Gambogia

Is a very valuable remedy for diarrhœa, though not so often used, I think, as it should be. It resembles Croton tiglium in the suddenness of the desire for stool, and in the all coming out at one gush. Again, it resembles it, in that it is sometimes watery and yellow, but Croton tig. is aggravated by the least food or drink, which is not the case with Gambogia. Again, Gambogia has all the way from yellow, watery, to almost formed stools, and in each case, the stool comes all at once in one prolonged effort, and there is a feeling of great relief after stool, as if an irritating substance were removed. Sometimes there is burning of the anus after the stool, similar to Arsenicum, Iris versicolor and Capsicum. It is curative in both acute and chronic forms of diarrhœa. There is often much rumbling in the bowels.

Gratiola officinalis is another remedy that has the yellow, watery diarrhœa, gushing out with great force. It is sometimes especially useful in the summer complaints of children, especially where they have been drinking too much cold water, which frequently happens. Gratiola resembles Aloes in some points, but has not the hæmorrhoids.

Oleander is one of our best remedies for diarrhœa of undigested food, and the best indication for it is involuntary stool when emitting flatus. The least passage of flatus is always accompanied with stool, so that the clothes are always liable to be soiled. I cured with the 200th of this remedy a case of three years’ duration in a child. It was my own child, and I had tried many remedies (it was in the beginning of my practice) and was almost despairing that she would ever be well or strong, but after taking the Oleander she was cured, not only of the diarrhœa, but became perfectly strong and well and has always remained so, not having the slightest tendency to a return of the trouble.