Synonym. Spigelia Anthelmia natural order. Loganiaceae. Common name. Pink Root. Habitat. An annual plant found in the West Indies and South America. Preparation. Tincture from the freshly dried herb.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Acts especially on the nerves of animal life and of special sense, and upon the fibrous and muscular tissues of the eye and the heart. It produces irritation of the nerves, resulting, in the motor sphere, in spasmodic movements of the facial muscles, subsultus tendinum, and even convulsions; in the sentient nerves, to neuralgic pains, especially of the fifth pair and of the heart, which, together with the rheumatic condition of the eye and heart which it produces, is the most important action of the drug.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
Mind Weak memory. Mental exertion difficult.
Head Vertigo on looking down, as if he would fall; better when lying down. Dullness of the whole head, with pressive pain from within outward, in the forehead. Sensation of tight band around the head (Ant. tart., Gelsemium, Kali iod.), especially when stooping. Burrowing pain in forehead, occiput and left side of vertex, worse from motion, loud noise, better from lying down. Tearing pains in temples and forehead, extending toward the eyes; worse on motion, especially on making a false step. Brain feels loose on turning the head. Pressive headache, mostly in right temple, and involving the eye; worse from motion, noise, jarring or straining at stool. Shooting through frontal sinuses; behind and above right eminence. Neuralgic pains flying from one part to another. Feeling as if thee head would burst asunder (Bryonia, Caps.). Periodical headache. Shaking in the brain; worse when moving the head or stepping hard (Belladonna, Nux moschata, Rhus tox.); swashing sensation. Scalp sore and sensitive to the touch (Aconite, Cinchona, Mercurius, Natr.mur., Silicea, Sulphur); Worse on moving the scalp.
Eyes Eyes hurt on motion, as if too large for their orbits (Carls., Paris, Phosphorus ac., Plumb.). Sharp, shooting, cutting pains radiate form the eye in every direction. Itching in right eye-ball, returning after rubbing. Intense, pressive pain in eyeballs, especially on turning them (Bryonia, Physos.). Pain in the eyes, deep in the sockets (Aloe, Cimic.). Vision dim.
Ears Sensation of distant ringing in the ears, with sensation as if the ear were loosely stopped, or a thick mist were in front of it. Itching in right vesicle. Otalgia, with pressive pain, as from a plug.
Nose Copious mucus flows trough the posterior nares, causing choking at night; mucus at one time white, at another yellow. Tickling on back of nose, as if lightly touched by hairs, or as if a gentle wind were blowing across it.
Face Prosopalgia, mostly left-sided (Aconite), with tearing, shooting, burning pains, especially in cheek-bone, lower jaw extending to ears, above the eyebrows, and in the eyeball; periodical; from morning until sunset; worse at noon-worse from motion or noise (China Sulph.). Burning in right side of upper lip.
Mouth Toothache, pressing outward; throbbing, tearing, and jerking, especially in hollow teeth (Mercurius); aggravated by cold water (Antim crud., Graphites, Staphysagria, Sulphur); cold air (Aconite); after eating (Ant.crud., Lachesis); better when lying down. Toothache in the evening after smoking. Tongue cracked (Baptisia, Belladonna, Rhus tox.). Stitches in right side of tongue. Salivation, white, frothy.
Throat Discharge of mucus from fauces all day, most from posterior nares.
Stomach Pressing in pit of stomach, as from a hard lump. Dull stitches in pit of stomach (Bryonia, Kali carb., Mercurius, Nux v., Sepia), worse from inspiration, with oppression of the chest.
Abdomen Griping in abdomen, as if constricted, with anxiety and difficult breathing. Sharp stitches in the abdomen. Pain in abdomen as if it would burst, worse evening before a soft stool, then slight relief.
Anus Itching and tickling in anus and rectum; ascarides (Ferrum, Mercurius, Sepia). Boring stitches in perineum.
Urinary Organs Discharge of prostatic fluid from the urethra.
Sexual Organs Erections, with voluptuous fancies, but without sexual desire. Itching stitch in right testicle and penis, from behind forward.
Respiratory Organs Constriction in chest, with anxiety and difficult breathing. tearing constriction in pectoral muscles when standing. Stitches in the chest; worse from the least movement, or when breathing (Bryonia, Kali carb.). Cutting, tearing beneath the nipple, extending to region of scapulae and upper arm, worse during inspiration and deep breathing. Dyspnoea and suffocating attacks when moved in bed, or raising thee arms; must lie on right side, or with head high.
Heart and Pulse Palpitation (Cact., Calcareac.), violent, visible and audible (Gloninum, Kali nit., Thuja, VeratrumAlb.); when bending forward, on sitting down, or after rising from bed in the morning; from deep inspiration, or holding the breath; with anxious oppression of the chest (Aconite, Sulphur, Veratrumalb.); Trembling of the heart. Heavy aching in region of apex, with feeling as if a dull-pointed knife were slowly driven through it. Stitches in the heart (Arsenicum, Ascl., Bryonia, Kali carb.); sometimes synchronous with the pulse. Pulse weak, irregular, trembling.
Back Bruised feeling in spine, even during rest.
Limbs Trembling of the upper limbs. Fatigue. Drawing, tearing, twitching pains in limbs and joints (Bryonia, Ledum). The limbs are affected mostly when walking.
Generalities Body painfully sensitive to touch or jarring; causes pain, or tingling, or crawling. Great weakness, especially mornings.
Sleep Restless sleep, with frequent waking. LAte falling asleep. Confused dreams, which causes him to awaken wearied, and which he cannot remember.
Fever Chilliness from the slightest motion. Chilliness every morning on rising, without thirst. Clammy sweat on thee hands, from motion of arms; lying on back.
Aggravation From motion; noise; inspiration; touch; turning the eyes; from 10 A.M. till 14 M. Better about 3 or 4 P.M.
Compare Aconite, Arnica, Belladonna, Bryonia, Cactus., Calcarea c., Cimic., Cinchona, Cina, Digit., Kali carb., Kalmia, Laur., Lycopodium, Mercurius, Nux v., Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox., Sepia, Sulphur, Zincum met. After Acon (endocarditis) then Spigelia follows well. After Spigelia comes Arsenicum, Digit., Kali carb. (Heart symptoms), Cimic., Zincum met.
Antidotes Aurum, Coccul., Camph., Pulsatilla
Spigelia Antidote Mercurius
THERAPEUTICS
Spigelia is chiefly useful in neuralgia, especially of the fifth pair of nerves, and in rheumatic and neuralgic affections of the heart. A general characteristic in neuralgia is that thee pain begins at one point and radiated in different directions, generally worse in stormy weather. Neuralgic headaches, with symptoms already described. The chief remedy in ciliary neuralgia. Rheumatic ophthalmia. Inflammation of thee eyes, with reed injected sclerotica, violent ciliary pains. Rheumatic iritis. Ptosis, with sharp pains and profuse lachrymation. Asthenopia. Post-nasal catarrh, supra-orbital. An extremely valuable remedy in facial neuralgia, especially supra-orbital, also involving thee eyeball, worse on left side, begins in the morning, grows worse towards noon and diminishes towards evening. Neuralgic toothache. Enteralgia. Inter-costal neuralgia. A valuable remedy in organic disease of the heart, with symptoms noted in pathogenesis. Rheumatic pericarditis, or endocarditis; purring feeling over the heart; wave-like motion not synchronous with the pulse. Systolic blowing at apex. Always great dyspnoea and extremely violent palpitation. Nervous palpitation of the heart, irregular tremulous action, intermittent pulse. Neuralgia about the heart. Angina pectoris. Hydrothorax. May be useful for the pains and general reflex symptoms resulting from worms.
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).