Myrtus Communis

by John Henry Clarke — A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica

Myrtle. (Closely allied to Granatum, the Pomegranate-tree.) N. O. Myrtaceæ. Tincture of fresh shoots and leaves. Tincture of fresh flowering shoots and leaves.

Clinical

Catarrhal fevers / Chest, stitches in / Coryza / Cough / Tuberculosis

Characteristics

Myrt. com. is an unproved remedy, the symptoms of the Schema being entirely clinical. Hering gives an account of it. It has a very powerful action on the left lung, especially the upper part. It is to the upper left lung what Oxal. ac. is to the lower. This is the keynote: Pain in upper left lung going right through from the front to the left scapula. Cases of phthisis, hæmoptysis, hepatisation, lung syphilis having this symptom present have been cured with Myrt. The pain is mostly stitching, but may be throbbing, aching, or burning. It is < in morning, > evening, < by breathing, yawning, coughing. The cough is dry, hollow; excited by a tickling in upper anterior lobes. Hering has cured catarrhal fever with tickling cough < morning and > evening; with great lassitude in afternoon. This last symptom is important. So is evening > of cough and of tickling in lungs. < From change of atmosphere. Every atmospheric change = cough, coryza, and catarrhal fever.

Relations

Compare: Pains through left chest to scapula, Therid., Illic., Pix., Sul. (Pain through lower lobe of left lung, Oxal. ac.) Compare also: Phos., Bry.

5. Nose

Coryza with cough.

9. Throat

Dryness in throat; pains in throat and chest, with expectoration of blood.

17. Respiratory Organs

Dry, hollow cough, from tickling in upper anterior lobes of lungs; < morning; > evening; great lassitude in afternoon. Cough, coryza, and catarrhal fever setting in with every atmospheric change.

18. Chest

Pain in chest; acute; pressing; cough with tightness. Pain in upper part of l. chest through to shoulder, < taking a deep breath and making a strong motion. Stitching in l. apex straight through to scapula, < breathing, yawning, coughing. Burning in l. chest with throbbing, aching, tickling. Hepatisation of l. lung. Hæmoptysis. Phthisis, esp. from maltreated syphilis.

27. Fever

Catarrhal fevers with pain in elbow and knee-joints, with dry, hollow cough, caused by tickling in upper and front part of lungs, esp. in morning, > evening, accompanied by lassitude in afternoon.

Myrtus Communis across the other classic books

Myrtus Communis appears in 4 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.

Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Myrtle The leaves contain Myrtol, an active antiseptic. Chest pains, as found often in consumptives, call for this remedy. Incipient phthisis. Nerve sedative and stimulant to mucous membranes, bronchitis, cystitis and pyelitis. Stitching pain in left breast, running through to shoulder-blade ( Illic; Therid; Pix )…”
Boger (GA) — Which general headings this remedy belongs under — the analytical scaffolding.
“STICKY, stringy, etc.(Comp. Adhesive.)”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Myrtle. Myrtaceæ. A cultivated shrub or small tree native to countries bordering on the Mediterranean. It is mentioned by Hippocrates, Galen, Dioscorides, the Arabians and other ancient writers (see article by Hering, Hah. Mo., vol. 7, p. 62, 1871). No provings. CLINICAL AUTHORITIES. Cough and coryza , Wahle, Rück…”

Myrtus Communis in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Myrtus Communis in 18 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in CHEST (9), COUGH (5), EXTREMITIES (3), GENERALITIES (1).

CHEST - HEPATIZATION of lungs - left
CHEST - PULSATION - Clavicle,region of
CHEST - PAIN - stitching - Clavicle - under - left
CHEST - CONSTRICTION,tension,tightness - cough,during
CHEST - PHTHISIS pulmonalis
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - Knee
CHEST - PAIN
COUGH - DRY
COUGH - IRRITATION in air passages,from - chest,in - upper
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - Shoulder - dislocation,as of
COUGH - TIGHT
CHEST - PAIN - burning - Sides - left
CHEST - SHOCKS
COUGH - TICKLING - chest
COUGH - HOLLOW
CHEST - INFLAMMATION - Lungs
GENERALITIES - AIR - open - amel.
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - Shoulder

Search all 7 classical repertories

More remedies in this book

Previous remedy: Myris Next remedy: Nabal

Mosch Muc-u Mur-ac Murx Musa Mygal Myos-s Myric

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