Mitchella repens

Volume IV — Appendix

MITCHELLA.

Mittkttta rtpm, L. Partridge berry. Nat. ord., Rubiactte.

1. Prevings.^-i. Dr. T. C. Duncan, act. 25, in eood health save for some slight febrile symptoms in e., due to undue brain-work. Nov. 22nd, 1855, took 10 dr. of tinct. at noon and n. 23rd. — Awoke from most refreshing sleep, brain clear, feeling light and buoyant in spirits, and much better than usual. Took 10 dr. 4 times. 2^th. — Slept very poorly, had troublesome, frightful dreams. Brain feels dull and mind stupid ; abdomen distended, as with flatus, especially transverse colon. Took 10 dr. twice. Bowels were costive ; appetite not so good as usual ; back very weak after a two-mile walk. 25th. — Sleep very unrefreshing } brain still dull. Took 10 dr. twice. Costiveness ; flatus ; eructations ; urine scanty and high-coloured ; all muscles of extremities feel sore. 26th.— Slept but poorly ; felt tired and sore, especially in muscles. Took 20 dr. at 7.30 a.m. Fauces dry and irritable (they have been so at times since istd.); brain verydu]l,anterior lobe feels heavy ; thirsty ; pulse 80. At noon repeated dose ; dull pain between shoulders ; pricking sensation in centre of back of tongue. Thin stool at 3 p.m. } whole alimentary tract feels cold, transverse colon tender on pressure ; thirst ; great lassitude ; general malaise ; muscles of entire body feel sore, especially in lower extremities. Urine 42 oz. in 24 h. ; sp. gr. 1038; deep yellow colour, strong acid reaction } copious white flocculent sediment, showing much uric acid and chloride of sodium. Uneasiness in renal region ; slight aching in trapezii. 5 p.m. — Took 30 dr. Pain still in trapezii ; dysphagia, owing to constriction of pharynx ; lassitude. 10 p.m., 40 dr. 27th. — Woke in a fright ; felt as it I had been up all n. ; headache, whole brain seems dull, especially cerebellum; dull aching in back over kidneys; all muscles of body feel tired, especially those of lower extremities ; dysphagia; tonsils enlarged, especially 1., not congested. Urine of last e. 1040, that of this m. 1032. Took 50 dr. Brain very dull, cannot concentrate thoughts, and whole perceptive faculty is blunted ; eyes feel dull and heavy ; muscles as yesterday ; dull pain over kidneys, and seemingly in them ; uneasiness at neck of bladder, urging to urinate ; deglutition difficult, breathing hurried ; burning in stomach, which extends all along oesophagus ; dull pain in transverse and ascending colon ; acid eructations ; yawning and stretching ; burning in coronal and throbbing in occipital region inside skull ; pulse 72 at times laboured, then quick and hurried ; whole head feels bad. XI. 10, burning of 1. ear; great burning at neck of bladder ; dull aching in trapezii i p.m.; only 19 oz. of urine in last 24 h., mean sp. gr. 1036. Drawing pain in r. testicle ; uneasy feeling at heart, as

if its contractions were interfered with } nausea ; dull paia epigastrium. li p.m., drowsy, mind still very dull, could not h mind on subject in hand ; still dull lumbar pain ; general mall somewhat relieved by taking an electric shock ; eyes feel weak. T 50 dr. 28th.— -Sleep much more refreshing ; brain feels lighter, far from clear ; dull lumbar pain. Sp. gr. of last night's urine to of this morning's 1032. At 7.30 a.m. took 100 dr. 8.30, coJ( stool, with tenesmus ; burning in lumbar muscles for 10 m. ; acid in back, running down through muscles of limbs ; dull heavy achir in cerebellum. 9.30, rush of blood to face, nose feels full as if would bleed ; pulse 80 ; burning in stomach and oesophagus ; lassitude forgetfulness ; dull aching in calves ; fulness of frontal region ; c feelduil and weak; slight nausea ; brain very dull; burning in tongi pain in back increased ; depression of spirits, with sighing ; dull | in 1. ring finger. 11, continued frontal dulness ; great aching in la extremities, especially in tendons and ligaments about knee-joil sharp shooting pain in an upper 1. molar ; some enlargement of 1. 1 maxillary gland ; griping in colon; burning in r. fingers; heat kidneys ; throbbing pain in r. head. I p.m., urine showed 23 oz. in 24 h. ; mean sp. gr. 1030. Great depression of spirits. Sympt of m. continued up to n., especially pain about knee-joints, hindd motion, which nevertheless relieved ; dull aching also in r. hip-jo Chill over whole body, with flashes of heat ; very sensitive to cold Dull and drowsy, can drop to sleep at any m. f'eel totally unabb attend to duties, and must stop drug. 39th. — Awoke with vt severe headache ; stiff and sore all ovcrl)ody, especially in all jointi lower extremities ; loins and eyes the same ; dry hacking cougi unsteadiness in first walking, exercise relieves. 9.30, great dulnet brain, with feeling of fulness ; burning pains over region of heart, feeling as if its action was being interfered with, its beats at times and regular, then quick and hurried ; bowels costive. 1.30 p.m., great pain in knees, and some in back ; dull aching in r. shouli scalp feels hot. Urine of 24 h. 29 oz., mean sp. gr. 1032. Sp reviving, appetite returning, and brain feeling somewhat lighter think better. Pains in joints and ligaments have moved up into be of muscles; dull aching in r. ear. 10, head feels as if being reli( of great pressure from without, most of which has been upon anterior lobes ; severe frontal headache for 2 h,, just behind supercit ridges ; muscles of lower extremities and both shoulders very griping pains in bowels have returned ; scalp sore to touch, especi over region of "benevolence." Urine still of high sp. gr. (1030" slight nausea ; urging to stool ; dull aching still in loins ; much mi in bronchi. 30th. — Slept well ; feel this m. much better thao several d,, brain quite clear ; pain and soreness in muscles much I p.m., less lassitude; urine of 24 h. is 24 oz., mean sp. gr. 1st and 2nd. — Some pain lingering in muscles of back and legs ; ol wise feeling well. (U. S. Med. and Surg. Journ., i, 253.)

1. A lady in perfect health (uterus ascertained per speculum normal) took M. in teaspoonful doses of tinct. 3 times a d. for 3 until uterus became irritated and the seat of severe pain. Examin

U

sst

Qow revealed an engorged condition of the cervix uteri; it appeared

^k«red and swollen. Urethra and neck of bladder were swollen and

irtitated. Secretion of urine was notably increased. (P. H. Hale, in

Hile's New Remedies^ 2nd ed.)