Synonym. Erigeron Canadense. Natural order. Compositae. Common names. Horseweed. Butterweed. Canada Fleabane. Habitat. An indigenous annual plant. Preparation. Tincture from the entire fresh plant.
GENERAL ANALYSIS AND THERAPEUTICS.
Clinical used of Erigeron show that its most important action is upon the unstriped muscular fibre of the arteries, making it especially useful in the treatment of haemorrhages, particularly from the uterus, where it has become an indispensable remedy. It is also useful in haemorrhages from the nose, bowels and other parts, the characteristic being that the flow is of a bright-red color, and is increased by every movement of the patient. It is used both internally and topically. It has also been successfully used in dysuria, especially of children, with symptoms as given below.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Head. Congestion of the head, face red, nosebleed (Belladonna); febrile action.
Nose. Epistaxis of bright-red blood (Aconite).
Stomach. Violent retching and burning in the stomach, with vomiting of blood (Arsenicum).
Stool. Stool small, streaked with blood; tormina; burning in the bowels and rectum; hard lumps of faces mixed with the discharges. Haemorrhage from the bowels (Hamamelis). Haemorrhoids, bleeding with hard, lumpy stools; burning in the margin of anus; it feels as if torn.
Urine. Urination painful or suppressed (Aconite). Dysuria of teething children; frequent desire; crying when urinating; urine profuse, d of very strong odor; external parts (female) inflamed or irritated, with considerable mucous discharge.
Female Organs. Metrorrhagia, with violent irritation of rectum and bladder; after abortion, with diarrhoea and dysuria; with prolapsus uteri. Very profuse flow of bright-red blood (Aconite, Belladonna, Hamamelis, Ipecac.); every movement of patient increase the flow (Secale c., Sabina); pallor and weakness (Chinch.). Leucorrhoea profuse, with spasmodic pains, and irritation of the bladder and rectum. Bloody lochia returns after the least motion; worse during rest.
Respiratory Organs. Cough, bloody expectoration; incipient phthisis.
Compare. Aconite, Cinnam., Cantharis, Ipecac., Sabina, Secale cor., Terebin., Tril.
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).