Gossypium Herbaceum

by John Henry Clarke — A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica

Cotton Plant. N. O. Malvaceæ. Tincture of fresh inner root bark, chopped and pounded to a pulp.

Clinical

Abortion / Amenorrhœa / Dysmenorrhœa / Labia, abscess of / Ovaries, pains in / Pregnancy, vomiting of / Sterility / Tumour / Uterus, bearing down in

Characteristics

Gossyp. has been mainly used in affections of the female generative organs. It has been taken in the form of the extract to procure abortion. The symptoms of the external organs are strongly marked, and the ovaries are the seat of pains which come and go, and in the uterus are bearing-down pains. "Intermittent pains in the ovaries" is characteristic. The morning nausea and salivation indicate the remedy for morning sickness of pregnancy. The pains are of a stinging, drawing, tearing, and sometimes of a burning character, extending from one place to another, jumping from one place to another. Pains generally move from above downward. Pains are generally < by motion; > by rest. Sympathetic symptoms of stomach, heart, bowels, and nervous system arising from disturbance of uterine functions.

Relations

Compare: Act. r., Apis, Asar., Bell., Bry., Lil. t., Puls., Sabi., Sec., Sep., Ustil.

2. Head

Pain, first burning, then stinging, extending from both temporal bones to middle of frontal bone. Drawing pain over eyes, with stinging pain in pupils.

5. Nose

Nostrils swollen and inflamed.

9. Throat

Tonsils swollen, r. <.

11. Stomach

Nausea, with accumulation of saliva in mouth; inclination to vomit before breakfast. Rotating pain in pit of stomach. Anorexia, with uneasy, depressed feeling at scrobiculum cordis at time of menses.

14. Urinary Organs

Frequent desire to urinate, with burning pains.

16. Female Sexual Organs

Stinging pain in both ovarian regions, and at the same time drawing towards uterus, lasting about ten minutes at a time. Soreness between thigh and vulva, with a watery secretion. Soft-tumour between l. thigh and vulva, first as large as pea, increasing to size of pigeon's egg, secreting a watery fluid with needle-like sticking pain, < at night. Swelling of l. labium, outer part, with intolerable itching; some swelling in r. labium. Outer skin of both labia studded with innumerable, full, somewhat reddish granules. Amenorrhœa. Menses scanty and painful or painless; last twenty-four hours and then become very sparse and painful; too watery; nineteen days late. Sterility from uterine torpor. Morning vomiting, followed by faintness; unable to rise from bed; great distress, weakness, and prostration.

20. Back

Pain in back.

22. Upper Limbs

Heavy feeling in both hands, > hanging them down, < in warmth of bed.

26. Sleep

Caused her to sleep a great part of the time.

Gossypium Herbaceum across the other classic books

Gossypium Herbaceum appears in 6 of the 13 classic books on Similia. Each was written to do a different job — here is what each adds on this remedy, with the opening of its entry.

Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“Gossypium herbaceum, L. (include G. album, Ham., "short staple," and G. nigrum, Ham., Sea Island cotton). Natural order , Malvaceæ. Common name , Cotton plant. Preparation , Tincture of the root. Authority. Dr. W. Williamson; proving by a lady (dose not mentioned); Hahnemannian Monthly, 4, 315. Uneasiness and anxiety…”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Cotton-plant (GOSSYPIUM) A powerful emmenagogue, used in physiological doses. Homeopathically, it corresponds to many reflex conditions, depending on disturbed uterine function and pregnancy. Gossypium will relieve tardy menses, especially with sensation that the flow is about to start and yet does not do so. Tall…”
Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“Uterus. Ovaries. Kidneys. Motion. Uterine reflexes. .................... Flow of saliva. Nausea on awaking. Vomits on motion or raising up. Hyper-emesis. Sensitive stomach, with much gas. Ovarian pains extend toward uterus. Uterine torpor. Cervical pain. Sensitive womb. Menses late, scanty and watery. Related: Senec…”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Cotton Plant. Malvaceæ. The cotton producing plant of the South ; a native of Asia. The root possesses the medical virtues, and the tincture is prepared from the fresh inner root-bark, chopped and pounded to a pulp. Proved by Williamson. See Allen's Encyclopædia, vol. 4, p. 458 . Giddiness of head. Stinging pain in…”
Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“COMMON NAME: COTTON PLANT. Gossypium is a powerful emmenagogue. It has a wide reputation as an abortifacient. It produces firm, regular and strong uterine contractions, resembling Cimicifuga in its action (C.). Flow of saliva (Am-C., Arum-T., Bar-C., Bor., Fluor-Ac., Iod., Ipec., Kali-C., Lyso., Merc., Merc-C…”

Gossypium Herbaceum in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Gossypium Herbaceum in 38 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in FEMALE GENITALIA (16), GENERALITIES (7), EXTREMITIES (5), ABDOMEN (2), MOUTH (2).

FEMALE GENITALIA - MENSES - absent,amenorrhoea
EXTREMITIES - HEAVINESS, - Hand - warmth of bed agg.
EXTREMITIES - TUMORS, - Thigh - between thigh and vulva
ABDOMEN - PAIN - stitching (Sticking,etc.) - Inguinal region - menses - during
NOSE - INFLAMMATION - left
FEMALE GENITALIA - PAIN - lancinating - Ovaries
FEMALE GENITALIA - PAIN - stinging - Ovaries
PERSPIRATION - ODOR - rank
STOMACH - APPETITE - wanting - menses - during
FEMALE GENITALIA - PAIN - Ovaries - extending to - limbs, - down
MOUTH - TASTE - eggs,like rotten
MOUTH - TASTE - eggs,like rotten - morning
FEMALE GENITALIA - PAIN - drawing - Ovaries
FEMALE GENITALIA - PAIN - labor pains - ineffectual
STOMACH - NAUSEA - breakfast - before
FEMALE GENITALIA - PAIN - burning - Ovaries
MALE GENITALIA - PAIN - stitching - Spermatic cords
NOSE - INFLAMMATION - inside
FEMALE GENITALIA - SWOLLEN - Ovaries
EXTREMITIES - EXCORIATION - Thighs between

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