Synonym.-Iris Hexagona. Natural order.-Iridaceae. Common names.-Blue Flag. Fleur-de-lis. Habitat.-An indigenous plant found in low wet places, in meadows and on borders of swamps. Preparation.-Tincture from the fresh root.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Acts especially upon the glandular system, and the gastro- intestinal mucous membrane, and rendering them acrid. It stimulates the liver, causing an increasing flow of bile. Increases the flow of urine. It is supposed to have a specific and powerful action upon thee pancreas. On the skin it produces vesicular and pustular eruptions. The chief characteristic of Iris is a headache resulting from gastro-hepatic derangement, resembling the well-known “sick headache.”
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
Mind. Despondent, low spirited, easily vexed (Pulsatilla)
Head. Dull throbbing or shooting in right side of forehead, with nausea; worse toward evening; from rest, from cold air or coughing; better from moderate motion. Dull, heavy frontal headache, with nausea (Veratrum vir.), with dullness of eyes and pain over left superciliary ridge. Aching in forehead and vertex as if the top of the head would come off. Shooting in the temples, mostly the right, with constrictive feeling of the scalp. Pustular eruptions on the scalp (Graphites, sulph.).
Nose. Constant sneezing (Aconite, Gel., Sanguinaria)
Face. Neuralgia, involving supra and infra-orbital, superior maxillary (Cinchona, spigelia) and inferior dental nerves; begins after breakfast every morning, with a stupid, stunning headache, and lasts several hours. Pustular eruptions on the face, around nose, lips and cheeks, secreting a sanious, irritating matter (Graphites).
Mouth. Mouth and tongue feel as though they had been scalded (Aesculus, Apis, Physos., Platina, Pulsatilla, Sepia). Ulcers on mucous membranes of cheeks (Nitr. ac.). Profuse flow of saliva (Cinchona, Iodi., Kali iod., Mercurius, Nitr. ac.); ropy, drops from mouth when talking.
Stomach. Loss of appetite (Arsenicum, Cinchona, Natr. mur.). Eructations of tasteless gas; frequently empty. Nausea and vomiting of an extremely sour fluid. Vomiting of food; of bile (Gratiola, Nux v., podo.); of sour milk in children (AEthus.). Great burning distress in thee epigastrium (AEsc.,Arsenicum, Cantharis, phosphorus, Veratrumalb.).
Abdomen. Sharp, griping pains in the bowls (Bryonia, mercurius,Chl., Hydras.). Pain in the abdomen relieved by discharge of flatus (Coloc.). Colicky pain, obliging him to bend forward for relief (Aloe, Causticum, Coloc.).
Stool and Anus. Stool thin, watery; soft yellow, with rumbling, but no pain; mushy, painless; blood and mucus, with straining. Frequent watery stools with burning in anus; disposition to strain and bear down. Great burning in anus (Arsenicum, Cantharis), as if on fire, after stool. Anus sore in morning, as if points were sticking into it. Distress in anus as if prolapsed. Constipation.
Upper Limbs. Sharp, tensive pain in right shoulder, worse on motion, particularly on raising the arm. Severe shooting pains about the phalangeal and metacarpo-phalangeal articulations.
Lower Limbs. Sciatica; painful drawing and lameness, as if left hip were wrenched,, extending to popliteal space. Coxalgia in left hip.
Skin. Pustular eruptions, especially on scalp and face (Crot. tig., kreosotum, Graphites).
Fever. Heat followed by chill, with cold hands and feet. Sweat over whole body, particularly in groin.
Compare. Aloe, Antim crud., Arsenicum, Bryonia, Colchicum, Iodi., Ipecac., Mercurius, Pulsatilla, Podophyllum, Phytol, Veratrum alb., Sanguinaria, Sulphur
Antidote. Nux v.
THERAPEUTICS.
A valuable remedy in gastric and bilious derangements, especially where there results a dull, frontal headache and nausea. Probably more useful than any other drug for ordinary sick-headache. Neuralgia and bilious headaches, beginning over on eye, with blurred vision, vomiting; constipation. Sometimes also nausea, profuse salivation with the headaches. Nausea from deranged digestion or biliousness, also during pregnancy. Bilious diarrhoea. Bilious colic. Hepatic derangements with vomiting of bile, soreness over liver, yellow eyes and skin, headache, etc. Constipation with headache, nausea and other symptoms. Sciatica, especially on left side, worse from motion. Eczema; crust a lactea; herpes zoster; impetigo of the head and other skin troubles, especially when associated with characteristic gastric derangements.
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).