Coccinella Septempunctata

Lady-bird ; Sun chafer. Coleoptera.

A well-known and widely spread insect, living on vegetables in gardens and fields. Its head and thorax are black, flat, under body and feet black, wing-shells arched, oval, red or orange-yellow, with black dots, usually seven in number, of unequal size, the wings nearly as long again as body. When touched with hand there issues from joints of feet thickish juice, yellow, like gambogia. --Am. Hom. Pharm.

Tincture prepared from the freshly crushed beetles.

Dr. Corradori was the first who directed the attention of physicians to the value of this remedy in affections of the teeth ; Dr. Hirsch confirmed his views, and made it public in 1798. (See Salzburger, Med. Ztg., vol. 3, p. 76 ; Roth, N. A. J. H., vol. 2, p. 45.)

Dr. Sauter states that if the insect is crushed upon the gum of a healthy person it excites a feeling of coldness in the part, without which sensation a cure is seldom effected. --N. A. J. H., vol. 2, p. 45.

According to Noak and Trinks, the Coccinella septempunctata has been used in hydrophobia. --B. J. H., vol. 15, p. 688.

CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.

• Franz, Archiv f. Hom. 13, 2, 187 ; Sauter, Hufel. Jour., 14, 2, 91 (from Roth's Mat. Med.) ; Pehrson (sore throat), manuscript ; Chronic faceache ; Frontal neuralgia ; Periodical toothache ; Nocturnal attacks of toothache ; Sauter (translated by Roth), N. A. J. H., vol. 2, pp. 45 and 474.

SENSORIUM [2]

Slight vertigo after cessation of toothache.

Disappearance of pain in face attended by fainting, oppressed breathing, subdued intermittent pulse. θ Toothache.

INNER HEAD [3]

Pressure and heaviness in forehead. θ Neuralgia.

Tensive pressure in head of very brief duration.

One-sided headache in forepart of head, tearing, fine sticking.

Dull headache towards both temples and occiput, as if brain would become enlarged or distended at these places.

SIGHT AND EYES [5]

Pressure and heaviness, especially over r. eye, which is sensitive to least touch. θ Neuralgia.

During whole paroxysm, cannot open eyes, pain < by any bright object. θ Neuralgia.

Eyelids open with difficulty, light increases pain. θ Neuralgia.

UPPER FACE [8]

Tearing pain rhythmical with pulse, extending from right upper jaw to lobule of ear.

Redness and heat of cheeks, especially at night.

Rush of blood to face, like flushes of heat.

Pain over whole side of right face, suddenly jumping to left side, after use of lancet. θ Toothache.

Pain in course of frontal nerve, becoming more and more severe. θ Neuralgia.

Pain extending over whole face, even to hairy scalp. θ Periodical toothache.

Chronic pain extending from superior molars to forehead ; affected part paler ; attack lasts only about one minute ; but is instantly repeated ; < at night, preventing sleep for many weeks.

Frontal neuralgia, attack commencing by a pressure and heaviness in forehead, especially over right eye, which was sensitive to least touch ; attack lasts six to twelve hours, ending in a general heat and sleep of two to three hours, at end of which he awoke without the least pain ; paroxysms returning every eight, twelve, fourteen or twenty-one days.

TEETH AND GUMS [10]

Sensation of coldness in all the teeth.

Pleasant sensation of coldness in one tooth when touched with finger.

Painful sensation in back teeth, as if they were hollow and air was forced into them.

Dull, drawing pain in upper back teeth, extending towards right ear while sitting.

Severe drawing, in jerks, as though tooth would be torn out with a hook.

Rhythmical, violent drawing, in both rows of teeth, while eating.

Jerking and tearing in one and tearing in the other teeth, with some stitches extending towards occiput, and warmth through whole head.

Grumbling pain in back teeth.

Violent throbbing or pulse-like jerking in back teeth.

Periodical toothache, coming on every day at noon in third inferior molar, extending over whole face, even to hairy scalp.

Raging toothache during day, almost entirely disappearing at night, sleep sound and undisturbed.

Gum swollen.

TASTE, SPEECH, TONGUE [11]

Tobacco bites tongue severely.

INNER MOUTH [12]

Sensation of icy coldness in entire buccal cavity.

PALATE AND THROAT [13]

Is awakened by profuse accumulation of saliva ; vomits and complains of sore throat.

APPETITE, THIRST. DESIRES, AVERSIONS [14]

Loss of appetite. θ Neuralgia.

HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING [16]

With disappearance of pain in face breathing becomes oppressed. θ Toothache.

HEART, PULSE AND CIRCULATION [29]

Subdued, intermittent pulse, with remission of pain in face. θ Toothache.

Contracted pulse. θ Toothache.

LIMBS IN GENERAL [34]

Icy cold extremities. θ Neuralgia.

REST. POSITION. MOTION [35]

While sitting : dull, drawing pains in upper back teeth, extending towards right ear.

NERVES [36]

Is much weakened by long-continued suffering. θ Toothache.

SLEEP [37]

Nocturnal attacks of toothache, entirely preventing sleep, even when pain did not appear at night, could not sleep.

Attack ends in a general heat and sleep of two or three hours, from which he awakes without any pain. θ Neuralgia.

TIME [38]

At night : heat of cheeks ; sleep prevented for many weeks by chronic pain in face ; attacks of toothache, entirely preventing sleep, even when pain did not appear, could not sleep.

ATTACKS, PERIODICITY [41]

Of brief duration : tensive pressure in head.

Raging toothache during day, almost entirely disappearing at night.

Lasting six to twelve hours : attacks of frontal neuralgia.

Periodical : toothache, coming on every day at noon in third inferior molar, extending over whole face, even to hairy scalp.

Paroxysms of frontal neuralgia returning every eight, twelve, fourteen or twenty-one days.

Chronic : pain extending from superior molars to forehead ; attack lasts only about one minute, but is instantly repeated, < at night, preventing sleep for many weeks.

LOCALITY AND DIRECTION [42]

Right : pressure and heaviness over eye, which is sensitive to least touch ; tearing pain, rhythmical with pulse, extending from upper jaw to lobule of ear ; dull, drawing pains in upper back teeth extending towards ear.

From right to left : pain over whole side of right face suddenly springing to left side, after use of lancet.

SENSATIONS [43]

As if brain would become enlarged or distended at temples and occiput ; as if back teeth were hollow and air was forced into them ; as if tooth would be torn out by a hook.

Pain : in face ; in eyes < from light or any bright object : in course of frontal nerve, becoming more and more severe ; extending over whole face, even to hairy scalp.

Stitches : extending towards occiput, with toothache.

Fine sticking : in forepart of head.

Jerking in one and tearing in the other teeth.

Tearing : in forepart of head ; rhythmical with pulse, extending from right upper jaw to lobule of ear.

Severe drawing, in jerks, as though tooth would be torn out by a hook.

Rhythmical, violent drawing in both rows of teeth, while eating.

Drawing : in upper back teeth extending towards right ear.

Soreness : of throat.

Tensive pressure : in head.

Pressure : in forehead ; over right eye.

Oppression : of breathing.

Violent throbbing or pulse-like jerking in back teeth.

Grumbling pain : in back teeth.

Dull : headache towards both temples and occiput ; in upper back teeth, extending towards right ear.

Heaviness : in forehead ; over right eye.

Tobacco bites tongue severely.

Heat : of cheeks ; to face, flushes of.

Warmth : through whole head, with toothache.

Coldness : of skin of whole body ; in teeth.

Icy coldness : in entire buccal cavity ; of extremities.

TOUCH. PASSIVE MOTION. INJURIES [45]

Touch : right eye sensitive to least.

SKIN [46]

Skin of whole body moist and cold. θ Neuralgia.

STAGE OF LIFE, CONSTITUTION [47]

Woman, æt. 30, robust ; toothache.

Young lady ; frontal neuralgia.