Podophyllum

Podophyllum peltatum, L.

Natural order , Berberideæ.

Common names , May apple; Mandrake (American).

Preparation , Tincture of the whole plant.

Authorities.

1 , Dr. Snow, Inaug. Thesis, 1819 (from Williamsom, Am. Inst. of Hom. Trans., vol. i), effect of 2-grain pills of the extract of the leaves; 2 , Merrell, Am. Mag., 1851, vol. i, p. 63, effects observed while preparing the drug; 3 , Dr. W. Williamson, Trans. Am. Inst. of Hom., 1, p. 209, provings with 1st, 3d, and 15th dilutions; 4 , Jeanes, ibid.; 5 , Ward, ibid.; 6 , Husemann, ibid.; 7 , Owen, Chicago Med. Examiner (from Hale's New Remedies, 1860), effects of eating the ripe fruit, on two girls, aged six and eight; 8 , Ransom, Pharm. Journ., 1862, p. 462, effects on five persons employed in preparing and packing the drug (the powder came in contact with the skin of the nose and lids); 9 and 10 , Bentley, Pharm. Journ., 1862. p. 462, effects of tincture applied to the skin; 11 , Dr. Pietro, Giornale Veneto di Sc. Med., 1869 (Br. and For. Med.-Chir. Rev.), effects in Dr. P., of 5 centigrams; 11 a , same, afterwards took 10 centigrams; 12 , Water Smith, Pharm. Journ., 1869, p. 454, experiments to compare Dublin with American plants, took 1/4 grain of resin after breakfast (first day), same before breakfast (third day), 1/2 grain (fourth day); 12 a , same, took 1 grain; 12 b , same, took 1/2 grain at bedtime, two days; 13 , same, a young man took 1 grain before going to bed; 14 , Hale, from an eclectic physician, effects of a large dose; 15 , Mann, Med. Invest., 9, 15, "an involuntary proving;" , Berridge, Month. Hom. Rev., 15, 298, effects of three doses, of 1/4 grain each; , Hoyne, Trans. Am. Inst. of Hom., 1872, p. 207, effects of a few drops of tincture, taken by a man before going to bed; , Hutchinson, Med. Times and Gaz. (Br. J. of Hom., 31, 189), effects of dust while grinding it; , same, in a man, aged thirty-nine; , H. Knapp. Trans. Pacific Hom. Med. Soc., 1, p. 55, effects of 2 grains, in a girl, aged twenty; took next day a number of drugs to antidote the effects.

HEAD

• Vertigo, with inclination to fall forwards, 3.
• Vertigo, while standing in the open air, 4.
• Giddiness and dizziness, with the sensation of fulness over the eyes, 3, 4.
• Dulness and headache, with sleepiness, in the morning, 3, 4.
• Headache, alternating with diarrhœa, 3.*
• Headache and fever (third and fourth day), 20.
• Heavy dull pain in the forehead, with soreness over the seat of pain, 3.
• Pain in the left frontal protuberance, aggravated in the afternoon, 3.
• Momentary darts of pain in the forehead, obliging one to shut the eyes, attended with giddiness, 3. [10.]
• Sudden pain in the forehead, with soreness of the throat, in the evening, 3.
• After stool, at 10 A.M., front headache, with feverishness (first day), 17.
• Sensation of great dryness of the forehead and eyes, which was relieved for a short time by bathing the parts with cold water; after stool, at 10 A.M. (first day), 17.
• Pressing pain in the temples, in the forenoon, with drawing in the eyes, as if strabismus would follow, 3.
• Stunning headache through the temples, relieved by pressure, 3.
• Morning, headache, with heat in the vertex, 3.
• Pain on the top of the head, when rising in the morning, 3.

EYE

• The inflammation of the eyes is attended with a most excruciating heavy pain, and great turgescence of the vessels of the conjunctiva, 2.
• Inflamed eyes, 18.
• Extensive superficial ulceration of each cornea, attended by general conjunctival congestion; the ulceration was central and large in extent; in the right eye its base was densely white, and looked exactly as if lead had been used (after ten days). No symptoms of irritation appeared while he was at work or during that evening, but on waking next morning, his eyes were inflamed, 19. [20.]
• Left eye sore and uncomfortable, especially at the inner canthus; conjunctiva of the left eyeball slightly red, especially at the inner canthus, 16.
• Eyes glazed and motionless (next morning), (in the elder), 7.
• Eyes sunken in their orbits, 7.
• Heaviness of the eyes, with occasional pains on the top of the head, 3.
• Drawing sensation in the eyes, accompanying pain in the head, 3.
• Smarting of the eyes, 3.
• Inflammation of the eyelids, 8.
• Pain in the eyeballs, and in the temples, with heat, and throbbing of the temporal arteries, 3.

NOSE

• Soreness and little pustules in the nose, 8.
• Noses pinched, 7.

FACE. [30.]

• Face pale as corpses, 7.
• The under jaw fallen (next morning), (in the elder), 7.

MOUTH

• The teeth are covered with dried mucus, in the morning, 3.
• Tongue white (fourth day), 20.*
• White fur on the tongue, except the centre (fifth day), 20.
• Tongue coated white, with much viscid mucus in the mouth (first morning), 17.*
• Soreness of the mouth, 3.
• Dryness of the mouth and tongue, on waking in the morning, 3.
• Copious salivation, 3.
• Everything tasted sweet (fifth day), 20. [40.]
• The taste of fried liver in the mouth, at night, 3.
• Had a bad taste in the mouth for several days after the most prominent symptoms had disappeared, 17.

THROAT

• Soreness in the left side of the throat, especially painful when swallowing liquids, and worse in the morning, 3.
• Soreness of the throat, extending to the ears, 3.*
• The elder complained frequently of burning sensation in the throat, 7.
• Dryness of the throat, 3.*

STOMACH

• Appetite and Thirst.
• Appetite much impaired, with unusual thirst for cold water (first morning), 17.
• Indifference to food, 3.*
• Loss of appetite, 3 ; (second day), 13.*
• Desire for something sour, 3.* [50.]
• Great thirst, 7 ; (fourth and fifth days), 20.
• Increased thirst after eating (first day), 17.
• Thirst, towards evening, 3.
• Nausea and Vomiting.
• Nausea (second day), 13 ; (after five hours), 20.*
• Extreme nausea , continuing for several hours, 3.*
• Nausea and a little irritation of the stomach, but the symptoms disappeared when he went to bed, 11.
• Nausea, and attempts to vomit , which lasted two hours (immediately), 11a.*
• Slight nausea accompanied the diminution of pulse (three hours after three pills), 1.
• Acidity in the afternoon, with an unpleasant sickly sensation in the stomach, 3.
• After rising in the morning, had a sick feeling in the stomach, with occasional nausea (first morning), 17. [60.]
• Vomiting head been going on for the last four hours almost without intermission; the vomited matters consisted, for the most part, of seeds, pulp, and membranous covering of the ripe May apple, having the peculiar odor of that fruit; afterwards the elder *vomited bilious matter mixed with blood , the bile dark-green and very thick, the blood dark and coagulated; she continued to vomit thick bile, with more or less blood mixed with it, about every hour through the night, 7.
• Vomited the contents of the stomach, and then considerable bile (after nine hours); felt better; vomited again (after twelve hours), .*

ABDOMEN

• Fulness in the right hypochondrium, with flatulence, 3.
• Twisting pain in the right hypochondrium, with the sensation of heat in the part, 3. [80.]
• Sensation of flatus in the left hypochondrium, 3, 4.
• Sensation of weight and dragging in the left hypochondrium, close under the ribs, 3.
• Stitches in the right hypochondrium, worse while eating, 3.
• Abdomen swelled almost to bursting (next morning), (in the elder), 7.
• A good deal of flatulence was caused, in the evening (first day), 12.
• Flatulence (second morning), 12b ; (second day), 13.*
• Rumbling of flatus in the ascending colon, 4.
• Violent colic, followed by liquid stools, which were repeated until 9 o'clock (second day), 11a.
• Griping pains (second day), 13.
• Some griping pains with the stools (second day), 12a. [90.]
• Some wandering pains in the abdomen, at 5 P.M., 12a.
• Pain in the bowels, at daylight in the morning, which is relieved by external warmth, and by bending forward whilst lying on the side, but is aggravated by lying on the back, 3.
• Pain in the transverse colon, at 3 A.M., followed by diarrhœa, 3.*
• Severe pain in the bowels (after five hours), 20.*
• Pain in the bowels occasionally, but not so severe (fourth day), 20.
• Pain in the ascending colon, 4.
• Sensation of heat in the bowels, accompanying the inclination to go to stool, 3.*
• After supper, sensation as if there would be an evacuation of the bowels. This sensation came and went at short intervals, until going to bed, when it ceased (first day), 17.
• Awoke at 2 A.M., with slight stitching pains in bowels, with desire to go to stool; did not sleep well the remaining part of the night, on account of occasional stitching pains in the bowels; the pains were mitigated by flexing the thighs on the abdomen (second night), 17.

RECTUM AND ANUS

• Aggravation of internal piles; the rectum would protrude more than an inch after every motion of the bowels or after any sudden motion, such as sneezing, and even during any mental excitement; the parts could not always be replaced very readily; would sometimes remain prolapsed for days, owing to the swelling and congestion, 14.*
• Too much bearing down at stool, as if from inactivity of the rectum, 3.
• Secretion of mucus from the anus, 3.

STOOL

• Diarrhœa, immediately after eating and drinking, 3.
• *Diarrhœa early in the morning, which continues though the forenoon, followed by a natural stool, in the evening, 3.
• From six to eight evacuations in a day, 3.
• Increased action of the bowels (after nine and five hours); purgation (eighth and fifth hours after second dose), 12b.
• Free motion, in the morning; the bowels open again twice loosely (second day); the cathartic action was still manifested (third and fourth days); in all six motions were obtained, 13. [110.]
• *Evacuations in the morning, attended with strong urgings in the bowels, with heat and pain in the anus, 3.
• *An evacuation of liquid matter, colored yellow, and every hour for five hours the evacuation was repeated, 11.
• Liquid stools, with colic (second day), 11a.*
• Two green, watery stools (seventh day); five thin, watery, green discharges during the day , with considerable pain and griping (eighth day), 20.*
• *Evacuations of green stool, in morning, 3.
• Stools muco-gelatinous, small and infrequent with flatulence, and pain in the region of the sacrum, 3.
• *About 4 A.M. had an evacuation, which consisted of yellow, undigested fæces, mixed with mucus, and was of an offensive odor; about 10 A.M., had another evacuation, which was accompanied with violent tenesmus, lasting some time after the evacuation; the stool was of a burning, acrid character, excoriated the anus, and caused much bearing down during and after the stool (first day); about 2.30 A.M., had an evacuation from the bowels (second night), 17.
• Small solid evacuation at 9 P.M.; a copious loose stool at 12 P.M.; the next morning two more thin dejections resulted, attended with some griping pains, and an uncomfortable feeling of chilliness, .

URINARY ORGANS

• Micturition painful (sixth day), 20.
• Scanty urine, with frequent voidings, 3.
• Urine very red (fourth day), 20.

SEXUAL ORGANS

• Sticking pain above the pubes, and in the course of the spermatic cords, 3.
• Inflammation either of the scrotum of the eyes, seldom both, 2.
• The inflammation of the scrotum is attended with a pustular eruption, which suppurates very freely, 2.
• Symptoms of prolapsus uteri, with pain in the sacrum, flatulence infrequent, muco-gelatinous stools (three cases), 4.*
• Sensation at stool as if the genital organs would fall out, in females, 3.*
• After pains, with strong bearing down, 3. [130.]
• *Pain in right ovary and uterus (sixth day), 20.

RESPIRATORY APPARATUS

• Sensation of suffocation, when first lying down at night, 3.
• Shortness of breath, 3.
• Inclination to breathe deeply, sighing, 3.

CHEST

• Snapping in the right lung, like breaking a thread, when taking a deep inspiration, 3.
• Pains in the chest, increased by taking a deep inspiration, 3.
• Feeling of oppression in chest, with constant inclination to take a deep inspiration, but was prevented from so doing on account of a feeling of constriction in the chest (first morning), 17.
• Sensation in the chest, as if the heart were ascending to the throat, 3.

HEART AND PULSE

• Sticking pain in the region of the heart, 3.
• Palpitation of the heart, from physical exertion, in persons subject to rumbling in the ascending colon; heavy sleep, and a feeling of fatigue awaking in morning, followed by drowsiness in the morning (numerous cases), 4. [140.]
• Palpitation of the heart , from exertion or mental mention, 3.
• Pulse.
• Pulse 100 (fourth day), 110 in the morning, 116 in the afternoon (fifth day), 20.
• Pulse quicker and smaller than usual, with slight palpitation of the heart (first morning), 17.
• Pulse 76, full and strong (before the experiment); 64 (one hour after three pills); the same, small and feeble, accompanied with slight nausea (after three hours), 3.
• Pulse 74, full and strong (before the experiment); 61 (one hour after two pills); still the same, weak and small (after three hours), 1.
• Normal pulse 76; diminished to 65, and continued so for about two hours (one hour after one pill), 1.
• Pulse very weak, and scarcely perceptible at the wrist, 7.

NECK AND BACK

• Pain in the nape with soreness, increased By motion, 3.
• Stiffness of the nape, with soreness of the muscles of the neck and shoulders, 3.
• Pain between the shoulder, in the morning, 3. [150.]
• Pain between the shoulders, with soreness, worse night and morning, and increased by motion, 3.
• Pain under the right shoulder-blade, 3.*
• Pain in the small of the back, when walking or standing, with the sensation of the back bending inward, 3.
• Pain in the lumbar region, with the sensation of coldness, worse at night, and from motion, 3.
• Pain in the loins, increased by a misstep, and walking over uneven ground, 3.

EXTREMITIES

• Aching of the limbs, worse at night, 3.
• Weakness of the joints, especially the knees, 3.
• Weakness of the wrists, with soreness to the touch, 3.
• Pain and weakness in the left hip, like rheumatism from cold, increased by going upstairs, 3.
• Pains in the thighs, legs, and knees, worse from standing, 3. [160.]
• Spasmodic sensation in right thigh and leg (fifth day), 20.
• Heaviness and stiffness of the knees, as after a long walk, 3.
• Cracking in the knee-joints from motion, 3.
• Pain in the left knee, leg, and foot, 3.
• More pain and cramps in right leg, in the afternoon (fifth day), 20.
• Sharp pain in the outer and upper portion of the left foot, 3.

GENERALITIES

• *Faintness, with the sensation of emptiness in the abdomen after stool, 3.
• Sensation of great prostration attended the pain in the stomach, 20.*
• Stiffness on beginning to move, 3.
• Very nervous and crampy (fifth day), 19. [170.]
• Sudden shocks of jerking pains, 3.
• Distress after the first sleep, in the evening, 3.
• All symptoms except the feeling of weakness in the epigastric region aggravated from 2 to 4 A.M . (second day), 17.*

SKIN

• Very evident rubefacient and vesicant effects, 9.
• It produces a rapid pustulation, which appears first in the form of minute vesicle filled with a serous fluid, which speedily changes to a whitish or yellowish pus; the superficial inflammation is at the same time quite severe; the pustules, as a general thing, are slow in healing, 10.
• Eruption of "scabs" on the arms and legs, 19.
• Intolerable itching of the skin of the body and arms, on scratching, it raises up in blotches like hives (eighth day), 20.

SLEEP

• Drowsy and difficult to wake, in the morning, 3.
• *Sleepiness in the daytime, especially in the forenoon, with rumbling in the bowels, 3, 4, 5.
• Sleepiness, early in the evening, 3. [180.]
• Too heavy sleep at night, 3.
• Rising up in bed during sleep, without waking, 3.
• Moaning in sleep, with eyelids half closed, 3.*
• Unrefreshed by sleep, on waking in the morning, 3, 4, 5, 6.*
• Restlessness in the forepart of the night, 3, 4.

FEVER

• Chilliness.
• In the afternoon had a chill, followed by some fever and headache (third day); some fever and headache (fourth day), 20.
• Chilliness (second day), 13.
• Uncomfortable feeling of chilliness with the stool (second day), 12a.
• Shivering and a feeling of prostration (after four hours), 11a.
• The pain in the bowels at first is attended with coldness, which is followed by heat and warm perspiration, 3.* [190.]
• Coldness of the feet, 3.
• Heat.
• Felt feverish during the afternoon, with occasional spells of chilliness, which was not relieved by the heat of the stove, but was relieved by covering up warmly in bed (first day), 17.
• After stool, at 10 A.M., feverishness, with frontal headache (first day), 17.
• Intermittent fever, quotidian, tertian, and quartan, 3.
• Temperature of body considerably increased (first morning), 17.
• Flashes of heat running up the back, after stool, 3.
• Sweat.
• Profuse sweating, so much so that it dropped off of the prover's finger-ends, 15.
• Bathed in cold perspiration, 7.
• Perspiration of the chest, in the evening, 3.

CONDITIONS

• Aggravation.
• ( Morning ), Dulness; headache, etc.; on rising, pain in top of head; teeth covered with mucus; dryness of mouth and tongue; sore throat; after rising, sick feeling; pain in bowels; abdominal symptoms; diarrhœa; green stool; pain between shoulders; drowsiness.
• ( Forenoon ), Pain in temples; drowsiness.
• ( Afternoon ), Pain in left frontal protuberance; acidity; 5 P.M., pain in abdomen; pain and cramps in right leg; chilliness; feverishness.
• ( Toward evening ), Thirst.
• ( Evening ), Soreness of throat; flatulence; after first sleep, distress; sleepiness; sweat of feet.
• ( Night ), Taste of liver in mouth; 2 A.M., weakness in epigastric region; pain in stomach; 3 A.M., pain in transverse colon; when first lying down, suffocation; pain between shoulders; pain in lumbar region; aching of limbs; 2 to 4 A.M., nearly all symptoms.
• ( After breakfast ), Burning in stomach.
• ( While eating ), Stitches in right hypochondrium.
• ( After eating ), Thirst.
• ( After eating and drinking ), Diarrhœa.
• ( Exertion ), Palpitation of heart.
• ( Going upstairs ), Pain in left hip.
• ( Deep inspiration ), Snapping in right lung; pains in chest.
• ( Lying on back ), Pain in bowels.
• ( Mental emotion ), Palpitation of heart.
• ( Misstep ), Pain in loins.
• ( Motion ), Tenderness of stomach; pain in nape; pain between shoulders; pain in lumbar region; cracking in knee-joints.
• ( While standing in open air ), Vertigo.
• ( Standing ), Pain in small of back; pain in thighs, legs, and knees.
• ( After stool ), Frontal headache; dryness on forehead.
• ( Swallowing liquids ), Sore throat.

SUPPLEMENT: PODOPHYLLUM. Authority.

20 , D. Webster, M.D., Med. Record, June, 1877, p. 357, Thomas C., æt. seventeen years, while powdering the resin got some in his face and eyes.

• The next morning he first noticed that his face and eyes were red, and the skin about them discolored. The discoloration extended over the whole of his face, his forehead, and the front part of his neck during the day, and the following night his eyes became so painful as to prevent sleep. On the following day all the parts which had been exposed to contact with the powder were of a yellowish-red color, but not swollen to an appreciable extent. The ocular conjunctivæ were much injected, the palpebræ only slightly, the pupils small, the eyes painful and sensitive to light, 20.