Zizia aurea

Volume I — Special Symptomatology

(Meadow Parsnip.)

Botanical Description. — This is a perennial herb, growing by moist river banks, flowering in June. Stem branched, one to two ternately divided or parted (or rarely some of the root-leaves simple and heartshaped), the divisions or leaflets oblong-lanceolate, very sharply cut, serrate, with a wedge-shaped, entire base. Flowers deep yellow ; fruit oblong, oval, with ten-winged ridges. The whole plant is glabrous. The root is from two to four inches long, not larger than the little finger, distinctly and rather deeply yellow internally; externally brown. It has, when fresh, a strong, unpleasant, and rather nauseating odor, not unlike that of Conium. It has an aromatic, pungent taste, remaining long in the mouth, and is disagreeable and loathsome to the stomach.

In the Transactions of the New York State Horn. Soc. is a careful comparison of the botanical differences of the Zizea and Thaspium, which prove quite conclusively that the pathogenesis published under Zizea really belongs to Thaspium aureum. Dr. J. S. Douglas, the author of the paper, contends that the Z. integerima could not have caused the symptoms said to belong to Zizea. Moreover, the plant once known to botanists as Z. aureum, is now removed to the genus Thaspium. I have, therefore, taken the liberty to place the pathogenesis under that name.

Officinal Preparations. — Tincture of the fresh root with strong alcohol; dilutions.

Analogues. — Agaricus, JEthusa, Belladonna, Cicuta, (Enanthe, Stramonium, Solanum.

Mental Sphere.

Depression of spirits, with disgust of life. Depression of spirits, followed by great exhilaration. Laughing and weeping moods in alternation.

Head.

Sensation of tightness around the head.

Acute aching pain in the whole left side of the head.

Rush of blood to the head and face, with feeling of fullness.

Pressure upon the top of the head.

Severe pain in the right temple with nausea.

Headache, with nausea; inclination to bilious vomiting.

Light, noise and jarring aggravate.

Pain permanent on the right side, associated with back-ache. 0 Migraine with acid and bitter vomiting: (Marcy.) 0 Neuralgia of the head. (Ib.)

Eyes.

Redness of both eyes, which are sensitive to light.

Sharp pains in the right orbit, increased by moving the balls,

stooping and stepping. 0 Shooting pains through both orbits.

Yellowish, muco-purulent secretion, glueing the lids together. Right eye is more particularly affected.

Nose.

Burning and smarting sensation in the nostrils and eyes. Discharge of mucus.

Obstruction and soreness of the right nostril, which is painful to the touch.

° Cold in the head, with sneezing and watery discharge. ° Chronic catarrh, with yellow and foetid discharge.

Face.

Face pale and puffy.

Redness and heat of the cheeks.

Boring pains in the cheek bones.

Appetite and Taste.

Craving for acids and stimulants.

Tongue covered with a whitish fur in the middle, and reddened

at the tips and sides. Unusual sensitiveness to cold or warm drinks.

Stomach. Nausea; acid and bilious vomiting. Pressure occasions nausea and faintness.

Generative Organs. Male; Sexual power increased. ° Great lassitude following coitus. Women: Acrid leucorrhoea; profuse leucorrhoea. Sudden suppression of the menses.

Profuse menstruation for one day, followed by acrid leucorrhoea.

° Leucorrhoea, with retarded and suppressed menses. 0 Intermittent neuralgia of left ovary.

Chest.

Dry cough, with shooting pains in the chest.

Pleuritic stitches in the right side, increased by coughing, or

taking a long breath. Pressure excites pain in intercostal muscles.

Sharp pains extending from the sides of the chest to both

shoulder blades. Asthmatic respiration with inability to retain a recumbent

position.

0 Cough which is tight, with stitches in chest, worse in the evening and during the night.

Back.

Dull, aching pains under the right scapula.

Severe shooting pain extending from front part of the thorax

to the scapula. Smarting, burning pain in small of back. Dull pains in loins, increased by movement.

Upper Extremities. Lameness in the muscles of both arms.

Lower Extremities. Dragging sensation in both hips.

Unusual tired feeling of the legs after the slightest muscular exertion.

Nervous System.

Convulsions. ° Epilepsy.

Sleep.

Exhilaration of all the faculties, followed by strong desire to sleep.

Spasmodic twitching during sleep.

Fever.

Feverish symptoms, accompanying severe stitching pains in the chest.

Fever, with headache, pain in back, thirst, dryness of the mouth.

Chilliness and heat alternating with faintness, nausea, and pain

in right temple. Redness of the eye-balls, dry and red tongue, and thirst for

cold water.

Hot flushes in face and head, followed by perspirations. Chilliness, accompanied with spasmodic twitchings of the

muscles of the face and upper extremities, followed by

fever.

Flushed cheeks, hot head, visible pulsations of the carotid and temporal arteries.

Skin.

Itching pimples on forehead, wrists and legs. Redness of one cheek and paleness of the other. White and puffy appearance of the whole body.

Volume I — Special Symptomatology

Botanical Description op Z. Integerima. — Stem smooth, erect, glaucous, one to two feet high; leaves, bi or tri-ternate: leaflets entire, ovate, oblong, one inch or more in length, petiolate; rays of the umbels veryslender, two or three inches long, about thirteen in number, with minute involucels or none ; seeds terate or five-angled.

"The root of this plant is very large, sometimes the size of a small wrist or a large thumb, very soft and spongy, perfectly white internally, with a weak, not unpleasant odor, a weak, sweetish, aromatic taste, not very unlike that of sweet cicely; not pungent or disagreeable. Swine are very fond of it, and eat it eagerly." (Dr. J. 8. Douglas.)

It is doubtful if Z. integerima is .capable of causing poisonous symptoms in men.

The Zizia Aurea has been removed from that genus, and is now called the Thaspium aureum. I am satisfied that the symptoms recorded in the pathogenesis under that plant, belong to the Thaspium. I have therefore placed it under that name. (Hale.)

(See "Thaspium aureum.'''')

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

This remedy, once called Zizea aurea, belongs to a class of poisons among which are Cicuta, thusa, and (Enanthe.

It has not been much used, except by Dr. Marcy, the original prover, who reported a few cases of migraine, a kind of sick headache, with acid and bitter vomiting. He recommended it in influenza, neuralgia of the face and eyes, ovarian neuralgia, leucorrhoea, cough, and epilepsy.

I have never used the medicine, nor have I seen other clinical reports than those I have mentioned.