Coccionella

[lady-bug, sun-bug, st. john's bug.]

This bug contains a volatile, acrid substance which escapes after the death of the animal. When bruised in a mortar, it emits an odor similar to that of opium This drug has been used in domestic practice for rheumatic toothache. When crushed against the gums, the contact of this little insect causes a sensation of coldness.

Dr. Olaussnitzer has instituted provings with the tincture of coc- cionella septem punctata ; he prepared it from several thousands of the bogs which he met with one day in September, 1798, at noon, sitting in the sunshine. He states that this tincture, in spite of every care with which it was kept, lost some of its strength after the lapse of six months, and finally had a disagreeable odor ; on which account the experimenter advises to make the tincture fresh every three months.

The doctor first swallowed ten drops of the tincture in half a tablespoonful of simple cinnamon- water. Some time after this, he experienced an agreeable warmth, afterward a disposition to be lazy and to sleep. Again he took ten drops, after which he became dis- posed to be cheerful and thoughtful, and his mind seemed altogether more active and quick. The bowels remained constipated for two days.

According to Dr. Olaussnitzer the tincture of coccionella septem punctata acts similarly to that of opium, except that the tincture of opium is a great deal stronger, and more stupefying and permanent than that of coccionella. This mode of generalizing may be useful to the homoeopathic physician as well as to practitioners of other schools, in furnishing a' general point of departure for the investiga- tion of the pure effects of drugs ; but it is insufficient for the deter- mination of the specific homoeopathic relation of this or any other drug to particular cases of disease.

We find a short proving of this drug in the Archive which shows

740 COCCULUS menisplrmum.

that it is endowed with some specific power of causing a determina- tion of the blood to the head, and of exciting a particular form of toothache. The provers report: Flashes of heat in the face, with redness and heat of the cheeks. Swelling of the gums. Slight erythema with increased flow of saliva, and a pleasant feeling of cold- ness in the teeth (from crushing a bug against the teeth).

Acute drawing pain in the teeth, at regular intervals. Violent drawing in the tooth, as if the tooth were to be pulled out, accompanied with jerking throbs at intervals. Fine digging in the molar teeth, with pain as if they were hollow and air were entering. Throbbing pain in the molar teeth.

Feeling of coldness in all the teeth. The tooth- ache is aggravated by eating.

COCCULUS MEKTSPEKMUM.

[COCCULI INDICI, COCCULI ORIENTALES, SEMEN" COCCULI. NATURAL

ORDER, MEMISPERME^ OF CANDOLE.]

This is the fruit of a shrub growing on the island of Ceylon, and on the coasts of Malabar and Amboina in the East Indies. The seed consists of a nucleus or kernel, and of the outer shell or peri- carp. From the kernel. Boullay obtained an alkaloid in 1812, termed picrotoxin or cocculin; this is the poisonous principle ; the pericarp acts only as an emetic.

In commerce the nucleus is often dwindled down to nothing. It is well known that cocculus is used by brewers to impart intoxicating qualities to the beer. Of the ber- ries we make a tincture of a brownish straw-color.

From cases of poisoning, and from experiments made upon ani- mals, we infer that cocculus acts upon the spinal system of nerves, causing even paralysis of the motor nerves and tetanic convulsions.

In Canstatt's Annual of 1844, we find the following case of pois- oning by cocculus :

A boy, aged twelve years, swallowed two scruples of the compo- sition used for poisoning fish ; it contained cocculus indicus. In a few minutes he perceived an unpleasant taste, with burning pain in the oesophagus and stomach, not relieved by frequent vomiting, as well as pain extending over the whole of the abdomen. In spite of treatment, a violent attack of gastro-enteritis ensued, with much febrile excitement, followed by diarrhoea and delirium, and he died on the nineteenth day after taking the poison.

On inspection, the vesicles of the pia mater were found filled with dark-colored, fluid blood. In the abdomen there were all the marks of peritonitis in an

COCCULUg MENISPERMUM. 741

advanced stage. The stomach was discolored, and its parietes thin- ner and softer than natural.

Another case of poisoning which is far more interesting and in- structive than the preceding one, is reported by Hahnemann in his Lesser Writings: "A druggist, of fine sensibility and otherwise healthy, although recently convalescent from an acute disease, some years ago wished to ascertain the taste of cocculus seed, and as he considered it a powerful substance, he weighed out a single grain of it, but did not take quite half of this into his mouth, rolled it about with his tongue over his palate, and he had not swallowed it two seconds when he was seized with the most dreadful apprehensiveness.

This anxiety increased every moment ; he became cold all over; his limbs stiff as if paralyzed; with drawing pains in the bones and in the back. The symptoms increased from hour to hour, until, after a lapse of six hours, the anxiety, the stupefaction, the senseless stu- pidity, and the immobility had risen to the greatest height, with fixed, sullen look, ice-cold sweat on the forehead and hands, and great repugnance to all food and drink ; at the slightest increase of temperature of the air (75° F.) he expressed his displeasure; every loud word put him in a passion.

All that he could still say was, that his brain felt as if contracted by a ligature, and that he expected speedy dissolution. He gave no indication of inclination to vomit, of thirst or of any other want. He wished to sleep, as he felt a great inclination to do so ; but when he closed his eyes, he immedi- ately started up again ; so frightful, he asserted, was the sensation he felt in his brain on going to sleep, like the most hideous dream. The pulse was very small, but the frequency was not altered.

"In these frightful circumstances I was called in. A few drops of laudanum appeared not to agree with him ; this led me to fix upon a strong camphor emulsion, of which I administered to him a table- spoonful about every minute. I soon observed a happy change in his expression, and after he had thus taken fifteen grains of camphor, his consciousness was restored, the anxiety gone, the heat natural. In something less than an hour, he perspired a little ; during the night he slept pretty well ; but the following day he was uncom- monly weak, and all the parts which, during the direct action of the cocculus, were yesterday painful internally, were to-day uncommonly painful externally to the slightest touch.

The bowels remained con- stipated for several days. It is very probable that all these after sufferings could have been prevented, if, instead of giving fifteen grains of camphor, I had at once given thirty. During the increase of the effects of cocculus, he attempted to smoke tobacco, with con- siderable aggravation ; they also increased from taking coffee, though not so strikingly as from the other."

The symptoms which these two cases of poisoning present for our contemplation, are: Burning pain in the oesophagus and stomach, not relieved by frequent vomiting. Pain extending over the wdiole

742 COCCULUS MENISPERMUM.

of the abdomen, increasing to gastroenteritis, with much febrile excitement, followed by delirium and diarrhoea. Peritonitis, as revealed by a post-mortem examination. Discoloration of the stomach, with unusual thinness and softness of the walls. Dreadful apprehensiveness.

Coldness and paralytic rigidity of all the limbs. Drawing pains in the bones and back. Excessive irritability, excited by the least increase of temperature or by loud talking. Sensation as if the brain were contracted by a ligature.

Desire to sleep; he started up again, as soon as he closed his eyes, roused by a frightful sensation in his brain which was like a most hideous dream. Small- ness of the pulse. Weakness and excessive soreness of the parts which had been affected with pain on the previous day.

Keeping in view these poisonous effects of the drug, and the symp- toms furnished by Hahnemann and some of his disciples as the result of careful examination upon the healthy, we may study the action of cocculus under the following heads:

CEREBRO-SPINAL GROUP.

Cocculus may be used in vertigo resembling intoxication. Hemi- crania as if the brain were contracted by a ligature, or as if the eyes would be torn out. Spasmodic shaking of the head. Paralytic rigidity of the extremities, a sort of partial paralysis. Convulsions of the arms, with clenching of the thumbs, a sort of epileptic paroxysm.

Dr. Gross, in proving cocculus, experienced the following attack'.

He felt intoxicated, started, fell down without consciousness, with spasmodic shocks of the whole body and stretching of the hands which were turned inward at the same time. During this paroxysm there was an involuntary discharge of urine ; there was retching ; froth at the mouth ; the hands were cold, the face covered with cold sweat and spasmodically distorted ; the eyes were protruded and looked glassy ; after awhile he rose, with his teeth clenched, barked at those who would ask him a question, refused to be touched, and pushed persons away from him ; the face was expressive of violent rage ; lastly he groaned, and after the lapse of half an hour, he recovered his consciousness, but was indifferent to enjoyments, even such as were dearest to him.

Cocculus causes a variety of nervous pains, such as boring, stitch- ing, laming, bruising, drawing, constrictive pains, which may either be experienced in the muscles or in the bones.

A prominent symptom is a painful stiffness or creaking of the joints. In

SPINAL IREITATION the remedy may be used to advantage.

I have found the 6th dilution of cocculus effective in curing a case of spinal irri- tation in a young woman, aged twenty, who had suffered much from vertigo, and

COCCULUS MENISPERMUM. 743

frequently with sick headache on rising in the morning. After suffering in this way for an indefinite length of time, she began to experience stiffness in the muscles of the neck, and great weakness ; she had considerable pain in the lower portion of the spine and trembling of the limbs ; she also complained of oppression in the chest, palpitation of the heart, paralytic weakness of the right side, and numbness in the right upper and lower extremities. I directed the use of the flesh-brush over the surface of the parts affected, and ten drops of the 6th dilution of cocculus in four tablespsoonfuls of water, a teaspoonful to be administered every three hours.

She soon began to experience decided relief. The remedy was discontinued after a week, and no further medication was required. She continued to improve in health from day to day, until her recovery was complete. (Dr.

Small in U. S. Med. and Surg. Jour., July, 1 871.)

INFLAMMATORY GROUP.

Among the inflammatory symptoms we noticed the fact that cocculus causes gastro-enteritis and even peritoneal inflammation.

It is not in purely rheumatic inflammation of the bowels or peri- toneum that cocculus will be found of any use. The inflammation to which cocculus is homoeopathic, is of a typhoid character, with a tendency to paralyze and destroy the life of the brain; diarrhoea with tenesmus and delirium may set in during the progress of the disease.

ORBITAL AND AURICULAR GROUPS.

AMAUROSIS. — Cocculus causes a buzzing in the ears, and may prove useful in incipient amaurosis, for it causes several character- istic amaurotic symptoms, such as dimness of sight, muscae volitantes; one prover saw a black figure before her eyes which turned with her as she turned round; her sight was otherwise undisturbed.

CHYLO-POIETIC GROUP.

Among the gastric symptoms we note the following: Dryness of the fauces. Burning in the fauces, down the oesophagus, of an in- flammatory character. Burning in the fauces as from fire, with sen- sation of shuddering about the head. A species of dysphagia; the oesophagus feels semi-paralyzed as if it would not contract.

Eructa- tions, causing a pain in the pit of the stomach. When feeling cold, the prover experiences a sickness at the stomach, with copious flow of saliva. Sickness at the stomach, with headache, and a feeling as if the bowels were bruised. Nausea after eating or when riding in a carriage.

OESOPHAGITIS. — These symptoms point to cocculus as a remedy for various gastric derangements, more particularly for oesophagitis, with intense burning in the pharynx and oesophagus, preceded or accompanied by shuddering about the head.

744 COCCULUS MENISPERMUM.

DYSPHAGIA, arising from a paralytic weakness of the oesopha- geal fibres.

DYSPEPSIA, characterized by eructations which cause a pain in the pit of the stomach.

CHRONIC NAUSEA, with flow of saliva during the attack, dizziness, headache, sore feeling in the pit of the stomach and in the bowels.

For sea-sickness, cocculus has been considered a useful remedy ; I think it of very little, if any, use in this derangement.

DIARRHCEA. — Cocculus causes costiveness, also fetid, diarrhoeic stools, and stools followed by excessive tenesmus in the rectum, causing fainting. These symptoms may occur as elements of a group of gastro-enteritis, or hysteria, and likewise as an attack denoting a violent, subacute irritation of the intestinal lining membrane, which may assume the form of a more or less prostrating and malignant diarrhoea or dysentery.

GENITO-URINARY GROUP.

Cocculus causes soreness and induration of the testes, and may, therefore, be found useful in this affection.

PREMATURE MENSTRUATION.— It affects more particularly the female sexual organs, causing premature menstruation, with cut- ting-contractive pain in the lower bowels, also with contraction in the rectum, painfulness of the epigastric region when walking, pain ful- ness in the sexual parts as if pressed upon by a sharp stone, and also painfulness to contact. This group of symptoms may suggest the use of cocculus in

DYSMENORRHEA, where it is likewise indicated by the fol- lowing characteristic symptom: "Constrictive sensation in the lower part of the bowels, with bearing down toward the sexual parts, qualmishness in the pit of the stomach, and disposition to water- brash." This group of symptoms may likewise be regarded as a case of menstrual colic. In

LEUCORRHCEA this agent may prove useful; for it causes a serous and purulent discharge from the vagina, with great soreness as if the parts were ulcerated with flatulent distention of the bowels. In

UTERINE HYSTERIA cocculus may do good service. It causes a variety of pain and spasms which characterize this form of hysteria. A profuse discharge of watery urine may be added to the o-roup.

COCCULUS MENISPERMUM. 745

t RESPIRATORY GROUP.

SPASMODIC ASTHMA. — Oocculus may do good service in spas- modic asthma, for it causes dyspnoea, tightness and constriction of the right chest, impeding respiration; wheezing, stertorous breathing even unto suffocation, especially during an inspiration; at times the breathing is slow and interrupted, and the face looks bloated as if apoplectic.

EXANTHEMATOUS GROUP.

TINEA CAPITIS. — Oocculus causes an itching, blotches and pustules ; it is used in tinea capitis, where, however, its office seems to be inferior. Old -school physicians employ an ointment composed of one part of the powdered berries, and two parts of lard. This proceeding is not advisable.

FEVER GROUP.

BILIOUS FEVER. — Rau has cured with it a case of bilious fever caused by chagrin, the patient being a lady of sixty, with violent head- and toothache, buzzing in the ears, dry mouth without thirst, eructations, nausea, loathing of food, numbness of one hand or the other, constant chilliness although the skin felt hot to her, prostration.

LENTESCENT TYPHUS.— Hahnemann recommends cocculus for lentescent typhus, especially abdominal typhus, in the first stage of the disease, with headache, dizziness, nausea as if one would faint, nervous prostration, pain and soreness in the bowels, distention of the bowels, costiveness, sopor, small pulse ; flushed face with cold feet, creeping, shivering in the back, alternate heat from feet to head, and cold shivering from head to feet, anxiety.

MENTAL GROUP.

HYSTERIA. — Cocculus causes a depression of spirits, inclination to weep, irritable mood. In accordance with this indication, we pre- scribe cocculus in hysteria, with irritable mood, and profuse dis- charges of a watery urine.

The active principle of cocculus is termed picrotoxin, a very feeble acid which was first supposed to be an alkaloid. It is a white, intensely bitter substance, usually crystalizing in needles, but some- times in silky flexible filaments or transparent plates, or in granular crystals.

Ealck has instituted a number of experiments with this substance

746 COCCUS CACTI.

»

upon animals which have no special therapeutic value except in so far as they determine the general anatomical range of the action of cocculus. From his experiments Falck concludes that the poison acts 1. Upon the central organs of the nervous system and more especially upon the medulla spinalis; 2. Upon the vaso- motor nerves, upon the heart and respiratory organs ; 3.

Upon the glands and mucous membranes, and more particularly upon the salivary glands which the poison causes to secrete an enormous quan- tity of fluid.