Agnus Castus

Vitex Agnus Castus. Verhenaceoe.

A shrub growing in damp places in Southern Europe. Since Dioscorides one of the most famous medicines.

Proved by Hahnemann and his school, and published in 1841, in the Archives, by Stapf ; later proved by Helbig.

^ Mind. 1 1 Absent-minded, reduced power of insight; cannot

recollect things. I He finds reading difficult ; he has to read several things twice ;

he is unable to fix his attention. I Low-spirited, fears of approaching death. ■ Despairing sadness; keeps repeating that she will die,, that

there is no use doing anything, d Cephalalgia. Melancholy, hypochondriac mood, d Cephalalgia. Anxious, fear and weakness. Peevish ; inclined to get angry. See 16.

83 AGNUS CASTUS.

^ Sensorlum, After dullness in the head, a pressing, long-lasting headache, followed by vomiting and spasmodic trembling.

Heaviness of head and pressure in the neck, as if the head would fall forward. ^ Inner Head. Tearing, with pressure in the temples and fore- head, in the brain, worse during motion.

Tearing pain above the right eye and temple, as if one had re- ceived a blow upon the eye, attended with soreness to touch, increased by motion, aggravated in the evening, and lasting for several days.

Contractive headache above the temples from reading.

■ Headache in the upper part of the head, as from staying in a

room filled with a thick and dusky atmosphere ; looking to one point relieves it.

Pain in the temple as from a blow.

Megrim. * Outer Head. Biting itching on the scalp, worse evenings and when falling asleep.

Tearing, tension and chilliness in the scalp, which is warm to the touch.

Biting pains on upper right side, on the bone, from behind for- wards, worse evening and in sleep. ^ Sight and Eyes. Burning in eyes and headache from reading in the evening.

I Pupils widely dilated.

■ Dilated pupils.

■ Photophobia.

Looking at a fixed point relieves pain in upper head.

Tearing pains above the right eye and temple, as if one had

received a blow upon the eye. d Cephalalgia. Corrosive itching over and on the eyebrows and lids, and below the eyes. ^ Hearing and Ears. Ringing or roaring in the ears. Hardness of hearing.

Drawing pain in the left parotid. '^ Smell and Nose. Illusion of smell ; as of herring ; musk. Soreness and pain in the left side of the nose. Hard aching pain in the dorsum of the nose, as if a stone were pressing there, relieved by pressure. ^ Face.

Corrosive itching on either cheek, obliging him to scratch. Erysipelas on the left cheek, spreading from the nose over face

and head. A long stitch followed by a fine pricking-itching. Formication of the cheeks. ^ Lower Part of Face. Rending, tearing, under the alveoli of right lower jaw. Deep tearing in right ramus of lower jaw, below the socket. '" Teeth and Gums. Toothache from warm things.

AGNUS CASTUS. 84

Teeth painful, when touched by warm food or drink.

I Throbbing, tearing toothache in left eye-tooth, small boil near the tooth, very painful to touch ; in attacks.

Ulcers on the gums. ^^ Taste and Tongue. Taste : metallic ; I I coppery ; bitter.

I Tongue coated white. ^^ Mouth. Mouth very dry, saliva viscid and tough, drawing out in strings.

• Ulcers on gums and in the mouth. 13 Throat. Corrosive itching in pit of throat. »

^* Appetite and Thirst. Hunger.

Kelishes food but it does not agree with him.

Lessened appetite.

iThirstlessness ; aversion to drink. ^^ Eating and Drinking. I Abdomen distended after meals.

Nausea in the pit of the stomach after eating.

Food makes him feel uneasy and replete.

Warm food and drink cause teeth to ache. ^^ Belching, Hiccough and Nausea. The wind he brings up smells like old urine allowed to remain on the clothes.

Hiccough ; inclined to get angry ; peevish.

iNausea in pit of stomach when standing ; later, qualmishness in the abdomen, with a sensation as if the intestines were pressing downwards ; wants to support himself with his hands.

Nausea as from eating fat food, d Checked catamenia. ^^ Scrobiculum. Pinching in scrobiculum when sitting bent over. ^^ Hypochondria. Aching in region of liver, worse from touch.

■ Soreness in the region of the spleen.

I SAvelling and induration of the spleen. 6 Intermittent. /^ Abdomen. I Rumbling in the abdomen during sleep. I Abdomen sensitive to pressure. Incarcerated flatus. I Abdomen sore to the touch.

■ Flatulency.

1 Feels as if the entrails were sinking down, constantly inclined to support the bowels with the hands. 6 Uterine complaint.

Violent, contracting bellyache, coming suddenly in the morn- ing, with bearing down. 6 Suppressed menses.

I Ascites. ^" Stools, Rectum and Anus. I Diarrhoea of children, I chronic diarrhoea of adults.

Feels as if diarrhoea would set in, when standing ; anguish, great weakness. See 36.

DiOicult expulsion of soft stool.

I Hard stools. ^Constipation.

I When pressing at stool, discharge of prostatic fluid.

Great accumulation of wind.

85 AGNUS CASTUS.

Wind expelled by tlie rectum smells like urine remaining long

on the clothes. lAscarides. I A sore feeling under the skin near the anus, only when

walking. Corrosive itching of the perineum, I pruritus podicis. Excoriated anus.

I Deep rhagades or fissures of the anus. 21 Urinary Organs. Pains in the bladder. Passes more urine.

I I Gets up twice at night and even once during the siesta. When urinating, sometimes pain in lower abdomen, sometimes

in the kidneys. Red, turbid urine, with burning and pressure in urethra.

■ Emission of prostatic fluid. See 20, 22. A yellow discharge from the urethra.

^^ Male Sexual Organs. > ' Complete loss of sexual desire, penis is small, flaccid and cold. I I Frequent erections, but without voluptuous thoughts.

I Has the usual morning erection with desire, but the parts

are flaccid. After an embrace involuntary emissions the same night, and long-continued erection.

I I Sexual desire lessened, almost lost.

1 1 Penis so relaxed, that voluptuous fancies excite no erections. 1 1 Testes cold, swollen, hard and painful; penis small, flaccid. Spermatic fluid thin.

1 1 Impotence, with gleet, especially with those who have fre- quently had gonorrhoea. 1 1 Yellow urethral discharge. ^Gonorrhoea. 1 1 Gleet, with want of sexual desire or erections. Induration of testicles, d Suppressed gonorrhoea. Drawing along spermatic cords.

■ Pollutions from irritable weakness with prostatorrhoea. I Prostatic juice passes with hard stools.

I Impotence.

■ Want of erection and sexual desire, d Secondary gonorrhoea. Itching of genitals.

"^ Female Sexual Organs. Hysteria, with maniacal lascivious- ness. Sterility; absence of menses, and sexual desire. Menses lasting from ten to eighteen days.

■ Metrorrhagia.

Suppressed menses, with drawing pain in the abdomen.

I A transparent leucorrhoeal discharge passes imperceptibly from the livery relaxed parts.

Leucorrhoea, not copious, but spotting her linen yellow, d Sup- pressed menses.

AGNUS CASTUS. . . 86

I Intumescence of the uterus.

Before menses : vertigo, headache, dim sight.

During menses : pain in pelvis and loins.

I Inflammation of the uterus. ^* Parturition and Nursing. ■ Retained placenta.

BlMilk scanty, or disappears; often with great sadness; sajs she will die.

Suppression of milk in childbed, or during the nursing period. ^^ Voice. Voice as if passing through wool, has no timbre. ^^ Respiration. Oppression on going up stairs.

Dyspnoea ; worse in the evening. ^^ Cough. In the evening, in bed, before falling asleep.

With raising of blood, followed by copious mucus.

In paroxysms, with palpitation and nosebleed, mostly in the morning.

When inhaling cold air.

Tough sputa, hanging like a rag in the fauces. ^^ Lungs. Feeling of dryness in the chest. "^ Heart and Pulse. Palpitation. See 27.

Slow and weak pulse, often imperceptible. ^^ Outer Chest. Pressure in region of sternum, worse when breathing deeply.

Pressure in xiphoid cartilage, just above pit of stomach. ^^ Back. A creaking noise in the vertebrae.

Acute, sharp stitches in the coccyx, and on the left side near the coccyx and sacrum.

Pain in sacrum from flatus. ^^ Upper Limbs. Hard pressure in right axilla and upper arm, worse from touch or motion.

Swelling of finger-joints, tearing pains, arthritic nodes.

Gouty swelling of the finger-joints. 2^ Lower Limbs. Pain in left hip.

I Thighs feel tired and swollen towards evening. . Lancinating pain in the right hip-joint, worse during motion, somewhat better in rest.

Legs much fatigued and swollen towards evening.

I Cold knees.

Ankles swollen after a sprain.

Tearing, rending in feet and toes, worse on walking.

Stitches in legs and left big toe.

Fine lancinations in the bottoms of either foot.

I iFeet easily turn under when walking on a stone pave- ment. ^^ Rest. Position. Motion. Rest : relieves pain in hip.

Sitting bent over : causes pain in scrobiculum.

Standing : causes nausea and qualmishness in stomach and abdomen ; sensation as if diarrhoea would set in.

87 AGNUS CASTUS.

Motion : aggravates tearing and pressure in head ; pressure in

axilla and arm ; pain in hips. Walking : causes soreness near anus ; aggravates tearing in feet and toes ; causes feet to turn under ; during walking hands sweat. Ascending stairs : causes oppressed breathing. 35 Nerves. Spasmodic complaints of hypochondriac men. Nervous weakness, d Agalactia. Great weakness : as from violent anguish ; from depression of

spirits, d Agalactia. Lethargy or phrenzy. ^^ Sleep. Coma. I Sleeplessness.

I I Awaking often, las if alarmed; Bstartings. Anxious dreams. ^ Time. Night : gets up twice to urinate.

Morning : violent belly-ache ; cough, with palpitation and

nosebleed. Evening: tearing pains, with pressure above right eye and temple ; itching on scalp worse ; eyes burn when reading ; dyspnoea worse ; cough' in bed ; legs tired and swollen ; chilliness, followed by heat and sweat ; flushes of heat, knees cold. ^^ Temperature and "Weather. Bad effects from getting feet wet. Warm things : teeth pain. In bed : heat of face, coldness of knees. Cold air : coughs when inhaling it. Open air : hands sweat when walking. *° Fever. Internal chilliness, with trembling, skin warm.

Slight chilliness towards evening, followed by heat, with head- ache, no thirst, slight delirium, tormenting, profuse sweat. Chill and heat alternate.

I I Chilly all over, but only hands feel cold to touch. Flushes of burning heat, mostly in face, with cold knees ;

evening in bed. Heat, with coryza, thirst. 6 Borborygmus. Sweat on the hands when walking in the open air. Sweats easily. ^' Attacks. Sudden attacks of bellyache.

'^Locality and Direction. Right: tearing in lower jaAv; aching in liver ; pressure in axilla and arm ; lancinating in hip-joint. Left : drawing in parotid gland ; painful soreness in side of nose ; erysipelas on cheek ; I I soreness in spleen ; stitches side of sacrum and coccyx. Above downwards : nausea and qualmishness. See 16, 19. ^^ Sensations. Bruised feeling all over.

AGNUS CASTUS. 88

Soreness : in nose.

Pressure: in head ; in neck.

Pains : as if luxated.

Drawing : in left parotid.

Tearing: in head; in jaw.

Burning : eyelids, throat, nose, mouth, bladder, skin.

Stitches: head, face, eyes, ears, rectum and skin. ■•- Tissues, Inflammatory, rheumatic swelling of the joints.

Gouty nodosities. ^^ Touch. Passive Motions. • May be indicated in bruises or wounds.

■ Sprains and luxations of joints.

I I Strains from lifting a little too much.

■ Prevents excoriation, from walking.

Pressure : relieves aching on dorsum of nose ; abdomen sensi- tive therefrom.

Touch : aggravates toothache ; aching in liver ; abdomen sore ; pressure in axilla and arm.

Must scratch : in corrosive itching of cheeks. ■'^ Skin. Pungent odor exhaled from him, gives him a dullness and headache, followed by vomiting and trembling.

Gnawing or itching on different parts of the body, relieved temporarily by scratching.

Itching around the ulcers, in the evening.

Yellow tint of the skin. ^^ Stages of Life, Constitution. Lymphatic constitution. 6 Agalactia.

Premature old age, which arises in young persons from abuse of the sexual powers, marked by melancholy, apathy, men- tal distraction, self-contempt, general debility, frequent loss of spermatic fluid.

Unmarried persons suffering from nervous debility. 6 Cepha- lalgia.

" Old sinners," with impotence and gleet. *^ Relationship. The only one proved from the large family of VerbenacejB. Ilelbig calls attention to the nearly related family of Labiatge, from which we have several valuable remedies.

Antidotes to Agn. cast.: Camphor., Natr. mur. (the head- ache), strong solution of table-salt.

After Agnus are useful : Ai^sen., Brgon., Ignat., Lyco'p., Pulsat., Sulphur, Selen. (impotence).

89 AILANTUS GLANDULOSA.