Synonym – Strychnos Ignatia. Natural order – Loganiaceae. Common name St. Ignatius Bean. Habitat – A large shrub or small tree, climbing in habit, found growing in the Philippine Island and Cochin China. Preparation. Tincture or trituration from the powdered seeds.
GENERAL ANALYSIS
Acts upon the medulla oblongata and the spinal nervous system, giving rise primarily to tetanic convulsions and dyspnoea, which may end in death. Secondarily, the entire nervous system become morbidly excited and sensitive, so that we find an intense acuteness of the nerves of sensation and of special sense, and an increased susceptibility to external impressions, both mental and physical. The co-ordination of functions is perverted. We may also find convulsive twitchings and spasms, or these alternating with torpor and depression. The leading expression of Ignatia is a finely sensitive mood, with tendency to sadness and silent grief, and continually brooding over imaginary troubles.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
Mind. Desire for solitude (Carb. an., Hyoscyamus, Rhus tox.). Changeable disposition; jesting and laughing, changing to sadness, with shedding of tears (Aconite, Aurum, Nux moschata, Phosphorus). Anxiety as if he had committed some great crime (Coccul., Veratrum alb.). Finely sensitive mood; delicate conscientiousness (Sil). Slight blame or contradiction irritates and excites him to anger (Aurum, Bryonia, Ferrum, Nux v.). Fearful, timid (Aconite, Aurum, Belladonna, Cinchona, Phosphorus). Inconstant, impatient, irresolute (Baryta c.). Taciturn, sad, melancholy (Nux moschata, Puls). Howls, cries, and is beside himself on account of trifles. Unreasonable complaint about noise, indifference to everything. Boldness. Busy and restless; after exerting brain, worse mornings, unable to do anything as rapidly as he wishes, whereupon anxious behavior, mistakes in writing and talking and awkward motions. Weakness of memory (Anacardium). Anger, followed by quiet grief or sorrow. Full of suppressed grief (Cimic); seems weighed down by it; broods over imaginary troubles (Naja). Great grief after losing persons or objects that were very dear. Children get sick from being reprimanded or scolded and sent to bed.
Head Heaviness of the head. Vertigo. Headache, like a pressure with something hard on the surface of the brain. Headache, as if bruised or beaten in the morning on awakening (Nux v.); on rising changes to toothache, as if crushed or shattered, then to bruised, beaten pain in small of back; worse when thinking about it (Cham). Jerking headache on ascending steps; aggravated by opening the eyes. Throbbing headache, with every beat of arteries, worse on stooping. Pressing headache in right half of forehead, involving the right eye, as if ball would be pressed out. Pressing pains in forehead and root of nose (Kali bichromicum, Hepar s.); must bend the head forward followed by inclination to vomit. Pain as if a nail were driven out through the side of the head (Agaricus, Anacardium, ARs., Coffea c.); relieved when lying on the painful side. Pain in right side of occiput. Headache from coffee, tobacco or alcohol; aggravated in mornings; from moving the eyes; from stooping; from noise; better from changing position; when lying on painful side.
Eyes. Photophobia (Aconite, Belladonna, Mercurius, Sulphur). Flickering zigzags before the eyes (Cyclamen, Lycopodium). Pressure in the eyes; as from sand (Arsenicum, Causticum, Ignatia, Phytolacca, Sulph). Burning and watering of the eyes (Arsenicum, Euphr). Convulsive movements of eyes and lids (Agaricus).
Ears. Itching in the ears. Ringing.
Nose. Fluent coryza. Dry catarrh.
Face Convulsive twitchings of muscles of face (AGar., Ant. tart., Cicuta, Stramonium). Lips dry, cracked and bleeding. Inside of lower lip painful, as if raw.
Mouth. Twitchings of corners of mouth (Opium). Stitches in palate extending to inner ear. Spasmodic closure of the jaws (Cicuta, Hyos, Laur., Nux v., OEnan.). Accumulation of acid saliva; of mucus. While chewing or talking bites inside of cheeks easily (Nitr. ac.). Sour taste in the mouth (Calcarea c.,Cinchona, Nitr. ac., Nux v., Sepia).
Throat Sensation of a lump in the throat; more when not swallowing. Constriction in middle of oesophagus, worse when not swallowing. Sore throat; sticking and stitches only between the acts of swallowing; better from swallowing solid food. Crawling in throat. Pain in the submaxillary glands.
Stomach Aversion to tobacco-smoking; to warm food and milk; to spirituous liquors. Eructations of bitter fluid; of food. Hiccough; after eating (Bryonia, Hyoscyamus, Paris) and drinking; from smoking. Nausea from smoking. Sensation of emptiness in the stomach (Cimic., Hydras., Petrol., Sepia, Sulphur) Sensation of weakness and sinking in pit of stomach (Hydras., Sepia). Pressure in pit of stomach and in region of spleen.
Abdomen. Drawing and pinching in the umbilical region. Fullness and tension in hypochondria. Throbbing in the abdomen. Rumbling in the abdomen. Difficult expulsion of offensive flatus. Colic pains, first griping, then stitches in one or the other side of the abdomen. Intermittent pain in region of spleen and pit of stomach.
Stool and Anus Prolapsus of the rectum from moderate exertion at stool (Podophyllum) Contractive sore pain in the rectum, as from blind piles; for one or two hours after stool. Sharp, pressive pain in the rectum. sharp stitches from the anus deep into the rectum. Itching and crawling in the rectum, as from thread worms. Constrictive sore pain in anus after stool (Natr. mur.). Fruitless efforts and urging to stool. Stools large and soft, but passed with difficulty (Carb. v., Cinchona); frequent; thin involuntary, with flatus. Painless contraction in anus. Blind haemorrhoids, with pressure and soreness in anus and rectum; painful sitting and standing, less painful when walking.
Urinary Organs. Frequent discharge of much watery urine (Phosphorus ac.).
Male Organs Erection during stool. Soreness and ulcerative pain, combined with itching at the margin of the prepuce. Itching about genitals, in bed; worse on scratching. Complete loss of sexual desire.
Female Organs. Menses too early. Menstrual blood black, or putrid odor, in clots (Ammonium carb., Croc., Cyclamen, Platina). Violent labor-like pains; followed by purulent corrosive leucorrhoea.
Respiratory Organs. Constrictive sensation in larynx and trachea (Arsenicum Ipecac.). Inability to talk loud. Snoring inspiration during sleep. Desire to take a deep breath (Lachesis). Frequent sighing (Agaricus, Calcarea phos., Secale). Dry spasmodic cough (Drosera, Hyoscyamus). Provocation in larynx to hacking cough, in evening after lying down, better from suppressing cough. Hollow spasmodic cough, especially in evening, caused by a sensations from fumes of sulphur (Arsenicum, Cinchona, Lycopodium), or form dust in pit of throat. The longer the cough continues, the more the irritation to cough increases. Every time he stands still during a walk he coughs. Sleepy after each coughing spell (Ant. tart.). Spasmodic constriction of the chest (Asafoetida, Laur.). Inspiration impeded as from a load in chest, expiration just so much easier. Stitches in left chest.
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Heart Palpitation of the heart (Aconite, Arsenicum, Asafoetida).
Neck and Back. Stiffness of the nape of the neck (Agaricus, Kali carb., Lachesis, Rhus tox.). Pain in the sacrum, also when lying on the back; mornings.
Limbs. Single jerks of the limbs on falling asleep. Pain as if sprained or dislocated, in the shoulder, hip and knee joints. Convulsive jerking of the arms and legs (Stramonium). Crawling, asleep sensation in the limbs.
Upper Limbs. Quivering jerks in deltoid muscle. Pain in the joints of the arms, when bending them backward, as after violent exertion, or as if bruised. Sensation of a mouse crawling under the skin in the arm, in evening after lying down.
Lower Limbs. Tearing pain in tendo Achillis and calf, as though parts would be cut off; worse when standing, walking or exerting the muscles.
Generalities. Jerkings and twitchings in various parts of the muscles, here and there (Calcarea c., Hyoscyamus, Stramonium). Convulsions alternating with oppressed breathing. Convulsive twitchings, especially after fright or grief (Gelsemium, OP.). Convulsions during dentition; after punishment; from fright or grief (Gelsemium, Opium). Paralysis after great mental emotion, or night watching. Over- sensitiveness to pain (Aurum, Coffea c., Chamomilla, Sepia). Pressing pains form into out as from a hard pointed body. Frequently changing position at night in bed (Rhus tox.). Hysterical debility and fainting fits (Nux moschata). Great weakness and exhaustion (Arsenicum, Cinchona, Ferrum, Phosphorus, Secale). Pain in small, circumscribed spots.
Sleep. Excessively frequent spasmodic yawning. Restless sleep, very light sleep, hears everything. Dreams of one and the same object the whole night through.
Skin. Itching relieved by gentle scratching. Excoriation of the skin (Graphites, Hydras., Lycopodium).
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).