Asclepias Tuberosa
By Constantine Hering — The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica
Pleurisy Root. Asclepiadaceæ.
An old and popular drug, proved by M. A. Savory, and published in the French journals, 1858 ; from them, 1860, into German ; from there translated by M. J. Rhees, in the June and July numbers of the Am. Hom. Review ; same year, 1859, translated by Marcy ; altogether condemned by Hale. Later proved by Th. Nicol ; see Hale, N. R., 2d ed., p. 121. The symptoms taken from him are marked N.
MIND [1]
Excessive dejection.
Weakness of memory.
Difficulty in thinking collectedly.
Towards evening unusual elevation of spirits. N.
At 9 P. M. the cheerful mood changed, and without any cause he became fretful and peevish. N.
Languid and dull all day both in body and mind. N.
SENSORIUM [2]
Feeling of drunkenness with weakness of sight, after smoking a very little.
Swimming of head, with dulness behind forehead. N.
Head feels dull and gloomy, 9 A. M. N.
INNER HEAD [3]
Pain in forehead with a feeling of heaviness in side, continuing all day.
Headache is present almost daily, generally most severe early in morning.
Headache in morning while rising, with weakness, so that he must lie down again, continued all day and night, relieved somewhat by a warm foot bath.
Arthritic cephalalgia.
Gastric cephalalgia.
Dull aching headache in forehead and vertex, < by motion, > lying down. N.
Headache presses deep on base of skull. N.
Pain in forehead from coughing.
OUTER HEAD [4]
Pricking as if with nails in head and at same time in other parts.
Pain in scalp, left side of occiput, like touching a pustule, continuing one day.
Falling out of hair.
SIGHT AND EYES [5]
Transitory pain behind left eyeball.
Broad, dark spots before eyes, with very slow pulse, 55.
Itching in canthi and lids of right eye.
Inflammation of conjunctiva ; for many days.
Pain in eyes by gaslight.
Eyes look languid and fatigued.
Feeling as if sand was in eyes.
Lower lids painful as if ulcerated.
SMELL AND NOSE [7]
Itching in nose and face.
Pustules on nostrils.
Stinging in nose as from a flea.
At first dry, then fluent coryza during first few days, with much sneezing subsequently.
Snuffles of children.
Fluent coryza with much sneezing.
Blowing of blood from one nostril.
UPPER FACE [8]
Yellowness of face.
Hippocratic face after a violent diarrhœa, on 15th day.
LOWER FACE [9]
Many vesicles on lips.
Itching of lips.
Lips inflamed and covered with herpetic vesicles.
TEETH AND GUMS [10]
Yellow coating on teeth.
Pain in right inferior molars.
Gums very pale and almost yellow ; bleed easily and repeatedly.
TASTE, SPEECH, TONGUE [11]
Putrid taste.
Yellow tough coating on tongue.
INNER MOUTH [12]
Taste of blood in mouth.
PALATE AND THROAT [13]
Transitory constriction and stinging in throat, extending to larynx.
Pain and soreness in throat.
APPETITE, THIRST. DESIRES, AVERSIONS [14]
Deficient appetite, especially in morning.
Insatiable hunger.
Sensitive to tobacco.
HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING [16]
Eructations : frequently after taking drug, continuing all day ; with odor of drug.
Nausea in morning, when rising.
Nausea and efforts to vomit.
Vomiting, purging and great prostration.
Nausea with constipation ; bilious vomiting.
Bilious vomiting, with or without diarrhœa ; but with pains in limbs, cramp in feet, etc.
SCROBICULUM AND STOMACH [17]
Burning in stomach ; after twenty-five minutes.
Pain in stomach ; nervous, even amounting to violent gastralgia ; also cramplike.
Sensation as if stomach would burst, while laughing ; pains in stomach continue forty-two days.
Pressing pain in stomach with rumbling in bowels, 5 P. M. N.
Thoracic pains, easier ; still felt in region of diaphragm and on motion. N.
Disagreeable feeling of weight at stomach, appetite deficient.
Flying pains in stomach.
HYPOCHONDRIA [18]
Burning in right hypochondriac region and stomach, with pain in intestines.
Throbbing in left hypochondriac region.
Violent pain in hypogastrium, as if ulcerated, with tenderness to pressure.
Fulness and pains in right side, with flying pain in stomach and feeling as if something would pass bowels, with slight nausea.
ABDOMEN AND LOINS [19]
Soft, fetid stool, preceded by rumbling, followed by urging to stool.
Stool like white of eggs.
Pain in intestines, after twenty minutes.
Much flatulence, smelling like drug, with colic-like pains.
Flatulence with a sensation when walking as if belly would drop.
Colic : while going up-stairs ; while walking ; after eating ; most violent at night after 1 o'clock, and also in morning during each stool.
Subacute mucous enteritis.
Acute soreness with sharp griping pains in lower abdomen after Sulphur.
Soreness and pain in peritoneal lining of lower abdomen over bladder, not in it, nor urethra, nor rectum (after Sulphur).
Rumbling and uneasiness in bowels, with feeling of heat in umbilical region. N.
Pressing pain in bowels and emission of fetid wind, 4 P. M. N.
Awoke 3 A. M. by rumbling in bowels, with sharp cutting pains ; felt tranquil and calm, though pain was very severe. N.
On awaking 6 A. M. rumbling in bowels with soreness of peritoneum ; a dull pain on pressure. N.
STOOLS AND RECTUM [20]
Soft and fetid stool 11 A. M. ; 5 P. M. another, very unusual. N.
Dysentery ; chiefly catarrhal and autumnal.
At 11 P. M. urging to stool.
Fluid, painful stool of very strong smell.
Stool of green color and smelling like spoiled eggs, followed by pain in anus.
Painful, copious stool with violent colic and a sensation as if bowels would come out ; half an hour afterwards a very small but excessively painful stool ; at night, 1 o'clock ; at 2 o'clock the same but with increased pain.
In the morning, 11 o'clock, another stool, almost black, with many ascarides and yellow spots like fat, with a feeling as if a stream of fire passed through abdomen.
Constipation after diarrhœa.
In afternoon a stool of intense yellow color, with green and yellow flakes.
In evening a stool exactly like white of an egg.
Feces enveloped in froth.
Tenesmus.
Bowels so irritable that he had five or six stools a day (after Sulphar).
Flatulence with pains in abdomen and frequent stools.
Pain came on with great violence about 2 or 3 A. M., with sudden discharge from bowels, followed by five or six during day (after Sulphur).
(OBS :) Winter diarrhœa.
Bilious and painful diarrhœa.
Catarrhal diarrhœa in children or in warm weather when nights are cold and damp.
URINARY ORGANS [21]
Urine red to saturation (first twelve days).
Urine looks as if mixed with blood ; 17th day.
After standing a short time small, dark red, almost black points size of pin's head rise to surface, and much mucus is deposited on bottom of vessel.
Urine remains more red than normal during whole of proving.
Painful stitches in urethra, repeatedly.
Frequent passing of clear urine.
Urine rather scanty and high-colored. θ Subacute pericarditis.
MALE SEXUAL ORGANS [22]
Ulcerous excoriations on glans, resembling chancre with a puslike secretion, disappearing in a few days ; from washing with urine.
Copious sweat of genitals.
Erections without lust, particularly mornings.
Painful stitches in penis.
Syphilis ; constitutional syphilis.
FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS [23]
Menorrhagia. N.
Profuse menstruation, with violent pressing down pain.
VOICE AND LARYNX. TRACHEA AND BRONCHIA [25]
Pain in larynx.
Sensation of constriction of larynx.
Capillary bronchitis in children.
Bronchitis acute and chronic.
RESPIRATION [26]
Respiratory murmur and distress in right lung.
(OBS :) Relieves breathing of pleuritic patients. N.
The breath smells like pepper.
Necessity to inspire hurriedly ; followed by a sensation of oppression.
Want of breath, like asthma, often very great, particularly after eating and after smoking a little.
Humid asthma ; dyspnœa in bronchial affections.
Singing or loud speaking aggravates thoracic pain. N.
Respiration painful, especially at base of left lung.
COUGH [27]
Dry hard cough, < at night and morning.
Cough dry and hacking, though a little mucus is raised with great effort.
Sputa frothy or yellow.
(OBS :) It promotes expectoration when suppressed. N.
Hoarse, croupy cough, tightness of breathing and fever with hot but moist skin.
Dry cough with constriction of throat. N.
Cough continues dry and harsh, and coughing causes pain in forehead and abdomen.
Catarrhal cough, hard, spasmodic, from irritation of larynx or bronchia.
INNER CHEST AND LUNGS [28]
Warm feeling in chest.
Soreness in lower part of chest.
Pain in right lung.
Pleurisy (similar to Bryon).
Pleurisy, child, æt. 12, with much cutting pain in left side during inspiration ; some dyspnœa, fever and hacking cough.
Feeling of warmth in chest, with dull pain at base of both lungs, with feeling of tightness. N.
Sharp pains shooting from left nipple downward, with stiffness of left side of neck. N.
(OBS :) It relieves dyspnœa and pain in chest. N.
Pains in chest kept increasing, during evening, making respiration painful, especially at base of left lung, which is dull on percussion, while cough is dry and spasmodic ; pain increased and cough < when awake, at 4 A. M. N.
Pain moved up from bowels to behind sternum, becoming more sharp and cutting, < drawing a long breath and from motion of hands, as in triturating, 4 P. M. N.
Pain in lungs relieved by bending forward. N.
A feeling of weariness had been less during pain in lungs. N.
Pain returns on coughing or drawing a deep breath, very acute on right side.
Stitches in left side, shooting over to right and up to left shoulder.
Acute pleuritic pain in right side, with dry, hacking cough, and scanty mucous expectoration.
Subacute pneumonia of a catarrhal origin.
Influenza, with pleuritic or neuralgic pains.
Pleuritic pain and colic.
Chest feels weak and sore, without cough, though no pain is felt on drawing a long breath. N.
HEART, PULSE AND CIRCULATION [29]
Pain like pricking of a needle in region of heart.
Contracting pain in heart.
Pain beneath left nipple with palpitation of heart ; pulse rising.
Acute rheumatic pericarditis.
Hard, heavy, forcible beating of heart, with dyspnœa.
Pulse at first 55, afterwards 70 ; on 8th day, 92.
Pulse thready at 65, during diarrhœa.
Pulse from 64 to 88, and small (after 1 hour). N.
Pain beneath left nipple returned with palpitation of heart. N.
The pain, which is quick, darting, and more acute than at first, shoots over to right side ; at noon shooting up to left shoulder, which was painful in motion. N.
Subacute pericarditis ; slight dyspnœa aside from painful respiration ; acute pain in chest felt on inspiration, movement of arms, stooping forward or lying on left side ; pain was located at point where apex of heart strikes parietes of chest, but it would occasionally shoot back under scapula ; an indescribable uneasiness in shoulder and arm ; pressure on intercostal spaces caused some pain, especially over region of heart.
OUTER CHEST [30]
Tenderness on pressure over region of heart.
The spaces between the ribs close to sternum are tender on pressure, and the pain, which is quick, darting, and more acute than at first, shoots over to right side.
Sharp pains shooting from left nipple downward, with stiffness of left side of neck.
NECK AND BACK [31]
Stinging, transitory stitches between shoulder blades.
Itching and red blotches on back.
Pain in loins like lumbago.
UPPER LIMBS [32]
Pock-like pustules on arms.
Pain in left shoulder and soon afterwards in right, like rheumatism.
Pains shooting from left chest into left shoulder.
Pain in bones of left arm.
Rheumatic pains in forearm down to fingers.
Numbness of right hand.
Violent itching in hand and fingers.
Sharp shooting pains in right shoulder, 9 A. M. N.
LOWER LIMBS [33]
Pain in hips like coxalgia.
Rending pains in knees and up to hips, especially while walking, and also in morning when rising.
Ankle feels as if sprained.
Drawing pains in thighs.
Pains in bones of left ankle.
Drawing in soles and toes.
Pain as from corns, bedcover seems too heavy.
Violent itching on legs, particularly knees.
Itching of thighs and nates, but no eruption. N.
A red inflamed spot on upper part of right thigh, size of a dollar, painful and itching, leaving after several days a dark stain.
Aching pains in knees and drawing pains in thighs, and more languid than on preceding day. N.
REST. POSITION. MOTION [35]
Lying : headache > ; pain in chest < ; weakness in bed.
Bending forward : pain in lungs > ; pain in chest >.
Motion : headache < ; thoracic pains <.
Motion of hands : pain behind sternum <.
Walking : pain in thighs and legs < ; sensation as if he was bent forward and towards left side ; soreness of abdomen prevents ; as if belly would drop ; colic.
NERVES [36]
(OBS :) Hysteria. N.
Excessive weakness, morning in bed.
Walking seems impossible.
Quivering and twitching of muscles in different parts.
Sensation of weakness after smoking a little while, walking in morning, before and after rising, particularly in legs.
Unfit for business from pain in bowels, and frequent stools (after Sulphur).
Languor and disinclination for work. N.
Felt precisely as if recovering from a long and severe sickness. N.
SLEEP [37]
Difficult and late sleep at night, with great sleepiness in morning and during day, > in open air.
Restless and sleepless at night.
Confused and anxious dreams.
Uneasy sleep during first part of night, with frightful dreams, awaking him at 3 A. M.
Slept all night, but gloomy, frightful dreams. N.
Slept all night till 5 A. M., awaking by frightful dreams which had haunted him all night. N.
TIME [38]
At 1 A. M., 2 A. M. : painful stool.
At 3 A. M. : violent pain ; awakened by dreams.
At 4 A. M. : cough worse.
At 5 A. M. : awakened by dreams.
Morning ; headache < ; deficient appetite ; nausea on rising ; erections ; cough ; pains in thighs on rising ; weakness.
At 9 A. M. : head feels dull and gloomy ; pains in right shoulder.
At 11 A. M. : soft fetid stools.
All day : languid and dull ; pain in forehead.
Afternoon : fever.
At 4 P. M. : pain behind sternum worse.
At 5 P. M. : pain in stomach ; rumbling in bowels ; diarrheic stools.
Evening : stool like white of egg.
Towards evening : unusual elevation of spirits.
At 9 P. M. : became fretful and peevish.
At 11 P. M. : urging to stool.
Night : cough < ; sweats ; restlessness and sleeplessness.
TEMPERATURE AND WEATHER [39]
Open air : sleepiness better.
In winter : diarrhœa worse.
Cool, damp nights of warm weather : diarrhœa worse.
Catarrhal complaints from cold and damp weather.
FEVER [40]
Chill towards noon.
Chilly with cold feet, though room was warm. N.
Fever in afternoon.
Feverish ; first day.
Warmth of skin. N.
Hot, moist skin.
High fever with hot sweat.
Night sweats and emaciation. θ Scrofulosis.
Rheumatic and catarrhal fever.
Bilious marsh fever on rice plantations.
LOCALITY AND DIRECTION [42]
Right : itching eyelids and canthi ; pain in inferior molars ; burning in hypochondrium ; pain in lungs ; pain shoots to side, pain in shoulder ; numbness of hand ; inflamed spot on thigh.
Left : pain in scalp ; pain behind eyeball ; throbbing in hypochondrium ; pain in base of lungs ; pain in nipple ; side of neck stiff ; stitches in side and shoulder ; bone pains in arm ; pain in ankle bones.
Above downward : pain in nipple ; pain in forearm.
Pains almost constantly occur in one arm, and at same time in opposite leg (similar to Agar., in Apelt's proving).
SENSATIONS [43]
As if sand were in eyes ; lids as if ulcerated ; as if a stream of fire passed through abdomen ; as if bowels would protrude ; ankles as if sprained ; pain like touching a pustule in scalp ; as if ulcerated ; in hypogastrium ; as if stomach would burst ; as if belly would drop.
Disagreeable feeling of weight : at stomach.
Violent pain : in hypogastrium.
Sharp pain : shooting from left nipple downward.
Pleuritic pain : in chest.
Stitches : in urethra ; in penis ; in left side, shooting to right and to left shoulder ; between scapulæ, with muscular and articular rheumatism.
Pricking : as if with nails in head and other parts ; like a needle in cardiac region.
Stinging : in nose as from a flea ; in throat.
Cutting : in left side (pleurisy) ; behind sternum ; in bowels.
Griping pain : in lower abdomen.
Darting pain : in chest.
Rending pain : in knees and hips.
Shooting : in chest ; in shoulders.
Flying pains : in stomach.
Burning : in stomach ; in right hypochondriac region and stomach.
Soreness : in throat ; in lower part of chest ; in peritoneal lining of lower abdomen.
Aching pains : in knees ; in bones.
Dull aching : in forehead and vertex.
Dull pain : at base of lungs ; in bowels.
Pressing : in stomach ; in bowels.
Pressing down pain : during catamenia.
Drawing pain : in thighs ; in soles and toes.
Throbbing : in left hypochondriac region.
Contracting pain : in heart.
Constriction : in throat ; of larynx.
Cramp : in stomach ; in feet.
Tightness : in chest.
Rheumatic pains : in shoulders ; in forearm to fingers ; in joints ; in limbs.
Sprained feeling : in ankle.
Undefined pain : in forehead ; in eyes ; in molars ; in throat ; in stomach ; in chest ; in diaphragm ; in intestines ; in anus ; in larynx ; in right lung ; under left nipple ; in loins ; in bones of left arm ; in bones of left ankle ; in limbs ; in hips.
Transitory pain : behind left eyeball ; stitches between scapulæ.
Fulness : in right side.
Dulness : behind forehead.
Stiffness : left side of neck.
Numbness : of right hand.
Warm feeling : in chest.
Heat : in umbilical region.
Itching : in canthi and base of right eye ; in nose ; in face ; of lips ; on back ; in hand and fingers ; on legs and knees ; on thighs and nates.
Weakness : particularly in legs.
TISSUES [44]
Scrofulosis.
Rheumatic pains in joints.
Aching in bones and rheumatic pains in limbs, most in joints ; almost always upper left and lower right or opposite.
Great emaciation.
Muscular and articulate rheumatism, with stitching pains, dark red urine and hot perspiring skin.
TOUCH. PASSIVE MOTION. INJURIES [45]
Pressure : pain in hypogastrium < ; pain in intercostal spaces near sternum.
Riding in carriage impossible on account of pain in abdomen.
SKIN [46]
Pimples, vesicles or pustules began to appear 15th day, and spread all over, most on arms, legs and face, are very painful and itch excessively, continuing more than 8 days.
STAGE OF LIFE, CONSTITUTION [47]
French prover, æt. 32, nervous temperament, took two drops of tincture.
Man, æt. 34, strong and muscular, sanguine temperament, fair hair, grey eyes ; his provings marked N.
RELATIONS [48]
Side relations : Asclep. syriac . and Asclep. vincet .
Veratr . relieved pains with stool at night.
Very sensitive to tobacco.
The tincture (5 drops) relieved when Sulphur 30 had aggravated, in a case of chronic intestinal disease.
Duration of action 42 days, some symptoms appeared as late as the 60th day.
Compare : Agar. musc . (pains appear in right arm and left leg, or l. arm and right leg, see 42 ) ; Bryon . (pleurisy, pneumonia).