Senega

Seneca Snake Root. Polygalaceæ.

This plant grows wild in all parts of the United States.

The alcoholic tincture is prepared from the powdered, dried root.

For general effects obtained from experiments with the powdered root and tincture see Allen's Encyclopædia, including Seidel's and Lembke's collections, vol. 8, p. 586 .

CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.

• Hypopion , Noack, B. J. H., vol. 23, p. 341 ; Paresis of oculo-motor nerve , Allen, Hah. Mo., vol. 7, p. 106 ; Catarrh of pharynx , Gerstel, A. H. Z., vol. 91, p. 150 ; Sore throat , Haynes, Org., vol. 3, p. 97 ; Catarrh of bladder , B. J. H., vol. 27, p. 142 ; Influenza , Hermann, Rück. Kl. Erf., vol. 3, p. 50 ; Trinks, Rück. Kl. Erf., vol. 5, p. 706 ; Weinke, A. H. Z., vol. 91, p. 150 ; Asthma , Müller, Rück. Kl. Erf., vol. 5, p. 802 ; Whooping cough , A. R., Rück. Kl. Erf., vol. 5, p. 728 ; Gerstel, A. H. Z., vol. 92, p. 148 ; Soreness in chest , Ockford, Org., vol. 3, p. 377 ; Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Hydrothorax , Gallavardin, Strecker, Lorbacher, B. J. H., vol. 26, p. 338 ; Pleuro-pneumonia , Strecker, Rück. Kl. Erf., vol. 3, p. 335 ; Pneumonia , Kallenbach, Pop. Hom. Ztg., 1867, No. 12 ; B. J. H., vol. 27, p. 141 ; Hydrothorax and Ascites , Lorbacher, Rück. Kl. Erf., vol. 4, p. 64.

SENSORIUM [2]

Confused or reeling sensation in head.

Dulness and stupefaction of head, with pressure in eyes and obscuration of sight.

INNER HEAD [3]

Aching pain in head, in sinciput and occiput, not increased by pressure, every day when sitting in a warm room, accompanied by pressure in eyes which did not bear touch.

Pressing pain in forehead and orbits after dinner, especially left side, < in open air.

OUTER HEAD [4]

Shuddering on hairy scalp.

SIGHT AND EYES [5]

Drawing and pressure in eyeballs, with diminution of vision.

Weakness of sight and flickering before eyes when reading, necessitating frequent wiping of eyes, which aggravates.

While reading eyes feel dazzled.

Flickering and running together of letters when reading.

Flickering before eyes and weakness of sight when continuing to read or write.

On walking toward setting sun, another small sun seemed to float beneath it, on turning eyes outward it changed into a compressed oval, disappeared on bending head and closing eyes.

Weakness of eyes with burning and lachrymation.

Obscuration of cornea.

Sensitiveness of eyes to light.

Obscuration of sight, with glistening before eyes, < from rubbing them.

Hypopion in scrofulous subjects.

To promote absorption of lens fragments after cataract operations or injuries to lens.

Paralysis of muscles of eye.

Iritis and specks upon cornea.

Opacities in vitreous.

Paresis of superior oblique.

Oculo-motor paresis ; Mr. A., æt. 33, four years ago eyes began to be weak with difficulty in seeing clearly ; drooping lids, was obliged to pull them open ; began to see double with right image obliquely above real one ; stopped using eyes and improved ; this summer visited Mammoth Cave, followed by a return of double vision ; walked into room with head thrown backward (occasionally shutting his left eye and holding his head straight), this position relieving confusion of vision ; double vision caused him to make missteps, etc. ; paresis of left oculo-motor nerve, with paralysis of superior rectus ; upper lid very weak, falling half over eye ; difficult convergence ; weak back ; deficient muscular power ; subject to bilious headaches.

Aching over orbits, eyes tremble and water when he looks at an object intently or steadily ; eyes weak and watery when reading.

Eyes pain as if they were pressed out, as if eyeballs were being expanded, especially in evening in candlelight.

Congestion of blood to eyes, with pulsation in them on stooping.

Swelling of eyelids, with tingling in them.

Hardened mucus in morning in eyelashes.

Lachrymation in open air when looking intently at an object.

Blepharitis ciliaris, < in morning, much smarting, dry, crusty lashes.

Cilia hang full of hard mucus ; smarting of conjunctiva as if soap were in eyes, mornings ; blepharitis ; sometimes lids stick so after sleep they must be soaked before they can be separated.

Pimple on margin of left lower lid.

Stye on lower lid.

Hydrophthalmia with intraocular compression.

HEARING AND EARS [6]

Painful sensitiveness of hearing.

SMELL AND NOSE [7]

Sneezing for five minutes, so violent and long continued that the head became quite heavy and dizzy ; afterward a large quantity of thin watery fluid flowed from nose.

Troublesome dryness of Schneiderian membrane.

Frequent coryza, commencing with feeling as if red pepper were throughout nostrils and air passages, followed by distressing cough. θ Influenza.

Smell of pus before nose.

UPPER FACE [8]

Paralytic feeling in left half of face.

Heat in face.

LOWER FACE [9]

Burning blisters on upper lip and in corners of mouth.

TASTE, SPEECH, TONGUE [11]

Tongue coated white, yellowish-white or slimy in morning, with slimy unpleasant taste.

Taste : metallic ; like urine.

INNER MOUTH [12]

Increased secretion of saliva ; offensive breath.

Burning in throat, mouth and on tongue.

PALATE AND THROAT [13]

Very dry, sore throat ; short hacking cough, which tears and scrapes throat ; loss of voice, even whispering is very painful to throat and causes cough ; < in open air.

Inflammation and swelling of throat and palate.

Dryness in throat and accumulation of tough mucus which is difficult to hawk up.

APPETITE, THIRST. DESIRES, AVERSIONS [14]

Much thirst, with loss of appetite.

Gnawing hunger with sensation of emptiness in stomach.

HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING [16]

Nausea, vomiting of mucus.

Nausea as from stomach, with vomiturition and straining to vomit.

SCROBICULUM AND STOMACH [17]

Pressure below pit of stomach ; sense of gnawing hunger.

Digging pain in epigastrium, disposition to flatulence ; outbursts of ill-humor.

Cramps and burning in stomach.

ABDOMEN AND LOINS [19]

Ascites accompanying hepatic diseases, peritonitis or abdominal tumors.

Colic, with pressing pain.

Warmth and oppression in upper part of abdomen when inhaling.

Gnawing in upper part of abdomen.

Griping in bowels.

STOOLS AND RECTUM [20]

Mushy or copious watery stools.

Purging, vomiting and anxiety ; watery stools, spurting from anus.

Stools : scanty, hard, dry and large, insufficient.

Watery diarrhœa, with griping pain in bowels ; nausea and vomiting.

URINARY ORGANS [21]

Urine : diminished ; dark and frothy for a long time after passing ; passed only night and morning ; at first mixed with mucous filaments, afterward thick and cloudy ; frequent, with greenish tinge depositing a cloudy sediment ; acrid, increased in quantity.

Involuntary micturition at night in bed.

Irritability of bladder.

Urging and scalding before and after micturition ; mucous shreds in urine ; on cooling becomes thick and cloudy, or deposits a thick sediment, yellowish-red with the upper stratum yellow and flocculent. θ Catarrh of bladder.

Subacute and chronic catarrh of bladder.

Burning and stinging in urethra during and after micturition.

FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS [23]

Menses come on too soon ; has to press in her left side at tenth rib to relieve gnawing pain.

VOICE AND LARYNX. TRACHEA AND BRONCHIA [25]

Sudden hoarseness when reading aloud.

Aphonia from severe cold or excessive use of voice.

Irritation in larynx inducing a short, hacking cough.

Sudden tickling in larynx excites cough.

Tenacious mucus in larynx inducing frequent hawking, which results in discharge of small lumps of mucus.

Constant inclination to clear throat and swallow saliva.

Great dryness of throat impeding speech.

Titillating, scraping feeling in throat.

Catarrh of pharynx in a tenor lasting six months ; not hoarse but when mucus collected in fauces was uncertain of his ability to bring out either high or low tones ; voice feeble ; throat red, covered with a thin layer of dark green, half-transparent mucus ; burning and raw feeling in throat and hawking.

Influenza : constant tickling and burning in throat and larynx, leaving patient not a moment's rest and preventing him from lying down ; fear of suffocation.

Grippe with stitches in right eye when coughing.

Constant burning and tickling in larynx and throat, with danger of suffocation when lying ; copious expectoration of tough mucus ; relief by outdoor exercise. θ Influenza.

Laryngeal phthisis.

Increased secretion of mucus in trachea, which he is constantly obliged to hawk up.

Copious accumulation of tough mucus in air tubes which causes the greatest, often ineffectual, efforts at coughing and hawking for its expulsion. θ Bronchitis.

RESPIRATION [26]

Sensation as if chest were too narrow, with tendency to relieve this feeling by taking deep inspirations and respirations. θ Asthma.

Short breathing and oppression of chest when going up stairs.

Dyspnœa as from stagnation in lungs.

Oppressed breathing, as if chest were not wide enough, especially in open air and when stooping.

Shortness of breath from accumulation of mucus in chest and trachea.

Dyspnœa, especially during rest.

COUGH [27]

Dry cough with oppression of chest and roughness in throat.

Frequent short and hacking cough, occasioned by an increased secretion of mucus in larynx, especially in open air and when walking rather fast.

Dry cough with aphonia ; < in cold air and walking, > by warm air and rest.

Irritating cough with secretion of mucus, with much pain about chest.

Soreness of chest, dry cough ; throat dry ; hoarseness, later much mucus in bronchi and trachea.

Cough < in morning, while dressing and before breakfast.

Irritating, shaking dry cough, in chronic bronchitis in the aged.

Loose, faint, hacking cough, with expectoration of a little phlegm.

Cough often ends in a sneeze.

Shaking cough like whooping cough, from burning and tickling in larynx, in morning, with copious expectoration of tough, white mucus like white of egg.

Whistling cough ; great oppression of chest ; pressing pains when breathing ; cough dry or yellow expectoration, at times streaked with blood ; inflammatory conditions of chest ; useless in convulsive stage. θ Whooping cough.

Whooping cough : chubby children ; tough expectoration clear like white of egg ; cough < toward evening ; expectoration difficult to raise ; crushing weight on chest ; < at night with excessive rattling of mucus.

INNER CHEST AND LUNGS [28]

Congestion to chest, with flushes of heat in face and frequent pulse in afternoon.

Tightness and oppression of chest, especially during rest.

Rattling in chest ; loose but feeble cough with little expectoration ; hydrothorax.

Feeling as if thorax were too narrow, with constant inclination to widen it by deep inhalation ; burning in chest.

Certain movements, especially stooping, cause a pain in chest as if it were too tight ; there is a disposition to expand chest by frequent stretching ; this leaves considerable soreness in chest.

Soreness through chest, with feeling of oppression when in open air and when reposing ; headache > in open air.

Soreness in chest, < by pressure, coughing and sneezing.

Violent aching pain in chest, at night, when waking.

Burning sore pain under sternum, especially during motion and on every deep inspiration.

Stitches in chest when coughing and breathing.

Shooting stitches in chest < during inspiration and rest.

Dull stitches and burning pain in chest when lying on right side.

Walls of chest sensitive or painful when touched or when he sneezes (often as a remnant of colds).

Stepping hard, walking fast or running causes pulling, sore pain as if through mediastinum.

Accumulation of mucus in chest.

Constant accumulation of phlegm in bronchial tubes, with irritation in bowels, tendency to diarrhœa ; irritation may alternate from chest to bowels and vice versa.

Profuse secretion of mucus in lungs of old people, with loose, rattling cough.

Great rattling of mucus in chest, with flying pains in chest.

Great soreness in walls of chest and great accumulation of clear albuminous mucus which is difficult to expectorate ; pressure on chest as if lungs were pushed back to spine.

Profuse expectoration of clear, transparent mucus ; whole chest filled with large mucous rales. θ Grippe.

Tough mucus causes the greatest, often ineffectual efforts of coughing and hawking for its expulsion. θ Bronchitis.

Bronchitis of old people ; irritating, shaking cough.

Twentieth day of pneumonia in a woman, æt. 56, right side, violent stitches, sinking strength, small, scarcely perceptible pulse, short rare cough without expectoration, great rattling of mucus in chest, somnolence, dejected features.

Adynamic pneumonia ; low fever and much prostration.

Pleuro-pneumonia in left lung ; at first Bry., Acon., Bell. had been given ; the lancinating pains had completely disappeared, but there was still some oppression ; expectoration was without blood, but very difficult, and strength was greatly reduced ; in evening covered with cold sweat ; pulse very small and wiry ; oppression so great he must sit upright constantly ; mucus stagnating and rattling in chest.

Pleurisy in a latent form ; dulness in lower three-fourths of right side of chest ; ægophony of same side toward upper part of lung ; pulse 110 ; Seneg. removed not only the effusion but also the thickening of the pleura consequent on the pleurisy.

Pleurisy ; after inflammation has passed ; copious mucous secretion with difficult expectoration ; tightness and burning in chest.

Subacute or chronic exudations of pleura ; catarrhal pleuro-pneumonia.

Hydrothorax and ascites after scarlatina ; anasarca ; ascites ; hoarse and feeble cough, with little expectoration.

Phthisis mucosa.

HEART, PULSE AND CIRCULATION [29]

Boring pain about heart.

Heart's beat shakes the whole body ; violent palpitation while walking.

Pulse hard and frequent.

OUTER CHEST [30]

General sensitiveness or simple pain of walls of thorax, especially when touching them, it is felt less during a deep inspiration.

Soreness of walls of chest on moving arms, particularly left.

NECK AND BACK [31]

Pressing pain between scapulæ, especially when stepping hard, or on other movements which concuss the chest.

Pulse rather hard and accelerated.

Pain under right shoulder blade, as if chest would burst, when coughing or drawing a long breath.

UPPER LIMBS [32]

Sensation as if wrist were sprained.

LOWER LIMBS [33]

Sensation of great weakness or debility in legs ; joints feel as if lame.

REST. POSITION. MOTION [35]

Most symptoms, especially those of chest, are < when at rest and > when walking in open air.

Rest : dyspnœa ; dry cough > ; tightness of chest ; shooting through chest.

Cannot lie down : tickling in larynx ; fear of suffocation.

Lying on right side : pain in chest.

Stooping : oppressed breathing ; pain in chest.

Motion : pain under sternum ; of arm, soreness of walls of chest.

Going up stairs : shortness of breathing and oppression of chest.

Stepping hard, walking fast or running ; causes pulling, sore pain as if through mediastinum ; pressing pain between scapulæ.

Walking : fast, causes short, hacking cough ; violent palpitation.

NERVES [36]

Faintness when walking in open air.

Great mental and bodily lassitude.

Lassitude and slight trembling of upper extremities.

Sensation of trembling, with no visible trembling.

Legs feel weak, joints feel lame.

Great debility with stretching of limbs, confusion, heaviness and beating in head.

Great weakness which seems to originate in chest.

Mental and physical debility, with dropsical effusions.

SLEEP [37]

In evening, as soon as one lies down, heavy sleep ; in morning awakes frequently with dyspnœa.

TIME [38]

Morning : hardened mucus in eyelashes ; blepharitis ciliaris < ; tongue slimy ; cough < ; awakes from dyspnœa.

Afternoon : heat in face and frequent pulse.

Evening : pressure in eyes < ; toward, whooping cough.

Night and morning : urine passed only.

Night : involuntary micturition ; whooping cough < ; aching in chest.

TEMPERATURE AND WEATHER [39]

Warm air : dry cough <.

Warm room : pain in head.

Open air : pain in forehead < ; lachrymation ; sore throat and cough < ; oppressed breathing ; short, hacking cough ; headache > ; oppression of chest ; faintness when walking ; chilliness and chill only in.

Cold air : dry cough <.

FEVER [40]

Shuddering over back, heat in face, weak, burning eyes, beating headache, difficult breathing, body feels bruised.

Flushes of heat ; skin hot ; skin becomes warmer and moister.

Chilliness and chill almost only in open air, with weakness in legs and dyspnœa.

Shudders over back with heat in face and chest symptoms.

Sudden flushes of heat.

Perspiration wanting.

ATTACKS, PERIODICITY [41]

Alternate : irritation from chest to bowels and vice versa.

For five minutes : sneezing.

For six months : catarrh of pharynx.

LOCALITY AND DIRECTION [42]

Right : stitches in eye ; stitches in side ; pain under shoulder blade.

Left : pain in forehead < ; pimple on margin of lower lid ; paralytic feeling on half of face ; must press side to relieve pain ; pleuro-pneumonia in lung ; moving arm causes soreness of walls of chest.

SENSATIONS [43]

Eyes pain as if they were pressed out ; as if eyeballs were being expanded ; as if soap were in eyes ; as if red pepper were throughout nostrils and air passages ; as if chest were too narrow ; dyspnœa as from stagnation in lungs ; as if lungs were pushed back to spine ; as if chest would burst ; as if wrist were sprained ; joints as if lame.

Pain : about chest ; in walls of thorax ; under right shoulder blade.

Flying pains : in chest.

Boring pain : about heart.

Digging pain : in epigastrium.

Shooting stitches : in chest.

Stitches : in right eye ; in chest.

Dull stitches : in chest.

Cramps : in stomach.

Gnawing : in bowels ; under tenth rib left side.

Pressing pain : in forehead and orbits ; in abdomen ; between scapulæ.

Drawing : in eyeballs.

Aching pain : in head ; over orbits ; in chest.

Stinging : in urethra.

Smarting : of conjunctiva.

Burning : of eyes ; in throat, mouth and on tongue ; in stomach ; in urethra ; in larynx ; in chest ; and under sternum.

Soreness : of chest ; in walls of chest.

Scraping feeling : in throat.

Heat : in face.

Beating : in head.

Pressure : in eyes ; below pit of stomach ; on chest.

Tingling : in eyelids.

Titillating feeling : in throat.

Dryness : of Schneiderian membrane of throat.

Oppression : in upper part of chest.

Tightness : of chest.

Dulness : in head.

Emptiness : in stomach.

Weakness : of legs.

Reeling sensation : in head.

Paralytic feeling : in left half of face.

TISSUES [44]

Catarrhs that tend to leave sore and tender places in walls of chest as if there were left circumscribed spots of inflammation.

Diseases of mucous membranes ; especially of lining of larynx, trachea and bronchia.

Subacute or chronic exudations of pleura, catarrhal pleuropneumonia (after Bry.) in cachectic pleuritis, in hydrothorax, œdema pulmonum, in diseases of heart, primary and secondary anasarca ; in dropsies after albuminuria ; hydrophthalmia with intraocular compression ; in ascites accompanying hepatic diseases, peritonitis and abdominal tumors ; in lymphatic constitutions with tendency to mucous and serous exudations.

Dropsy of internal organs (especially after inflammation).

Inflammation of internal organs.

TOUCH. PASSIVE MOTION. INJURIES [45]

Touch : walls of chest painful ; of vesicles causes itching.

Pressure : on left side > ; pain ; soreness of chest <.

Rubbing : glistening before eyes <.

Bites of poisonous or enraged animals.

SKIN [46]

Burning vesicles, itching when touched.

STAGE OF LIFE, CONSTITUTION [47]

Especially suitable for plethoric, phlegmatic persons.

Girl, æt. 5 ; after scarlatina ; ascites.

Girl, æt. 13, after miliary fever ; hydrothorax and anasarca.

Tenor singer, æt. 26, suffering six months ; catarrh of pharynx.

Miss X., æt. 30, small stature, poor constitution, pale, thin face ; latent pleurisy.

Man, æt. 33 ; oculo-motor paresis.

Man, æt. 33, slender, leading a sedentary life, first noticed trouble with eyes four years ago ; paresis of oculo-motor nerve.

Woman, æt. 56 ; pneumonia.

Man, æt. 60 ; pleuro-pneumonia.

RELATIONS [48]

Compare : Ammon . in bronchial affections ; Calc. ost . in fat and plethoric people predisposed to catarrhs ; Caustic . in muscular asthenopia, loss of voice, paralytic conditions ; Phosphor . in laryngeal and pulmonary catarrh ; Spongia in bronchial catarrh.