Grindelia Robusta

The genus grindelia belongs lo the " composite." According to Asa Gray this genus is found on the plains west of the Mississippi, extending to the Pacific coast and to Mexico, with two or three species in similar regions in South America, especially in Texas and Mexico. The chief distinguishing character of the genus lies in the pappus, which consists of from two to eight rigid arons that a touch is almost sufficient to break off, and which in fact fall off early.

Of the many species of the genus the grindelia robusta is the most important. Mr. James G. Steele (Twenty-first annual meeting

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of the American Pharmaceutical Association, 1875,) describes it as follows: "It is indigenous, and found in many localities, but it occurs most frequently and grows most luxuriantly in the foot-hills of the Sierra Nevada and Coast ranges of mountains. It is a tall, stout perennial, * * * and looks like a. small sunflower. It is from one to three feet in height, and has bright, yellow flowers in heads, one to two inches in diameter, flowering from June to October. Before flowering, the unexpanded heads or buds secrete a quantity of resinous matter, white and sticky, like balsam, that finally, after the flower expands, is distributed like varnish over all the calyx.

The whole plant, at this season, is resinous and viscid. When it grows in dry, hilly regions, it is stiff and rigid, with narrow leaves ; but in damp localities it is more robust and succulent, with wide, fleshy leaves. May and June are the months in which it should be gathered for use, as at that time the plants abound most in the balsamic and resinous juice in which its medicinal properties reside."

Nearly all we know of grindelia is derived from empirical use of the remedy. A California physician called the attention of the pro- fession to its "curative effect upon persons poisoned with poison oak, or poison ivy. The external application of a solution of one part of the fluid extract to ten parts of cold or tepid water is said to act in such cases with remarkable promptness. Gradually it was em- ployed in the treatment of external ulcerations, sores, etc., and still later it became a favorite topical application in inflammations of the mucous surfaces, as in inflamed eyes, vaginal and uterine ulcerations, and even in specific inflammations of the sexual organs, particularly of the urethra.

The physiological school has prescribed it internally in asthenic whooping cough, irritations and inflammations of the bronchial and pulmonary mucous membrane, in doses of ten drops to a teaspoonf ul or more of the fluid extract or mother tincture.

From all we know at this writing, the opinion of Dr. Hale, that its principal effects show themselves upon the nervous system and upon the mucous membranes, is probably correct. The writer, in experimenting upon himself with the fluid extract of the plant, taking it in doses ranging from five to fifty drops, experienced a severe irritation of the throat and of the urethral mucous mem- brane, causing violent pain when urinating, extending the length of the urethra, followed by severe pain in the bladder, frequent urging to urinate, tenesmus and other and pointed symptoms of catarrhal inflammation of the bladder.

152 GUAJACUM.

Like our brethren of the physiological schools, homoeopaths have found the remedy to act well in asthma, especially in humid asthma and in those cases, where trouble depended upon heart disease. A fear of going to sleep on account of loss of breath, which awakes him, is considered a characteristic indication, verified, at least, by Dr. Wesselhceft, of Boston.

The presumed effect of the remedy upon the pneumogastric nerve is illustrated in the following case by Dr. Egbert Guernsey.

* * * The patient was a man, broken down with years and sickness, with organic disease of the heart, and just rallying from a pretty severe attack of pneumo- nia. There was so little vital force about him, that we entertained no hope of his recovery. * * * I found the patient almost in a sitting position in bed, with a peculiar interrupted breathing, which entirely prevented sleep. Every time he dropped into a doze, the breathing would become so interrupted that he would have to be aroused.

The half-paralyzed pneumogastric nerve, the weak action of the heart, pointed very strongly to Grindelia. Its administration was followed by prompt and immediate relief.

Dr. Guernsey adds : but here was developed a new symptom with which I was not familiar. A few hours' use of the drug was fol- lowed by an active diarrhoea, without pain, of a watery character, which disappeared very shortly after a discontinuance of the drug. I have given the grindelia in several cases in severe frontal headache, involving the optive nerve, also in those cases of lung, heart and stomach trouble arising from a deranged or deficient action of the pneumogastric nerve, in every case with benefit, and in every case with a marked action upon the liver and bowels, as shown by free, liquid, and bilious stools.

The tendency of the remedy to produce diarrhoeic stools has been observed and reported by physicians of other schools. The symptom is undoubtedly pathogenetic and should indicate the possible use of the remedy in intestinal catarrh.