Collinsonia canadensis

Volume I — Special Symptomatology

(Stone Root.)

Botanical Description. — The stem is simple, smooth, round, straight, from one to three feet high. Leaves with broadly toothed edges, pointed, having long footstalks, and Only two or three pairs, heart shaped at base, broadly egg shaped, sharp pointed, a smooth surface, and small veins. Flowers opposite, on long footstalks, with short, oval shaped floral leaves, forming terminal, leafless, irregularly branched clusters. Corolla twothirds of an inch long, yellow (exhaling an odor like lemon), tube-shaped at base, spreading above in two lips, the upper lip being very short andnotched, the lower lobed on the sides, and fringed around. Stamens, two, long and protruding; anther oval, style protruding; seeds often aborting, only one ripening ; root, perennial, knotty, depressed, very hard, with many slender fibres. It is called Ox-balm, Knot-root, etc.

This plant is indigenous, and found in rich moist woods, from Michigan to New England, and southward. It is, I believe, the only species of the genus in the Northern States. It flowers in July and September, and should be gathered while in bloom.

Officinal Preparations. — Tincture with strong alcohol, from the whole plant, or fresh root; dilutions.

Analogues. — jffisculns, Arnica, Aloes, Dioscorea, Digitalis, Hamamelis, Tgnatia, Lycopodium, Lycopus, Nux vomica, Podophyllum, Sulphur, Sanguinaira.

Head.

Dull frontal headache with lassitude and desire to sleep.

• Headache from suppressed hemorrhoids. Slight fullness in the head; throbbing in the head.

Mouth.

Tongue coated yellow along the centre or base, with bitter taste in the mouth.

Stomach.

Vomiting, with pain and heat in the stomach.

• Cramp-like pains in the stomach, with nausea.

0 Indigestion associated with constipation and hemorrhoids.

° Flatulence and spasms of the stomach.

° Congestion of the pelvic viscera.

° Severe colicky pains in the hypogastrium.

Constant sensation of heaviness in stomach.

Sick feeling at the pit of the stomach.

Abdomen.

Sharp, cutting pains in hypogastric region. Severe colicky pain in the hypogastrium, with desire for stool; nausea and faintness.

• Very severe pain in the hypogastrium every few minutes,

compelling him to sit down. 0 Colic, with flatulence and nausea, in cases where Nux and Colocynthis failed. (Dr. Palmer.)

Stool and Anus.

• Constipation, chronic, with much flatulence, and with

haemorrhoids. Heat and itching of the anus. Loose, papescent stool.

• Diarrhoea, mucous discharges, or watery, with cramp-like or

spasmodic pains in the bowels, with vomiting. ° Hemorrhoidal dysentery.

0 Haemorrhoids, bleeding, with alternate constipation and diarrhoea.

Stools preceded and followed by severe pains in the hypo gastric region.

Copious stools of yellow, bilious matter, mucus, bile, blood,

and with tenesmus. * Light-colored, lumpy stool, with distress in the anus. 0 Chronic diarrhoea after confinement; stools of mucus and

black fcecal matter, with colic and tenesmus. {Burt.) 0 Haemorrhoids, obstinate and chronic, always attended by

constipation; bleeding or not. (Drs. Fowler, Holcombe,

Barnes, Franklin, and many others.) 0 Chronic diseases of the rectum. ° Congestions of the pelvic viscera, with piles. ° Diseases of the rectum, associated with disease of the uterus.

Urine.

Urine increased in quantity.

° Chronic cystitis and nephritis.

° Catarrh of the bladder, especially with piles.

° Dropsy from cardiac irritability.

Generative Organs. Female. — Amenorrhoea, from congestion of the uterus and pelvic viscera.

0 Dysmenorrhea complicated with piles and constipation. ° Prolapsus, with pruritus, dysmenorrhea, and most obstinate constipation.

0 Uterine diseases dependent upon diseases of rectum and bowels.

° Pruritus in a pregnant woman ; violent itching of the genitals, parts badly swollen, dark red and protruding; she cannot lie down. [Dr. Cushing.)

Male.— Oleet (?)

° Varicocele, with extreme constipation. {Fowler.)

° Spermatorrhea kept up by piles and constipation. (Hale.) Respiratory Organs.

"Pulmonary hemorrhage, with a short, hacking cough; he spat very tough and dark coagula, enveloped in viscid mucus; with uneasiness in the chest, but no pain, but with bleeding from the rectum the first day. {Dr. Liebold.)

c Hard, shaking cough, with bloody expectoration.

0 Cough and dyspnea, in connection with cardiac difficulties.

0 Chest pains, alternating with hemorrhoids.

Heart.

° Irritation of the cardiac nerves; cardiac hyper ossthesia. A. functional disorder of the heart, with rapid, regular or irregular beating of the heart; pulse 130 to 140 per minute; the slightest motion or excitement aggravates the symptoms; periodical spells of faintness and oppression; attacks of syncope, with fullness of the chest and difficult breathing; and attacks of dyspnoea, with great weakness. (Dr. Fenner.) (If these symptoms occur in persons subject to haemorrhoids, or after suppressed hemorrhoidal flux, the Collinsonia would be specially indicated.— Hale.']

0 In cardiac disorders it seems to act by increasing the heart's tonicity; or after the heart is relieved, old haemorrhoids appear, or suppressed menses return. (Hale.)

° Valvular diseases after rheumatic endocarditis. (Paine.)

° Palpitation of the heart in patients subject to haemorrhoids, dyspepsia and flatulence. (Hale.)

0 Disease of the mitral valve, the murmur diminished, and the patient greatly- improved under its use. (Dr. Shepherd.) Generalities.

0 Used by the country people as a vulnerary, much as the Germans use Arnica, for bruises, wounds, sprains, etc.

0 Dropsy, probably from heart disease, or feebleness of the circulation.

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

This indigenous plant has a root so very hard, knotty, and tough that the name of stone-root has been given it by the country people.

A thorough knowledge of the qualities of this medicine has not yet been attained. There are many doubtful points about its action which need elucidating.

I propose to give a study of its action based on the facts relating to its use. By this method we shall avoid bending the facts to suit a preconceived theory. From all available sources we learn that it has been successful in the treatment of :

(1.) Bruises, sores, wounds, sprains, and contusions.

(2.) Constipation and haemorrhoids.

(3.) Flatulent colic, indigestion, diarrhoea, and dysentery.

(4.) Dysmenorrhoea, urinary difficulties, and varicocele.

(5.) Haemorrhage from the lungs.

(6.) Irritable heart.

Now what shall be said of the sphere of action of a medicine useful in those conditions? Is it analogous in its action to JEsculus, Arnica, Aloes, Dioscorea, Hamamelis, Hydrastis, Ignatia, and Sulphur?

I feel inclined to say that its special action is on the portal system, and its connections. How else are we to account for its varied action. The question then arises, how does it act on this system of bloodvessels? With much hesitancy I will state that I believe its primary action is to contract the calibre of the 'portal veins. I am not sure but it has a similar action on all the bloodvessels, and even the heart.

Its common use by the country people, who use it as we use Arnica, and assert that it causes the rapid disappearance of extravasations, local congestions from injuries, etc., goes to show that it has a decided action on the capillary vessels. Again, its popularity in flatulent colic, indigestion, and diarrhoea, would go to show that it has a specific curative action in such cases. In Dr. Burt’s provings it caused severe griping in the hypogastrium, with flatulence and diarrhoea, bloody stools, also nausea and faint feelings. Decided bilious symptoms were evolved in his provings, and such irritation of the lower bowels as would lead to haemorrhoids and congestion of the pelvic viscera in general.

We see by this that it is capable of originating irritations which would lead to all the conditions of the bowels and pelvic viscera which it is said to have cured.

There is no doubt of its action on the urinary organs. It has cured disorders supposed to be due to gravel, catarrh of the bladder, and dropsy from deficient action of the kidneys.

It certainly acts on the organs of generation. Reports show its curative powers in prolapsus uteri, in dysmenorrhoea, in varicocele, pruritus, amenorrhoea, menorrhagia, vicarious menstruation, and threatened abortion.

But what is the keynote for its use in all these affections ? The pathological condition present I believe is passive congestion, and

the keynote is the presence of haemorrhoids. In other words, nearly all the troubles cured by Collinsonia, having their location below the diaphragm, are either dependent on the same conditions that caused the presence of haemorrhoids, or were due to the irritating effect of the piles on contiguous organs.

I also believe that these conditions are due to the secondary effects of the drug ; and that the colic, diarrhoea, bilious symptoms, nausea, etc., noted by Burt, are primary symptoms. For the former, appreciable doses have been found most efficacious ; for the latter, higher attenuations have been most effectual.

Let it be noted that a study of the testimony relative to its cures in various disorders goes to show that all the cases were associated with haemorrhoids. This is especially true of the constipation, uterine disorders, urinary difficulties, and even affections of the male genital organs.

The Collinsonia removes the congested state of the haemorrhoidal vessels, and the disorders of contiguous organs and tissues disappear.

But how are we to account for its cures of affections of the body above the diaphragm ? It has cured headache , haemoptysis, and irritable heart.

The headache we might safely assert was due to biliousness, or was that variety which precedes piles, or attends the suppression of their bleeding.

We might suppose its specific power over the bloodvessels of the lungs, and on the heart, was due to its power of contracting them, or giving tone to their muscular fibre. But there is one fact recorded by observers which may throw some light on the subject, namely: The haemoptysis supervened upon suppression of a haemorrhoidal flux, and the piles returned after the haemoptysis ceased !

In Dr. Liebold's case, however, the patient supposed he never had piles, but he was very constipated, and a bleeding from the rectum preceded the haemoptysis. The sputa was “ very tough, dark coagulae of blood, as large as a bean, enveloped in a viscid phlegm.”

Some cases of cardiac irritability are distinctly traceable to suppressed haemorrhoidal bleeding, or the non-appearance of habitual piles. This the Collinsonia has cured, but it also has cured irritable heart, when the general health of the patient appeared good.

It is somewhat singular that Burt experienced no heart-symptoms. Perhaps their absence was because he was not expecting them. I suspect that many of the symptoms of our Materia Medica have their origin in the power of expectation. It may have been because the heart-symptoms are always sequential, — i. e., must be preceded for some time by irritation or congestion of other organs.

I believe it acts on the heart in two ways — (1) by removing obstructions or irritations in the liver, portal system, or kidneys ; (2) by increasing its muscular tonicity, in the same manner that it increases the tone of the muscular fibres of the stomach, intestines and bloodvessels.

Varicosis, as a general disorder, may come under the curative sphere of Collinsonia. I would advise its use in such condition, when Hamamelis, Pulsatilla, and Sulphur fail. Its curative effects would seem to prove its affinity for varicose conditions. Piles are a kind of varicosis ; so is varicocele. Pruritus of the vulva in pregnant women has been cured by it. Now pruritus is often due to a varicose condition. Dr. Cushing’s case w~as one of varicosis evidently, for he makes no mention of aphthse, and he says the parts (vulva, etc.) were “dark red (purple?) and protruding.” Pruritus often precedes varicose veins of the leg, and the varicose ulcer.

I suspect it affects the venous side of the heart, in preference. But I do not think its exact field in cardiac disease is yet definable.

Dr. Fenner cures with Collinsonia cases which he calls “ irritation of the cardiac nerves , a functional disorder of the heart, with rapid, regular or irregular beating; pulse 130 to 140 per minute; the slightest motion or excitement aggravates the symptoms ; periodical spells of faintness and oppression ; attacks of syncope, with fulness of the chest, dyspnoea, and great prostration.”

It is said to be useful in valvular diseases, and some cases illustrating its value in disease of the mitral valve have been published. It allays the distressing cough attending some heart difficulties.

And with some physicians it is esteemed very highly for all hard, shaking coughs, with or without expectoration.

It is in haemorrhoids and their consequences or complications, however, that this drug has achieved its greatest triumphs. Drs. Carroll, Fowler, Holcombe, Lord, Barnes, Franklin, and Hughes all agree upon its great value in obstinate and chronic piles, bleeding or not, but always attended by constipation.

I am inclined to believe that its curative powers in disorders of the organs of generation of women (and men) depend almost wholly on the disorders of the rectum which it causes. Hr. Storer, of Boston, believes that a large proportion of uterine diseases depend on rectal disorders. Hr. Storer is doubtless correct in his estimate. In every case of uterine disorder, you should carefully inquire into the condition of the intestines, the bowels, and rectum. You will often find the cause therein, and you will very often find Collinsonia a remedy which will prove far more useful than the ordinary medicines prescribed in such cases. What Sepia is to chronic diseases, Collinsonia is to the acute.

CUCUEBITA PEPO SEMEN.

The seeds of the ordinary pumpkin have long had a reputation as a demulcent diuretic, for the relief of strangury and other urinary difficulties. The same may be said of the seeds of the watermelon, musk-melon, cucumber, and all that family.

But the pumpkin seed has a value which you would hardly expect from a seed so mild and edible. In fact, it is doubtful if they possess any actual medicinal properties as we understand it; for the seeds may be eaten in any quantity sufficient to satisfy hunger, with no other result than profuse urination.

The property I refer to is the power of the pumpkin seed to aid in the expulsion of tape-worms (teniae). I use the word to aid, for the reason that we are not certain that the effects of the seed alone would expel the worms or even poison them. It may do nothing more than gorge them to such repletion that they lose their power of adhesion to the intestine. In apparent contradiction to this supposition is the recorded assertion that the oil expressed