Collinsonia Canadensis
By Constantine Hering — The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica
Horsebalm, Richweed, Stone-root. Labiatæ.
An indigenous plant, with very hard, knotty and tough root, growing in woods from Canada to the Carolinas ; flowers from July to September.
A valuable remedy, of which we have but a single proving, by Burt.
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
- Constipation , A. L. Carrol, N. A. J. H., vol. 5, p. 546 ; H. N. Martin, Trans. H. M. S. P., 1882, p. 205 ; Hughes, Raue's R., 1870, p. 247 ; Constipation during gestation , Hempel and Arndt's Mat. Med., p. 763 ; Hemorrhoids (2 cases), A. L. Carroll, N. A. J. H., vol. 5, p. 546 ; E. P. Fowler, N. A. J. H., vol. 6, p. 181 ; W. H. Williamson, Raue's R., 1874, p. 202 ; E. P. Fowler, N. A. J. H., vol. 6, p. 182 ; E. C. Franklin (several cases), A. O., vol. 3, p. 301 ; Prolapsus ani , Capen, Hempel & Arndt's Mat. Med., p. 764 ; Varicocele consequent upon constipation , E. P. Fowler, N. A. J. H., vol. 6, p. 82 ; Prolapsus uteri, with pruritus and dysmenorrhœa , F. G. Snelling, N. A. J. H., vol. 6, p. 84 ; Dysmenorrhœa , E. T. Blake, Raue's R., 1873, p. 172 ; Dysmenorrhœa, and menstrual convulsions , Krebs, B. J. H., vol. 23, p. 672 ; E. P. Fowler, N. A. J. H., vol. 6, p. 83 ; Pruritus during pregnancy , A. M. Cushing, N. E. M. G., vol. 1, p. 107 ; Sympathetic aphonia , J. H. Marsden, Trans. Hom. Med. Soc. Penn., 1882, p. 291 ; Pulmonary hemorrhage , C. Th. Liebold, N. A. J. H., vol. 7, p. 494.
MIND [1]
Is gloomy all the time with a heavy expression ; stool hard and difficult.
SENSORIUM [2]
Dizziness, with gastric and hemorrhoidal troubles.
INNER HEAD [3]
Dull pain in head. θ Constipation.
Dull frontal headache, with lassitude and desire to sleep, or fulness in head and throbbing. θ Hemorrhoids.
Gastric and hemorrhoidal headaches, with dizziness.
Headache from suppressed hemorrhoidal discharges.
TASTE, SPEECH, TONGUE [11]
Whitish coating of tongue, with loss of appetite. θ Constipation.
Tongue coated yellow along centre or base, with bitter taste.
EATING AND DRINKING [15]
Loss of appetite. θ Constipation.
HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING [16]
Nausea, with cramplike pains in stomach.
Nausea, with obstinate constipation, during gestation.
Vomiting with pain and heat in stomach.
SCROBICULUM AND STOMACH [17]
Constant heaviness in stomach.
Dyspepsia, with waterbrash and hemorrhoids, and weight in epigastrium ; generally troubles of rectum.
Sharp cutting in stomach every five minutes while sitting.
Spasms of stomach, flatulence, excessive appetite.
ABDOMEN AND LOINS [19]
Heavy, dragging ache in pelvis. θ Constipation.
Colic with flatulence and nausea.
Flatulence, with rumbling in stomach and bowels and distension of abdomen.
Cutting, colicky pains in hypogastrium, every few minutes ; must sit down ; becomes very faint ; cannot sleep.
Congestion of portal system and of pelvic viscera, with flatulent rumbling in stomach and bowels ; sluggish stool with distended abdomen ; piles.
STOOLS AND RECTUM [20]
Pure mucous stools, or mucous stools mixed with dark substances ; before stools severe pain in lower part of abdomen, during stool, tenesmus ; little pain after stool ; vomiting. θ Chronic diarrhœa of children.
Mucous, watery stools, with cramplike or spasmodic pains in bowels, vomiting, flatulence.
Diarrhœa of children, with colic, cramps and flatulence.
Mucous or black and fecal stools, with colic and tenesmus. θ Chronic diarrhœa after confinement.
Loose, papescent stool and nausea.
Four to twelve stools daily ; two at night. θ Chronic diarrhœa of children.
Light-colored, lumpy stools, with distress in anus.
Copious, bilious, yellow stools ; mucous, bloody, with tenesmus.
Hemorrhoidal dysentery with tenesmus.
Light-colored, lumpy stool, with hard straining, followed by dull pains in anus and hypogastrium, lasting about half an hour.
Obstinate constipation with hemorrhoids ; stools very sluggish and hard, accompanied by pain and flatulence.
Bowels not moved for six or seven days, a feeling of constant pressure in rectum, with a heavy, dragging ache in pelvis.
Constipation and hemorrhoids from congestive inertia of lower bowel, especially in pregnancy.
Before and after stool, severe pain in hypogastrium and much tenesmus.
Congestive inertia of lower bowel.
Weight or pressure in rectum, with intense irritation or itching there.
Piles with constipation, or even with diarrhœa, bleeding, or blind and protruding ; feeling of sticks, gravel or sand in rectum ; evening and night ; > in morning.
Flowing piles, hemorrhage incessant though not profuse, with alternate constipation and diarrhœa.
Chronic, painful, bleeding hemorrhoids.
Great itching or burning in anus ; tumefaction of anus and rectum.
Prolapsus ani, with hemorrhoids, great loss of blood and debility.
Hemorrhages from anus, blood dark and tough, enveloped in viscid phlegm.
Chronic diseases of rectum.
URINARY ORGANS [21]
Chronic nephritis and cystitis ; catarrh of the bladder.
Urine increased.
MALE SEXUAL ORGANS [22]
Varicocele, with extreme constipation.
Spermatorrhœa kept up by piles and constipation.
FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS [23]
Uterine diseases dependent upon diseases of rectum and bowels.
Prolapsus or displacement caused by constipation.
Prolapsus in evening, with pruritus, dysmenorrhœa and constipation.
Congestion of cervix uteri, with painful hemorrhoids and aggravated constipation.
Menorrhagia, with constipation and piles.
Amenorrhœa from pelvic congestion.
Obstructive dysmenorrhœa, especially where there are loss of appetite, constipation, piles with or without pruritus ; when pelvic and portal congestion are coexistent.
Terrible dysmenorrhœa, with hemorrhoids, constant diarrhœa, and loss of appetite.
Convulsions preceded by severe pain in region of womb, amounting to twenty or more, in paroxysms of fifteen to twenty minutes in duration, and requiring two or three persons to prevent patient from hurting herself ; convulsions followed by stupor, lasting twenty-four hours or more, from which patient revives with a severe headache. θ Dysmenorrhœa.
Membranous dysmenorrhœa.
Leucorrhœa with pruritus, obstinate constipation and dysmenorrhœa.
Pruritus vulva, accompanied by hemorrhoids.
PREGNANCY. PARTURITION. LACTATION [24]
Pruritus in pregnancy ; violent itching ; parts smell badly, are swollen, dark red and protruding ; she cannot lie down.
Pruritus at eighth month of pregnancy, genitals considerably swollen and inflamed, very sore, so that she could neither walk, lie down, nor sit, except upon edge of chair ; the itching is intolerable, making patient almost delirious.
Obstinate constipation during gestation.
Diarrhœa after confinement.
VOICE AND LARYNX. TRACHEA AND BRONCHIA [25]
Voice reduced to a feeble, scarcely intelligible whisper ; very nervous ; creeping, chilly sensation, especially in afternoon ; spasmodic, crampy pains in abdomen ; frequent necessity to urinate, with great urgency ; sometimes when bowels are lax, inability to retain feces ; sensation of extreme tenderness in rectum, with copious discharge of offensive muco-purulent matter. θ Sympathetic aphonia.
RESPIRATION [26]
Dyspnœa, cough with cardiac affections.
Severe attacks of dyspnœa with great weakness. θ Irritation of cardiac nerves.
COUGH [27]
Hard, shaking cough, with bloody expectoration.
Cough, with expectoration of lumps of coagulated blood enveloped in mucus.
INNER CHEST AND LUNGS [28]
Hemorrhage from lungs, with short, hacking cough ; dark, tough coagula, enveloped in viscid mucus ; uneasiness in chest but no pain ; bleeding from rectum the first day ; subsequent costiveness.
Pains in chest alternating with piles.
HEART, PULSE AND CIRCULATION [29]
Irritation of cardiac nerves ; cardiac hyperesthesia.
Periodical spells of faintness and oppression ; attacks of syncope with fulness of chest and difficult breathing ; heart's action rapid, regular or irregular ; pulse 130 to 140 ; slightest motion or excitement aggravates.
Heart's action persistently rapid but weak.
After heart is relieved, old piles reappear or suppressed menses return.
Palpitation in patients subject to piles, dyspepsia and flatulence.
Valvular disease, following a severe and prolonged attack of acute rheumatism.
Pulse 140 per minute, steady and quick. θ Irritation of cardiac nerves.
LOWER LIMBS [33]
Inability to walk, must be carried from the house to carriage. θ Dysmenorrhœa and convulsions.
Tearing in both knees, passing down inside of legs to feet, while sitting ; dull frontal headache.
LIMBS IN GENERAL [34]
Tearing pains in arms, hands and legs ; frontal headache.
REST. POSITION. MOTION [35]
While sitting : sharp cutting in stomach ; tearing in knees, passing down inside of legs to feet.
Must sit down : on account of cutting, colicky pains in hypogastrium.
Can neither walk, lie down, nor sit, except upon edge of chair, parts so swollen and inflamed, during pregnancy.
Motion : syncope and oppression of chest < from slightest.
NERVES [36]
The slightest emotion or excitement of any kind aggravates the symptoms. θ Irritation of cardiac nerves.
Becomes very faint, from pains in hypogastric region.
Periodical spells of faintness and oppression. θ Irritation of cardiac nerves.
Attacks of syncope with fulness of chest and difficulty of breathing. θ Irritation of cardiac nerves.
Great debility. θ Prolapsus ani.
SLEEP [37]
Disposition to sleep during day.
Sleep disturbed by hypogastric pains.
TIME [38]
In morning : piles >.
In afternoon : creeping, chilly sensation.
During day : four to twelve stools ; disposition to sleep.
In evening : jagging sensation in lower part of rectum and anus < ; piles < ; prolapsus <.
At night : two stools ; piles < ; sleep disturbed by hypogastric pains.
ATTACKS, PERIODICITY [41]
Constant : heaviness in stomach ; pressure in rectum ; hemorrhage from piles ; diarrhœa.
Frequent : necessity to urinate.
Every few minutes : cutting, colicky pains in hypogastrium.
Every five minutes : sharp cutting in stomach.
Spasmodic : pains in bowels ; crampy pains in abdomen.
Periodical : spells of faintness and oppression.
Lasting fifteen to twenty minutes : convulsions.
Lasting about half an hour : dull pains in anus and hypogastrium.
Jagging sensation in lower part of rectum and anus, < in evening, and continues so until late at night.
Lasting twenty-four hours or more : stupor following convulsions.
For six or seven days : bowels not moved.
Chronic : diarrhœa of children ; diarrhœa after confinement ; hemorrhoids ; diseases of rectum ; nephritis and cystitis.
SENSATIONS [43]
As of sand in rectum ; as if sticks or gravel had lodged in lower part of rectum and anus ; as of extreme tenderness in rectum.
Pain : in stomach ; in lower part of abdomen, before stool ; in hypogastrium, before and after stool ; in region of womb before convulsions ; in chest, alternating with piles.
Cutting : in hypogastrium.
Sharp cutting : in stomach.
Tearing : in knees, passing down inside of legs to feet ; in arms, hands and legs.
Jagging : in lower part of rectum and anus.
Burning : in anus.
Soreness : of genitals, during pregnancy.
Heavy dragging ache : in pelvis.
Colicky pains : in hypogastrium.
Cramplike pains : in stomach ; in bowels ; in abdomen.
Dull pain : in head ; in anus and hypogastrium.
Pressure : in rectum.
Fulness : in head ; of chest.
Heaviness : in stomach.
Weight : in epigastrium ; in rectum.
Throbbing : in head.
Distress : in anus.
Uneasiness : in chest.
Heat : in stomach ; in anus.
Creeping, chilly sensation : in afternoon.
Itching : in rectum ; in anus ; of parts, during pregnancy, making her almost delirious.
TISSUES [44]
Pelvic and portal congestion, resulting in dysmenorrhœa and piles.
Whole gastro-intestinal canal affected, especially rectum.
Dropsy from cardiac disease.
SKIN [46]
Yellow around the eyes.
STAGE OF LIFE, CONSTITUTION [47]
Young lady, subject to attacks at each menstrual period, for four years ; dysmenorrhœa and menstrual convulsions.
Mrs. B., at eighth month of pregnancy ; pruritus.
Mrs. B., æt. 29, at sixth month or pregnancy, suffering as she had previously done, under same circumstances, from obstinate constipation.
Wm. C., æt. 36, short in stature, very scrawny and sallow, of a nervous temperament, spinner by occupation, wore a truss supporting abdomen and allowing bowels to rest upon an ivory ball ; prolapsus ani.
Woman, æt. 59, suffering previously from pelvic pains, relieved by Aloes ; constipation.
Gentleman, light-complexioned, thin, nervous and dyspeptic ; flowing piles.
Engineer, extremely bilious, nervous temperament, suffering somewhat from effects of Mexican climate ; varicocele.
RELATIONS [48]
Antidoted by Nux vom .
Was used with benefit in a case of cardiac disease, in which Digit., Cactus , and other remedies failed.
With Aloes , cured a case of pelvic congestion.
With Conium , cured a case of pulmonary hemorrhage.
Compare : Æsc. hipp . (piles) ; Aloes (proctitis and rectal dysentery) ; Coloc . (colic) ; Hamam., Nux vom., Sulphur , also Arnic., Diosc., Hydrast . and Ignat .
Cured colic after Coloc . and Nux vom . failed.