Clematis virginiana

Volume I — Special Symptomatology

(Virgin's Bower.)

Botanical Description. — The Clematis Virginiana is a native of the United States, growing by river banks, in hedges and thickets, from Canada to Georgia and the Mississippi. It flowers in July and August. We use the bark, leaves, and blossoms. The leaves and blossoms should be gathered when mature, and used immediately.

It is a perennial, climbing plant, with a stem from eight to fifteen feet or more in length, supporting itself on shrubs, fences, and brush-work, by means of its long footstalks. The leaves are deep green, three fold; leaflets, egg shaped or heart shaped, sharp pointed, in lobes, dentated edges, and from two to three inches in length, by one to two in breadth; flowers in clusters, irregularly branched, often having the stamens on one plant, and the pistils on another; the clusters, in the junction of the leaf, footstalk and stem; sepals four, white, spreading oblong and obtuse; stamens from twenty-eight to thirty -six; fruit furnished with long plume-like tails, appearing in large downy-like tufts; seeds compressed.

Officinal Preparations. — Tincture of fresh leaves, bark, and flowers, with strong alcohol; dilutions.

Analogues. — Pulsatilla nig. and Nutt, Scutellaria, Ranunculus, Rhus, Aconite, Lilium tig., Coffea, Cimicifuga, Bromides, Clematis erecta.

(See Therapeutics, Vol. II.)

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

This is an indigenous species, not differing essentially from the European Clematis ereda. The latter is a very valuable remedy, and not sufficiently appreciated by our school. Belonging to the same family as the Pulsatilla, it resembles it very closely in many respects. It has the same, if not a greater action on the organs of generation — uterus and ovaries, testicles and spermatic cords — and upon the skin and glandular system. Its action on the nervous system has been overlooked. In this respect it somewhat resembles its relative, Cimicifuga.

Dr. Scudder (eclectic) first called attention to the indigenous Clematis. He says it is a “ powerful nervine,” useful in controlling erethism of the nervous system in women.

Several years ago I procured the leaves and made a tincture, which I have prescribed on many occasions in that kind of nervousness, half physical, half psychical, which affects some women who have been worried by care and illness combined. In doses of a few drops several times a day it acts admirably.

I have cured with it several cases of acute pustular skin diseases, and a few cases of orchitis and ovaritis.

No indigenous remedy is more deserving a thorough proving. The time will come when our own (indigenous) plants will supersede the foreign, for they possess analogous if not identical virtues.