Ομοιοπαθητική ΒιβλιοθήκηPhytolacca Decandra
Hale - Materia Medica and Special Therapeutics of the New Remedies · Edwin Moses Hale · 17,613 χαρακτήρες
General EN
(Poke- Weed, Poke-Boot.)
BOTAHicAL Dbbckiptiob Tliis plant is herbaceous, ■with a pereiinial root of large size, frequently exceeding a man's leg in diameter usually branched, fleshy, fibrous, white within, easily cut or broken, and covered with a very thin brownisli bark or cuticle. Stems annuil, about an Inch in (iiumeter, and from five to nine feet in height, round, smooth and very much branched ; when young, they are green, but become of a fine deep purple or scarlet when matured. Leases scattered, petiolate, ovate, ohlong, smooth on both sides, ribbed underneath, entire, acute, and live inches long by two or tliree in breadth, fflmners numerous, small, greenish-white, on long pedunculated racemes, opposite to the leaves, sometimes erect and Rometinies drooping.
Peduncles nearly smooth, angular, ascending; pedi- cles divaricate, sometimes branched, green-white, or pui-ple, and two others in middle. Oalyx whitish, consisting of five round-ovate, concave, in- curred sepals. Stamens ten, Oear}/ green, round, depressed, ten furrowed. Styles ten.
Berries in long clusters, dark-purple when ripe, round, de- pressed or flattened, marked with, tlio furrows on the sides. Cells ten, See^s, ten, solitary.
This plant ii a native of the TJaited States, growing In nearly all parts, along hedges, in neglected fields and meadows, along roadsides, moist ground, flowering from July to September. It is known by vjirious other names, as pigeon-berry, garget, scoko, coakum, pocan. The two last names originated witli the Indian tribes. This species is found not only in the United States, but in the Azores, North Africa and China.
The PhytolaMd icosandra, a much smaller species, is a native of South America, extending frr.m Rio de Janeiro to Mexico, and is found in some of the West Indiaa Islands. The Phytolacca octan(k\i is found in the West Indies and Mexico, where the berries are used for washing, like soap. These species possess Biinilar properties.
Officibai, Pbeparationb. — Tincture of the fresh root; tincture of the ripe berries; dilutions. Phytolaccin; triturations.
AHALOaUBB. — Arsenicum, Arum tri.. Belladonna, Iris iier., Kali bieh. Lachesu, Mereurvus tod., Merewrius hydro.. Nitric acid, StUlingia, Sanguia- nria, 8ulp}i/ar-
Mental Sphere. jyind very gloomy and irritable. Stupefaction, with vertigo and dimnesa of vision.
Head EN
Dnil, steady, aching pain in the head, pi'incipally in the fore- head. One-sided pain jnst above the eyebrows.
Sensation ae if the brain were brnised, when stepping from a high step to the ground.
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PHYTOLACCA DECANDRA. *&«
IVeeenre in the temples and over the eyes, with nausea.
° Coplialiilgia — rlieumatie, syphilitic, or neuralgic.
° Syphilitic nodes of the stuil.
Heaviness in the head and pressure in vertex, with vei'tigo.
Pain in the occiput, aggravated by walking or riding.
" "Weekly attacks of sick headache.
" Tinea capitis; also scaly eruptions on the scalp.
Eyes EN
Vovhle msion, with giddiness and headache.
Burning, smarting and itching, in the eyes, as if sand were in them, with profuse lachrymation.
iteddieh-blue swelling of the lids; worse on left side, and in the morning.
An eruption (pustules) on the conjunctive.
Dull, heavy pain in eyeballs, worse from motion, light, and reading. {£urt.)
Dimness of sight and long- sigh ted n ess.
Catarrhal ophthalmia, with flow of tears, and photophobia. (Weidhard.)
Eyes brilliant and dancing, pupil contracted, lower lids drawn down.
Eyelids (edematous and agglutinated,
° Granular conjunctivitis, with eii'cumorbital pain, soreness in the periosteum and scalp, as of rheumatic origin; it prevents the relapses, so common. {F&rni^, Hale.)
" Fistula lachr}'malis (?)
Ears EN
Shooting pain in the ears, when swallowing.
Sense of irritation and obstruction in eustachian tuhes.
Bashing sounds in ears, with feeling as if the hearing was dull, wliile it is really over-sensitive.
Exaltation of the sense of hearing during the pain in the fore- head.
ISOBB.
Au eruption (pustules) on the mucous membrane of tlie nose.
Feeling in nose and eyes as if a cold would come on.
"Coryza; flow of mucus from one nostril while the other ie
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490 PHTTOLACCA
Fluent coryza, with discharge from jjosterior nares.
° Syphilitic ozcena, with bloody, sanioua discharge, and
disease of the bones. " N'oli me tangere, and cancerous affections of the noae.
Face EN
* Pains in the bones of tlie face and head, at night. Paleness of the face.
Heat, with redness of the face and coldness of the feet, SiiJdy look of the face ; dark yellow color of the face and
sclerotica.
Periostitis, and nodes, of the bones of tlie face.
" Prosopalgia, in syphilitic and rheumatic subjects. ° Ulcers and eruptions (scaly) on the face.
Mouth, Teeth and Tongue. Small ulcers on the inside of the right cheek.
* Profuse flow of saliva, tenacious, yellowish, ropy, with metal-
lic taste. " Irresistible inclination to bite the teeth together (in teething
children). Tongue feels roughj white-coated blisters on both sides, and
very i-ed tip. " Kheomatic odontalgia, also mercurial and syphilitic.
* Great pain in root of tongue, when swallowing. {Hale.) Salivation, witji thick, ropy discharge.
Teeth all ache; they fee! sore and elongated. Phaiynx and (Bsophagua.
* Sore throat, swelling of the soft palate in the morning; on
removing the mucus, throat feels better.
* Feeling, when swallowing, as of a lump in the throat.
* Gi-eat dryness in the throat, inducing coughing.
° Eight tonsil much .enlarged, dark red, burning sensation in
the fauces and whole length of the (esophagus. Sensation as if the trachea were being strongly grasped.
* Dryness, soreness, dullness, and roughness of the throat, all
tlie time. ° Sensation of scraping and rawness in the throat and tonsils. " Diphtheria, especially with severe pains in nape of neck, ears,
and root of tongue.
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PHYTOLACCA DECANDBA. 491
' Dicers on one side of the throat, constant deaire to swallow.
" Scarlet fever,witli dipLtlieritic complications.
" Parotitis; inflammation of sub-masillary glands.
" Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the Perophages.
[One of OUT most reliable remedies in non-raalignant diphtheritic con. ditions; as the esperience of many American and Britisii homceopathists have proven. — Hale,
Stomach EN
* Cutting in the pit of the stomach, wliich is tender to the
ton eh. Eructations of sour fluid, with great distress in stomach and bowels,
* Pains in cardiac portion of stomach, aggravated by a full
inspiration and by walking. Violent pressure in the stomach on waking, disappears after rising.
* Nausea, with severe pain in the nmbilical region. Vomiting of abundant, dark, bilious substance.
* Vomiting and purging, with gi-iping pains and cramps in the
Abdomen EN
" Vomiting comes on slowly, preceded by nausea, and is ex- cessive.
" Vomiting of food, and milk, in teething children. {JTale.) Burning in the stomach, with tenderness of the bowels, heat in the rectum, and bloody stools, with tenesmus.
Liver, Hypochondria,
* Digging pain in right hypochondrium, in the upper and
lower portions of the liver,
* Cannot lie on the right side, on account of penetrating pain
in right hypochondrium.
Violent, doll, piercing pain in left hypochondrium.
" Soreness and pain in right hypochondrium during pregnancy, " Chronic hepatitis, witli enlargement and induration.
Abdomen EN
Burning pain near the umbilicus. Keuralgic pain in left groin.
Griping pain, followed by passage of offensive flatas. Rumbling noise in the bowels.
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492 PHYTOLACCA DECANDEd.
° Chronic inflammation of the bowels.
Severe colicky pains in the bowels, with or witliont desire foi
etool.
Gi-eat distress in tlie nmbilical and hypog^tric regions.
" Burning distress in the umbilical region, with vomiting and
diarrhcea.
Stool And Anus EN
* Constipation of long staTiding.
*lEtenee vomiting and purging, with prostration and cramps,
as in cholera.
Copioas diseliarge of bile from the bowels.
Stool soft, undigested, dark, lumpy.
Diarrhcea early in the morning for three mornings.
Emission of flatus relieves tlie pain in the bowels.
" Cholera and cholera morbus; also cholera infantum.
(Hale.) ' Ulceration and fissure of tlie rectum.
* II<Bmorfhoids, permanent and obstinate.
Bloody (Hsdia/rge, vnth heat m the reeium, tenesmus and
hEemorrhoida. IFain shooting from the anus and lower rectum, along the
perineum to the middle of the penis.
Urinary Organs EN
Urgent desire to pass water.
Copious nocturnal urination.
Weakness, dull pain and soreness in the region of the kidneys,
most on the right side, attended with heat and uneasiness
down the ureters. Chalk-like sediment in the urine.
* Pain in the region of the bladder, before and during urina-
tion.
* Dark red urine, 'which stains the chamber a mahogany color " Urine double in amount and clear as water.
Ketention of urine.
TTrine acid and albuminoiis.
" Bright's disease. {Bitrt, H.
W.
Ma/rtin.)
"Albuminuria, after scarlatina and diphtheria. {Hale.)
Generative Organs.
Female EN
* Metrorrhagia. {Jeanea^
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PHTTOLA.C0A DECANDRA. 493
' Meiistriiatioii too copious and too frequent.
" Violent pains in the abdomen during menstruation, in a
barren woman.
"Ijeucorrhcea; w^m/ie, thick, tenacious, and irritating.
(Jlale.) ° Iriflammaiion, swelling, and sv^puration of the Tnatninoi. ° Abscesses orjktidous ulcers of the mammw.
"Nipples eraojced (tfid excoriated.
" Irritable manvmoe during menstruation and lactation, Neu- ralgia of the mammfe.
(Fairbanks^ ° Ovaritis, with or without rlieumatic complicationa.
" Tumore; schirrus, and cancer of the mammffi.
Male EN
Complete loss of sexual desire, for two months. Continued pain in the spermatic cords, running wp. ° Orchitis, acute and dironic, with suppuration and iistulons
ulcer.
" Syphilitic rheumatism, and syphilitic eruptions.
" Syphilis, primary and secondary, ° Chancres on the penis.
Larynx and Trachea. ^ Tickling in the left side of the larynx, with hacking cough.
Sensation of roughness and dryness in the larynx.
Bronchial cough, which is very dry.
" Hard cough, accompanied by scraping and tickling in the
Throat EN
" Chronic coughs; generally hard and dry, with scraping and
tickling. ^Constant coughing, with vomiting, with sensation as of an
ulcerated spot in the trachea; eonld only expectorate (pus)
by pressing on this spot. {Marshall.')
Chest EN
* Aching pain in the right side of the breast, passing through
to the back; worse on taking a long breath, aggravated
by lying on right side.
Bruised feeling of musclee of chest and ribs.
Shocks of pain in the region of heart; as soon as the pain
ceases, a similar pain appears in the right arm. Respiration difHeult and oppressed; mucous rale audible
everywhere in the room.
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494 FHTTOLACCA DECANDKA.
" Chronic rheumatic endocarditis, (?) (Ifale.)
° Angina pectoris, when the pain goes from the heart tti the
right arm.
(Tb.) ° Fatty degeneration of the heart.
(?) Fatty heart.
(!)
Back EN
Pain in letl: lumbar region, followed by severe itching.
Pain in left shoulder blade, as if from a blow.
Sensation of weight and pressure on both shoiilders.
Sensation as if a piece of cold iron were pressed on the painful
shoulder-blade.
* Hardness of the glands on the right side of tlie nect.
* Stiif neck ; worse on right side, and in bed, after midnight. Dull, heavy pain in lumbar and sacral regions, worse from
motion, ° Lumbago ; the back is very stiff every morning.
* Rheumatism of the left shoulder, without fever.
Upper Extremities. ° Pain in the muscles of both arms.
Twitching of the muscles of the right ami. ^ Bheumatic drawing in both fore-arms.
" Rheumatic pains in the hands; sudden pricking.
Arms ache, and ends of the fingers. ° Glandular enlargements in the axiUffi.
Lower Extremities.
* Neuralgic pain in tlie outer side of both thighs and left groin.
* Rheumatic pain in right knee, worse in open air and damp
weather, " Rhenmatic pain in left limb, with sensation of shortening of
tendons when walking. Coldness of the feet, with increase of the capillary circulation
about the head and face.
" Neuralgic pains in the toes.
Sticking, stinging pains in the extremities. ° Chronic rheumatism of lower extremities.
" Chronic inflammation of the knee joints.
"Sciatica; periostitis; and nodes on the tibift. ° Ulcers on the leg — sypliilitic.
" Pains running from hip down the limb.
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PHYTOLACCA DECANDEA. 495
Skin EN
" Intense, chronic aching in the heels, only relieved by ele rating the feet.
* Itching of the skin, with a lichen-like eruption.
* Boils, painful, on the hack, behind the ears. ° Chronic disposition to boils. (Searle.)
° Squamous eruptions, pityriasis; psoriasis, etc. "Tinea capitis; erusta lactea ; lupus; ulcers, etc. "Scarlatina, with aiiginous symptoms; nose and upper lip excoriated; acrid discbarge from nose; delirium, and non- appearance of eruption, (Mand&mlle.) " Syphilitic eruptions — secondary and tertiary.'^ *OaEe of poisoning by " Phytolacca-decandra," reported to the HomtEopathic State Medical Society of Kansas, May 6th, 1874, by Lonis Grasmuck, M.D. The subject was a woman, aged forty-five ; occupation, keeper of boarding house; temperament, bilious, sanguine, active, hardworking, witli a family of grown childi'en, and has a good character.
She had always had good health, until about one year ago, she was at- tacked with rheumatism; this was followed by anasarca, and many other symptoms indicative of the " change of life." She was sick several months, but, finally, her line constitution triumphed, and she recovered. She again resumed charge of her duties, and was, to all appearance, well, with the exception of a slight pain in the right hip joint.
A montJi after this, I was called to see her, and found lier suiFerlng in. tensely with pains in the joints, and bones of tlie face and head, and was informed that her sufferings were such that she had not slept an j' for many nights.
In addition, she was covered ftom the crown of her head to the soles of her feet, with an eruption, the like of which I never beheld. It began on the scalp, and spread downwards to the very toe naijs. It consisted of erythematous blotches, of irregular shape, slightly elevated, of a pale red or pink color, very sore and painful, itching slightly only on desquama- lion, but too sore to allow of any scratching for relief, and terminating in a dark red or purple spot, taking about thirty days' time for each to pass through its various stages of eruption and desquamation, and about the same length of time to advance IVoni the head to the feet, so that the erup- tion could bo seen at one time in all its stages of development.
There was no accompanying fever, no swelling, except in the face, no sweats, appetite good.
She wanted relief irom the nightly pains in the bones of the face and head, and wanted to know what the eruption was.
On examining, I found the pains proceeded from " nodes," especially on the frontal bone, and resembled very much those of periostitis.
My first
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496 PHTTOLACCA
jmpresaion was, that I was dealing with a ease of Syphilis, but a closer in apeetioQ, and my intimat* acquaintance with the family, togetlier with the " history of tlie case," caused me to abandon tills theory, and tlie nest one of Mercurial Cachexia also.
A vigorous cross-examination revealed tlie fact, that ahout thirty days before, she had been induced to take a " blood purifying remedy," consist- ing of a pint of wliiaky, witi about three ounces of Poke Root in it. Of this poisonous, saturated tincture, she took a " swallow three times a day" until I was called.
I Informed her that she had probably furnished the Homoeopathic 8chool of Medicine the most heroic proving of Phytolacca on record, for all ol which we were duly thankful, but, nevertheless, would advise its discon
I gave Mercurius Solubilis, 8d x trituration, which relieved the sleep lessness at once, and, finally, also the pains; but the eruption grew worse rather than better, and even invaded the conjunctiva and mucous membrane of the nose and mouth, and now, after a lapse of tliree months, it is in the fauces and esophagus, having almost entirely disappeared from the external surface of the body.
A month ago, and when the eruption had partly faded, the photograph which is before you was taken.
It gives but a faint conception of the case, and none whatever of the color, but such as they are, were the best I could procure.
This is the second case I have met during the year.
The first waa a man, who took it in much smaller doses, and in this case it produced a severe rheumatism in the left shoulder; no fever, and no eruption.
These cases are submitted to the society without comment.
Different minds will draw different conclusions; hut, differ as we may, they are of interest to all alike, and the facts are submitted for your con- sideration and digestion."
Generalities EN
Loss of all the adipose matter of the bodj (in animals). Great prostration; as in collapse of cholera. Tetanus and trismtis, at't«r the vonniting and purging. "Swelling, inllammation, and induration of glands. ° Inflammation and swelling of the bones. " Rheumatic and neuralgic affections (after diphtheria or
scarlet fever). {Hale.) Tingling and prickling sensation all over the body. " Nightly pains in the bones and nodes. The pains flj from one part, and go like an electric shock to
another part. {Dr. Preston.') The pains are always worse at night.
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PLANTAOO MAJOR. 497