Sarracenia purpurea

Volume IV — Main text

Sarracenia pwpurta, L. Huntsman's cup, pitcher plant. Nat. Ord., Sarractniacctc.

I. Pnwngi. — I. Dr. Porcher proved (1847) dried root, which had been rolled into pills of 3 gr. each. Of these he took 60 between 10 and ^ p.m., upon a compantiveljr empty stomach. It caused freouent and copious emission of urine, which was limpid and colourless. There was, after an h., feeling of emptiness in stomach ; and after going to bed ascending and descending colon felt as it in rolling motion, with much borborygmus. There was tenderness of epigastrium on pressure ; also feeling of congestion about head, and irregularity of heart's action, lasting several d. Sleep that n. was much disturbed ; pulse next m. 100. Appetite on following d. was unusually active, but there was pain in stomach as after inflammation, or like that felt in muscles after a limb has been overtaxed. (Dr. Porcher had previously taken 140 gr. of the fresh root, with very similar effects.) (Hale, Nivi Rtmedies, «nd ed.)

s. a. Dr. T. C. Duncan, Sept. 11, 1866, took Jss of cold infusion (i to 10). Full feeling through head, just above ears j slight soreness of whole pectoralis major, and pain running up r. trapezius, with wave-lilce motion ; heat in r. lumbar region ; pulse 70, full; bloated feeling about umbilicus, izth. — Pulse 76 on waking; pain in 1. eye, as if congested, for lo m.; dull heavy feeling in forehead for about a h., causing great depression of spirits; pain, also wave-like motion, in femoral muscles; sticking pains in ears, transient, but ohca recurring; a strange lameness in lower third of femur. 3 p.m., bone.pains in tibia and fibula, intermittent, with constant soreness on pressure, which at 4 was felt also for ^ h. in frontal bone. 6, face feels hot ; paroxysms of pain in r. shoulder-joint ; pain in 1. carpus and tarsus. 9, pulse 68 ; hands feel hot ; warm all over, but fresh air makes him very chilly, and increases the bone-pains. 13th. — Awoke at 3 p.m. with urging to tirinate, — urine already beginning to dribble, from fulness of bladder ; felt hot and feverish, lips and mouth parched, head dull and heavy ; pain and soreness in sacrum ; bone-pains in arms. Woke again at 7.30 from very unrefreshing sleep feeling very feverish ; pulse 80, small; sore all over, especially deep in bones; dull heavy headache, especially frontal ; eyes felt swollen and sore ; dulness of mind ; much flatus, z p.m., very chilly in open air, feet and hands cold ; head hot and sore, with full feeling ; pain in back, very perceptible on ascending stairs ; knees feel weak, arms and back tired and sore all over ; disinclination to do anything, wants to lie down all the time ; losing appetite. 6, a good deal of pain in back, deep-seated ; brain very dull and memory poor ; pain in angle of ribs, for ^ h. ; pain in nip-joints, felt most when standing up after lying. 14th. — Nf. better, he feels clearer and more buoyant ; bone-pains still present in some degree; soreness at back of r. orbit for about 10 m. 15th. — Some djrsenteric diarrhoea, with a good deal of tenesmus ; took a dose of podophyllum, which quieted it. 17th. — Appetite extragood since 14th. Symptoms had gradually grown less, and to-day he felt quite well,

b. On 1 7th, D — took Jj of decoction and Jj of tinct.,* p.m. 1 8th. — Woke with dry mouth. At noon, some pains in condyles of femur ; 3 p.m., aching sore pain in 1. humerus ; 9, warm sensation passing up back into head ; pain in r. patella and metatarsal bones ; some frontal headache ; urine scanty, sp. gr. 1026 ; pulse 64, fall. 19th. — Awoke in a fright ; head hot and aching, a dull heavy feeling ; tongue dry; skin feels hot and dry; pulse 68, small ; soreness in all bones of extremities. la m., mind despondent ; headache continues; pains in hip-joints ; transient pains in bowels ; coldness of extremities when idle or still ; head and body warm ; appetite poor; bones of both arms ache; dull heavy soreness in all bones; pulse 61, very small. Urine still scanty, sp. gr. 1024. aoth. — Tired and unrefreshed on waking; head dull, aching at coronal region; tongue coated browni$h*white, mouth dry; urine acid, clear and pale, still scanty. 21st. — But little pain this m. ; urine normal. (find.)

1. a. C. Thomas, set. 17, in good health, took, June i8th, 1866, 10 dr. of same tinct. twice in d. without effect. 19th. — Took 4 such doses. Slight palpitation

• Tinct, was prepared by macerating dried root in alcohol for four weeks.

a.m. 2oth.— Awoke at s a.m. (usual h.) unrefreshcd ; by 7 this sense of wearineM had passed off. Borborygmus and some pain in boweU, with constipation ; sliglit headache, Took 10 dr. again 4 times thii d. list. — Woke at 4 feeling quite uarefrcshcd, though he had slept soundly ; after being up an h. or two, felt better. Pulse, 68 on 2nd d., now 71; urine scanty, limpid, 1015; constipation continue*. Took this d. 1 doses of 10 dr. each and 2 of 10 dr. amd. — Awoke at 4.,50 feeling as yesterday; all symptoms in statu quo; pulse 74., urine 1028. Took + do4« thU d. of 25 dr. each. ijrd. — Awoke at 5 as before; urine copious and a little cloudy (from mucus), 1030; pulse 78. Severe headache p.m. for about 2 b. Doses were taken as yesterday, and same were repeated up to 26th inclusive. 24th. — Waking as before ; pulse 78, strong ; urine 1030, conoition as yesterday j bowels moved to. day, first time since proving began, stool very hard, dark and covered with mucus. 25th, — Symptoms same in every respect; pulse 79; urine 1034; borborygmus 4 Sensation of dryness in mouth and throat, not relieved by drinking. 26th and 27th.^ Same waking; urine 1030; pulse 78-9. 18th. — Another stool; urine 1025, pulse 76; feeling much better. 29th. — Feeling well; pulse 70, urine 1020 ; bowels moved. July ind. — Well in every respect; pulse 68, urine 1019, bowels regular, sleep refreshing.

b. In July proved cold infusion (as II, a). On ist d. rook 15 dr, twice, and on 2nd d. <;ame every 2 h., without effect. 3rd d. — Feeling unrefrcshed, though sleep was iound. This d. and the two following; took 20 dr. every 2 h. Lassitude all d. 4th d. — Sleep still unrefrekhing, and very clrcamful. Took 30 dr. every 1 h. Lassi. tudc pers-ists, general malaise; bowels freely opened to-day for first time. 5fh d.'^ Still keling dull and heavy ; headache for an h. ; free perspiration ; difficulty in concentrating attention ; forgetfulness. 6th d. — No new symptoms. 7th d. — Took 50 dr. every 2 h. Slight headache ; felt very unfit for work and study. On 8ih d, took 60 dr. everv 2 h. and on 9th d. 75 dr. Same feelings, with little appetite. No stool from 4th till loth d,,when it was copious, dark and foetid. From iithd. began to feel much better, and by 15th d. was quite well. {Ib'iJ.)

1. Dr. G. H, Bute gives following symptoms as results of a partial proving :— want of memory ; dull feeling in head, as if stunned or stupefied, or as if benumbed ; soon after taking drug headache and want of recollection, with numbness of arms and weakness of lower limbs on going upstairs, then sudden shock through head like an electric shock, after which senses feel as if paralysed ; t2 h, after taking drug sudden " stroke " from r. side of head downwards to r. shoulder, and subsequent feeling of crawling, weakness and numbness in r. shoulder and arm ; pain in forehead, with stitches over eyes; dull pain at back of head, e. in bed,; by drawing jaw towards 1. side, feeling arises as if air streamed into I. ear, with whistling therein ; feeling of pressing inward at pit of throat, accompanied by headache; just after taking drug, cramp-like pressure about lower cesopnagiis, as if it remained sticking there; pain in umbilical region; menses came on at once, prematurely; bruise-like pain of muscles and bones of chest; pain extending from 1. shoulder downward to lower ribs; numb feeling in muscles of arms and hands ; gnawing pain in bones of same ; itching stitches on r, shin-bone; general feeling of being unwell, which causes restlessness; in sleep he dreams he hears music, and thereupon awakens and .'till seems to hear it. {HaJ/ti. MantJilyy ii, 424.)

2. Dr. Oehme took a few dr. of i* dil, several times a d. for a few d. Frequent sensation of considerable pressure in stomach, l3,sting once for several h, ; sense o( fulness in abdomen, with slight pain in various parts, a.s if from flatus; frequent sensation Just above inguinal ring as if hernia would protrude (he had an incomplete inguinal hernia, which however had never given him any inconvenience) ; sensation in anus as if stool would come. Same symptoms appeared during a proving of znd dil,, made soon after the other ; bowels also were irregular and costive. A week later, he took 3rd dil, in same manner as ist, and same symptoms recurred ; also disagreeable sensation in anus as if it were stopped up with a plug, or filled with wind. A proving 10 years later yielded similar results, {Ibid., xi, 535.)

3. Dr. CiGLiANO obtained following effects from provings, but their manner and subjects are not stated :

Alternate apathy and intellectual activity, with heaviness of head ; pressive pain in orbits, so that he could not keep head erect ; bad taste, with loss of appetite ; con. stipation for 10 d., faeces hard and voKiminuus when they do appear; pains in yd

and 4tb ribs, with great apprehension of heart disease (lasting for about 3 mos. after suspension of drug) j fixed pains in small of back (rachialgia) j pains in diaphyses of all long bones, especially of humerus j wandering pains ; exacerbation of all symptoms in stormy weather, about midnight and at j p.m., amelioration in fresh air and out of bed ; eruptions similar to crusta lactea, on forehead and hands papular eruptions changing to vesicular, with the depression as in smallpox (lasting 7 — 8 d.) ; sleeplesS' ness i sleepy in daytime, sleep disturbed by strange and fright^l dreams ; hornpilations between shoulder-blades, p.m. or e. ; chills, heat and sweat, at 5 p.m. (in a lady). {II Dinamico, 18 71.)