Category: Materia Materica

Snow-rose
(RHODODENDRON)

Rheumatic and gouty symptoms well marked. Rheumatism in the hot season. The modality (worse before a storm) is a true guiding symptom.

Mind.–Dread of a storm; particularly afraid of thunder. Forgetful.

Head.–Aching in temples. Tearing pain in bones. Headache; worse, wine, wind, cold and wet weather. Pain in eyes before a storm. Ciliary neuralgia, involving eyeball, orbit, and head. Heat in eyes when using them.

Eyes.–Muscular asthenopia; darting pains through eyes from head, worse before a storm.

Ears.–Difficult hearing, with whizzing and ringing in ears. Hearing better in the morning; noises come on after patient has been up a few hours.

Face.–Prosopalgia; violent jerking pain involving dental nerves, from temple to lower jaw and chin; better, warmth and eating. toothache in damp weather and before a storm. Swollen gums. Stumps of teeth are loosened.

Chest.–Violent pleuritic pains running downward in left anterior chest. Breathless and speechless from violent pleuritic pains running down the anterior chest. Stitches in spleen from fast walking. Crampy pain under short ribs.

Male.–Testicles, worse left, swollen, painful, drawn up. Orchitis; glands feel crushed. Induration and swelling of testes after gonorrhœa. Hydrocele (Sil).

Extremities.–Joints swollen. Gouty inflammation of great toe-joint. Rheumatic tearing in all limbs, especially right side; worse, at rest and in stormy weather. Stiffness of neck. Pain in shoulders, arms, wrists; worse when at rest. Pains in bones in spots, and reappear by change of weather. Cannot sleep unless legs are crossed.

Modalities.–Worse, before a storm. All symptoms reappear in rough weather, night, towards morning. Better, after the storm breaks, warmth, and eating.

Relationship.–Compare: Ampelopsis (hydrocele and renal dropsy); Dulc; Rhus; Nat sulph.

Dose.–First to sixth potency.

Rhubarb
(RHEUM)

Of frequent use in children with sour diarrhœa; difficult dentition. Whole child smells sour.

Mind.–Impatient and vehement; desires many things and cries (Cina).

Head.–Sweat on hairy scalp; constant and profuse. Cool sweat on the face, especially about mouth and nose.

Mouth.–Much saliva. Sensation of coolness in teeth. Difficult teething; restless and irritable. Breath smells sour (Cham).

Stomach.–Desire for various kinds of food, but soon tires of all. Throbbing in pit. Feels full.

Abdomen.–Colicky pain about navel. Colic when uncovering. Wind seems to rise up to chest.

Rectum.–Before stool, unsuccessful urging to urinate. Stools smell sour, pasty, with shivering and tenesmus, and burning in anus. Sour diarrhœa during dentition. Colicky, even ineffectual urging to evacuate altered fecal stools.

Modalities.–Worse, uncovering, after eating, moving about.

Relationship.–Compare: Mag phos; Hep; Pod; Cham; Ipec.

Antidotes: Camph; Cham.

Complementary: Mag carb.

Dose.–Third to sixth potency.

California Coffee-tree

One of the most positive remedies for rheumatism and muscular pains. Pleurodynia, lumbago, gastralgia. Vesical tenesmus; dysmenorrhœa of myalgic origin; pain in head, neck, and face. Inflammatory rheumatism, joints swollen, painful; tendency to metastasis; profuse sweat. Rheumatic heart (Webster).

Provings of students. 2x potency.

Mind.–Nervous, restless, irritable. Lassitude; mentally dull and dazed; unable to concentrate mind on studies.

Head.–Dizzy full feeling. Heavy bruised sensation; better from pressure. Bursting feeling with every step. Soreness, especially in occiput and vertex, worse, bending over. Dull pain in left temple. Dull aching in frontal region (left), extending backwards and over forehead. Deep, right-sided frontal headache. Twitching eyelids.

Ears.–Dullness of hearing. Soreness, deep under right tragus on swallowing.

Face.–Flushed, hot and glowing. Outward pressure from malar processes.

Mouth.–Canker sore between gums and lips. Tongue coated, with clean, pink central patch.

Throat.–Dry, rough. Soreness on right side and tonsil.

Bowels.–Constipation with some flatus. Tenesmus and dry stool. Flatulent diarrhœa.

Genito-urinary.–Increased urination. Tickling in anterior urethra, small morning drop (no previous gonorrhœa). Sexual desire increased.

Respiratory.–Substernal oppression. Tenderness on pressure of right intercostal muscles.

Heart.–Variation of pulse. Slow pulse.

Extremities.–Unable to control muscular action. Legs sore. Walked like a drunken man.

Modality.–Symptoms worse in evening.

Relationship.–Rhamnus cathartica or Rhamnus Frangula-European Buckthorn-a rheumatic remedy–(abdominal symptoms, colic, diarrhœa; hæmorrhoids, especially chronic). Rhamnus Purshiana-Cascara Sagrada–(palliative in constipation, as an intestinal tonic, and dyspepsia dependent thereon. 10-15 drops of tincture).

Dose.–Tincture in 15-drop doses every four hours.

Krameria-Mapato
(RATANHIA)

The rectal symptoms are most important, and have received much clinical confirmation. It has cured pterygium. Violent hiccough. Cracked nipples (Graph; Eup ar). Pin worms.

Head.–Bursting in head after stool, and when sitting with head bent forward. Sensation as if scalp from nose to vertex were stretched.

Stomach.–Pain like knives cutting the stomach.

Rectum.–Aches, as if full of broken glass. Anus aches and burns for hours after stool. Feels constricted. Dry heat at anus, with sudden knife-like stitches. Stools must be forced with great effort; protrusion of hæmorrhoids. Fissures of anus, with great constriction, burning like fire, as do the hæmorrhoids; temporarily relieved by cold water. Fetid, thin diarrhœa; stools burn; burning pains before and after stools. Oozing at anus. Pin-worms (Sant; Teuc; Spig). Itching of anus.

Relationship.–Compare: Paeon; Croton (rectal neuralgia); Sanguin nit (diseases of rectum); Macuna prurens-Dolichos-piles, with burning; hæmorrhoidal diathesis; Silico-sulphocalcite of Alumina; Stag-blast iron furnace cinder–(anal itching, piles, and constipation; housemaid’s knee); abdominal flatulent distension and lumbago. Analogue to Lycopod.

Dose.–Third to sixth potency. Locally, the Cerate has proved invaluable in many rectal complaints.

Black Garden Radish
(RAPHANUS)

Produces pain and stitches in liver and spleen. Increases of bile and salivary secretion. Symptoms will not appear if salt is used with the Radish. Great accumulation and incarceration of flatulence. “Globus” symptoms. Seborrhœa, with greasy skin. Pemphigus. Hysteria; chilliness in back and arms. Sexual insomnia (Kali brom). Nymphomania. Post-operative gas pains.

Head.–Sadness, aversion to children, especially girls. Headache, brain feels tender and sore. Œdema of lower eyelids. Mucus in posterior nares.

Throat.–Hot-ball feeling from uterus to throat, stopping there. Heat and burning in throat.

Stomach.–Putrid eructations. Burning in epigastrium, followed by hot eructation.

Abdomen.–Retching and vomiting, loss of appetite. Distended, tympanitic, hard. No flatus emitted upward or downward. Griping about navel. Stool liquid, frothy, profuse, brown, with colic, and pad-like swelling of intestines. Vomiting of fecal matter.

Female.–Nervous irritation of genitals. Menses very profuse and long-lasting. Nymphomania, with aversion to her own sex and to children, and sexual insomnia.

Urine.–Turbid, with yeast-like sediment. Urine more copious, thick like milk.

Chest.–Pain in chest extends to back and to throat. Heavy lump and coldness in center of chest.

Relationship.–Compare: Momordica (worse, near splenic flexure); Carbo; Anarc; Arg nit; Brassica.

Dose.–Third to thirtieth potency.

Marsh Buttercup

Is more irritating than others of this botanical family, as seen in the skin symptoms. Boring, gnawing pain very marked. Pemphigus. Periodical complaints. Fainting with pain in stomach.

Head.–Gnawing in one spot left of vertex. Frightful dreams about corpses, serpents, battles, etc. Fluent coryza, with sneezing and burning micturition.

Mouth.–Teeth and gums sensitive. Tongue mapped denuded patches. Mouth sore and raw. Burning and rawness of tongue.

Abdomen.–Sensation of a plug behind umbilicus. Pain over region of liver, with sensation as if diarrhœa would set it. Pressure as of a plug behind right false ribs; worse, deep inspiration.

Chest.–Integument sensitive. Bruised pain and weakness in the chest every evening. Sore burning behind xiphoid cartilage.

Skin.–Vesicular eruption, with tendency to form large blisters. Acrid exudation, which makes surrounding parts sore.

Extremities.–Boring pain. Sudden burning sticking in right toe. Corns, with burning and soreness, especially when feet hang down. Gout in fingers and toes.

Dose.–First to third potency.

Marsh Buttercup

Is more irritating than others of this botanical family, as seen in the skin symptoms. Boring, gnawing pain very marked. Pemphigus. Periodical complaints. Fainting with pain in stomach.

Head.–Gnawing in one spot left of vertex. Frightful dreams about corpses, serpents, battles, etc. Fluent coryza, with sneezing and burning micturition.

Mouth.–Teeth and gums sensitive. Tongue mapped denuded patches. Mouth sore and raw. Burning and rawness of tongue.

Abdomen.–Sensation of a plug behind umbilicus. Pain over region of liver, with sensation as if diarrhœa would set it. Pressure as of a plug behind right false ribs; worse, deep inspiration.

Chest.–Integument sensitive. Bruised pain and weakness in the chest every evening. Sore burning behind xiphoid cartilage.

Skin.–Vesicular eruption, with tendency to form large blisters. Acrid exudation, which makes surrounding parts sore.

Extremities.–Boring pain. Sudden burning sticking in right toe. Corns, with burning and soreness, especially when feet hang down. Gout in fingers and toes.

Dose.–First to third potency.

Buttercup

Acts especially upon the muscular tissue and skin, and its most characteristic effects are upon the chest walls, like pleurodynia. Bad effects of Alcohol; delirium tremens. Spasmodic hiccough. Hydrothorax. Shocks throughout the whole body. Sensitive to air and touch. Chronic sciatica.

Head.–Irritable, pains in forehead and eyeballs. Creeping sensation in scalp. Pressing pain in forehead from within outward.

Eyes.–Day-blindness; mist before eyes; pressure and smarting in eyes, as from smoke. Pain over right eye; better, standing and walking. Herpes on cornea. Vesicles on cornea, with intense pain, photophobia, and lachrymation.

Chest.–Various kinds of pains and soreness, as if bruised in sternum, ribs, intercostal spaces, and both hypochondria. Inter-costal rheumatism. Chilliness in chest when walking in open air. Stitches in chest, between shoulder-blades; worse, inspiring, moving. Rheumatic pain in chest, as from subcutaneous ulceration. Tenderness of abdomen to pressure. Muscular pain along lower margin of the shoulder-blade; burning in small spots from sedentary employment.

Skin.–Burning and intense itching; worse, contact. Hard excrescences. Herptic eruptions, with great itching. Shingles, bluish vesicles. Itching in palms. Blister-like eruption in palms. Corns sensitive. Horny skin. Finger-tips and palms chapped. Vesicular and pustular eruptions.

Modalities.–Worse, open air, motion, contact, atmospheric changes, wet, stormy weather, evening. Cold air brings on all sorts of ailments.

Relationship.–Incompatible: Sulph; Staph.

Compare: Ranunc acris (pain in lumbar muscles and joints by bending and turning body); Ranunc glacialis-Reindeer flower Carlina–(Pulmonary affections; broncho-pneumonical Influenza-enormous weight in head with vertigo and sensation as of impending apoplexy; night-sweats-more on thighs); Ranunc repens (crawling sensation in forehead and scalp in evening in bed); Ranunc flammula (ulceration; gangrene of arm). Compare, also: Bry; Croton; Mez; Euphorb.

Antidotes: Bry; Camph; Rhus.

Dose.–Mother tincture, in ten to thirty drop doses in delirium tremens; third to thirtieth potency generally. Chronic sciatica, apply tincture to heel of affected leg (M. Jousset).

Radium Bromide
(RADIUM)

An important addition to the Materia Medica, especially since the provings by Diffenbach have precisionized its use. Radium brom of 1,800,000 radio-activity was employed. Found effective in the treatment of rheumatism and gout, in skin affections generally, acne rosacea, nævi, moles, ulcers and cancers. Lowered blood pressure. Severe aching pains all over, with restlessness, better moving about. Chronic rheumatic arthritis. Lateness in appearance of symptoms. Ulcers due to Radium burns, take a long time to heal. Marked increase in the polymorphonuclear neutrophiles. Great weakness.

Mind.–Apprehensive, depressed; fear of being alone in the dark; great desire to be with people. Tired and irritable.

Head.–Vertigo, with pain in back of head, left when in bed. Occipital and vertex pain, accompanying severe lumbar aching. Severe pain over right eye, spreading back to occiput and to vertex, better in open air. Head feels heavy. Frontal headache. Both eyes ache. Itching and dryness of nasal cavities, better in open air. Aching pain in angle of right lower jaw. Violent trifacial neuralgia.

Mouth.–Dryness of mouth. Metallic taste. Prickling sensation on end of tongue.

Stomach.–Empty feeling in stomach. Warm sensation in stomach. Aversion to sweets, ice-cream. Nausea and sinking sensation, belching of gas.

Abdomen.–Pain, violent cramps, rumbling, full of gas; pain over McBurney’s point, and at location of sigmoid flexure. Much flatulence. Alternating constipation and loose movements. Pruritus ani and piles.

Urinary.–Increased elimination of solids, particularly of chlorides. Renal irritation, albuminuria, granular and hyaline casts. Nephritis with rheumatic symptoms. Enuresis.

Female.–Pruritus vulvæ. Delayed and irregular menstruation and backache. Aching pains in abdomen over pubes when flow comes on. Right breast sore, relieved by hard rubbing.

Respiratory.–Persistent cough with tickling in suprasternal fossa. Dry, spasmodic cough. Throat dry, sore, chest constricted.

Back.–Aching in back of neck. Pain and lameness in cervical vertebræ, worse dropping head forward, better standing, or sitting erect. Lumbar and sacral backache, pain appears to be in bone, continued motion relieves. Backache between shoulders and lumbar-sacral region, better after walking.

Extremities.–Severe pain in all the limbs, joints, especially in knee and ankles, sharp pains in shoulders, arms, hands and fingers. Legs, arms and neck feel hard and brittle, as though they would break on moving. Arms feel heavy. Cracking in shoulder. Pain in toes, calves, hip-joint, popliteal spaces. Muscles of legs and hips sore. Arthritis, aching pains, worse at night. Dermatitis of the fingers. Trophic changes in the finger nails.

Skin.–Small pimples. Erythema and dermatitis, with itching, burning, swelling and redness. Necrosis and ulceration. Itching all over body, burning of skin, as if afire. Epithelioma.

Sleep.–Restless. Sleepiness with lethargy. Dreams vivid, busy. Dreams of fire.

Fever.–Cold sensation internally, with chattering of teeth until noon. Internal chilliness followed by heat of the skin, associated with bowel movements and flatulence.

Modalities.–Better, open air, continued motion, hot bath, lying down, pressure. Worse, getting up.

Relationship.–Compare: Anacardium (the ulceration produced by it is like Radium. It may appear elsewhere than on place of contact and appear late). Compare: X-Ray; Rhus; Sepia; Uranium; Ars; Pulsat; Caustic.

Antidotes: Rhus ven; Tellur.

Dose.–Thirtieth and twelfth trituration.

Chile Soap-bark

Produces and cures symptoms of acute catarrh, sneezing and sore throat. Most effective in the beginning of coryza, checking its further development. Colds with sore throat; heat and dryness of throat. Cough with difficult expectoration. Squamous skin

Relationship.–Compare: Kali hyd; Gels; Cepa; Squilla. Saponaria (sore throat, involuntary urination). Senega.

Dose.–Tincture and first potency.