Synonym. Ledum Palustre. Natural order. Ericaceae. Common names. Marsh Tea. Wild Rosemary. Habitat. An evergreen shrub growing in moist, swampy grounds in europe, France, Asia and British America. Preparation. tincture from the fresh herb.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Acts upon the serous, fibrous and mucous tissues, upon the periosteum, and upon the skin, producing inflammatory symptoms of an arthritic or rheumatic character, increasing and thickening secretions, and causing a deposit of solid, earthy masses in the tissues.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind. Discontented: morose; peevish (Bryonia, Nux v.).
Head. Vertigo as from intoxication (Nux moschata, Coccul.) especially when walking in the open air (Agaricus, Calcarea c, Gloninum, Sepia, Sulphur); the head tends to sink back. Stupefying headache. Raging, pulsating headache (Belladonna, Gloninum).
Eyes. Photophobia; dilated pupils (Belladonna). Burning, corrosive lachrymation(Arsenicum, Euphr.).
Ears. Roaring in ears, as from a strong of wind (Gelsemium). Hardness of hearing.
Face. Pimples like those of drunkards, on face and forehead. Boils on the forehead (Hepar s.).
Mouth. Sudden running of water with colic, waterbrash.
Throat. Sore throat, with fine, stinging pain.
Stomach. Pressure in stomach after a light meal (Cinchona, Lycopodium).
Respiratory Organs. Cough, preceded by suffocative arrest of breathing (Arsenicum). Hollow, racking cough, with purulent expectoration, or of bright- red and foaming blood. Constrictive oppression of the chest (Arsenicum, Lob); aggravated by moving and walking. Respiration painfully impeded. Eruption like varicella on the chest and upper arms.
Heart. Pushing or pressing inward at let edge of sternum; palpitation; also in haemorrhage.
Neck and Back. Painful stiffness of the back and loins, on rising from a seat (Berberis, Rhus tox.); and in scapulae.
Limbs. Painful hard node, sound calcareous concretions on the joints (Calcarea c., Mercurius, Phosphorus Pressive pains in the spic., Caulophyllum). Rheumatism begins in lower limbs and ascends. Paralytic pain in all joints on moving body at night in bed. the limbs are numb and fall sleep.
Upper Limbs Rheumatic;, tearing pains in the joints (Bryonia, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox., Spig); worse from movement. Great trembling of hands, as from old age, on moving them, or on seizing anything. Boring pain in first joint of thumb. Periosteum of phalanges, painful on pressure.
Lower Limbs. Sprained pain toward posterior part of left hip, as if muscles were not in proper position, worse from walking or touch. Swelling and tensive, attacking pains in tending above calves, with tensive pain, worse evening. Stiffness of he legs in the morning. Weakness and tremor of he knees when walking.. Tearing, an sore pains in step worse on motion (Arnica, Bryonia). Swelling of the feet., and up to the knees (Arsenicum, Digit,), feet heavy, weary; stiff and rigid. Pains in soles of the feet, as if bruised, when walking. Ball of great toe swollen, soft and painful on stepping. Stitches in great toes.
Generalities. The limbs and whole body are painful, as if bruised or beaten (Arnica, Mercurius). Heat of bed intolerable, on account or heat and burning of limbs, wants to uncover. Pains change location suddenly (Benz. ac., Kali bichromicum, Pulsatilla) Emaciation of suffering parts (Graphites). OEdematous swelling (Apis., Arsenicum, Rhus tox.) Pains sticking, tearing, throbbing.
Skin. Red pimply eruptions, especially on face and forehead. Excessive corrosive itching of the skin; rose from scratching, and from the hat of the bed (Mercurius). Eruptions which burn and sting like the bites or stings of insects (ant. crud., Apis., Arnica).
Sleep. Sleeplessness, with restlessness and tossing about. Uneasy dreams, in which he changes from place to place, and from one subject to another.
Fever. Coldness; want of animal heat (Sepia, Silicea). Shaking chill over back, with cold hands, hot cheeks and hot forehead. burning heat in limbs, hands and feet, making heat of heat of bed intolerable (Sulphur). Perspiration from least exertion (Ambr., Calcarea, Hepar s., Phosphorus, Sepia, Silicea). principally on forehead. Warm sweat on hands and feet. Sweat, waking from sleep, with itching over whole body. Night sweats, with inclination to uncover.
Aggravation. Towards evening. From heat, especially heat of bed; when sitting during rest; cold; wet weather.
Amelioration. Of pains at night. After Camphor.
Conditions. Rheumatic, gouty diathesis., Constitutions abused by Alcohol.
Compare. Arnica, Arsenicum, Belladonna, Bryonia, Calcarea c., Cinchona, Crot. tig., Dulcamara, Kalmia., Lycopodium, Mercurius cor., Pulsatilla, Rhus tox., Ruta, Sepia, Sulphur
Antidote. Camph.
Ledum Antidotes. Alcohol, Apis, Cinchona
THERAPEUTICS.
A valuable remedy in rheumatic and arthritic affections. The smaller joints are most affected. Generally worse from the heat of bed. usually a great deal of bruised soreness in the muscles, with stitching, tearing pains, rapidly shifting; rarely useful if joints are hot and swollen. Synovitis of the knee, especially strumous. Sciatica. Sprains of the ankles and feet. Used locally for punctured or penetrating wounds, produced by sharp- pointed instruments; also for the stings of insects, especially Papular and eczematous eruptions in habitual drunkards, especially on face and forehead. Urticaria and other chronic eruptions with violent itching, worse from warmth of bed. Ecchymoses. Hemorrhages, especially of bright-red blood. Haemoptysis, blood frothy; alternating with attacks of rheumatism. Uterine haemorrhage. Phthisical symptoms, alternating with coxalgia or rheumatism. Whooping cough. Chronic cough, usually hollow, racking, spasmodic, characterized by coldness and deficiency of animal heat. Bronchitis. Suppuration of lungs; purulent, greenish expectoration; after neglected pneumonia. Rheumatic ophthalmia. Ecchymoses of the conjunctiva. Intra-ocular haemorrhages. Asthenopia. Rheumatic otitis, from getting cold, having hair cut, or exposure to a damp, cold wind. Ascites Ailments from abuse of alcoholic drinks.
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).