Synonym. Solanum Dulcamara. Natural order. Solanaceae. Common names. Bitter Sweet. Woody Night Shade. Habitat. A climbing, shrubby plant found growing in moist situations in many parts of the world. Preparation. Tincture from the fresh plant before flowering.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Acts especially upon the mucous membranes and the muscular tissues, giving rise to catarrhal and rheumatic inflammations, with symptoms like those which result from exposure to damp, rainy weather. It also acts upon the lymphatics and the skin, producing glandular enlargements, cellular effusions and eruptions. The leading peculiarity of this drug is an aggravation of its symptoms in damp, cold weather.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind. Inclination to scold without being angry. Restless and impatient. Quarrelsome mood (Bryonia, Chamomilla, Nux v.).
Head. On waking in the morning, giddy and dizzy, dark before the eyes (Sulphur), trembling and weakness. Dullness and painful stupefaction of the head. Heaviness in the head. Boring pain in the temples (Coloc.). Thick crusts on the scalp, causing in the hair to the fall out (Graphites, Mercurius).
Eyes. Inflammation from exposure to cold. Pupils much dilated.
Ears. Stitches in the meatus auditorius and parotid gland. Earache; at night, preventing sleep.
Nose. Nosebleed; blood bright red (Ipecac.), and hot, with pressure above the nose (Aconite, Hamamelis). Dry coryza, aggravated in the cold air.
Face. Faceache and asthma, after disappearance of tetters in the face. Thick, brown, yellow crusts on the face, forehead, and chin.
Mouth. Mouth and tongue dry (Apis. Arsenicum, Bryonia, Nux moschata, Pulsatilla). Accumulation of saliva (Aconite, Mercurius, Nitr. ac.). Tongue and jaws become lame if cold air or water chills him. Paralysis of the tongue (Gelsemium, Causticum, Hyoscyamus).
Stomach. Aversion to food (Antim crud., Coccul., Ipecac.). Burning, unquenchable thirst for cold drinks (Aconite, Arsenicum, Bryonia). Eructations. Nausea. Vomiting (Ant. tart., Ipecac., Lobelia).
Abdomen. Colic, as from taking cold (Mercurius, Nux v.). Colic, as if diarrhoea would occur (Aloe), with rumbling, and pain in back. Sticking in umbilical region. Swelling of the inguinal glands from a cold (Mercurius).
Stool and Anus. Desire for stool in evening with griping in lower abdomen, followed by large, thin, sour-smelling stool, which relieves but weakness. Alternately yellow and greenish diarrhoea. Yellow watery diarrhoea, with tearing, cutting colic before every evacuation, as after taking cold (Camph.). Diarrhoea or dysentery from damp cold weather.
Urinary Organs. Catarrh of the bladder (Aconite, Cantharis, Burning in the meatus while urinating (Aconite, Arsenicum, Cantharis, Coni.). Involuntary discharge of urine (Arsenicum, Belladonna, Cicuta, Hyoscyamus). Constant desire to urinate felt deep in the abdomen.
Male Organs. Impotence. Herpes on genitals.
Female Organs. Rash before the menses (During, Kali carb.). Pruritus with heat and sexual desire. Menses, milk or lochia suppressed by cold (Aconite, Cimic., Pulsatilla).
Respiratory Organs. Oppressed breathing from a cold; with accumulation of mucus. Rough, hoarse voice (Carb. v.). Rheumatic pleuritis and pleuro- pneumonia, with tough, difficult discolored sputa. Hydrothorax, worse in wet weather. Cough. with expectoration of bright blood. Loose, moist cough, worse indoors and at rest. Excessive secretion of mucus in the chest (Ant. tart., Ipecac., Sambucus).
Neck and Back. Neck stiff, back painful, loins lame, after taking cold (Cimic.). Deeply cutting pain in right loin, transiently disappearing upon pressure. Pain in small of back, as a after stooping a long time (Cinchona, Pulsatilla).
Upper Limbs. Paralytic bruised pain in left arm.
Lower Limbs. Exostosis on upper part of right tibia, with bluish-red spots; suppurating lumps. Drawing, tearing pain in thighs; disappears on walking, returning while sitting.
Generalities. Dropsical swelling after suppressed sweat, by cold, damp air. Paralysis from suppressed eruptions; from cold. Rending pains upward. Weariness.
Skin. Tetter oozing a watery fluid, bleeds after scratching (Mercurius, Nitr. ac.). Nettle rash over the whole body (Aconite) with much itching; after scratching it burns; increases in warmth; better in cold. Thick, brown-yellow, crusts over the whole body. Sticking and itching in various parts of the body (Sulphur).
Sleep. Uneasy, restless sleep (Aconite).
Fever. Chilliness with the pains. General dry, burning heat all over (Aconite, Arsenicum, Bryonia). Offensive perspiration (Arnica, Carb. an., Silicea).
Aggravation. At night; when at rest (Ammonium c., Rhododendron, Rhus tox.) from cold air; in wet, cold weather (Rhus tox.); from cool change of weather.
Amelioration. After rising from a seat; from motion; from warmth in general and dry weather.
Conditions. Phlegmatic, torpid, scrofulous patients, who are restless and irritable; take cold in cold changes.
Compare. Aconite, Arsenicum, Belladonna, Bryonia, Cimic., Lycopodium, Mercurius, Nitr. ac., Pulsatilla, Rhus tox., Sepia, Sulphur
Antidotes. Camph., Cuprum, Ipecac., Mercurius, while repugnant to its action are Belladonna, Lachesis
Dulcamara Antidotes. Cuprum Mercurius
THERAPEUTICS.
Dulcamara is most useful in catarrhal and rheumatic affections caused by exposure to damp cold air; in cold, wet weather; exposure to cold, damp atmosphere, as in a cellar or ice-house. Also in all such conditions where there is a decided aggravation in cold, wet weather. (Rhus tox.). Bearing i mind the foregoing s the great key-note of Dulcamara, and present with all conditions, we will simply mention the affections in which it is most often indicated. Nasal catarrh, with free secretion of mucus; laryngeal or bronchial catarrh, cough usually caused by tickling, and free expectoration of mucus; influenza; headache; earache; inflammation, of middle ear; neuralgia; especially facial; lameness of tongue and jaws; paralysis of tongue; diarrhoea; catarrh of the bladder; nephritis (Bright’s disease), with suppressed urine from working in water, pneumonia; hydrothorax; asthma; rheumatic pleuritis; pleuro-pneumonia; hydrothorax; asthma; myelitis; painful stiffness and lameness in neck, back and loins; dropsical swellings after suppressed sweat; paralysis and other troubles from retrocession of eruptions, from above causes. Also a valuable remedy in urticaria and eczema, with the characteristics mentioned in symptoms of the drug; rash before the menses; crusta lactea; pemphigus; large, smooth or fleshy warts. Salivation after mercury. Swelling and inflammation, even gangrene of the buccal mucous membrane.
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).