Natural order – Compositae. Common names – Golden Ragwort. Squaw Weed. Habitat – An indigenous perennial plant, growing on banks of creeks and on low marshy grounds throughout the North and Northwest. Preparation – Tincture from the entire fresh plant.
GENERAL ANALYSIS
Acts powerfully upon the mucous surfaces, causing irritation and increased mucous discharge. It has especial affinity for the generative and urinary organs, and to a less degree, the bronchial and intestinal tracts. It also produces a condition of nervous irritability and prostration similar to that present from reflex causes in hysteria and other affections of the female generative organs.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
Mind. Inability to fix the mind on any one subject for any length of time.
Head Dull, stupefying headache. Catarrhal headache form suppressed secretions.
Eyes. Sharp, lancinating pains in left eye and left temple. Catarrhal inflammation from suppressed secretions.
Nose. Sneezing and sense of burning and fullness in the nostrils. Coryza.
Mouth. Dryness of the mouth, throat and fauces.
Stomach Nausea on rising in the morning (Graphites, Nux moschata, Pulsatilla, Sepia)
Abdomen. Griping, colic-like pains, relieved by bending forward (Coloc.)
Stool Stool; thin, watery; dark-colored; containing hard lumps.
Urinary Organs Tenesmus of the bladder, with heat and urging; pain in region of kidneys and frequent urination. Urging to urinate followed the chilliness; urine tinged with blood. Urine scanty and high- colored. Frequent copious flow of urine. Slight pains in region of kidneys.
Male Organs. Full, heavy pain in left spermatic cord, moving along the cord to the testicle. Prostate gland enlarged, and feels hard and swollen to the touch.
Female Organs. Suppressed menses from cold (Cimic.). Dysmenorrhoea, with urinary sufferings. Premature and profuse menstruation, with backache. Retarded and scanty menstruation (Sepia). Irregular menses, at times too soon, at times retarded. Leucorrhoea instead of the menses, or with urinary troubles.
Respiratory Organs. Loose, catarrhal cough; especially when attended with irregular or suppressed menses. Increased secretion from bronchial mucous membrane; the bronchi and lungs seem full, but it cannot be coughed up.
Back. Pain in back and loins at night. Dull pain in lumbar region in morning. Lancinations in lumbar region.
Generalities. Nervousness, sleeplessness and hysterical moods. Great sleeplessness, with vivid, unpleasant dreams.
Aggravation. Symptoms generally worse in the afternoon.
Compare Calcarea c., Helonias, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Sanguinaria, Sepia
THERAPEUTICS.
Senecio has been found of most value in disorders of menstruation (See clinical symptoms above mentioned). Bronchial catarrh and pulmonary diseases, especially associated with suppressed menses, chronic cystitis with heat, strangury and bloody urine. Nephritis, pain in back, tenesmus and urging. Scanty and bloody urine. Ascites with scanty, high-colored urine. Insomnia from uterine irritation.
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).