China – Peruvian Bark

The mother tincture is prepared from the dried bark of younger trunks and older branches of the tree, Cinchona succirubra Pav. ex Klotzsch, syn: Cinchona pubes- cens Vahl, which grows wild in the Andes and is cultivated in the East Indies, on Java in particular. N.O. Rubiaceae.

The China-bark tree, Cinchona succirubra, a member of the Rubiaceae family, growing in Peru and Bolivia, in India, and above all on Java, is well-known as the source of one of the most important remedies, from which quinine is obtained, for- merly used as a specific against malaria. Peruvian bark was used as a folk medicine for fever, particularly undulating fever, but also as bitters for the production of vari- eties of gin and for taking in states of exhaustion. In homoeopathy, China is used less as a fever-remedy, and more in states of weakness and anaemia after losses of vital fluids of all kinds. Indications would be substantial loss of blood, loss of vital fluids in breast-feeding, suppurations, chronic diarrhoea, galactorrhoea, excessive salivation, leucorrhoea, spermatorrhoea, etc. Consequences of sudden evacuations of vital fluids may include fainting, ringing in the ears or loss of vision.

China symptoms are characterised by a pale, yellowish face with sunken eyes hav- ing dark rings around them, by pulsating headaches, and by light perspiration on the slightest movement or exertion, also night-sweats. An anaemic headache with air- hunger is characteristic, associated with general lability of the vascular nervous

mechanism, with congestions of the head and chest, with pulsation of the carotid ar- teries, and possibly with oedema. There is also a tendency to profuse haemorrhage of dark blood from various organs. If these have been temporarily treated with some haemostatic, then after a dose of China has been given they may reappear if China is given in too low a dosage. Thus it has generally proved expedient, where haemor- rhage is present, first of all to treat the haemorrhage symptomatically (e.g. with preparations of Cinnamomum), and only to use China later on in order to remove the secondary anaemia.

As a consequence of the humoral dystonia resulting from the loss of vital fluids, the China picture also includes disturbances of liver-function, with loss of appetite, emaciation, sensation of a lump beneath the sternum (as in Pulsatilla), abdominal distension, loss of appetite after a few mouthfuls, and eructations bringing only tem- porary relief. Food is mostly vomited undigested. There is thirst for cold water and craving for spirits and sugar (similar to Argentum Nitricum). Icterus may occur too, and there may be gall-stones and reduced excretion of uric acid, possibly linked with intestinal spasms and offensive flatus. The diarrhoea is painless, occurs after eating and at night, especially after eating fruit, and includes particles of undigested food.

Whereas the episodes of fever, such as periodically occur in malaria, may be cured in rare cases by China tincture, a suppression of the fever can possibly be achieved with Chininum Sulphuricum in allopathic dosage, whilst this preparation is used, from a homoeopathic point of view, in tinnitus, e.g. in Ménière’s syndrome. The fevers which respond to China are extraordinarily characteristic, the fever worsening day by day. This worsening of symptoms progressively from day to day is charac- teristic not only of the fever, but also of headache and other conditions of whatever kind which occur in a daily-changing rhythm. Nash reports having had numerous disappointments with China in the treatment of undulant fever, whereas with other remedies, e.g. Eupatorium Perfoliatum, Natrum Muriaticum or Arsenicum Album, his treatments produced good results.

It might also be mentioned that it was through an experiment with Peruvian bark on himself that Hahnemann discovered the homoeopathic Law of Similars. After taking Peruvian bark he produced symptoms of intermittent fever. He had been en- couraged to carry out his first experiment in the history of medicine by reading a note in Cullen’s Materia Medica, saying that China was capable of causing, as well as healing, fever, reputedly through its influence on gastric function.

The  weakness  which  is   native   to   China   patients   is   also   characterised by susceptibility to draughts and touch, the scalp being particularly sensitive, as    if the hair were sore. Firm pressure, on the other hand, as with Bryonia, usually gives relief. There is a typical weakness between the shoulder-blades, suggestive  of Scheuermann’s disease. China is  also  effective  in  spondylitis,  if  symptoms of weakness predominate. The patient  is  fatigued,  feels  miserable  and  lacking in energy, so that he is incapable of making the necessary corrections to  his posture.

We must also mention a certain sensitivity in the left hypogastrium, corresponding roughly to the position of the spleen, and possibly associated with painless diarrhoea of undigested food, with flatulent distension and eructations which bring only tem- porary relief or none at all, (unlike Carbo Veg. and Argentum Nitricum), and dis- charge of offensive flatus, as already mentioned.

If the main symptoms of China are categorised, we have the following essential picture of the remedy:

1. States of exhaustion and weakness after loss of any kind of vital fluids. Loss of appetite. Secondary anaemia. Weakness between the shoulder-blades, cannot sit without support for the back. Scheuermann’s disease. Exhausted state in spondylitis.
   1. Functional disturbances of the liver and irritation in the biliary system. Cholelithi- asis, cholangitis and cholecystitis. Liver and spleen swollen and sensitive. Icterus. Illnesses of gall and spleen.
   1. Abdominal distension with eructations which do not relieve. Tendency to painless diarrhoea with undigested food and offensive flatulence.
   1. Chronic neuralgias and other complaints which worsen every second or third day. Sensitivity, especially of the scalp, to touch and draught.
   1. 5.   Desire for coffee. Sensitivity to cold. Tendency to profuse haemorrhages.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Cinchona succirubra, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for china: feverish episodes; general blood poisoning; inflammations of the respiratory passages; acute diarrhoea; digestive insufficiency; biliary colic; mucosal bleeding; anaemia; general enervation/exhaustion; rashes; neuralgia.