Eryngium aquaticum

Volume IV — Appendix

£ryngiain aqnaticmn, button snake-root.

I. Proving:. — i. I took from 5 to 20 dr. of tinct. daily for 1 10 d,, when I stopped, concluding that the drug would take no on me. In the course of a week, however, the following ayroptooi appeared [<>{ wVv\c\v 1 YvaNt tvoxt' "wv i^wx civJoj\ •.

a. Purulent inflammation of 1. eye, which was red, swollen slightly, and tender to pressure } constant dull, aching pain, relieved by heat, followed by profuse secretion of thick, whitish mucus, sticky like gumwater, gluing eyelids; this lasted 48 h., and left conjunctiva granwated and rough.

b. Intense redness of throat as far as visible, and slight swelling, but no pain or bad feeling, with profuse secretion of thick whitish mucus, giving throat an ulcerated appearance. Inflammation seemed to extend to Eustachian tube; and 1. ear was swollen within and without, tender to pressure, with constant aching pain, bleeding readily, and finally discharging thick white bloody pus, of foul odour, which continued to pass for several n. Nose also discharged thick yellow mucus for some time ; and tongue had greyish colour, with ragged appearance.

r. Oppression of chest ; feeling of fulness ; inability to take deep breath, with desire to do so ; no cough ; lunes feel as if soIidiBed.

d. Urine normal at first ; then profuse and deep yellow, but without froth or sediment. Sexual desire suppressed, then excited, with lewd dreams and pollutions ; discharge of prostatic fluid from slight causes.

t. Pulse increased about 10 beats, but soft and weak. Feeling of g;reat debility ; lower extremities languid and heavy, with profuse perspiration on walking ; fainting fits, dared not rise suddenly, step down, or turn my head auick,or I would ^1 into a swoon, from which

I was once with difficulty aroused. L. os calcis and patella tender, sore and painful on motion. Continued singing and ringing, with cracking sound, in 1. ear. (C. H. McClelland, M.D., in Hale's Ntw Remediis^ 2nd ed.)

1. a. Dr. C. H. Cogswell, while a student, proved tinct. in 1865. Began Nov. 23rd by taking 10 dr. before each meal and at bedtime.

II a.m., frequent desire to micturate ; stinging burning pains in urethra behind glans during act ; urine light red and scanty. 2 p.m., severe pain in T. groin ancf testicle, worse during exercise ; also slight dull pain in lumbar region. Previous to retiring, urine rather darker, with symptoms in urethra more marked. Slept well. 24th. — On rising in m. thick yellowish tenacious mucus in mouth ; appetite partially wanting, though reviving at sight of food ; pain in 1. groin and testicle continuing. Repeated doses this d. and next. 26th. — Feeling of weakness and heavy dragging pain in lumbar region. P.m., took a long walk and returned feeling very tired, especially in loins, with heavv disagreeable sensation in groin. Took no medicine. 27th. — Toole 15 dr. \ h. after breakfast. 11, while sitting, heavy dull pain in mastoid portion of temporal bone, passing through to opposite side ; also rheumatic pain at back of neck, cervical muscles being slightly stifF and sore on motion. Repeated dose before dinner (also at 6 p.m.). Pain in head still remaining ; thoughts rather confused, could not concentrate them upon any subject without much exertion. Between 9 and 10 p.m. slight nausea, with drawing cramping pains in stomach, also heavy compressing pain between shoulders ; slight perspiration of disagreeable odour, resembling that of urine. 28th. — ^M.^ seven colicky or crampy pains in small intestines ■, sense ot viev^v m

SB*

stomach; tongue and fauces very dry, with insipid taste in mouth; dull dragging pain in occiput, neck, and shoulders; expanding sensa* tion in frontal region above eyes, increased by stooping; bruijing tearing pain about ears, as if they were being torn aviray. Pain left occiput about ii a.m., but became severe in front, involving era, which were blurred — exercise or least excitement increased pain, also combing hair (scalp being sore to touch) ; was restless, uneasy, frequently changing position ; flashes of heat passing through system; slight nervous erethism ; stool costive, dark, dry, and hard, with tenesmus, faeces seeming to cut as they passed anus ; sensation after micturition as if some urine remained in urethra, of burning, smarting character, though urine itself was of normal temperature, and ooC corrosive. Urine of 24 h. was 26 oz. ; reaction slightly acid; sp. gr. 1016; solid matter 382-11 gr. 9 of lightish red or amber colour when boiled ; after standing some h. a white flocculcnt sediment is found. (Some of the drug seems to have been taken to-day, for " burning in oesophagus after taking" it is mentioned; but the doses are not specified.) 29th. — Stopped taking drug in m., pain in head less severe, but worse in neck and between shoulders ; erratic pains all over body during d., seemingly in muscles ; loss of energy, very sober and depressed in spirits ; partial anorexia; nausea follovni by acid eructations about noon ; very nervous in e., unable to remain in one position. 30th. — Woke early ; frontal headache on rising; thick, tenacious, disagreeable mucus in mouth ; erratic pains in trunk and upper extremities ; heavy dragging pain in stomach ; smarting, burning sensation in fauces.

b. Dec. iithjtook 150 dr. in divided doses during d., and continued

same for 5 d. more. On nth acid eructations followed each meal

(not subsequently). 13th. — No evacuation for 2 d., and bowels

torpid still ; urine scanty ; transient rheumatic pains in 1. shoulder

and arm, also r. wrist and hand. 14th. — Dull aching in frontal region,

especially over 1. eye. 15th. — After 2nd dose to-day, severe pain in

frontal region sufficient to cause dimness of sight, over J. eye it wa»

tearing and boring; inability to think steadily on any one subject

1 6th. — Mucous membrane of larynx seemed thickened, with short

hacking cough and slight expectoration of mucus, thick and stn'ngy,

light yellow in colour. Slight dyspnoea as if clothes were too tight;

choking in throat on slight pressure. 17th. — Took 5|ss 3 times to-day.

Continual dull heavy pain in frontal lobes of brain; concentration pf

mind caused a heavy full pain if persisted in ; eyes irritated by strong

light, which produces burning, smarting sensation, with heavy aching

pain, dull expression of eyes, and great inclination to sleep. Vcrr

nervous and uneasy, moving about continually. 1 8th. —Slept well

during n., woke in m. with colicky pains in bowels, also smarting

raw pain in 1. side of throat, with dry tongue; thick yellow muail

was ejected from mouth, which increased smarting in throat ; boUoiT'

ness or emptiness in stomach, accompanied by heavy dragging ptiB;

reading or writing caused hard heavy pain in forehead, increased by

stooping. Frequent desire to urinate during d., urine passing /*«if<i«i

with slight t\i^'\t^ T\cM orv^vct o^ >KcCtvx?.. <^vV.. — Slept well duriog

a., but rose «rith dull heavy pain in head; pain increased by lowering it or thinking intently on any subject, mostly in frontal region, and more particularly over 1. eye, where it is sharp and shooting ; when sitting in a stooping posture it would leave eye and pass into neck and along muscles to shoulder and beneath scapula, where it would remain for some time. Muscles of eyes felt stiff, and there was pain on turning eyes quickly ; eyes sensitive to strong light, and slightly congested at times, especially when looking at a strong light or walking in oright sunshine- Pulse about 90; muscles of neck sore on turning head quickly ; pressure caused a hard heavy pain. 20th. — Heavy <iragging pain in stomach during n. ; constipation still continues, with cranjpy colicky pains in abdomen ; pains in head and neck less severe, ^ut not entirely gone ; great inclination to sleep most of time, especially p.m. 21st. — Pain in head and neck increased in intensity, severe on stooping or turning head quickly ; burning pain in eyes, they ^«' heavy and are slightly congested, squinting on exposure to a strong S^c i sharp- piercing pain in bowels, which feel bloated but do not look *o> feel heavy while walking, and are sore on pressure. {Ibid,)

1. Dr. W. G. Jones took 10 dr. of tinct. on going to bed. A

^* m. afterwards felt dizzy and elated; disturbed dreams of confused

^"aractcr. 19th. — Took 10 dr. before each mea! and on retiring.

°<^ri after rising urgent call to urinate, urine more scanty and high-

**io|jred than usual, slight burning in urethra before urinating. Soon

. ^^«" dinner, vertigo. 20th. — Took medicine as yesterday. M., shoot-

S pains in coronary region, and in r. side of face, from eyes to teeth j

^*"tigo in c. list. — Shooting pains in r. side of face, from eye to

^^H, in forenoon ■*^^*its. [Ibid.)

Prover was here obliged to discontinue his expcri-