Gaultheria Procumbens

Alias: Gaul., Gaultheria

Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, William Boericke

Wintergreen (GAULTHERIA)

Inflammatory rheumatism, pleurodynia, sciatica, and other neuralgias, come within, the sphere of this remedy. Cystic and prostatic irritation, undue sexual excitement, and renal inflammation.

Head.--Neuralgia of head and face.

Stomach.--Acute gastritis, severe pain in epigastrium; prolonged vomiting. Uncontrollable appetite, notwithstanding irritable stomach. Gastralgia from nervous depression (Give five drops of 1x of Oil).

Skin.--Smarting and burning. Intense erythema, worse, cold bathing; better, olive oil and cool air blowing on part.

Relationship.--Compare: Spiraeea. Gaultheria contains Arbutin. Salycyl acid. Methylium salicylicum (an artificial Gaultheria oil for rheumatism, especially when the salicylates cannot be used. Pruritus and epididymitis, locally). After Cantharis in burns.

Dose.--Tincture and lower potencies.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, John Henry Clarke

Gaultheria procumbens. Wintergreen. N. O. Ericaceae. Tincture of fresh leaves. Oil obtained from leaves. An evergreen trailing vine found in cool, damp woods. The oil contains methyl salicylate, and is one of the sources of Salicin.

Clinical.─Gastritis. Neuralgia. Pleurodynia. Rheumatism. Sciatica.

Characteristics.─Several cases of poisoning with the oil have been recorded in which symptoms of acute gastritis appeared: prolonged vomiting, set up afresh by the least thing taken, as a cup of water; severe pain in epigastrium, slow, laborious breathing, insensibility and hot skin. Inhalation of Ammonia aroused the patients from stupor. B. F. Lang (H. R., ix. 214, 340) has related his experience with material doses in─ciliary neuralgia; facial neuralgia; gastric, ovarian, uterine, and menstrual neuralgias; sciatica; and inflammatory rheumatism.

Relations.─Compare: Bry., Rhus, Salol., Nat. salicyl., Kalmia, Ledum.

SYMPTOMS.

1. Mind.─Very stupid soon.

4. Ears.─Marked dulness of hearing.

9. Throat.─Tongue dry, smooth, and slightly swollen; speech rather indistinct from the swelling.

11. Stomach.─Inordinate, uncontrollable appetite for food, notwithstanding irritability of stomach; everything taken, even cold water, is immediately rejected.─Very severe pain in epigastrium and inferior part of the hypochondria, greatly < by pressure of finger.

17. Respiratory Organs.─Pleurodynia with pain in anterior mediastinum.