Dioscorea villosa

Volume II — Main text

DIOSCOREA .

Dioscorèa villosa, L. Hairy yam. Nat. Ord ., Dioscoreacea. I. Provings.- 1 . Dr. BURT took, May 5th, 1864, at 10 a.m., 30 dr. of fluid extr. After h. began to have pain in whole epigastrium and region of gall-bladder, quite severe, of cutting, tearing character, at times spasmodic. At 3 p.m., distress in stomach being but slight, took 40 dr. At 5, slight dull frontal headache ; same gastric pains as before, also in umbilical region (aggravated by movement) ; frequent drawing pain in 1. shoulder and neck, also in knees and ankles-former very weak whenwalking; constant dull pain in lumbar region, aggravated by stooping or walk. ing. Took 50 dr. 6th .- Woke 3 times in n. with severe cutting pains in umbilicus. This m. constant dull aching there, with occasional colic ; severe frontal headache ; thick, yellowish-white coating on tongue , rough, flat taste in mouth ; black, dry, lumpy stool; same lumbar pain; fingers ache and are quite stiff; drawing pains in ankles and feet. Took 60 dr. At 9 a.m., all symptoms aggravated; took 100 dr. At 11 , intestinal cuttings more severe ; drawings also in forearms and hands and between shoulders. At 3, pains being milder, took 200 dr. At 5, great increase of abdominal suffering; bearing-down feeling in rectum; feeling very weak, hands and legs trembling constantly ; can hear heart beating after walking a little ; pulse 80; sharp pulsating pain at top of sternum, lasting an h.; other pains the same ; very sharp cutting in soles of feet and toes. At 9,head and abdomen the same, also pains in sternum, loins, and extremities ; there is constant dull pain and distress at anus, and three hæmorrhoidal tumours have made their appearance, and are partially prolapsed. Took 150 dr. 7th.-Slept soundly at first, perspiring much ; but awoke at 2 a.m. with great burning distress at stomach, which is quite painful when pressed upon. Pain later is a constant ache; white tongue and pappy taste ; stool in first part black, dry, and hard, in latterpart mushy and white, followed by protrusion of 4 piles, like large red cherries, with great pain and distress at anus ; constant dull headache ; hands and feet stiff and painful, relieved after 2 h. exercise. At 10 a.m. took 100 dr. and at noon 200. Piles remain down, very distressing, one of a dark livid blue colour. Head pain slight, abdominal and lumbar pains constant and severe

(bending spinecaused sharp cutting). At 4, headache severe ; feels very faint,weak, and giddy; hands and legs tremble constantly; he must lie down to keep from fainting; pain in abdomen and extremities as before. Took 3 doses of camphor without relief, then inhaled chloroform almost every few m., each time diminishing faintness, which finally left him at 7. Otherwise much the same all e. Very hard, dry, lumpy stool, causing much distress in hæmorrhoids. 8th.-Slept well tillmidnight, after that restless till m.; skin dry and hot, but pulse (lying down) only 62 ; head, stomach, and back the same this m., also extremities, but these became easy on moving about. Easier towards middle of d., but later burning came on again in stomach with headache and lame back ; piles still troublesome. Stool softandyellow. 9th.-Slept well ; woke at 5 a.m. with severe pain in umbilical and hypogastric regions, and great distress for stool ; this was profuse, thin, and yellow, but did not relieve pain till a second followed at 7, and both caused much faintness of stomach. Felt well during d., but from 6 p.m. burning distress at stomach recurred, also severe neuralgic pain in l. groin. roth.-Slept well, but awoke with same abdominal sym. ptoms; hands and feet stiff; dull backache; piles free from pain and getting smaller. Backache ceased only after a week. (HALE'S New Remedies, 2nd ed.) 2. a. Dr. Thos. NICHOL took, December 1st, 1865, at 11 a.m., a teaspoonful of 1,dil. in a little water. At 11.30, nausea and qualmishness,with stitching pain in region ofheart and uneasy feel at umbilical region. At 3 p.m., rumbling of bowels, with soreness on pressure and considerable bloating. At 9 p.m. repeated dose. All symptoms aggravated on lying down, and pain shot at intervals downto iliac regions, especially r. Confused sleep with anxious dreams. 2nd.-At 8.30 a.m. repeated dose. Abdominal pain,continuous yesterday, is intermittent to-day. Tongue yellow, and eructations taste ofrotten eggs. A sour apple eaten at 2 p.m. dispelled all symptoms. b. Resumed proving on 5th with I, trit. of" disocorein" (concentrated preparation). At 12.30 p.m. took 2 gr. At 1, rumbling of bowels and inclination for stool, with uneasy feeling in stomach, nausea, and disgust for food. 3.30,bloating of umbilical region, with soreness on pressure, and giddy confused feeling inhead. 4, repeated dose. 5, unwonted drowsiness, and on waking from a half-sleep unusual languor, with disinclination to mental exertion. 6th.-Passed very restless n. , and got up feeling languid and unrefreshed ; head ached over eyes ; and mouth was bitter and clammy. At 7 a.m., a good deal of heat in stomach, with nausea. Gradually vertigo came on, lasting an h.; head felt hot, and about 8 warm sweat broke out over forehead and there was rumbling of bowels. At noon 5 gr. At 1.55, sudden return of vertigo, with heat in head ; this continued with violence for h. and then diminished, but continued more or less all the e. 7th.-Early this m., while in bed, felt mildbut persistent nausea, accompanied bysharp pains in umbilical and r. iliac regions. Pain was spasmodic and very sharp, uninfluenced by pressure, though this caused a rumbling. At 9.30 a m., very sharp cutting pains along whole r. side of forehead, shooting back as far as ears, not a steady pain, but remittent, aggravated by pressure. At 5, while walking in street, was attacked with vertigo so violent that he was unable to walk and reeled as if intoxicated ; at same time neuralgic pain was aggravated. 8th. At 2.45 p.m. took 15 gr. At 3.25, return of sharp pains in temples, aggravated by exposure to cold air. Took no more med., and symptoms gradually declined. (Ibid.) 3. Dr. H. A. SUMMER took gr. doses of dioscorein 3 times a d. till 25 doses had been taken. Soon after first he had considerable pain in abdomen, shortly followed by slight diarrhea. Felt nothing subsequently. He then increaseddose to 1 gr. , when he was again seized with abdominal pains as well as diarrhea; these soon passed off, and though he continued use of drug till he had taken 12 such doses, no other effects were perceptible. After 3 d. he began taking 2 gr. doses; but after 4 ofsuch was seized with such severe griping pains in abdomen that he was obliged to discontinue experiment. Since he commenced it appetite was very much increased. (PAINE, in Ibid.) 4. I commenced taking gr. ofdioscorein with the following effects :-First dose caused slight fulness in head, with increased saliva, and agreeable sweetish taste. Symptoms continued 3 h. Same dose was taken 3 times a d. on 7th and 8th with like effects. On 9th dose was doubled in m.,which caused slight continuous pain in abdomen, as if point of finger was placed upon umbilicus and pressed upward and backward.

At noon dose tripled, with increase in severity ofsymptoms, and defecation,which is unusual at this time. In e. dose was quadrupled, but I fell asleep before its action commenced and lay undisturbed about 4 h., when I awoke from a horrible dream, teeling much pain in abdomen. It soon subsided and I fell asleep again, but awoke soon and found myself sore on pressure. I now took 5 doses of 1, increasing to 3 gr. Inh. there was fulness in head speedily followed by severe pain in abdomen,more spasmodic than heretofore. During the intermissions there was a burning sensation which lasted 3 h. I now thought it prudent to discontinue experiment. Soreness lasted 2 d. (Ibid.) 5. Dr. O. M. DRAKE, well save for occasional dull, heavy pain at inferior angle of 1. scapula during last 12 mo., took, Oct. 29th, 1867, at 10 a.m. , agr. of 1st trit. In 10 m. considerable nausea, with rumbling in cardiac portion of stomach. 11, dull headache and nausea, both lasting till 3; at 3.30, hard, lumpy stool. At ro, all unpleasant effects having passed away, took 2 gr. In 15 m., sharp pain in l. side, about 8th rib, hindering deep inspiration; pain at base ofr. 2nd toe, passing off on motion, but immediately returning, lasting some 6 m.; rumbling in bowels. In 40 m., cutting pain in r. lobe ofliver for 5 m. 30th.-Got up with bad-tastingmouth, tongue yellowish white. At ro a.m., 1 gr. At once considerable nausea,but not so bad as yesterday. In 30 m., dull headache returned, mostly through temples, lasting tillafternoon. At 10 p.m., 2 gr. In 20 m.,pain inumbilicus ; in h. heaviness in head and aching over r. eye. 31st.-Awoke, after sleeping well, with a horrid headache, so severe it made him reel; spine felt weak and sore; whitish coating on tongue, with sickening taste. 11, feeling well, took 1 gr., producing usual feeling in head but no nausea. At 10.30 p.m., 2 gr.; unpleasant feeling through temples, no other effect. Nov. 1st.-In m., coated tongue. 10 a.m., 2 gr.; no symptoms. 10 p.m., stool, first part lumpy, second loose. 10.30 p.m., 3 gr., without effect save heaviness in head. 2nd.-Slept well, tongue coated, taste in mouth not so bad as yesterday. 11 a.m., 3 gr.; 10 p.m., soft stool, with considerable pain ; 10.30, 3 gr., followedby some rumbling in bowels. 3rd.-Slept well; felt sick at stomach, and didnot care for breakfast. 9, diarrheic stool, with considerable pain at epigastrium and cutting in rectum; 9.30, 4gr., rumbling in bowels. 4th.-No symptoms since last dose. At 9 a.m., 6 gr.; in 15 m. pains in region of gall-bladder ; in 20 m. heaviness of head returned. 10.45, head symptoms grew worse ; great salivation , with peculiar prickly feeling at end of tongue, as though it had been scalded; eructations from stomach, with taste as of bile. 5th.-Restless n.; woke at midnight with severe pain in r. lobe of liver, also in 1. side (8th rib), so severe he could not sleep; spine feels bruised in whole length. 3 p.m., have in 1. side and lumbar region, also in liver ; took 14 gr. had pain off and on all d. taking last dose; took 7 gr., producing pain in l. head. 10, severe headache since this would occasionally feel pains in 1. side and in liver. For a number of d. after Soc. , iv, 575.) (Publ. ofMass. Hom. Med. 6. Dr. A. M. CUSHING proved, Nov. and Dec., 1867 , the first three dec. triturations, and the 4x, 5x, and 6x dilutions, of dioscorein (the " concentrated preparation " of the plant). During Jan. and Feb., 1868, and again in Aug. and Sept., he proved the tincture and attenuations of D. itself. A long catalogue of symptoms were produced, whose record occupies some thirty closely-printed pages. They consisted. at first, of pains ofno special character, felt at various times in nearly every part of the body, without any persistent or noteworthy alteration in the general health. Theywere (especially in the early part of the proving) relieved by motion, save the headache. There was much bloating, and at times copious emission of flatus. Towards the end of the proving, there was much lowering of strength and spirits ; and the sexual functionwas depressed from the first. (On Dioscorea Villosa, 1869.)