Aletris farinosa

Volume I — Special Symptomatology

(Star Grass, or False Unicorn.)

Botakical Description. — Root, perennial, small, black outside, brown inside, branched, crooked. Root leaves, from six to twelve, spreading on the ground like a star, but all unequal in size, sessile, lanceolate, entire, very smooth, thin and translucent, with many longitudinal veins, very sharp at the end. They are of a pale green or glaucous, and bleach in winter, or by drying. The longest are four inches. Stem, from one to two feet high, very simple and upright, scapiform or nearly naked, with remote scales, whitish and pressed, sometimes changing into narrow, sharp-pointed leaves. Flowers white, forming a long, slender, scattered spike. Each flower has a minute bract and very short pedicel ; shape oblong, spreading into six acute segments like a star, at the top; the outside has a mealy, rugose appearance. Six short stamina are inserted near the mouth; anthers heart shaped. Germ, one central, (not inferior) pyramidal. Style, one separable into three. Capsules triangular, clothed by the calyx, triangular, three valved at the top, three celled and with many central minute seeds.

The genus Aletris takes its name from a Greek word, which signifies "a slave who grinds corn." The name is applied in allusion to the apparent mealiness dusted over the blossoms.

This genus includes two species — the A. farinosa, and A. aurea.

The A. farinosa is the one used in medicine. The name "star-grass" is also applied to several other plants, namely, the Helonias dioica, the Hypoxis, and others. The Aletris far. is designated by many common names, as Blazing-star, Aloe-root, Bettie-grass, Unicorn-root, Ague-root, Ague-grass, Star-root, Devils-bit, etc. But all these names are also applied to the Helonias dioica, (Chamaclirium luteum, Gray.) and other plants, so that there is no reliance to be placed upon the collections of uneducated plant-gatherers, or the preparations of the druggists. For homoeopathic uses, the plants or roots should be examined by a scientific botanist before they are used in our pharmacies.

History— This species has a wide range, being found from New- England to Georgia, and west to Kentucky and Missouri. The Aletris

aurea is limited to a range from New Jersey to the Carolinas. The A. farinosa is abundant at the South, and always confined to dry and poor soil, in sunny glades and fields. It is unknown to the rich limestone soil, and alluvial regions. In the West it is confined to the hilly glades, open prairies, and borders of the knob-hills. It is estival, blossoming in June and July. The root is the part employed ; and being small, does not afford much hopes to become an article of trade.

Rafinesque says the root contains an intensely bitter emulsive resin, soluble in alcohol, somewhat similar to Aloes, but less cathartic. This bitter principle is also partly soluble in water. The tincture is rendered milky by water. Aletrin is prepared from the root, and is supposed to contain its active medicinal principles, but it is not a reliable preparation.

Officinal Preparations. — Tincture is made from the fresh root by maceration with pure alcohol. Triturations from the dried root.

Sphere of Action. — On the digestive organs, muscular system, ligamentous tissues, and uterus.

Analogues. — China, Chelone, Gentiana, Helonias, Populus, Hydrastis, Viburnum, Ferrum.

Sensorium.

Vertigo, with vomiting, purging, sleepiness, and even stupefaction.

Gastric.

Excessive nausea and giddiness, followed by vomiting and

purging. Great increase of appetite. 0 Obstinate vomiting during pregnancy.

c Obstinate indigestion, with much debility ; nausea, disgust for food; least food caused distress in the stomach; very constipated; frequent attacks of fainting, with vertigo; sleepy all the time, with emaciation. {Hale.)

0 Flatulent colic, in weak, emaciated persons.

Female Generative Organs.

Colic in the hypogastrium.

" It is the China of the uterine organs."

• Premature and profuse menses, with labor-like pains.

° Pressure and pain in the region of the uterus.

Heaviness in uterine region.

° Habitual tendency to abortion in feeble persons of lax fibre

and anaemic condition. ° Threatened abortion, even after hemorrhage has appeared. 0 Prolapsus uteri from muscular atony.

0 Anomalous myalgic pains, simulating " false pains," occurring during pregnancy.

Generalities.

"Debility, general or local, from protracted illness; loss of fluids, defective nutrition and imperfect assimilation.

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

This is a remedy which has considerable reputation among Western homoeopathists, but as yet no proving has been made of it. The clinical indications for its use were all obtained originally from eclectic practice.

It has been a favorite remedy with me for many years for the peculiar anaemic debility of chlorotic girls and pregnant women. Given in the lower dilutions, alone or alternated with Ferrum, it will soon restore appetite, strength, and the waning vitality. If such cases are attended by

Dyspepsia, slow digestion and flatulence, the Aletris is very prominently indicated.

I believe that certain remedies have such a special affinity for the reproductive organs of women, and that the term “ uterine tonic” is not inaptly applied. Among the old remedies we have Calcarea and Sepia, which act in such a manner.

Uterine atony, even to the extent of suspension of the menses or sterility, comes under the curative sphere of this medicine. There are no characteristic symptoms yet known which specially indicate this remedy, but the general condition of the patient has been a sure guide to me in its selection. I have used it successfully for scanty, pale menses, where there was general debility, emaciation, and impoverished blood. In the scanty menses of corpulent and plethoric women it is of no value.

Prolapsus uteri, ante- or retroversion, where the dislocations depend on weakness in general, or of the uterine ligaments, can be cured by the lower dilutions of Aletris.

Habitual abortion, or sterility, when caused by uterine irritability and weakness, is a condition for which the Aletris is almost a specific, if it is prescribed properly. It should be given during the few weeks before the expected miscarriage (three or four doses daily), and continued until the dreaded period has passed by several weeks, and its use resorted to, afterwards, upon the slightest appearance of threatening symptoms. It has been asserted on good authority, that the fresh root has caused abortion ; if so, like Sabina, it is homoeopathic to that accident. Several physicians have informed me that in cases even where pains and a show of blood had appeared, it has succeeded, aided by quiet and the recumbent posture, in warding off a miscarriage which seemed imminent. Dr. Silas Jones, of New York, says it is valuable during the first months of pregnancy, where there is excessive nausea, vomiting, faintness, giddiness, and pain in the hypogastrium. The tincture is intensely bitter and nauseous. In general, I prefer the 2X dil., although in some cases I like the action of the lx dil. best.