Synonym. Rumex Crispus. Natural order. Polygonaceae. Common name. Yellow Dock. Habitat. A plant native of Europe, but introduced into this country where it is found in pastures, dry fields, waste grounds, etc. Preparation. Tincture from the fresh root. General Analysis Rumex affects the mucous membranes, lymphatics and skin, but its prominent action is upon the mucous membrane of the larynx and trachea, diminishing its secretions, and exalting, in a very marked degree, its sensibility, indicating an excessive morbid irritability, yet not passing into an inflammatory condition. Characteristic Symptoms Head Dull headache, and slight bruised feeling in the forehead. Nose Epistaxis; violent sneezing and painful irritation of nostrils. Fluent coryza, watery discharge, with violent sneezing (Aconite, Cepa, Sanguinaria); worse evenings and night; with headache; desire to pick the nose. Mouth Tongue coated yellow (Chelidonium, Cinchona, Iodi.). Throat Excoriated scraping feeling in the throat (Ammonium carb., Carb. v., Causticum, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla), with secretion of mucus in upper part of throat. Stomach Heaviness in epigastrium soon after a meal (Bryonia, Nux-v., Pulsatilla). Feeling of repletion. Sensation of fullness on pressure, in pit of stomach, extending up into throat; every empty swallowing carrying it downward, but it immediately returns. Shooting from pit of stomach to chest. Stool Morning diarrhoea (Aloe, Podophyllum, Sulphur); brown and watery (Arsenicum, Kali bichromicum); preceded by urging, with pain in abdomen. Constipation (Alumina, Bryonia, Nux-v., Opium, Phosphorus, Sulphur). Respiratory Organs Tenacious mucus in larynx (Kali bichromicum, Nux-v.), with constant desire to hawk, but without relief; worse at night. Irritation in larynx when eating, causing cough. Pain in larynx (Phosphorus); hoarseness (Carb. v., Causticum). Frequent feeling as though she could not get another breath; as Especially useful in gastric disturbances, indigestion and sick headache, characterized by excessively sour eructations and vomiting. Acid dyspepsia. Heartburn. Cholera infantum.
THERAPEUTICS
Rumex is a valuable remedy in acute catarrh of the larynx or bronchi, and coughs from laryngeo-tracheal irritation, with the peculiarities mentioned in pathogenesis; always produced by tickling in throat pit and associated with sensation of soreness and rawness behind the sternum. Asthma. Sympathetic gastric cough. Catarrhal aphonia. Gastralgia, pains extend to chest or back. Dyspepsia. Affections from excessive tea-drinking. Diarrhoea, early in the morning, driving out of bed, stools brown and watery, especially when associated with characteristic cough.
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).