Podophyllum Peltatum - General symptoms - Clarke

GENERAL

General

Podophyllum peltatum. May Apple. Mandragora Officinarium ^Mandrake (American). N. O. Berberidaceae (by some placed in the Ranunculaceae and closely related to both). Tincture of root gathered after fruit has ripened; of whole fresh plant; of ripe fruit. Solution of resinous extract, Podophyllin.

Acidity. Amenorrhoea. Anus, Prolapse of. Asthma, bronchial. Bilious attack. Bronchitis. Cataract. Cholera infantum. Cornea, ulcer of. Dentition. Diarrhoea.

camp. Duodenum, catarrh of. Dysentery. Dysmenia. Dyspepsia.

from Mercurius Dulcis ^calomel. Fevers. Flatulence. Gagging. Gall-stones. Gastric catarrh. Goître. Haemorrhoids. Headache, sick.

bilious. Heart, pains in. Hydrocephaloid. Intermittents. Jaundice. Leucoma. Liver, affections of. Ophthalmia. Ovaries, pains in.

numbness in. tumour of. Palpitation. Pneumonia. Proctitis. Prostatitis. Pustules. Sciatica. Stomatitis. Strabismus. Taste, lost, perverted.

illusions of. Tenesmus. Tongue, burning in. Urticaria. Uterus, prolapse of. Whooping-cough. Worms.

Pod. grows throughout the United States in damp, shady places in woods, has leaves five to nine-lobed, large white nodding flowers, yellowish fruits, egg-shaped, not unlike a small lemon, hence the plant is sometimes called Wild Lemon.

It flowers in May and June, and the fruit ripens in October.

Indian tribes use the root to expel worms, and drop the juice of the root into the ear to cure deafness. "All the tribes are fond of the fruit," says Rafinesque, quoted by Hale, who gives a full account of the medicine.

The botanic and eclectic practitioners adopted the remedy and used it as the "vegetable Merc Viv ^mercury." The first homoeopathic proving was made by Williamson.

An unintentional proving recorded by E. V. Rose (H. W., xxv. 246) brings out the chief characteristics of Pod., and shows that its reputation as a "vegetable Merc Viv ^mercury is not undeserved Mr.

J., 26, took at 11 a.m. gr. x of Pod. 1x to "stir up his liver." At 6 p.m. was taken with an indescribable sick feeling all over, and a persistent dry, rough feeling in pharynx and oesophagus, extending along right Eustachian tube, with dull, aching pain in right ear; feeling as though a ball or lump in upper oesophagus.

At 8 p.m. dull and stupefying headache, chiefly frontal, agg. lying down.

Fulness in stomach, belching of gas, sour eructations; marked salivation and offensive odour from mouth.

Sleep disturbed, full of confused dreams; rolled and tossed about, bed felt too hard; and a feeling as though head and shoulders were lying too low.

At 3 a.m. call to stool, which was profuse, watery, dark green.

Calls frequent. Before stool peculiar weak, dull, griping pain below umbilicus; fulness in rectum.

During stool weak feeling in stomach.

After stool tenesmus and faint feeling.

These symptoms passed off in two or three days, the diarrhoea being followed by constipation, which was quickly removed by Nux Vomica ^Nux.

These symptoms are nearly all proved characteristics of Pod.

The early morning agg.; the profuse stools, faint, gone sensation; fulness and tenesmus in rectum.

Pod. is an irritant wherever applied.

Externally on the skin it produces a rawness like intertrigo.

The dust of the powdered root getting into the eyes sets up intense inflammation, ulceration, and leucoma.

These effects have proved leading indications for its internal use in eye affections.

The fulness and tenderness of the rectum noted in Ross's case went on to actual prolapse in the provings.

I have many times cured with Pod. 6 prolapsus ani in children.

The genital organs were involved with the rectum in the tendency to prolapse. "Symptoms of prolapsus uteri with pain in sacrum; with muco-gelatinous stools"; "sensation at stool as if the genital organs would fall out" are keynotes of the provings which have led to many cures.

Pains in the ovaries, especially the right, extending down the anterior and inner side of thighs.

In the pregnant and puerperal state Pod. is frequently indicated in the vomiting of pregnancy; swelling of labia; severe after-pains with strong bearing-down sensation; haemorrhoids and prolapsus recti after confinement.

A peculiar symptom of pregnancy indicating Pod. is "Can lie comfortably only on stomach (early months)." The irritation of Pod. is shown in the brain, but it is then generally reflected even from the abdominal viscera (cholera infantum) or the teeth (dentition).

There is moaning and whining during sleep; the head is thrown back and rolls from side to side; the child grates its teeth. "Great desire to press gums or teeth together" is a keynote.

The salivation, foul breath, and moist, tooth-indented tongue of Merc Viv ^Merc. are reproduced in the Pod. provings, and so also is the congested, sensitive liver, with excess or absence of bile.

These, combined with the feverishness and proneness to sweat, make Pod. one of the important antidotes to Merc Viv ^Merc.

Fevers of many kinds are met by Pod.

remittent, chiefly bilious remittent, intermittent. Delirium is not rare, and is apt to be loquacious. Moaning and whining during sleep. Much drowsiness and desire to stretch. Alternating conditions are noted Diarrhoea alternating with constipation.

headache alternating with diarrhoea.

headache in winter, diarrhoea in summer.

inflammation of scrotum or of the eyes.

not of both. Some Concomitants are important Pains in sacrum, in lumbar region with rectal and uterine symptoms.

cramps in calves with stools. The stools may be painless, or may be preceded, accompanied, and followed by colic, tenesmus and other symptoms. The concomitance of diarrhoea with other affections points to Pod. Loquacity during chill and heat is a keynote in fevers. Nash cured an obstinate case of intermittent through this symptom Chills violent, followed by intense fever with great loquacity.

when the fever was past patient fell asleep, and on waking remembered nothing of his loquacious delirium. "Burning tongue" is another leading symptom. A case is related by W. A. Burr (Critique, quoted Hom. News, xxviii. 87) of a young man who had for some weeks a burning sensation along left edge of tongue, occasionally shooting to tip, or through to opposite edge. He had been in poor health, "bilious," for years. With catarrh of stomach, duodenum, and bile ducts extreme discomfort followed even the blandest foods. Pod. 3x improved in two days, and the tongue was well in a week. L. M. Barnes (Hom. News, xxix. 45) reports these cases ($51$) A lady for four months after miscarriage had much ovarian pain, agg. at night. She was sleepless, nervous, restless. Much bearing down in abdomen and back. She was a large, stout woman, with a pendulous abdomen. Pod. cured after Pulsatilla ^Puls. and Act. r. had only partially relieved. (2) A stout woman, 60, complained of burning, aching, cutting pain in rectum. Was obliged to be on her feet all day. Nervous, cross, irritable. Pod. cured. Pod. is suited to bilious temperaments, especially after mercurialisation. Peculiar sensations are As if strabismus would occur. Pain in head as from ice on occipital protuberance. As if tongue, throat, and palate had been burned. As if a thousand live things moving about in abdomen, or of fish turning over. As if everything would drop through pelvis. As if heart ascending to throat. Ball in upper oesophagus. Notable symptoms are Thirst for large quantities of cold water. Intense desire to press the gums together. Viscid mucus in mouth, coating teeth. Diarrhoea whilst being bathed or washed.

of dirty water soaking through napkin.

with gagging. Patient is constantly shaking and rubbing region of liver with his hands. Great loquacity during chill and heat. Pod. is predominantly right sided.

right throat. hypochondrium.

ovary. Guernsey mentions that it is often called for in complaints of pregnant and parturient women, with sensation as if intestines were falling down. He mentions also "whooping-cough with costiveness and loss of appetite." The symptoms are agg. by touch (spot on right hypochondrium).

amel. by pressure. amel. Rubbing (inclination to rub liver region with hand). amel. Lying down.

lying on abdomen. stretching in bed. Pain in left leg agg. by straightening out the limb. agg. Motion.

walking. ascending stairs.

exertion. agg. Morning, especially early morning, 2 to 4 a.m. Some symptoms agg. night. agg. Open air.

while washing. External heat amel. pain in bowels. Heat of stove does not amel. chilliness, but wrapping warmly in bed does amel. Hot weather, summer, agg. diarrhoea. agg. After eating and drinking.

after acid fruit and milk. agg. By swallowing. agg. Before, during, and after stool.

Stools thin, watery, green.

green. muco-gelatinous with pain in sacrum.

4 a.m., yellow, undigested faeces, mixed with mucus, offensive.

with violent tenesmus.

burning, acrid, causing much bearing down during and after stool.

with gagging and excessive thirst in children.

gushing, watery, profuse, green, with sudden urging, often painless.

offensive, agg. in hot weather.

pasty. yellow, watery, with meal-like sediment.

smelling like carrion.

mucous and blood-streaked.

black, only in morning.

tar-like. changing colour.