Synonym. Baptisia Tinctoria. Natural order. Leguminosae. Common name. Wild Ind.. Habitat. A perennial herb growing in dry poor soil throughout the United States. Preparation. Tincture from the fresh root. General Analysis Baptisia acts especially upon the blood, having a disorganizing and decomposing influence, producing a state similar to that present in low forms of fever and typhoid conditions. Through the blood it affects the mucous membranes, especially of the mouth, throat and intestines, and also involves the motor and sensory nerves, giving rise to prostration and to paralysis, both of motion and sensation. Characteristic Symptoms Mind Indisposed to think, want of power; mind seems weak and confused (Aethusa, Gelsemium, Phosphorus ac., Rhus tox.); confused, as if drunk. Cannot confine his mind; a sort of wild, wandering feeling. Body feels scattered about, tosses around to get pieces together; cannot sleep because he cannot get pieces together; typhus fever. Head Vertigo, and weak feeling of entire system, especially lower limbs and knees. Dull heavy pressive headache (Coni., Gelsemium, Hydras.). Frontal headache, with pressure at root of nose. (Aconite, Kali bichromicum). Head feels large and heavy, with numbness of head and face. Soreness in the brain, worse on stooping. Dull, bruised feeling in occiput. Eyes Eyeballs feel sore; sore and lame on moving them. (Agaricus, Bryonia, Cimic., Eup. p.). Face Face flushed, dusky, hot; dark-red, with a besotted expression. Heat and redness of face. Mouth Sordes on the teeth and lips (Ailanth., Rhus tox.). Tongue yellow; along the center; first white, with reddish papillae, followed by yellow-brown coating in center, edges dark-red and shining; dry, brown down the center (Plumb.); cracked, sore, ulcerated (Apis, Arsenicum, Rhus tox.); dry on waking, feels burnt. Saliva rather abundant, some Badiaga has been used in scrofulous diseases, particularly swollen glands. Scrofulous ophthalmia. Neuralgia of right eyeball. Hay fever with sneezing and watery discharge and other symptoms given above. Whooping cough with characteristic forcible expectoration. Has cured uterine haemorrhage, worse at night, with feeling of enlargement of the head. Indurated syphilitic buboes. Indurated inguinal glands. Haemorrhoids. Has also been a popular remedy for chilblains; for ulcers on feet of horses and hurts of the hoofs of horses. 10.
THERAPEUTICS.
Baptisia is used chiefly in the treatment of typhoid fever and typhoid conditions in general, associated with other diseases, when there is an evident tendency to rapid decomposition of the blood. In typhoid fever Baptisia is most useful in the first week, during the stage of general hyperaemia, before ulceration of Peyer’s glands has taken place. If properly indicated and given at this time, it will, undoubtedly, abort the disease. The chief indications are: Confusion of mind; muttering delirium; restlessness; dusky-red face; slight sensitiveness in right iliac region; tongue white, with red papillae and red edges; yellow offensive stools, weary bruised feeling all over. In the second or third week of typhoid fever Baptisia may be indicated when the patient is in a stupor; face besotted; sordes on lips and tongue; tongue dry and brown in center, edges red; stools thin, dark and very offensive; putrid breath; profound prostration. The drug may also be useful in any low type of fever, especially malarial or accompanying eruptive diseases. Ship fever. Also where a typhoid state accompanies diseases of the digestive mucous membrane. Diphtheria; fauces dark-red; dark putrid ulcers; horrible odor from the mouth; absence of pain and great prostration; can only swallow liquids; with typhoid symptoms. About the same symptoms may also indicate Baptisia in the stomatitis of nursing women and infants; also in cancrum oris. It is an excellent remedy in diarrhoea accompanying typhoid and other fevers of a low-type, the stools being dark, thin and extremely offensive. Typhoid dysentery, dark, brown mucous and bloody stools, with some tenesmus, but little pain.
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).