Aconite-(Monkshood).
CHARACTERISTICS.
Congestion and inflammations immediately following a chill. Impending apoplexy. Pneumonia, first stage. Acute pleurisy. Lungs, cerebral envelopes, intestines or kidneys acutely congested. Cold, croup, tonsillitis, etc., following exposure with chill. Suppression of the menses from fright or chill. Is of little use for fever per se.
TOXIC EFFECTS.
General feeling of numbness and creeping of the skin.1. Extremities, body, tongue and breath cold. Cold sweat.2. Pulse irregular, slow, soft and full, or quick, irregular and weak.3. Respiration hurried and scarcely audible.4. Fear of death. Great anxiety and restlessness.5. Lungs intensely congested, filled with dark blood.6. Headache. Fitful mania. Pia mater and arachnoid engorged, with effusion of serum under the membranes and at the base of the brain.7. Dark inflammatory blush over the whole mucous surface of the stomach, duodenum and small intestines. Abdomen distended. Jaundice, vomiting of dark bile.8. Kidneys congested, with suppression of the urine.9.
DOSE.
Extractum aconiti, 1/6 to 1/2 gr.Extractum aconiti fluidum, I to 2m.
Tinctura aconiti, 1/2 to 5 m.
The larger doses of aconite are dangerous and usually ineffective. The best results are obtained from using this drug in doses of one drop of the first or second decimal dilution of the tincture in water every fifteen or twenty minutes.
THERAPEUTIC USES.
Fluttering of the heart of nervous persons.3.Nervous palpitations.3-5.
Impending apoplexy, the patient complaining of pricking, creeping in the extremities, accompanied by a sense of heaviness and numbness. Sluggish, irritated pulse.1-7.
Puerperal convulsions with acute cerebral congestion.7.
Apoplexy of the lungs.6.
Active haemorrhage-especially haemoptysis-in acute congestion of almost any part.6.
Nose bleeding of children and plethoric people.
Sthenic erysipelas.
Enteritis or peritonitis with high fever first stage.8.
Acute articular rheumatism.
Acute muscular rheumatism.
Tonsillitis. Quinsy. (First stages only).
Catarrhal croup.
First stage of croup with dry, hoarse cough and loud breathing during expiration.
Pain of otitis. (Internally and tincture in the ear). Acute catarrhal bronchitis.
Catarrhal or fibrinous pneumonia.
Pneumonia, first stage.6.
Acute pleurisy. 6.
Asthma with active hyperaemia of lungs and brain.6.
Fresh cold. (Specific if taken during stage of chill.)
Severe colds accompanied by much chilliness, great aching of the limbs. May have a hot, dry skin and a quick pulse.
Haemoptysis, the blood comes up with great ease by hawking and hemming.6.
Suppression of the menses from fright or cold.
Inflammation of the kidneys.9.
Inflammation of the bladder.
Dry coryza, from sudden changes of temperature with fever, thirst and great restlessness. Can not breathe through nose.
Toothache from dry, cold winds, especially in young plethoric people, with throbbing on one side of the face; teeth sensitive to cold air; intense redness of the cheek, congestion of the head and great restlessness.
Inflammation brought on by ice water and ice cream.
