Synonym. Valeriana Officinalis. natural order. Valerianacea. Common names. Valerian. All heal. Habitat. An herbaceous perennial plant found growing in Europe and Asia, and cultivated in other countries. Preparation. Tincture from the dried root.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Through the cerebro-spinal system Valeriana affects directly the nervous centers, producing a high degree of irritation, which results in excessive nervous excitability, pain and spasms, all partaking of a hysterical character, which latter is the most important feature of the action of the drug.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind. Unusually joyous mood. Intellect clouded. Mild delirium, with trembling excitement.
Head. Headache, the aching especially violent over the orbit. Violent pressure in. the forehead followed in a few minutes by sticking in the forehead and especially over the orbits. The pressure offer the orbits alternates between a pressure and a sticking; the sticking is like a darting; tearing, as if it would pierce the eyes from within outward.
Eyes. Pressure in the eyes in the morning after rising; the margins of the lids seem swollen and sore. Smarting in. the eyes, as if occasioned by smoke (Croc.). Sparks and flashes before the eyes. (Belladonna, Cyclamen, Gloninum, Sulphur); subjects seem on fire.
Face. Neuralgic pains in the face (Belladonna, Cinchona, Mercurius). Crampy jerkings in different parts of the face (Ignatia).
Mouth. Toothache. Previous to dinner he has a taste and smell as of foetid tallow. Flat, slimy taste in the mouth, early in the morning after waking.
Stomach. Frequent empty eructations. Gulping up of rancid fluid not rising into the mouth. Nausea, as if a thread were hanging in the throat, arising from the umbilicus and gradually rising to the fauces, exciting accumulation of saliva. Disposition to vomit; vomiting. Pressure in the epigastric region.
Abdomen. Abdomen distended, hard. Twisting colic; hysterical.
Stool. Diarrhoea. Stools frequent and pasty.
Urinary Organs. Frequent emission of urine. Urine contains a white, red, or turbid sediment.
Respiratory Organs. When walking feels pressed across the lower half of chest, with oppression of breathing. Sudden stitching in chest and in region of the liver, from with outward. Violent statues and pressing from within outward in the region of the last true ribs, when standing. Dull stitches resembling a pressing from within outward, in the left side of the chest during an inspiration.
Neck and Back. Intense pain in the left lumbar region above the hip, as if he had strained the apt much; worse when standing, and especially when sitting than when walking.
Limbs. A very painful drawing, mixed with stitches, from left shoulder down to finger;s change of position did not relieve but it disappeared when walking. Violent stitch in knee. Painful drawing in upper and lower extremities when sitting quietly, relieved by walking.
Upper Limbs. Crampy, darting tearing, like an electric shock, repeatedly through the humerus; intensely painful. Crampy drawing in region of biceps, in tight arm from above downward while writing.
Lower Limbs. Crampy tearing in outer side of thigh, extending into hip. Twinging pain in outer side of calf then sitting. Pulsative, tearing in right calf when sitting,, in the afternoon. Transient pain, as if sprained in right ankle, most left while standing, but seems to disappear when walking. lower limbs contracted. Sudden pain, as if sprained in outer malleolus of right foot, worse when standing, less when walking. Drawing in tarsal joint when sitting. Stinging pain in heels when sitting. Stinging pain in heels when sitting.
Generalities. Drawing in many places, now here, now there, like transient jerks,.
Sleep. Wide awake in evening, restless at night, could fall asleep only towards morning, when he had vivid dreams.
Fever. Chilliness. Sensation of icy coldness. Constant heat in whole body, and uneasiness. Dry heat in face and whole body in the evening when sitting. Flushes of heat over cheeks for two hours, several; times in the evening. Frequent sweat. Much perspiration during night.
Aggravation. In morning; in evening; while sitting or standing, Better from walking.
Compare. Ambr., Asafoetida, Ignatia, Mosch., Pulsatilla
Antidotes. Camph., coff.
THERAPEUTICS
The chief use of Valerian is in the treatment of hysteria, and other nervous affections where the hysterical element predominates usually great restlessness, excitability, and sleeplessness; globus hystericus, with sensation of something warm rising from the stomach to the throat; afraid of the dark or of being left alone. Nervous headache. Supra-orbital neuralgia. Trismus from decayed tooth, with sensation as if a thread were hanging in the throat. Gastralgia, eructations of a rancid fluid, tympanitis. Sciatica. A valuable remedy to promotes sleep, where the sleeplessness is caused by nervous excitement. the aggravation of pains and other symptoms when sitting, and amelioration when walking,, is very characteristic.
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).