Synonym. Guaiacum Officinale. Natural order. Zygophyllceae. Common names. Lignum Vitae. Guaiaca. Habitat. An evergreen tree, growing in the West Indies, and on the Northern coast of South America. Preparation. Tincture from the gum, which corresponds to the 1x dilution.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Guaiacum increases the perspiration, the secretion of urine and the menstrual flow, and acts upon fibrous tissues, producing rheumatic and arthritis pains.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind. Weakness of memory and excessive forgetfulness, especially of names.
Head. Rheumatic pains in one side of the head, extending to the face.
Eyes. Sensation of swelling and protrusion of the eyes; the lids seem too short to cover them.
Ears. Violent otalgia, with aching and tearing in left ear.
Respiratory Organs. Pleuritic stitches; left side; worse from breathing deeply.
Stomach. Empty eructations.
Stool. Constipation, stool hard and crumbling.
Urinary Organs. Frequent urging to urinate, with copious discharge.
Female Organs. Subacute and chronic ovaritis, especially in rheumatic women.
Neck and Back. Frequent stitches on left side of nape, extending from the scapula to the occiput. Rheumatic stiffness of the whole left side of the back, from the nape down to the sacrum, with intolerable pain on slightest motion or turning the part, not noticed on touch or during rest.
Limbs. Tearing and stinging in the limbs, worse from the least motion. Arthritic lancinations, followed by contractions of the limbs. Itching, pressing and crawling pains in the thighs when seated. Pain as from fatigue, and weakness in the arms and thighs, with dread of motion.
Generalities. Feeling of heat in the painful limbs, in rheumatism. Emaciation. Rheumatic swelling of joints; painful, can bear no heat. Excretions all intolerably offensive.
Sleep. Great desire to sleep in the afternoon. Frequent awaking from sleep, as if falling.
Aggravation. From motion; while sitting; in morning, after rising, or in evening before lying down.
Compare. Causticum, Graphites, Iodium, Kali iod., Mercurius, Mez., Nux v., Phytolacca, Rhododendron, Rhus tox., Silicea, Sulphur
THERAPEUTICS.
Is used chiefly in rheumatic and arthritic affections, especially after the abuse of Mercury; arthritic contractions; syphilides. Growing pains in children. Neuralgia of the face; neuralgic toothache. Tonsilitis. Ovaritis in rheumatic women with irregular menstruation and dysmenorrhoea. Pleuritic stitches in apex of left lung, especially in phthisis. Is said to relieve extremely offensive expectoration in phthisis.
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).