Agnus Castus

[CHASTE-TKEE. NATURAL ORDER, LABIATE.]

This bush grows in the south of Europe ; we use the seeds of it. It is very common all along the coast of the, Mediterranean, and is cultivated in some gardens on account of its beautiful lanceolate leaves and clusters of beautiful violet-blue flowers. The fruit of this tree consists of small blackish berries which, by their shape, consist- ence and smarting taste, resemble cayenne pepper, whence the French name "petit-poivi'e," poivre de moine" etc.

The seeds, when fresh, have a fragrant smell and an acrid aromatic taste, and were formerly celebrated for their anaphrodisiac powers.

The Germans call this bush Keuschlamm, which means chaste lamb ; the term agnus or lamb is given to it on account of the down which is found upon the surface of the plant, and the term castus (chaste), because the chaste matrons at the feast of Ceres strewed it upon their beds in order to repress carnal desires.

To prevent getting children, a man took for three months, morn- ing and evening, twelve grains of the agnus castus, by which the sexual parts were weakened to such an extent that not only did the erections become deficient, but he lost his semen as he intended, and never begot children. Hence we recommend agnus castus for

IMPOTENCE, with utter absence of erections and watery or deficient semen.

It causes a yellowish gonorrhoea. Dr. Landerer uses the seeds of the agnus castus with the greatest success in

GONORRHOEA, curing cases where even cubebs failed. Dr.

272 AGNUS CASTUS.

Hoyne says it is indicated in "old sinners (when the inflammatory symptoms have subsided) who have no sexual desire or erections,, especially if the discharge is yellow and purulent."

Dioscorides says that it will thin the spermatic fluid and cause pain in the testicles; nevertheless an ointment of this drug is used for the purpose of removing such pain.

ONANISM The consequences of onanism are sometimes suc- cessfully treated by agnus castus. In such cases you will find more or less loss of sexual power and in many instances a vitiated condi- tion of the seminal fluid. The whole system labors under a depres- sion, which shows itself physically by an old and worn expression of countenance ; headache ; loss of sprightliness and promptness of motion ; a general nervous depression, and above all, by a most un- happy state of mind.

There is a desire to be left alone ; gloominess with forebodings of trouble ; utter weariness and hopelessness, and loss of confidence on the part of the patient in himself and in every- body else. Despair of ever getting well and frequently-expressed desire to die. I have treated many such cases, and have learned to- look upon agnus castus as a remedy of much importance in them.

Mr. B., aged thirty- eight years, nervous temperament. Has been mai'ried two years and is prosperous in business. Consulted me for the following condition: Was a feeble child.

Commenced to masturbate and kept up the practice until a few years ago. When about twenty years old, he endeavored to break off; suffered with invol- untary emissions. In spite of all he could do, he would indulge occasionally. Married to please his family, without thinking about the possibility of physical unfit- ness for sexual life.

Tells me that he has never in his life had a full intercourse, because of premature, scanty discharge, and complete loss of erectile power. He is exceedingly nervous, hopeless, and declares that he cannot live in this way, and must end his own life, unless he gets help. Complains also of loss of memory and a decided dislike of society. After various remedies had been unsuccessfully tried, agnus castus3 and later 12 was given ; it eventually cured him.

If I use the word " cure," I use it in a comparative sense. No remedy in the world can ever replace the terrible waste of vitality or wholly undo the mischief which follows long-continued and excessive masturbation.

AGALACTIA. — This drug is used with good effect for agalactia in the case of young women, when the milk does not appear in suffi- cient quantity ; and especially, according to Guernsey, "if the patient is in a sad, melancholy mood, and frequently says that she will soon die." In

HEART TROUBLES of a functional nature, hysterical palpita- tions, etc,, Dr. Hale recommends the agnus castus. There will be "palpitation on going up-stairs, with nosebleed; pressure near the xyphoid cartilage and under the sternum. She is very sad and repeatedly asserts that she will soon die. Oppression of the chest upon going up-stairs. Cough with raising of blood. After sexual abuses."

AGNUS CASTUS. 273

The following case, related by Dr. Holcombe, illustrates very pointedly the wonderful effect which the drug often exerts upon the worn-out sexual organs. We copy it from the Am. Homceopathist, January, 1878 :

A woman of loose virtue, who had borne but one child, now ten years old, applied to me for something to renew her almost extinguished venereal appetite. She suf- ferred with an incorrigible womb-disease which had been treated by a dozen doctors without result. I had her under my charge for six months, and effected positively nothing. The whole uterus was engorged and thickened, extensive ulceration occu- pied the os and even reached into the interior of the womb.

The menses, exceed- ingly profuse (probably free haemorrhages) generally occurred twice a month. One specialist injected a solution of chromic acid into the cavity. Several of them scari- fied the os every week or two for months at a time. The menses were exceedingly painful and she was terribly tormented with ovarian neuralgia.

She had abandoned all treatment in despair. Although very thin and haggard, she was still beautiful, and ostensibly a kept mistress, she had more lovers than one. She came to me, as I said, for something to renew her sexual vitality. Coitus had been somewhat painful for years, but now it was absolutely abhorrent.

She seemed utterly fagged and worn out in that respect. She had lost interest in everything, could hardly ever be persuaded to dress herself and go out for a little air. She was indifferent to persons and things, and described herself as feeling stupefied, benumbed and dead to all excitements. Taking the physical and moral symptoms into consideration, I prescribed agnus castus, 1st dec. dil., ten drops three times a day.

In a month she reported herself better, and her decidedly improved appearance confirmed the statement. Another month passed, with only one dose a day, and the menses had appeared only once and without pain, and not preceded or followed, as usual, by ovarian neuralgia. The medicine was discontinued. The next monthly period was retarded ten days, and the flow was perfectly natural.

She had become so much larger about the hips, breast and abdomen that she fancied she was pregnant. I saw her lately and was astonished at the change. She is fifteen pounds heavier than she was when she began the treatment. She rarely has any pain, and feels as well, she affirms, as she did be- fore her marriage, which occurred eleven years ago.

Who can read the above report and not join with Dr. Holcombe in expressions of bitter regret, that no careful provings of agnus have at any time been made upon women. Truly, the weak spot in our materia medica still exists, and who can say when it will be removed !

FACIAL NEUKALGIA Agnus castus has cured facial neu- ralgia, situated mainly upon the left side of the nose, running along the under margin of the left orbit, relieved by hard pressure ; press- ing pains at the bridge of the nose, as if it were pinched in a vice ; feeling as if a blow had been received upon the nose, followed by a scalded, crawling feeling ; feeling of fulness under the left eye, with- out swelling. Neuralgic pains in various parts of the body. (Case of Dr. C.

W. Butler in Am. Homoeopath, December, 1879.)

VOL. I. — 17.

AILANTHUS.

AIL AN THUS.

[teee of heaven, natural order, rutace^e.]

Leaves glabrous, unequally pinnate, leaflets ovate or oblong-lan- ceolate, acuminate, shortly petiolate, with one or two obtuse, glandu- lar teeth each side at base, terminal one long-petiolate. A tree of large dimensions, and with luxurious foliage. Trunk straight, with a smooth, brown bark. Leaves three to five feet in length, with ten to twenty pairs of leaflets, and an odd one.

Flowers in terminal panicles, green, very ill-scented, rendering the tree a nuisance when in bloom (May and June). The rapid growth of this tree is its only recommendation as a tenant of our parks. (Wood).

Ailanthus is a native of China, but has been grown largely in our southern and eastern states. As already stated, its flowers exhale a disagreeable aroma ; so much so, that caterpillars avoid it, and the tree remains uninjured and in luxurious foliage, while the branches of neighboring trees are denuded of their covering. It has been stated that it kills all insects. Such is not the case, for its leaves have been seen covered with flies, without finding any of them dead.

Dr. P. P. Wells first called the attention of the profession to its probable medicinal value, more particularly in the treatment of scarlet fever. (American Horn. Review, Vol. iv.) In the course of the article referred to, he relates the following case of poisoning by the juice of the ailanthus.

A girl, fifteen years of age, arose in the morning, feeling slightly ill, dressed, and went immediately to the breakfast table. She could take no food ; the sight of it made her feel so much worse, she im- mediately left the table, and went to her room. She was seized suddenly with violent vomiting ; severe headache ; intolerance of light ; dizziness ; hot, red face ; inability to sit up ; rapid, small pulse ; drowsiness, at the same time very restless ; great anxiety ; two hours after the first attack, the drowsiness had increased to a state of insensibility, with constant muttering delirium ; did not recognize the members of her family ; she was now covered, in patches, with an eruption of miliary rash, with efflorescence between the points of the rash, all of a dark, almost livid color; the patches between tho points of the eruption were of a dull, opaque appearance ; the erup- tion was more profuse on the forehead and face than elsewhere, and especially on the forehead.

The whole aspect of the eruption, and the whole condition of the patient, were just like those so many times seen in cases of this variety of scarlatina, [S. maligna Ed.] that the case was unhesitatingly recognized as an example of it, and in its most violent and hopeless form. The pulse was now small,

AILANTHUS. 275

and so rapid that it could scarcely be counted ; the surface had become cold and dry ; the livid color of the skin, when pressed on by the finger, returned very slowly ; the whole was a most complete picture of torpor, and seemingly a perfect instance of that manifes- tation of it which immediately precedes dissolution in these rapidly fatal cases of scarlet fever. There was apparently no prospect of the patient's living more than a few hours. Such cases, in the practice of the writer, had always progressed to a fatal termination, and this had been more rapid in its progress than any he had seen.

The patient being his own child, he had an opportunity for most carefully watching the case. In about three hours from the first appearance of the eruption, the livid color began to lose something of its dark hue ; the restlessness and anxiety diminished ; the pulse became more distinct and less frequent ; consciousness partially returned; the erup- tion became of a brighter red ; and the whole train of symptoms, so simi- lar to this pernicious form of the fever, gradually gave place to a train of phenomena scarcely less remarkable, but not at all like those of any variety of scarlet fever.

Of course, this was not a case of scarlet fever at all ; but, for a short time, it was a great puzzle. AVhat could it be ? what could have produced it ? were questions not to be put aside, and, when consciousness had so far returned, that ques- tions could be intelligently answered, the nature and cause of the case remained no longer a matter of doubt. As the eruption began to lose its dark hue and take on a brighter red, there occurred a repetition of a series of symptoms, which the writer had recently treated in the case of a small lad, who had been poisoned by eating the seeds of the ailanthus.

This resemblance was quite a surprise and at once excited suspicion that this was a case of similar poison- ing, and so it proved to be. This patient and one of her younger associates had been amusing themselves, the evening before the attack, by stripping the outside bark from the young and tender shoots of the ailanthus, and then, after writing letters on the stalks with the point of a pin, the letters Avere moistened with saliva, which was rubbed on them with the end of the finger.

This was many times repeated, and in this process the juice of the stalk was con- veyed to the mouth in considerable quantities. Its taste was an intense bitter. Both the experimenters were made ill, with similar symptoms, but the symptoms Avere much less violent in the patient's friend. It is a singular fact, that this patient has been attacked by a similar miliary rash each year since this poisoning, at the season of the blossoming of the ailanthus.

Dr. Wells evidently presumed the violent effects which he observed in the case of his daughter, to be due to the small amount of the juice introduced into the mouth in the manner described by him. When Ave remember the manner in which this Avas done, Ave must necessarily arrive at the conclusion that this juice contains poisonous

276 AILANTHUS.

properties of no small power ; and this question at once confronts us with the merits of a controversy, which seriously affects the relia- bility of an article, which is so highly prized by some writers and teachers of the present time.

Permit me to preface the remarks which I am about to make, with a positive disavowal of any attempt to lessen your confidence in the ability or candor of those eminent men, who are responsible for the introduction of this remedy into our materia medica ; but let me rather declare in unqualified terms my utmost confidence in their sincerity and thoroughness. Neither let me influence you any far- ther, than to cause you to exercise caution and prudence in accepting the dictum of any man, unless it is fortified with the most conclusive evidence and unless your own experience verifies statements made by others.

To return then to Dr. Wells and his very interesting case, the question arises, whether experiments made by others tend to sub- stantiate his views.

Soon after the ailanthus had been introduced to the notice of medical men, our eclectic friends caught the strain, whose key-note was sounded in our own midst and suggested various special uses for what then seemed to be a drug of vast promise. Among others, Dr. H. L.

True published an article in the Eclectic Medical Journal, Soptember, 1875, giving a case of alleged poisoning with the bark in two children, aged respectively four and six years, with the following symptoms : Drowsiness and sleepiness : pulse slow and full, but regular ; breathing natural ; would vomit during sleep, without waking. They could be aroused by shaking, and, when awake, appeared like any children who were sleepy, and if not disturbed would soon go to sleep again. Dr.

True tasted of some freshly-dug ailanthus root, experiencing, in his own person, repeated vomiting, unaccompanied by straining and retching, but with death-like sick- ness. Two or three hours later he went to sleep, rested well, and wakened on the next morning without an unpleasant symptom. He then imagined he had found a most remarkable drug ; and he recom- mended it highly, upon the strength of his own recent experience, in singultus, asthma, and in epilepsy, in which latter disease he fancied it to be far superior to the bromide of potassium.

But alas ! time caused him to conclude that "all is not gold which glitters"; and two years later, in a second article in the same journal, he states that his conclusions had been premature, that there seemed to be no

AILANTHUS. 277

permanency in the successful relief by ailanthus of any of the troubles for which he had recommended it ; although, he adds with commendable candor, he had had some favorable reports from others, who had used it. Wherever the remedy seemed to be of any benefit at all, it had to be given in excessively large doses. At last Dr. True made an infusion of four ounces of the best bark to one pint of water and took of this infusion two tablespoonfuls at 1:40 p.

M. ; two more at 2:15; again at 3:40; again three spoonfuls at 4:40. At twenty minutes past five he noticed a heavy ache through the head just behind the ears, and a feeling about the articulation of the jaws, similar to the pain of mumps, and slight nausea; at 6:50 he took six table-spoonfuls, throwing it up as soon as swallowed ; at at 7:15 nausea, general relaxation, indisposition to exercise; diffi- culty of keeping his attention fixed upon anyone thing; at 8:35 these had nearly abated, and at 9 o'clock all of the symptoms were gone.

The next day he took at one dose eight ounces of an infusion made from recently dried bark (two ounces of bark to one pint of hot water, and evaporated to eight ounces). The only effect felt was slight nausea, and a feeling of tension through the head just behind the ears, similar to that produced by a large dose of quinine. It is further stated that he had at other times taken two ounces of a saturated tincture at a single dose with but little effect, and had many times not only eaten the bark and roots with like result, but had also seen patients take it daily in large doses for months, without creating any positive disturbances.

If these experiments were really made as stated (and who would wish to deny this ?) we must necessarily conclude, gentlemen, that (1) the poisonous properties of the ailanthus have been exaggerated, at least so far as they effect the system, if taken by the mouth. It will not be a safe experiment to swallow equally large doses of aconite, belladonna, gelsemium or baptisia. (2) If the cases of poisoning: given by Dr. AVells and a few others were truly cases of poisoning by the ailanthus, the violent effects produced must have depended upon a peculiar susceptibility of the person poisoned to the action of this agent, excited perhaps by endemic or epidemic influences or peculiar conditions of the organism at the time mentioned.

(3) If this is true, we must inevitably conclude that the most careful experi- ment and extended clinical observations are absolutely necessary to determine whether or not the drug is worthy of ranking as a reliable

278 AILANTHUS.

remedial agent with others, whose effects are positive and unvarying.

Dr. True attributes the nausea following doses of ailanthus, taken into the stomach, to its intensely disagreeable smell and taste, claim- ing that large and small doses alike produce about the same disgust and subsequent desire of the stomach to rid itself of the nauseous mixture. This explanation is plausible but not conclusive.

There is a possibility that the eruption is caused by the direct action of the juice of the ailanthus upon the epidermis when brought in contact with it. Dr. 0. A. Lindsley, of New Haven, Conn., then health officer of that city, demonstrated this possibility by applying the juice of a freshly-broken twig of the tree to the arm of a young lady, who had been exposed to the emanations of the flowering tree, while sleeping on a lounge by an open window, in front of which was an ailanthus tree in full bloom.

There had been produced upon her skin, wherever uncovered, a vesicular inflammation resembling the eruption caused by rhus tox. or rhus venenata. The application of the fresh juice produced a copious eruption upon a surface much larger than the part touched, without producing any disturbance of the general health. Dr. Lindsley strongly urges the necessity of personal susceptibility to the specific action of the tree.

In the case of Dr. Wells' daughter and her friend we find the eruption a promi- nent symptom; we are told that they came freely in contact with the juice, not only exposing the hands, but bringing it in direct contact with the tongue, and in all probability with the face. The fact that scarlatina was then raging might lead us to presume that the young lady was at that time more than usually susceptible to the specific influences of this a^ent.

We must not forget that the facts mentioned are only sufficient to make us cautious in the use of this drug, and to create a desire for more conclusive evidence. The fact that in China, the home of the ailanthus, it has a reputation for curing dysentery, increases our readiness to believe that it possesses some medicinal properties. We are told by M. Robert, the principal medical officer attached to the naval division of China and Japan (Archives de Med.

Navale — New Remedies, July, 1874), that, in hot climates, it gives results superior to those of ipecacuanha, calomel and astringents, either with or with- out opium, and also to the treatment by milk. The bark of the root is the only part used in an infusion of about two ounces by weight in four ounces of water. The bark is slightly bruised and the infusion is passed through a filter. The dose is a dessert-spoonful morning

AILANTHUS. 270

and evening, either by itself or in a cup of tea, for three days ; great attention being paid to the diet. If, at the expiration of eight days, the affection is not cured, the treatment should be repeated.

But even the above is not quite satisfactory. For who does not know that many a case of dysentery gets well " with great attention being paid to the diet"? and who would not feel somewhat disturbed at the thought of waiting eight days and then deliberately going through with the same performance, staking a patient's life upon the mere hope that at a second frial the result may be more satis- factory? Truly, the treatment has its advantages over an orthodox course of calomel and ipecacuanha, but is it more than merely " ex- pectant " treatment, and to be compared with sensible and aggressive scientific medication?

With homoeopaths, ailanthus has been principally used in the treatment of scarlet fever, and it seems to have given satisfaction to those who have employed the remedy. In our own practice we have never used it, because older remedies have done so well in our hands that we have not been obliged to use a comparatively untried remedy. Dr. Chalmers, of England, however, among others, has prescribed it with satisfactory results, and prominent medical men on this conti- nent entertain a high opinion of its usefulness in that disease.

The late Dr. Dunham had great confidence in its efficacy.

In the Monthly Horn. Review, Dec, 1868, Dr. Chalmers gives in full his experience with the drug in scarlatina, prefacing his article with general statements, showing that the cases treated with ailanthus were fair cases of the malignant type, and that they recovered more readily and satisfactorily under its use than they had done under the employment of other remedies. Permit me to give you the history of the following from the seven cases recited by him.

A. T., aged two years and five months. One of two ill. Rather a delicate child and prone to bronchial attacks.

She has been fretful and uneasy for two days; at night feverish and restless. Eruption appeared on the face last night, and on the body and extremities this morning. She had a very bad night and was threatened with convulsions ; and there are still very bad twitchings of the muscles, particularly of the right side. The eruption is dark-colored, scanty and patchy.

The mother tells me, it has disappeared from places where she saw it. The skin is hot and dry ; the pulse very frequent, weak and irregular. She is quite incoherent, aad does not appear to know anyone or comprehend anything ; breathing quick and irregular ; the eyes suffused and congested, and when she is aroused they have a wild, startled look ; the glands of the neck are swollen and apparently tender ; she swallows with freedom, and greedily, but the stomach rejects everything almost immediately.

It is impos- sible to see the mouth or throat, she is so restless and uncontrollable. Prescribed ailanthus gland.1, one-half drop every hour. A light poultice for the throat. Milk for diet.

Vesper. — She has had seven doses of the ailanthus, is much calmer, and has slept a good deal at intervals, but is still stupid and unmanageable. Skin generally cov-

280 AILANTHUS.

ered with eruption, which is bright and normal-looking; muscular twitchings abated; she swallows well, and desires drink greedily ; vomiting has not occurred for several hours ; bowels have moved three times ; pulse is more marked, but still very frequent and feeble ; expression still wild. Continue ailanthus1, half a drop every second hour.

Aug. 31. — Passed a very restless night, and refused to take anything, medicine, milk or water — until early this morning ; pulse not so frequent, — rather more vigor- ous, but still weak and shaky ; the skin is moist, and the eruption general and well- colored, but mixed with miliary points over the body ; the nose bled a little this morn- ing ; supposed to have been caused by a knock during her extreme restlessness ; she appears to be more conscious ; the eyes more natural in expression ; she is swallowing well, and took now a dose of the ailanthus and a little milk ; twitching of muscles quite gone ; no vomiting ; bowels rather relaxed. Continued ailanthus every fourth hour. Milk as before.

Sept. 2d. — From this date improvement was continuous ; the eruption gradually disappearing ; the glandular swelling rapidly diminished ; a discharge of blood and pus took place from the nose to-day, and some fissures were noticed around the angles of the mouth. She was ordered mere, viv.8, twice daily, and in a few days was quite convalescent. Her recovery took place rapidly and completely.

Aug. 28, 1868 S. T., aged five years. One of a family of three, all ill with scarlet fever; all show a strumous constitution; they live in a miserable, confined, single room.

This child has been ill for four days, and, until last night, was with the others, doing so well that no medical advice was sought until to-day. The eruption appeared scantily two days ago, accompanied with sore throat, and what were con- sidered mild feverish symptoms ; but he has been restless and incoherent throughout, and, particularly at night, and for two nights has been with difficulty kept in bed. The body and extremities are now covered with an irregular, patchy eruption of a very livid color, disappearing on pressure and returning very slowly.

The skin is dry, not very hot, and, mixed with a livid eruption, are numerous small vesicles all over the chest, neck and forehead (the extremities being free from them). Eyes are suffused, congested and wild looking; tongue dry, parched and cracked, and the teeth covered with sordes; the throat is livid and swollen, the tonsils studded with numerous deep, angry-looking ulcerations, from which exudes a scanty, fetid dis- charge ; the neck is tender and very much swollen ; -the nostrils congested ; the pulse is weak, very frequent and irregular.

He has refused to swallow anything for the last twelve hours ; breathing is hurried, irregular and heavy ; he is semi-conscious, and evidently cannot understand what is said to him; bowels have been and are too freely moved for two days, the result of a dose of oil, the motions being thin, watery and offensive, and, with the urine, are passed involuntarily. Prescribed ailanthus every hour; permanganate of potash solution (two grains to the ounce) to be applied to the mouth and throat with a feather.

A light poultice to be applied around the neck, and to have a teaspoonful of milk or beef tea as he can be induced to swallow it.

Vesper, 7 p. He has had seven doses of the medicine, which has been swal- lowed, along with an occasional teaspoonful of milk. The skin feels more com- fortable, but is still dry; pulse is rather improved; eruption is a little brighter, and the vesicles have all but disappeared; he has great difficulty in swallowing, but is thirsty; he refuses the beef tea; fetor from the mouth not so marked, and the tongue is more moist. I find it impossible to see the throat.

Continue the same treatment. If possible, give a little weak wine and water.

29th Was much quieter, and slept a good deal during last night. He was able to take nearly a teacupful of new milk during the night; still refuses the wine and beef tea. Has had the medicine regularly; eruption much brighter this morning, and no vesicles are seen on any part of the skin ; eyes more natural ; tongue is moistening, but where free of fur it is of a very livid color ; he is more intelligent and protrudes the tongue when asked ; breathing more regular, and not so heavy or hurried; pulse more steady, but weak and frequent, about 130; throat still very bad, but less lived ; bowels not so troublesome.

Continue the treatment.

Vesper. — Is a little more intelligent, and swallows with greater freedom.

30th. — Had a restless, uneasy night, and was at times incoherent; yet he appears fresher this morning ; the eyes are much inflamed and intelligence is increased ; the tongue is cleaning, moist and less livid, with large papillae appearing ; throat much improved in appearance, the ulcers being clean and healthy looking, with little or no discharge from them, but from the nostrils there is a copious discharge of thin

AILANTHUS. 281

ichorous-matter without fetor; breathing is heavy, chiefly owing to the stuffing of the nose; expression much more natural ; his only complaint is of the glands of the neck, which are still swollen, more particularly on the right side, where they are red and tender; he has asked for a drink, the voice being husky and hoarse, and he has an occasional croupy cough ; pulse more steady and vigorous, and about 120. Mere hepar sulphur was given until full recovery of the child, which took place in due time.

Dr. Chalmers ' says: "I would recommend the use of a low dilu- tion or of the pure tincture. The dose should be frequently repeated until signs of amendment appear. It should be given early. The signs of improvement, which I like to see are a bright-colored general eruption, in place of the dark-colored and partial one. Next to this, a marked diminution in the frequency, with more regularity and increased firmness, of the pulse, along with restoration to conscious- ness."

Ailanthus seems to have not only the peculiar effect upon the skin and upon the brain, which are so well marked in the case given at the opening of this article and one at least — sleepiness, sopor — in the cases related by Dr. True, but it affects also the mucous membrane in a decided manner.

Dr. Wells states, that, while proving the medicine, a sore appeared on the prepuce, which had the exact appearance of incipient chancre. On ceasing to take the ailanthus, the sore dried up, and disappeared after a few days. I am not aware, that the drug has been tested in primary syphilis, in which affection Dr. Wells seemed to think it might be useful. — Dr. Ockford recommends it in

NASAL CATARRH with loss of smell ; copious, thin, ichorous discharge, without fetor; sore nostrils. {Gin. Med. Advance, 1877, p. 374.)

OPHTHALMIA.— Dr. C. P. Hart (Am. Observer, 1877, p. 409,) considers it beneficial when Ave have "conjunctivitis, with aching, burning, smarting and roughness ; purulent discharge, with agglutin- ation of the lids in the morning. This remedy is said to have cured chronic gonorrhoeal ophthalmia.

In a paper on Bright's disease, Dr. Holcombe says : Ailanthus promises to be useful in suppression of urine and in impending uraemia, with stupor or delirium, with dusky, red facr —this last being the leading symptom.

The following symptoms have been produced upon cwo persons

during the blossoming season of the male tree U. S. Jour, of Horn.,

May, 1860, p. 285 : "Throat dry, rough and scrapy, more so in the morning ; hawking up of greenish, puruloid matter from the throat ; the fauces and tonsils are inflamed, with spots of incipient ulceration ;

282 ALCOHOL.

thirst for cold drinks, heavy dull headache, with great oppression of the bronchia; violent fits of coughing before retiring and on rising; continual coughing until expectoration becomes free, afterward com- fortable during the day. Mr. M., nervous and sensitive, experiences during the blossoming period, pain in the occiput, with dizziness and ringing pain in the forehead, and swelling in the left side of the face, , below the eye and upon the cheek ; soreness and pain in the left side of the nose, puffed erysipelatous face, feels heavy and sleepy, nausea coming on at short intervals. These disturbances are very much relieved by rhus toxicodendron, though they continue more or less, until the cause has passed away."

From the above it seems as if in certain bronchial and throat difficulties, the ailanthus might be given with much benefit to the patient. On page 28G of the journal above mentioned are related a number of cases in which the remedy was prescribed for such affec- tions with perfect success ; from their number I select the following :

W. M., aged thirty-five years, bilious temperament, short and well developed, has always enjoyed robust health. February 20th, he retired as well as usual, but awakened in the morning with almost entire loss of voice. He had been ailing somewhat with a cold before.

After having aphonia for several days, he began to cough. March 14th Hard, racking cough, spasmodic and fatiguing; headache, redness and congestion of the face while and after coughing ; slight wheezing, fluent nasal catarrh with sneezing; mucus expectoration, at times free ; attack of coughing every night on retiring and every morning when rising ; dizziness; throat dry, feverish taste in the mouth, rough feeling in the left eye, as if from dust. These symptoms had continued for three weeks without abatement.

I gave him ailanthus3. Returned in three days with marked improvement in every respect. Ailanthus8 or * was continued for two weeks, when the patient was entirely cured. No other medicine was given.