Senecio aureus

Volume IV — Main text

Senecit atareut, L. {S. graatis is only a variety of this.) Life-root, golden ragwort, squaw.weed. Nat. Ord., Composite.

1. Prowngs. — I. Dr. Small proved tinct. of dried herb on a healthy young man of 22. He gave 40 dr. early in m. without effect. On repeating dose at noon chilliness came on, vrith heat, especially in forehead, also dryness of nostrils, dull stupefying headache, and inclination to sneeze. In e. perspiration on forehead and lubrication of nostrils } dryness of mouth and fauces ; lips hot, breath feverish ; tongue dry and slightly coated ; uneasiness about stomach, nausea, loss of appetite ; rumbling of wind in abdomen, and sensation as if bowels would move. Dose was repeated at bedtime, and followed by restlessness and wakefulness, with pain in back and loins. Copious diarrhoea in m., attended with great debility and prostration, and severe pain in small of back ; copious flow of urine tinged with blood ; urging to urinate, with tenesmus of bladder. After fresh dose in m. face was pale and looked depressed ; he breathed as if fatigued ; there was inclination to lie down, great weariness and general malaise, disposition to perspire ; he was easily chilled, and chilliness was followed by urging to micturate, urine tinged with blood ; also weariness of lower extremities and rheumatic pains in joints. {U. St. Med. and Surg. Journ.^ i, 151.)

2. Dr. Small himself, stout and robust, took 60 dr. m. and again p.m. without efiect. After repeating dose on retiring, was restless up to midnight ; head uncomfortably full ; urinated several times during n. ; copious warm perspiration towards m. ; dryness of mouth and throat. In m., urine was found void of sediment and inodorous. Dose repeated in m. Chilliness before noon, followed by fever and perspiration, with moderate thirst ; nausea and weariness for several h. ; slight urging to micturate, with uncomfortable heat in neck of bladder and slight pains in renal region. Passed urine frequently for next 24 h. i^Ibid.)

3. a. Dr. W. G. Jones proved tinct. in 1865. Nov. 25th, took 10 dr. at bedtime, and same dose 4 times daily till e. of 30th, when he took a teaspoonful. Till then nothing had been noticed save once a smarting pain in 1. groin^ and on 28th and 29th scantier urine than usual. On e. of 30th some colic and watery diarrhoea. Dec. ist. — Took a teaspoonful in m. and at noon. Feverish p.m., and griping relieved by thin watery stool in e. and at n. 2nd. — No medicine. Colic and diarrhoea ii\, with fever p.m. 4th. — Began medicine again at noon, taking 10 dr. before each meal and at n. Again colic and watery stool. 5th. — Same doses. Besides above symptoms sense of fulness in nostrils ; sharp pain in diaphragm ; much flatulence ; sometimes elated, sometimes depressed. 6th. — Took 15 dr. doses in same way. Dull heavy pain in 1. spermatic cord, moving on to fcsticle. All yesterday's symptoms, and at n. many vivid dreams and

/''equent waking. 7tn. — Medicine as yesterday. Same symptoms, aha tenderness in front of 1. ear ; and, p.m., sense as of ball in

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stomach rising up into throat. 8ih. — Took 5 doses of 25 dr. cac Sharp lancinating pain in lumbar region ; dizziness, coming on su denly while walking, so that he nearly fell on his face, like a wa from occiput to sinciput; frequent yawning and shivering, a.m. ; urini excessive, and so also secretion in nostrils and trachea, frequent hawlo ing of white transparent mucus ; darting lancinating pain in 1. face nausea ; frequent waking at n. and drowsiness all d. ; spirits variable before. Prostate gland enlarged ; feels hard and swollen to touc For past few d. has often felt very tired, too tired to move, for a few 9th.— Stool contained blood, and there was tenesmus with it. Tcci very tender. Took 100 dr. in 3 doses. 10th. — Teeth still tendei Giddy attack as before. No medicine. i6th. — Teeth still tender giddiness and nausea daily till to-day. Cuticle has been dry and nail brittle since commencement of proving.

b. Dec. 24th. — Took 10 dr. 3 limes. Abundant secretion in nw trils and trachea ; frequent hawking of white transparent mucus ; grea lassitude in e. 25th. — Same doses. Catarrh ; flatulence with colic chilly and sensitive to cold air. 26th. — Same doses and symptoms with sadness most of d., great languor, giddiness, thirst and feverish ness. 27th. — Took 10 dr. 4 times. Pain in forehead shooting from within outward ; increased flow of urine; sadness ; nervous trembling; stitches in hypochondria ; restless sleep, with vivid dreams. 28th.— Same duses. Trembling; giddiness; catarrh and sensitiveness to col as before ; n. the same.

c. 30th. — Feeling well again, took a teaspoonful on retiring. 31s — Many dreams, intellectually vivid. M., on rising, nausea an yawning ; smarting about fossa navicularis before urinating. Took ; teaspoonful doses to-day, before meals. Hoarseness; sense of fulnc! in nostrils; sensitiveness to cold ; slight dizziness; sense of sme acute ; lips and gums pale ; pain, dull in L lumbar, sharp in epigastrij region. About 4 p.m. sharp pain shooting down sciatic for a few Urine only 24 oz., and high-coloured. Jan. isi. — Dreams indistin Nausea on rising ; dizziness on going into open air. Took teaspoonfi m. and e. Stool of hard lumps mi.ved with yellow mucus ; uri 20 oz., high-coloured. Outward-pressing temporal headache. 2nd No medicine. Pain before m. stool, centring at umbilicus an radiating in ail directions. About noon sharp shifting stitches groins, lower jaw, shoulders, forearms and temples, lasting till dinner also tightness in throat, which he tried to relieve by swallowing occasional nausea and giddiness; yawning; sensitiveness to col About middle of afternoon return of flying stitches, with a quasi-^oh hystericus. E., very meditative and somewhat gloomy ; shai pain in I. eye from within outward, lachrymation on going \n\ open air; general lassitude; thirst. Urine 20 oz., high, thoug he had drunk much water. 3rd. — Restless halfsleep, with constat excited dreaming. Colic in m. and e., and occasional giddiness duriti d. The shifting shoots of pain were felt again. He had stools n and e., thinner than usual ; urine 8 oz, only, high. Inability to H mind on anything ; sadness and despondency in e, 4th, — N.quictei Symptoms as yesterday, with some nasal and tracheal catarrh, grej

languor, tired feeling in loins, thirst p.m. and e. ; urine 12 oz., high, sp. gr. 1035. 5th. — Many dreams. M., eructations of sour gas. Took 10 dr. on rising. Still lumbar fatigue ; frontal headache, pressing outwards. 6th. — Many pleasant dreams. Sour eructations ; sharp shooting, from within outwards, in eyes and forehead, also in 1. shoulder. Giddiness, with sensation as if brain was so strongly pressing forward that it was hard work to stand up. Urine 12 oz., high, 1030. 7th. — Symptoms as 2nd — 4th. Urine 10 oz., 1038. 8th. — Sharp cutting pains in various parts of head and face, and some of the old symptoms. He took no more medicine. By I ith urine had become of normal quantity, but sp. gr. continued high. Other symptoms gradually passed off, but he was occasionally reminded of them (especially the shooting pains, giddiness, lassitude and sadness) up to 22nd. (Hale, New KtmedUsy 2nd ed.)