs; worse forenoons, or during the day. Oppression and constriction of the larynx; cause a dread o suffocation (Aconite, Lachesis). Dry hacking cough in forenoon. Expectoration of a ball of mucus, almost without cough. Respiration difficult; noisy. Frequent deep sighing (Ignatia). Violent oppression and constriction of the chest (Arsenicum, Phosphorus) dyspnoea.
Pulse. Intermittent. Irregular. Slow. Small and weak.
Neck and Back. Stiffness in the nape of the neck (Aconite, Lachesis, Ignatia, Rhus.). Peculiar sensation of weakness and stiffness between the shoulders, extending to the neck. Aching in back after dinner, especially in a spot in middle with sensitiveness to the touch and motion. Spasmodic and drawing pain, extending to middle of chest and into oesophagus. Pain in back, as after continual stooping (Rhus tox.). Muscles feel bruised; feel short when bending forward. Painfulness along the spinal and when stooping. Violent shooting, burning pains deep in the spine. Aching along the spine and limbs. Spinal column sensitive to the touch (Cimic., Phosphorus). Every turning motion of the body causes pain in the spine. Sensation as if ants were creeping along the spine. Sudden violent stitches stitches in the sacrum while walking in the open air. Pain in lumbar region and sacrum; a sort of crick in the back; extends along to nape of the neck.
Upper Limbs. Tremor of the hands (Phosphorus). Convulsive shocks in various muscles. Itching, burning redness, and swelling of hands and fingers as if they had been frozen; as from splinters; as if burnt on surface. Stiffness in fingers as from gout.
Lower Limbs. Twitching of the muscles. Tearing, stitching pains. Itching, burning, and redness of the feet and toes (Apis), as if frost- bitten.
Generalities. Frequent twitching of the muscles in different parts of the body (Zincum met.). Paralysis of upper and lower limbs (Phosphorus, Plumb., Zincum met.). Tearing in limbs; worse at rest or sitting; better from motion (Rhus tox.). Pains in limbs, with lameness from numbness. UNcertainty in walking; tumbling over everything in the way. Tremor of the whole body. Violent muscular twitchings (Cicuta, Physos., Stramonium). Involuntary movements while awake; cease during sleep; chorea. Cramp in the hands and feet; body convulsed, as if a galvanic battery were applied to the spine (Cicuta). Startings and twitchings on falling asleep (Belladonna, Hyoscyamus, Stramonium). Burning, itching and redness of various parts as if frost-bitten. Symptoms generally better from motion, especially from slow walking. Spinal symptoms aggravated from walking in the open air, and better from being warm in bed.
Sleep. Frequent yawning; unusual sleepiness.
Fever. Chilly on slight movement, or from raising the bed-clothes. Shiverings over the body, running from above downward. Profuse sweat when waling, or from the least exertion.
Conditions. Applicable more in persons with light hair and lax skin and muscles; in old people with indolent circulation; in drunkards, especially for their headaches.
Compare. Can. ind., Cicuta, Cimic., Coni., Hyoscyamus, Lachesis, Jabor., Nux. v., Phosphorus, Physos., Secale cor., Pulsatilla, Tarant., Zincum met.
Antidotes. Camph., Coffea, Pulsatilla, Vinum.
ALLEN CORSON COWPERTHWAITE was born at Cape May, New Jersey, May 3, 1848, son of Joseph C. and Deborah (Godfrey) Cowperthwaite. He attended medical lectures at the University of Iowa in 1867-1868, and was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in 1869. He practiced his profession first in Illinois, and then in Nebraska. In 1877 he became Dean and Professor of Materia Medica in the recently organized Homeopathic Department of the State University of Iowa, holding the position till 1892. In 1884 he accepted the chair of Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and Clinical Medicine in the Homeopathic Medical College of the University of Michigan. He removed to Chicago in 1892, and became Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. From 1901 he also served as president of that College. He is the author of various works, notably "Insanity in its Medico-Legal Relations" (1876), "A Textbook of Materia Medica and Therapeutics" (1880), of "Gynecology" (1888), and of "The Practice of Medicine " (1901).