Synonym – Jacea. Natural order – Violaceae. Common names – Pansy. Heartsease. Habitat – The pansy is indigenous to Europe and Northern Asia, but is cultivated in all civilized countries. Preparation – Tincture from the whole plant when in flower.
GENERAL ANALYSIS
Acts chiefly upon the skin, giving rise to impetigenous and eczematous eruptions, which are the chief indications for its use.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
Mind. Ill-humored, morose, with disinclination to talk.
Head Pressive headache, chiefly in forehead and temples, extending outward. Tearing stitch externally in left temple. Scurfs on head, unbearable burning, most at night. Impetigo of the hairy scalp and face. Crusta lactea in children (Graphites, Mez., Nitr. ac.) recently weaned. Thick incrustations, pouring out a large quantity of thick, yellow fluid, which mats the hair (Graphites).
Eyes. Contraction and closing of the lids.
Face Tension in the integuments of the face and forehead. Milk crust (Sarsaparilla), burning, itching, especially at night, with discharge of viscid, yellow pus; also behind ears. Impetigo on the forehead.
Abdomen. Cutting pains in the abdomen.
Urinary Organs Frequent and profuse emission of urine (Apis, Apocynum, Cepa., Valer., Verb.). Urine very offensive (Benz. ac.); like cat’s urine.
Male Organs. Involuntary seminal emissions (Phosphorus ac., Cinchona), with lascivious dreams.
Respiratory Organs. Stitches in the left side of chest; worse during inspiration and expiration.
Back. Tension between the shoulder blades, with cutting and crawling in the skin.
Skin. Eruption over face (except eyelids) and behind ears, with burning, itching, worse at night, a thick, hard scab formed, cracked here and there, from which a tenacious yellow pus exuded, and hardened into a substance like gum.
Sleep. Sleepless; frequent waking. Vivid, amorous dreams.
Aggravation In winter and in cold weather.
Compare Clem., Graphites, Hepar s., Petrol.
Antidote. Camph., Mercurius sol., Pulsatilla
THERAPEUTICS.
Viola tric. has been used almost exclusively for impetigenous and eczematous diseases, especially crusta lactea; plica polonica; scrofulous ophthalmia, with crusta lactea. Incontinence of urine at night in children, urine smelling like cat’s urine, especially with crusta lactea.
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).