Synonym. Eupatorium Cormatum. Natural order. Compositae. Common names Thoroughwort. Boneset. Ague Weed. Habitat. A hairy perennial found throughout the United States and Canada. Preparations. Tincture of the entire fresh plant, just in bloom.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Acts upon the gastro-hepatic system, the fibrous tissues, and the bronchial mucous membranes, its most characteristic condition being a bilious derangement partaking of a malarial character.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Head. Headache with a sensation of soreness internally, better in the house; aggravated when first going into the open air; relieved by conversation. Headache and nausea every morning on waking. Pain in occiput after lying, with sense of weight; must aid with hand in lifting head (Chelidonium).
Eyes. Soreness of eyeballs (Bryonia, Cimic.). Intolerance of light (Aconite, Belladonna, Mercurius).
Nose. Coryza, with sneezing (Aconite, Sanguinaria); aching in every bone.
Stomach. Thirst for cold water (Aconite, Arsenicum, Bryonia). Nausea and vomiting of food (Ant. tart., Ipecac.). Retching and vomiting of bile (Iris., Podophyllum), with trembling and pain in stomach, and weakness even to fainting. Vomiting preceded by thirst. Vomiting after every draught (Phosphorus, Silicea).
Abdomen. Soreness in region of liver (Apis., Bryonia, Chelidonium, Mercurius, Podophyllum). Tight clothing is oppressive (Calcarea c., Carb. v.).
Stool. Purging stools, with smarting and heat in anus.
Urinary Organs. Dark-colored clear urine.
Respiratory Organs. Hoarseness (Aconite, Carb. v., Hepar s., Phosphorus). Hacking cough in the evening (Causticum). Cough with soreness and heat in the bronchia; flushed face; tearful eyes. Hectic cough from suppressed intermittent fever (Cinchona). Soreness in chest; worse from inspiration (Arnica); cannot twist when standing, sitting or lying.
Neck and Back. Beating pain in nape and occiput (Chelidonium); better after rising. Aching pain in the back, as from a bruise. (Arnica, Bryonia). Weakness in small of back. Trembling in back during fever.
Limbs. Intense soreness and aching in limbs, as if bruised or beaten (Arnica, Cinchona). Wrists pain as if broken or dislocated (Aconite, Bryonia Calcarea c., Rhus tox.).
Fever. Intermittent fever; quotidian, tertian or quartan. Chilliness throughout the night and in morning; trembling and nausea from least motion; intense aching and soreness in back and limbs; more shivering than the degree of coldness. warrants. Vomiting of bile after the chill. Thirst several hours before the chill, which continues during the chill and heat. Fever commences in morning; attended with painfulness, trembling, weakness and soreness; but little or no perspiration.
Compare. Arnica, Arsenicum, Baptisia, Bryonia, Chamomilla, Chelidonium, Cimic., Eupat., purp., Gelsemium, Ipecac., Mercurius, Nux v., Podophyllum, Phytolacca
THERAPEUTICS
Boneset has long been a favorite domestic remedy in ague and bilious conditions, as well as in colds characterized by great aching and soreness in the bones and muscles. It is in exactly these condition that homoeopathy finds it a most valuable medicine, the indications for its use being plain and unmistakable. It is especially valuable in intermittents, either quotidian, tertian or quartan, the paroxysms being characterized by violent bone pains, great pain and soreness in the muscles, violent headache and vomiting, the latter occurring especially from taking a drink of water, also vomiting of bile as the chill passes off. According of T. F. Allen the latter is even more characteristic than the violent bone pains, though such is not the usual experiences. Thirst always beings several hours before the chill, and continues during the chill and heat. The chill and heat are usually well marked, but the sweating stage almost or entirely wanting. This is not invariable, and the presence of a profuse sweating stage does not contradict the use of the drug if it is otherwise well indicated. I once cured the most violent case of quotidian intermittent, of over a year’s standing, that I ever saw, with one prescription of Eupatorium, where with violent break-bone pains and vomiting there was an excessively profuse sweating stage, so that the watery actually ran from the pallet on which the patient was lying to the floor. Eupatorium is also useful in catarrhal and bilious fevers; pain and soreness in muscles; headaches; soreness in the head and eyeballs, vomiting of bile, etc. Influenza, with much sneezing soreness of the eyeballs, lachrymation, hacking cough, soreness in chest, and bone pains. Laryngitis with hoarseness, soreness and heat in larynx extending into bronchia and chest, bone pain, etc.
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).