Phytolacca

by C.M. Boger — General Analysis

ACHING
BURNT, scalded as if
DAMPNESS, getting wet, wet weather, bathing, working in water, damp rooms, etc., Agg.
FIBROUS TISSUE
FOREHEAD
GLANDS
HARDNESS
JOINTS, arthritic complaints, etc.
MOUTH and THROAT
OBESITY
OCCIPUT, nape and NECK
RAISING up, Agg.
RETRACTED, depressed, drawn back, etc.
SORENESS, bruised, smarting, etc. (Comp. Rawness.)
SWALLOWING, Agg.; painful, etc.

Phytolacca across the other classic books

Phytolacca appears in 11 of the 13 classic books on Similia. Each was written to do a different job — here is what each adds on this remedy, with the opening of its entry.

Allen HC — The keynotes that separate this remedy from its nearest neighbours.
“Poke Root. (Phytolaccaceae.) Patients of a rheumatic diathesis; rheumatism of fibrous and periosteal tissue; mercurial or syphillitic. Emaciation, chlorosis; loss of fat. Great exhaustion and profound prostration. Occupies a position between Bryonia and Rhus; cures when these fail, though apparently well indicated. In…”
Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“Phytolacca decandra, L. Natural order , Phytolaccaceæ. Common names , Poke, Garget-weed. Preparation , Tincture of the root. Authorities.”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Poke-root (PHYTOLACCA) Aching, soreness, restlessness, prostration, are general symptoms guiding to Phytolacca. Pre-eminently a glandular remedy. Glandular swellings with heat and inflammation. Has a powerful effect on fibrous and osseous tissues; fasciæ and muscle sheaths; acts on scar tissue. Syphilitic bone pains…”
Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“Glands: MAMMÆ. Naso-pharynx. Throat. Tonsils. Muscles. Fibrous tissues: NECK. Back. Tendons. Joints. Periosteum. Kidneys. Tongue (Root). Digestive tract. Right side. Raising up. Motion. Swallowing. Hot drinks. Heat. Cold: Damp. Night. Change of weather. Lying on abdomen. Cold drinks. A remedy of long and deep action…”
Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“decandra. Virginian Poke. Poke-root. Red Ink Plant. Garget Weed. N. O. Phytolaccaceæ. Tincture of fresh root dug in winter. Tincture of the ripe berries. Tincture of fresh leaves. Solution of the resinous extract, Phytolaccin. Abortion, threatened / Albuminuria / Angina pectoris, Anus, fissure of / Asthma / Barber's…”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Poke Root. Phytolaccaceæ. This plant is indigenous to North America and grows abundantly in all parts of the United States. It is also found in the north of Africa and south of Europe. The fresh root is chopped and pounded to a pulp ; from this is made the alcoholic tincture. Provings by Burt, Fellows, Marshall…”
Kent — The mental and general picture — who the patient is, before what the remedy cures.
“This is a very imperfectly proved remedy, and it is only possible to present fragments of it. The mental symptoms have not been brought out, but the remedy has some striking features. You will notice the resemblance of this drug to Mercury , and it is an antidote to mercury . In those lingering mercurial bone pains…”
Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.
“Great indifference. Vertigo and dimness of vision. One-sided headache above the eyes with sickness of the stomach. Shooting pain from the left eye to the vertex. Burning and smarting sensation in the eyes and lids, with profuse lachrymation, which is relieved in the open air. Purple-colored swelling of the eyelids…”
Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common name: poke root. Patient of a rheumatic diathesis, suffering from the bad effects of syphilis (Merc., Nit-Ac., Syph.) (Bt.). RHEUMATISM OF FIBROUS AND PERIOSTEAL TISSUES (Rhus-T.) (A.). CHRONIC RHEUMATISM, WORSE IN DAMP WEATHER (Dulc., Nat-S., Rhus-T.) (Bt.). Rheumatism after gonorrhœa, syphilis or abuse of…”
Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.
“Tonsils red, swollen, with white spots, which sometimes coalesce and form patches; pains run up into the ears, and aching bruised, sore feeling in head, back and limbs; < on motion, but must move; he aches and is so sore. Irresistible inclination to bite the teeth or gums together. (Dentition.) Breasts very hard…”

Phytolacca in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Phytolacca in 1,394 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in EXTREMITIES (283), GENERALITIES (109), THROAT (93), HEAD (88), CHEST (78).

TEETH - BITE,together - wants to,on something hard which relieves pains,dentition
CHEST - ABSCESS - Mammae - threatening,in old cicatrices
THROAT - MEMBRANE,exudation,diphtheria,etc. - wash leather
THROAT - DISCOLORATION. - dark
BACK - STIFFNESS - Cervical region - night
MALE GENITALIA - PAIN - sore,burised - Spermatic cords
CHEST - ULCERATION of - mammae
THROAT - PAIN - warm - drinks
VISION - DIM - diphtheria,after
MOUTH - SENSITIVE
THROAT - MEMBRANE,exudation,diphtheria,etc. - Uvula
SKIN - ERUPTIONS - psoriasis - syphilitic
GENERALITIES - FAINTNESS,fainting - rising - from - bed,on
EAR - PAIN - stitching in - swallowing,when
CHEST - CRACKS of nipples
SKIN - ULCERS - mercurial
TEETH - PAIN, - biting teeth together,when - amel.
THROAT - MEMBRANE,exudation,diphtheria,etc. - Tonsils
THROAT - MEMBRANE,exudation,diphtheria,etc. - gray
CHEST - ABSCESS - Mammae

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Phytolacca across the other classic books

Phytolacca appears in 11 of the 13 classic books on Similia. Each was written to do a different job — here is what each adds on this remedy, with the opening of its entry.

Allen HC — The keynotes that separate this remedy from its nearest neighbours.

“Poke Root. (Phytolaccaceae.) Patients of a rheumatic diathesis; rheumatism of fibrous and periosteal tissue; mercurial or syphillitic. Emaciation, chlorosis; loss of fat. Great exhaustion and profound prostration. Occupies a position between Bryonia and Rhus; cures when these fail, though apparently well indicated. In…”

Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.

“Phytolacca decandra, L. Natural order , Phytolaccaceæ. Common names , Poke, Garget-weed. Preparation , Tincture of the root. Authorities.”

Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.

“Poke-root (PHYTOLACCA) Aching, soreness, restlessness, prostration, are general symptoms guiding to Phytolacca. Pre-eminently a glandular remedy. Glandular swellings with heat and inflammation. Has a powerful effect on fibrous and osseous tissues; fasciæ and muscle sheaths; acts on scar tissue. Syphilitic bone pains…”

Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.

“Glands: MAMMÆ. Naso-pharynx. Throat. Tonsils. Muscles. Fibrous tissues: NECK. Back. Tendons. Joints. Periosteum. Kidneys. Tongue (Root). Digestive tract. Right side. Raising up. Motion. Swallowing. Hot drinks. Heat. Cold: Damp. Night. Change of weather. Lying on abdomen. Cold drinks. A remedy of long and deep action…”

Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.

“decandra. Virginian Poke. Poke-root. Red Ink Plant. Garget Weed. N. O. Phytolaccaceæ. Tincture of fresh root dug in winter. Tincture of the ripe berries. Tincture of fresh leaves. Solution of the resinous extract, Phytolaccin. Abortion, threatened / Albuminuria / Angina pectoris, Anus, fissure of / Asthma / Barber's…”

Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.

“Poke Root. Phytolaccaceæ. This plant is indigenous to North America and grows abundantly in all parts of the United States. It is also found in the north of Africa and south of Europe. The fresh root is chopped and pounded to a pulp ; from this is made the alcoholic tincture. Provings by Burt, Fellows, Marshall…”

Kent — The mental and general picture — who the patient is, before what the remedy cures.

“This is a very imperfectly proved remedy, and it is only possible to present fragments of it. The mental symptoms have not been brought out, but the remedy has some striking features. You will notice the resemblance of this drug to Mercury , and it is an antidote to mercury . In those lingering mercurial bone pains…”

Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.

“Great indifference. Vertigo and dimness of vision. One-sided headache above the eyes with sickness of the stomach. Shooting pain from the left eye to the vertex. Burning and smarting sensation in the eyes and lids, with profuse lachrymation, which is relieved in the open air. Purple-colored swelling of the eyelids…”

Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.

“Common name: poke root. Patient of a rheumatic diathesis, suffering from the bad effects of syphilis (Merc., Nit-Ac., Syph.) (Bt.). RHEUMATISM OF FIBROUS AND PERIOSTEAL TISSUES (Rhus-T.) (A.). CHRONIC RHEUMATISM, WORSE IN DAMP WEATHER (Dulc., Nat-S., Rhus-T.) (Bt.). Rheumatism after gonorrhœa, syphilis or abuse of…”

Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.

“Tonsils red, swollen, with white spots, which sometimes coalesce and form patches; pains run up into the ears, and aching bruised, sore feeling in head, back and limbs; < on motion, but must move; he aches and is so sore. Irresistible inclination to bite the teeth or gums together. (Dentition.) Breasts very hard…”