Gratiola officinalis

Volume II — Main text

GRATIOLA .

Gratíola officinalis, L. Hedge hyssop. Nat. Ord., Scrophulariacea. I. Provings.-1. TRINKS. (No information.) Great ill-humour and desire for solitude (1st d.); fretful mood (do.); no desire to talk or move; earnest reflective mood; irresolution, no persistency in work; dizzy in head, he stands long looking at one spot, without thinking about it (soon); reeling gait ; drawing pain on 1. frontal protuberance (1st d.) ; pain as after a blow on 1. temporal bone, when touched (3 h.) ; pressure in eyeballs (2nd d.); creeping in ears (speedily); tensive feeling in face as if swollen (3rd d.) ; drawing pain over 1. eye ( h ) ; tearing in r. half of face; creeping and burning in r. zygoma, and 4 h. later in l.; heat of face and hands (1st h.) ; burning and creeping, with feeling of swelling in cheeks (1 h.); jerking, painful drawing in front of throat (12th, 13th d.) ; drawing in upper incisors ( 1 h.) ; creeping on gums; accumulation of saliva in mouth ; creeping sensation in fauces; urging to eructate, which changes to qualmishness ( 5 m.) ; eructations several times during Ist hours ; hunger, but want of appetite ( 1st d.) ; qualmishness, a.m., which is relieved by eructations (Ist d.); food causes slight pressure in gastric region, and fulness, lasting several d.; after a late supper, in early m. while in bed, some gastralgia ; digging in region of stomach ; sudden urging to vomit, with shivering on scalp (soon); pressure in scrob. cordis (soon), also after eating (2nd, 3rd d.); pressure in pit of stomach as from a stone moving here and there with cramp-like drawings extending into chest, accompanied by frequent qualmishness and eructation, lasting several d., and always worse after eating (4th d.); tensive stitches inepigastrium,with nausea and occasional eructation, e. (1st d.) ; while walking, dull stitches in epigas. trium, especially during inspiration (4th d.) ; cutting at epigastrium ( h.) ; an h . after an ordinary meal, gnawing in scrob. cordis as from hunger, which goes off after eating again, but soon returns ; pain under short ribs on 1. side, after dinner ; dull stitches under short ribs during dinner, intermitting (4th d.) ; same, r. side, e. (3rdd.); same on 1. side (2nd and 3rd d.) ; griping about navel, after food (2nd d.) ; griping in abdomen, e., for several d.; after food griping in belly, and soon thereafter urging to stool without evacuation; griping after food, especially m. and e., for several d. (from 2nd d.); cutting pain in belly, while sitting (6 h.) ; borborygmi after dinner (Ist d.) ; hard stool, some h. later every d., often preceded by urging (2nd to 12th d.) ; after long urging to stool a hard evacuation,for several d.; after frequent urging to stool and rumbling, as if diarrhea would ensue, a hard evacuation requiring pressure; in early m., after great straining, a scanty firm-formed stool (2nd d.); evacuations for first weeks hard and tardy, then softer and (as usual) twice daily; a thin, pappy, yellow stool ; urine is scanty and reddish, cloudy on standing; drawing pain inglans penis ; violent stitches from the spermatic cord through abdomen to chest. Oppression of chest and increased action of heart ( 1 h.) ; stronger and quicker action ofheart (1st d.) ; dull digging pain in r. ischium, e. (1st d.) ; crampy drawing in under part of 1, upper arm, also at several spots in hands (1st d.); tearing drawing pain in arms, especially 1. elbow and wrist (2nd and 3rd d.) ; tearing throbbing pain in l. elbow (3rd d.), also in 1. wrist (6th d.) ; paralytic feeling in 1. arm, e. (1st d.); bruised pain in loins; after a slight walk, bruised pain in thighs (2nd d.); tetanic conditionwith clear consciousness, while lying p.m., after deep sleep, in which an emission had occurred,-on waking, bruised pain in whole body, especially back and l. arm (1st d.) ; great relaxation of body and mind (1st d.); early in bed feels as if beaten, better after getting up, but confused in head (4th d.); heaviness in arms and thighs, when moving; yawning and relaxation of body, with desire to lie down (1st d.); profound stupefied sleep, on waking dazed in head; chill with cold hands, which returns several times during d. (3 h.); chill and shivering,

especially along back, with quite cold hands, a.m. (1st d.) ; shivering over head, e. (1st d.); increased warmth in hands (soon after ingestion). (HARTLAUB and TRINKS , Arzneimittellehre, ii.) 2. NENNING. Fretful or hilarious mood ; speedy but transient vertigo; feeling as if brain was contracted and head would become smaller, with general sick feeling, going off in open air (sh. ) ; sudden sensation inwhole head, while sitting, as if someone let go a steel spring which had been made very tense, and which vibrated and hummed for some time,so that hearing and sight vanished, though consciousness was not lost,-attack lasted 2 m. (2nd d.) ; feeling in middle of forehead as if a hair hung down, which he constantly wanted to wipe away (2 h.); frequent sudden burning in 1. frontal eminence, as if one suddenly approached with a red-hot iron ; boring and tearing in temples, p.m. and at n. , only a little next m.,-the most violent pain lasts only h., aggravation from cold or warmth, and temples become very sensitive from the pain; long-lasting accumulation of saliva in mouth ( h.) ; stitches in 1. false ribs, now stronger, now weaker, often completely intermitting, in m. on rising, after stool and after dinner (2nd d.) ; pinchings and drawings onboth sides of hypogastrium up to chest, then stitches over navel and in-drawings there, very painful (3 h.); first usual stool, then violent fluid evacuation with pains in belly, then urging,soon after stool pains in bellyagain, and another fluid evacuation (6 p.m.); catamenia 8 d. too early, and last 2 d. longer than usual. Heat in chest over scrob. cordis, then in head, with redness of face and hands, but with only ordinary warmth of surface ; itching of skin at various points. (Ibid.) 3. Dr. HERRMANN, æt. 39, sanguine temp., good health, save for drawing pains in occiput from time to time, which did not occur during proving. From 1-3 dr. of tinct. experienced no effect. From 5-24 dr. noticed following symptoms:-Vertigo, to staggering, in m. after rising, for some h.; pressure in te temples, of short duration ; pressure and itching in corners of eyes, with inflammation of conjunctiva; lids gummed together with dry pus, most in angles; inflammation of gum near a hollow tooth; hawking ofmuch mucus in m.;tongue thickly coated,yet natural taste offood, and augmented appetite during whole time of proving ; borborygmi and pinchings in abdomen after each dose; stomach-ache with transient nausea; fulness of abdomen and emission of malodorous flatus; itching at anus ; great urgency to stool, as if diarrhea would come on,-stools nevertheless very hard ; pappy stool,twice in d., followed next d. by constipation; burning in urethra while urinating ; pressure in 1. side of chest, when breathing while stooping. From 20 dr., paralyticdrawing in thighs, as far as knees ; frequent yawning and desire to sleep during d.; great chilliness. (Archiv, xvii, 2, 165.) 4. B-, man of 31, choleric-sanguine temp., in strong health. From 1-12 dr., -dazedness , pressure on r. forehead; continued itching in eyelashes ; much borborygmus in abdomen ; itching in anus and many urgings to stool, which is sometimes hard, sometimes liquid ; drawing and tearing in neck, r. side ; rheumatic drawing in shoulders ; drawing in arms and tearing in all joints ; weakness in legs ; much yawning and great fatigue ; skin ofwhole body moist. (Ibid.) 5. Dr. KRATZENSTEIN. From 2-4dr. of tinct, observing nothing save isolated symptoms, took it later in doses of 20 dr. twice daily. From these :-Violent ru h of blood to head, with beating in forehead,which increased to vertigo with obscuration of vision, which movement-especially that of a carriage-carried even to loss of consciousness, and which did not cease till after a sleep of some h. Indisposition to any mental exertion. Tearing in eyes, with formation ofmucus on lids, especially at internal angles; in reading or looking at illuminated objects, momentary loss of sight, which disappeared after closing eyes, but returned incessantly ; on reopening eyes all objects appeared white, even verdure of trees and grass. Itching as of insects crawling or cobwebs trailing along face, especially violent on lower jaw, and compelling scratching, after which small pustules form, ending not in crusts but in desquamation . Much accumulation of saliva, he ejects mouthfuls of clear water. Indescribable feeling of malaise in throat, which obliges continual swallowing, and this is difficult, as if throat were constricted ; food and drink, nevertheless, are swallowed freely ; eructations ease the feeling, especially when he can bring up some bitter fluid, but it returns after some h. In stomach, especially some h. after food, twisting and digging, with

• See Acidum hydrocyanicum, i, 26 (vol. i, p. 30) . VOL. II . 40

distension of epigastric region, so as to need loosing of clothes, and exciting eructations and even retching, which brings up nothing but bitter mucus. Violent shoots in hypochondria, with fulness and sense of distension, eased by escape of flatus or by stool; bellyache, as in diarrhea from chill, with twisting and digging, relieved by bending forward and resting. Frequent stools, with burning and pressing, and protrusion of large excrescences, which-on their return within anus and even per secausedarting pain ; a fetid mucus escapes, brown and acrid, without fæcal matter; irri. tation in anus continues, and after repeated efforts there follows a mass of semifluid fæces, dark brown, mixed with mucus, very fetid ; a final effort expels white mucus, like white ofegg, and appeases the rectal irritation andthe pain in r.hypochondrium and abdomen. Mucus in urine, floating cloud on standing; after micturition, burning all along urethra. Violent beating of heart, felt all through body, but only lasting a few seconds, especially strong after stool. Small pulse,intermitting several times after the palpitations. Ill-humour; all contradiction excites him; passion ; disgust for life, with uneasiness about his health. (Ibid.) 6. Dr. MUEHLENBEIN , æt. 74. Well, save some fulness at stomach remaining from an attack ofdiarrhea. May 22nd, 1838, at 6 a.m., took 10 dr. in a teaspoonful of water (abstaining throughout proving from tobacco, tea, coffee, and wine). No symptoms. 23rd.-20 dr. at 5 a.m. At 7.30, pulse, usually 73-80, is 62. From 10.30-12, while visiting patients, sense of lassitude and trembling in hands, making itdifficult towrite (a feeling, however, not unknown to him). 24th. -Rose at 6 ; found urine cloudy, with brick-dust sediment, as it often is with him when he has been indisposed ; took 30 dr. While taking it, and during d., darting, cutting, disagreeable pain in velum palati, near uvula, on r. side, with a kind of stiffness, so that swallowing was difficult and painful. Urine still sedimentous. 25th.-35 dr.; no return ofpain in throat or other symptoms. 26th.-50 dr. A little somnolence and yawning in forenoon, and slight lassitude and trembling while visiting between 11 and 2. 28th.-50 dr. , without appreciable effect. (Ibid.) 7. H-, æt. 30, blind from cataract, but otherwise robust, took tinct.; March 20th- 26th , 1838, 1 dr. every e., 27th-April 15th, 3 dr., 16th- 23rd, 6 dr., from 24th, 10 dr. On April 27th he informed Dr. Muhlenbein that he felt excited after each dose, and could not sleep in early n.; he began to perspire all over, and to experience frequent urging to micturate, and pulsations, especially in head, during which pulse was very rapid. He was advised to suspend medicine for 2 d. Next n., however, he only slept for 3 h. towards m., and perspired much ; and on following one, though there was no sweat, sleep was deficient. On the 3rd d. he took much exercise, and then slept well and had no more sweats. From 4th to 6th d. took remainder of drug, without feeling any effect. While in former state, he thought he noticed some intermittence of pulse and pressure at heart. On May 9th began to prove mixture of 20 dr. of tinct. in zj of alcohol, taking every second e. 20 dr.; but experienced nothing. June 11th.-Began to take powdered G., 10 gr. every other n. After Ist dose, in h. nausea and flow of water into mouth, lasting 1 h., after which he slept; on following m. 2 diarrheic stools, with pinchings in belly; duringd., well. 14th.-Took 10 gr. with same immediate results, though less than on former occasion. Good sleep at n., but next m, a soft, and at noon a semifluid stool of fetid odour. He took a third powder on 17th. Towards noon next d., slight diarrhea. On 19th, e., another powder, with little effect. 22nd.-Took in e. Эj in powder. After 1 h., great malaise, flow of water into mouth without vomiting, but with desire thereto. At 4 a.m. , colic ; at 9, two semifluid stools. During the colic, some flatulence, whose emission eased pain. He complained of pains in loins, possibly resulting from fatigue; and had pressure in thighs on mounting stairs, 26th.-About 6.30 a.m., took Эj. Flow of water into mouth; towards 7, great malaise, nausea, frequent but unsuccessful urgings to vomit. Some food at 9 caused all nausea to disappear for an h.; it then returned , was again appeased by soup at noon, but persisted in less degree till e. He had two liquid stools about noon, and one more at 4 p.m. (Ibid.) 8. Dr. C. G. F. MUEHLENBEIN, æt. 29. May 22nd, at 6 a.m., 10 dr. of tinct. After dinner, 2 loose stools. 23rd.-At 6 a.m., 20 dr. After h. borborygmi and agitation in stomach,scanty stool with slight pains inbelly. Borborygmi, &c., increased after breakfast at 8. In r. flank pain as if he were constantly and strongly drawn to opposite side. From 3 p.m. continued pinchings, drawings, and borborygmi in abdomen, with frequent urging to stool andembarrassment of head. Towards 10.30,

copious stool, with transient gripings. 24th.-Free perspiration towards m. At 6 a.m. 20 dr. , with same local effects ; urine dark reddish-yellow, with brick-dust sediment (not uncommon with him). Pulse at 8 a.m. rather stronger than usual. No stool. 25th.-On waking this m. extraordinary lassitude and somnolence. At 6, 30 dr., with usual abdominal disturbance, and from to a.m. till e. pressive headache with heat of forehead ; also all d. languor and tired feeling in legs and arms. 26th.- At 7 a.m. 40 dr., with same effect as yesterday. 27th.-50 dr. , which caused also burning and dryness of palate for h. 28th.-Pressive frontal headache continued till noon. 29th .-60 dr., with no fresh results. (Ibid.) 9. Dr. NICOL. From doses of 3-6 dr. of tinct. repeated every 3 d. for 4 weeks, experienced following symptoms:-Frequent sense of cold on vertex, sometimes painful, which on covering head soon passes into heat ; after each meal almost irresistible sleepiness,with feeling of general weakness; woke earlyin m. with painful sensation in occiput, going off on rising or on lying prone ; often unable to get to sleep if he sits up later than usual; at times slight attacks of vertigo, especially while walking fast ; an indescribablepainin two hollow canine teeth on exposure to anything cold; frequent accumulation of water in mouth, especially while fasting and on drinking cold water ; after each meal (3 h.), but especially dinner, extraordinary sense of fulness at stomach, lasting for hours,but dissipated promptly by eating a piece ofbread; dull pain frequently in l. lumbar region, especially while walking,easedby external pressure; during first 14 d., at times in m. distension of abdomen, colic,with pale face and nausea, going off after a copious semi-liquid stool with fetid flatus. (Ibid.) 10. Wife of above took G. for 14 d. After supper, painful embarrassment of head, which went off after breakfast, but recurred frequently ; great susceptibility of head to cold; every morning for 4-5 weeks, swelling of upper lip, going off after some h.; painfulness of all teeth, especially on touching them or taking cold things (for a long time) ; a sort of cramp in chest,-feeling as if it were constricted, most between scapulæ and under sternum, relieved by eructation (once only). After 20 dr. at one dose, heat in stomach, then feeling of coldness and pressure, with nausea ; after some h. 2 semi-liquid stools, which removed all discomfort. (Ibid.) 11. Dr. SPAMANN. First d. , 5 dr. of tinct. Scratching in throat soon after ingestion. 2nd d., 10 dr. Same, with short-lasting nausea; tearing and cutting about umbilicus. 3rd d., 15 dr., with similar results ; loose stool. 4th d., 15 dr. Scratching in throat; transient pressure in r. chest, slight nausea, gurgling in abdomen, 3 watery stools, momentary tearing in flexors of arm and elsewhere (this recurred at times for some d.). (Ibid.) 12. Dr. STERNHEIM. May 2nd, took 10 dr. in m. After 2 or 3 h., pinching in belly, eructations ; after dinner, much flatulence; next d. cold and shivery, disposed to sleep. sleep. On m. of 8th, repeated dose. Frequent pinchings and eructations; in e., escape of blood after stool, with urging. 9th.-Pinchings and eructations continue ; shivering down back. 10th .-Ulcerative pain in r. hand and l. foot ; chill repeated. 21st.-15 dr. After h. deep pinchings in abdomen, rumbling in belly and frequent empty eructations. From 22nd to 25th, considerable weariness. June 2nd.- 20 dr. After 1 h., pressing and pinching in belly; pressive pain in eyes after 3 h. , which recurs during d. Nothing more after this d. (Ibid.) 13. LEMBKE took, April 24th, 7 a.m., 10 dr. tinct. At 3 p.m. a liquid, dark stool. 7 p.m., a smaller, liquid dark stool, with much straining.-25th. Normal stool, and the following d. the same.-30th, 8 a.m., 20 dr. Several times severeboring bo pain in both ankle-joints and in knees, when sitting. 7 p.m., repeated scraping in larynx and fits of dry cough. No stool. Scanty urine.-May 1st. Firm stool. 9 a.m., 30 dr. During d. very severe boring in ankle-joints. No stool. E.,boring in tibiæ.- 2nd, m., hard stool.- 3rd, 8 a.m. , 50 dr. At I p.m. copious, soft, dark stool without griping, with flatus. Boring pain in tibiæ, e.-5th, 11 p.m., 50 dr. Slept well.-6th, 9 a.m., dark, soft, copious stool. 7 p.m., when sitting, severe drawing in both thighs down to knees and feet, like pains of fatigue. No more symptoms. (N. Zeitsch.f. h. Kl., xvii , 97.) II. Poisonings.-1 . A young scrofulous woman, who had taken with advantage for some time a mixture of G. and digitalis, added thereto an enema of decoction of former. The first brought away much thick glairy matter ; the second, in addition, caused intolerable itching of the parts; the third caused evacuation ofmatters like the

scrapings of intestine, and much increased the pruritus; nevertheless, next d. a fourth enema was taken, which produced sharp cuttings and abundant evacuations, followed by palpitation and at length a shocking nymphomania, with all the delirium which usually accompanies this condition. It took 3 weeks of bleedings, baths, diluents and demulcents, and counter-irritation from a distance, to restore calm. After recovery, patient felt such shame at what had passed that she drowned herself. (BOUVIER, Gaz. de Santé, 1816.) 2. Similar accidents occurred in a young woman for whom such lavements had been prescribed by a herbalist to remove " obstructions." She had to be sent to Charenton, and could not be let out for 2 m. (Ibid.) 3. A third lady, who used same measures for a persistent quotidian, lost (after 2 enemas) her fever, but became permanently nymphomaniac, so as to compel her husband to separate from her. (Ibid.) 4. A young woman of 24 took, for weight in renal region, a single enema made with ahandful ofG., retaining it forth. She then had copious evacuations, vomiting, a fainting fit, and at length a complete nymphomania, for which she had to be confined, but from which she soon recovered. (Ibid.)