Rheum palmatum

Volume III — Main text

RHEUM.

Rheum palmtttumy L. Rhubarb. Nat. Onl., PplygMo^tee,

1. Provlngs, — I. Hahnemann, iWijr. jWr//. PuriJ, vol. ii of orieinal and of translation. Contains 194 symptoms from self and 5 others, and 14 from authors.

2. ScHNELXER began with 2 gr. of an aqueous extract, increasing dose daily by 2 gr., until at last he took 38 gr. at once. Total amount taken was 380 gr. After first doses he experienced chiefly frequent empty eructation (soon), and (subsequently) rumbling and twisting of bowels, tension and pain in r. umbilical region, with discharge of fcctid flatus giving relief. Under the larger doses eructation and production of gas were somewhat less -, on the other hand, tension in abdomen increased, and gripings set in after 5-6 h., sometimes relieved by pappy stools, sometimes going ofF gradually of themselves. On some d. 2 stools occurred, while on others, even when drug was taken, there was no evacuation, or at most a scanty hard one. When dose amounted to 6 gr. urine became scantier and darker coloured, its temperature increased, and smell was not disagreeably aromatic (nut at all like that of rhubarb). Alongwith this was pricking and slight shooting in urethra. The dose of 26 gr. produced, besides increase of the above phenomena, feeling of indisposition. Soon after taking the subsequent doses there occurred disgust and nausea, oppression of stomach, rumbling in bowels, disagreeable pasty taste, frequent spitting of fine frothy white fluid, with diminished appetite ; urine scanty, reddish brown, cloudy, and hotter ; stools rather increased, always pappy, never serous, with some tenesmus. At other times there was observed frequent palpitation and oppression of chest i pulse fuller and quicker, especially towards n. i irritable disposition. The last two doses of 36 and 38 gr. increased first-mentioned symptoms to a great degree. Actual vomiting would have occurred, had he not repressed it by a great eff^brt ; the distended abdomen was painful to touch ; there occurred shooting pains in r. Jtypochondrium, tormina in umbilical region; emission of flatus with relief i increased evacuations j dark urine. Besides these, general feeling of indisposition ; shuddering ; fatigue of limbs ; tension in back j anorexia ; confusion of head ; excitement in vascular system ; irritability of temper. These symptoms gradually disappeared ; motions

became hard and unfrequent ; urine remained for a d. of darker colour. In 3 d. all was normal. (PKtener Zeitschr, d. k, k, GtselL, 1 846, p. 400.)

1. In doses of 20 — 60 gr. Rh. operates, slowly and mildly, as a purgative, sometimes causing slight griping. It never inflames the mucous membrane of the alimentary canal. Constipation follows its cathartic effect. (Perexra, op, cit,)

2. The operation commences in 4 — 8 h. after medicine has been taken. The stools are loose, but not of watery consistence. (Phillips,

op. at.) III.

Experiments on animais. — I. Rohrig finds that Rh., given to fasting dogs, greatly increases all the constituents of the bile, though it either fail to purge or purge very slightly ; and Rutherford verifies this observation. (Ringer, op. cit.)