Cimex Lectularius
By Constantine Hering — The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica
The bedbug. Hemiptera.
Known to Dioscorides, who mentions it in the treatment of fevers, and to Ebn Sina, who prescribed it in hysterical affections. It preserved its reputation through the Middle Ages, and is still in use among the people, especially the Italians, as a remedy for fever and ague.
Proved by W. Wahle, of Rome, in the 2d and 3d trituration, on Dr. Bertoldi, a woman past the change of life, and a girl æt. 17 ; also by Dr. Berridge, in the 200th dilution, on a man. Wahle made use of the 6th and 12th dilutions in the successful treatment of "most malignant and most obstinate tertian and quartan fevers, from three to four doses being sufficient."
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
- Headache with hiccough and dryness of throat , proving, N. Y. J. H., vol. 2, p. 462, 1874 ; Nocturnal emissions , Jeanes, Intermittent , T. D. Stowe, Allen's Therapeutics of Intermittent ; H. M., vol. 7, p. 162.
MIND [1]
Anxiousness.
Anxious with the oppression of chest, pains in shoulder, and during the sweat has no rest anywhere.
At the setting in of the chilly stage her hands become clinched ; she becomes vehement ; would like to tear everything to pieces, and is scarcely able to restrain her rage. θ Intermittent.
Sensation as if he would creep into himself, and on that account could not sufficiently crouch together.
His own sweat is disgusting to him.
SENSORIUM [2]
Dulness of head.
INNER HEAD [3]
Confusion of head, as if headache would ensue.
Pressing outward in forehead, first left then right side.
Drawing headache, particularly under right frontal bone.
Pain like stitches with needles in middle of vertex, and pressing pain in vertex with cough. θ Intermittent.
Headache, almost depriving him of power of thinking.
Headache of the most violent kind. θ Intermittent.
Violent headache caused by drinking. θ After chill.
OUTER HEAD [4]
Sweating on head and nose or on head and chest.
SMELL AND NOSE [7]
Annoying dryness of nostrils.
Fluent coryza, with pressure in frontal sinuses.
Constant sneezing in forenoon ; sneezing for an hour, at noon.
Sweat on nose in morning, during rest.
TEETH AND GUMS [10]
Violent itching on inner side of gum of upper jaw ; is compelled to rub it with tongue and finger, after which it pains as if burnt.
TASTE, SPEECH, TONGUE [11]
Swollen feeling of tongue.
Tongue feels as if scalded ; coated whitish.
Feeling as if burnt on tongue, in region of palate and upper anterior gums.
Tongue whitish furred, feels scalded.
A taste like iron to the saliva.
PALATE AND THROAT [13]
Pressure and gagging in œsophagus, which affects whole chest and impedes respiration ; although she is not thirsty, she drinks for the purpose of stopping the gagging.
Pressure and choking in gullet during fever heat, spreading through chest, impeding breathing ; no thirst, but when drinking to overcome the choking, the water goes down only at intervals, as if throat was contracted ; or, as if she had swallowed too large a morsel.
Palate and upper gums feel as if scalded.
Dryness of throat, causing him to drink all day.
APPETITE, THIRST. DESIRES, AVERSIONS [14]
Great hunger after heat.
Thirst : with dryness in throat ; but afraid to move to get a drink ; during apyrexia ; after chill ; before chill and immediately after, not with it.
Desire to drink, without thirst.
EATING AND DRINKING [15]
Water can only be swallowed at intervals, as if œsophagus were constricted.
After drinking, violent headache, tickling and cough, oppressive breathing, heaviness in chest and anxiousness.
Drinking during chill causes headache.
When the patient drank she lost breath, gagged, had dyspnœa and a gagging cough. θ Intermittent.
Many complaints do not appear at all if they abstain from drinking.
HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING [16]
Hiccough slightly painful.
Qualmishness with fever.
Sour eructations ; sour vomit with cough.
Vomits ingesta from day before.
Vomituritio. θ Dry cough.
HYPOCHONDRIA [18]
Pain in liver, as if it had been strained by bending right side inward ; the spot is painful when touching it and when coughing.
Chronic liver complaint.
ABDOMEN AND LOINS [19]
Abdomen puffed up with backache.
Colic, followed by emissions of flatus or liquid stools.
Colic ceases after wind passes.
STOOLS AND RECTUM [20]
Relief from discharge of wind.
Constipation, feces dry and hard, like dog stool.
No stool for six days. θ Intermittent.
Urging to stool ; after discharge of a small piece of white stool rectum closes firmly.
Hemorrhoidal complaints ; hemorrhoidal pains with stool.
URINARY ORGANS [21]
Incontinentia urinæ ; ischuria.
During and after fever, urine very hot.
Urine brown, with a deposit of sediment.
Urine deposits a red coating on inside of vessel.
Urine less, more saturated, next day a red sediment.
MALE SEXUAL ORGANS [22]
Frequent erections in morning hours.
Seminal emissions.
FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS [23]
Hot sensation inside the labia.
PREGNANCY. PARTURITION. LACTATION [24]
(OBS :) Expels dead fetus and afterbirth.
VOICE AND LARYNX. TRACHEA AND BRONCHIA [25]
Tickling in larynx, causes a dry, continued cough as long as fever lasts.
Tightening pains in left side of trachea. θ Dry cough.
RESPIRATION [26]
Oppression of chest, shortness of breath, and frequent deep inspiration.
Loses breath when drinking, gags, has dyspnœa and a gagging cough. θ Intermittent.
During chill a constriction of chest, has often to take a deep inspiration. θ Intermittent.
COUGH [27]
Constant, short, dry cough, with painfulness.
Gagging cough when drinking. θ Intermittent.
Violent cough, with purulent sputa, and chill and fever in daily attacks.
Cough with a tense pain from upper left chest across to right, causing a shock, then dry cough often repeated, shaking middle part of lower chest, extending to liver.
Cough, with belching, gagging, or vomiting ; with perspiration ; at intervals with gagging and pain in chest.
Scratching sensation behind upper part of sternum causes a continued short cough.
Scraping, paroxysmal cough, which causes retching, with pain in middle of chest after coughing ; sternum painful to touch.
INNER CHEST AND LUNGS [28]
Concussive pain and pressure in chest behind sternum. θ Dry cough.
Chronic chest complaints.
HEART, PULSE AND CIRCULATION [29]
Pulse feeble, intermitting.
OUTER CHEST [30]
Sternum painful to touch.
Scraping sensation beneath sternum with short cough.
NECK AND BACK [31]
Sensation of weariness and soreness in small of back.
Pain in small of back, extending over abdomen, with distension of abdomen.
Pain in small of back ; < when sitting.
Pain in region of sacrum and loins.
UPPER LIMBS [32]
Pain in right shoulder and anterior muscles of chest, extending through whole arm down to nails ; fingers feel as if they had gone to sleep.
Intermittent pricking pain in muscles at back of right upper arm.
At beginning of chill draws fingers together, making a fist. θ Intermittent.
LOWER LIMBS [33]
Uneasiness in lower limbs as if she was tired by walking. θ After chill.
Heaviness in lower limbs.
Great weariness in loins, she is obliged to sit down.
The pain in sacrum and right hip bone extends below knee ; has to loosen her garter and lie down.
Pain in recti muscles of thighs.
Chill with pain in muscles of thighs, knee joints and legs.
Knees feel cold, like from a cold wind.
Hamstrings feel too short, knees are flexed ; attempting to stretch them causes pain in thighs. θ During chill.
Cold feet at beginning of fever. θ Intermittent.
LIMBS IN GENERAL [34]
Great weariness in limbs, with sleepiness.
She must change position of limbs constantly. θ After chill.
During chill hands and feet get cold and numb as if dead. θ Intermittent.
Every attempt to stretch out arms or legs causes tensive pains in these parts, and he suffers thirst rather than move.
Pains in all joints as if tendons were contracted and too short. θ During chill.
REST. POSITION. MOTION [35]
During rest : in morning, sweat on nose.
Sitting : pain in small of back < ; falls asleep in morning.
Has to sit down ; loins or limbs are weary.
Must lie down ; on account of pain in sacrum and right hip bone.
Suffers thirst rather than move.
Great restlessness of lower limbs, like from overfatigue.
Must change position of limbs constantly.
Every movement, especially extending a limb, gives tensive pain in extensor tendons.
Stretching : on attempting to stretch legs, pain in thighs ; causes tensive pains in limbs ; all day inclination to ; during chill causes pains.
Weariness with inclination to stretch all day.
SLEEP [37]
Frequent yawning as if he had not slept well, with a feeling of coldness on skin, and a sensation as if wind was blowing on knees for several hours.
Gaping with cold feeling of skin.
Irresistible sleepiness.
She falls asleep in morning while sitting.
Sleepy with great weariness in limbs.
Sleep very restless during fever, wakens often and falls asleep again.
TIME [38]
In morning : sweat on nose ; falls asleep while sitting ; phlegm in throat ; dry cough from scratching under sternum ; chill and flushes on head ; sweating.
In forenoon : constant sneezing.
At noon : sneezing for an hour ; after aching in belly, loose stool.
At 3 P. M. : backache most violent.
Towards evening : urging without stool.
In evening : chilliness.
At night : night sweats.
FEVER [40]
Before chill, thirst and heaviness in legs.
Chill, commencing with clenching of hands and violent raging.
Evening chilliness without thirst ; her feet become cold first ; after this she has a cold shuddering, as if cold water had been poured over her, with painful prickings in centre of vertex for two hours.
During chilliness all her joints are painful, as if tendons were too short.
Chill, attended with pain in all joints ; sensation as if tendons were too short, knee joints are usually contracted, so that legs cannot be stretched ; chest feels oppressed, must take a long breath, frequently ; irresistible sleepiness ; hands and feet as if dead.
Well-marked chill followed by thirst, no fever. θ Intermittent.
After chill thirst, drinking, however, causes violent headache ; tickling in larynx, causing dry, continuous cough, which lasts through heat ; oppression of breathing, heaviness in middle of chest, and anxiety ; abstaining from drinking > all this.
The most violent headache, but only after chill. θ Intermittent.
During apyrexia much thirst, less with chill, during dry heat still less, none with sweat.
Chill terminates with a tired feeling in legs, obliging one to change position constantly.
Chilliness, followed by creeping flushes of heat on body, with sensation as if sweat would break out.
Chilliness over whole body, followed by dry heat, which is succeeded by some moisture over skin.
Heat : without thirst ; with gagging ; œsophagus feels constricted ; respiration is impeded.
Sweat, mostly on head and chest, accompanied by hunger but no thirst.
Musty smelling sweat, the odor to him is very offensive.
Sweat relieves all other symptoms ; during feverish affections.
Night sweats of several years' standing. θ Hemorrhoids.
Tertian and quartan intermittent .
ATTACKS, PERIODICITY [41]
Often repeated : dry cough ; yawning ; waking ; taking a long breath.
For an hour : sneezing.
For two hours : pricking in centre of vertex.
For several hours : sensation as if wind was blowing on knees.
All day : drinking on account of dryness of throat ; weariness with inclination to stretch.
Tertian and quartan intermittent.
For six days : no stool.
For several years : night sweats.
LOCALITY AND DIRECTION [42]
Right : pressing outward in side of forehead ; headache under frontal bone ; pain in liver as if he had strained side by bending inward ; twitching in muscle of neck ; pain in shoulder extending through whole arm down to nails ; pricking pain in muscles at back of upper arm ; pain in hip bone extending below knee.
Left : pressing outward in side of forehead ; tightening pains in side of trachea.
From left to right : pain in upper chest ; headache.
SENSATIONS [43]
As if he would creep into himself and could not sufficiently crouch together ; as if tongue was swollen ; as if tongue was scalded ; as if burnt on tongue, in region of palate and upper anterior gums ; as if throat was contracted ; as if she had swallowed too large a morsel ; palate and upper gums as if scalded ; as if œsophagus was constricted ; as if he had liver strained by bending right side inward ; as if fingers were asleep ; as if hamstrings were too short ; as if hands and feet were dead ; as if tendons were contracted and too short ; as if wind was blowing on knees ; as if cold water had been poured over her, causing shuddering ; as if sweat would break out.
Pain : in small of back and abdomen ; in region of sacrum and loins ; in right shoulder ; muscles of chest ; in recti muscles of thigh.
Concussion : in chest behind sternum.
Scraping : cough causing retching ; beneath sternum.
Scratching : behind upper portion of sternum, causing cough.
Constriction : of chest.
Tightening pains : in left side of trachea ; in tendons and extensor muscles on motion.
Tense pain : from left upper chest across to right ; in arms and legs on attempting to stretch them ; in extensors.
Drawing : headache.
Pricking : in muscles at back of right upper arm ; in centre of vertex.
Pain like stitches with needles : in middle of vertex.
Pressure : in forehead ; in vertex with cough ; in frontal sinuses ; in œsophagus ; in chest behind sternum.
Oppression : of chest.
Heaviness : in chest ; in lower limbs.
Soreness : in small of back.
Pains : in shoulder ; in liver ; with stool ; in chest ; in middle of chest after coughing ; in small of back ; in region of sacrum and loins ; in right hip bone ; in thighs ; in all joints.
Dulness : of head.
Itching : on inner side of gum of upper jaw.
Tickling : after drinking ; in larynx.
Numbness : of hands and feet.
Weariness : in small of back ; in loins ; in limbs.
Tiredness : in legs ; at termination of chill.
Uneasiness : in lower limbs as if she had been tired by walking.
Hotness : inside labia.
Cold feeling : on skin.
Dryness : of nostrils ; of throat.
TISSUES [44]
Acts principally on portal system and liver.
The flexors are most affected ; every motion or stretching of extensor muscles causes a tightening pain in tendons and extensors.
TOUCH. PASSIVE MOTION. INJURIES [45]
Touch : spot on right side painful to ; sternum painful to.
Pressure lessens aching in upper and lower jaw ; has to loosen her garter.
Rubbing : pain as if burnt in gum after.
RELATIONS [48]
Compare : Natr. mur . (headache lessens the sweating stage) ; Arsen . (headache remains or increases in the sweating stage) ; Bellad . (throbbing of head in intermittents).