This wonderful polychrest in homoeopathic medicine is very conspicuous by its absence in all allopathic materia medicas; even Finlay Dun spurns all mention of it, and I believe it was dropped from the U.S.Pharmacopoeia about the year 1905. Here is another good remedy that the old school has overlooked, and it really is amazing beyond words. A homoeopathician would as soon start out on a case without Bryonia either in his grip, or knowing where he could procure it easily, as man would go off on a shooting expedition without a gun.
We owe our knowledge of Bryonia entirely to Hahnemann s original proving on healthy people it was also proved by the Austrian provers. Its pathogenesis is so immense, covering such a large part of the system that it really seems incredible that allopathy has never recognized it. To briefly state a part of this we may mention the following: Inflammation of various organs, with a special affinity for the lungs and serous membranes; great aggravation from motion of any kind; patient is apt to be worse in the morning; great thirst, etc.
Speaking strictly in a veterinary sense the following indications may be noted: Breathing oppressed, difficult, or short and catchy; irritation of the bronchial tubes; rattling rales heard on auscultation of chest; on taking breath the animal evinces pain; catching stitches; he looks around at his sides, and points his nose to the flank; groans, as if he cannot get relief from pain; animal is unwilling to move; the pain is evidently increased by motion; tenderness of the body and flanks to pressure; greatest weakness on slight movement, or walking a very short distance; in horses, sweat breaks out in patches on the body, mouth and tongue dry and hot; in horses, ears cold; cough dry, short and painful; pulse quick, hard, wiry, or weak and thready; faces scanty, dark coloured or totally suppressed, or a little foul-smelling, dark coloured liquid passes; urine scanty, dark in colour, sometimes bloody, and appears, to be passed with difficulty. These may be taken as a few of the chief indications for the use of Bryonia in veterinary practice.
This remedy is a pure tissue irritant, with some direct influence on the blood. It is held in high repute for some fevers (typhoidal and rheumatism) which have their primary seat in the blood; affecting serous membranes and their contained viscera, some of the mucous membranes, and the muscles.
After Aconite, Bryonia is most useful in acute rheumatisms. It exercises powerful influence over serous and synovial membranes and muscular fibre. It appears equally suitable for articular and for muscular rheumatism; is less fitted for affections of the fibrous tissues proper. It is always homoeopathic when any serous membranes are inflamed in the course of rheumatic fever. A capital remedy when rheumatism attacks particular muscles, i.e., those of the loins, neck, etc. It is specially indicated in chronic rheumatism when the pain is increased by motion, i.e., when the affection, is, so to speak, sub-inflammatory.
Trinks says of it that it is “The sovereign remedy in all inflammations of the serous membranes which have advanced to the stage of serous effusion”. As long as the fever being still of a sharp, well pronounced, synochal character, Bryonia is of no use but at this time Aconite and Belladonna are the specific remedies which arrest the inflammation. After it has been developed to the stage of serous exudation in all cases Bryonia shows itself a remedy of quick and certain operations. In inflammations of serous membranes Aconite should be given first, and continued should the exudation be plastic; but if serous effusion occur, its place must be taken by Bryonia.
Especially in pleurisy should this treatment be adopted. In peritonitis from exposure to cold Bryonia acts exceedingly well after Aconite; it is also recommended for the puerperal form of this disease. It is also of value in simple congestion of the brain and meninges. As with Nux vom. and Lycopodium, gastric derangement requiring Bryonia is generally accompanied by constipation.
In affections of the liver Bryonia frequently comes into play, often in conjunction with Mercurius. It is the best remedy in dogs and other animals, where a nasal catarrh has run down the air passage to the first or second divisions of the bronchi, with pain and soreness behind the sternum, on pressure, where there is a dry, irritative, shaking cough, more or less severe, often rising to the point of retching.
In pleuro-pneumonia it is regarded by some as a specific; in pneumonia simplex it yields only to Phosphorus. In times past it was regarded as curative for the epidemic pleuro-pneumonia f cattle.
Over the mammary gland Bryonia has remarkable power. In the case of weaning puppies from bitches, where the breasts become swollen, tender, knotty, and painful, Bryonia will almost certainly resolve the inflammation and prevent the formation of abscess.
Although Bryonia perhaps, is more generally used in cases of constipation, this remedy finds its place occasionally in diarrhoea, especially during the heat of summer when looseness of the bowels follows exposure from great heat to sudden cold, in horse, or as the result of drinking large, droughts of cold water when heated by exertion.
To recapitulate it may be said in conclusion that in acute rheumatism, after Aconite has been given, Bryonia comes in to bring the case to a successful issue. Whether the rheumatism attacks muscles or is located in joints, this drug is indicated. In inflammation of serous membranes, such as pleurisy especially, Bryonia is indispensable in the stage of effusion. The same remark applies to peritonitis.
In congestion of the liver with yellow discolouring of the visible mucous membranes, with lameness, Bryonia gives good results. Catarrh beginning in nasal cavities and travelling downwards to the lungs, attended with dry, shaking cough, and rales in the trachea and larger bronchial tubes, requires this remedy. There are some kinds of diarrhoea which it cures quickly. Pains in the limbs, which are evidently increased by moving, and which may be assumed to exist from the animals reluctance of move, indicated Bryonia.
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CAL.
So far as there is morbid anatomy to account for symptoms, so far is it unimportant as a symptom, for if no other symptoms are present you can find no remedy.- KENT.
