Actea Spicata
By Constantine Hering — The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica
Baneberry. Ranunculaceæ.
Grows in the woods of Europe and Asia, as does the racemosa in North America. Proved by Petroz and Lemercier in France, and Macfarlan of Philadelphia.
MIND [1]
Weakness of memory, incapacity to recollect.
Occasional absence of mind.
Judgment perplexed ; bewildering fits, almost to insanity.
Self-deception ; self-satisfaction.
Furious delirium ; also during fever.
Great desire to work, though incapable of it.
Inclined to debauchery.
Indisposed to close thinking.
Mental enjoyment while exercising.
Sad, lamenting and sighing.
Melancholy ; dejection with inclination to weep.
Hopelessness ; constant apprehension ; anxious solicitude when quiet.
Anxiety with urging in heart. See 29 .
Fear of death, especially at night in bed.
Distaste of life.
Desperation about success of every, even most trifling undertaking.
Irresolution, inconstancy and caprice.
Obstinacy and anger.
Impatient and restless. θ Rheumatism.
Mental exhaustion. See 40 .
Worse from fright ; from mental anxiety.
SENSORIUM [2]
Loss of consciousness.
A kind of drunkenness.
Giddiness and reeling in open air.
Vertigo with darkness before eyes.
Dizziness ; forehead fells empty when stooping.
INNER HEAD [3]
Twitching in temples ; pain from a decayed tooth to temples.
Pressure in vertex.
Hammering pain in occiput.
Boring pain in head.
Pressure in forehead after having been in sun.
Head symptoms < at night, from walking ; return periodically ; also after fever.
Tearing and dulness in forehead.
Racking in vertex, extending to eyebrows, causing despair.
OUTER HEAD [4]
Pain seemingly in periosteum, and even in bones.
Warm sweat on head.
Small pimples on scalp.
SIGHT AND EYES [5]
Objects seemed colored blue.
Spots before eyes when looking steadily.
Catarrhal inflammation of eyes.
Sharp pain through eye into head.
Flow of burning tears.
HEARING AND EARS [6]
Murmuring in ears after sleeping ; < from mental anxiety.
Twitching pain in ears when blowing nose or sneezing.
SMELL AND NOSE [7]
Nosebleed during oppression of chest.
Nostrils red.
Nasal mucus blood-tinged ; bruised pain in nose.
UPPER FACE [8]
Face sensitive.
Pain as if rheumatism in face ; pulling, tearing from a decayed tooth to temples ; < from slightest touch or movement of muscles.
The cheek he lies on sweats.
LOWER FACE [9]
Yellow around mouth.
Lips chapped.
Submaxillary glands hurt during mastication.
TEETH AND GUMS [10]
Pulling, tearing from a decayed tooth to temples.
INNER MOUTH [12]
Increased saliva.
Fetid odor from mouth.
PALATE AND THROAT [13]
Throat becomes sore when speaking.
Tearing pains in throat, especially when breathing cold air.
APPETITE, THIRST. DESIRES, AVERSIONS [14]
Hunger, with aversion to food.
More appetite in morning.
Disgust for food. θ Rheumatism.
EATING AND DRINKING [15]
Worse from salt meat ; beer ; smoking tobacco.
After a meal : uneasiness ; lassitude.
After drinking, shuddering.
HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING [16]
Belching during chill.
Nausea ; vomituritio, with dizziness.
Sour vomiting. θ Cancer of stomach.
SCROBICULUM AND STOMACH [17]
Painful pressure in pit of stomach.
Drawing in epigastrium.
Tearing, darting pain in epigastric region, with vomiting. θ Cancer.
Cramp in stomach.
HYPOCHONDRIA [18]
Beating, throbbing in hypochondria. θ Hepatitis.
Pressure in region of liver hurts. θ Hepatitis.
Region of spleen insensible.
ABDOMEN AND LOINS [19]
Spasmodic contraction of bowels.
Uneasiness ; as before diarrhœa.
Abdomen sensitive.
STOOLS AND RECTUM [20]
Copious emission of wind ; no stool ; constipation from lack of bile.
URINARY ORGANS [21]
Throbbing in region of kidneys.
Renal calculi.
Frequent urging ; pains in passing urine.
White sediment.
Urine deposit a brick-dust sediment. θ Rheumatism.
FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS [23]
Menses suppressed by fright.
Menses suppressed from cold. θ Pleurisy.
RESPIRATION [26]
Too weak to breathe ; obvious mostly during expiration.
Nosebleed, with oppression of chest.
Difficult inhalation ; stitches in epigastrium during deep breathing or a painful shock, or pain in hip.
HEART, PULSE AND CIRCULATION [29]
Urging sensation in heart towards abdomen and region of liver, with great anxiety at night.
Pulse, 120. θ Fever. θ Rheumatism.
NECK AND BACK [31]
Bruised pain in sacral region, lying on side.
UPPER LIMBS [32]
Lameness in right arm.
Right wrist pains intolerably, is swollen ; motion impossible ; slightest pressure on palm of hand near little finger causes him to cry out. θ Rheumatism.
Pain as from paralytic weakness of hands.
Fingers numb, cold, discolored.
LOWER LIMBS [33]
Boring pains, better from stretching.
Thighs tremble when raised.
Knees weary.
Legs weak after changes of temperature.
LIMBS IN GENERAL [34]
Swelling of joints after slight fatigue.
Rheumatism of small joints, especially of those of hands.
Small joints swell after walking.
REST. POSITION. MOTION [35]
After slight fatigue : joints swell.
Lying on side : bruised pain in sacral region.
Motion : rheumatic pains of face < ; impossible in right wrist.
Exertion : causes cold sweat.
Walking : small joints swell ; debility.
Raising thighs : they tremble.
Stretching : relieves boring.
Blowing nose or sneezing : twitching pain in ears.
NERVES [36]
Sudden lassitude.
Debility from walking in open air.
Weakness and tingling.
TIME [38]
Night : headache worse.
Morning : appetite better.
TEMPERATURE AND WEATHER [39]
Change of temperature : legs weak afterwards.
Sun : pressure in forehead from being in it.
Open air : debility when walking in it.
Cold air : tearing pains in throat when breathing it.
FEVER [40]
Chill, with belching.
Shuddering, with vomiting after heat.
Delirium during fever.
After fever, headache persists.
Sweat : viscid ; cold after slightest exertion of mind or body in nervous people.
Suppressed sweat. θ Rheumatism.
ATTACKS, PERIODICITY [41]
Periodical : headache and other symptoms.
LOCALITY AND DIRECTION [42]
Right : lameness of arm ; wrist pains and is swollen.
SENSATIONS [43]
Forehead feels empty when stooping ; urging sensation in heart towards abdomen and liver ; pain as from paralytic weakness of hands ; tingling and weakness ; throbbing in whole body.
Pain : from decayed tooth to temple ; in periosteum and bones ; sharp, acute, rheumatic in small spots.
Stitches : in epigastrium.
Sharp pain : through eye into head.
Darting : in epigastrium.
Pressure : in vertex ; in forehead ; in pit of stomach.
Hammering pain : in occiput.
Boring pain : in head ; in lower limbs.
Tearing pain : in forehead ; from decayed tooth into temples ; in throat.
Racking : in vertex.
Drawing : in epigastrium.
Twitching pain : in temples ; in ears.
Cramp : in stomach.
Spasmodic contraction : of bowels.
Bruised pain : in nose ; in sacral region.
Rheumatic pain : in face ; in right wrist ; in small joints, especially hands.
Beating, throbbing : in hypochondria ; in region of kidneys.
Dulness : in forehead.
Numbness : of fingers.
TISSUES [44]
Affections of parenchymatous organs.
Seat of old inflammations.
Active sanguineous congestions.
Rheumatism showing itself partly in small joints ; pains in wrists or finger joints, very tender to touch, excruciating, < at night.
TOUCH. PASSIVE MOTION. INJURIES [45]
Touch : rheumatic pains of face worse.
Pressure : causes pain in palm of hand.
STAGE OF LIFE, CONSTITUTION [47]
Especially suited to men (Act. rac. to women).
Weak, nervous ; cold sweat.
Rheumatic diathesis.
RELATIONS [48]
Answers well after Nux vom .
Collateral relations : Act rac . and other Ranunculaceæ.
Discrete relations ; Arnic ; Bryon. ; Cauloph . (rheumatism of fingers) ; Lycop. ; Rhus tox. ; Sal. ac . and Sticta (small joints).