Digitalis Purpurea - General symptoms

GENERAL

General

An active principle (glucoside) of Digitalis purpurea.

, forming most of the soluble part of the commercial Digitaline, a glucoside, C31H53O17 (very closely allied to Saponine C32H54O18), Digitaline, not precipitated by ether from aqueous nor from alcoholic solutions (as is Digitonine), a glucoside, C5H8O2.

Digitaleïne, easily soluble in water (like Digitonine), and also in alcohol (unlike Digitonine), and Digitoxine, the most active principle, the so-called crystallized Digitaline (of Nativelle), insoluble in water, not reducing Cuprum oxide, and therefore not a glucoside, but having the formula C21H82O7, and therefore not an alkaloid.

It is probable that the provings and experiments here recorded are from substances composed of more or less of all of the above active principles, excepting that the Digitaline prepared after Homolle and Quevenne contains little or no Digitoxine. -T. F. A.

Formula, C5H8O2

(Morning), On stooping, immediately after rising, headache.

on waking, headache. on waking, all objects seem covered with snow.

coryza. vomiting.

pain about umbilicus. in bed, pain in abdomen, etc.

in bed, colic. hoarseness.

after rising, dry cough.

on rising from bed, indolence, etc.

on waking, general sweat..

Very violent vertigo, all objects seem to turn horizontally from left to right.

on closing the lids the vertigo was somewhat diminished, but returned on opening them.

I hoped that repeated opening and closing the lids would put an end to this unpleasant sensation, which was accompanied by nausea, but it was not so.

I stood up with some difficulty and dressed myself.

even slight stooping or looking up increased the vertigo and also the nausea, together with coldness of the back, quite cold hands, yawning, and at intervals short dry cough, on waking at 7 A.M. (second morning),.

Slight confusion of the head, which after an hour changed into a pressure in the occipital region.

this continued with intermissions till towards noon.

while the brain was affected in this way I noticed that external objects frequently presented themselves in a false light.

I did not actually see double, but not in a right light (first day),.

Catarrhal affection of both eyes, with soreness of both external canthi with slight secretion.

the eyes pain on sewing or reading.

slight redness (such an attack had been experienced eight weeks previously, and there was doubt whether this was the result of Digitalinum; the trouble was rather obstinate but did not last as long as the former attack),.

Derangement of sight was of two kinds First, a general mistiness of objects, such as is seen before fainting.

and secondly, a large bright spot advancing before him, which sometimes resembled a ring showing prismatic colors faintly, and similar in character to, though less distinct than, that seen round a light when Digitaline has been introduced into the eye,.

When Digitaline is introduced into the eye, it causes smarting and profuse lachrymation, which passes off in a short time and nothing more is felt, except perhaps an occasional rough feeling of the conjunctiva, till four or five hours after, when, on looking at a light, you see it surrounded by a halo, presenting the prismatic colors, and not quite close round the light, but with a dark space between. This halo increases in diameter the farther you move from the light, and becomes smaller and narrower as you approach.

exactly like the appearance when light cirrhi are crossing the moon,.

Flickering before the left eye first appeared (second morning).

towards noon affected also the right, so that he was enabled to distinguish three varieties of figures in the field of vision.

closing the eye and rubbing it slowly caused clouds of phosphorescence.

the eye was very sensitive to light, pupils however not dilated (second day). The figures which the flickering formed in these experiments were called flickering roses, because the form of the rose was the type.

in the first experiment there were round spots in the field of vision, the space circumscribed by four deep oval lines forming four large convex indentations, and the waves of light and shade surrounding this exhibited the same from only less indented.

the flickering figures which appeared on the second day, and which reached their highest point on the third day, were surrounded by curved lines with five indentations, but more superficial, which were again surrounded by enlarging waves of light and shade with superficial indentations.

during the latter days when the flickering decreased, there were noticed only fragments with the rose formation on the side, like the small segment of the larger and more superficially indentated circle,.

Flickering before the left eye, very slight, but therewith he was unable to recognize a distinct conformation in the division between light and shade.

it seemed as though with every wink of the eye the crystalline lens trembled and thereby altered refraction, producing rapid commingling of the lights and shadows of objects (second day).

on the next day the flickering was more noticeable, and not only on winking, but as often as he looked from the light portion of the field of vision (as for example the fireplace) to a dark portion.

this caused the supposition that it was not a mechanical effect, as he was at first inclined to think, but was due to a sudden change from light to shade.

he now directed the eye to the bright sky, and suddenly covered the head without closing the eye or moving it in the slightest, when the flickering was noticed quite as distinctly as before.

on the succeeding day this was more noticed in the right eye.

repeated observations sharpened the vision, and he was able to distinguish a definite conformation.

there seemed to be in the middle of the visual field an alternately disappearing and reappearing roundish spot of a mild light, and about this several concentric waves of light and shade in similar motion.

this flickering continued during the use of Digitalis, for some days (7).

at last it intermitted and appeared for only a short time on going into a room from the open air, after moderate exercise, also on walking or going up stairs,.

Violent coryza occurred without known cause, with pressive-throbbing pains in the arms, and violent headache (this coryza has quite different symptoms from the attacks that I usually experienced, and is remarkably similar to the attack which I had in the beginning of the proving; if this has not been caused by Digitaline, still its course seems to have been modified by it), (thirty-sixth day),.

The pains in the chest were worse in the middle of the day, and were associated with a pressive pain in the right side, which had hitherto been exempt.

these pains occurred in paroxysms and independently of them, and even not aggravated by them, occurred a desire to breathe, that is, a need to breathe very often and as deeply as possible (sixth day),.

Pulse 90, strong and full (after 120 drops).

100, strong and full (after 180 drops), (first day). 120 strong and full (after 240 drops).

125, strong and wiry (after 300 drops), (second day). 150, strong, hard and wiry (after 420 drops), (third day). Pulse never less frequent than in the natural state. 60, small and feeble, but regular (fifth day),.

Pulse 68 before taking.

68 (after five minutes).

72 (after ten minutes).

74 (after fifteen and twenty minutes).

70 (after twenty-five minutes).

68 (after thirty minutes).

after which no farther change was observed, although attention was paid to it for some time longer. It was not only excited in frequency by the simulating power of the pill, but also considerably in force,.

Pulse 80 after gentle exercise (fifth day).

80 when at rest, but rose to 85 or 90 when I had walked for a few minutes (eighth day).

85 whether lying or sitting, 90 to 95 when I had walked a little (thirteenth day).

100 full and strong (fourteenth day).

85 while I remained quiet, although it rose to 100 after gentle exercise (sixteenth day).

80 (seventeenth day). 80 full and strong (eighteenth day).

85, rather weak and irregular, especially after having taken exercise (nineteenth day).

70, softer and fuller (twenty-first day).

softer and fuller, 60 but rose to 75 upon slight exercise (twenty-second day).

50 to 65, when I remained quiet, but rose to nearly its natural number when I used much exertion.

still it was full, although soft and easily depressed (twenty-third day).

it never fell below the degree just indicated, and nearly a week after it had resumed its natural rhythm,.

Pulse before taking, 56 while sitting, at 10 A.M., ten minutes after dose no change.

after twenty-eight minutes, 55 or 56.

but on standing, it immediately rose to 72.

at 6 P.M. 54 to 56 sitting, 68 standing.

at 11 P.M. 69 sitting, 88 standing (first day).

at 10 A.M. 61 sitting, 69 standing (second day).

at 11 P.M. 82 sitting, 90 standing, small, weak, and somewhat irregular, the beat of the heart is stronger and more distinctly felt than usual (fourth day). In the morning, 57 sitting.

at 7 P.M. 74 sitting, 86 the first minute, 94 the second, on standing, without perceptible irregularity it remains for a few minutes at this rate and then becomes slower (fifth day).

at 9 A.M. 52 sitting, 60 standing.

at 11 A.M. 50 sitting, very full, strong, and regular (sixth day).

at 9 A.M. 59 sitting, 72 standing (seventh day),.

Pulse in the morning before exercise was uniformly 60, feeble.

at night after sitting for about two hours 56, feeble, before taking. 70 in the morning.

66 in the evening (first three days). Pulse before breakfast 76, strong.

in the evening 70 (fifth and sixth days). 80 in the morning, 90 in the evening (seventh and eight days), continuing nearly 70 the same for three days, 78, pretty full (tenth day). returned to its natural standard (seventeenth day),.

Pulse averaged in the forenoon 68, abound in the evening 75, before taking.

68 after sitting quietly for an hour.

68 sitting quietly (after half an hour), (first day).

66 (twenty minutes after first dose).

76, of natural strength, after walking four or five times up and down the room.

83 (two hours and a half after first dose), 75 (five hours and a half after first dose), 80 (half an hour after second dose), 76, counted several times in gave the first half minutes 36, the second 40, and 3 beats failed to be felt (one hour after second dose), 80 (nine hours after second dose), 78, weak, beating strong from twelve to twenty times, and then very weak of four or five times (ten hours after second dose), (second day).

62, small and weak in the morning, 72 in the evening (third day).

80, full and regular before taking.

90, weak, three or four pulsations in a minute hardly felt (after three-quarters of an hour).

82, nearly natural in strength, not steadily so (after twelve hours), (fourth day).

76 before taking, 84 (after half an hour).

76, rather weak in the evening (fifth day).

72 before taking, 88 irregular (after one hour), 84 less irregular (after two hours), 72 regular (after four and a half), (seventh day).

72 regular (eight day).

73 in the morning (ninth day).

78 at 6.30 P.M. (tenth day).

73, natural, before taking, 80 (one hour and a half after first dose), 76 (three hours after first dose), 62 (five hours after first dose), (fourteenth day).

72 in the morning (fifteenth day).

75, a little irregular after walking before taking, 84 (one hour after first dose), 86, slightly irregular (one hour and a half after first dose), 100, irregular, but full in the evening (after second dose), (sixteenth day).

natural, but very readily excited (nineteenth day),.

Pulse previous to taking 58, 59 while sitting, 61 standing.

in the afternoon three hours after dinner, 73 while sitting, 78 standing.

at 11 P.M., 82 sitting, 94 standing (first day). in the morning in bed 59.

at 9.30, 72 sitting, 79 standing.

at 10.15, 66 sitting, 85 standing.

while sitting it was strong, full, and regular, while standing, small, weak, irregular, in both rate and strength.

at noon, 65 sitting, 81 standing.

at 11 P.M., 68 sitting, 84 standing, irregular as before (second day).

at 11 A.M., 60 sitting, 72 standing (the slightest motion made it immediately more rapid).

noting the pulse while leaning backward in a reclining clear and then raising myself to slowly sitting upright, the pulse become in a moment jerky and very much smaller and weaker (third day). At 10 A.M., 61 sitting, 65 standing (fourth day),.

Pulse at 11.30 P.M. slower by one or two beats.

in the evening, between 10 and 11.70 while sitting, 82 while standing (first day), at 10 A.M., 75 while sitting, 85 standing.

at 11 A.M., 62 sitting, 71 standing.

twenty minutes after taking 30 drops of the tincture, 64 sitting, 72 standing.

in the evening, 72 sitting, 80 standing (second day).

in the morning, in bed, 70 at 6 P.M., 68 sitting (while at 10 A.M. it was 64), in the evening, 74 while sitting (third day).

at 10 A.M., 58 sitting (fourth day),.

Pulse 80 (before taking).

continued the same for five minutes.

76 (after seven and eight minutes).

78 (after ten minutes).

76 (after twelve minutes).

78 (after fourteen minutes).

80 (after sixteen twenty and twenty-one minutes).

76 (twenty-second to twenty-fifth minute).

78 (after twenty-seven and twenty-nine minutes).

80 (after thirty minutes).

83 (after thirty-two minutes).

84 (after thirty-four minutes).

85 (after thirty-six minutes).

84 (after forty minutes).

80 (after sixty-three minutes),.

When sitting, as well as when walking, worse towards evening and in the evening.

*there was a constant desire to take a very deep breath, but on attempting to do so, it seemed as though the chest could be only half filled, or as though some impediment existed deep in the chest.

there was associated with this a dry cough, especially on deep inspiration, which only seldom expectorated a somewhat hard, lumpy mucus.

in the morning, however, the expectoration was freer and more copious than in the afternoon and evening.

everything seemed too tight about the body.

I was obliged to open my vest and waistband, because their pressure was extremely irksome.

this, however, did not relieve the shortness of breath (fourth day). On the next day, the shortness of breath appeared in a slight degree immediately on rising (the previous evening it had soon disappeared in bed), but was now accompanied by a painful feeling of weariness and general affection of the chest, and a frequent dry cough.

in the afternoon the difficulty of respiration increased, and in the evening it was worse than yesterday, especially while writing (fifth day). On the next day this continued, a little less in the morning, but even more violent in the afternoon and evening than before, even accompanied with some palpitation (sixth day). The next day, the shortness of breath was noticed immediately after rising, though there was no cough and very little expectoration.

in the afternoon and evening it was noticed a little while walking (seventh day).

in the evening walk after this, the shortness of breath continued to return in shorter and slighter attacks, until it gradually disappeared,.

The sensation experienced while vomiting was as if the stomach were contracting with extreme violence as in cramp, much more so than in vomiting in general, and a feeling of soreness continued for some time after.

next day, vomited some bilious matter, liquid, and resembling somewhat yolk of egg, and the crampy contraction was less marked,.

Movings in the intestinal canal, with slight colic (after two hours).

these pains afterwards extended to the lowest portion of the abdomen, into the pubic region, changing into a pressure and dragging, extending down through the pelvic cavity and into the testicles.

after an hour these pains and dragging sensations had disappeared, but in their place occurred frequent urging to urinate, with itching irritation in the glans penis, lasting until into the afternoon (first day),.

Urine of pale straw color and feeble acid reaction.

quantity, 1950 c.c. (previous average, 1475.5 c.c.).

sp. gr., 1013.25 (previous average, 1024.30 c.c.).

total solids, 69.98 grams., of which 31.27 were inorganic, and 38.71 organic matter (previous average, 75.31 grams., of which 37.17 grams. inorganic, and 45.14 organic constituents), (first day),.

Urine, 1125 c.c., acid.

sp. gr., 1025 (first day). 1040 c.c., acid.

sp. gr., 1025 (second day), 1040 c.c., acid.

sp. gr., 1025, very soon becoming turbid (third day). 940 c.c., acid, once in the afternoon neutral.

sp. gr., 1024.6 (fourth day). 900 c.c.

sp. gr., 1025.8. in the afternoon neutral, at other times acid.

in the morning and afternoon after dinner it became very turbid after a few hours, and deposited a thick white sediment (fifth day),.

Urine, 1150 c.c., acid.

sp. gr., 1053 (first day). 870 c.c.

sp. gr., 1023 (second day). 1145 c.c.

sp. gr., 1017.2 (third day). 975 c. c; sp. gr., 1025 (fourth day). 1100 c.c.

sp. gr., 1018.3 (fifth day). 1200 c.c. (once neutral).

sp. gr. 1024.3 (in the forenoon 120 c.c. of weiss beer were taken), (sixth day). 825 c.c.

sp. gr., 1026.9. in the afternoon becoming soon very turbid (seventh day). 1110 c.c.

sp. gr. 1026 (eighth day). 1105 c.c.

sp. gr., 1025.4 (ninth day),.

Awakened twice at night (first night) by urging to urinate, with copious emission of colorless urine.

(on the last evening, instead of beer as usual, I had drunk a cup of tea; tea had never caused such an effect, and it had been taken too early and in too small a quantity; I was still more satisfied that the tea was not the cause, since on the next day I was awakened early in the morning without having drunk tea in the preceding evening;) the desire to urinate was every time accompanied by persistent erections, which frequently occurred in the morning, also during the last three days (thirty-first to thirty-third day),.

With small doses the urine varied just as the pulse had done, being generally increased to a slight extent while I took the drug, but sometimes not, while, with large doses, the diuretic effect was marked.

with the larger doses, especially of the powder, there is a marked increase in the amount of urine before intoxication appears, then a sudden fall during its continuance, and another rise of still greater extent after it has passed off, and after the medicine has been discontinued.

the actual increase in the amount of urine may to some appear small, but when it is considered that the amount of fluid ingested is the same, and that, in a normal condition, very rarely has a large amount of urine been passed on more than two consecutive days, the distinct and persistent diuresis is remarkable,.

Urine seems to be decidedly diminished.

from 4 to 10.30 P.M., passed only once at the latter hour, although much more than usual had been drunk.

even the urine passed in the morning was small in quantity, and the discharge was associated with rather severe urging.

micturition was difficult, and was followed by burning in the urethra and pressure in the region of the bladder.

also in the evening smarting in the urethra was noticed after urinating (tenth day),.

The amount of urine was markedly diminished during the period of intoxication, when the gastro-intestinal canal was most affected.

and in the case of Daniel G., when the pulse was most affected, it fell from an average of between 40 and 50 ounces to 30 ounces, 25, and 26 ounces on the two next days, and 18 ounces on the two following days, again slowly rising for four days, till it rose from 25 to 44 ounces, and then remained at its normal standard,.

Secretion of urine was unchanged for the first three days.

on the second day it was remarkably increased, so that he passed a large amount of watery urine every hour.

next day it returned to the normal (was not diminished in quantity).

the next dose was followed by increased secretion of urine for the whole day (after three or four hours),.

Urine during the first day decidedly diminished (too much so to be accounted for by the warmer weather), 860 c.c., gr. 1025 (aggregate of four evacuations), (first day).

passed in unusually small quantity, and of very high sp. gr. (1033), (second evening).

total amount during the day only 1050 c.c., though I drank 180 c.c. of beer and 210 c.c. of coffee.

in the afternoon the reaction was neutral.

average sp. gr. 1.026.5 (second day),.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS.

Tense white swelling of the whole body, with great painfulness to every touch, after several weeks subsiding, becoming soft, and changing to anasarca,

Bending forward of the body is attended with violent tearing pain in the abdomen, for six days,

Wasting of the body in proportion to the recuperation of the mind,

Universal and partial trembling, for six days,

Convulsions, etc.

Convulsions and great disquietude,

Convulsions of the most violent kind,

Epileptic attacks,

Stiffening of the body, for six days,

The trunk and limbs especially the thighs, are painfully stiff (tenth day),

Relaxation of all the muscles, with sensation as though he had not slept enough,

Sinking of vitality,

Lassitude,

General lassitude, exhaustion, and weariness of body and mind (fourth and fifth days),

The listless state of the body and depression of the mind had increased; the latter was a kind of stupidity (eighteenth day),

Extremely listless and weak (nineteenth and twentieth days),

Weakness sinking of the strength,

General weakness, ,

General weakness, as if all portions of the body were weary (after two hours),

Frequent weakness; she was obliged to lie in bed because sitting up fatigued her,

Great weakness,

Extreme weakness,

Sudden extreme weakness, as if he would lose his consciouness, with general heat and sweat, without thirst, after dinner,

Weak and tired (seventeenth day),

My strength was extremely weakened (fourth day),

Sudden sinking of strength, with general sweat, and after some hours cough,

Could not for several days bear the upright position,

He lay supine, very cold, pale, and covered with copious perspiration (second morning),

Lay on back, and seemed completely prostrated, being scarcely able to move a limb (second day),

Exhaustion (fourth day),

Exhaustion of vitality, with inclination to faint,

Great exhaustion. (fourth day),

Before they had proceeded one hundred yards the poison had taken such effect that one of the sufferers had fallen twice from exhaustion, and on entering their hotel another of them fell senseless,

Extreme prostration (after four days),

Two weeks elapsed before it was possible for me to leave my bed, and nearly two months before health was re-established,

Faintness,

Faintness between the attacks of nausea,

Occasional faintness, which on moving was attended with nausea (third day),

Excessively faint and weak (soon after),

Syncope (soon), ; (after eight hours),

Restlessness,

At night, he leaves his bed every moment and cannot sleep, but converse with persons not present,

Great uneasiness (soon),

Nervous symptoms of all sorts, and great weakness,

Indolence and weariness, in the morning on rising from bed,

Awoke feeling great lassitude and depression; on getting up depression and languor increased (third morning),

Somnolent weariness, slumber,

Feeling of weariness and trembling of the muscles; he was not inclined to leave the bed (second day),

Feeling of great debility (after six hours),

Considerable degree of languor, with vertigo and intermitting pulse,

Much languor and sense of faintness; the patient thinks he cannot endure, but must die,

Extreme languor,

Inclination to faint,

Constant inclination to faint,

Great inclination to faint,

Feeling of great lightness of the body,

Heaviness after first dose,

General malaise (after five hours),

Tearing burning and some itching needle-like stitches in various parts of the body,

Cramps,

General soreness of the whole body,

Bruised feeling,

The small doses up to 30 drops, produced scarcely any effect except a bitter taste and some eructations.

larger doses caused in two persons dryness of the lips, a feeling of rawness or burning in the pharynx, visible increase of saliva and mucus in the mouth, nausea, inclination to vomit, and a constrictive pain in the throat and along the oesophagus, with rumbling or griping in the intestines, and tension caused by flatulence.

the stools remained unaffected in two provers, but in one became very dry and indolent, and in another, after 80 drops, there was sudden diarrhoea. The symptoms from 100 drops and upwards, were pressive pain in the forehead, obscuration of the eyes.

in one case, oppressive pain beneath the ensiform cartilage,.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS.

Comes into play in all diseases where the heart is primarily involved, where the pulse is Weak, irregular, intermittent, abnormally slow, and dropsy of external and internal parts. Weakness and dilation of the myocardium. Its greatest indication is in failure of compensation and especially when Auricular fibrillation has set in. Slow pulse in recumbent posture, but irregular and dicrotic on sitting up. Auricular flutter and fibrillation especially when subsequent to rheumatic fever. Heart block, very slow pulse. Other symptoms of organic heart disease, such as great weakness and sinking of strength, faintness, coldness of skin, and irregular respiration; cardiac irritability and ocular troubles after tobacco; jaundice from induration and Hypertrophy of the liver, frequently call for Digitalis Purpurea. Jaundice with heart disease. Faint, as if dying. BLUISH appearance of face. Cardiac muscular failure when asystole is present. Stimulates the heart’s muscles, increases force of systole, increases length. Prostration from slight exertion. Collapse.

WEAKNESS, faint-like; can hardly talk

Heart slow, with indefinite or causeless symptoms

HEART SLOW, weak or irregular; quick, on motion; with liver or sexual symptoms; at puberty

Must walk about, with precordial anxiety; with teasing to urinate

Anxious solicitude

Dizzy

Crashes in head; on dropping to sleep

Spastic hemicrania

Yellow-red conjuctiva

Seething in ears

Face pale; bluish, also lips and tongue

Thick, flabby tongue

Much thirst, little appetite (Sulphur ^Sul---- ), but no fever

White, putty-like stools

Dribbling urination

Dropsy

Throbbing in neck of bladder

Early morning erection

Swelled prostate; senile

Atonic night losses Glans inflamed; gonorrhoea of (Jaca)

Profuse, thick, yellow-white gonorrhoea

Slow breathing

Cough, with pains in shoulders and arms

HEART; weak; feels like stopping; sprains; palpitation

Slow, intermittent pulse

Numb or weak left arm

Drowsy Dreams of falling; wakes with a shock

Cold skin

Flushes of heat, then great weakness

Cold, clammy sweat

An active principle (glucoside) of Digitalis purpurea. C5 H8 02. (Schimiedeburg); C27 H45 O15 (Kosmann). Trituration.

Digilalinum is a poison of very great activity. It produces a profound effect on muscular tissue, both voluntary and involuntary, more especially on the heart. It causes profound prostration, even to inability to move a muscle. Paralytic weakness.

numbness. tremulousness of the limbs. Cold, clammy surface. Gooseflesh. The heart is slowed, or else its action is made rapid and feeble or "sensation as if the heart stood still." Digitalis has Sensation as if the heart would stand still if he moved. According to Hale Dgn. is specially indicated in cases of "overburdened heart where it is constantly labouring." Irregular and intermittent action. A sinking, faint sensation is felt at the epigastrium, nausea and vomiting of yolk-of-egg matter, shivering, diarrhoea, the stools not being noted characteristically white as are those of the plant. Sensitiveness of eyes to light and nose to odours. Disorders of vision and hearing are very numerous. One prover noted "frontal headache, dazzlings, loss of appetite, sinking at epigastrium, intestinal flatulence, borborygmi, eructation, slight abdominal pains.

urine abundant. great fatigue.

painful heat in evening but no thirst." For a whole day pressure in supra-orbital region towards frontal sinus, and when walking a feeling as if the ground gave way under his feet. Sexual weakness is shown in Deep sleep in which an emission occurs without waking him;" and "Sexual power diminished or quite abolished temporarily." Dgn. has cured the following case Mrs.

had for over a year swelling of right hand and fingers, which she thought to be rheumatic. Digitalis has the symptom, "swelling of right hand and fingers," and this would have been given but only Digitalin was at hand. This was given in 4x. After the second dose the swelling began to subside, and in two or three days was completely gone. (H. W., xxvi. 552). The heart pains are agg. lying on left side. Many symptoms appear on waking in the morning.

chilliness and fever in afternoon and evening. Confusion of the head is amel. walking in open air. Symptoms are amel. after dinner. Drinking = nausea, and vomiting. Pains in trunk agg. during rest.

FOXGLOVE.

Digitalis Purpurea plant, which grows wild on open mountainous plateaux, is one of the most powerful medicinal substances of the vegetable kingdom.

it has been frequently abused by the physicians of the old school.

who sought to gain consideration through violent action on the patient, without considering of what nature this action might be.

for they had not knowledge sufficient to apply Digitalis Purpurea to the various diseases for which it is suitable. Countless murders have thus been committed by men who were not conversant with its pure effects. In extremely rare instances, when they unconsciously used it in cases where the disease-symptoms had a striking similarity to those produced by foxglove, they produced wonders by rapid cures. The true Homoeopath will never use it injuriously, but always for the salvation of his patients.

he will not consider it indicated by a quick pulse, as has been customary in the old school.

for though in its first effects it greatly retards the pulse, in its after effects it causes so much greater an acceleration through the counter effects of the vital force.

The homoeopathic medicine is prepared from this plant by dynamizing one drop of its freshly expressed juice, mixed with ninety-nine drops of alcohol, by ten strong succussive strokes, which is then repeated in twenty-nine other vials, as has been taught at the conclusion of Part I. of the Chronic Diseases as to the second method. Instead of this we can triturate two grains of the fresh herb with one hundred grains of sugar of milk, and then develop it to the thirtieth potency of its medicinal powers, as is usually done with dry medicinal substances.

In its homoeopathic use, this medicine need only be given in the smallest dose, and if even such a dose should produce too violent effects, repeated smelling of a solution of Camphora ^Camphor will serve to moderate its action. Nux Vomica ^{Nux vomica} and Opium are also said to have been found useful as antidotes. A cautious physician, however, will hardly ever need antidotes. By spirits of nitre the action of digitalis is immensely increased.

Digitalis has a long period of action.

Effects of D. on patients. (The symptoms have been revised from the original English edition). This symptom not found.

Read "." Effects of D. in a case of anasarca.

Effects of D. in phthisis. This discouragement was on account of the apparent inefficiency of the medicine.

Effects of D. in a case of enlarged heart.

Effects of D. when given to dropsical patients.

Not found.

Provings on the healthy with one-third grain doses of the powdered leaves.

Nothing about D. mentioned by Quarin here, but most of Quarin's symptoms are cited in . III., 320, as effects of the drug in scrofula. Maclean gives "Effects on patients."

Effects of D. in phthisis.

Digitalis Purpurea was only a sensation as of swelling.

From an overdose. With S. 592.

Troschel's is simply a translation of Guibert's case. (See S. 19).

Not accessible.

Digitalis Purpurea lasted for a month after omitting the medicine, with throbbing pains and sense of fullness and enlargement in the eyeballs.

Not accessible.

With S. 41.

Effects of D. in a case of anasarca.

The muscae of S. 119 became these when the eyes were covered .

Effects of D. in pneumonia.

Digitalis has not unfrequently cured deafness attended with a noise in the ear as of boiling water, in cases where it was otherwise homoeopathically appropriate.

Effects of D. in phthisis. With vertigo.

With S. 344.

From overdosing an ascitic patient with D.

Effect of overdosing with D.

Henry states saliva to have been of viscid consistence, but says nothing about "stinking odor".

Not accessible.

Observed effects of D. This symptom is ascribed by the author to the acrimony of the plant.

Nothing from Kinglake found here.

Not accessible.

Effect of overdose.

Not found.

From overdosing.

Not found.

From an overdose.

The original is "A faintness or sinking at the stomach, as if life were going from them.

Nothing about D. here.

Original is "Sensation of twisting in the bowels after each dose, and of much sinking at the pit of the stomach.

Not found.

As with S. 178, q. v.

For nearly three days.

Not accessible.

Not found.

A very rare alternating action of foxglove, and only when given in a dose too large. Usually the first effect of this medicine is to produce difficulty in urination. By means of this action, it frequently has been of great use in diseases involving swellings, which were attended with similar difficulty in the secretion of urine and with other symptoms found among the pure primary effects of digitalis. The copious, often involuntary, flow of urine, or diuresis, resulting from the use of digitalis, is merely a counter effect of the organism, in answer to the above mentioned primary effect of the drug.

Effects of D. given for dropsy. Literally, it is "urging to urinate, even to inflammation of the bladder."

* * * * *

A standing symptom with the patient.

Not found.

Not accessible.

Statement.

Not found.

Digitalis Purpurea occurred is several of Withering's patients, but always in the natural sequence of their maladies and never as traceable to D.

Effects of D. in hydrocephalus.

The original has "Much languor and sense of faintness; the patient says, he would rather die than endure it.

Curative effect.

Not found.

Subsequent to S. 673.

The original has "Pulse suddenly quickened for a few beats, then slow again; or it loses a whole beat."

The original instead of "40 to 58" has "48 to 56" beats.

Not found.

The most usual and assured phenomenon from foxglove is, that after the preliminary slowness of the pulse (primary action), after some days the reverse (reaction or secondary action), a much quicker and smaller pulse, is permanently induced by the vital force. This shows how much the physicians of the old school are at fault, who endeavor to produce a permanently slower pulse by foxglove, and thus frequently kill.

Instead of " (suppressed)" the original has "quicker and proportionately weaker."

Statement from observation.

Not found.

Foxglove. Hahnemann. Scrophulariaceae.

History Digitalis Purpurea as used by the Old School has done more mischief than any one drug in their Materia Medica. Every patient who had a fast heart, or anything the matter with the heart, was given Digitalis

They do not know that many patients would have lived through fevers, pneumonia and other acute diseases if it had not been for this medicine, used as they have used it in the tincture, in many-drop doses, until the heart was slowed down.

They call it sedative.

yes, it is a sedative. It makes the patient very sedate. You have seen how very sedate a patient looks after he has been in the hands of an undertaker and has on his best garments. That is what Digitalis does. In that way it is a sedative in the hands of the allopath. A homoeopathic physician never prescribes to bring down the pulse. He prescribes for the patient and the heart's action takes care of itself.

Digitalis is a very poor fever medicine. Instead of being indicated when the pulse is fast, the proving says it is indicated when the pulse is slow. The allopath gives it when the pulse is fast to make it slow; if given to a well person it will make the pulse slow, and when indicated in a sick person the pulse is slow.

Liver It produces a great disturbance of the liver.

"Congestion and enlargement of the liver.

Soreness of the liver."

Tenderness about the liver-but during that time the pulse is slow. It makes the bowels very sluggish, produces inactivity of the liver, and stools are bileless, light colored, putty-like-and the pulse is slow.

Add to that jaundice and you have a grand picture of Digitalis jaundice with slow pulse, with uneasiness in the liver, pale stool, and even if you have never seen or beard of Digitalis before you will scarcely miss it. Now, you might add a myriad of little symptoms, but it does not change the aspect of things. It is Digitalis

You would not be surprised to find in Digitalis much nervous prostration. Restlessness and great nervous weakness.

"Feels as if would fly to pieces.

Anxiety.

Feels that something is going to happen."

Seems as if his whole economy were full of anxious feelings and restlessness. Lassitude, faintness exhaustion and extreme prostration. Faints on the slightest provocation. It begins in the stomach; an awful sensation of weakness in the stomach and bowels.

A shock goes through the body like an electric shock, like internal jerkings, twitchings. Sudden muscular movements, as if a current of electricity passed through the body. This, with slow pulse, with a sense of faintness, and great weakness. Bluish paleness of the lips in persons who suffer at times with cardiac spells - it seems at times as if the pulse would cease. Face becomes blue, the fingers become blue. Wants to lie on the back. Frequently startled in sleep.

jerking at night.

The heart symptoms are numerous, but none is so important as the slow pulse. The pulse is slow in the beginning of the case. It may now be flying like lighting.

Pulse He is anxious, restless, has horrible dreams and sinking in the stomach - that sounds like the advanced stage of Digitalis - but I want to know if in the beginning, the pulse was slow.

The patient himself seldom knows, but someone says that in the beginning the pulse was 48; that is Digitalis If the pulse in the beginning was rapid do not think of Digitalis, for it will not do any good.

The Digitalis pulse is at first slow and perhaps remains so for many days, until finally the heart commences to go with a quiver, with an irregular beat, intermits, feels as if it would cease to beat, and then we have all these strange manifestations.

Weakness is the very character of the Digitalis pulse, and all these characteristics go along with it. First it is slow, and sometimes strong. Slow, strong pulse when rheumatism is threatening the heart.

"Violent. but not very rapid pulse.

Sudden violent beating of the heart, with disturbed rhythm."

The slightest motion increases anxiety and palpitation. When the pulse is going very slow, sometimes down to 40, the patient turns the head and the pulse flutters and increases in its action. If he turns over in bed it seems as if the heart would stop. If he moves he feels it fluttering all over him, and it settles back and is slow again.

but, finally, it changes and flutters all the time.

Palpitation of the heart originating in grief. Sudden sensation as though the heart stood still. Fluttering of the heart, The least muscular exertion renders the heart's action labored and intermittent in a feeble heart.

"Respiration irregular and performed with great difficulty.

Constant desire to take a deep breath.

When he goes to sleep the breath seems to fade away, then he wakes up with a gasp Lachesis ^Lachesis, Phosphorus ^Phosphorus, Carbo Veg ^{Carbo veg}. and some other remedies have that; remedies that affect the cerebellum particularly, producing a congestion of the cerebellum.

When a patient goes to sleep the cerebrum says to the cerebellum

"Now you carry on this breathing a little while, I am getting tired."

But the cerebellum is not equal to the occasion. It is congested, and just as soon as the cerebrum begins to rest the cerebellum goes to sleep, too, and lets the patient suffer.

and in that way we get suffocation. The cerebellum presides over respiration during sleep and the cerebrum presides over respiration when the patient is awake. We might learn that from the provings of medicines if we never found it before.

"Fear of suffocation at night."

Now, to analyze that. He knows from experience that every time he drops into a sleep he suffocates, and hence he fears to go to sleep for fear he will suffocate. The fear of suffocation at night is from this origin. It is the same if he falls asleep in the day time.

"Can only breathe in gasps."

Digitalis is a useful medicine when there is a filling up of the lower part of thy lungs. The patient is sitting up in bed, and there is dullness in the lower part of each lung and plenty of resonance in the upper portion. Then it is, if he lies down, he will suffocate. Digitalis likes mostly to lie flat on the back with no pillow, when there is no filling up of the lungs. But when there is hypostatic congestion he suffocates. If early in the case the pulse was slow and it has become fast, Digitalis may be of some benefit.

In many instances where the catheter has been used for months or years because he is unable to pass urine in a natural way, and where there is a residuary urine in old bachelors and old men, Digitalis is a good remedy.

It diminishes the size of the prostate gland and has many times cured.

"Dropsy with suppression of urine."

In uraemic poisoning and in various phases of Bright's disease of the kidneys we have symptoms indicating Digitalis Retention of urine; dribbling of urine. Spermatorrhea, Nightly emission. In persons addicted for years to secret vices. Enlarged prostate gland.

Food "Loss of appetite and violent thirst."

"Persistent nausea.

Extreme sensitiveness, in the pit of the stomach.

Faintness and sinking in the pit of the stomach as if be would die.

No appetite, but great thirst.

Soreness and hardness in the region of the liver.

Sensitiveness to pressure in the region of the liver."

Now remember the liver and the heart symptoms, the jaundice, the slow pulse, the awful sinking in the stomach, the enlargement of the prostate gland, the gray stool, and you have the principal symptoms of Digitalis

After all that I have said you are not surprised at the horrible anxiety that the Digitalis patient carries with him all the time.

He wants to be alone; sadness, melancholy, despondency and restlessness. He canAEt decide upon anything that be ought to do; tremulousness.

The stomach, bowel and liver troubles are just what you see sometimes in a hard drinker after trying to break off. He is prostrated; his heart gives out, is irregular, weak, slow; and he has sadness and melancholy; inability to apply himself. Digitalis will help him straighten out.

Clinical

Asthma. Diarrhoea. Emissions. Exophthalmus. Heart, affections of. Palpitation. Spermatorrhoea. Vertigo. Vision, hallucinations of.

Region

Vagus

HEART; muscle

CIRCULATION Liver Lungs

Stomach

Occiput

Genito-urinary organs