Category: Materia Materica

Garlic

Acts directly on intestinal mucous membrane increasing peristalsis. Colitis, with pathological flora. Has vaso-dilatory properties. Arterial hypotension begins usually in 30 to 45 minutes after twenty to forty drop doses of the tincture.

Adapted to fleshy subjects with dyspepsia and catarrhal affections. High livers. Patients who eat a great deal more, especially meat, than they drink. Pain in hip, pain in psoas and iliac muscles. Pulmonary tuberculosis.

Cough and expectoration diminishes, temperature becomes normal, weight is gained, and sleep becomes regular. Hæmoptysis.

Head.–Heavy; pulsation in temples; catarrhal deafness.

Mouth.–Much sweetish saliva after meals and at night. Sensation of a hair on tongue or throat.

Stomach.–Voracious appetite. Burning eructations. Least change in diet causes trouble. Constipation, with constant dull pains in bowels. Tongue pale, red papillæ.

Respiratory.–Constant rattling of mucus in bronchi. Cough in the morning after leaving bedroom, with mucous expectoration, which is tenacious and difficult to raise. Sensitive to cold air. Dilated bronchi, with fetid expectoration. Darting pain in chest.

Female.–Pain in swelling of breasts. Eruption in vagina and on breasts and vulva during menses.

Relationship.–Allium Sat according to Dr. Teste, belongs to the Bryonia group, including Lycopod. Nux. Colocy, Digital and Ignatia which affect deeply all flesh eating animals and hardly at all vegetarians. Hence their special applicability to meat eaters rather than to exclusive vegetarians.

Compare: Capsicum; Arsenic; Senega; Kali nit.

Complementary: Arsenic.

Antidote: Lycopod.

Dose.–Third to sixth potency. In tuberculosis, dose, four to six grammes in moderate state of dessication daily, in divided doses.

Red Onion

A picture of coryza, with acrid nasal discharge and laryngeal symptoms, eye secretion bland; singers’ cold, worse in warm room and toward evening; better in open air is presented by this remedy. Specially adapted to phlegmatic patients; colds in damp cold weather. Neuralgic pains, like a fine thread, following amputations or injuries to nerves. Traumatic chronic neuritis. Burning in nose, mouth, throat, bladder and skin. Sensation of glowing heat on different parts of the body.

Head.–Catarrhal headache, mostly in forehead; worse in warm room towards evening. Thread-like pains in face. Headache ceases during menses; returns when flow disappears.

Eyes.–Red. Much burning and smarting lachrymation. Sensitive to light. Eyes suffused and watery; profuse, bland lachrymation, better in open air. Burning in eyelids.

Ears.–Earache, shooting in eustachian tube.

Nose.–Sneezing, especially when entering a warm room. Copious, watery and extremely acrid discharge. Feeling of a lump at root of nose. Hay-fever (Sabad; Sil; Psor). Fluent coryza with headache, cough, and hoarseness. Polypus.

Stomach.–Canine hunger. Pain in pyloric region. Thirst. Belching. Nausea.

Abdomen.–Rumbling, offensive flatus. Pains in left hypogastrium. Colic sitting, moving about.

Rectum.–Diarrhúa with very offensive flatus. Stitches in rectum; itching and rhagades in anus. Glowing heat in rectum.

Urinary.–Sensation of weakness in bladder and urethra. Increased secretion of urine with coryza. Urine red with much pressure and burning in urethra.

Respiratory.–Hoarseness. Hacking cough on inspiring cold air. Tickling in larynx. Sensation as if larynx is split or torn. Oppressed breathing from pressure in middle of chest. Constricted feeling in region of epiglottis. Pain extending to ear.

Extremities.–Lame joints. Ulcers on heel. Painful affections of fingers about nails neuralgia of stump. Bad effects from getting feet wet. Limbs, especially arms, feel sore and tired.

Sleep.–Yawning with headache and drowsiness. Gaping in deep sleep. Dreams. Wakes at 2 am.

Modalities.–Worse, in the evening, in warm room. Better, in open air, and in cold room.

Relationship.–Compare: Gels; Euph; Kali hyd; Aconite; Ipecac.

Complementary: Phosphor; Thuja; Puls.

Antidotes: Arn; Cham; Verat.

Dose.–Third potency.

Medicago Sativa, California Clover or Lucerne

>From its action on the sympathetic, Alfalfa favorably influences nutrition, evidenced in “toning up” the appetite and digestion resulting in greatly improved mental and physical vigor, with gain in weight. Disorders characterized by malnutrition are mainly within its therapeutic range, for example, neurasthenia, splanchnic blues, nervousness, insomnia, nervous indigestion, etc. Acts as a fat producer, corrects tissue waste. Deficient lactation. Increases quality and quantity of milk in nursing mothers. Its pronounced urinary action suggests it clinically in diabetes insipidus and phosphaturia; and it is claimed to allay vesical irritability of prostatic hypertrophy. The rheumatic diathesis seems especially amenable to its action.

Mind.–It induces mental exhilaration of buoyancy, i.e, a general feeling of well being; clear and bright, so that all blues are dissipated. Dull, drowsy, stupid (Gels); gloomy and irritable, worse during evening.

Head.–Dull, heavy feeling in occiput, in and above the eyes, worse toward evening. Pain in left side of head. Violent headache.

Ears.–Stuffed feeling in eustachian tubes (Kali mur) at night; patulous in morning.

Stomach.–Increased thirst. Appetite impaired, but chiefly increased even to bulimia. He must eat frequently, so that he cannot wait for regular meals; hungry in forenoon (Sul). Much nibbling of food and craving for sweets.

Abdomen.–Flatulence with distention. Shifting, flatulent pain along colon several hours after meals. Frequent, loose, yellow, painful stools, with burning of flatulence. Chronic appendicitis.

Urine.–Kidneys inactive; frequent urging to urinate. Polyuria (Phos ac). Increased elimination of urea, indican and phosphates.

Sleep.–Slept better than usual, especially in early morning; it induces quiet, reposeful and refreshing sleep.

Relationship.–Compare: Avena sat; Dipodium punct; Gels; Hydr; Kali phos; Phos ac; Zinc.

Dose.–The best results are elicited with material doses (5-10) drops of tincture, several times daily. Continue its use until tonic effects ensue.

Stargrass

An anæmic, relaxed condition, especially of the female organism, is portrayed by this remedy. The patient is tired all the time, and suffers from prolapsus, leucorrhœa, rectal distress, etc. Marked anæmia. Chlorotic girls and pregnant women.

Mind.–Power and energy weakened. Confused feelings. Cannot concentrate mind. Fainting, with vertigo.

Mouth.–Much frothy saliva.

Stomach.–Disgust for food. Least food causes distress. Fainting spells, with vertigo. Vomiting during pregnancy. Nervous dyspepsia. Flatulent colic.

Rectum.–Loads up with feces-paretic condition. Stool large, hard, difficult, great pain.

Female.–Premature and profuse menses, with labor-like pains (Bell; Cham; Kali c; Plat). Retarded and scanty flow (Senecio). Uterus seems heavy. Prolapse, with pain in right inguinal region. Leucorrhœa due to weakness and anæmia. Habitual tendency to abortion. Muscular pains during pregnancy.

Relationship.–Compare: Helonias; Hydrastis; Tanacet; China.

Dose.–Tincture to third potency.

Chinese Sumach

This remedy shows by its peculiar skin symptoms its pronounced power of disorganizing the blood, causing conditions we meet with in low fevers, low types of eruptive diseases, diphtheria, follicular tonsillitis, Streptococcus infection, Hæmorrhagic diathesis, etc. The skin appears livid or purplish; face dark as mahogany, hot; sordes; throat swollen, purple, livid; semi-conscious, delirious; weak pulse, general torpor and prostration. Symptoms remarkably alike to malignant scarlatina. Diarrhœa, dysentery and great weakness are very marked. Adynamia characterizes all its conditions. Lividity, stupor and malignancy. Mucous membranes hæmorrhagic and ulcerative (Lach. Ars).

Head.–General stupor, with sighing. Confused mind, mental depression. Headache, frontal, with drowsiness. Passive congestion headaches. Suffused, dilated eyes; photophobia. Face dusky. Thin, copious, ichorous, bloody nasal discharge.

Throat.–Inflamed, œdematous, dusky red. Much swelling, internal and external. Dry, rough, scraping, choking feeling. Neck tender and swollen. Hoarse, croupy voice. Tongue dry and brown. Teeth covered with sordes. Pain in swallowing extends to the ears.

Respiratory.–Hurried breathing; irregular. Dry, hacking cough. Lungs sore and tired.

Sleep.–Drowsy, restless. Heavy, disturbed, unrefreshing.

Skin.–Miliary, livid rash, returns annually. Large blisters filled with dark serum. Irregular, patchy, livid eruption, disappearing on pressure. Cold. Raynaud’s disease.

Relationship.–Antidotes: Rhus; Nux.

Compare: Ammon carb; Bapt; Arn; Mur ac; Lach; Rhus.

Dose.–First to sixth potency.

Bluebell

A relaxed condition of the system generally and a proneness to take cold on exposure to cold winds.

Catarrhal conditions; obstruction of nostrils. Adenoids, throat deafness. Enlarged tonsils. Mucous diarrhœa from cold. Chill from cold winds. Throat and ear troubles with tendency to free discharge from mucous membranes. Mutinism of childhood unconnected with deafness.

Relationship.–Compare: Hydrast; Cepa; Calc phos; Sulph jod; Calc jod.

Dose.–Third potency. Single doses of tincture (Dr. Cooper).

The Chaste Tree

The most effective point of attack of Agnus upon the organism is the sexual organism. It lowers sexual vitality, with corresponding mental depression and loss of nervous energy. It shows this distinctive influence in both sexes, but is more pronounced in men. Premature old age from abuse of sexual power. History of repeated gonorrhœa. A prominent remedy for sprains and strains. Gnawing itching in all parts, especially eyes. Tachycardia caused by tobacco in neurotic young men.

Mind.–Sexual melancholy. Fear of death. Sadness with impression of speedy death. Absentminded, forgetful, lack of courage. Illusion of smell-herrings, musk. Nervous depression and mental forebodings.

Eyes.–Pupils dilated (Bell). Itching about eyes; photophobia.

Nose.–Odor of herring or musk. Aching in dorsum better pressure.

Abdomen.–Spleen swollen, sore. Stools soft, recede, difficult. Deep fissures in anus. Nausea with sensation as if intestines were pressed downwards; wants to support bowels.

Male.–Yellow discharge from urethra. No erections. Impotence. Parts cold, relaxed. Desire gone (Selen; Con; Sabal). Scanty emission without ejaculation. Loss of prostatic fluid on straining. Gleety discharge. Testicles, cold, swollen, hard, and painful.

Female.–Scanty menses. Abhorrence of sexual intercourse. Relaxation of genitals, with leucorrhœa. Agalactia; with sadness. Sterility. Leucorrhœa staining yellow; transparent. Hysterical palpitation with nose bleed.

Relationship.–Compare: Selenium; Phosph ac; Camphor; Lycop.

Dose.–First to sixth potency.

Century Plant

Indicated in stomachache, and painful erections in gonorrhœa. Strangury. Hydrophobia. Scurvy; countenance pale, gums swollen and bleeding, legs covered with dark purple blotches, swollen, painful and hard. Appetite poor; bowels constipated.

Relationship.–Compare: Anhalonium; Lyssin; Lach.

Dose.–Tincture

Toad Stool-Bug Agaric
(AGARICUS MUSCARIUS-AMANITA)

This fungus contains several toxic compounds, the best known of which is Muscarin. The symptoms of poisoning do not develop at once, usually twelve to fourteen hours elapse before the initial attack. There is no antidote, treatment, entirely symptomatic (Schneider). Agaricus acts as an intoxicant to the brain, producing more vertigo and delirium than alcohol, followed by profound sopor with lowered reflexes.

Jerking, twitching, trembling, and itching are strong indications. Incipient phthisis; is related to the tubercular diathesis, anæmia, chorea, twitching ceases during sleep. Various forms of neuralgia and spasmodic affections, and neurotic skin troubles are pictured in the symptomatology of this remedy. It corresponds to various forms of cerebral excitement rather than congestion. Thus, in delirium of fevers, alcoholism, etc. General paralysis. Sensation as if pierced by needles of ice. Sensitive to pressure and cold air. Violent bearing-down pains. Symptoms appear diagonally as right arm and left leg. Pains are accompanied by sensation of cold, numbness and tingling.

Mind.–Sings, talks, but does not answer. Loquacity. Aversion to work. Indifference. Fearlessness. Delirium characterized by singing, shouting, and muttering; rhymes and prophesies. Begins with paroxysm of yawning.

The provings bring out four phases of cerebral excitement.

1. Slight stimulation-shown by increased cheerfulness, courage, loquacity, exalted fancy.

2. More decided intoxication-great mental excitement and incoherent talking, immoderate gaity alternates with melancholy. Perception of relative size of objects is lost, takes long steps and jumps over small objects as if they were trunks of trees-a small hole appears as a frightful chasm, a spoonful of water an immense lake. Physical strength is increased, can lift heavy loads. With it much twitching.

3. Third stage produces a condition of furious or raging delirium, screaming, raving, wants to injure himself, etc.

4. Fourth stage-mental depression, languor, indifference, confusion, disinclination to work, etc. We do not get the active cerebral congestion of Belladonna, but a general nervous excitement such as is found in delirium tremens, delirium of fevers, etc.

Head.–Vertigo from sunlight, and on walking. Head in constant motion. Falling backward, as if a weight in occiput. Lateral headache, as if from a nail (Coff; Ignat). Dull headache from prolonged desk-work. Icy coldness, like icy needles, or splinters. Neuralgia with icy cold head. Desire to cover head warmly (Silica). Headache with nose-bleed or thick mucous discharge.

Eyes.–Reading difficult, as type seems to move, to swim. Vibrating specters. Double vision (Gels), dim and flickering. Asthenopia from prolonged strain, spasm of accommodation. Twitching of lids and eyeballs (Codein). Margins of lids red; itch and burn and agglutinate. Inner angles very red.

Ears.–Burn and itch, as if frozen. Twitching of muscles about the ear and noises.

Nose.–Nervous nasal disturbances. Itching internally and externally. Spasmodic sneezing after coughing; sensitiveness; watery non-inflammatory discharge. Inner angles very red. Fetid, dark, bloody discharge. Nosebleed in old people. Sensation of soreness in nose and mouth.

Face.–Facial muscles feel stiff; twitch; face itches and burns. Lancinating, tearing pain in cheeks, as of splinters. Neuralgia, as if cold needles ran through nerves or sharp ice touched them.

Mouth.–Burning and smarting on lips. Herpes on lips. Twitching. Taste sweet. Aphthæ on roof of mouth. Splinter like pains in tongue. Thirsty all the time. Tremulous tongue (Lach). Tongue white.

Throat.–Stitches along eustachian tube to ear. Feels contracted. Small solid balls of phlegm thrown up. Dryness of pharynx, swallowing difficult. Scratching in throat; cannot sing a note.

Stomach.–Empty eructations, tasting of apples. Nervous disturbances, with spasmodic contractions, hiccough. Unnatural hunger. Flatulent distention of stomach and abdomen. Profuse inodorous flatus. Burning in stomach about three hours after a meal, changing into a dull pressure. Gastric disturbance with sharp pains in liver region.

Abdomen.–Stitching pains in liver, spleen (Ceanothus) and abdomen. Stitches under short ribs, left side. Diarrhœa with much fetid flatus. Fetid stools.

Urinary.–Stitches in urethra. Sudden and violent urging to urinate. Frequent urination.

Female.–Menses, increased, earlier. Itching and tearing, pressive pains of genitals and back. Spasmodic dysmenorrhœa. Severe bearing-down pains, especially after menopause. Sexual excitement. Nipples itch, burn. Complaints following parturition and coitus. Leucorrhœa, with much itching.

Respiratory Organs.–Violent attacks of coughing that can be suppressed by effort of will, worse eating, pain in head while cough lasts. Spasmodic cough at night after falling asleep, with expectoration of little balls of mucus. Labored, oppressed breathing. Cough ends in a sneeze.

Heart.–Irregular, tumultuous palpitation, after tobacco. Pulse intermittent and irregular. Cardiac region oppressed, as if thorax were narrowed. Palpitation with redness of face.

Back.–Pain, with sensitiveness of spine to touch; worse in dorsal region. Lumbago; worse in open air. Crick in back. Twitching of cervical muscles.

Extremities.–Stiff all over. Pain over hips. Rheumatism better motion. Weakness in loins. Uncertain gait. Trembling. Itching of toes and feet as if frozen. Cramp in soles of feet. Pain in shin-bone. Neuralgia in locomotor ataxia. Paralysis of lower limbs, with spasmodic condition of arms. Numbness of legs on crossing them. Paralytic pain in left arm followed by palpitation. Tearing painful contractions in the calves.

Skin.–Burning, itching, redness, and swelling, as from frostbites. Pimples, hard, like flea-bites. Miliary eruption, with intolerable itching and burning. Chilblains. Angioneurotic œdema; rosacea. Swollen veins with cold skin. Circumscribed erythematous, papular and pustular and œdematous lesions.

Sleep.–Paroxysms of yawning. Restless from violent itching and burning. On falling asleep, starts, twitches, and awakes often. Vivid dreams. Drowsy in daytime. Yawning, followed by involuntary laughter.

Fever.–Very sensitive to cool air. Violent attacks of heat in evening. Copious sweat. Burning spots.

Modalities.–Worse, open cold air, after eating, after coitus. In cold weather, before a thunder-storm. Worse, pressure on dorsal spine, which causes involuntary laughter. Better, moving about slowly.

Relationship.–Compare: Muscarine, the alkaloid of Agaricus (has much power over secretions, increasing lachrymal, salivary, hepatic, etc, but diminishing renal; probably neurotic in origin, stimulating the terminal fibers of the secretory nerves of all these structures, hence salivation, lachrymation and excessive perspiration. Atropin exactly opposes Muscarine. Resembles Pilocarpin in action). Amanita vernus-spring mushroom-a variety of Agar Phalloides-Death cup-active principle is Phallin, active like Muscarine. Amanita phalloides (Death Cup-Deadly Agaric). The poison is a toxalbumin, resembling the poison in the rattle snake and the poison excreted by the cholera and diphtheria germs. It acts on the red blood corpuscles, dissolving them so that blood escapes into the alimentary canal and the whole system is drained. The amount of this toxic principle is small, even handling of specimens and breathing of spores affects some people unpleasantly. The poison is slow in development. Even 12 to 20 hours after taking it the patient feels all right, but vertigo violent choleraic symptoms with rapid loss of strength with death the second or third day, preceded by stupor and spasms. Fatty degeneration of liver, heart and kidneys, hæmorrhages in lungs, pleura and skin (Dr. J. Schier). Vomiting and purging. Continuous urging to stool, but no gastric, abdominal or rectal pain. Intense thirst for cold water, dry skin. Lethargic but mentally clear. Sharp changes from rapid to slow and from slow to rapid breathing, extreme collapse, suppressed urine, but no cold extremities or cramps. Agaric emet (severe vertigo; all symptoms better, cold water; longing for ice-water; gastritis cold sweat, vomiting sensation as if stomach was suspended on a string). Tamus (chilblains and freckles). Cimicif; Cann ind; Hyos; Tarantula.

Antidote: Absinth; Coffea; Camphor.

Dose.–Third to thirtieth and two hundredth potency. In skin affections and brain exhaustions give the lower attenuations.

Sulph and Quicksilver, or Black Sulphide Mercury
(AETHIOPS MERCURIALIS-MINERALIS)

This preparation is of use in scrofulous affections, ophthalmia, otorrhœa, painful, irritating, scabby eruptions, hereditary syphilis.

Skin.–Eruptions. Favus-like, scrofulous, herpetic and eczematous.

Relationship.–Aethiops Antimonalis–(Hydrargyrum stibiato sulfuratum).–(often more effective than the above in scrofulous eruptions, glandular swellings, otorrhœa and scrofulous eye affections, corneal ulcers. Third trituration). Compare: Calc; Sil; Psorin.

Dose.–The lower triturations, especially the second decimal.