Arnica Montana

MOUNTAIN ARNICA — " fall-kraut " (" fall-herb ") — " Panacea lapsorum " — should be in every house, and everybody should know of its uses.

Arnica grows all the world over in mountainous regions.

A great-grandson of Nelson, hailing from the Andes, seen once only, years ago, is still remembered because he told the tale of Arnica. He told of the terrible falls in those mountains, and how the people there gather Arnica, pour boiling water on the plant, and give the infusion to drink to the injured men, with astonishing results.

In the scheme of - the Almighty, wherever healing is needed, there it is to be found, whether in plant or venom — always at hand.

This wonderful remedy comes by hoary tradition from domestic practice. But Hahnemann has made its use scientific, and demonstrated how it falls into line with all the rest, by its power of causing what it can cure. That is to say, he " proved " it, by administering it to nine persons (mostly doctors) besides himself, and then faithfully recording what it can do in the way of altering health and giving rise to abnormal conditions and sensations in healthy provers.

Let us glance down the provings of Arnica, and find what they have to tell us in regard to its uses : remembering that what a drug can cause, that it can cure.

Felt as if bruised over the whole body.

General weakness, weariness, sensation of being bruised.

Pain in the back, as after a violent fall.

Pain in the heart, as if squeezed, or as if it had got a shock.

All the joints, bones and cartilages of chest painful, as if bruised, during motion and breathing.

Stitches in chest.

Short panting breath.

Tightness.

Bloody expectoration.

Cough, with feeling in ribs, as if they were all bruised.

Small of the back painful, as if it had been beaten.

Pain in limbs, as if joints bruised ; pain in all limbs, as if they had been bruised.

Pain in arms, as from bruises ; arms weary, as if bruised, by blows.

Pain as if from a sprain in wrist-joint.

Pain in balls of thumbs, as if they had knocked against something hard.

Pain as from a sprain in hips

Then some typhoid symptoms with involuntary stool during sleep ; foul taste ; foul breath ; distention of abdomen, etc., and its typical mental state.

Then some peculiar symptoms, mental and physical.

Cold nose.

Head burning hot, with cold body.

Forgetfulness ; absentmindedness.

Sudden horror of instant death.

Fear of being touched. . . .

HAHNEMANN says of Arnica, " Hence it is very beneficial " (not only in " injuries caused by severe contusions and lacerations of fibres ") " but also in the most severe wounds by bullets and blunt weapons : in the pains and other ailments consequent on extracting the teeth, and other surgical operations, whereby sensitive parts have been violently stretched : as also after dislocations of joints, after setting fractures of bones, etc. . . . And in some kinds of false pleurisy it is very efficacious, where the symptoms correspond."

For internal use he recommends the 30th potency. For external use, the parts are to be kept moistened for twenty-four hours with wine, or brandy and water, in which five to ten drops of Arnica (not the " (05 " but the " is ") has been well mixed (five to ten drops to the pint).

Of course, a few doses of Arnica internally, after tooth extraction, is the common practice of us all.

KENT (" Materia Medica ") gives some striking little pictures of the action of Arnica. " After railway (or road) accident," " horror of instant death, with cardiac symptoms at night. He goes off into a sleep of terror, jumps up again with this sudden fear of death, and says, ' Send for a doctor at once.' And this may happen night after night."

Or, on the other hand, an Arnica case, in desperate sickness, may say, " I am not ill. I do not need a doctor."

(We had such a case in our hospital during the 1914-18 War — a Frenchwoman, with a very bad form of typhoid, contracted in France during a virulant epidemic. She relapsed and relapsed. It was a very anxious case. But, at her worse, she began to profess herself as " so well ! " — " Ca va si bien — si bien, Mademoiselle ! " So she got Arnica, and made a rapid recovery.)

Kent gives another little picture of the Arnica condition in old cases of gout. The old grandfather, sitting away in a corner, in terror of touch or approach. He feels that anything coming towards him is going to hurt him, because he is so sore and tender. If he sees little Johnnie running towards him, he says, " Oh, do keep away ! — keep away ! " " Give him a dose of Arnica." says Kent, " and he will let Johnnie run all over him ".

Then the hard bed sensation. That is such a splendid appeal for Arnica, in all sorts of sicknesses. The patient is restless, but only because the bed feels so hard and lumpy, that he is forced to try for a new position. (It is not the anxious restlessness of Aconite or Arsenicum, or the pains of Rhus, that seem as if movement would help — which it may not.)

Another great use for Arnica is in cerebral hemorrhage ; generally the first thing to use. This is also foreshadowed in the provings, " Pain as if the head were being distended from within outwards, . . . as if brain were rolled up in a lump. Stitches in left frontal eminence, accompanied by the sensation as if an extravasation of blood had taken place."

Illustrative cases in the ken of some of us.

1/ She was taken ill one .night with stitching pains in the chest that made breathing a proposition. Her husband tried to help her with various remedies, probably Aconite, certainly Bryonia , but in vain. Then, in a " Domestic Homoeopathy," he discovered " bastard pleurisy " with its remedy, Arnica ; and he gave her a few globules. They were scarcely swallowed when, with a long sigh, and " That's the first breath I've been able to draw tonight ! she was fast asleep in a moment.

2/ He was a doctor who wrote that for more than a month he had had distressing difficulty in breathing, since running eighty yards. He would wake at night " with oppression in chest, anxiety and fear ". " Heart weakness suggests early death," he said, yet he was " calm and not anxious". " Legs heavy ; head fuzzy ; couldn't run upstairs. Heart sounds weak, but no disease." Arnica was suggested and he wrote back, "Arnica had the desired effect ! All symptoms went within forty-eight hours. I'm all right now."

3/ She was carrying awkward things downstairs, slipped and sprained her ankle badly, and put on an Arnica compress, probably rather strong. Ankle was well next day, but there was a brilliant eruption all over the foot, which died away when the Arnica was discontinued.

Here, N.B. — Arnica can bring out a very nasty dermatitis, when used externally too long or too strong — even a cellulitis when applied to wounds where the skin is broken ; and here it is better always to use Hypericum. Probably Hahnemann's " 1st centesimal potency " (the " is "), would be an improvement, always, on the " mother tincture " (" 6 ") commonly in use.

4/ Another doctor, over fatigued mentally and physically, lost all interest in his work. His usual self-confidence disappeared, so that he began to doubt his prescriptions and wonder whether he had prescribed too much of this, or even the wrong medicine. He was never sure whether he had shut the door, or turned off the lights : had to go back and see. He was naturally keenly alert, and this change of mentality worried him. Arnica 1000 put him right in a few days, restoring perfectly his memory and self-confidence.

5/ A person who tired very easily, and was knocked up by a day's shopping in London. Over fatigue always meant a bad night, unless she took Arnica. On one occasion she had been vaccinated, and her arm was swollen and sore, with painful glands in the armpit ; on the top of which she had a dragging day in Town ; so at night, she took Arnica. To her surprise she had no further discomfort from the vaccination ! (Arnica is capable of producing cellulitis and septic conditions, and here. it relieved promptly.) Some of us prescribe it always, with relief to the patient, after a vaccination. Unlike Thuja, which aborts the process entirely, Arnica simply relieves the discomfort, leaving the pustules to take their usual course.

6/ Two small girls, of nine and five, brought into hospital by the police after having been knocked down by taxis. Both comatose and limp. Both were seen by surgeons within a few hours of admission, and in both cases the surgeons pronounced them hopeless. Both were given Arnica internally, and both sat up to eat a hearty breakfast next morning.

7/ A patient writes from abroad. " My wife has been very ill here, . . . but I am happy to say that all has gone supremely well, and Strasbourg echoes amazement at the effect of Arnica 1000 taken six hours after a double ovariotomy with complications. Phosphorus prevented all nausea and shock, and the Arnica made morphia entirely unnecessary. A wonderful piece of work."

8/ A very severely sprained ankle on the stairs late one night. The sufferer was too cute to try to walk on it ; she sat and wriggled it in every direction, crawled up somehow to bed, and took Arnica. Next day, again, Arnica and wriggling, feeling that bone after bone slipped back into place. It was well in about twenty-four hours.

And here, a tip ! Don't go walking on a foot whose jig-saw puzzle of instep joints may be slightly disturbed. They will pinch nerves, and you will get pain and swelling and inflammation, and be laid up, more or less, for weeks. Shake the jig-saw bits home. Bend your knee ; hold on to something ; and with your toes on the ground, roll your foot backwards and forwards and round and round, while the parts slip home. Arnica will look after the rest.

Arnica is a short-acting remedy but prompt .

Insect Stings

We forgot to mention the role of Arnica in insect stings.

The strong tincture applied to a wasp sting, prevents the pain and swelling, and in a couple of hours the sting is forgotten.

Urtica is said to do likewise for bee stings.

And Cantharis 200, given internally, quickly cures the inflamed and horrible swellings that may follow gnat bites. — ED.

Black Letter Symptoms

Stupor, with involuntary discharge of faces.

Forgetful ; what he reads quickly escapes his memory, even the word he is about to speak.

Says there is nothing the matter with him.

Delirium tremens.

Hopelessness ; indifference. (After concussion.)

Fears being struck by those coming towards him ; fears even the possibility of being touched (in gout).

Violent attacks of anguish. (Angina pectoris.)

Vertigo when shutting eyes.

Pressive headache as if head was being distended from within outward ; pain seems to arise from something soft in vertex, with drawing in vertex and occiput, and tearing towards temples.

Mechanical injuries ; especially with stupor from concussion fractures of skull, or even compression (apply externally warm cloths saturated with dilute tincture from the root ; give also internally).

Meningitis after mechanical or traumatic injuries, such as concussions, bruises, falling, concussion of brain, etc., when suspecting exudation of blood, fibrine or pus.

In such cases we find great sopor and partial paralysis of tongue, oculomotors, iris or limbs.

Meningitis after lesion or concussion, provided there is no complete want of reaction.

Apoplexia sanguinea.

Head feels too large.

Inflammation of eyes, with suggillations after mechanical injuries.

Retinal hemorrhage ; expedites absorption of clots.

A variety of eye troubles resulting from blows and various injuries ; sometimes applied locally (tincture diluted with water) and sometimes given internally.

Hard hearing from concussions.

Epistaxis.

Nosebleed ; preceded by tingling ; from mechanical causes ; whooping cough ; typhus.

Toothache after operation, plugging, etc.

Putrid smell from mouth.

Eructations ; frequent ; empty ; bitter.

Vomiting of dark red coagula, mouth bitter ; general soreness.

After injuries.

Foul belching.

Dyspepsia. Prolapsus ani.

Offensive flatus ; smelling like rotten eggs.

Stool involuntary during sleep (also urine).

Fevers.

Apoplexy, etc.

Dysentery with ischuria, or tenesmus of neck of bladder with fruitless urging.

Most marked indication is long intervals between stools, namely from four to six hours.

Bladder affections after mechanical injuries.

Tenesmus from spasms of neck of bladder.

Constant urging while urine passes involuntarily in drops.

Frequent attempts to urinate.

Has to wait a long time for urine to pass.

Retention of urine from exertion.

Ischuria with dysentery.

Involuntary urination at night during sleep. Apoplexy.

Typhus, etc.

Urine brown with lateritious sediment.

Haematuria from mechanical causes.

Urine thick, with much pus and some blood globules, but no tubes.

Nephritis.

Urine very acid, with increase of specific gravity.

Penis and testes swollen purple-red ; after injuries.

Phymosis from friction ; parts bruised and much swollen.

Threatened abortion from falls, shocks, etc. ; nervous, excited ; feel bruised.

Soreness of parts after labour ; prevents hemorrhage.

Sore nipples.

Asthma from fatty degeneration of heart.

Whooping cough ; child cries before paroxysm as though in fear of soreness it will cause, cough cause bloodshot eyes, nosebleed, expectoration of foaming blood, or clots of blood.

Hemorrhage after mechanical injuries ; slight spitting of black, thick, viscid blood, or bright red, frothy blood, mixed with mucus and coagula.

Haemoptysis.

Pleurisy after mechanical injuries ; must continually change position, bed feels so hard.

Pneumothorax from external injuries.

" Strain of the heart " from violent running.

Fatty degeneration of heart.

Pulse, in rest, below 60, after moving, above 120.

Nephritis.

Articulations and cartilaginous connections of chest feel as if beaten, when moving, breathing, or coughing.

Hygroma patella.

A splinter ran deep into sole a month ago, producing a great deal of proud flesh, came out after inner and outer use.

Paralytic pains in all joints during motion, as if bruised.

Complaints from exertion ; hoarse, overusing voice ; palpitation ; formication, lame ; paralysis ; bruised feeling ; sciatica ; weary, faint ; retained urine ; nosebleed.

Head feels too hot for him, body feels chilly and cold, between frequent attacks of violent convulsions.

After Acon .

General sinking of strength he can scarcely move a limb.

Typhus.

While answering, falls into a deep sleep before finishing.

Typhus.

Frequent violent attacks of chill.

Nephritis.

Chilly, with heat and redness of one cheek.

Head feels too hot to him, body chilly and cold ; < between frequent attacks of convulsions.

Malaria intermittents.

Traumatic fevers.

Typhoid conditions.

Putrid fevers.

Heat in oft-repeated short attacks.

Concussions and contusions.

Burrowing pus, not painful.

Prevents suppuration.

Hyperinosis is rather a contra-indication for Arnica .

Septicemia ; tendency to typhoid forms.

Myalgia ; particularly after over-exertion.

Gout and rheumatism.

Inflammation of skin and cellular tissue ; tender on pressure.

Everything on which he lies seems too hard.

Sprains, with much swelling, bluish redness, intense soreness.

After braises with blunt instruments. Iritis.

Concussions ; falls ; mechanical injuries.

Contusions with lacerations.

Stings of bees or wasps ; splinters.

Compound fractures, and their profuse suppuration.

Pressure ; aching in epigastrium < ; liver, sensitive ; spleen sore ; stitches in chest > .

Mechanical injuries ; concussion of brain while there are unconsciousness, pallor or drowsiness ; weak, intermitting pulse ; cold surface, and other indications of depressed vitality from shock ; threatened abortion ; ovarian troubles ; orchitis ; mastitis, etc.

Many small boils painful, one after another ; extremely sore.

Acon., Ipec., Veratr. ; after Apis in hydrocephalus.

Complementary to Acon.