Phytolacca Decandra - General symptoms

GENERAL

General

During the forenoon I had a severe headache, which began soon after breakfast.

a part of the time the whole head ached.

a part of the time the pain was in the temples, and was accompanied by a slight vertigo, and a part of the time the pain was most marked in or confined to the occiput.

walking or riding increased the pain, but walking the most (fourth day),.

Diplopia. not only two, but four and five reduplications of an object were apparent.

the objects, whether double, triple, or otherwise, were in the same horizontal plane (first day).

the diplopia grew worse, in the evening, and again three or four reduplications were visible (second day).

the same eye symptoms, with evening exacerbation (third day).

diplopia, with twitching (fourth day).

only when suddenly raising the eyes to look at a higher object (fifth day),.

A sensation of the throat being so full that it felt choked.

hawking to rid the throat and posterior nares of mucus.

the raising of the mucus succeeded the feeling in the throat.

a sensation of fulness and as if something had lodged on the left side of the throat came on after bending the head forward in writing, and was aggravated by turning the head to the left,.

Slight fulness in the fauces (first day).

sensation of fulness in the fauces and upper part of the larynx, and a sensation as of a lid there, which lasted until afternoon (soon, second day).

the same feeling of fulness that was previously noted, with a disposition to hawk up mucus from the throat, though none could be raised (third day),.

Dry sensation in the upper part of the pharynx, disposition to hawk and clear the throat, without affording relief (after three hours and a quarter).

dryness of the pharynx and hawking still continues.

have raised several small pieces of tough, sticky mucus, at 9 A.M.

have ridden in open carriage three hours.

sensation in throat almost entirely gone, at 1 P.M., have been in a warm room about two hours, and find symptoms returning, but less violent, at 5 P.M. (second day),.

General disturbed feeling in the stomach, with dulness in the head, increasing for an hour (after half an hour).

felt better immediately on going into the open air.

sat down to tea. unpleasant feeling in the head and stomach returned.

could eat nothing. head and stomach symptoms have nearly all disappeared (after three hours and a quarter),.

Slight, nausea, with the dull pressing pain in forehead (after one hour and a quarter).

somewhat relieved by eating, but soon returning with increased severity.

commenced to vomit ingesta.

vomited violently at intervals of ten or fifteen minutes.

nausea relieved, and pain in forehead increased by vomiting (after two hours and a quarter).

vomited an acrid substance, which caused a feeling of scraping and excoriation in the throat (after three hours).

continued acrid vomiting.

took a glass of warm water to prevent the empty retching which was becoming very painful (after three hours and three-quarters).

drank another glass of warm water, and vomited again in ten minutes (after four hours and a quarter).

drank a cup of strong coffee, which the stomach rejected in fifteen minutes (after four hours and three quarters),.

In about two hours after the second dose he complained of feeling sick at his stomach, and in a few minutes more violent vomiting began, first of food, then of greenish matter, finally of a dark black matter, mixed with clear blood.

it required great effort to vomit.

this symptom continued nearly all night, but was somewhat relieved in the morning, and at 2 P.M. had ceased,.

Soon after, all who had eaten of it began to vomit.

the matter ejected was first the aliment and a dark bilious substance, which came away with as little effort as vomiting in Asiatic cholera.

the vomiting and purging continued all the afternoon, but the vomiting ceased after taking black coffee.

the emesis took place every fifteen or twenty minutes,.

Ten grains of the powder will rarely remain on the stomach, and twenty or thirty produce a powerful operation by emesis, and generally by catharsis. In its mode of operation this medicine has some peculiarities, a part of which are favorable, others disadvantageous. Phytolacca Decandra's advantages are, that it operates with ease and seldom occasions pain or cramp. Phytolacca Decandra's disadvantages are 1. That it is slow in its effects, frequently not beginning to operate until an hour, and sometimes two hours, after it is taken. 2. That it continues to operate for a greater length of time than is usual for emetics, although, as far as I have been able to observe, it is readily checked by an opiate. These disadvantages, however, are not constant.

I have repeatedly known it commence operating in fifteen minutes, and cease after four or five ejections. The representations of patients as to any unpleasant feelings under its effects are not greater than we should naturally expect, when it is recollected that no emetic is altogether comfortable in its operation,.

Aching, soreness, restlessness, prostration, are general symptoms guiding to Phytolacca Decandra. Pre-eminently a glandular remedy. Glandular swellings with heat and inflammation. Has a powerful effect on fibrous and osseous tissues; fasciae and muscle sheaths; acts on scar tissue. Syphilitic bone pains; chronic rheumatism. Sore throat, quinsy, and diphtheria. Tetanus and opisthotonos. Decrease of weight. Retarded dentition.

tonsil

A remedy of long and deep action

SORE, HARD ACHE, all over; sudden; worse eyeballs, kidneys, neck, shoulders, back, forearms and below knees Restlessness

Bluish-red parts, fauces, glands, etc

Spreading pains

Rheumatism; after tonsilitis Shreddy, stringy secretions; stools, menses, etc

Tonsilitis

Hard mammary glands

Obesity

Faint on rising Frontal headache

Head feels beaten sore; worse brain

Hot tears

Green vision

Nose seems heavy

Nostrils close alternately

Acrid coryza

Yellowish sickly face

Aching, malar bones

Glands swelled at angle of jaw

Jaws ache, as in mumps

Everted lips

Clenches teeth Tongue, fiery red at tip; feels burnt or pains at root and into ear on swallowing Much stringy saliva

White-gray spots on fauces

Mucous patches

THROAT; very sore; very painful swallowing; dark, puffy; burning, as of a stick, hot ball or lump in

Like dark wash leather on tonsil

Diphtheria

Hard throb in r

Quinsy

Violent retching and vomiting; he would rather die

Continuous urging to stool; even during sleep

Dysentery

Hard ache in kidneys

Dark, red urine; chalky sediment

Albuminuria

Sore spermatic cords

Menstruation, with flow of saliva and tears

Chronic aphonia

Dry, tickling cough

STONY HARD, HEAVY, SWELLED (worse left) OR TENDER MAMMAE, paining during suckling, spreading over whole body; hard nodes in Mastitis

Nipples cracked; inverted

Heart symptoms go to r

Fatty heart

Neck stiff Right arm numb and fuzzy

Hips and thighs pain on change of weather

Aching tibiae

Aching heels, better elevating feet

Bone pains

Dry, harsh skin

Phytolacca decandra. Virginian Poke. Poke-root. Red Ink Plant. Garget Weed. N. O. Phytolaccaceae. Tincture of fresh root dug in winter. Tincture of the ripe berries. Tincture of fresh leaves. Solution of the resinous extract, Phytolaccin.

Abortion, threatened. Albuminuria. Angina pectoris, Anus, fissure of. Asthma. Barber's itch. Boils. Bone, diseases of.

hypertrophy of. fatty. Impotence. Influenzinum ^Influenza. Intestinal catarrh. Itch. Lactation, abnormal. Laryngismus. Leucorrhoea. Usnea Barbata ^Lichen. Liver, affections of. Lumbago. Lupus, Merc Viv ^Mercury, effects of. Mouth, ulcerated. Mumps. Neuralgia. Nipples, sore.

diphtheritic. herpetic.

granular. Toothache. Tumours. Ulcers. Uterus, affections of. Warts. Wens.

Phyt. dec. is a branching herbaceous plant, with a thick perennial root, sometimes larger than a man's leg in diameter.

The young shoots, though extremely acrid, are rendered harmless by boiling, and are eaten like Asparagus Officinalis ^asparagus in the United States.

The berries of P. octandra are used in Mexico and the West Indies as a soap.

and the plant contains besides an acid, Phytolaccic acid, which is closely allied to Malic acid.

The plant is common throughout North America, the Azores, North Africa, and China ^China.

It grows in damp places.

Some rather severe cases of poisoning have been reported.

Vomiting, diarrhoea, frontal headache, sore throat, are the most common symptoms observed.

One boy who drank two or three drachms of a tincture of the root had none of these symptoms, but developed complete tetanus Extremities stiff; hands firmly shut; feet extended; toes flexed; lower lids drawn down; teeth clenched; lips everted and firm, general opisthotonos.

Respiration difficult, râles heard all over the room.

For an hour muscular rigidity increased generally, with convulsive action of muscles of face and neck; chin drawn close on sternum.

Phytolacca Decandra condition would last five or ten minutes, to be succeeded by perfect relaxation, and return in twenty minutes more with the same violence.

After cold-water affusion, cupping, and sinapisms, the boy slept about twenty-five minutes.

On awaking some twitchings, especially of lower limbs; pain in back of head and stomach.

Next day he was quite recovered.

A boy, 8, who ate a quantity of berries, was found in great agony, complaining that his stomach was "pinched together." He had nausea, violent vomiting; throat sore and dry; fauces dark red, tonsils swollen.

After vomiting ceased, purging set in; stools dark brown and thin; severe pain in stomach on pressure, extorting cries.

Later he had burning griping in umbilical region; dim vision; tongue coated white; spasmodic jerkings in arms and legs.

In a family of four poisoned by eating the root in mistake with their food, these symptoms were observed Dread of movement.

seems stupid. falls asleep after a paroxysm of cramping pain has ceased.

pain in forehead agg. after eating.

vomiting of clotted blood and slime.

copious discharge of blood and mucus which looked like scrapings of intestines.

involuntary stools from straining, which occurred even in sleep.

In the mother of the family, seven months pregnant, it very nearly produced miscarriage.

the uterus could be felt contracting under the hand.

involuntary straining and haemorrhage from the vagina.

intense griping pain in small of back and cramps in legs coming and going suddenly, coldness and withered appearance of extremities, whole body cold.

In all the above cases the spasmodic action of the drug is evident in some form.

From inhaling the dust of the powdered dried root, or the odour given off on slicing the fresh root, intense irritation of eyes, nose, and throat, and severe headache and diarrhoea have occurred.

Given to animals, Phyt. has caused convulsive symptoms, vomiting, and vomiting of worms.

Wild pigeons and other birds which eat the berries acquire a highly red colour and lose their fat.

Phytolacca Decandra last observation has led to the use of a tincture of Phyt. berries as an anti-fat, and many successful results have been reported.

Phytolacca Decandra observation may be taken as the key to one of the great spheres of the action of Phytolacca Decandra.

scanty; thick; watery; curdy; containing blood or pus.

But its chief repute is in caked udders.

But it must not be supposed that this action is purely physiological, as is the absorption of fat in birds.

A patient of mine, about forty-five, took Phyt. 30 for sore throat.

After a few-doses she was compelled to desist because of its effects on her breasts; both became full and uncomfortable, and in the left one appeared a large lump in its upper segment, which lasted five days, and was only got rid of by dint of vigorous rubbing with camphorated oil.

In the uterus and the prostate gland (the male uterus) specific symptoms were evoked in the poisonings and provings.

Muscles, joints, bones, brain, and spinal cord, as well as the special senses, were all more or less disordered.

The intense action of the drug on the throat has led to its being used as a routine remedy in diphtheria.

It is not a specific; but it has some very characteristic symptoms which will indicate it when present.

Among these are Great pain at root of tongue when swallowing; pains shooting from throat into ears on swallowing; hot feeling as if a red-hot ball in throat; burning agg. by hot drinks; dark redness of fauces.

Eclectics (H. R., xi. 429) give the expressed juice of the berries in "spasmodic or membranous croup, or diphtheria." There is one form of sore throat in which I have found it of the greatest service-the so-called "diphtheritic sore throat." Dark red, swollen mucous membrane and tonsils, pain on swallowing, eruption of herpetic, whitish, or grey spots on fauces, swelling and tenderness of the glands externally at the angle of the jaw.

With these symptoms there are generally headache, backache, wandering rheumatic pains and fever.

I have cleared up numberless cases of this kind with Phyt. 30.

Not infrequently epidemic Influenzinum ^influenza has taken this form, and then Phyt. has been my most successful remedy. (Nash has relieved chronic follicular pharyngitis in public speakers when there has been much burning, as if a hot substance in throat.) One of the provers had "swollen and tender gland right side of neck".

and swollen and tender glands in many other localities have been remedied with Phyt.

The headaches of Phyt. are chiefly frontal, pressive, involving eyes, agg. right side.

One headache is peculiar, being associated with increased sense of hearing.

The irritation of the mucous membrane of the throat extends to nose, ears, and eyes, producing characteristic symptoms in each.

The discharges are tough, stringy, difficult to detach, and may take the form of clinkers.

Offensiveness and acridity are also common features.

The nervous irritability of Phyt. has led to its successful use in disorders of dentition, a keynote symptom being Irresistible inclination to bite the teeth or gums together.

The pains of Phyt. come and go suddenly; move about, radiate from a centre, or change place.

Pain in sore nipples of nursing women radiate all over the body when the child is put to the breast.

When pain in intestines disappears pain in extremities comes on.

Pain leaves heart and appears in right arm (this association is unusual, and therefore important).

Pains in head and chest go from before backward.

Pains run down spine from nape; from sacrum down outer aspect of thighs to toes.

The outer aspects of the limbs are chiefly affected.

The shreddy discharge of Phyt. mark it as a remedy in certain forms of intestinal catarrh and dysmenorrhoea.

It is haemorrhagic and haemorrhoidal, acting strongly on rectum and anus, curing tenesmus, bloody discharges and heat.

One characteristic pain (noted in a case of constipation) is Shooting pain from anus to lower part of rectum, along perinaeum to middle of penis. "Gurgling in the prostate gland, repeatedly in the afternoon," was noted by one prover, and pains in spermatic cords.

Entire suspension of sexual appetite with relaxation of the genitals was caused.

Stiffness is a characteristic effect of Phyt., noted in the tetanus case, and in others in less degree.

Stiff neck, especially right side.

The prostration is so rapid and profound that it has led to the successful use of Phyt. in diphtheritic paralysis.

Faint and dizzy when standing.

Soreness of all the muscles.

Restlessness, but he fears to move because motion agg. the pains.

The rheumatic swellings are hard, tender, and intensely hot.

Phyt. is suited to rheumatic or syphilitic subjects who are sensitive to damp weather.

Peculiar sensations are Brain as if bruised.

Right side of head as if pressed firmly.

As if sand in eyes. As if eyes too large.

As if lids granulated.

As if tarsal edges raw.

As if lids on fire. Nostril as if tickled with a stiff feather.

Nose and eyes as if a cold would come on.

Tongue as if scalded. As if a ball of red-hot iron in throat.

As if lump in throat. As if apple core in throat.

Throat so full it felt choked.

Pharynx feels like a cavern; chest as if it were a big empty cask.

Body as if bruised; pounded all over.

As if joint were being chopped with an axe.

The right side is most affected, and many symptoms were experienced in the liver; there were also some severe ones in the spleen.

The liver-pains were agg. lying on right (painful) side.

The spleen pain was amel. lying on left (painful) side.

Nash has removed many breast tumours by giving a single dose of Phyt. cm during the wane of the moon.

The symptoms are agg. by touch (liver, &c).

There is great general sensitiveness.

Pressure agg. pain in joints and ulcers.

Pressure with hand amel. pain in breasts.

Pressure on trachea facilitates expectoration.

Rubbing amel. pain in hip.

Riding agg. nose and breathing. agg.

Stepping down high step.

Rising from bed = faint feeling.

Sitting up = sick and giddy.

Standing = faint and dizzy.

Gaslight agg. eyes. Swallowing agg.

After breakfast head and throat amel., gastric symptoms agg.

Vomiting agg. headache, amel. nausea.

At menstrual periods. Must lie down. agg.

Lying right side. amel.

Lying left side. amel.

Lying on stomach. agg.

Standing and agg. motion. agg.

Walking. agg. Raising arm. agg.

Night. agg. Morning; 3, 4, or 5 a.m.; on waking. agg.

Damp weather; washing; hot drinks. agg.

Exposure to air; open air (but it amel. eyes).

The external use of Phyt. has been attended with good results in cases of ulceration, and I have found a gargle of a few drops of the Ø to a tumbler of water useful in many throat cases.

A preparation of the leaves has been used successfully by Hurndall (H. W., xxxi. 217) as an external application for carcinomatous growths in dogs; and an ointment prepared with a strong tincture of the leaves as well as the juice of the leaves have been used for malignant ulcers in human beings.

Poke root. Allentown College. Phytolaccaceae.

* * * *

Phytolacca Decandra is a very imperfectly proved remedy, and it is only possible to present fragments of it.

The mental symptoms have not been brought out, but the remedy has some striking features.

You will notice the resemblance of Phytolacca Decandra to Merc Viv ^Mercury, and it is an antidote to Merc Viv ^mercury In those lingering mercurial bone pains, where the patient has been salivated.

the pains come on at night from the warmth of the bed.

the body aches. a chronic, sore, bruised state.

soreness of the periosteum where the flesh is thin, over the tibia.

joints. soreness of the muscles.

drawing and cramping. drawing in the muscles of the back.

backache, worse at night.

worse from the warmth of the bed.

old, chronic, syphilitic ulcers.

the patient has been salivated.

had Merc Viv ^Mercury rubbed in.

he became saturated with it, but it no longer helps. Ulcers in the throat.

on the skin. on mucous membranes anywhere.

Spasmodic conditions; drawing in the muscles; this may extend to violent spasms; opisthotonos; sometimes the cervical region is affected and the head is drawn back; jerking and twitching of the muscles.

Glands Phytolacca is a glandular remedy.

The glands become inflamed, and hard. It produces sore throats, with inflammation of the glands of the neck, particularly the sub maxillary and parotid. Inflammation of the throat with the accumulation of thick, tenacious mucus; swelling of the tonsils. Low grade inflammation like erysipelas.

The symptoms are aggravation at night, on cold days, in a cold room, and from the heat of the bed; so that there is a controversy between heat and cold.

It seems that the remedy centres in the mammary glands Soreness and lumps in the breasts from each cold, damp spell; becomes chilled and a sore breast results; sore breast in connection with the menses; a nursing woman is exposed to the cold, the breast inflames and the milk becomes stringy; coagulated milk.

Phytolacca Decandra comes out in the proving, but poke root has been extensively used by cattle raisers when the Lac Vaccinum ^{cow's milk} became thick and there were lumps in the bag, and when the condition was brought on from the cow standing out in the rain.

Almost any excitement centers in the mammary gland.

fear or an accident. lumps form, pains, heat, swelling, tumefaction.

even violent inflammation and suppuration. No other remedy in the Materia Medica centres so in the mammary gland. Merc Viv ^Mercury is similar.

when the patient takes cold the glands become sore. If every tribulation makes the glands sore in a nursing woman, give her Phytolacca.

When a mother says she has no milk, or that the milk is scanty, thick, unhealthy.

dries up soon. Phytolacca becomes then a constitutional remedy if there are no contra-indicating symptoms. A bloody watery discharge which continued for five years after weaning the infant was cured by Phyto The breast is so sore that, when she nurses the child, she almost goes into spasms, with the pain extending down the back and limbs all over the body.

Diphtheria. In certain epidemics; great tumefaction of the throat; swelling of the glands of the neck, parotid and sub maxillary; aching in the bones; fetor from the mouth, with heavily coated tongue; great aching in the back; nose bleed; soreness of the muscles.

Analogous to Merc Viv ^Mercurius; they are closely related in diphtheria. At times in diphtheria we can only obtain the fetor, loaded tongue, exudation, swollen glands and stiff neck.

Phytolacca Decandra looks like Merc Viv ^Mercurius or one of the Mercuries The Protoiodide is right sided, and stays there or may go to the left side. The Biniodide goes from left to right. The Merc Viv ^Merc. cyanide has a thick, green membranous cast, extending from the nose to the throat. In Phytolacca we have many features of Merc Viv ^Mercury

It has cured syphilitic nodes on the skull and shin bones.

"Squamous eruptions; Pityriasis, psoriasis."

"Ringworm."

"Barber's itch."

"Rash on body; measles; scarlet eruptions all over the body."

It is not surprising that it cures scarlatina, as it has this scarlet rash, the sore throat and glandular involvement.

It has the ability to delay the formation of malignant growths, especially in the breast.

glandular tumors that become hard and scirrhous. Until Phytolacca Decandra was known there was but one remedy for the old cicatrices in the mammary gland. Women who were confined years before, had abscesses of the breast which were poulticed and lanced had a cicatrix left, and now in the present confinement they have trouble.

inflammation in the old cicatrices.

ulceration which eats off the lacteal glands or turns the ducts aside and twists them.

high inflammation - throbbing and pain.

milk bloody.

Graphites ^Graphites was the old routine remedy, but Phytolacca, is a better remedy and suits the general concomitants oftener. The symptoms usually found in an inflamed breast after confinement are aching in the back and bone pains; fever and shivering.

Phytolacca has these and falls into the very nature of the case. Graphites ^Graphites has it only in a limited way. if there is high fever; congestion to the head; throbbing carotids; much redness, and the redness radiates from the nipple, Belladonna ^Belladonna is the remedy.

When the entire gland is as heavy as a stone, and hard, and the patient is sensitive to motion and touch, Bryonia ^Bryonia. Merc Viv ^Mercury when the general symptoms agree. Hep Sulph Calc ^Hepar and Silicea ^Silicea after suppuration is inevitable, especially when the only comfort is obtained from heat. Hep Sulph Calc ^Hepar when there is extreme pain and soreness, irritability and this relief from heat.

it limits the extent of the suppuration and opens the part without pain.

"Total obstruction of the nose when riding, must breathe through the mouth."

"Coryza and cough, with redness of eyes and lachrymation; photophobia; feeling of sand in the eyes, with soreness and burning."

"Syphilitic ozaena, with bloody, sanious discharge and disease of bone."

It is somewhat like Graphites ^Graphites, in that it seeks out fissures in which to establish inflammation, induration and eruptions. Where the circulation is feeble it has the tendency to establish induration.

"Face sunken, pale, hippocratic; blue around eyes; yellowish complexion; looking blue and suffering .

Pains in bones of head and face at night."

"Swelling around left ear and side of face like erysipelas; thence over scalp; very painful."

"Lips everted and firm. Tetanus."

"Ulcers on lips."

"Parotid and sub maxillary glands swollen."

"Tongue thickly coated on back; coated yellow and dry."

Phytolacca Decandra is found in all acute complaints and is like Merc Viv ^Mercury. Phytolacca holds a reputation among the Eclectics, and in their results we see a shadow of its homeopathic action. In Cincinnati they used three drops in a tumbler of water and gave it for ulcers in the mouth. It was a standard remedy with them and they made some homoeopathic cures.

"Ulcerated sore mouth."

Syphilitic ulcers find a curative remedy in Phytolacca, when the symptoms agree.

Here is a summary

"Diphtheria. sick and dizzy when trying to sit up.

frontal headache. pains shooting from throat into ears, especially on trying to swallow.

face flushed. tongue much coated, protruded.

thickly coated at back, fiery red at tip.

breath foetid. putrid.

vomiting. difficulty of swallowing.

tonsils swollen, covered with membrane, first upon left.

three or four patches.

tonsils, uvula and back part of throat covered with ash-colored exudation. Pain in the root 'of the tongue on putting out.".

Pains Old gout and rheumatism of the limbs; in acute rheumatism which is prolonged, worse at night, worse from the warmth of the bed, worse from warm applications.

Gouty rheumatism; syphilitic cases; pains as if in the bones.

"Sharp cutting pains in hip, drawing; legs drawn up; cannot touch floor."

"Ulcers and nodes on the legs."

A certain class of physicians used to call Podophyllum Peltatum ^Podophyllum "vegetable Merc Viv ^Mercury."

Phytolacca ought to be called "vegetable Merc Viv ^Mercury" because it is so full of symptoms analogous to Merc Viv ^Mercury

There are several pages in the Guiding Symptoms showing homeopathic cures of the throat.

diphtheria. sore throat.

inflamed glands. aching bones worse at night, violent cases, with difficult swallowing, pains in the tonsils.

enlarged tonsils. tendency to slough. Syphilitic and mercurial sore throats. The sore throats are often aggravated from warm drinks.

he wants cool things. and there is an aggravation at night.

Tonsils red, swollen, with white spots, which sometimes coalesce and form patches; pains run up into the ears, and aching, bruised, sore feeling in head, back and limbs; worse on motion, but must move; he aches and is so sore.

Irresistible inclination to bite the teeth or gums together. (Dentition).

Breasts very hard, swollen, hot and painful; pain radiates all over the back when the child nurses.

Phytolacca decandra is one of our most valuable remedies for sore throat, and the indications are plain. The throat becomes generally inflamed; the tonsils swell and become very red at the first, and then white spots appear which (unless checked) soon spread and coalesce and form patches of a diphtheritic appearance. There are sharks pains often running up into one or both ears. These are the local throat symptoms, and the constitutional symptoms are.

Intense head and backache, and a sore, aching, bruised feeling all over the body, causing the patient to groan, and while, like Rhus Tox ^Rhus toxicodendron, he feels as if he must move, the act of moving greatly aggravates all his pains and soreness. The patient is also greatly prostrated, and sitting upright makes him faint and dizzy like Bryonia ^Bryonia. There is high fever, for the pulse is very quick; but the heat, like that of Arnica ^Arnica, is mostly in the head and face while the body and limbs are cool.

Now these symptoms present, it makes no difference whether the case is called tonsilitis, diphtheria or scarlatina. Abundant experience in my own person and observation with my patients has proven Phytolacca to be a remedy of inestimable value. Nor is it necessary to give it in twenty drop doses of the mother tincture, and gargle in addition, as some advise, but it will in the potentized dose do much better, the same as other homoeopathic remedies. I have done some good work with Phytolacca Decandra in follicular pharyngitis, especially when in public speakers the voice gave out from over-work and there was much burning in the throat, as of a hot substance there. In this kind of sore throat I have the best success with the remedy very high.

Now let me call attention to a symptom of Phytolacca Decandra that has been of great value to me "Irresistible inclination to bite the teeth or gums together." On this indication I have often relieved the complaints of various kinds incident to the period of dentition. I once had a case that was sent up to the country from New York City. The child had been sick a long time, with cholera infantum (entero-colitis), and its physicians said it must leave the city or die. But country air and change of diet brought no relief. The little fellow was greatly emaciated, having frequent loose stools of dark brown color, mixed with slime or mucus of the same color. After trying various remedies I discovered that the child wanted to bite its gums together, or to bite on everything that it could get into its mouth, and the mother then told me that this had been the case all through its sickness. Phytolacca produced immediate relief of the symptoms and rapid recovery followed.

I have since verified this symptom several times. Phytolacca is also one of our best remedies for mastitis. The breasts are very hard, greatly swollen, hot and painful. When the child nurses the pain radiates all over the body. There is fever, great pain in the head and back, and if it is a bad case, unless checked, is very liable to go on to suppuration. Every time the child nurses the pains spread all over the body.

The choice often lies between Phytolacca Decandra and Bryonia ^Bryonia, and they complement each other. Almost every case of swollen breasts with the milk fever, when the breasts fill for the first time after confinement, may be speedily relieved with one or the other of these two remedies. If the case should have gone on to suppuration, with large fistulous, gaping and angry ulcers discharging a watery or foetid pus, Phytolacca is still the remedy; and will often do more good than Hepar sulphur. and Silicea ^Silicea. But the choice sometimes has to be made between other remedies such as.

Croton Tiglium ^{Croton tiglium}. The pain runs through to the back when child nurses. (Silicea ^Silicea, Pulsatilla ^Pulsatilla).

Phellandrium ^Phellandrium. Pain runs along the milk ducts between the acts of nursing.

Lac Caninum ^{Lac caninum}. The breasts are greatly filled and so sore that their own weight hurts the patient, who wants to hold them up and shrinks from the least jar. Of course Aconite ^Aconite, Apis Mel ^Apis and Belladonna ^Belladonna must not be forgotten, and have as positive indications for their use as any of the above remedies. (See also Castor Equi ^Castor equorum.)

I have removed a great many suspicious lumps or tumors in the breasts, some of them of years' standing, by giving a dose of Phytolacca c. m., once a month, during the wane of the moon. What has the moon to do with it? I do not know. I cure goître the same way (but not with Phytolacca), and was led to that way of administration by a suggestion of Jahr. That some diseases have their aggravations in certain times of the moon I know, and that certain remedies act better then, I know just as well. Do not forget that the bruised, sore feeling of Phytolacca that we noticed at length when writing of Arnica ^Arnica is sometimes markedly present in sciatica, for which it is one of our successful remedies. The characteristic symptom for Phytolacca in this painful affection is, that the pain runs down the outer side of the limb. Sciatica is one of the complaints in which Homoeopathy has scored some of its most brilliant victories over the anodyne treatment of the old school. Periosteal rheumatism, where the pains are especially worse in wet weather, sometimes finds a remedy in Phytolacca. Phytolacca Decandra seems to resemble in its action on the periosteum, glands, bones and skin Kali Iodatum ^{Kali hydroiodicum}, and the two remedies complement each other, of course, with indications, or the choice may sometimes lie between them. H. C. Allen says Phytolacca occupies a place midway between Bryonia ^Bryonia and Rhus Tox ^{Rhus tox}., and will often help when these seem indicated but fail. It is curious to note that almost every chemical remedy has a closely resembling relative from the vegetable kingdom. Kali Iodatum ^{Kali hydroiodicum} and Phytolacca, Aloe Socotrina ^Aloes and Sulphur ^Sulphur, Allium Cepa ^Cepa and Phosphorus ^Phosphorus, Chamomilla ^Chamomilla and Magnesia carb., China ^China and Ferrum Met ^Ferrum, Belladonna ^Belladonna and Calc Carb ^Calcarea ost., Ipecacuanha ^Ipecac and Cuprum Metallicum ^Cuprum, Bryonia ^Bryonia and Alumina ^Alumina, Mezereum ^Mezereum and Merc Viv ^Mercury, Pulsatilla ^Pulsatilla and Kali Sulphuricum ^{Kali sulphuricum}. This has been before mentioned by Hering.

Dose

Tincture, to third potency. Externally for mastitis.

Region

Glands MAMMAE

Naso-pharynx

Throat Tonsils

Muscles

Fibrous tissues NECK

Back Tendons

Joints

Periosteum

Kidneys

Tongue (Root)

Digestive tract

Right side

Characteristics

the absorption of tissues, especially new growths. There are few remedies which have a wider range in the cure of tumours and indurations, particularly of the female breast. Hale tells us that among dairymen in America the root is used to regulate any abnormality in the milk of cows