A Text-Book of Materia Medica.
(Characteristic, Analytical, and Comparative.)
By Pr. Allen Corson Cowperthwaite, M. D., PH. D., LL. D.
Natural order.- Solanaceae.
Common name.- Bitter Sweet.
Acts especially upon the mucous membranes and the muscular tissues, giving rise to catarrhal inflammations, the symptoms like to those which result from exposure to damp, rainy weather.
It also acts upon the lymphatics and the skin, producing glandular enlargements, cellular effusions, and eruptions.
The leading peculiarity of drug is the aggravation of its symptoms in damp cold weather.
Cannot find the right word for a thing.(Lyc.)
Inclination to scold without being angry.
Restless and impatient.
Quarrelsome mood.(Bry., Cham., Nux v.)
On awaking in the morning, giddy and dizzy, dark before the eyes (Sulph.), trembling and weakness.
Dullness and painful stupefaction of the head.
Heaviness in the head.
Boring pain in the temples.(Coloc.)
Thick crusts on the scalp, causing the hair to fall out. (Graph., Merc.)
Inflammation from exposure to cold.
Pupils much dilated.
Stitches in the meatus auditorius and parotid gland.
Nosebleed ; blood bright-red (Ipec.) and hot, with pressure above the nose. (Acon.,Ham.)
Dry coryza, aggravated in the cold air.
Faceache and asthma, after disappearance of tetters in the face.
Thick brown-yellow crusts on the face, forehead, and chin.
Mouth and tongue dry. (Apis,Ars., Bry., Nux m., Puls.)
Accumulation of saliva. (Acon.,Merc., Nitr. ac.)
Tongue and jaws become lame if cold air or water chills him.
Paralysis of the tongue. (Gels., Caust., Hyos.)
Aversion to food. (Ant. crud.,Coccul., Ipec.)
Burning thirst for cold drinks. (Acon., Ars., Bry.)
Nausea ; vomiting. (Ant. tart., Ipec., Lob.)
Colic, as from taking cold.(Merc., Nux v.)
Colic, as if diarrhoea would occur. (Aloe.)
Swelling of the inguinal glands from a cold. (Merc.)
Stool and Anus.- (Dulcamara)
Desire for stool in evening, with griping in lower abdomen, followed by large, thin, sour smelling stool, which relieves but weakens.
Alternately yellow and greenish diarrhoea.
Yellow watery diarrhoea, with tearing, cutting colic before every evacuation, as after taking cold. (Camph.)
Diarrhoea or dysentery from damp, cold weather.
Urinary Organs.- (Dulcamara)
Catarrh of the bladder. (Acon., Canth.)
Burning in the meatus while urinating. (Acon., Ars., Canth., Coni.)
Urine turbid and white.
Involuntary discharge of urine. (Ars., Bell., Cic., Hyos.)
Strangury ; painful micturition.(Acon.,Canth.)
Constant desire to urinate felt deep in the abdomen.
Male Organs.- (Dulcamara)
Impotence ; herpes on genitals.
Female Organs.- (Dulcamara)
Rash before the menses. (DuringKali carb.)
Menses, milk, or lochia suppressed by cold. (Acon., Cimic., Puls.)
Respiratory Organs.- (Dulcamara)
Oppressed breathing from a cold ; with accumulation of mucus.
Rough, hoarse voice. (Carb. veg.)
Rheumatic pleuritis and pleuro-pneumonia, with tough, difficult, discolored sputa.
Hydrothorax, worse in wet weather.
Cough, with expectoration of bright blood.
Loose, moist cough, worse indoors and at rest.
Excessive secretion of mucus in the chest. (Ant. tart., Ipec., Samb.)
Neck and Back.- (Dulcamara)
Neck stiff, back painful, loins lame, after taking cold. (Cimic.)
Deeply cutting pain in right loin, transiently disappearing upon pressure.
Pain in small of back as after stooping a long time.(Cinch., Puls.)
Upper Limbs.- (Dulcamara)
Paralytic bruised pain in left arm.
Lower Limbs.- (Dulcamara)
Exostosis on upper part of right tibia, with bluish-red spots ; suppurating lumps.
Drawing, tearing pain in thighs ; disappears on walking, returning while sitting.
Dropsical swelling after suppressed sweat, by damp cold air.
Paralysis from suppressed eruptions ; from cold.
Rending pains upward.
Tetter oozing a watery fluid, bleeds after scratching. (Merc., Nitr. ac.)
Nettle-rash over the whole body(Acon.), with much itching ; after scratching it burns ; increases in warmth ; better in cold.
Thick, brown-yellow crusts over the whole body.
Sticking and itching in various parts of the body. (Sulph.)
Uneasy, restless sleep. (Acon.)
Chilliness with the pains.
General dry, burning heat all over. (Acon., Ars., Bry.)
Offensive perspiration. (Arn., Carb. an., Sil.)
At night ; when at rest (Amm. c., Rhod., Rhus tox.) ; from cold air ; in wet weather (Rhus tox.) ; from cool change of weather.
After rising from a seat ; from motion ; from warmth in general and dry weather.
Therapeutic Range.- (Dulcamara)
Catarrhal and rheumatic affections from exposure to damp cold air ; bad effects of retrocession of eruptions from exposure to damp cold air ; affections from taking cold in general ; paralysis ; nettle rash ; tetter ; crusta lactea ; colic ; diarrhoea ; dropsy ; Bright's disease ; catarrh of bladder ; influenza ; asthma ; bronchial catarrh ; whooping cough ; scrofula ; exostosis ; abuse of Mercury.
Phlegmatic, torpid, scrofulous patients, who are restless and irritable ; take cold in cold changes.
Acon., Ars., Bell., Bry., Cimic., Lyc., Merc., Nitr. ac., Puls., Rhus tox.,Sep., Sulph.
Camph., Cupr., Ipec., Merc., while repugnant to its action are Bell. and Lach.
Copyright © Robert Séror 2003