Hypericum perforatum

Volume II — Main text

HYPERICUM .

Hypericum perforatum, L. St. John's wort. Nat. Ord., Hypericacea. I. Provings.-1 . KAROLINE M-, sæt. 23, unmarried, phlegmatic temperament, healthy, took, 7 a.m., 4dr. tinct. 1st d., 8 a.m., great thirst, dry mouth, some stitches in r. temple. 8.30 a.m., throat swells for h.; feeling of fatigue; several times dry short cough ; pressure in sacrum; tension in both arms. From 9 to 10 a.m., nausea, ondrinking water eructation. 11 a.m., tongue white, lips dry, their epithelium seems dried. 2 p.m., more thirst, hot feeling in mouth. 3 p.m., throat swells again. 5p.m. , pressure and burning in chest, anxiety, dry burning heat in mouth. Great sadness, she feels like to weep. Frequent empty, tasteless eructations ; no appetite, feeling ofweakness in head. 6 p.m., feeling of confusion in head, especially the crown, a dull humming. Sleepy, eyelids always disposed to close, pupils dilated; pulse quick. 6.30 p.m., tearing from r. calf down through whole foot. 8 p.m., stitches through 1. chest. Sleep very disturbed with frightful dreams, starting, and anxiety.-2nd d., very tired with great thirst. 3 p.m., hard stool. 5 p.m., very sleepy; smarting on back of hands ; tightness of chest; shooting in 1. side of chest; feels as if heart would fall down. 8 p.m., severe stitches under 1. breast ; here and there stitches under r. breast ; very short breath ; throat swells; shivering through whole body. Pressure in stomach after boiled rice ; face swollen. -3rd d. , at 3 a.m., spoke in sleep all sorts of incoherent stuff, looked distraught, stared at her brother ; head hot, carotids beating violently; face very red, swollen ; eyes fixed, pupils dilated; pulse veryquick; hair moist; rest of bodydry, burning hot; great anxiety ; all at once left off talking and sang, soon afterwards wept and screamed frightfully. and gasped for breath. On giving her two magnetic passes, she at once came to her senses and said that when a hand was laid on her head she felt a pleasant calming sensation. The whole attack lasted about 1 h. She now complained of the most violent headache as if from a hammer, especially in crown, of tearing stitches in interior of head; formication in hands and feet, they felt furry ; extreme thirst, white furred tongue. All d. felt excessively weak ; tension in both eyes ; dry burning heat all over body; continued stitches from within outwards through 1. chest and sternum, increased by movement.-4th d., last n. drawing toothache in whole 1. lower jaw(after midnight), for a short time. During d. as if flatus would be discharged; disinclined for all mental and bodily work.-5th d., a.m., tongue furred white, pulse quick and hard, nose disagreeably dry, pupils dilated. P.m., throbbing in crown, head hot ; anxiety; tension in both eyes, pressure in sacrum, palpitation of heart. 4 p.m., chilly feeling through whole body, urging to urinate; violent sweating in both hands, red miliary eruption on back ofhands and between fingers, thirst and oppression.-6th d., violent pinching pains in belly as from flatulence, soon followed by soft stool. The next 14 d. she still felt great exhaustion, weakness of head and of memory. (MÜLLER,M-, 2. KATHARINE Hygea,æt.v, 31, 485.) mother of 2 children, sanguine temperament, healthy, took, 8 a.m., 4 dr. tinct. Ist d., very acute smell all d. 10 a.m., tension in cheeks for several h. 4 p.m., in r. temple transient but severe tearing with chilliness

ofwholebody; chondrium. Atakind of shooting n. in bed feelingassometimes in epigastrium, ifsomething were alive sometimes or tickledininr. brain hypo.; dreams much and wakes after each dream.-2nd d., a.m., painful feeling in teeth; p.m., anxiety, something hot rises up in throat ; tension in both cheeks, from noon till e. Very sleepy.- 3rd d., shooting in r. hypochondrium, transient tearing in elbows. P.m., a jerking pain in teeth and cheeks ; great heaviness of head. E., tearing in 1. arm, especially from elbow to fingers ; soft stool. At n. call to stool without result.-4th d., a.m., tension in teeth,heaviness in head, brain feels compressed, nausea for h.,continued tearing in arms. 3p.m., transient spasm in knee, jerking and twitching in cheeks. 4p.m., feelingas ifan icycold handwere touching the forehead for about h.; it then went to r. eye causing spasmodic contraction there for h. 4.30 p.m., transient stitches through r. ear. Oppression; no stool to-day.- 5th d., wakes with confused head. 4 p.m., cutting in umbilical region, sort ofebullition there; hot face, feeling as ifhead were all at once longer. 7 p.m., abdomen distended hard like a drum; no stool ; is very dejected and feels like to weep; tearing in occiput. 9 p.m., great lassitude; r. leg and 1, arm lame alternately with squeezing. -6th d., 8 a.m., twitching and formication in l. zygoma half the d, Has a stool, whereupon the distension of abdomen gradually subsides. 8 p.m., great tearing in both arms. 7th d., m., tearing in 1. arm ; a kind of contraction in 1, zygoma. Midnight, violent tearing in genitals, with urging to urinate twice during n.; tension in region ofuterus as from a short ligament.-8th d., weariness in arms. E., a smarting eruption on both hands, like urticaria, must scratch them nearly raw.- 9th and 10th d., toes and heels somewhat swollen and smarting; lassitude; distended abdomen and tension in r. hypochondrium; paralytic pressive pain in sacrum. E., smarting in l. fingers.-11th d., 2 a.m., urging to urinate with faintness and vertigo in and out of bed. Wakes in m. with great vertigo and nausea. 9 a.m., vertigo continues; trembling and cramp in 1. arm and fingers; leucorrhea. For about 3 weeks felt weak, had leucorrhoea for several d.; hair falls out much ; marked weakness of memory, easily startled, inclined to sit still, very sensitive to cold. (Ibid., 487.) 3. Magdalene M-, æt. 21, unmarried, sanguine temperament, good health, took 4dr. tinct. Ist d., heaviness in head, tension in temples; restless sleep, felt quite heavy in bed.-2nd d., fine pricking like needles in arms, tension in hands; horripilation in crown. 11 a.m., great urging to stool, evacuation ofa hard lump. 3 p.m., confusion of head, here and there tearing in teeth; pain in eyes, anxiety, frequent starting, hot feeling in lips. E., stitches in both temples, throbbing in 1. temple. -3rd d., wakes at4 a.m. feeling as ifwere not lying in bed or as if she lay heavy in bed; manydreams. N., tearing in arms. A.m., pressure on chest and throbbing in r. temple. Noon, nausea with inclination to vomit and great lassitude. 2 p.m., stitches in l. shoulder at every breath ; abdomen distended; pressive paralytic pain in sacrum ; cutting and pricking in belly as from flatulence. 7p.m., violent stitches in crown ; great urging to stool with evacuation of a lump.-4th d., 3 a.m., woke with tearing toothache in upper and lower jaw; feet felt furry, with needle pricks in them. Noon, several stitches in sacrum. 4p.m., stool with excessive tenesmus.-5th d.,much starting; every time she starts heat rises up inthroat. E.,tearing in r. thumb. -6th d., m., confusion of head, pain in temples, weak feeling and trembling in all limbs; nausea. 10 a.m., normal stool. 5 p.m., violent stitches through chest, so that she must hold her breath.-7th d., 9 p.m., hard stool with violent tenesmus, followed by sickness ; tearing in r. eye and in crown; brain feels confused. - 8th d . , wakes with great lassitude and trembling ; throat swollen; tension in both hypochondria, violent thirst, white tongue; pressive pain in sacrum; drawing pain from 1. ear to zygoma; on touching zygoma feeling of swelling there ; head feels larger ; tongue furred,dirtyyellow; stool hard; tearing in r. thigh and knee.-9th d., feeling inthroat as if a worm were crawling there; stitches in both sides ofchest alternately. 3 p.m., on rising from seat 1. foot felt sprained.- 10th d., great lassitude, tearing inr. knee; stitches in scapula; stitches through r. eye. During next 2 weeks complained that her hair was falling out. Menses, previously regular,were 14 d. too late. The weak feeling in head and lassitude go off gradually. (Ibid., 490.) 4. a. Dr. SCHELLING, being in good health, took, June 18th, 2 doses of 1st dil. Afternoon, weak, distracted after a short walk. Until 3 p.m. unusually poorly , giddy, heaviness of legs, tension in neck and nape.- 19th. Itching inboth cheeks,

especially about whiskers. P.m., drowsyafter dinner, shivering, coldness from calves overthighs repeatedly during d.- 21st. Nausea, loathing, inclination to vomit after supper. N., vivid dreams not remembered.- 22nd. Bad taste, eructation; shivering in back and over shoulders; frequent spitting of gelatinous mucus ; disposed for rapid work. N., several times painful crampincalves, first r.then 1.,compelling him toget up and walk about. M., ulcerative pain in a vesicle on thigh. 4 p.m., much yawning. - 23rd, m., 6 dr. tinct. Head heavy; tension below 1. temple; frequent eructationwith oppression in chest,retching; flatulence, tension inabdomen, hernial sufferings; shooting andburning pain in sacrum and loins,with cold feeling inback, shoulders and arms.-24th. Chilliness all over body with nausea; diminished appe. tite, loathing offood; spitting out of much granular white mucus; frequent discharge ofdark yellow-coloured urine.-25th. Dreamful sleep with morning sweat; tension in nape with pressure and shooting incentre ofchest; 1. wrist pains as if sprained when moved ; appetite diminished; soft stool.-29th, a.m., I dr. tinct. for 8 d. Every n. tiringheavy sleep withmorning sweat ; during d. much flatulence, pressure, and forcing in belly; appetite good but soon satisfied; much flatulence, distension ofbowels ; after dinner easy, helpful working energy. N., tiresome dreams ofclimbing hills, scaling cliffs, great pressure ofwork, flying. M., fatigued; head heavy.-30th. Tension in forehead as if the skin were drawn up ; after breakfast eructation, pressure in stomach, flatulence, discharge of flatus. P.m., stiff nape, shooting in 1. knee, tingling in legs and feet as from fatigue; when working in garden profuse general sweat. N., at first quiet sleep then tiresome dreams.-July 1st. Flatulence alld., sick. ness, loss of appetite,loathing offood.-2nd, n., disagreeable, disgusting dreams; after breakfast pressure in stomach, loathing, anxiety, much saliva; during dinner nausea, inclination to vomit, stomach and bowels felt hot and swollen, drowsiness. E. , continued nausea, loathing, inclination to vomit ; 1 h. after supper ofmilk, constant salivation, eructation, hawking up ofviscid saliva. N., fantasticdreams with frequent waking from loathing and spitting of mucus.-3rd. After a cupful of milk for breakfast, pressurein stomach. 10a.m., cramp in l. foot; painful cramp-like drawing as if foot went to sleep when lying ; nausea, eructation, heat in epigastrium and chest. E., after coffee, pressure, nausea, tension in chest, eructation, yawning ; later, nausea, loathing, spitting of mucus,constant shivering, most whensitting and moving, relieved by cold water. N., dreamful sleep; thirst on waking, but cannot drink on account of retching and heat.-4th, m., nausea, miserable, inclined to vomit, empty feeling of stomach, can hardly get up for nausea with pressure in præcordia; all forenoon constant pressure, nausea, anorexia, as from overloaded stomach, though had eatennothing. 2 h. after dinner, pressure, nausea ; weakness almost to falling. 3 p.m., after a glass of wine and cheese, less weakness. E., commotion in pit of stomach and cardiac region, eructation, pressure in epigastrium. N. , woke several times with pressure in stomach and burning, like disorder of stomach from sour wine. M., eructation of mucus, boring and pressing in stomach.-5th. Commotion in stomach with yawning and hunger, but no appetite owing to loathing, nausea, furredtongue, eructation, lassitude; tongue greyish white,especially at back. Noon, tearing in r. shoulder and forearm, frequent yawning, urine dark yellow. E., great nausea, constant eructation, sometimes of wind, sometimes of mucus ; nausea and malaise, with inclination to vomit, retching, flow of saliva forh.; eructation of a quantity ofinodorous wind, relieved by drinking water. N., dreamful sleep.- 6th. Onwaking, nausea. Inforenoon, occasional eructation. Soon after dinner, pressure, burning, commotion in stomach, frequent eructation, anxious breathing, increasing for 2 h., then inclination to vomit. b. Dr. S- thinks the above symptoms could not be owing to the smalldoses ot H. taken, especially as he observed that many patients about this time had similar gastric symptoms. Some years later he made another proving of the medicine with the following results :-June 23rd. A mixture containing 3 dr. of 1st dil. taken in 3 doses from m. till noon. This caused drowsiness and slight perspiration towards m. Forenoon, perspiration when working in garden. Afternoon,painful tension like cramp in soles ; lassitude when walking,not when sitting; general malaise ; shooting pain in chest and feeling of heartburn internally ; shooting in ribs and shoulders as if from a chill; pain in belly, pinching, distension of abdomen, soft stool. E., after coffee, pain in belly, diarrheic stool; head heavy, confused; soreness of eyelids, burning in canthi, fatigue of eyes, tension innape ; pain on moving head; tingling

in feet, soles cold. N., copious bright yellow urine with burning ; sleep dreamful, sensible dreams.-25th. Itching in forehead, crown, hips ; eyelids slimy, tense ; ulcerative pain on outer border of 1. hand when it is laid on table ; yawning ; pressive pain in occiput when moving.-26th . I dr. tinct., gouty pain, swelling and tension inproximal joint of l. little finger; mental fatigue. (A. h. Z., lxxix, 22 and 30.) 5. a. Dr. STOKES, Aug. 17th, 1852, on smelling and tasting tinct. just set to macerate, in e., felt as if under influence of tea, and went to bed with brain excited ; did not sleep soundly ; dreams vivid. Next m. found himself on back, and digging head backwards into pillow. Rose well; immediately after breakfast severe scalp headache in l. occiput, at times sharp, at times dull. 11 , took 3ss (? 3ss) of tinct., and walked out. Access of erotic ideas, very vivid, immediately, lasting for h. Felt as if excited by tea all d.; p.m., craving for wine. Pulse accelerated after dinner. Ongoing to sleep starting in r. forearm above wrist. 19th.-Rather dull and languid inm. 10.30, took 3ss; no effect all d., but at n. felt as if excited by tea. In e. stomach felt contracted and hot; made mistakes in writing. Starting of 1. leg in going off to sleep. 20th.-Dreams active, confused; on rising felt rather weary, with foul tongue. 11 a.m., took 3j, and felt dull head clear up under it directly. Later, slight lancination in r. great toe for h. Back of head bothered this fore. noon ; peculiar, slightly cutting warm pain all round rectum, internal to sphincter. 21st.-Took zss. After breakfastdull, heavy pressure on r. side of chest from 7th rib down. 6 p.m.,dragging pain in liver at point of false ribs. 22nd.- On going to sleep jerking of tendons in 1. wrist. Lay a good deal on back ; sleep uneasy; threw head back, and kept on jerking it backwards. 23rd.-This n. conscious of anxious dreams, as if something important were left undone. 11 a.m., took zj of infusion ; p.m., zij more. No effect; slept well ; felt very well. 24th.-Head dull; weary and heavy all d.; momentary pains in inner condyle of r. femur, between 1. index and thumb, at entrance of r. ear, inside r. calf. Inbed at n. slight shoots down great sciatic at back of pelvis. Took 3j . 25th.-Slept well; dreams busy; pain in r. knee again this m. A cluster of itching vesicles on root of 1. thumb in forenoon, gone at n. Walking p.m., felt bruised pain in 1. thigh, muscles supplied by ant. crural are stiff and sore; this lasted some d., going and coming; all joints feel bruised, 1. ankle particularly liable to wrench. Mind soberly inclined for 3 d. 27th.- Dreams full of bustle ; forget people's names ; cutting pain between shoulder-blades to r. of vertebræ. 28th.-Fulness of head ; mind disposed to be sad and tenderly melancholy ; sawing pains in l. hand and l. inner ankle; creeping in r. breast and r. occiput. No subsequent symptoms.

b. Sept. 6th. Took between dinner and tea 3x of a mixture of zij of tinct. and Oss of infusion. Lancing pain in l. finger-joints ; drawing in r. calf ; itching in r. meatus aud., going off on touching, but recurring ; pressure in r. iliac fossa near ring ; burning stinging in edges of 1. eyelids ; increased distance of vision in e., with slight aching of brows and face, which increased in n. to severe distressing ache in r. half of face, in an old stump especially. 7th.-Sleep disturbed and uneasy from faceache ; horrid dreams; in m. early momentary stinging biting onback of r. toes, feet disposed to tingle. After breakfast pressure on malar prominences; dull faceache in forenoon and e., and return of sensation in toes. Took Ziij of mixture. 8th.-Bad n. from horrid (sexual) dreams. In forenoon slight pains in shoulder-joints, especially 1.; pressure on chest at nipples with peculiar warm kind of formication. 9th.-Dreams as before. 4 p.m., walking, pressive pains for a few m. in renal region; biting stinging in orifice of urethra. Feel rather dull to-day. 10th.-Took ziss. After breakfast, pressure in stomach, extending towards back ; pressive pains down 1. forearm, ulnar side; stinging burning at edge of 1. pectoralis for 1 m.; tendency to tingling of legs, especially 1. 11th.-Last n. severe aching in old stump of a r. uppermolar, keeping him awake and restless ; best lying on that cheek and keeping quiet; single thrills of shooting pain in 1. pectorales. 12th.-Sleep quiet and dreamless; after breakfast pressure on outer third of l. clavicle; fleeting pains in r. shoulder and 1. calf; cutting pain under 1. shoulder-blade, with pressure in stomach after dinner. Same after breakfast next m., and some flying pains here and there. Proving interrupted by a spoiled stomach. c. Sept. 17th.-Proved dilution of 20 dr. of tinct. to zij of spirit. Took 10 dr. at 10.40. P.m., while walking, erotic ideas and erection ; in e, feeling as ifheadache would come on in 1, occiput. 18th.- Soft yellow bilious stool at 4 p.m., usual firm

one having occurred in m. At 8 p.m., 10 dr.; in an h. painful drawing in r. tibialis anticus, and momentary squeezing pressure in 1. kidney. 19th.-10 dr. three times. This m. slight rheumatic drawing aching in point of 1. shoulder; head dull ; nose dry on rising and all d.; twinges ofpain along external border of 1. foot after dinner ; dull stinging in r. pectoralis, extending to back around ribs. 20th.-Dreams confused; woke early with pain in r. trapezius ; it went off after washing. At noon, 10 dr. Nose dry; lips dry yesterday and to-day. 21st.-Last n. at 12, coming home, felt sudden shoot of pain all over front of 1. leg, apparently in periosteum; it recurred 2 or 3 times, and several times to-day. Papulæ on neck such as had appeared before on chest; aching in region of trapezii. At 10.30 took 20 dr. on tongue twice ; later, finished medicine. Flashes of weakening drawing pain all over front of 1. leg, all p.m., either walking or sitting; attack for a few m. ofsame sort of pain in scalp (1. parietal region); pressure on malar bones, e. 22nd.-Slight and transient pains, mainly pressive, in various parts. 23rd.-After glass of beer at dinner, old stump ached slightly, and went on to ache badly during n., and more or less all next d., when occurred also pressure on calf as of a blunt point several times,and weight and dragging in liver when walking home late at n. 25th.-Horrid dreams; stomach felt hot and uncomfortable on rising ; various slight and transient pains here and there during d. 26th.-At 8 a.m., took 10 dr. of 3rd cent.dil. About midday an aching in front of 1. thigh, felt yesterday, recurred, and came and went frequently. Momentary lancinating pain at elbow and down neck. 27th.-Sleep full ofdreams, woke on back dreaming ofsome desperate horror. 28th.-Took 10 dr. ofsame at 11 a.m.; in an h. pressure at 1. groin, towards ring; p.m., severe pressive pain on top of r. shoulder. 29th.-Sleep disturbed ; horrid dreams; starting oflegs when falling asleep ; slight convulsive shocks and twitches following, prevent. ing sleep; erethistic state ofnervous system, all n.; erotic ideas and dreams ; lancing pains in l. wrist and ankle, and along inner border of l. foot. 30th.-Better n., rose refreshed; took 10 dr. in m. Pressive pain on centre of front of 1. thigh ; severe drawing pains down nerves of r. leg for a few moments ; lancing pains in fingers. L. nostril has been abnormally dry for a week; crusts in it. Oct. Ist.-Pains in 1. thigh as before; cutting pains in fleshy ends of fingers ; sight weak. 2nd.-Occasional recurrences of pains during next 3 d., but no new symptoms appeared. (Hom. 6. a.iv,S.311.) Times, E. S-, single woman, sæt. 35, began Oct. 11th, 1882, totake 10dr. oftinct. 3 times a d. For first 2 d. felt very well. On 3rd d., in e., bowels full and flatulent; restless n.; cramp in l. foot on going to sleep; numbness in 1. arm, waking her 3 times, going off after friction. 4th d.,cramp in l. leg on going to sleep. 5th d., fulness of head and low spirits this m., passing off in 2 h ., followed by feeling of stiffness in eyes, as after tears, and strained painful feeling in forehead. 6th d., pain. less loose motions m. and e. for last 3 d. 7th d., in n. awoke with distension and cracking pains in bowels, and great nausea; constipation; urine turbid. After 8th d. increased dose to 30 dr. 9th d., 4 h. after ist dose great coldness and numbness of l. leg for 10 m. while sitting; indigestion and flatulence in n.; woke on rothd. with distension and cracking pain in lower belly, relieved by relaxation ofbowels. Again slight numbness ofleg after ist dose. 11th d., flatulence and distension of stomach after tea; sleep disturbed by 1. faceache, which came on p.m. 12th d.,pain in face increased; low spirits ; defective memory, can hardly arrange ideas or execute intentions, forgets what she wanted to do ; after this faceache subsided, and she went from home. Catamenia appeared on 16th d., with less trouble than usual and in greater quantity. b. Prover now, from Nov. 3rd, took globules of 3x (it is not said how frequently). On 1st d., 1. leg numb in e. 2nd d. , rose with fulness of head; pain in bridge of nose and aching in articulation of jaw; 1. leg numb; temper tetchy, irritable, 3rd d., slept badly, dreams of distress; unrefreshed on waking, better towards noon ; head clear, but face hot and smarting for 2 h. 4th d., sleep comfortable but dreams distressful; after tea pinching pain in bowels, which became much relaxed. 5th d. , fulness and pain with heat in vertex on waking ; same dreams ; pain in head worse after dinner. For rest ofproving hadat various times fugitive pains in face, shoulders, limbs, and fingers, of " laming " character ; also crampy pains in abdomen and numbness of legs . Catamenia appeared Nov. 19th (3 d. too soon) ; increased in quantity, but attendedwith sickening pains in belly which she neverhadbefore. (Ibid., p. 325.)