Abrotanum

by C.M. Boger — A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica

REGION

Nerves.
Nutrition.
Veins.

WORSE

Cold air.
Wet.
Checked secretions.
Night.
Fogs.

BETTER

Loose stool (Nat-s. Zin.).
Motion.

Numb, weak, tremulous and paretic. Can't hold up head. Exudations, into pleura, joints, from navel, etc. True metastases; receding gout, etc. Alternations; piles with rheumatism (Coll. Sabi.). Rheumatism, after diarrhœa. Emaciation; ascending; of legs. .................... Cross, irritable children. Pale hollow eyed, old face. Distended veins; on forehead. Nosebleed; of youths. Vomits much offensive fluid. Stomach floats in water (Buf.). Bloated abdomen. Pains in left ovary. Nightly backache. Weak joints; can't hold up head. Face cold, dry and wrinkled. Cold, prickling, numb fingers and toes. Flabby skin. Protruding piles; burn on touch.

Related: Chin. Led.

Abrotanum across the other classic books

Abrotanum appears in 8 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.
“Southernwood. (Compositae.) Alternate constipation and diarrhoea; lineteria. Marasmus of children with marked emaciation, especially of legs (Iod., Sanic., Tub.); the skin is flabby and hangs loose in folds (of neck, Nat. m., Sanic.). In marasmus head weak, cannot hold it up. (Aeth.). Marasmus of lower extremities…”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Southernwood A very useful remedy in marasmus , especially of lower extremities only , yet with good appetite. Metastasis. Rheumatism following checked diarrhœa. Ill effects of suppressed conditions especially in gouty subjects. Tuberculous peritonitis. Exudative pleurisy and other exudative processes. After operation…”
Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“Artemisia abrotanum. Lady's Love. Southernwood. (Southern Europe.) N. O. Compositæ. Tincture of fresh leaves and stems. Boils / Chilblains / Epilepsy / Gout / Hæmorrhoids / Hectic fever / Hydrocele / Indigestion / Lienteria / Marasmus / Myelitis, chronic / Nose-bleed / Paralysis / Rheumatism / Umbilicus, oozing from /…”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Southernwood. Compositæ . Artimisia abrotanum, or southernwood , growing on sunny hills in Southern Europe, and cultivated in gardens. Celebrated as an old popular medicine. Introduced into our practice by Deventer. Proved by Gatchell on two women. Feebleness and dulness of mind. No capacity for thinking, as if all…”
Kent — The mental and general picture — who the patient is, before what the remedy cures.
“This a very valuable remedy should be more frequently used. It is indicated in such conditions as are cured by Bryonia and Rhus tox ., but its symptoms mark out its own individual cases. Rheumatic conditions with heart irritation; epistaxis; bloody urine; anxiety and trembling, when there has been a history of…”
Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common name: southern wood. Marasmus of children, with marked emaciation, especially of legs (Iod., Sanic., Tub. emaciation of neck- Nat-M., Sanic.). The skin is flabby and hangs loose in folds (A.). The child is cross and depressed (G.). RAVENOUS HUNGER; LOSING FLESH WHILE EATING WELL (Iod., Nat-M., Sanic., Tub.)…”
Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.
“Marasmus most pronounced in lower extremities, from mal-nutrition; diarrhœa; diarrhœa alternating with rheumatism.”

Abrotanum in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Abrotanum in 309 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in EXTREMITIES (106), STOMACH (32), MIND (26), GENERALITIES (22), CHEST (13).

GENERALITIES - METASTASIS
GENERALITIES - EMACIATION
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - rheumatic - diarrhoea - checked
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - rheumatic - suppressed haemorrhoids
RECTUM - HAEMORRHOIDS - bleeding- as soon as the rheumatism is better
MALE GENITALIA - HYDROCELE - suppressed eruption,after
MALE GENITALIA - METASTASIS
EXTREMITIES - PARALYSIS - Ankles
STOMACH - PAIN - burning - night
ABDOMEN - DISCHARGE from Umbilicus
RESPIRATION - DIFFICULT - rheumatic of heart
STOMACH - APPETITE - ravenous,canine,excessive - emaciation,with
MALE GENITALIA - HYDROCELE - boys,of
EXTREMITIES - EMACIATION - Leg
EXTREMITIES - EMACIATION - Lower Limbs
STOMACH - APPETITE - ravenous,canine,excessive - marasmus,with
FACE - WRINKLED
FACE - EXPRESSION, - old looking
FACE - ERUPTIONS - comedones
EXTREMITIES - PARALYSIS - sensation of

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