Synonym. Euphorbium Resinifera. Natural order. Euphorbiaceae. Common names. Wolfs Milk. Gum Euphorbium. Habitat. A perennial plant, native of Morocco. Preparation. Tincture form the powdered gum-resin.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Acts upon the digestive tract in a manner similar to its relatives Croton, Jatropha, and other so-called drastic purgatives, inducing vomiting, purging, and other symptoms simulating a choleraic condition. It also acts upon the brain, producing violent congestion, accompanied by symptoms of acute mania. Hempel considered this so important a part of its action that he remarks, “I should never use Euphorbium internally, unless the brain symptoms indicated its use together with the other phenomena. If the cerebral action is not disturbed, if there are no signs of cerebral irritation, no signs of may not prove homoeopathic to the existing irritation in the stomach and bowels.” Hempel and Arndt’s Materia Medica. Vol. 11, p. 107. Euphorbium also produces violent irritation and inflammation of the respiratory also produces violent irritation and inflammation of the respiratory mucous membrane. It also acts upon the skin, producing eczematous and erysipelatous inflammation.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind. Melancholia; anxiety; apprehension. Acute mania (Bel., Hyoscyamus, Opium, Stramonium), with symptoms of violent cerebral congestion (Belladonna), and irregular hurried pulse.
Head. Violent vertigo while standing or walking in open air. Violent pressive headache.
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Eyes. Biting in the eyes, with lachrymation. Intolerance of light (Aconite, Belladonna, Mercurius, Sulphur).
Ears. Ringing in the ears, also when sneezing.
Nose. Frequent sneezing; fluent coryza.
Face. Erysipelatous, inflamed swelling of the cheek, with vesicles large as peas, filled with yellow liquid.
Mouth. Toothache, as if screwed in, in a hollow tooth, with jerking in it as if it would be torn out. Excessive accumulation of saliva (Cinchona, Iodi., Mercurius).
Throat. Burning in throat, extending to stomach (ARs., Cantharis, Caps., Mercurius cor.).
Stomach Thirst for cold drinks (Aconite, Ars, Bryonia). Eructations; frequent hiccough. Nausea and vomiting. Burning in the stomach (Arsenicum, Cantharis, Caps., Mercurius cor.). Spasmodic contraction and griping in stomach.
Abdomen. Abdomen sunken. Much rumbling in abdomen, followed by emission of flatus (Aloe, Coloc., Lycopodium). Violent spasmodic flatulent colic (Coloc.).
Stool. Profuse diarrhoea and vomiting. Stools profuse, diarrhoeic, dysenteric, fermented and thin, like water; pasty, yellowish, clayey (Belladonna, Calcarea, Hepar s. Podophyllum). Constipation.
Respiratory Organs. Dry, hacking cough, from tickling or crawling in throat or chest. Difficult respiration. Stitches in left side of chest.
Pulse. Small, irregular, hurried pulse.
Generalities. Burning pain at night in bones of hip and thigh. Tendency to faint.
Skin. Erysipelatous inflammation; large vesicles filled with yellowish serum. Violent phlegmonous inflammation. Pustules, Eczema, Gangrene (Arsenicum Lachesis). Corrosive, burning, itching of the skin.
Fever. Chilliness and shivering over the whole body. Hot dry skin (Aconite, Belladonna). Cold perspiration (Camph., Veratrum alb.).
Compare. Arsenicum, Camph., Crot. tig., Jatropha., Colchicum, Elat., Veratrum alb.
THERAPEUTICS.
Has been successfully used in gastro-intestinal irritations; gastro-enteritis; sporadic cholera; diarrhoea; especially when associated with cerebral irritation, congestion, delirium, even acute mania. Useful in influenza, with headache, much sneezing, lachrymation, acrid coryza, hacking cough. Toothache as if screwed in, with jerking and throbbing. Vesicular erysipelas of the cheek. Violent phlegmonous inflammations erysipelatous. Pustular and eczematous eruptions. Old torpid ulcers. Gangrene. Has been used topically for cancers, and is said to have cured epithelioma.
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).