Bryonia alba

REMEDIES IN THE BEGINNING OF A CASE

INDICATIONS FOR BRYONIA, GELSEMIUM AND BAPTISIA

Of the three, Bryonia, Gelsemium and Baptisia, I cannot decide which is oftenest indicated in this stage. The symptoms which may be called “leaders” indicating Bryonia are: Great lassitude or weakness. Pains in head, back and limbs, < on moving; white-coated tongue, dry parched lips and mouth, without or with thirst for water in large quantities at a time; loss of appetite, empty eructations and constipation; with restless sleep, which is accompanied by dreams of business, tiring him out, and particularly when the patient does not want to move, as all his bad feelings are greatly aggravated by it. One very characteristic symptom often but not always present is that the patient gets sick and faint when rising up from lying down. Many cases begin with this array of symptoms, and my custom is to dissolve a few pellets of Bryonia 30th in two-thirds glass cold water and give dessert-spoonful doses once in two hours for three or four doses, and then wait for twenty-four hours. If there is amelioration at the end of that time I continue sac. lac. as long as improvement continues, and seldom have to repeat it or change the remedy. It cures, and that is the end of it.

DIFFERENTIATIONS BETWEEN BRYONIA, GELSEMIUM AND BAPTISIA

Then it is necessary that we understand them thoroughly, so as to apply them correctly, for a mistake at this stage is not easily corrected later, and may prove fatal. Let us compare a little. All three remedies have muscular soreness and prostration; but if the soreness is most prominent Baptisia leads; if the prostration, Gelsemium. Gelsemium and Baptisia are both drowsy with red face, but with Baptisia the mind is very clouded, with Gelsemium not nearly so much so. Gelsemium and Bryonia want to lie still, and dread motion—Gelsemium because he is so weak, Bryonia because his pains (especially in the head) are greatly aggravated. Bryonia is constipated, Baptisia diarrhœic, Gelsemium neither. With all three the face is red. Baptisia most so, “besotted,” Gelsemium next. Bryonia least, and turns pale on rising or sitting up. Tendency to decomposition comes early with Baptisia, not so with the others. The delirium of Bryonia is about the business of the day, Baptisia cannot get himself together. Gelsemium not characteristic. The tongue of Bryonia is white, with parched lips and thirst. With Gelsemium the tongue is thinly coated or not at all, there is no thirst, and the tongue trembles when attempting to protrude it; while Baptisia is the only one that turns dark in a well defined streak through the middle in this stage. The urine with Bryonia is scanty and high colored, if changed at all, with Gelsemium may be profuse, and with Baptisia is scanty, dark and offensive. Other diagnostic differences between these remedies might be added, but enough is done to show that there is no reason for confusing them or difficulty in choosing between them.

REMEDIES FOLLOWING THE FIRST OR PRODROMAL STAGE OF TYPHOID FEVER

BRYONIA

Bryonia more than either of these is liable to be the remedy all through the case. As long as the white or, may be, yellowish tongue, parched lips and thirst, constipation, pain in the head and delirium in mild forms about the business of the day and dread of motion continues Bryonia must be continued.

PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS AND CONVALESCENCE

So if we find, especially during an epidemic of typhus—“lassitude and heavy limbs with headache, white covered tongue, loss of appetite, belching, or with these gastric symptoms acute shooting pains in different parts of the body, the patient wanting to lie perfectly still because worse on movement,” a few doses of Bryonia alba will both clear out these symptoms and dispel our fears, whether the case was actually typhus incipiens, or not.