Synonyms – Zingiber Officinalis. Amomum Zingiber. Natural order – Zingiberaceae. Common name – Ginger. Habitat – Native of Asia, but cultivated in the tropical regions of South America, Western Africa, Australia and the West Indies. Preparation – Tincture from the dried root.
GENERAL ANALYSIS
Through the cerebro-spinal system Zingiber exerts its chief action upon mucous membranes, especially of the digestive and respiratory systems, giving rise to irritation and catarrhal inflammation, causing in the one instance symptoms of disturbed digestion, and in the other laryngeal irritation, hoarseness, and cough.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
Head Head feels too large (Argentum nit., Cimic., Gloninum). Frontal headache over eyes and at root of nose (Hydras., Kali bichromicum); also when he exerts himself. Headache worse over left eye; aching over eyebrows, followed by nausea; later over right eye and pressing in left occiput; worse in warm room, but continued in cold, damp air, in motion or sitting. Heavy pressure in head, from without inward, when walking in cold damp air.
Eyes. Smarting and burning in eyes; sensitive to light; feeling as of sand in eyes (Arsenicum, Causticum, Sulphur).
Nose. Coryza, watery, sneezing, more in open air. Dryness and obstruction in posterior nares, with discharge of thick mucus.
Face Drawing pain in left lower jaw and teeth. Exhausted look, blue under eyes, before menses.
Mouth. Slimy, bad taste in mouth in morning. Mouth smells foul to herself, as from disordered stomach.
Throat Increased mucous secretion; no fever.
Stomach Much thirst; mouth dry. Headache and pressure in stomach after eating bread. Complaints from eating melons. Belching and diarrhoea. Nausea. Vomiting of slime; in old drunkards. Weak digestion, stomach heavy like a stone.
Abdomen. Contracting colic passes through abdomen while standing; soon after desire for stool. Great flatulency; constipation. Sharp pain in left iliac region.
Stool Diarrhoea from impure water; of brown mucus; worse mornings; worse from deranged stomach; from damp, cold weather. Burning, redness, itching at anus and higher up the back.
Urinary Organs Urine thick, turbid; dark-brown, of strong smell. While urinating pain in orifice of urethra.
Male Organs. Increased sexual desire; nightly emissions.
Female Organs. Menses too early and too profuse; dark, clotted, irritable.
Respiratory Organs. Hoarseness. Smarting sensation below larynx, followed by cough, with mucous expectoration. Painful respiration; worse at night, must sit up in bed; worse tow or three hours every morning; asthma. Dry, hacking cough, from tickling in larynx on left side of throat; from smarting or scratching; with pain in lungs; difficult breathing; morning sputum which is copious. Stitches in chest; pleuritic pains (Bryonia, Kali carb., Squil.).
Heart. Stinging, pressing pain in region of heart.
Back. Backache, as from weakness; worse sitting and leaning against something; lower part of back lame, as if beaten, or from walking or standing; feels stiff.
Limbs. Dull, heavy, lame feeling; numbness. Rheumatic, drawing pains. Joints feel weak, stiff, lame. Painful swelling of feet.
Generalities. Foaming at mouth; free urination; spasms. Faint, weak wants to lie down. Nervous, fidgety feeling at night.
Sleep. Sleepy and exhausted. Sleepless, wakes at 3 A.M.; falls asleep again late in morning. (Nux v.).
Fever. Chilly in evening; in open air. Hot and chilly at same time.
Antidote. Nux v.
THERAPEUTICS.
Zingiber has been found useful in colds in the head; coryza; conjunctivitis; ozoena; asthma; dyspepsia; vomiting of drunkards; diarrhoea; chronic intestinal catarrh, etc., the symptoms agreeing.
APPENDIX.
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).