Millefolium

Achillea millefolium. Yarrow. N. O. Compositæ. Tincture of whole fresh plant.

Clinical

Asthma / Cancer / Chlorosis / Consumption / Dentition / Diarrhœa / Dysmenorrhœa / Enuresis / Epilepsy / Fistula lachrymalis / Hæmatemesis / Hæmaturia / Hæmoptysis / Hæmorrhages / Hypochondriasis / Hysteria / Leucorrhœa of children / Lochia, too profuse; suppressed / Milk, absence of / Nipples, sore / Nose, bleeding of / Puerperal convulsions / Puerperal fever / Rodent ulcer / Sterility / Sycosis Hahnemanni / Tetanus / Varices

Characteristics

Yarrow was named Achillea by Linnæus because the plant is mentioned in the Iliad as having been used by Achilles, on the instruction of Chiron, to heal the wounds of his soldiers. The knowledge of the vulnerary powers of Mill. is thus of great antiquity. It received its popular name, "Nose-bleed," because nose-bleed comes on if the leaves are inserted into the nostrils. There is another species of Achillea, besides A. millefolium, indigenous to Great Britain, A. ptarmica, called "sneeze-wort" from its sternutatory properties. Millefol. in its hæmorrhages and vulnerary action is closely allied to Arn., and it has another action common to many Compositæ, that of a convulsant. But this action is again allied to its hæmorrhagic power, for it is chiefly (but not exclusively) in relation to suppressed hæmorrhages (menses) or other secretions as the lochia or milk that the convulsions occur. The hæmorrhages are chiefly florid. As well as hæmorrhages, there are copious mucous discharges, especially when these are due to atony. Mill. has a very pronounced relation to pregnancy and the puerperal state. Varicose veins in pregnant women have been cured with it. C. W. (H. W., xxvi. 108) relates an interesting experience. A man had severe diarrhœa, profuse dark chocolate-coloured stools, verging on black, and slightly tinged with blood. A club doctor had failed to relieve, but an old woman cured the man with "millefoil tea." C. W. had a collie dog which, when excited, would pull up grass or weeds and swallow them. When it happened to be millefoil this invariably caused: First, rattling of fluid in the bowels, then dark chocolate diarrhœa, changing to black, very offensive, finally blood-tinged. This lasted a day or two. It was at length found that Ars. iod. 3x in solution was a complete antidote. Given every ten minutes, as soon as rattling came on, it effectually stopped it. The dog also had fissured pads. Ars. iod. did nothing for these, but Ars. 30 cured. Peculiar sensations are: As if he had forgotten something. As if all blood ascended to head. Right side of head as if screwed together. As if too much blood in eyes. As if cold air passing out of ear. As of a liquid moving from stomach to intestines. Pain as from a blow or sprain in right tendo Achillis. Mill. is suited to all wounds which bleed profusely, sprains, and overlifting. The symptoms are < by stooping; doubling the body (burning in stomach); much exertion; by lifting. Lying down nausea; hæmoptysis. Violent exercise vertigo. Symptoms by coffee, by wine. . is the aged; atonic; women and children.

Relations

Ant. t. relieves the vertigo of Mill., Ars. i. the diarrhœa. Mill. Antidotes: Arum mac. Incompatible: Coffee (= congestion to head). Compare: Erech. (epistaxis and hæmoptysis); Senec. aur. (hæmaturia). Ham. and Ipec. (hæmorrhages); Plat. (Mill. red, clotted; Plat. dark, clotted); Bry., Ustil., and Ham. (hæmatemesis) Aco. (hæmorrhages, profuse flow of bright red blood . Aco., anxiety; Mill., absence of anxiety). The Compositæ generally, Arn., Bellis, Calend., &c.

Causation

Falls (from height). Over-exertion. Lifting. Suppressed lochia. Suppressed menses. Suppressed milk.

1. Mind

Violent, irritable. Averse to work. Seems to have forgotten something; does not know what he is doing or wants to do; head dull and confused, esp. evening; < after coffee. Very excited, with pain in pit of stomach. Sighing and groaning of children.

2. Head

Vertigo, falls to r. side and backward, when moving slowly, walking, but not when taking violent exercise; with nausea when stooping, not when lying down (> Ant. t.). Dull pain in vertex. Confused, dull headache. Slight throbbing in arteries of head and face. Violent movements and painful beatings in head. Rush of blood to head. Sensation, as if all the blood were carried towards head. Acute drawing pains and shootings in r. side of head; sensation in r. side of head as if screwed together. Violent headache, he strikes head against bed-post or wall, with twitching of eyelids and muscles of forehead. Sensation of constriction in skin of forehead. Hair becomes tangled.

3. Eyes

Glistening, brilliant eyes. Agglutination of eyes in morning. Lachrymation and discharges from eyes (fistula lachrymalis). Sensation of too much blood in eyes. Inward piercing pressing in eyes, to root of nose and sides of forehead. Clear, bright vision. Fog, not near eyes, but at a distance.

4. Ears

Sensation of stoppage in ears.

5. Nose

Nose-bleed. Nose-bleed with congestions to head and chest. Stuffed nose.

6. Face

Sensation of heat, as if blood was rising to head. Redness of face without internal heat. Tearing: in face to temples; r. lower jaw to ears; then teeth.

7. Teeth

Toothache: from heating things; rheumatic, with diseased gums. Gumboil. Ulcers on gums. Stomacace.

8. Mouth

Tongue swollen and coated. Thirst; mouth dry.

9. Throat

Elongation of palate. Uvula relaxed. Ulceration of throat; pain in l. side when swallowing.

11. Stomach

Painful gnawing and digging in stomach as from hunger. Burning in stomach, extending to chest. Violent pain in pit of stomach (during retrogressive small-pox). Vomiting when coughing. Nausea with vertigo. Hæmatemesis. Cramps in stomach, with a sensation of a liquid flowing from stomach to anus. Burning pain in stomach. Sensation of fulness in stomach; as if stomach were contracted and filled with earth. Eructations.

12. Abdomen

Pain in region of liver. Congestions to portal system. Colic during menstruation. Ascites. Incarcerated hernia. Pain as from incarcerated flatulence. Frequent emission of fetid flatulence. Violent colic, with bloody diarrhœa (during pregnancy). Dysentery. Abdomen distended.

13. Stool and Anus

Bleeding hæmorrhoids; profuse flow of blood from bowels. Diarrhœa, preceded by rattling of fluids in abdomen, profuse chocolate-coloured stools, changing to black, very offensive, becoming blood-streaked. Mucous diarrhœa; bloody; dysentery. Ascarides.

14. Urinary Organs

Hæmaturia. Involuntary micturition; of children. Bloody urine. Catarrh of bladder from atony. Stone in bladder, with retention of urine.

15. Male Sexual Organs

Swelling of penis or testicles. The semen is not discharged during an embrace. Spermatorrhœa. Sycotic excrescences. Gonorrhœa; gleet.

16. Female Sexual Organs

Hæmorrhage from uterus from too violent exertions. Metrorrhagia. Menses too profuse. Suppressed menstruation with epileptic attacks. Barrenness with too profuse menstruation, or tendency to miscarry. Suppressed lochia with violent fever, suppressed secretion of milk, or convulsions, convulsive motion of all limbs and violent pain. Lochia too profuse. Sore nipples.

17. Respiratory Organs

Rough voice. Hæmoptysis; florid; after failing from a height; in connection with hæmorrhoidal symptoms. Very difficult breathing, with tetanic spasms.

18. Chest

Oppression of chest, with bloody expectoration.

19. Heart and Pulse

Excessive palpitation and bloody sputum. Ebullitions from coughing blood. Anxiousness with pain at heart. Pulse accelerated and contracted.

22. Upper Limbs

Pricking and numbness of l. arm. Heat of hands.

23. Lower Limbs

Acute drawing pain in knees and legs. R. tendo-Achillis pains as from a blow or sprain. Feet go to sleep; first l. foot, later r.; disappearing on walking.

24. Generalities

Rheumatic and arthritic complaints. Piercing, drawing, tearing pains in limbs. Paralysis and contraction of limbs. Tetanus. Convulsions after parturition. Convulsions and fainting attacks of infants. Hysterical spasms. Epileptic spasms from suppressed menstruation. Congestions. Hæmorrhages from various organs. Hæmorrhages from almost all the openings of body. Mucous discharges from atony. Wounds bleed profusely, esp. from a fall. Effects of over-lifting or overexertion. < In evening and night; > during day.

25. Skin

Suppressed itch, and from it fever. Painless varices of pregnant women. Fistulous ulcers. Ulceration of internal organs. Cancerous ulcers. Wounds; after operation for stone in the bladder. Bruises, bleeding from wounds. Bad effects from a fall (from a height) and sprains.

26. Sleep

Violent yawning without being tired. Goes to sleep late, and does not feel refreshed in morning.

27. Fever

Pulse accelerated and contracted. Chilliness with pain in (l.) kidney. Fever heat with thirst. Heat in hands and feet. Colliquative perspirations.