Scutellaria Laterifolia

Scutellaria.

Scutellaria laterifolia. Mad-dog Skull-cap. N. O. Labiatae. Βάμμα φρέσκου φυτού.

Ardor urinae. Εγκέφαλος, ερεθισμός του. Χορεία. Delirium tremens. Οδοντοφυΐα. Exophthalmos. Φουσκώματα. Κεφαλαλγία, νευρική. Λόξιγκας. Υδροφοβία. Υστερία. Νυχτερινοί τρόμοι. Αϋπνία. Tobacco-heart.

Scutel., says Hale, who introduced it into homoeopathy, is in the domestic practice of North America what Valerian is in that of Europe. "Its calming effects on the nervous system have been known ever since the settlement of New England." Provings by G. W. Gordon (Allen) and G.

H. Royal (New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies) give the homoeopathic data. Royal (A. H., xxiii. 269) had this indication for Scut. given him by a friend: "Nervo-bilious headache with the nervous symptoms uppermost, and nothing the matter with her." He relates this case: Miss M., 32, head of a large school, complained of being used up; unable to sleep or think.

Pain in head almost constant, sometimes frontal, mostly at base of brain. Whenever called upon to overdo herself cannot sleep that night, and then there is either a nervous explosion the following day or a nervous sick headache, either being followed by complete collapse. This was in May. Pic. ac., and later Phos. ac., gave relief, and in September patient resumed work.

Late in December there was another breakdown, and Stych. Pho. was given. A week later, after a very long and fatiguing day's work, Royal was summoned at 2 a.m. He found the patient screaming.

Every few minutes she had to urinate, and passed only a few drops. Stools frequent, loose, watery. Pulse irregular. Scut. Ø was given, ten drops every half-hour.

Patient was better after the second dose, slept after the fourth. Since then she has kept the medicine by her, has only taken it when overworked, and has never had a nerve explosion or a headache since. In this case there was "nothing the matter with her"—i.e., no organic defect to which the sufferings could be attributed. Royal's provers took 3x and 30x.

Gordon took repeated doses of 10 to 50 drops of Ø. Hale quotes many eclectic writers who give these indications: (1) Depression of nervous and vital powers after long sickness, over-exercise, over-study, long-continued and exhausting labours. It controls nervous agitation (King). [It was Burnett's chief remedy in the nervous debility after influenza.] (2) Scudder mentions chorea; delirium tremens; and hydrophobia (as its popular name suggests). Rafinesque cites cases of prevention of hydrophobia; and Hale observed it produce in a patient taking 1x, after each dose—"Spasmodic or constrictive closing of jaws, and a tightness of the muscles of the face." [A writer, quoted N.

Y. Med. Times, xxiv. 318, says Scut. in delirium tremens has the remarkable effect of calming fear.] (3) Paine adds these indications: Subsultus tendinum following fevers, in delirium tremens, epilepsy, catalepsy, hysteria. (4) Coe (who uses Scutellarin, the concentrated preparation) mentions sunstroke; tenesmus; tetanus; cramps.

Hale has used it with success in sleeplessness, night-terrors, hysteria, nervous agitation from pain or exciting emotions, cerebral irritation of children from dentition or intestinal irritation. Like its relation, Lycopus., it caused weak and irregular action of the heart and protrusion of the eyes. It has been found useful in weak heart resulting from cigarette smoking (M. Cent., iii. 463).

Churton (B. M. J., quoted H. R., i. 78) gave 60 drops of the tincture every two hours in a case of "severe and rapid hiccough" which Chloroform, Morphia, and Pilocarpine had failed to relieve permanently.

After the eighth dose the patient slept, and the spasms gradually diminished, and stopped for good by the fourth day. The hemicrania is > moving about in open air. (But there is also headache < from motion.) All symptoms are > by sleep. < By overwork or over-exertion.

Σύγκριση: Καρδιά, νόσος του Grave, και βοταν., Lcpus. Νευρική εξάντληση, Cypr. (Cypr., κατά τον Hale, δρα περισσότερο στον εγκέφαλο, Scut. στον νωτιαίο μυελό). Τρίσμος, Nux. Υδροφοβία, Agar., Fagus, Lach., Bell., Hdfb. «Υπερεργαζόμενες γυναίκες», Mag. c.

Έντονη συγκίνηση. Γρίπη. Υπερκόπωση (πνευματική ή σωματική). Καπνός (καρδιά). Πόνος (προκαλεί νευρική ανησυχία).

Πρόσωπο κατακόκκινο προς το βράδυ.—Σπασμωδική, συσφιγκτική σύγκλειση των σαγονιών και σφιξίμο των μυών του προσώπου (Hale, από 1x).

Γεύση: κακή· ξινή· πικρή.

Αίσθηση κόμπου στον λαιμό που δεν μπορούσε να καταποθεί.

Έντερα τακτικά με λευκά κόπρανα.—Διάρροια, ανοιχτού χρώματος· κόπρανα προηγούμενα από κωλικό.

Καταπίεση· σουβλιές στην περιοχή της καρδιάς.—Θαμπός πόνος κάθετα κάτω από το στέρνο.

Απότομοι πόνοι που αισθάνονται καμιά φορά στην οσφυϊκή περιοχή, προερχόμενοι κυρίως από την περιοχή του αριστερού νεφρού.

Περιστασιακές μυοσπασμοί στους μύες των χεριών και των ποδιών.

Κατάπτωση κατά το σηκώσιμο το πρωί.—Τρέμουλο και μυοσπασμοί των μυών.—Ανήσυχη αδημονία· πρέπει να κινείται.—Σουβλιές σε διάφορα μέρη.

Ελαφριά ρίγος, ιδίως κατά το σηκώσιμο.