Digitalis Purpurea

General action :

The chief interest in this drug centres about its action on the heart ; vigorous systolic contractions, which become very irregular ; the pulse becomes slow, arterioles are contracted and arterial tension increased.

General weakness and faintness, < rising.

Cold, pale, and covered with profuse sweat.

Restlessness.

The symptoms, especially those of the circulation, < suddenly rising.

Great anxiety and fear of death.

General apprehension, with depressed spirits, especially < music.

Inability to think.

Forgetfulness.

Sudden cracking noises in the head, starting one up from the midday nap.

Confusion and pain, as if the head were full.

Vertigo ; worse on rising from a seat, with weakness of the limbs.

On stooping a feeling as if something fell forward in the head.

Head is inclined to fall backward while sitting and walking, as if the muscles were too weak to hold it up.

Blue rings about the eyes.

Pupils dilated.

Insensible.

Loss of vision and many symptoms associated with anaemia of the retina and optic nerve.

Hissing like boiling water.

Sudden crashing noises, deep in the head.

Pale, sickly expression ; a bluish color, especially about the eyes and mouth.

Tendency to saliva.

Tongue pale, sometimes coated white.

Tongue blue.

Loss of appetite, even with a clean tongue.

Constant thirst, especially for sour, cold drinks.

Nausea and vomiting, with deathly anxiety.

Nausea, caused by smell of food.

Vomiting, with extremely feeble and irregular pulse.

A feeling of great weakness in the region of the stomach, as if one were dying, immediately after eating.

Cramp in the stomach, with nausea and vomiting, somewhat > eructations.

Stitches extend from the region of the stomach to the sides and back.

Distention.

Soreness over the region of the liver, with jaundice.

Griping pains as if the intestines were twisted.

Watery diarrhoea.

Stools ash-colored.

Stool mixed with mucus ; stool white like chalk.

Evacuation forcible.

Dragging and pressure in the bladder, not > frequent micturition.

Urine generally decreased in quantity (though sometimes increased).

At times dark brown or red, depositing brick-dust sediment.

Nephritis after scarlatina.

Cystitis.

Inflammation of neck of bladder ; after passing a few drops the desire to urinate is increased and the patient walks about in great distress, associated with tenesmus of rectum ; these symptoms have indicated the use of the drug for the relief of acute inflammation in chronic enlargement of the prostate.

In inflammation of the kidneys of the chronic form it is sometimes of temporary value when there is threatened failure of the heart, or very scanty or suppressed urine, with oedema of the lungs, etc.

Copious seminal emissions at night.

Weakness of the sexual organs, with great irritability.

Weak pulse.

Suppression of menstruation follows irregularity ; sometimes haemorrhages.

Respiratory organs :

Painless hoarseness.

Dry cough, with pains in the shoulders and arms ; with soreness in the chest ; with expectoration like boiled starch, or sometimes bloody.

Respiration irregular, with deep sighs.

Dyspnoea, with constant desire to breathe deeply ; it seems as if the chest could only be half filled.

Suffocative constriction in the larynx as if grown together.

Oedema of the larynx.

Pneumonia in old people, with prune juice expectoration, cold extremities, cyanotic face and feeble pulse.

Heart's action feeble, intermittent and irregular.

Sudden sensation as if it stood still, with anxiety.

Pulse small, feeble and irregular.

Audible throbbing of the heart, with a feeling of constriction in the breast bone, anxiety, etc.

Pericarditis, with effusion ; fluttering of heart.

Cardiac dropsies.

In all forms of diseases of the heart in which Digitalis is indicated there is feeble, irregular or fluttering pulse, feeling as if the heart stood still, with anxiety and oppression ; sometimes there is a cyanotic hue of the face, general desire to take a deep breath, which only partially relieves the sense of suffocation.

Heaviness and weakness of the left arm specially.

Pains in the arms coming from the chest.

Lower extremities weak and unsteady.

Coldness of the extremities.

Frequent waking as from anxiety, and in fright.

Sleep restless, unrefreshing.

Overpowering sleepiness during the day.

Coldness spreads from extremities over the body.

Internal chilliness.

Profuse perspiration at night.