Stachys betonica, Benth.

Natural order , Labiatæ.

Common names , Wood betony; (G.), Ziest.

Preparation , Tincture of whole plant.

Authorities.

1 , E. W. Berridge, M.D., Month. Hom. Rev., xiii, p. 288, Dr. Croker, aged forty-five years, took 1/2 ounce tincture two or three times a day for about three weeks; 2 , same, Dr. Berridge, aged twenty-two, took 1/2 ounce tincture in water at 8 A.M., same at 4.20 P.M. (first day), same at 8.30 A.M. (second day); 3 , Mr. ---, aged twenty-two years, took a teaspoonful of the tincture in water at 7.50 A.M. (first day), two teaspoonfuls in water at 7.10 A.M. (second day); 4 , Mrs. ---, aged thirty years, took a teaspoonful of the tincture in water at 7 A.M. (first day), twice the amount (second day); 5 , same prover took 30 drops in water at 6 P.M. (first and second days), same at 4 P.M. (third day), same in evening (fourth and fifth days).

HEAD

Slight dizziness in the forehead, lasting an hour, and going off on walking in the open air (after fifteen minutes), 3.
Gradually increasing dizziness in the forehead, becoming excessive within two hours. On bending the head down, or moving it quickly, or trying to read, or on closing the eyes, the dizziness increased, amounting to pain. Walking about and bringing a variety of objects before the eyes relieved the dizziness. On closing his eyes everything had an indistinctness in the brain; he could not think, felt as if he was falling asleep, and was yet conscious of it, felt as if he should lose his consciousness, so that he feared to keep them closed (after ten to fifteen minutes, second day), 4.
Within half an hour feeling of fulness and tension in the forehead over the eyes, like pressing from behind forwards; worse on bending the head down or reading; it came on gradually, and gradually decreased, lasting about one hour and a half (first day), 4.
Gradually increasing fulness over and in the eyes, as through they would burst, with pain in the eyeballs as if too tense from some pressure within; increased by looking at the (artificial) light, by reading, thinking, bending head down, or moving it quickly; feeling as though the skin about the lower part of the forehead was corrugated, and as if the two edges of the outer angles of both orbicularis oculi muscles were drawn together (after ten to fifteen minutes, second day), 4.
Dull aching pain over both eyes, increasing for a short time, lasting about forty minutes (after one hour, first day), 5.
Gradually increasing fulness over the eyes, with dull aching pain across the frontal region, lasting one hour, and gradually subsiding (after one hour, second day), 5.
Bursting fulness over the eyes, with feeling as though the skin was being stretched, from above downwards, for one hour (after thirty minutes, third day), 5.
Gradually increasing, dull heavy aching in the frontal region; worse by looking down or bending down; relieved by walking about in the room; lasting about an hour and a half and then gradually subsiding (after thirty minutes, fourth and fifth days), 5.

EYE. [10.]

Eyes had a heavy sleepy feeling, for one hour (after thirty minutes, third day), 5.

EAR

Slight aching pain in the left internal ear at intervals during the day (second day), 3.
Slight earache before breakfast (third day), 3.

NOSE

On rising from bed, sneezing, with slight running from nose for a few minutes; increased nasal mucus without actual running (second day), 5.
Frequent sneezing on going from indoors into the open air (third day), 5.
Disposition to running from the nose, without actual running. This he has had every day since he took the medicine, not influenced by being indoors or in the open air. Usually, when he catches cold, it is worse in a warm room, 5.
(Two or three days after the first proving he had severe catarrh, which he now attributes to the drug. It had all disappeared before the second proving), 5.

STOMACH

Frequent eructations tasting of the drug, 1.
An eructation tasting of the drug (after breakfast), (after thirty-seven minutes), 2.
Immediate warmth in the stomach like that produced by alcohol, for about thirty minutes, 4. [20.]
Immediate warmth in the stomach for ten to fifteen minutes (first and second days); increasing to a sharp cutting pain at the pit of the stomach (third day); lasting fifteen to twenty minutes (fourth day); warm in stomach (fifth day), 5.
Weight at the stomach, with feeling of sickness there, and desire to vomit (after one hour and a half, second day), 4.

STOOL

Bowels have not acted for three days (fourth and fifth days), 5.

URINARY ORGANS

During the night, woke with desire to urinate, which is unusual (second day), 3.
Urine scantier, and of a higher color (first and second days), 5.
Urine scanty, high-colored (third and fourth days), 5.
Urine of a deep color (after two hours, second day), 4.
Passed some urine of a strong, somewhat ammoniacal, odor (after four and a half, and seven and three-quarters hours), 2.

RESPIRATORY ORGANS

Towards the end of the proving, and lasting for several weeks after, he had oppression of breathing, as from paralysis of diaphragm, with a kind of constriction just below the ensiform cartilage. When walking up hill, he was obliged to keep his mouth open, and occasionally to take a deep breath, as if to satisfy the lungs, 1.

SUPERIOR EXTREMITIES

Aching in both elbow-joints when resting the bent arms forward on a rail at lecture, with feeling as though he wished to throw down the arms (after seventy minutes), 3.

INFERIOR EXTREMITIES. [30.]

Feeling of tiredness in thighs, when walking, which soon passed off (after fifty minutes, second day), 2.

GENERALITIES

In the evening (indoors) felt tired, especially in the legs, as if from much exercise (first day), 2.
Felt tired during the morning, especially in the legs, as if from a long walk; better in the afternoon, 2.
All day felt as if he would catch cold if exposed to the air (second day), 5.
Great sensitiveness to taking cold (third day), 5.

FEVER

The first effects were free general diaphoresis during the days, especially on exertion, but accompanied with great sense of invigoration and capability for bodily exertion. These effects continued all through the proving after each dose, 1.
Spontaneous free perspirations, at night when asleep, so that his night dress was saturated; almost entirely limited to head, neck, and chest. When he woke he found himself thus. This continued for three or four weeks after the proving was ended, 1.

CONDITIONS

Aggravation.
( Night ), Perspiration.
( Bending head down, reading, etc. ), Fulness over eyes.
Amelioration.
( Open air ), Fulness over eyes.

Stachys Betonica