Anacardium Orientale

[MALACCA BEAN. NATURAL ORDER, TEREBINTHACE^].]

The seed of the Semecarbus anacardium orientale, a heart-shaped bean, flattened, from three-quarters to one inch long; the outer shell is rather hard and of a grayish-white color ; the almond-like kernel is enclosed in a thin, red shell, from which it is separated by an oily, dark and very acrid juice that seems to be the active principle of the bean. Great precaution is necessary in pounding the kernel, for the juice, if coming in contact with an irritable skin, often causes a pustulous eruption which is very painful and difficult to cure.

From this bean we prepare a tincture which has a deep-brown color, and an acrid, burning taste.

TJiis medicine is considered a powerful remedy against

WEAKNESS OF MIND, MEMOEY, AND THE SENSES. A preparation of it was kept in the shops, under the name of "Confectio Anacardina, seu sapientium." Nevertheless, Vogel, in his history of materia medica remarks, that "Casper Hoffman has called this confection of the wise a confection of fools, because many had lost their memory and had become mad on account of using it too often and inconsiderately." It was only the improper and too frequent use of anacardium that made it hurtful ; if used correctly, in small doses, and in accordance with the law "similia similibus," it proves a curative agent ; for its primary effect upon the sensorium is to depress the intellectual activity, to weaken the memory, and to blunt the percipient power of the senses.

Hahnemann recommends anacardium in mental alienation, char- acterized by an hypochondric, depressed state of mind ; despondency ; fear of near death ; dread of human companionship; anxiety; lack of healthy moral tone (lewdness, ungodliness, cruelty, hard-hearted- ness) ; condition as if he had two wills, one of them causing him to have undone what the other urges him to do; feeling as if the soul were separated from the body. Weber urges its use in certain cases where a long, especially a chronic disease, is followed by a complet'j

ANACARDIUM ORIENTALE. 325

bodily recovery, while the intellect remains in a foggy, clouded state.

A young girl, twenty-two years old, of a sensitive organization, of a rather better education than was warranted by her condition in life, inclined to religious reveries, became suddenly ill after violent mental emotion and separation from her affianced. The first expression of the disease consisted in a violent rage. She was under " reg- ular" care from January to April 21st. Lately a melancholy developed.

Hyos- cyamus did no service. She received a dose of anacardium on the 25th and was discharged cured on the 30th. (Schindler in Prakt. Beitrage iv, 1, 15.)

A man, thirty years old, had an itch-like eruption. After suppressing it by the use of a powerful lotion he fell into the following condition : He believes himself to consist of two persons; imagines that other persons are in bed with him. When he drinks, he declares that it does not enter his bowels and is of no use to him, since his stomach is off on a journey or since a second party is within himself, swallowing it all. Ipecacuanha, veratrum, belladonna, were of little service ; anacardium6 cured rapidly.

(Wahle in Neues Archiv f. d. Horn. Heilkst. iii, 23.)

A young peasant, eighteen years old, always well, had small-pox a year and a half ago. After six weeks' illness he recovered, regaining his bodily vigor, but showed since then a limited power of comprehension, want of reflection and of thoughtful- ness, weakness of memory. Prescribed anacardium1, eight drops in water every evening. There was decided improvement in two weeks, terminating in complete recovery at an early date. (Weber in HirscheVs Zeitschrift, ii, 164.)

DYSPEPSIA Anacardium has been used in dyspepsia, when depending upon nervous exhaustion, protracted and excessive study and similar causes. Dr. Martin gives as its most characteristic indi- cation "the symptoms disappear while eating, and return again in two hours," claiming to have verified it in many cases.

Dr. Miller also has found the indication reliable. "Another consideration is, that the weakness of anacardium is always joined to nervous dis- order. Our patient, therefore, feels a constant desire to eat ; food eases him momentarily, but the hunger is never assuaged ; at night he has to get up and eat something.

Bizarre hallucinations, as, he sees a demon who pursues him ; he believes himself a demon." (Dr. Charge.)

HEART DIFFICULTIES— In certain heart difficulties of a functional nature the remedy is claimed to exercise curative power. I doubt whether it can be of great use in such cases, unless we have an absolutely perfect picture of the peculiar state characteristic of the remedy, especially of the nervous debility.

Dr. Bushrod W. James attributes to it curative power in

MITRAL INSUFFICIENCY OF THE HEART. We do not see why the drug should benefit such cases, nor have we reliable testimony to that effect. Dr. James gives these indications (Ilalin. Monthly, July, 1878) :

326 ANGUSTURA VERA

Beating of the pulse perceived in the arms while sitting quietly, observed in the prover while the arms were loosely crossed. Pulse observed in the whole body (after some bodily effort).

Short stitches piercing through the heart, succeeding each other two by two.