Wyethia helenoides

Volume I — Appendix

Preparation. — Tincture of the root.

Head.

Dizziness. Rush of blood to the head.

Severe headache. Pain in the forehead over the right eye, at

first sharp, followed by a feeling of fulness. Itching in the right ear.

Mouth and Throat.

Mouth feels as if it had been scalded. Increased flow of tough, ropy saliva.

• Throat feels swollen ; epiglottis dry, and has a burning sensation ; constant desire to swallow saliva to relieve the dryness, yet affords no comfort. Swallows with difficulty.

• Prickling dry sensation in posterior nares ; sensation as if something were in the nasal passages ; an effort to clear them through the throat affords no relief. The uvula feels elongated.

• Dryness of the fauces ; constant desire to clear the throat by

hemming.

Sensation of heat down the oesophagus into the stomach, worse on eating.

Stomach.

Belching of wind, alternating with hiccough. Nausea and vomiting. Sense of weight in the stomach, as if something indigestible had been eaten.

Abdomen.

Pain and bearing down in the right side. Itching of the anus. Passages diarrhoeic, loose, of a dark-brown color, came on in the

night, and lasted five days. Passage small and dark-brown ;

look burned. Passages previously light-colored, irregular,

and constipated, became dark-colored, regular and soft. Great constipation accompanied with haemorrhoids, not bleeding ;

never had them before or since.

Sexual Organs. Pain in left ovary, shooting down to knee. Leucorrhoea. Menses appear for the first time in over a year since birth of last child ; color purple and scanty, with great pain.

Respiratory Organs.

Burning sensation in the bronchial tubes.

Dry hacking cough, caused by tickling in the epiglottis.

Sharp pain just below the ribs on the right side, deepseated, followed by soreness.

Slowness of pulse; decreased in ten hours from 72 to 58 per minute.

Cold sweat over the whole body, which soon dries off, and again comes and goes as if by flashes.

Generalities.

Feels weak and nervous, uneasy ; is apprehensive that some calamity is about to occur. Feels very weak, as a person feels after a severe illness.

Unable to make much exertion ; the least exercise causes perspiration.

All the symptoms worse in the afternoon.

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

This new California drug was proven by Dr. Selfridge, of Oakland, California. I present his proving and clinical cases. I consider it one of our most valuable acquisitions. Its analogues are Arum dra., Causticum, Hepar sulph., Sticta, Rumex, Penthorum, Phosphorus, and Sulphur :

The symptoms here recorded were observed by seven men and two women. The green root in substance or the mother tincture was used by each prover. When the tincture was used, the dose varied from five to forty drops. The plant has been used by unprofessional people, in some of the interior towns of this State, for coughs and colds, under the name of “ poison weed.”

The taste of the root is herbaceous, aromatic, and slightly bitter, leaving a sweetish sensation in the mouth. The symptoms here given are recorded in the order of their occurrence as nearly as can be ascertained. No symptoms were manifested for some minutes after chewing the root or swallowing the tincture.

Symptoms. — Sense of weight in the stomach, as if something indigestible had been eaten ; belching of wind, alternating with hiccough ; mouth feels as if it had been scalded ; sensation of heat down the oesophagus into the stomach, worse while eating.

Dryness of the fauces ; constant desire to clear the throat bv hemming ; increased flow of tough, ropy saliva ; throat feels swollen ; epiglottis dry, and has a burning sensation ; constant desire to swallow saliva to relieve the dryness, yet affording no comfort ; swallows with difficulty. Pricking dry sensation in posterior nares ; sensation as if something was in the nasal passages ; an effort to clear the throat affords no relief. The uvula feels elongated ; dry hacking cough, caused by a tickling of the epiglottis. Pain in the back, which extends to the extreme point of the spine ; pain in the left ovary, shooting down to the knee. Pain in the right arm, with stiffness of wrist and hand.

Severe headache ; rush of blood to the head ; dizziness ; pain in the forehead over the right eye, at first sharp, followed by a feeling of fulness ; itching in the right ear ; cold sweat over the whole body, which soon dries off, and again comes and goes as if by flashes.

Nausea and vomiting ; burning sensation in the bronchial tubes ; sharp pain just below the ribs on the right side, deepseated, followed by soreness. Passages previous light-colored, irregular and constipated, become regular, dark-colored, and soft ; passages loose, diarrhoeic, dark-brown color ; came on in the night and lasted five days. Itching of the anus; greatly constipated, accompanied with haemorrhoids, not bleeding; never had them before or since (by three provings). Passages small, dark brown ; look burned. Feels weak, nervous, uneasy, is apprehensive that some dire calamity is about to occur. Pain and bearing down in

the right side. Leucorrhoea; menses appear for the first time in over a year since the birth of last child ; color purple and scanty, with great pain. Feels very weak, as a person feels after a severe illness. Unable to make exertion ; the least exercise causes perspiration. Slowness of the pulse, decreased in ten hours from 72 to 58 per minute. All the symptoms were in the afternoon.

Remarks. — This remedy warrants the belief that it will become one of our most useful polychrests. It will be observed that it affects the brain and the nervous system, the mucous membrane of the throat and bronchi, the liver and portal circulation, and also the female reproductive organs.

Of its clinical effects my knowledge is, to some extent, limited. In one case of dry asthma, in a lady, it has acted well, giving prompt relief in several paroxysms.

In chronic follicular pharyngitis, I have used it in several cases with very satisfactory results. It has never failed to relieve the dryness of the pharynx and burning of the epiglottis, which is a characteristic symptom of the remedy.

It has repeatedly removed the inflammation of the mucous follicles even when sufficiently numerous to give the membrane “ a granular or mammillated appearance.”

In a case where there was frequent inclination to clear the throat by hawking, the patient unable to sing much without coughing, the pharyngeal membrane inflamed, with swelling and redness of the mucous follicles, it was cured in two months with the tenth potency, a dose every four hours.

In closing, allow me to commend it to your consideration, with the hope that at no distant day a more extended proving may be made of it, and that in its clinical application it may not, as I firmly believe it will not, disappoint you.

The same party reports the following cases :

Case I. — Dry asthma in a lady ; acted well, giving prompt relief in several paroxysms.

Case II. — Chronic follicular pharyngitis, the characteristic symptom of which was a dryness of the pharynx and burning of the epiglottis, which was always relieved.

Case III. — A Mr. G. had been troubled for years with his throat, which had been, in the course of treatment, cauterized with Nitrate of silver, but without benefit. The following were the symptoms: Frequent hawking to clear the throat ; inclined to get hoarse from talking or singing; the throat hot and dry ; the mucous membrane of fauces, uvula, and pharynx dark red, the follicles enlarged. He took Weythia 10* every four hours, for two weeks, and reported great benefit.

During a severe epidemic influenza in the winter of 1879, I (Hale) used the Weythia very successfully in its treatment. Its only rival was Arum dracontium.