Synonyms – Veratrum Sabadilla. Asagraea Officinalis. Natural order – Melanthaceae. Common names – Indian Caustic. Barley. Cevadilla. Habitat. A bulbous plant indigenous to Mexico and countries south of it. Preparation – Tincture from the seeds.
GENERAL ANALYSIS
Through the cerebro-spinal nervous system Sabadilla affects especially the vegetative sphere, the mucous surfaces being more particularly involved by its action.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
Head Vertigo on rising from a seat, on waking at night. Pressive stupefying headache in forehead and temples, causing a reeling sensation. Head feels dull and heavy. Headache, especially after every walk; after eating. Headache from much thinking, or too close attention. Corrosive burning point on top of the head.
Eyes. Lachrymation, as soon as the least pain is felt in some other part. Lachrymation during exercise in the open air. Margins of the eyelids red.
Ears. Tickling in the ears.
Nose. Itching and tingling in the nose. Sensitive dryness of upper part of nose. Epistaxis. Violent spasmodic sneezing, shaking the abdomen, then lachrymation. Fluent coryza; influenza; hay fever. One or other nostril stuffed up; inspiration through nose labored; snoring.
Face Heat of the face, with fiery burning redness (Ferrum). Beating and jerking in the muscles of the left upper jaw, with itching. Face feels hot, as after wine; red face and eyes; hay fever.
Mouth. Shooting pains in the molar teeth. Tongue coated mostly whitish-yellowish, more in the middle and back part. Feels sore and full of blisters. Mouth and tip of tongue burning and sore as if scalded. Bitter taste in the mouth (Bryonia, Nux v., Pulsatilla)
Throat Dryness of the throat; when swallowing. Sensation in the throat as if a lump were lodged, obliging him to swallow. Roughness and scraping in the throat with inclination to swallow. Constriction in fauces as from an astringent drink.
Stomach Aversion to meat (Sepia). Nausea; with constant spitting of insipid water. Pain as if a sore spot were pressed below pit of stomach, on pressure and inspiration. Corrosive, burning pain in the stomach and oesophagus; when walking.
Abdomen. Cutting in the bowels, as with knives. Burning in the abdomen (Arsenicum). Rumbling in the abdomen, as if empty (Lycopodium).
Stool and Anus. Crawling in rectum and anus, as from ascarides. Diarrhoea; stools brown, as if fermented.
Urinary Organs Urging to urinate, especially in the evening. Urine dark, muddy, thick, turbid; like muddy water. Burning in the urethra when urinating.
Respiratory Organs. Oppressed breathing, with anxiety. Dry cough at night (Hyoscyamus). Short, dry cough, produced by scraping in the throat. Stitches in sides of chest, especially when inspiring or coughing (Bryonia).
Limbs. Weariness and heaviness in all the limbs, worse towards evening, obliging her to lie down. Stinging sensation in the thighs. Tension in the calves. Coldness of the limbs. Heaviness of the feet.
Generalities. Lassitude and weakness. Intense but transient bruised pain in various parts of the body. Intense pains in all the bones, especially in joints, as if the anterior of bones were cut and scraped with a sharp knife. Great sensitiveness to cold air, which aggravates. Symptoms appear first on right, then on left side. General aggravation at the same hour each day. Most symptoms better when lying down; in the open air.
Sleep. Great inclination to sleep during the day. Disturbed and unrefreshing sleep at night, with anxious, confused dreams.
Skin. Red spots and stripes, more marked when in the cold air.
Fever. Fever without thirst (Apis, Pulsatilla); shivering, with isolated attacks of heat, mostly in head and face. Chill afternoon or evening, returning at the same hour; often without subsequent heat. Feverish; feels sick, anxious, starts easily, trembles, breath short and hot. Chill predominates, particularly on extremities, with heat of face.
Compare Aconite, Bryonia, Cinchona, Natr. mur., Pulsatilla, Sepia, Veratrum alb.
Antidote. Pulsatilla.
THERAPEUTICS.
Sabadilla has been found useful in intermittent fever with above symptoms, paroxysms recurring at the same hour each day (Ced.). An excellent remedy for worms; ascarides; lumbrici; taenia; fever from worms. Nymphomania and pruritus caused by ascarides. Ovaritis, with cutting pain. Influenza and hay fever with symptoms already mentioned in pathogenesis. Tonsilitis, commencing on left side and extending to right side. Measles, with violent sneezing etc. Gastric disturbances, with longing for sweat things, honey or pastry; aversion to meat, symptoms better after eating. Has been found useful in a mental condition where the patient imagines himself sick, or has imaginary disease.
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).