Ignatia Amara - General symptoms

GENERAL

General

(Morning), Immediately after waking, pains renewed.

on waking, confusion, etc., of head.

on waking, heaviness of head.

in bed, on waking, aggravated after eating, pressive headache.

on waking, bruised headache.

in bed, while lying upon either side, headache at temples.

on waking, pressure in and above eyes.

on reading, biting on margins of lids.

on waking, mucus in mouth.

in bed, when lying upon side, pain in upper abdomen.

on waking, hollow cough.

while lying on back in bed.

pain in small of back.

pain in sacrum. pain in wrist.

while slumbering in bed.

pain in thumb-joint. on rising, stiffness of knee, etc.

very early, in bed, disappearing on stretching the limb out, or pressing against it, cramps in calves.

on waking, pain in ankle-bones.

while walking, pain in ankle.

stiffness of the feet.

very early, stitches in heel.

in bed, pain in ball of heel.

on waking, shuddering.

in bed, heat, etc. from 2 to 5 o'clock, heat.

about 2 o'clock, external heat.

on falling asleep a second time, perspiration.

(Evening), Before and after lying down, fixed ideas.

immediately after lying down, pains renewed.

pressure in the head. while lying in bed, pain in groin.

pressure in chest. in bed, while lying upon either side, pressure in long bones.

after lying down, jerking in muscles of forearm.

after lying down, motion in finger.

after lying down in bed, itching.

itching about the genitals, etc.

at sunset, chilly. in bed, orgasm of blood.

perspiration on the hands..

Confusion of the head, on waking in the morning (like that of the day previous), lasting till after dinner (fourth day).

on the next day it continued, and soon changed to a pressive pain seated in the forehead and affecting the eyes, so that movement of the lids and eyeballs was painful.

ascending steps or any violent exertion of the body aggravated the pain,.

Dull pressure in the forehead, extending into the nasal cavities, and every ten minutes a sensation as though violent coryza would develop.

when after ten minutes, the sensation in the nose was better it extended to other parts of the head, and so alternated for an hour, when it entirely disappeared, but returned again after an hour with great violence, lasting an hour and a half, when it entirely vanished (fifth day),.

A circle of white glittering, flickering zigzags about the point of vision.

therewith the letters to which one directs the eye became invisible, but those next to them were distinct (after sixteen hours), On reading, the letters to which the eyes were directed became invisible, but those in the immediate vicinity seemed more distinct than ever.

it seemed as if the middle of the word was marked with chalk, while the beginning and end of a long word, or the first and last letters of a monosyllabic word, had become more distinct, lasting about an hour,.

Pain in the spleen, extending from the stomach and thence to the vertebral column.

after an hour this sensation changed into stitches, which extended up into the thorax, but did not seem to affect the thoracic viscera.

an hour later there were again sticking and burning in the region of the spleen, and this was repeated several times during the day,.

Peculiar tensive pain, not in the stomach.

but in the upper abdomen.

it seemed as though the walls of the abdomen were pushed downward and the diaphragm upward.

this pain seemed worse in the region of the spleen, whence it extended backward towards the vertebral column.

it was alternately worse in different places.

this pain disappeared entirely for four hours but returned at 3 P.M., and became quite violent towards evening, when it extended upward into the chest, where it at times became an acute burning, which, however, was worse in the vertebral column in the region of the ganglion coeliacum.

during these attacks there were frequent eructations of air, always, followed by transient relief of the pain,.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS.

He seemed as if in a doze; it is irksome to look with the eyes and to open the mouth for talking; with light slow respiration,

Trembling,

Trembling for several hours,

Trembling of the whole body,

Trembling of the whole body, for three hours, with itching and frightful convulsive jerkings, so that he was scarcely able to remain upon his legs; these were most violent in the jaws, so that the mouth was distorted as in laughing, immediately,

Seized with a trembling all over his body that continued three hours (immediately); together with twitching and spasms,

Constant motion (agitation) of the body,

Convulsive motions,

Spasmodic motions in the Spaniards, though it never has this effect with the Indians,

Convulsions,

Terrible spasms, so violent that he was not able to stand upon his feet; they were most violent and troublesome in his jaws, so as to cause risus sardonicus; yet there was not alteration in his pulse, no vomiting, or any other symptoms attending them,

Jerkings and twitchings through the whole body, in the evening on falling asleep (after ninety-six hours),

Jerkings and twitchings in various parts of the muscles, here and there over the whole body (after lying down), (after two hours),

Unwillingness to move, dread of work,

So relaxed that he has no desire to make any exertion or to go out; he has no desire for anything, but prefers to lie down (after four hours),

Lassitude and weariness after dinner; he felt unable to perform his usual work, and very sleepy over it, contrary to his habit; this exhaustion and sleepiness were most marked from 2 to 4 P.M., though they continued late, and even on the next day he had not regained his usual activity (third day),

Great general weariness, from slight exertion,

Weakness on waking in the morning (second day),

(Weakness after the stool),

Debility, as from weakness about the pit of the stomach; he feels qualmish and is obliged to lie down,

Great weakness and weariness, it seemed as though he had walked a long distance, he was frequently obliged to yawn, though he did not sleep (seventh day),

Great weakness of the whole body; on waking it seems as though his breath would fail, he becomes qualmish in the pit of the stomach, and then coughs,

Exhaustion, lassitude, in the evening,

Peculiar exhaustion and lassitude during the afternoon, he was unable to perform his work, and about 2 P.M. was overpowered by sleepiness, and slept soundly for two hours, but was not refreshed thereby, on the contrary he felt much exhausted all the rest of the day (fourth day),

Faintness,

Fainting,

Frequently changes his position at night in bed, lies now here, now there,

Sensitiveness of the skin to drafts of air; there is a feeling in the abdomen as though he would take cold (after four hours),

Insensibility of the whole body,

In the morning at the moment of waking he feels a weight, accumulation, congestion, and orgasm of blood in the whole body, with melancholy,

A simple violent pain here and there in a small spot, as for example, on the ribs, only noticed on touch,

A deeply sticking, burning pain in various parts of the body (as for example, in the corner of the mouth, under the first joint of the thumb, etc.), without itching,

Tingling pain, and the like, especially in the head,

Crawling as if internally in the bones of the whole body,

General anxious heat, with slight perspiration about the nose, at night.

there is the most heat in the hands and feet, which however, he does not uncover, but constantly wishes to keep them covered, with cold thighs, palpitation, short breath, and lascivious dreams.

mostly when lying upon one or the other side, less when lying upon the back,.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS.

Ignatia Amara produces a marked hyperaesthenia of all the senses, and a tendency to clonic spasms. Mentally, The emotional element is uppermost, and co-ordination of function is interfered with. Hence, it is one of the chief remedies for hysteria. It is especially adapted to the nervous temperament - women of sensitive, easily excited nature, dark, mild disposition, quick to perceive, rapid in execution. Rapid change of mental and physical condition, opposite to each other. Great contradictions. Alert, nervous, apprehensive, rigid, trembling patients who suffer acutely in mind or body, at the same time made worse by drinking Coffea Cruda ^Coffee. The Superficial and erratic character of its symptoms is most characteristic. Effects of grief and worry. Cannot bear tobacco. Pain is small, circumscribed spots ( Oxalicum Acidum ^Oxal-ac.) The plague. Hiccough and hysterical vomiting.

ERRATIC, CONTRADICTORY OR SPASMODIC EFFECTS; often violent; with rigidity, twitchings, tremor, etc

; during pain

Jerks run through whole body

SENSE OF A LUMP, foreign body or sharp pressure

Globus

Clavus

Hysteria

Pain in a spot, worse close attention

Symptoms pass off with a profuse flow of urine

Oversensitive to pain

Tonic spasm of single parts, with frothing at mouth

Neurotic inheritance

Spasms from punishment (Agaricus Muscarius ^Agar)

Brooding grief Silent and sad; inward weeping

Intolerant of contradiction; of reprimands (Colo)

Stap

Angry with himself

Delicately conscientious

Everything irks her

Weak and excitable

ALERT, OVERSENSITIVE AND NERVOUS

Highly emotional Capricious

Moody Changeful Faints easily

SIGHS, weeps or laughs by turns

Unhappy; love

Enjoys being sad GRIEF; brooding Alternate headache and backache (Melil)

Headache ends in yawning and vomiting

Eyelids seem dry

Flashes of light, from violent coughing

Nose sensitive to inspired air

Pain over root of nose

Sneezing attacks

One cheek red Jaws snap shut; bites inside of cheek, tongue, etc

Masseters stiff and hard

Indurated tonsils; with little ulcers

Cramp in gullet

Swallows over a lump, better solids

Hiccough; with eructations, empty or bitter

Nausea or vomiting, better indigestible foods

Hunger, with nausea

Craves raw foods

Empty sinking or spasmodic ache in stomach; not better eating

Stool painful; difficult although soft, then constriction of rectum

Obstipation of neurasthenics

Pain shoots up rectum Piles, better sitting

Prolapsus recti Irregular menses

TAKES DEEP BREATHS; for relief

Choking Spasm of glottis

Hacking cough

Cough violent, it shuts off the breath; dry, as from dust or Sulphur ^sulphur fumes; worse coughing

Constriction of thorax

Goitre

Tension in nape

Cramp in calf

Heavy feet

Painful skin, better pressure

Violent, spasmodic yawning Light sleep, every sound wakes

Dreams same horrid dreams, over and over

Chill with a red face

Chill, shaking; nervous; with thirst; worse pain

Heat, with aversion to uncover, but no thirst

Ignatia amara. (Strychnos ignatia? Strychnos multiflora?-The actual tree from which the so-called "beans" are obtained is not known.) Faba indica. St. Ignatius' Bean. (Philippine Islands.) N. O. Loganiaceae. Tincture and trituration of the seeds.

Abdomen, distended. Anger, effects of. Anus, affections of. Anxiety. Appetite, disordered. Back, weakness of. Catalepsy. Change of Life. Chorea. Clavus. Convulsions. Croup. Debility. Dentition. Depression of Spirits. Diphtheria. Dysmenorrhoea. Epilepsy. Fainting. Fear, effects of. Flatulence.

obstructed. Glands, enlargement of. Haemorrhoids. Headache. Heart, affections of. Hiccough. Hysteria. Hysterical-joint. Intermittent fever. Locomotor ataxy. Melancholia. Numbness. Oesophagus. Paralysis. Phlyctenular ophthalmia. Proctalgia. Rectum, prolapse of. Rheumatic fever. Sciatica. Sensitiveness. Sinking. Sleep, disordered. Spinal irritation. Tenesmus. Throat, sore. Toothache. Tremors. Urine, abnormal. Vagina, spasm of. Voice, lost. Yawning.

In order to obtain a proper understanding of the power and place of Ignatia it is necessary to get rid of two prevalent erroneous ideas. The first of these is that Ign. is a remedy for hysteria and nothing else.

and the second is that it is the only remedy ever required in cases of hysteria. One minor inconvenience attending these notions is, that patients have become very shy of the drug, and resent having it prescribed for them, thinking that their doctor deems them hysterical if he does prescribe it. The recent outbreak of plague in the East has recalled the fact that Ign. has earned a reputation as curative even in that disease. Honigberger relates that it was a common plan when plague was raging in Constantinople for people to wear a bean attached to a string as a prophylactic.

he administered "minute doses" of it to patients affected with plague with the best success. Later on he himself caught the disease in India, and cured himself with the same remedy (H. W., xxxiii. 51). In intermittent fever it is the only remedy that will cure certain cases. In the early part of my homoeopathic career I astonished myself once by curing rapidly with Ign. (prescribed at first as an intercurrent remedy) a severe case of rheumatic fever, which had been making no progress under Bryonia ^Bryonia, &c. The mental symptoms called for Ign., and along with these the inflammation of the joints, as well as the fever, disappeared under its action. The seeds of Ign. contain a larger proportion of Strychnia than those of Nux Vomica ^{Nux vomica}, and the great differences in the characteristic features of the two medicines prove the wisdom of considering medicines apart from their so-called "active" principles. There are many activities in plants besides the alkaloids they may contain, and these are often the determining factors of the drug's specific action. It is in the mental sphere that the majority of the keynote symptoms of Ign. are developed. "Although its positive effects," says Hahnemann (M. M. P.), "have a great resemblance to those of Nux Vomica ^{Nux v}. (which indeed might be inferred from the botanical relationship of these two plants) yet there is a great difference in their therapeutic employment. The emotional disposition of patients for whom Ign. is serviceable differs widely from that of those for whom Nux Vomica ^{Nux v}. is of use. Ign. is not suitable for persons or patients in whom anger, eagerness, or violence is predominant.

but for those who are subject to rapid alternations of gaiety and disposition to weep, or other characteristic emotional states, provided always that the other corporeal morbid symptoms resemble those that Ignatia Amara can produce." Guernsey thus depicts the Ign. state of mind "Any one suffering from suppressed or deep grief, with long-drawn sighs, much sobbing, &c.

also much unhappiness, cannot sleep, entirely absorbed in grief.

for recent grief at the loss of a friend.

affections of the mind in general, particularly if actuated by grief.

sadness. hopelessness.

hysterical variableness.

an introverted state of mind. The special indication of Ign. in cases of hysteria is the rapid alternation of moods. Uncontrollable laughter alternating with outbursts of tears. Laughs when she ought to be serious. Sensitive, impressionable. This condition with the characteristic globus hystericus (a lump rises from the stomach into throat as if she would choke; she swallows it down but it constantly returns; agg. by drinking water) unmistakably indicate Ign. Nervous twitchings and even convulsions also occur. Distortion of the facial muscles whenever the patient attempts to speak. Pains rapidly alternate in character and are excessive. Exaggerated and outlandish symptoms. Rapid alternation of effects is one of the leading features of the drug.

also paradoxicalness. Ign. has cured many cases of diphtheric and other sore throats, when the pain has been amel. by swallowing. In the fever of Ign., the thirst occurs during the chill and in no other stage. This is a very unlikely condition, and no other remedy has it. Empty retching is amel. by eating. Suddenness is another note of the Ign. effects. Sudden loss of function in any organ. There are many bodily conditions not associated with mental disturbance that require Ign.

for it must always be borne in mind that the absence of any particular characteristic of a drug is no contraindication to its use provided other indications are sufficiently pronounced. Ign. will cure many painful conditions of the anus and rectum, including piles and prolapse when characterised by "sharp stitching pain shooting up the rectum".

or "constricting pain at anus agg. after stool, amel. whilst sitting." Pressure as of a sharp instrument from within outward is a characteristic. "Headache as if a nail were driven out through the side of the head, amel. by lying on it." Pains 2 change their locality, come gradually and abate suddenly, or come and go suddenly. Headaches terminate with a profuse flow of urine. In dentition it is frequently called for. It has cured hydrocephalus from sudden metastasis from bowels to brain during dentition, with sudden pallor, delirium, rolling of head, difficult swallowing.

convulsive movements of eyes and lids. The eye symptoms are also noteworthy. It has cured many cases of inflammatory affections, especially with intense photophobia and nervous excitement.

also asthenopia with spasms of lids and neuralgic pains. Ign. is one of the remedies which have "goneness." or sinking at the stomach, in a very pronounced degree. It often occurs in the night, keeping the patient awake. With this there is a disposition to sigh. Sometimes a feeling as if the stomach were relaxed. There is regurgitation of food. Hiccough agg. by eating, or smoking, or emotional disturbances (especially in children).

empty retching amel. by eating.

vomiting at night of food taken in evening. Hysterical vomiting. Sour saliva and sour taste in mouth. Toothache, agg. after a meal, not so bad whilst eating.

another paradoxical condition. The facial expression of Ign. is one of deadly pallor, or it may be flushed at times. There are twitchings of individual muscles of eyelids or mouth, and fluttering in chest, and in smaller muscles of body.

heart flutters and rises in chest, causing choking and oppression.

it seems to rise and fall as she attempts to sleep. Convulsions, spasms from fright. The child stiffens out and bends backward. Half-unconscious state, thumbs clenched, face blue. Cramps and spasms are prevalent as with Nux Vomica ^Nux. The dysmenorrhoea in which Ign. is indicated has labour-like bearing-down in hypogastrium, amel. by pressure.

by lying down. by change of position. The flow is black, putrid.

if profuse, clotted. Spasms and convulsions, ending in long-drawn sighs, are met by Ign. Nash relates a case of puerperal convulsions in which this feature led to a cure. There are a number of characteristic respiratory symptoms Hysterical aphonia. Laryngismus stridulus.

patient sits up in bed, hoarse, hacking cough. The characteristic cough of Ign. is an irritable and irritating cough the longer the cough lasts the more the irritation to cough increases. Kent describes it as "Hack, hack-ety-hack, ending in sobbing." Cough every time he stands still during a walk. Hollow, spasmodic cough as from Sulphur ^sulphur fumes. Cough as from inspired feathery dust. Sensations of formication and numbness are very general. Pains are apt to be in small circumscribed spots. The fever characters are Thirst during cold spell only. Red face during chill. Chill amel. by external heat (wraps, stove). External chilliness and internal heat. As soon as heat commences must be uncovered (opp. Nux Vomica ^Nux). Sensation as if sweat would break out but does not. Sweats when eating.

cold at times, generally warm.

sometimes sour. Ign. is one of the chilly medicines like Nux Vomica ^Nux, Capsicum Annuum ^Caps., Arsenicum Album ^Ars. Cold agg. and warmth amel. (except in the last stage of fever). Rest amel. the pains.

and so does change of position. Lying down amel. Lying on side agg. headache.

lying on painful side amel. headache. Sitting amel. anal and many other symptoms. agg. By stooping, walking, standing. agg. From slight touch.

amel. from hard pressure. Soft pressure amel. headache. Slightest touch agg. stomach pains.

cramps in uterus. tenderness of scalp and region of pylorus. There is great aversion to tobacco, which agg. many symptoms. Aversion to warm food, meat, alcohol. Desire for sour things.

for bread, especially rye bread. agg. From emotion.

from sweets. coffee. strong smells.

from ascarides. when yawning. amel. From changing position.

while eating. from eructation.

when taking an inspiration.

from swallowing. Ign. acts rapidly, and the duration of its action, according to Hahnemann, is short. "It is best administered in the morning if there is no hurry. When given shortly before bedtime it is apt to cause too much restlessness at night." It is adapted to the sensitive, excitable, nervous temperament.

women of a sensitive, easily excited nature.

dark hair and skin, but mild disposition.

quick to perceive, rapid to execute. Ign. has been called the "feminine" of the "masculine" Nux Vomica ^Nux. B. Simmons defines the place of Ign. in sciatica thus "Lancinating, cutting pains, beating, bursting pains, agg. in winter, amel. in summer, chilliness with thirst, flushes of heat, chiefly face, without thirst." The limb is swollen and thigh knotty, and she cannot get up or lie down without pain.

generally left side.

St. Ignatius's Bean. Hahnemann. Loganiaceae.

* * *

Ignatia is frequently required and is especially suited to sensitive, delicate women and children.

to hysterical women. You will not cure the natural hysterics with Ignatia, but you will cure those gentle, sensitive, fine fibred, refined, highly educated, overwrought women in their nervous complaints with Ignatia when they take on complaints that are similar to such symptoms as come in hysteria.

Hysterical diathesis The hysterical diathesis is one that is very singular and difficult to comprehend.

But a woman, when overwrought and overexcited and emotional, will do things that she herself cannot account for. She will do things as if she were crazy in her excitement. Will do things she regrets, while the hysteric is always glad of it. No matter how much foolishness there is in it she has only made an exhibition that she is proud of. But our efforts go out for those who imitate them unconsciously. Those who will to do well.

A woman has undergone a controversy at home. She has been disturbed, is excited, and goes into cramps, trembles and quivers. Goes to bed with a headache. Is sick. Ignatia will be her remedy. When she has great distress.

unrequited affections. A sensitive, nervous young girl finds out that she has misplaced her affections.

the young man has disappointed her.

she has a weeping spell, headache, trembles, is nervous, sleepless.

Ignatia will make her philosophical and sensible.

A woman loses her child, or her husband. A sensitive, delicate woman, and she suffers from this grief. She has headaches, trembles, is excited, weeps, is sleepless; unable to control herself. In spite of her best endeavors, her grief has simply torn her to pieces. She is unable to control her emotions and her excitement.

Ignatia will quiet her and tide her over the present moment. In all of these instances where all of these conditions brought on from such troubles keep coming back, where your patient dwells upon them, dwells upon the cause, and the state keeps recurring, Nat Mur ^{Natrum mur} will finish up the case.

It will nerve her up and help her to bear her sufferings. Especially useful in constitutions that have been over wrought at school, in science, music, art. Of course, it is natural for very sensitive girls to go into the Artemisia Vulgaris ^arts, such as music, painting, etc.

A daughter comes back from Paris after a number of years close application to her music. She is unable to do anything. She flies all to pieces. Every noise disturbs her. She cannot sleep nights. Excitable, sleepless, trembles, jerks, cramps in the muscles.

weeps from excitement, and from every disturbing word. Ignatia will tone her up wonderfully.

Sometimes it will complete the whole case. But especially in these oversensitive girls is Nat Mur ^{Natrum mur} very commonly the chronic. It is the natural chronic of Ignatia When the troubles keep coming back, and Ignatia comes to a place when it will not hold any longer.

Another place where Ignatia and Nat Mur ^{Natrum mur} run close together. A sensitive, overtired girl, after she has been working in music, and in art, and in school, and has tired herself out, is unable to control her affections. Her affections rest on some one whom she would despise. That may be a singular thing, one may not be able to understand it.

A sensitive girl, though she would not let anyone but her mother know of it, falls in love with a married man. She lies awake nights, sobs. She says,

"Mother, why do I do that, I cannot keep that man out of my mind."

At other times a man entirely out of her station, that she is too sensible to have anything to do with, she just thinks about him. Ignatia, if it is very recent, will balance up that girl's, mind. If not, Nat Mur ^{Natrum mur}. comes in as a follower. We do not know half as much about the human mind as we think we do. We only know its manifestations.

These little things belong to this sphere of the action of this medicine. The one who knows the Materia Medica applies it in its breadth and its length, and sees in it that which is similar.

Ignatia has quivering in the limbs. Nervous, tremulous excitement.

"Weakness of the body coming on suddenly.

Hysterical debility and fainting fits.

Fainting in a crowd."

It is especially useful in the tearful, nervous, sad, yielding, sensitive minds.

"Jerking and twitching.

Convulsive twitchings."

"Convulsions in children in the first period of dentition.

Spasms in children from fright."

The child is cold and pale, and has a fixed staring look, like Cina ^Cina

"Convulsions with loss of consciousness.

Violent convulsions.

Tetanic convulsions.

Tetanus after fright.

Emotional chorea.

After fright, or grief."

Choreic girls. Emotional epilepsy, or epileptiform manifestations. Paralytic weakness.

"Great mental emotion."

Nursing; night watching. A loss of one arm with as perfect paralysis as if it had come from a cerebral haemorrhage. In a few hours this passes off, and the arm is as well as ever. That is a hysterical paralysis.

"Numbness of one or the other arm.

Tingling and prickling in the arm."

Ignatia is full of surprises. If you are well acquainted with sickness, well acquainted with pathological conditions and that manifestations, you are then able to say whether you should or should not be surprised. You are then able to say what is natural, what is common to sickness. In Ignatia you find what is unnatural, and what is unexpected.

You see an inflamed joint, or an inflamed part where there is heat, redness, throbbing, and weakness; you will handle it with great care for fear it will be painful. Ordinarily you have a perfect right to expect it would be painful. But you find it is not painful, and sometimes ameliorated by hard pressure. Is not that a surprise?

You look into the throat. It is tumid, inflamed, red; the patient complains of a sore throat and pain. Naturally you will not touch it with your tongue depressor for fear it will hurt.

You have every reason to suppose that the swallowing of solids will be painful. But you ask the patient when the pain is present, and the patient will say

"When I am not swallowing anything solid."

The pain is ameliorated by swallowing anything solid, by the pressure. It pains all other times. Mentally, the patient does the most unaccountable and most unexpected things. Seems to have no rule to work by, no philosophy, no soundness of mind, and no judgment. The opposite of what would be expected, then, will be found.

The patient is better lying on the painful side. Instead of increasing the pain, it relieves the pain.

"Pain like a nail sticking into the side of the head."

The only comfort that is felt is by lying upon it, or pressing upon it, and that makes it go away.

You try this, and you try that, and she can keep nothing down. Finally she says,

"It I could only have some cole slaw and some chopped onions, I think I could get along all right."

It is a hysterical stomach, and the patient eats some raw cabbage and some chopped onions, and from that time on she is well.

Those strange things that are ordinarily hard to digest ameliorate the nausea rather than increase it. While milk and toast, and delicate things, and warm things, such as are usually taken, disturb the stomach and increase the nausea. Cold food is craved, and cold food will be digested when warm food will be disturbing and create indigestion.

People cough from smarting in the larynx and trachea, from irritation, from tickling, and from a sensation of fullness or a desire to expel something, and this is better by coughing.

But when the irritation in the larynx and trachea comes in the Ignatia patient you have the unexpected again.

because the more she coughs the more the irritation to cough is observed, until the irritation is so great and the cough is so great that she goes into spasms. It has been known of an Ignatia patient, that the more she coughed the greater the irritation to cough, and she was drenched with sweat, sitting up in bed with her night-clothes drenched, gagging and coughing and retching, covered with sweat and exhausted.

When you are called to the bedside of such a patient, don't wait. You cannot get her to stop coughing long enough to say anything to you about it, only you will see the cough has grown more violent; Ignatia stops it at once. Without any provocation whatever a spasmodic condition will come on in the larynx.

Any little disturbance, a mental disturbance, a fright, or distress, or a grievance, will bring a young, sensitive woman home and to her bed, and she will go on with a spasm of the larynx. It is a laryngismus stridulus that can be heard all over the house. Ignatia stops it at once (Gelsemium Sempervirens ^Gelsemium, Moschus).

No one can do things rapidly enough. The memory is untrustworthy. The mind flies all to pieces. It is a sort of confusion. No longer able to classify the things that have been classically put into the mind. Cannot remember her music, and her rules, and her scholastic methods. They have all vanished, and she is in a state of confusion. She is a worn-out, nervous person.

Then come fancies, vivid fancies, that are like delirium. Without fever, without chill. just after excitement. She comes home from some great disturbance of her emotions, and goes into a state that, if looked upon, per se, would appear to be a delirium such as appears in a fever. But upon close examination it is not a delirium. It is a momentarily hysterical excitement of the mind, in which the balance is lost, and she talks about everything.

Sees every manner of thing.

it is a hysterical insanity, because after she rests or the next morning it has vanished. But these spells come oftener and oftener after they have once begun, and she gives way to them easier and easier, and, if they are not remedied, she becomes a lunatic, a confirmed mental wreck, so that excitement, grief, insanity, all intermingle together as cause and effect. These come first at the menstrual period, and then they come at other times, until they come from every little disturbance. Whenever she is crossed or contradicted.

"She desires to be alone and to dwell on the inconsistencies that come into her life.

Sits and sobs.

At times she is taciturn; again, she prattles and is loquacious, and talks to herself."

She comes into a state in a little while where she delights to bring on her fits and to make a scare. The natural hysteric is born with that, and Ignatia will do her no good. But when this is brought on from conditions described, Ignatia is of the greatest benefit. It runs closely along by the side of Hyoscyamus Niger ^Hyoscyamus

"A feeling of continuous fright, or apprehensiveness that something is going to happen."

With all these mental states she has a feeling of emptiness in the stomach and abdomen. Emptiness and trembling.

"Melancholy after disappointed love, with spinal symptoms,"

"Great grief after losing persons or objects very near.

Trembling of the hands disturbs her very much in writing.

Dread of every trifle."

She goes into a state where she is utterly unable to undertake anything, even to write a letter to a friend.

The Ignatia patient is not one that has been a simpleton, or of a sluggish mind or idiotic, but one that has become tired, and brought into such a state from over-doing and from over-excitement. From going too much. If rather feeble in body, from too much social excitement. Our present social state is will calculated to develop a hysterical mind. The typical social mind is one that is always in a state of confusion. Asks questions, not waiting for the answer.

A good many remedies have this state; a lack of concentration of mind, that is what it is, but this is a peculiar kind of lack of concentration of mind. Dread, fear, anxiety, weeping, run through the remedy.

"Sensitive disposition; hyperacute."

Overwrought intense. Ignatia has another thing

"Thinks she has neglected some duty."

That is very much like Pulsatilla ^Puls., Hell. and Hyoscyamus Niger ^Hyos, only Aurum believes that she has committed a great wrong.

"Thinks that she has neglected some duty."

Dwells upon that much.

"Melancholy after great grief."

It is full of headaches, and they are all congestive, pressing headaches, or tearing headaches, or headaches as if a nail were sticking into the side of the head or temple.

ameliorated from lying upon it. The headaches are all ameliorated by heat. The patient generally is ameliorated by warmth and aggravated by cold. Wants cold things in the stomach, but warm things externally. Jerking headaches, throbbing headaches, congestive headaches.

"Headaches from abuse of coffee, from smoking, from inhaling smoke, from tobacco or alcohol."

"Headache ameliorated, by warmth and rest; worse, from cold winds and turning the head suddenly; worse when pressing at stool, or from jar, from hurrying, from excitement."

Looking up increases the pain; moving the eyes; worse from noise, from light.

"Pain in the occiput; worse from cold, better from external heat.

"Disturbance of vision.

Zigzags.

Confusion of vision."

Excessively nervous eyes.

"Acrid tears.

Weeping."

"Violent rending, tearing pains in the face."

Let me put it this way Some of these overwrought girls that come back from Paris, that I described, overworked in their music, will have violent face-ache, pains in the face, or some other hysterical pains. Others will come back with violent headaches.

others with the mental state and confusion.

others with all the hysterical manifestations.

Prolonged excitement. Musical excesses. Yes, other girls come back fairly crippled with painful menstruation, ovarian pains, hysterical conditions, displacement; prolapsus of the vagina and of the rectum.

"Tearing, shooting pains upwards from the anus and vagina up into the body towards the umbilicus."

Strange antipathies run through the remedy. It will be impossible for you to ever form any conclusion what one of these sensitive women will think of any proposition that is presented. You cannot depend upon her being reasonable or rational.

It is best to say as little as possible, about anything. Make no promises, listen, look wise, take up your traveling bag and go home after you have prescribed, because anything you say, will be distorted. There is not anything you can say that will please

Thirst when you would not expect it. Thirst during chill, but none during the fever, if she has a feverish state. It is suitable in intermittent fever. Excitable, nervous children and women with intermittent fever.

Remedy of paradoxicalities. Head better lying on painful side, moody, goneness not better by eating, sore throat worse by swallowing, thirst during chill, face red during chill, etc.

Sad, sighing, changeable, moody disposition.

Twitching or spasms, or convulsions from exciting or depressing emotions, fright, etc.

All-gone, weak, empty sensation in stomach not better by eating.

Anal troubles (piles, prolapsus, soreness and pain after stool, pains shooting up into abdomen).

Adapted to emotional, hysterical subjects.

Modalities worse slight touch, smoking, coffee; better lying on painful side; hard pressure; profuse watery urination.

Cough; dry, spasmodic; not relieved by coughing; the longer he coughs the more the irritation to cough increases.

Pain; in small circumscribed spots; over-sensitive (Coffea Cruda ^Coff., Hep.).

In most cases Ignatia should be given in the morning.

Ignatia bears the same relation to the diseases of women that Nux Vomica ^Nux does to bilious men.

Ignatia is another one of the long list of our nervous remedies. Ignatia Amara's peculiar mental symptoms, like those of Aconite ^Aconite, Chamomilla ^Chamomilla, Nux Vomica ^Nux vomica and many others, are most characteristic. Like these remedies, it seems to exalt the impressionability of all the senses; but unlike the others, it has in it a marked element of sadness, and disposition to silent grieving. Anyone suffering from suppressed, deep grief, with long drawn sighs, much sobbing, etc., and especially if inclined to smother or hide that grief from others, is just the subject for Ignatia Amara. She desires to he alone with her grief. Sighs much and seems so sad and weak. The weakness is complained of right in the pit of the stomach. She feels weak, faint, and "all gone" there. Another equally characteristic state or mind is a changeable mood. No remedy can equal Ignatia for this. Aconite ^Aconite, Coffea Tosta ^Coffea, Nux Moschata ^{Nux moschata} and a few others have it, but Ignatia in the greatest degree. And so Ignatia Amara becomes one of our best in the treatment of hysterical affections. The patient is at one time full of glee and merriment, to be followed suddenly with the other extreme, of melancholy sadness and tears, and so these states of mind rapidly alternate. Again, we have in Ignatia an impatient, quarrelsome, angry mood (but not to the degree of Chamomilla ^Chamomilla) at times. Again the Ignatia patient is, because of her excessive impressibility, easily frightened. Here it becomes one of our best remedies for the effects of fright, vying with Aconite ^Aconite, Opium and Veratrum Album ^{Veratrum album}. In short, Ignatia may justly be termed Pre-eminently the remedy of moods.

Aside from its mental symptoms, it is a great nervous remedy. Ignatia Amara's acts upon the spine as decidedly as Nux Vomica ^{Nux vomica}, affecting both motor and sensory nerves. It is one of our best remedies for spasms or convulsions, and is especially adapted to spasmodic affections originating in mental causes, as after fright, punishment of children or other strong emotions. In one case of puerperal convulsions, other remedies having failed to do any good, the consulting physician while observing the patient during one of the spasms noticed that she came out of it with a succession of long drawn sighs. He inquired if the patient had had any recent mental trouble, and learned that she had lost her mother, of whom she was exceedingly fond, and whom she had mourned for greatly, a few weeks before. Ignatia 30th quickly cured her. Again, short of actual convulsions, Ignatia has, in a most marked degree, twitchings all over the body, hence it becomes one of our best remedies for chorea, especially if caused by fright or grief on the mental side, or teething or worms on the reflex irritation side. There is only one remedy that comes near it for these twitchings and that is Zincum Metallicum ^Zincum metallicum. Of course, Agaricus Muscarius ^Agaricus, Hyoscyamus Niger ^Hyoscyamus, Cuprum Metallicum ^Cuprum met., etc., come close, and some might think are equal. Veratrum Viride ^{Veratrum viride}, when better known, may lay claim to high rank here. Ignatia is sometimes recommended for paralysis, but will be found, I think, exceptionally useful, and that mainly in hysterical cases, which are not of a very dangerous character. Like Aconite ^Aconite, Chamomilla ^Chamomilla and Coffea Tosta ^Coffea, Ignatia is over-sensitive to pain.

Ignatia, like its male partner, Nux Vomica ^Nux vomica, is a great remedy for headaches of nervous, especially hysterically nervous, subjects. That would be about the same as saying, that while Nux Vomica ^Nux vomica is adapted to nervous men Ignatia is the same for women, which is quite true. You will remember that hysterical, nervous headaches are often one-sided. Hence Ignatia is such an efficient remedy for headaches as expressed in these words "Headache as if a nail there driven out through the side of the head relieved by lying on it." These headaches come on in highly nervous and sensitive subjects, or in those whose nervous systems have suffered from over-anxiety, grief or mental work. The ever-changeable and contradictory symptoms so characteristic of the drug shows here as elsewhere. Not only does the pain in head change locality but at one time the pain will come on gradually and abate suddenly (like Sulphuricum Acidum ^{Sulphuric acid} ), or, like Belladonna ^Belladonna, it will come on suddenly and abate as suddenly as it came. Like Aconite ^Aconite, Gelsemium Sempervirens ^Gelsemium, Silicea ^Silicea, and Veratrum Album ^{Veratrum album}, the headache often terminates with a profuse flow of urine. That is often the case in headaches of nervous hysterical women. (Lac Defloratum ^{Lac defloratum}, profuse flow during headache).

Finally the headaches are aggravated by coffee, smoking, the abuse of snuff, inhaling tobacco smoke, alcohol, close attention, from pressing at stool, and, while it is sometimes relieved while eating, is aggravated soon after. The Ignatia headache is sometimes accompanied by hunger like that of Psorinum ^Psorinum. It is also worse by cold winds, turning head suddenly, stooping, change of position, running, looking up long, moving the eyes, noise and light.

It is ameliorated by warmth, lying on it, soft pressure, external heat and profuse flow of limpid urine. Ignatia has some strong throat symptoms. In the first place it has the so commonly observed symptom called "globus hystericus," or as if a lump came up from the stomach into the throat as if she would choke. She swallows it down but it comes right back and is very distressing. It is especially apt to come if she gets grieved and wants to cry. These are of course purely nervous sensations, but Ignatia goes further, and also cures real serious affections of the throat like tonsillitis and diphtheria. In these cases the real characteristic symptom is, that the pain and suffering in the throat is relieved by swallowing or is worse between the acts of deglutition. (Capsicum Annuum ^Capsicum). A very peculiar symptom for such troubles, for such cases are generally aggravated by swallowing, hence we would not expect to frequently find a case in which this would be the remedy; but such cases do arise occasionally and baffle us if we haven't the remedy. Here is where Homoeopathy, as we say in base ball, "scores some of its best runs," and the satisfaction of curing such a case with an unusual remedy is, to say the least, very gratifying to him who performs the cure. With Ignatia cases, in addition to the aggravation when swallowing liquids and relief from swallowing solids. This is like Lachesis ^Lachesis, you remember, but is the reverse of Baptisia Tinctoria ^Baptisia, which can swallow liquids only.

Some of the particularly valuable "guiding symptoms" of Ignatia, in addition to those already noticed, are "extreme aversion to tobacco smoke." This is a general aversion and aggravates many, many complaints. "Weak, empty, gone feeling at the pit of the stomach." In the case of Ignatia this symptom is apt to be accompanied by a disposition to sigh or take a long breath. Two other remedies have this symptom of goneness in the stomach as prominently as Ignatia. They are Hydrastis Canadensis ^Hydrastis and Sepia ^Sepia. The other symptoms must decide between them. This weak feeling in the stomach in Ignatia is sometimes described as a feeling of flabbiness, as though the stomach hung down relaxed. Ipecacuanha ^Ipecacuanha has a similar feeling. Sometimes we come across very severe cases of gastralgia in women of hysterical tendencies. Here Ignatia Amara is the first to be thought of.

Ignatia has as positive action upon the anus and rectum as does Nux Vomica ^{Nux vomica}. Prolapsus of the rectum is marked. (Ruta Graveolens ^{Ruta graveolens}). Like Nux Vomica ^{Nux vomica} it has frequent desire for stool, but in place of stool, or with it, comes the prolapsed rectum. The patient is afraid to strain at stool, to stoop down or lift, for fear of the prolapsus. A contractive sore pain follows after a stool and lasts for an hour or two. This is like Nitric Acid ^{Nitric acid}, which has the same symptom only after a loose stool. There is also some pain in anus without reference to stool. Dunham, that prince of observers, gave us the characteristic "Sharp pains shooting upward into the rectum." (Sepia ^Sepia has similar pains in uterus). It is a gem, and has often been verified. So we see that Ignatia is one of our important anal and rectal remedies.

Ignatia Amara is also very unique in its fever symptoms. There is no disease in which we are better able to show the power of the potentized remedy to cure, than intermittent fever. Chronic cases that have resisted the Quinine treatment for years are often quickly and permanently cured by the 200th and upwards. The following symptoms indicate Ignatia 1st. Thirst during chill and in no other stage. 2d. Chill, relieved by external heat. 3d. Heat aggravated by external covering. 4th. Red face during the chill. Here are four legs to the stool, and we may sit upon it in perfect confidence. No other remedy has thirst during chill and in no other stage. In Nux Vomica ^{Nux vomica}, you will remember, the chill is not relieved by the heat of the stove, or the bed, and during the heat Nux Vomica ^Nux vomica must be covered, as the least uncovering brings back the chill. So we see that notwithstanding the alkaloid of both drugs is strychnia they differ widely when we come to apply them to the cure of the sick. The red face during chill led me to the cure of an obstinate case, and after I noticed the red face I also noticed that the boy was behind the stove in the warmest place he could find. The 200th promptly cured. Two other cases in the same family, at the same time, and from the same malarious district, were cured, one by Capsicum Annuum ^Capsicum, 200th. the other by Eupatorium Perfoliatum ^{Eupatorium perfoliatum}, same potency. The former had chill beginning between shoulders, in the latter the chill in the A. M., great pain in bones before, and vomiting of bile at the end of chill. I do not know but I have mentioned these three cases before; but it will bear repeating, for it illustrates the efficacy of potencies in obedience to our great law of cure. can any reasonable man doubt such evidence?.

Dose

Sixth to 200th potency.

Region

MIND

NERVOUS SYSTEM

Cerebro-spinal axis