Synonym. Coccionella Indica. Natural order. Hemiptera. Common name. Cochineal. Preparation. Tincture from the dried insects.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Through the cerebro-spinal system this remedy acts especially upon the kidneys, and the digestive and respiratory tracts, giving rise to irritation, inflammation and excessive secretion of ropy mucus from the parts affected, notably the fauces and larynx.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind. Apprehensive, irritable, fretful.
Head. Confusion of the head (Belladonna, Ferrum). Dull, pressive headache; also in frontal head (Belladonna, Ferrum,). Dull, Pressive headache; also in frontal region. Throbbing, pressings, or sticking pains in temples.
Eyes. Pressive pain in orbits. Conjunctivitis; increase lachrymation.
Ears. Drawing, tearing pain and stitches in and about the ears. Sensation as if the ears were stopped (Mang., Silicea tickling and itching in the ears (Baryta, hepar s., Mercurius) Cracking in the ears on swallowing. Great roaring in the ears as from a storm.
Nose. Frequent and violent sneezing. Excessive secretion of mucus in the nose. Dryness of the nose. Yellow crusts on margins of nose.
Face. Crawling sensations in. the face.
Mouth. Drawling and jerking pains in teeth; teeth sensitive to cold things (Antim crud., Calcarea, Staphysagria, Sulphur) Mouth and tongue dry, with much thirst (Arnica, Bryonia). Burning in mouth and throat (Arsenicum, Cantharis, Caps.). Rawness of mouth and throat. Great sensitiveness of mouth and fauces, so that rinsing the mouth caused cough and vomiting of thick masses of mucus. the arches of the palate very irritable; loud speaking or brushing teeth causes cough and vomiting. Metallic taste, with accumulation of water in the mouth. Taste; metallic (AEsc., Coccul; Mercurius, Sulphur); bitter (Bryonia, inch., Nux v., Pulsatilla, Sulphur) sweetish (Arsenicum, Bryonia, Mercurius, Sulphur); sour.
Throat. Dryness and burning in throat and fauces. Rawness and scraping in throat, with expectoration of mucus. Constant tickling in throat. Sensation as if uvula were constant hawking. throat symptoms worse from warmth, especially in bed. Difficult deglutition.
Stomach. Ravenous appetite; much thirst. Eructations; Heartburn. Nausea, retching; inclination to vomit. Distention of stomach. Heaviness and pressure in stomach; sticking pains. Epigastric region sensitive to touch.
Abdomen. Pains in left hypochondrium, as from incarcerated flatulence; pains extend to left side of back and lumbar vertebra. Burning drawing in region of spleen. Flatulent distention of abdomen, with much rumbling. Griping in abdomen, followed by diarrhoea.
Stool. Urging to stool; sometimes ineffectual, copious, soft or pasty stools.
Urinary Organs. Dull, pressive pain and soreness in region of kidneys. Pressure in bladder. Burning pain in urethra. While urinating (Can. sat., Cantharis, Staphysagria). Stitches and itching in urethra. Frequent and copious urination, urine clear as water (phos. ac); soon becomes turbid and cloudy. Urine deposits bricking dust sediment (Arnica, Lycopodium, Natr. mur., Phosphorus).
Male Organs. Frequent erections, with increased desire. Lascivious mood; nocturnal emissions (Cinchona, Phosphorus ac., Staphysagria).
Female Organs. Swelling and heat of pudenda. Menses too early; too profuse, and last too long (Calcarea c., Nux v.).
Respiratory Organs. Collection of mucus in air-passages (ant. tart., Ipecac., Sambucus, Stannum). Rawness in air-passages, causing cough. Sensation of a crumb the size of a walnut sticking behind the larynx, obliging him to swallow constantly. Tickling in the larynx very violent, waking at night, causing cough, with expectoration of much tenacious mucus. Fatigue of the vocal organs (Argentum nit., Aurum, Phos), even after speaking without exertion; the voice becoming rough and hoarse; respiration somewhat laborious. Paroxysms of tickling cough, ending with expectoration of mucus. Cough caused by brushing teeth or rinsing mouth with water. Cough, with expectoration of large quantities of viscid, albuminous mucus (Stab). Short paroxysms of cough, followed by easy expectoration of globules of mucus. Difficult breathing. Oppression and soreness in chest. Stitches and sticking pains in sides of chest.
Heart and Pulse. Pressive pain in praecordial region. Irregular beating and palpitation of the heart, with anxiety after eating. Pulse accelerated.
Back. Stitches between the shoulders. Bruised pain in small of back and region of kidneys. Violent pressive pain in region of kidneys.
Extremities. Drawing, tearing pains in the limbs (Rhus tox., Pulsatilla)
Generalities. Great weariness and prostration. Itching and prickling sensations in the skin.
Sleep. Irresistible desire to sleep. Uneasy, restless sleep, interrupted by vivid dreams.
Fever. Chilliness all over the body, especially in the afternoon and evening. Increased warmth of body. Greatly overpowered by moderate heat. Profuse general sweat, especially in the morning.
Compare. Cantharis, Iodi., Kali bich., Kali iod.
THERAPEUTICS.
The chief use of this drug has been in the treatment of laryngitis, bronchial catarrh and whooping cough. Characterized by an excessive secretion of mucus, usually ropy, tenacious, and difficult to expectorate, causing strangulation. Chronic catarrh of the larynx with much hoarseness and accumulation of mucus. Coryza. Pharyngitis, much hawking of thick viscid mucus, causing retching and vomiting. A valuable remedy in nephritic colic, pains extending from kidneys into bladder; haematuria; excessive deposit of uric acid and urates.
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).