Prunus spinosa

Volume III — Main text

PRUNUS.

PniMtu comnmnii, Huds. (commonly known as P, spinosa). Blackthorn, sloe. Nat. Ord., Rosacea.

I. Provingj.^i. (Of a tincture of the buds gathered in April.) [The following pathogenesis IS by Dr. Wahle, who gives no information respecting the doses taken, the number or character of the provers, and very rarely mentions the period of the occurrence of the symptoms.]

a. Dazed and gloomv in forehead. Head heavy and giddy. Pressive pain under skull as though the skull were pressed outwards with a sharp peg. Pressure outwards in sinciput. Pressing and aching pain as after exposure to great heat of sun. A painful jerking blow through r. side of brain on moving. A violent nervous pain in 1. side of occiput, depriving him of thinking power. Outward-pressive pain m occiput. Outward-pressive pain in I. occipital bone (after ^ h.). On stooping, such a violent pain in occiput that he loses power of thinking. Asunder-pressing headache almost depriving nim of thinking faculty. Peeling as if brain were pressed together from all sides, not painful. Pressive sore pain in I. side of occiput, extending into some teeth of same side, Pressive sore pain in sinciput, which goes off when he thinks of the pain. In upper part of r. temporal bone a very acute nervous pain, aggravated by external pressure. Out.pressing pain in sinciput. Outward-pressing pain under upper part of r. temporal bone. Outward-pressing pain under r. temporal bone to frontal bone, aggravated by external pressure. Squeezing pain in r. temporal bone, extending into ear and causing earacne. Outward-squeezmg pain under r. temporal bone. Outward.presstng pam in r. side of sinciput after dmner, Pressive pain on r. side of top of head as if pressed on by a sharp comer. Pricking as with a needle in skin of occiput. Jerking shooting pain on 1. parietal hone posteriorly. Outward.pressive pain in r. frontaiprotuberance. Out ward -pressing pam under 1, side of frontal bone. Jerking pain, commencing in r. side of frontal bone, darts like lightning through brain out at occiput. Pressive pain from r. frontal bone, through brain, to occiput. Outward-pressing pain in forehead, so that he loses his senses. Painftil jerks in forehead, extending backwards. Itching in 1. internal canthus. Itching in r. outer canthus, especially in edges of eyelids. Pain in r. eyeball as though the interior of e^e were torn asunder. Itching pricking in upper part of malar bone. Aching in 1. ear. Outward-pressing pain in r. ear like earache. Outward.pressing pains above nasal bones. Tickling in middle of r. nasal cavity as though he would sneeze.

b. Pinching pain in r. submaxillary gland. Shooting pain in 1. lower incisors. A very penetrating nervous pain in last 1. upper molar. Pressive pain in second 1. upper molar. A nervous pain in last 1. lower molar, as though the tooth were torn out. Throbbing pain in last r. upper molar, as though the tooth were forced out. A dislocative pain in last r. lower molar. Bislocattve pain in some molars when he takes something warm in his mouth. Pain in 1. lower canine and incisor teeth, like that felt when he has had something warm in mouth, and immediately thereafter drinks cold fluid. Pains in teeth as though he had had cold water in mouth. Pains as though the tooth were forced out, the pains go from one tooth into another. An indescribable sensation in several teeth, causing him to bite them together frequently, which relieves. Pains in several teeth as if they were forced up. Pricking pains in several teeth. From speaking she gets pain in chest, with sensation as if she became hoarse and lost the power of speech. Itching formication in tip of tongue and front teeth. A prick as with a needle on r. side of tip of tongue. Burning on tongue as if it were scalded, not felt when eating, but at other times. Tongue covered with white mucus, but it is clean in tlie middle posteriorly. Pasty taste after dinner. Strong taste. Bitter taste, m. She feels always satiated. When she has taken a few spoonfuls of soup, she is as full in the pit of the stomach as though she had eaten a great deal. She sometimes feels hungry, but is satiated after a few mouthfuls. Fulness and distension in scrob. cordis. Distension of scrob. cordis with such shortness of breath that she must rest 3 or 4. times when ^oing upstairs. Oppression in scrob. cordis so that she can hardly breathe. Pain in abdomen as in cold wet weather. She cannot lie on either back or sides on account of a dreadful contractive pain in abdomen. On account of abdominal spasms he must walk very cautiously and softly so as not to shake the abdomen, otherwise the urinary troubles become much more severe. Cutting across the abdomen as though diarrhoea were about to come on, which prevents sleep. Breathing'pains and ab. dominal spasms relieved by bending upper part of body forwards. Itching crawling under abdominal integuments. Colicky pain an inch to r. side below umbilicus. Pressive colicky pains in r. side of abdomen, or as if single small parts of it were pinched. Abdominal pain as if he had eaten fruit, and drunk water afterwards. Pressive pain in r, side of abdomen, so that he cannot lie on it, n. Pain as if something would be forced through in r. side of abdomen just above navel. Pressive colicky pains in upper part of abdomen. Stitches in quick succession in r, lumbar region, extending towards navel, which take away his breath. A stitch as from a stiletto in r. posterior lower lobe of liver, which takes away his breath when walking. Pressive pain under r. lobe of liver. Violent pressive pain in hepatic region. In the back of r. side of abdomen a fluctuation like a bladder full of fluid. Painful pressure in hepatic region, felt most when standing. Twisting pains in abdomen during discharge of flatus, as if diarrhoea would come on, which soon go off. Displacement of flatulence causing frightful abdominal spasms. Flatulence settles down on bladder, causing vesical spasms, so that he must cower together. Pain in belly as after a chill, with slight call to stool. Bellyache as if diarrhoea would come on. After transient cutting in abdomen diarrhoea with copious evacuations of faeces in a very costive person. Very painfiil stitches in r. inguinal region, relieved by pressing hand on it. Pressing sensation &om within outwards in region of r. inguinal ring, as if a hernia would burst through. After a slimy diarrhceic stool violent burning in anus, as if salt were sprinkled on a wound. Spasmodic jerking in rectum when sitting. A pressive spasmodic pain on r. side of rectum one inch off, as if an angular body were pressed in. Thin but dilatory stool. Hard stool and not every d. Must go to stool 3 or 4 times before she can evacuate anything. The stool looks like dogs' dirt ; it comes away in small broken pieces, with much shooting pain in rectum, making her feel like to scream. Itching in anus. After a hard stool, bleeding from anus.

c. Burning pain in sphincter muscles of bladder. Cannot sleep at n. on account of vesical spasms. He has urging to make water for hours at a time, with violent burning.smarting pains in bladder and urethra. Urine very scanty and quite brown. She must force much to pass urine. The urine comes like a thread with urging to stool. Smarting and hot urine. Bright, clear, wine-coloured urine, which deposits a white and sometimes a sky.blue sediment. The urine comes in a double stream as if the urethra had two oriflces. As the urine is ejected there is for the moment con-

siderable alleviation of the pains, but it remains obstructed in the glans, and causes the roost frightful spasms in the urethra (ischuria urethralis) with urging to stool. Strangury. For 8 h. he has urinary tenesmus every \ h. When he wants to urinate he gets a great burning pain in urethra, so that he must bend together, and yet no urine is passed. He has hurried urging to urinate ; the urine, however, only comes as far as the glans, then seems to go back, and causes the most violent pains in the urethra. She must rise 6 or 7 times to urinate in the n., and each time passes half a pint (after an opposite condition). Urine passes more easily than usual. Burning smarting pain in urethra. He dare not grasp the urethra on account of a sore ulcerative pain. The prepuce is retracted over the glans with diminished size of penis. Pleasant itching on lower side of scrotum, relieved by scratching. Pain as if pinched on I. side of scrotum. A persistent tickling itching in ovarian region, so that she would like to scratch, but scratching does not remove it. Painful throbbing in genitals. For 8 or 10 weeks every d. some blood exudes from the vagina, while the longer it goes on the more watw it becomes. Menses very profuse; come every 14 d. witb much sacral pain. Thin watery metrorrhagia. Persistent leucorrhcea, which makes her weak. Leucorrfaoea staining the linen yellow and making her sore.

d. Frequent sneezing. Scraping and rough speech. Scraping in throat as if excoriated, causing short cough. Rough and scraping in larynx, causing cough, e. Crawling in throat causing short cough. During inspiration tickling in trachea cauung cough. Cough caused by an irritation as if a feather were moved about in larynx; cough removed by holding in breath. Whistling cough. Heavy and oppressed round the chest. Dyspnoea when walking; the breathing is panting as though he were climbing a high and steep hill. Anxious short breathing. Heavy and anxious sensation in lower parts of chest, making him often breathe deeply. Tight and difficult respiration witn periodical anxiety. Chest as if pressed in ; on breathing it is very painful internally. Upper part of 1. side of chest tight for half a d. Feeling of weight in 1. side of chest causes him to breathe deeply frequently. The breath feels always as if stuck in scrob. cordis. In centre of r. side of chest pressive shooting pain, hindering inspiration, frequently going off and returning. A pricking stiff pain in 1. siJe of chest, aggravated during inspiration. Several successive stitches in middle of 1. side of chest. On the lower external 1. side of chest as if the part were pressed against a sharp comer. The pains under sternum and the oppression of chest seem connected with the fulness in scrub, cordis and the distension of abdomen. The pectorales majores are painful when gra^iped, as though he had got a blow there. During deep inspiration a shooting pain in the fleshy parts of the 1. mamma, which spreads on all sides and extends over the 1. shoulder when walkingandsitting. Sacral pains when sitting. Pressive pains in sacrum. Obtuse shooting pain on r. posterior inferior side of ribs, when pressed it is painful internally as if festering. In lumbar vertebrae as if festering, very violent when lying, alleviated by gentle movement, but much increased by continued movement \ it then extends to hip-joint, and causes a sensation as if the ligaments were too short ; he cannot lie on either side on account of the pains in hips. All the parts of back and sacrum are as if stiff, as if they had been injured. On deep inspiration, m., obtuse shooting pain betwixt shoulders, which extends to lumbar vertebrae and takes away the breath. Two inches below 1. scapula near spine a pain as if a pin were stuck in when stooping. Pressive pain in nape on stooping, involving all the occiput. Pressive pain on top of r. shoulder, ending in the triceps humeri and preventing him raising arm, lasting^ h. A burning

fain in 1. shoulder<joint spreading over chest. Swollen feeling in 1. axillary glands. ressive ulcerative pain in 1. axillary glands. Pinching pain in r. elbow.joint, which becomes a pressive pain when moved. Burning pain m I. elbow-joint extending to wrist. Stiff pains in muscles of 1. forearm, hindering movement of arm. Pain as if burnt on outer side of r. forearm. Pain as ivQxa a blow on I. forearm. Cramp-like pressure on outer side of r. forearm, aggravated when grasped. When writing, a stiff pain in r. forearm so that he can hardly hold the pen. Jerking pain in 1. forearm, making him start. Pain in r. wrist as if a ganglion would be formed. Dislocative pain in r. wrist when at rest. Spasmodic contractive pain in r, hand extending to tips of fingers. Pulling pain proceeding from 1. fingers and extending through arm to pectoral muscles. A crushing pain in ball of little finger. Contractive pains in % r. middle fingers. Painful drawing in r. 4th finger. Pain as if burnt on outer side of r. little finger. Pressive pain betwixt r. thumb and index. Pinching pains

first in I. then in r. thumb, lasting some minutes. Painful squeezing in r. thumb from before backwards. A laming pain In r. thumb, Dislocative pain in r. thumb when writing, so that the pen almost drops. Spasmodic pain in 1. thumb. Stiff pain in r. thumb. Pain as if sprained in proximal joint of 1. thumb (after 3 h.). Itching in some tips of fingers as if they were frostbitten. Deep internally below" crista ilu a violent obtuse snooting taking away his breath, increased by lying back. Tired feeling in hip.joints. The hip pains are worst in the hours before midnight. Pricks as from a hot needle in thighs and nates, so transient that he must scratch now here, now there. On inner side of thighs and on nates prickling itching, which when he leaves off scratching changes into quivering. Violent itching in middle of outer side of thigh ; after scratching, pimples appear. Tensive pain on inner side of 1. thigh. Pressive pain in middle of r. thigh. Tearing pain in middle of outer side of r, thigh. Pinching pain high up on inner side of r. thigh, Dislocative pain in r. knee when at rest. Sensation of warm steam round about r. knee. Jerking pain in 1. knee. Stiff pain when walking on inner side of 1. knee. No stability in 1. knee, as if it would knuckle under him. Pinching pain In r. hough. Weariness in kneejoints when standing. Pressive pain in angles of bones of 1. knee. When going upstairs the skin of calves and thighs feels stretched and as if swollen. Pain as if a sharp peg were thrust into inner side of 1. calf. A laming pain going from below upwards in r. leg. Pain as from a blow on middle of 1. tibia. Pain in tendo AchilHs as if it would be torn away. Sprained pain under 1. outer ankle. Dislocative pain in I. ankle-joint. Pressive pain in 1. tendo Acfaillis, which is often j^ulsatmg. Pain as if all were festering in whole of r. sole. Stitches as with a bodkin m ball of ]. big t{K. Stiff pains in 1. toes. Pain going from behind forwards in big toe as if the distal phalanx would be pulled out. Burning in legs. Persistent restlessness in legs; he must always move them about Several successive shoots in different muscular parts.

e. Itching pricks (like flea.bites) at n. in various parts, which wake him up, and he must scratch, which immediately takes them away. Trembling throughout the body. She cannot rest in any place, and therefore runs about with short breath and oppressed chest. He staggers to and fro. Falls asleep when reading after dinner. Little sleep. Restless sleep, wakeful almost all n. Lies awake for some h,, and wakes in m. some h. before usual time, but he feels rested. Wakes earlier than usual. On waking after sleeping some h. isas wideawake as though he had slept more than one n. On getting warm in bed, sleeps quietly for some h., but then no more. She is not tired, and yet her eyes close. Is tired in m. as though she had not slept at all, and all her bones are painful j she especially complains of bruised feeling of thighs. Sleep filled with dreams and phantasies. Dreams he has boils on him. Dreams that he is working at a very dirty table, and the paper that was previously clean appears smeared with butter and grease. Chilliness and inclination to stretch himself. Towards e. feels chilly, so that she must go to bed. Dry heat all over body, prepuce red and glans sore. Dry burning heat all over body except arms; it is diminished but not quite removed by perspiration ; he does not feel the dry heat in bed, it is greatest in the genital organs. In sleep she only perspires in the face. Unhappy, he takes pleasure in nothmg. Cross and morose. Goes to work with pleasure,* (jirc^iv, xiv, 3, 17a.)

1. Dr. Kretzschmar took a decoction of a handful of the dried flowers on three successive d. Soon there came nausea which lasted 3 h. ; he did not vomit, but could not eat on account of loathing of all food. Later diarrhoea came on. The 1st d. he had 8, the 2nd 16, the 3rd 8 stools, all within a few h. (if. A. Z., i, 24.)

• This pathogenesis, like all from Wahle, is of dubious purity, but is inserted quantum 'vaUat, for the sake of the undoubted curative applications which have been

made of it. — £ds.