Synonyms. Rheum Officinale. Rhubarbarum. Natural order. Polygonaceae. Common name. Rheubarb. Habitat. A plant native of China. Preparation. Tincture from the dried root. General Analysis Acts especially upon the liver and intestinal canal, increasing the secretion of bile, stimulating the muscular activity of the bowels, and causing purging of faecal matter, without symptoms of inflammatory action. Its chief characteristic is a diarrhoea, with an excessively sour-smelling stool. Characteristic Symptoms Mind The child demands different things, with vehemence and crying. Head Dull, stupefying headache. Heaviness of the head. Sweat on forehead and scalp after slight effort. Face Cool sweat on face (Veratrum alb.); most around nose and mouth. Stomach Desire for various things, but cannot eat them; they become repulsive (Bryonia, Chamomilla, Cina). Nausea, as from the stomach or abdomen, with colic. Fullness in stomach, as after eating too much (Cinchona, Lycopodium, Nux v., Pulsatilla). Abdomen Violent, cutting colic, forcing one to bend double (Aloe, Causticum, Coloc., Iris). Tension. Gripping in abdomen, with great urging to stool; better after stool; worse from plums. Stool and Anus Frequent, ineffectual urging to stool (Ambr., Coni., Natr. carb., Nux v.); worse on motion and when walking. Colic before each stool (Coloc., Mercurius). Desire for stool after a meal. Thin, pasty, sour-smelling stools (Arnica, Hepar s., Podophyllum, Sulph). with straining before and colicky, constrictive cutting in the abdomen after and shivering during stool (Mercurius). Frequent, forcible, semi-liquid stools; brown, mixed with mucus; followed by tenesmus, and great burning in anus and rectum (Arsenicum, Sulphur). Back Violent cutting, as if in the lumbar vertebrae, increased from stool. Limbs Pain in all the joints during motion. The limbs upon which he lies fall Ranunc. has been found most useful in neuralgic, arthritic and rheumatic conditions. Always worse from damp weather or from change of temperature. Rheumatic neuralgia Intercostal rheumatism, chest feels sore and bruised, as from subcutaneous ulceration. Pleurodynia. Pleurisy. Diaphragmitis. Peritonitis. A very valuable remedy in herpes zoster; dark-blue, transparent vesicles, with characteristic neuralgic pains. Also herpes frontalis, with violent pains in and above the eyes Vesicular eruptions, with burning and itching. Pemphigus. Malignant and rapidly spreading ulcers. Hay fever, with smarting, burning and tingling in eyes and nose, nostrils dry and obstructed, worse evenings. Has been found useful in delirium tremens and for the effects of intoxicating liquors in general.
+ Synonyms. Rheum Officinale. Rhubarbarum. Natural order. Polygonaceae. Common name. Rheubarb. Habitat. A plant native of China. Preparation. Tincture from the dried root.
General Analysis Acts especially upon the liver and intestinal canal, increasing the secretion of bile, stimulating the muscular activity of the bowels, and causing purging of faecal matter, without symptoms of inflammatory action. Its chief characteristic is a diarrhoea, with an excessively sour-smelling stool.
Characteristic Symptoms
Mind The child demands different things, with vehemence and crying.
Head Dull, stupefying headache. Heaviness of the head. Sweat on forehead and scalp after slight effort.
Face Cool sweat on face (Veratrum alb.); most around nose and mouth.
Stomach Desire for various things, but cannot eat them; they become repulsive (Bryonia, Chamomilla, Cina). Nausea, as from the stomach or abdomen, with colic. Fullness in stomach, as after eating too much (Cinchona, Lycopodium, Nux v., Pulsatilla).
Abdomen Violent, cutting colic, forcing one to bend double (Aloe, Causticum, Coloc., Iris). Tension. Gripping in abdomen, with great urging to stool; better after stool; worse from plums.
Stool and Anus Frequent, ineffectual urging to stool (Ambr., Coni., Natr. carb., Nux v.); worse on motion and when walking. Colic before each stool (Coloc., Mercurius). Desire for stool after a meal. Thin, pasty, sour-smelling stools (Arnica, Hepar s., Podophyllum, Sulph). with straining before and colicky, constrictive cutting in the abdomen after and shivering during stool (Mercurius). Frequent, forcible, semi-liquid stools; brown, mixed with mucus; followed by tenesmus, and great burning in anus and rectum (Arsenicum, Sulphur).
Back Violent cutting, as if in the lumbar vertebrae, increased from stool.
Limbs Pain in all the joints during motion. The limbs upon which he lies fall asleep. Weariness of the thighs, as after great exertion. Tensive, pressive pain in the hollow of the left knee, extending to the heel.
Sleep Restless sleep, with tossing about, and talking in sleep (Aconite, Rhus tox.). Vivid, sad, anxious dreams. Snoring inspiration during sleep.
Generalities Child smells sourish, even if washed or bathed every day. Heaviness of the whole body, as after awaking from a deep sleep.
Condition Often suitable for children, suckling or during dentition.
Compare Arsenicum, Belladonna, Chamomilla, Coloc., Magnesia carb., Nux v. Podophyllum, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox., Sulphur Complementary to Mag. carb., while Rheum, follows Ipecac. well.
Antidotes Chamomilla, Camph., Coloc., Mercurius, Nux v., Pulsatilla
Rheum Antidotes Cantharis, Mag. carb.
Characteristic Symptoms
The chief and almost only clinical use of Rheum is in the treatment of diarrhoea, especially in infants, teething children and lying-in women, characterized by excessively sour-smelling stools, and other symptoms as noted above. Not only are the stools sour, but the whole body smells sour, no matter how Often bathed, thus showing an excessively acid state of the system.
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).