Spiranthes

autumnalis. Lady's Tresses. N. O. Orchidaceæ. Tincture of the root.

Clinical

Breasts, painful / Breath, putrid / Burns / Coryza / Dysparunia / Eczema / Hysteria / Kidneys, pain in / Lumbago / Milk, excessive / Skin, affections of / Vision, dimness of

Characteristics

The genus to which this orchid belongs received its name from the spiral arrangement of the flowers. The tuberous roots of Spir. autum. were "formerly esteemed as an aphrodisiac" (Treas. of Bot.). The tincture of the root was proved by Dr. Patti Chagon, Duc de Sorentino, who says of it: "The action of this drug begins with decided symptoms of inflammation of the eyes, chin, chest, which become red and hot; the whole skin is dry and hot; the hands are burning, the extremities of the feet are cold most of the time; there is a sensation of oppression and heat, with palpitation and a desire to uncover." This condition lasted two hours and gave place to others, including desire to meditate and complain, vertigo, pains in shoulders, ennui, loss of appetite. The last symptoms to appear are: pains in scalp, on vertex, distress in kidneys and intestinal troubles after eating. The secretions of urine and milk were first diminished, afterwards increased. The aphrodisiac property of Spiran. was shown in some of the symptoms of the proving, and this bears on the increased secretion of milk. A number of symptoms appear in the lower abdomen, and the globus hystericus rises from thence to œsophagus. Heat in lower abdomen; preceding eructations; caused by laughing. Among the Peculiar Symptoms are: cerebral troubles on bending or raising the arm. Sensation of a band tied round head. Sensation of a foreign body in throat. Coldness of teeth. Pulsation in arteries over whole body. Coldness of the affected part. Preference for lying on left side; or else on back. Pain followed by numbness. The symptoms are < by touch. < Bending or raising arm. < Raising breast. Laughing = heat in lower abdomen. Least emotion = palpitation. < Mental effort. > Lying on left side. > Lying on back. < Bending over (rheumatism of shoulders). < Stooping.

Relations

Compare: Botan., Cypr. Skin and mucous membranes, Ar. t. Desire for tight clothing; dryness of vagina, Nat. m. Pain followed by numbness, Gnaph.

1. Mind

Melancholy. Complaining and sobbing. Ill-humour. Confusion of ideas. Indolence and ennui.

2. Head

Vertigo: obliged to lean head against wall; on rising from bed; < sitting or lying. Heaviness and heat in brain. Brain troubles < bending or raising arm. Sensation of band tied about head. Weight on forehead. Pain in forehead and nasal bone. Pain in roots of hair. Hair falls out.

3. Eyes

Eyes brilliant; fixed. Pain in eyes on looking up. Burning in eyes and lachrymation. Heaviness of brows. Lids swollen. Eyes hot, inflamed. Vision: dim; obscured, with sleepiness; instantaneously lost; objects at a distance seem to move; on closing lids, sees wheels of fire.

4. Ears

Pain in l. auditory canal. Itching in ear, externally and internally.

5. Nose

Dry coryza. Epistaxis: in clots. Dripping of water from nose. Pain in (r.) nasal bones. Burning itching at root of nose. Itching of r. ala. Smell very acute.

6. Face

Face: swollen; red and hot; blackish; pale. Fixed, meditative expression. Burning in upper lip. Chin: red; pain in.

8. Mouth

Pain and elongation of teeth. Toothache only at night. Sensation of coldness in teeth. Gums red and burning. Numerous small excrescences on palate, which was bloody. Putrid odour from mouth. Irritation of sublingual glands. Taste: acid; sweetish, like nitre; bitter in morning. Salivation with dryness of mouth.

9. Throat

Globus rising from lower abdomen to œsophagus. Sensation of foreign body in throat. Incessant desire to clear throat, caused by a thick mucus. Tickling in throat, provoking cough. Burning in pit of throat. Irritation of tonsils. Sensation of acidity and burning in œsophagus. Incarceration of air in œsophagus. Pain on swallowing.

11. Stomach

Desire for acid food. Loss of appetite. Constant thirst. Regurgitations. Eructations: preceded by heat in lower abdomen and lancinations in colon; acid; bitter; difficult; empty. Nausea: after eating. Vomiting; of food after eating. Epigastrium: distended, intolerant of touch; painful after a meal, the pain corresponding to the pain in loins. Heat rising from stomach to head.

12. Abdomen

Pain: in liver; and spleen; on pressure. Intermittent pressure in umbilical region. Pain; weakness; tympanites; after a meal. Borborygmi. Desire to tighten clothes. Piercing, lancinating, insupportable pain in colon; on becoming erect. Laughing = heat in lower abdomen. Eruption in groin.

13. Stool and Anus

Burning and itching in anus < during evacuation. Stool preceded and followed by prickling and itching in anus. Diarrhœa or constipation; stools sour in children.

14. Urinary Organs

In kidneys: cramp-like pain at night, obliging change of position; burning; pain preventing stooping; < going up stairs, > lying on back; coldness and heat. In bladder: pain on urinating; pain and burning after waking. Urine: abundant; scanty; decomposes rapidly; deposits a gelatinous red sediment.

15. Male Sexual Organs

Erections, on waking; constant. Pricking pain in cords. Great desire for, or repugnance to, coition.

16. Female Sexual Organs

Redness of vulva with pruritus. Pressing pain in uterus. Bloody discharge from vagina. Yellowish leucorrhœa. Burning in vagina. Burning pain in vagina during coition. Dryness of vagina.

17. Respiratory Organs

Burning in larynx. Hacking cough, caused by tickling in larynx. Dry cough at night, with burning in throat. Dry cough. Respiration: difficult; short; panting on walking.

18. Chest

Sensation of dilatation of l. lung. Sensation of weakness of lungs. Pleuritic and intercostal pains, < l. side. Milk, abundant: more in l. breast. Pain in breast on raising it. Burning on tips of breasts, esp. l.

19. Heart

Pain in heart. Palpitation: with difficult respiration; from least emotional excitement. Pulse full and hard at beginning of proving, afterwards small and quiet.

20. Neck and Back

Cramp-like pain in neck at night compelling change of position. Lumbago preventing walking. Pain in centre of scapula. Pain in scapula, when standing, < walking.

21. Limbs

Trembling in limbs; weakness.

22. Upper Limbs

Shoulders: heavy pain in; boring in r., extending to r. breast and preventing breathing; pressure on and in chest; lancinations < bending over. Arms: trembling; weakness; numb and heavy (esp. r.); desire to stretch. Pain in forearms by the pulse; in r. pulse. Rigidity of muscles of forearm. Sudden pain in forearm followed by numbness. Hands: swollen, esp. r.; veins swollen; blackish; yellowish; red and perspiring; burning, numb. At night numbness of hand on which he rested cheek. Pressing pain in extremities.

23. Lower Limbs

Eruptions on nates; in groins; on thighs. Sciatic pain in limbs, esp. r. Drawing pain in r. limb. Knees: weak; pain in; pain in r. Pain in r. malleolus. Feet (esp. r.) swollen. Pain in heels.

24. Generalities

One appears intoxicated. Pulsations in arteries over whole body. Lies on l. side rather than r.

25. Skin

Dryness of skin. Whole skin red; red in spots. Jaundice. Yellow spots. Miliary rash. Eruption of red points on nates with itching and heat. Vesications as from a burn, with purulent secretion from the groin, and in folds of skin about neck. Pricking over whole body. Burning itching in l. cheek near mouth. Itching: in axillæ; in pubes; scrotum; forearms at night; backs of hands; tip of l. thumb.

26. Sleep

Incomplete, yawning. Sleeping during day. Starting up during sleep. Late falling asleep, evening. Sleeplessness in infants. Lascivious dreams with emissions.

27. Fever

Coldness, evening, esp. of hands. Alternations of cold and heat. Affected part colder than rest of body. Coldness of feet; and toes. Fever, followed by thirst. Fever at night, sweat in morning. Heat of whole skin; flushes of heat in head, followed by sensation of cold. Heat of head on waking. Heat and itching over head. Heat and redness; external ear. Heat of face, esp. r. side. Hands very hot. Sweat of palms.