Homeopathy LibraryPodophyllum
Hempel - Materia Medica and Therapeutics · Charles Julius Hempel · 16,238 chars
General
[MAT-APPLE, HOG-APPLE, MANDRAKE. NAT. ORD., RANTTNCULACEiE.]
This plant is a native of the northern parts of America ; it chiefly inhabits rich loamy woodlands, but is frequently found growing in meadows, near small streams and other low grounds. Dr. William- son, who thus defines its locality, has furnished some provings of this drug, published in the Transactions of the American Institute. It flowers in May. The berry ripens in August; it has an oval shape, is about an inch and a half long, smooth, yellowish when
PODOPHYLLUM. 659
perfectly ripe, and is edible, although not very agreeable to the taste.
The leaves emit a strong narcotic odor; the fresh root has a nauseous smell and a somewhat sweetish, bitter and acrid taste ; in the dried state it has little odor, but preserves its taste. The dry powder has a grayish-yellow color.
Dr. Williamson informs us that u when taken in the dose of twenty or thirty grains of the powdered root, it causes purgation ; a still larger dose will occasionally produce copious vomiting. By many practitioners it is considered one of the most safe and active cathar- tics, being slower in its operation and less nauseating to irritable stomachs than Jalap ; it produces liquid discharges, Avithout much griping or other unpleasant effects." The late Dr. Eberle was very partial to it.
According to Pereira, when given in over-doses, it occasions tormina and tenesmus, and hypercartharsis with muco- bloody discharges.
That podophyllum is not altogether an harmless medicine is shown from its violence of action when given in larger doses, from the results of post-mortem examinations held upon animals poisoned with it, and from the occasional fatal issues of cases of accidental poisoning in men.
Dr. Anstie found in animals poisoned with it, intense inflamma- tion, with ulceration, of the mucous membrane of the small intes- tines ; and the few fatal cases on record (see cases of Dr. 0. C. Owen, related by Dr. E. M. Hale in New Eemedies, second edition,) give every evidence of death resulting from gastro-enteritis.
Podophyllum affects principally the vegetative system, but exerts also a decided effect upon the generative organs of women ; its more remote influence upon the nervous system, the mucous membrane, the liver, and other organs and structures, will be duly considered.
CEPHALIC GKOUP.
Podophyllum has the following head symptoms : Giddiness and dizziness, with a sensation of fulness over the eyes. Dullness and headache with sleepiness in the morning. Momentary darts of pain in the forehead, obliging one to shut the eyes ; attended with giddi- ness. Pain in the top of the forehead when rising in the morning.
Stunning headache through the temples, relieved by pressure. Morning headache with heat in the vertex. Delirium and loquacity during fever, with excessive thirst. Boiling of the head during difficult dentition in children.
Perspiration of the head during sleep, with coldness of the flesh while teething. Vertigo, with
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inclination to fall forward. Morning headache with flushed face. Heavy dull pain in the forehead, with soreness over the seat of pain. Pain in the left frontal protuberance, aggravated in the afternoon,
Headache
We may use this remedy in headache of a bilious or a rheumatic origin.
The headache corresponds with the symp- toms given, is worse in the morning, and is relieved by pressure, quiet, sleep.
It is accompanied by nausea, bad taste in the mouth,. possibly vomiting and purging — in fact by bilious disturbances.
VERTIGO with an inclination to fall forward, fulness over the eyes ; bilious headache.
ROLLING OF THE HEAD during difficult dentition in children, when the gastric and intestinal symptoms correspond with the symptoms of the remedy.
BUCCAL GEOUP.
We have : Offensive odor from the mouth ; offensiveness of the breath at night, perceptible to the patient.
Copious salivation.
White fur on the tongue with foul taste in the mouth.
There i& also : sore throat, commencing on the right side, worse in the morn- ing, painful upon swallowing, especially liquids.
Dryness of the throat.
The soreness extends to the ear.
We are apt to find this group of symptoms in
STOMATITIS MATERNA. It seems as if the remedy should act well in certain cases of this disease ; our clinical experience is,. however, almost silent on the subject.
CHTLO-POIETIC GROUP.
Voracious appetite; satiety from a small quantity of food, fol- lowed by nausea and vomiting.
Regurgitation of food.
Putrid taste in the mouth.
Desire for something sour.
Moderate thirst during the fever.
Diarrhoea, immediately after eating or drinking.
Sourness of the stomach.
Acid eructations.
Nausea and vomiting, with fulness in the head.
Vomiting of food an hour after meal, with craving appetite immediately afterward.
Regurgitation of food.
Vomiting of hot, frothy mucus.
Heartburn.
Heat in the stomach.
Belching of hot flatus, which is very sour.
Sensation of hollowness in the epigastrium.
Food turns sour soon after eating.
Fulness and stitches in the right hypochondrium, worse while eat- ing.
Colic, with retraction of the abdominal muscles.
Rumbling in the bowels.
Pain in the bowels, which is relieved by external warmth and by bending forward whilst lying on the side, but is
PODOPHYLLUM. 1)61
aggravated by lying on the back.
The pain in the bowels is at first attended with coldness, which is followed by heat and warm perspiration.
Constipation with flatulence and headache.
The feces are hard and dry, are voided with difficulty.
Morning diarrhoea.
Extreme weakness and cutting pain in the intestines, after stool.
Diarrhoea immediately after eating or drinking.
Feces yellow or dark green; white, slimy stools.
Evacuations consisting of darkish- yellow mucus which smells like carrion.
Frequent chalk-like stools, which are very offensive, with gagging and excessive thirst in children.
Hot, watery evacuations.
Frothy mucous stools.
Food passes the bowels in an undigested state.
Diarrhoea with heat and pain in the anus.
Too much bearing down at stool, as if from inactivity of the rectum.
Descent of the rectum from a little exer- tion, immediately followed by a stool, or a discharge of thick, trans- parent mucus, sometimes of a yellow color and mixed with blood.
Constant pain in the lumbar region, which is worse during the evacuation, and particularly after stool.
The effects of podophyllum upon the digestive apparatus vary from a simple catarrh of the mucous membrane to a violent inflammation of the structure ; they indicate the great usefulness of the drug in gastric and in intestinal disturbances. In nearly all conditions to be considered under this group as coming within the curative range of mandrake, we find the following characteristic symptoms : The patient is worse in the morning, and the stools are followed, and at times accompanied, by a feeling of weakness in the abdomen and in the rectum.
You will find podophyllum useful in the treatment of the follow- ing diseases :
GASTRALGIA, with heart-burn, heat in the stomach ; sonr, hot eruotations ; great thirst ; regurgitation of food ; loss of appetite. There may also be present : vomiting with great distress, caused by violent and rapid contraction of the stomach ; vomiting is followed by a desire for food ; the patient is fond of acids.
GASTRITIS, presenting a similar train of symptoms ; vomiting of bile mixed with blood.
DIARRHOEA of chalk-like stools, smelling like carrion ; watery and painless diarrhoea, with faintness and weakness in the abdomen and rectum ; stools, composed of shreds of mucus, preceded by severe colicky pains. Heavily coated tongue ; foul taste in the month ; diarrhoea worse during the hours of morning ; stools of
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mucus streaked with blood, with heat in the rectum, tenesmus, and even prolapsus ani.
DIAKRHCEA OF INFANTS with large, foul-smelling stools, gushing out like water ; great thirst ; loss of appetite ; nausea, retch- ing and vomiting of food or of greenish slime ; the child rolls its head from one side to the other ; moans constantly, and looks worn and haggard.
The writer was called to see E.
S., aged about eighteen months, who has been sick with diarrhoea for several months.
Domestic and other treatment, viz. : lauda- num, had been useless.
Symptoms : The child looks worn and thin in flesh ; the color of the countenance is yellow.
He has little appetite, and the stomach rejects the food taken in a short time; the vomiting is frequently very distressing; great thirst, with vomiting very soon after drinking ; after vomiting the child dozes ; keeps his head going.
The stools are not very frequent.
During the night, toward morn- ing, his bowels usually move twice ; in the morning he has from four to six passages; he rarely has a passage after eleven o'clock.
The stools have varied much.
At first they looked like water ; later they became thicker and chalk-like in color.
But they were always surprisingly large, came out with a gush (but not very forcible) and were horribly offensive.
During the latter part of his illness, prolapse of the rectum on two or three occasions.
Podophyllum3, one dose every two hours, relieved the whole train of symptoms with satisfactory promptness.
CHRONIC DIARRH03A of yellowish, watery discharges, mixed with undigested food ; weakness of the rectum ; the passages worse in the morning, etc.
DYSENTERY with great straining during stool ; prolapsus ani or recti ; the passages are yellow, watery and contain only a slight admixture of blood. Clinical experience has amply demonstrated the efficacy of this remedy in the milder form of dysentery, with well-marked symptoms of bilious disorder.
CONSTIPATION with loss of appetite, impaired digestion, head- ache.
Tenesmus.
The stools are hard, dry, and are expelled with much difficulty ; frequently the rectum descends while at stool ; discharge of thick mucus from the anus ; hsemorrhoids.
There is a large amount of reliable clinical evidence to the value of podophyllum in constipation.
The attenuations should be used.
The practice of giving the crude resinoid, in light doses, for the sake of getting an immediate action of the bowels, is reprehensible.
HAEMORRHOIDS with prolapsus ani, discharge of mucus and blood, chronic diarrhoea or constipation, etc.
COLIC with cramps in the bowels and retraction of the abdomen.
The colic is relieved by warmth and by pressure, and intensely aggravated by lying on the back ; flatulent colic ; depressed or ex- cessive bilious secretion.
The symptoms are worse in the morning.
ENTERITIS with functional disturbances of the liver; jaundice;
PODOPHYLLUM. GG3
flatulence, with great tenderness and soreness in the abdomen, and a sensation of heat in the abdomen.
It is frequently stated that podophyllum exerts a direct and especial effect upon the liver.
Dr.
II. 0.
Wood thinks that the free escape of bile per anum seems the consequence of the intense duo- denal irritation rather than of a direct action upon the liver.
Be this as it may, both our provings and our clinical experience tend to prove, that podoph}dlum exerts a decided action upon the hepatic functions.
TORPOR OF THE LIVES— We may use it in torpor of the liver; in
CHRONIC INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER, and in
EXCESSIVE SECRETION OF BILE, provided the symptoms of the case find their counterpart in the symptoms of the remedy as given at the head of this group.
SEXUAL GROUP.
We may record: Sticking pain above the pubes and in the course of the spermatic cord.
Relaxed menstruation.
Suppression of the menses in young women, with bearing down in the hypogas- tric and sacral regions, with pain from motion, which is relieved by lying down.
Leucorrhoea; discharge of thick, transparent mucus.
Leucorrhoea, attended with constipation and bearing down in the genital organs.
Prolapsus uteri.
Symptoms of prolapsus uteri, pain in the sacrum, flatulence, unfrequent muco-gelatinous stools.
Pains in the (right) ovarian region.
Numb aching pain in the region of the left ovary, with heat running down the left thigh, in the third month of pregnancy.
Ability to lie comfortably only on the stomach, in the earlier months of pregnancy.
Swelling of the labia during pregnancy.
After-pains attended with heat and flatu- lency.
After-pains with strong bearing-down.
Many of these symp- toms are clinical, verified.
LELTCORRHCEA
We use podophyllum in leucorrhoea of thick, transparent mucus, attended with constipation, bearing down in the genitals, especially at stool ; bearing down in the hypogastric and sacral regions, with pain from motion, relieved by lying down.
Pain in the ovarian regions; retarded menstruation.
PROLAPSUS UTERI, after confinement or from over-lifting; leucorrhosa as described ; characteristic state of the bowels ; torpid- ity of the liver.
DISORDERS OF PREGNANCY.— Numb aching pain in the
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region of the left ovary, with heat running down the left thigh., in the third month of pregnancy.
Can be comfortable only on the stomach, in the earlier months of pregnancy.
Swelling of the labia during pregnancy.
AFTER-PAINS attended with heat and flatulency and with strong bearing down.
OVARIAN TUMORS
Podophyllum has also been recommended for ovarian tumors, with pain and heat, relieved from pressure.
Prolapsus uteri; constipation with prolapsus ani; characteristic, leucorrhoea.
Dr.
William Gallupe reports, cured with podophyllum500, a large ovarian tumor.
As far as we know this is an isolated case ; we can- not look upon it as conclusive.
(See Trans, of Am.
Inst.
Horn., 1857 and 1869.)
FEVER GEOUP.
"Chilliness while moving about during fever, and in the act of lying down, with perspiration immediately afterward.
Chilliness when first lying down in the evening, followed by fever and sleep, which is disturbed with talking and imperfect wakings.
Fever, with constipation.
Chill at 10 a. m., with pressing pains in both hypochondria, and dull aching pains in the knees and ankles, elbows and wrists.
Backache before the chill.
The shaking and a sensa- tion of coldness continues for some time after the heat commences.
Some thirst during the chill, but more during the heat.
The patient is conscious during the chill, but cannot talk because he forgets the words he wishes to employ.
Delirium and loquacity during the hot stage, with forgetfulness afterward of all that passed.
Violent pain in the head, with excessive thirst during the fever.
Sleep during the perspiration.
Loss of appetite in the apyrexia.
These symptoms define the use of this remedy in
INTERMITTENT FEVER—
A gentleman, over seventy years of age, never had a severe illness of any kind in his life, was attacked in July last with chills and fever, paroxysms coming on every day at 7 A.
M., with aching pain in the right hypochondrium, which is sensitive on pressure.
Severe pain in the back before, but not during, the chill.
The chill is not very severe, but heat commences before the shivering and coldness ceases.
Some thirst during the chill, which becomes excessive during fever.
Violent head- ache and slight delirium during fever; he falls asleep before the fever ceases, during which he has profuse perspiration.
During the delirium he tries to talk, but cannot find words with which to express himself.
Dirty, pappy, pasty tongue, with foul taste and complete loss of appetite, even the smell of food produces loathing.
On account of the pain in limbs and back, the paroxysms occurring at 7 A.
M., I gave him eupator. perfol.200 without any benefit whatever.
Podophyllum peUatun,30, and later in the 200th attenuation, cured promptly.
(Dr.
H.
C.
Allen, Am.
Homa>- opatliist, December, 1878.)
PULSATILLA. 665
In homoeopathic practice Ave use the tincture of the fresh root ; also triturations of the dried root.
Podophyllin, the resin obtained from podophyllum, is prepared by precipitating a concentrated tincture with water.
It is a yellow or yellowish-brown powder, of bitter, nauseous taste, insoluble in water, oil, diluted nitric acid and diluted alkalies.
One-twelfth of a grain of the resin is the average laxative dose; in doses of one-sixth to one-half of a grain it acts as a purgative.