Euphorbia hypericifolia

Volume I — Special Symptomatology

(Milk-Parsley.)

Description. — This species possesses widely different properties, although belonging to the same genus. The juice is not irritating, but astringent, of a sweetish taste. It is an annual, smooth branched, leaning with small, white, numerous flowers, disposed in terminal or axillary corymbs. It grows in moist, rich soil. The leaves, which exude a milky juice, should be gathered in July.

Officinal Preparations. — Tincture of the fresh leaves (infusion.)

Analogues. — ( ?)

(See Therapeutics, Vol. II.)

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

In Volume I of the fourth edition of “ New Remedies” I mentioned this indigenous medicine as a remedy for dysentery. I

have had no experience with it, except in one instance, when I gave it in a bad case of infantile dysentery. It seemed to have a good effect, but as we have no symptoms to indicate it I did not feel like giving it a further trial.

Dr. True has given us a few pathogenetic symptoms, which may throw some light on its action. He drank one and a half pints of an infusion, made by infusing half an ounce of the dried mature plant in a pint of water, and shortly after he says :

I experienced a sensation of fulness in the frontal part of the head, and also through the lateral portions, with headache similar to that produced with Macrotys (Cimicifuga), but not so severe. The pain seemed to centre at the crown of the head, but there was a feeling of heat above the eyes that was very characteristic. There was no ringing in the ears or vertigo, but the real symptoms were of that degree of positiveness that it was with difficulty I could fix my mind on anything else but the headache. The maximum of the feeling was in about two hours after taking the medicine, and it subsided in about three and one half hours, and was succeeded by a feeling of languor and drowsiness, which lasted several hours, but no sleep was produced by it. While the head symptoms existed there was a feeling of unpleasant fulness and oppression at the epigastrium, and I was compelled to take physic the second day for the constipation it had caused.

Dr. True states that this epigastric oppression was not due to the bulk of the infusion drunk, because he got the same symptoms from two drachms of the tincture. He very correctly thinks the drug is a cerebral stimulant. He considers it “ secondarily sedative to the brain and sympathetic nervous system,” which may or may not be the case. It would seem that it causes congestion of the stomach and liver or portal system at the same time that it congests the brain. This congestion is not active like that of Belladonna, but more like Cimicifuga or Chelidonium. It is evidently very different in its action from E. corollata or E. officinalis, for they are primarily active hydragogue cathartics. The primary effect of this specific seems to cause a torpid congestion, perhaps venous stasis of the abdominal viscera, with constipation. It is, probably, primarily indicated in dysentery, which has been preceded by constipation ; and, secondarily, for passive or chronic watery diarrhoea.

Dr. True claims to have cured many cases of cholera infantum, but I should not dare to try it in acute cases for fear it might precipitate cerebral congestion, which it evidently did in one of Dr. True’s cases, which ended fatally.

In the lower dilutions I predict it will prove a valuable remedy in actual or impending dysentery, with the symptoms I have italicized above in Dr. True’s proving.

Dr. True incidentally mentions that this plant is a valuable remedy in gonorrhoea. He says : “ The tincture as an injection in gonorrhoea beats anything I ever saw.” He prescribes an injection of the tincture made with dilute alcohol, and orders it used “full strength.” He claims to cure the disease in a week! One wonders what would be the effect of using the dilute alcohol without the Euphorbia? Perhaps it would cure as quickly. The proper method of testing the virtues of this plant in gonorrhoea would be to order injections of the infusion.

This plant evidently deserves further investigation, both by provings and cautious clinical experimentation.