Hepatica triloba

Volume I — Special Symptomatology

{Liverwort.)

Botanical Description. — The Hepatica Americana of De Candolle is the Hepatica triloba of Wildenow. This is a perennial plant, the root of which consists of numerous strong fibres. The leaves are all radical, on

long, hairy petioles, with three ovate, obtuse or rounded entire lobes, smooth evergreen, coriaceous, cordate at base, the new ones appearing later than the flowers.

The flowers appear almost as soon as the snow leaves the ground in the Spring. They are single, generally blue, sometimes white and flesh color, and are nodding at first, then erect, on hairy scapes three or four inches long; by cultivation they become double ; involucre simple, composed of three entire, ovate, obtuse bracts, resembling a calyx, situated a little below the flower. Calyx of two or three rows of petaloid sepals; stamens awlshaped, anthers elliptic, achenia ovate, acute, awnless.

Hepatica acutiloba differs in having the leaves with three ovate and pointed lobes, or sometimes five lobes; leaves of the involucre or acutish.

Officinal Preparations. — Tincture of the whole plant; dilutions and tincture-triturations.

Analogues. — Calcarea carbonica (?), Glycyrrhiza, Hepar sulphur (?), Phosphorus (?), Stannum {?).

Eyes.

Eyes somewhat sensitive to light; itching and swelling, slightly aggravated in the morning.

Nose.

Bloody mucus blown from the left nostril for three or four

days in succession. Soreness at the opening into the nostrils.

Throat.

0 Free and easy expectoration; the rough, scraping irritation and tickling sensation in the throat and fauces disappears, as also the sensation about the epiglottis and larynx, as of particles of food remaining (following an attack of haemoptysis). {Kimball.)

0 Accumulation of thick, viscid and tenacious phlegm, inducing frequent hawking and disposition to hawk, disappears. {Hale, Kimball.)

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

This plant is found not only in America, but nearly all the world over. Its delicate flowers, of a pale-blue, white, or fleshcolor, appear almost as soon as the snow leaves the ground in the spring. Although delicate, small, and inconspicuous, the Hepatica had once an extensive reputation in very serious diseases. The name Liverwort was given it from a fancied resemblance of its leaves to the liver; and the old physicians, who practiced according to the obsolete doctrine of signatures, prescribed it in all hepatic diseases. The plant is scentless. Its taste is insipid, not bitter, but a little astringent and slightly acrid, which latter is disguised by the mucilage contained in the leaves. It is difficult to imagine that it has any great power over the system generally. Its supposed action on the liver I believe to be purely fanciful.

Many years ago it was highly lauded in this country as a remedy for cough and haemoptysis.

If I should venture to name its analogues in advance of a thorough proving, I would mention Calcarea, Hamamelis, Cistus, Hepar sulph., Senega, Phosphorus, and Stannum.

Nothing definite is known of the action of this plant in disease, and nothing whatever of its effects upon the healthy organism. Allopaths, eclectics, id omne genus, tell their patients to drink an infusion of Liverwort, ad libitum ; but they do not stop to observe if any effect results from such quantities. They advise the same of Hamamelis, yet the homoeopath ist, bv careful observation, has ascertained that not only is the latter drug valuable in diseased conditions of an important nature, but it is capable of causing, in small doses even, notable pathogenetic effects upon the healthy body. A thorough proving of the Hepatica may show it to be a valuable remedial agent.

The first and only mention of the Hepatica in homoeopathic literature was by Dr. D. S. Kimball in a paper entitled “ Scraps from Practice.” He writes :

In 1831-32 I was troubled with haemoptysis, and a slight recurrence of it in 1836, leaving more or less chronic irritation of the throat and lungs, and two or three years previously, as well as subsequently, for a long time with dyspepsia. Three years ago, when suffering in this way, I commenced using the Hepatica triloba, by chewing a mouthful twice a day and swallowing the juice, and observed the following symptoms to arise from it :

Eyes somewhat sensitive to light ; itching and swelling, slightly agglutinated in the morning.

Bloody mucus frequently blown from the left nostril, for three or four days in succession (after using it three days and continuing it). Soreness of the end of the nose at the entrance of the nostrils. Uncommonly free and easy expectoration ; the rough, scraping irritation and tickling sensation in the throat and fauces disappears, as also the sensation about the epiglottis and larynx as of particles of food remaining. The accustomed accumulation of phlegm, sometimes thick, viscid, and tenacious, inducing frequent hawking and disposition to hawk, disappear.

The customary paroxysms of coughing, and somewhat abundant expectoration, mostly daily, about midday, a portion of the expectoration being opaque, yellowish, of the consistency of cream — the rest frothy and mucous — disappears. Apparently a much better state of the throat and lungs is induced from its use, much stronger generally, as well as locally, and the irritation of the throat and lungs mostly gone. Digestion apparently more perfect, and a cessation of most of the remaining dyspeptic symptoms.

We have in this fragmentary proving a few suggestive pathogenetic symptoms and several interesting curative effects, sufficient to prescribe the medicine in similar conditions.

In the summer of 1865 I contracted a severe bronchitis, which became aggravated by frequent exposure, until it reached the point of purulent expectoration. An attack of circumscribed pneumonia supervened, which was followed by bloody sputa and the purulent expectoration again. This continued for two months unchecked by Lycopodium, Stannum, Phosphorus, or Sulphur. The expectoration was profuse, yellow, creamy, and exceedingly sweet. Some pain and constriction of the right chest. An excessively annoying irritation of the fauces ; a tickling, itching, and scraping sensation was present nearly all the time, aggravated by eating, or inhalation of dust. At this period I met with Dr. Kimball’s statement, and suspending all medicines used the dried leaves in the same manner. I noticed a mucilaginous taste, followed by some astringency, and a subdued pungent sensation, which it gave the mouth and fauces, a little like that caused by the liquorice root. After using it four days, the expectoration decreased; the troublesome irritation of the fauces improved, and in two weeks had disappeared. It certainly appeared to remove the symptoms of the fauces and throat.