Melilotus. (Melilotus Officinalis.)
By Constantine Hering — The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica
Sweet Clover. Leguminosæ.
Introduced and proved by Bowen in 1852. He used both the white and yellow species, and made a second proving fifteen years later (See Allen's Encyclopædia, vol. 6, p. 176 ). More recent provings of the white species were made by H. C. Allen, assisted by Kraft, Gee, Waddell, and two students (See Medical Advance, vol. 20, p. 322).
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
- Religious melancholy , Nash, Med. Adv., vol. 20, p. 323 ; Headache (several hundred cases cured), Bowen, Trans. Hom. Med. Soc. Pa., 1872, p. 108 ; Cheeseman, Org., vol. 2, p. 233 ; Sick headache , Willard, Trans. Hom. Med. Soc. Pa., 1871, p. 188 ; Nervous headache and dysmenorrhœa , Bowen, Trans. Hom. Med. Soc. Pa., 1872, p. 108 ; Epistaxis , Nash, Med. Adv., vol. 20, p. 325 ; Relief from nosebleed , Brown, Org., vol. 2, p. 113 ; Bilious colic (three cases reported cured), Bowen, Trans. Hom. Med. Soc. Pa., 1872, p. 108 ; Cramps in stomach , Bowen, Trans. Hom. Med. Soc., Pa., 1872, p. 107 ; Pneumonia , Waddell, Med. Adv., vol. 20, p. 327 ; Infantile spasms (fourteen cures reported), Bowen, Trans. Hom. Med. Soc. Pa., 1872, p. 105 ; Spasms during dentition , Bowen, Raue's Path. and Therap., p. 904 ; Eclampsia , Bowen, Trans. Hom. Med. Soc. Pa., 1872, p. 108 ; Clinical extracts from Rev. Hom. Belge, June 1877 ; Hahn. Mo., vol. 13, p. 122.
MIND [1]
Loss of memory.
Confusion of thought.
Inability to fix mind ; stupid ; indifferent ; omits letters and words in writing.
Irascible ; fairly furious.
Indolent ; an overpowering stupor.
Total inability to study.
Weeping.
Religious melancholy of four months' standing ; intensely red face.
INNER HEAD [3]
Throbbing frontal headache, preceded by great prostration.
Intense frontal headache, preceded by hot, flushed face and feverish sensation.
Distressing headache in left temple, commencing at about 4 P. M., > by remaining out of school.
Severe headache.
Almost delirious with headache.
A frightful, heavy, oppressive headache for three days.
Headache, < from 9 to 12 A. M.
Severe headache, followed by profuse epistaxis and afterwards by hæmoptysis of bright red blood in considerable quantity.
Headache lasting four days, with oppression of chest, severe stitching or cutting pains in womb and through hernia ; was confined to bed for four days and only > by profuse bleeding of nose.
Sick headache ; retching, vomiting, excessive pains in temples, sense of pressure over orbits, coldness of feet and hands, pallor, loss of sight, or appearance of black spots before eyes.
Headache, with extreme nervousness ; irritability ; forgetfulness ; confusion of thoughts ; palpitation ; relaxation of bowels ; > from epistaxis.
Violent congestion to head.
Headache so intense as to cause purple redness of face and bloodshot eyes, culminating in epistaxis, which affords relief.
Young man, æt. 20, of lymphatic temperament, subject to congestive headaches for several years at intervals of one to three months ; more frequent in hot weather ; during attack face and head swell, become purple, with bloodshot eyes ; had frequently fallen in streets, and would wander around unconsciously through streets by day or night, and was always left weak, trembling and nervous for two or three days after.
SIGHT AND EYES [5]
Eyelids very heavy.
SMELL AND NOSE [7]
Excessive dryness of nose.
Profuse and frequent epistaxis, with general relief.
Epistaxis during a fever ; one attack followed another, once or twice in twenty-four hours, usually at night ; loss of blood alarmingly great ; every attack preceded by intense redness, flushing of face and throbbing of carotids.
UPPER FACE [8]
Great redness of face and head, with throbbing of carotids.
Very red face precedes hemorrhage from nose, lungs and uterus.
SCROBICULUM AND STOMACH [17]
Cramps in stomach every time he gets his feet wet, or after any unusual exposure.
ABDOMEN AND LOINS [19]
Bilious colic.
STOOLS AND RECTUM [20]
Looseness of bowels.
Shooting, cutting in rectum while walking, > sitting down.
Heavy throbbing and fulness in rectum from internal piles.
Constipation, difficult, painful stool, constriction in rectum, discharge of stringy, milky white mucus.
FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS [23]
Menstruation painful and difficult, accompanied by nervous headache (prolapsus uteri and left inguinal hernia).
Severe, sharp, shooting, sticking pains in external genitals (especially labia), lasting only a moment, but recurring frequently and very annoying ; at times so sharp as to cause involuntary starts ; with nausea and dull heavy pain in pelvis (at close of menses).
RESPIRATION [26]
Difficult breathing from climbing or rapid walking.
Could not get air enough, felt as if smothering.
COUGH [27]
Cough : dry, harsh, spasmodic, horribly distressing, causing great anxiety ; > by epistaxis ; > by slight expectoration.
INNER CHEST AND LUNGS [28]
Hæmoptysis ; blood bright red.
Both lungs greatly congested ; face and eyes very red ; nosebleed every few minutes ; high fever ; constant, severe, racking cough and very rapid respiration. θ Pneumonia.
Chest very sore and oppressed, as if garments were too tight.
HEART, PULSE AND CIRCULATION [29]
Palpitation of heart.
NECK AND BACK [31]
A broken sensation in lumbar sacral region, < sitting, > walking or standing, alternate with headache.
LIMBS IN GENERAL [34]
Rheumatic pains in joints on approach of a rain storm, or in rainy, changeable weather.
REST. POSITION. MOTION [35]
Sitting : cutting in rectum > ; broken sensation in lumbar sacral region <.
Standing : a broken sensation in lumbar sacral region >.
Walking : cutting in rectum ; rapid, difficult breathing ; broken sensation in lumbar sacral region >.
NERVES [36]
Extreme nervousness.
Infantile spasms.
Spasm during dentition, with great congestion of head.
Convulsion of nervous children during dentition.
Eclampsia.
TIME [38]
At 4 P. M. : distressing pain.
Day or night : wanders unconsciously through streets ; epistaxis.
TEMPERATURE AND WEATHER [39]
Approach of a rain storm or in rainy, changeable weather : rheumatic pains in joints.
After exposure or getting feet wet : cramps in stomach.
Hot weather : congestive headache more frequent.
FEVER [40]
Febris nervosa stupida ; deaf and dumb ; involuntary stools, mixed with blood ; epistaxis ; unconsciousness ; loss of memory ; confusion of ideas.
ATTACKS, PERIODICITY [41]
Alternate : broken sensation, with headache.
Every few moments : nosebleed.
Lasting only one moment, but recurring frequently : sharp pains in external genitals.
From 9 to 12 A. M. : headache <.
Once or twice in twenty-four hours : epistaxis.
For two or three days after headache : nervous and trembling.
For three days : oppressive headache.
Lasting four days : headache.
For several years at intervals of one to three months : congestive headache.
LOCALITY AND DIRECTION [42]
Left : distressing pain in temple ; inguinal hernia.
SENSATIONS [43]
As if smothering ; as if garments were too tight across chest.
Intense frontal headache.
Excessive pains : in temples.
Severe pain : in head.
Distressing pain : in left temple.
Stitching or cutting pains : in womb and through hernia.
Severe, sharp, shooting, sticking pains : in external genitals.
Sudden, sharp, shooting, stinging, burning, rheumatic pains : in joints.
Shooting, cutting : in rectum.
Frightful, heavy, oppressive pain : in head.
Throbbing pain : in frontal region.
Rheumatic pain : in joints.
Cramps : in stomach.
Bilious colic : in abdomen.
Dull, heavy pain : in pelvis.
Soreness : of chest.
Broken sensation : in lumbar sacral region.
Constriction : in rectum.
Pressure : over orbits.
Heavy feeling : of eyelids.
Fulness : in rectum.
Oppression : of chest.
Throbbing : of carotids ; in rectum.
Dryness : of nose.
Coldness : of feet and hands.
TISSUES [44]
Congestion relieved by hemorrhage.
Congestive or nervous headaches ; engorgements of bloodvessels in any part or organ ; spasms, infantile, eclampsia and epilepsy ; insanity, to relieve brain from pressure and irritation.
STAGE OF LIFE, CONSTITUTION [47]
Child, æt. 5, sick two days ; pneumonia.
School-girl ; headache.
Man, æt. 20, lymphatic temperament ; congestive headaches.
Woman, æt. 30, nervo-bilious temperament, suffering for years ; nervous headache and dysmenorrhœa.
Woman, subject since childhood to frequent attacks of nosebleed ; epistaxis.
Man, æt. 64 energetic, suffering fifteen years ; cramps in stomach, after exposure.
RELATIONS [48]
Compare : Amyl nitr . on circulation ; Antim. crud . in epistaxis after headache, but does not > ; Bellad, Glon . and Sanguin . in congestive headache, red face, hot head, etc. ; Stramon . in mental conditions.