Ranunculus bulbosus

Volume III — Main text

Ranunculus bulbosus, bulbous crowfoot.

1. Provings. — I. Franz, in perfect health save for slight disposition to hamorrhoids, took, Nov. 26th, 1827, before breakfast, 8 dr. of linct. in I lb. of water. In 4 h, pressure m eyeballs, transitory pressure in chest. In i h. sore pain in eyes, burning at pit of stomach, pressure in region of liver. In 2 h. stitches in cars \ tingling and stitches in hairy scalp, with dulling of senses ; slight shocks in occiput. In 3 h. pressure transversely across chest and pit of stomach ; stiffness in ankle ; vertigo ; ill-humour. In 4 h. tearing in temples, itching of 'nd. In 6 h. stitches in I. chest and spleen ; pressure at root of

nose ; chilliness after dinner. In 7 h. pinching and painfulness to touch of abdominal walls, with febrile chilliness. In 8 h. pains in occiput, pressure in eyes and forehead from without inward, slight giddiness^ constant colic during digestion, and feeling as if he would rail over or faint. At n. fell asleep late, and woke frequently. a7th. — ^Took 12 dr. in same quantity of water. After i h., on rising, pain in 1. chest ; weakness and sense as if he would fall ; tearing in vertex. After 2 h. dulness of head ; ill-humour, with same pain as before across chest and epigastrium. In 5 h. pain in toes ; absence of mind, during which he talks to himself. In 6 to 10 h, pain along posterior surface of thigh, in wrist and thumbs, and in scapulae ; bruised pain in hypochondria ; " rheumatic pains." Pain in 1. chest, and pinching and tenderness of abdomen, as yesterday, recurred periodically throughout this d. in alternate attacks, also chilliness during digestion. 28th. — Repeated dose. Early in m. pain in 1. chest ; sore pain in eyes ; pungent taste in mouth ; cracking of knees ; eructations ; burning and scraping in fauces ; pain in hypochondria, pit of stomach, and sternum ; mucus about ^uces. In forenoon pain in nail of index and in tendo Achillis ; a sort of ischias ; continued pain in 1. chest and soreness in eyes. In afternoon febrile symptoms, heat in face with icy cold hands and quick pulse ; pinching in abdomen ; eructations ; still 1. chest pain ; pain over r. eye ; pressure in r. scapula ; oppression of, and determination of blood to bead. Drowsiness in e. and sleeplessness at n. 29th. — No medicine. On waking, pain in I. chest, which continued all d. ; ill-humour, anger ; debility and trembling ; fever after dinner and in e,, sleeplessness at n. 30th. — Took another 12 dr. On waking, usual pain in chest, and in i h. after dose tearing in temples, stitches in ear, ptyalism. After 2 h. pain in occiput. After 4 h. constant pain during motion and from contact in 1. chest, hypochondria, and back ; altered taste ; ill-humour. P.m., pain in abdomen with chest troubles. In e. febrile chilliness for 2 h., with pain in occiput, heels^ and toes, and oppression of chest. Dec. xst. — Much nausea, pain in abdomen with fever after dinner; less chest pain; sleepless n. 2nd. — Headache in m. ; during d. alternation of pain in chest and inward coHc ; in e. prosopalgia and pain in ankles. 3rd. — In forenoon pain in dorsa of feet ; oppression and pain in chest ; pain in temples^ r. malar bone, and eye- IkUIs. In e,, febrile movement ; painfulness of hypochondria. 4th. — Nearly constant chest pain in e., with cough and eructation. On following days'up to J&th, after restless sleepless niehts, early in m. great painfulness, externally and internally, of specially 1. chest and whole side, and of hypochondria ; lassitude and laziness ; frequent chilliness after eating (with gradual disappearance of former abdominal symptoms), together with some evening cough and fever, continuous, with periodical pain in eyes, and temporal and frontal headache. On the 14th d. there was actual inflammation of eyes, and therewith pain in dorsa of feet and along posterior sur^ce of thighs from above downwards. {Archiv vii, 3. — The pain in the chest is so distinctive and constant a feature of the action of R, bulbosus^ that we give here, in addition to the above, some of the detailed symptoms of the schema relating to it :— After 4 h.^ when stooping, felt pressure on lower sternum ; on

rising, beating was feh there, soon going off, but leaving place tender to touch i pressure spread towards r. chest and pit of stomach, latter (as well as sternum) being tender to touch and on stooping; whole of outer chest l>ecame so sensitive that even buttoning of coat gave him pain ; this lasted 3 h. ist d. — Single stitches in r. chest j violent aching in mid-chest, e., while writing. 2nd d. — On rising, pain in whole chest, as from rheumatism and subcutaneous ulceration, felt on least movement of trunk j on walking, early, shooting in region of 5th and 6th K ribs, with great tenderness of spot, and debility; in forenoon pressing and pushing in lower part of r. chest towards liver ; during whole d. violent stitches in r., and less frequently in I. chest, with pressure on mid-sternum and painful inspiration; while walking in open air, stitches interiorly in 1. chest, near nipple, going off as he continued to walk, whereupon suddenly came a pain from r. abdomen to below last true rib on I. side, 3rd d, — In forenoon, when walking or standing, pain under last true ribs of 1. side, as if bruised or from subcutaneous ulceration, with slight stitches; this pain continues all p.m. and e., with scarcely an interval, increased by motion and by turning trunk ; in e., prcssive pain in r. scapula; while walking after sitting violent shooting in r. chest in region of 5th to 7th rib, arresting breathing, with stitches and pressure at cop of shoulder ; at n. in bed pain o^ whole chest, especially 1.; was unable to lie on either side on account of pain of outer chest ; therewith anxiety, tightness of breathing, accelerated puhe. 4th d, — Violent pains in chest all a.m. ; constant pain there all p.m., mostly in 1. side, and as if externally in pectoralis major, later receding to behind sternum and pit of stomachy thence frequently shifting to r. of umbilicus; shooting in side of sternum, with sensation as if bruised, in going uphill. 5th d. — Oppressive sensation in chest, as after great vexation ; he had to take deep breath frequently the whole e. ; therewith also nausea.)

1. A married woman, xt. 29, with slight disposition to congestions of blood and h.-vmorrhoids^ took about 3J of the 8 dr. to 1 lb. solution. After 2 h. pressure in eyes, weight of and determination of blood to head, some colic with pain in back. After 3 to 5 h. sensitiveness of teeth, itching on upper arms, creeping on fingers, headache over r. eye, nausea and drowsiness. After 7 to 9 h. colic; chilliness, with cold hands and hot face during digestion. After 8 h. stiffness of ankles ; vertigo; stitches in r. side of chest* and bowels; migraine of r. side. After 12 h. jactitation of muscles. During whole d. obstruction of, and creeping on nose. Sleeplessness at n. On 2nd d. migraine-like headache, continual creeping on nose ; stitches in chest. On 3rd d. heaviness of head and pressure on nape for hrst 5 h., then pain in chest; in e. feverish inclination to be startled, with fearfulness. [Ibid.)

2. S. D~-, a young army surgeon, robust, of blooming health and irritable disposition, took, Dec. 20th, 5 dr. of tinct. ; a fortnight after J5 dr. ; 9d. later 20 dr. ; and lastly 60 dr. within 12 h. He experienced immediate pressure in eyes, and, after I h., oppression of chest, teeling of distension of head, dizziness, and slight nausea. After 2—4 h.

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creeping on hands and face ; pains in chest. After 6 h. eaay evacuation, with borborygmus. After dinner, fever and chilliness. In afternoon pain in nape, frequent chest-pains, thirst. £., cutting in abdomen. N. sleepless. On 2nd d. woke with pain in chest and spoiled taste ; and had debility and rheumatic pains in nape and arms, muscular twitchings, throbbing in chest after a meal, with movements in intestines during digestion ; sleeplessness at n. And so always after each repetition and increase of dose, — in the Arst hours rush of blood to head and gloominess, headache, pain in eyes, once spasm in oesophagus, transient oppression and pain in chest, bodily restlessness or slight nausea ; in e. mucus in throat, rheumatic pains here and there, pains in ears, writhing, rumbling and movement in intestinal canal ; on the following days pains in ears and eyes, muscular twitchings, rheumatic and bruised pains of hypochondria or in back, accumulation of mucus in throat. Constant pains in chest, especially in m., and restless nights, were standing symptoms for a long time. {Ibid.)

1. The following symptoms were observed by Stapf in a blooming robust woman of 24 (dosage not stated) :— Flow of white saliva, with coppery taste (2nd d.) ; an existing leucorrhcea increased, and from bland become acrid and corrosive (2nd d.) ; she felt chilly all over, her teeth chattered, and she shook therewith ; great dry heat in face and bright redness of cheeks, though feet were icy cold ; mouth was dry and viscid, so that she could not speak, 8 p.m. (9 h.). (Ibid,)

2. The root,thc stalk, the leaves and the flowers when chewed cause a burning pain in tongue, also pain in teeth and gums. If the leaves or shoots are contused and applied to the lateral part of each finger they soon cause itching and blisters, which end in obstinate ulcers. Slices of the root applied to the internal aspect of each finger cause after 2 m. burning j if they are kept on longer the burning increases ; if they are removed as soon as itching commences the skin appears slightly reddened and the itching ceases ; after 2 h. the redness increases and it itches ; within 10 h. there appears a blister, full of water, in size proportional to the space on which the plant was applied ; on opening the blister a quantity of thin yellowish viscid serum escapes, and the place heals slowly ; the resulting ulcer is painful, and its discharge becomes puriform. The nodules of the bulb if bruised and applied to the interstices of the fingers for 4 h. cause little itching ; if the plant is then removed the skin is not found to be altered, but after 20 h. a blister appears, full of water. This only occurs if the nodules are taken before the time of flowering ; after that they may be left on the skin for a whole day without producing any effect. If the bulbs are boiled, the vapour of the water is acrid and irritates the eyes. A decoction of the shoots when swallowed causes twitching of lips with roughness, and after 4 h. a similar twitching in stomach. The expressed juice causes after 2 m. violent smarting of the tongue, sneezing, excoriation of nostrils ; \ drm. of the juice mixed with Jviij water causes after 4 h. slight sinking in stomach, thereafter tightness and rigidity are felt in all the muscles; the urine is greatly increased. (Krapf, Experim, de nonuil. RanuncuL ven, quaL^ 1766, p. 68.)

Volume IV — Appendix

Valine in these parts proceeding troni below upwards, and insuflictcat stuol \

itching undereye; pin neck of blader 4pm sod In bh seve lan ating pains in. hypochondrium while walking; smarting raw feling in pit Head aching. violently; painful enting and feeling of strangulation in neck of for tol; dul theebbing or pubsative headache cold feeling ta region of tanacene of fatue; throbbing pain in Iv inguinal gland lating 4h; great tint for cold Tauseh. Pam, straining at stool with mucoasjellylike. discharge; yellowish green hard lumpy fees cold fecling am pit of stomach pains in spermatic cord aad testicle; Weling of excevive debility. 25rd.—~Took \go dr. at noon and at 5 p.m tremities; lure; cutting pun i Icheatsorethroat; tongue kee swolenj burning All the way from roots of tongue to pit of tomach. "a4th.—7 am, 60 dr. Tat he pain in'srum and Badr with deseo wate, mot revel” by voiling lag 3 pany Golde. "Sharp cutting pains in stomach and iateines burning aod seraping feng along wrt doa to laer; burning gli a wale body mos legs with ineeetalarging to wool and tenesmu ancinaing. pains though. whole Ghiomen, asth—fam, éodr, Great wearncs in walking; constant rumbling in atiomen, dll paia in rectum, profure pale urine. gp.m, $odr. Shooting pats fa stomach jakernate constipation and diarthers. (Ibid)

RANUNCULUS, (See vol. ii, p. 699.)

Dr, Porratius speaks of R. scel., acris, bulbos, and fammula, He says they are powerful in the order given. The action of R. on the skin is in 4 degrees. 1st, redness, or very violent itching, which comes fon in 12, 24 or even 48 h., and lasts 34d. Then the itching ceases, as also the redness, and the epidermis desquamates. 2nd, redness, local heat, elastic swelling of skin, and violent itching 5 this comes on 1o—12 hh, after application and goes off in 5—6 d. During this time there was found in the iritated portion of skin small eruptional vesicles, which dry up without bursting. 3rd, intense redness, great heat, swelling, and formation of a blister filled with yellow serum. ‘The blister is surrounded by small phlyctenula and a broad round areola; for 3 or 4 d. much serous uid flows, then the skin infames, becomes purple and secretes pus. Often several small pustules are formed, 4th, true sloughing of the skin, preceded by phlyctenulz. (dnnali Universali di Medicina, Feb, 1841, quoted in Arch, xix, 2, 181

On p. 707; 1. 23, for “Archiv” read “ N. Archiv”,