Homeopathic Materia Medica

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, James Tyler Kent

Weather: If you will observe the weather conditions in sharp climates, such as Minnesota, Massachusetts and Canada, you will find that the cold spells are very intense and that people when exposed, come down with complaints very rapidly and violently.

That is the way the Bell. and Acon. cases come on, but Gelsemium complaints do not come from, such causes nor appear that way. Its complaints are more insidious and come on with a degree of slowness.

A Gels. cold develops as symptoms several days after the exposure, while the Acon. cold comes on a few hours after exposure. The Aconite child exposed during the day in dry, cold weather will have croup before midnight. But in the South diseases are very slow. Like the people themselves, their organs are very slow, and their reaction is slow.

Their colds are not taken from the violent cold, but from getting overheated. Hence, they take colds and fevers of a low malarial type; they have congestive headaches and congestive complaints that do not come on suddenly. When we think of the climate, and consider the people, and the pace of remedies, we see that Gels. is a remedy for warm climates, while Acon. is a remedy for colder climates.

Certain acute complaints in the North will be like Aconite, while similar complaints will have symptoms in the warmer climate like Gels. The colds and fevers of the mild winters will be more likely to run to this medicine, whereas the colds and fevers of a violent winter will be more likely to run to Bell. and Acon.

It is true that Acon. has complaints in hot weather, fevers and dysentery of hot weather, but they are different from the complaints of winter.

Gels. has been used mostly in acute troubles. In lingering acute troubles and in those resembling the chronic it is very useful, but in chronic miasms it is not the remedy. It is only a short-acting remedy, though slow in its beginning. In this it is like Bryonia. Bry. complaints come on slowly, and hence it is suitable for fevers coming on in the southern climate, but it also has sudden violent complaints, though not to the extent we find in Bell.

Complaints: The complaints of Gels. are largely congestive. Cerebral hyperemia, determination of blood to the brain and to the spinal cord. The extremities become cold and the head and back become hot. The symptoms are manifested largely through the brain and spinal cord. In connection with brain affections there are convulsions of the extremities, crampings of the fingers and toes and of the muscles of the back.

Coldness of the fingers and toes; sometimes the extremities are icy cold to the knees, while the head is hot and the face purple. During the congestion the face is purple and mottled. The eyes are engorged, the pupils dilated (sometimes contracted), the eyes are in a state of marked congestion with lachrymation and twitching.

The patient feels dazed and talks as if he were delirious; incoherent, stupid, forgetful. It is like this in intermittent fever that gradually develops towards a congestive chill. Great coldness running up the back from the lower part of the spine to the back of the head. Shuddering, as if ice were rubbed up the back.

The pains also extend up the back. With the coldness of the extremities, the very dark red countenance, the dazed condition of the mind, the glassy eyes and dilated pupils, we have the neck drawn back and rigidity of the muscles of the back of the neck, so that the neck cannot be straightened, and there are violent pains up the back and coldness in the spine.

This state would remind one of cerebro-spinal meningitis. Pain in the base of the brain and in the back of the neck. With all states there is a very hot skin and a high temperature, with coldness of the extremities. Sometimes the troubles are ushered in with a violent chill.

This is a very important remedy to study when such symptoms are present in intermittents and in a few days the tongue begins to coat, nausea comes on, ending in vomiting of bile, and instead of there being an intermission a continued fever extends from one paroxysm into another, with a higher temperature in the afternoon.

The chill practically subsides, leaving a state which has the appearance of typhoid, with dry tongue, not much thirst and marked head symptoms, dazed in mind. If this continues many days delirium and all the features of typhoid will come on and the fever will change its type altogether from the intermittent to the continued.

In congestive chill with high temperature occurring in the afternoon, the chill part of it subsiding and the fever becoming continued, Gels. is a useful remedy. It is also a very important remedy in afternoon fevers without chill in infants and in children. You will find in malarial districts that it is a common thing for the infants to have remittent attacks, while the adults are having intermittents. it is only occasionally that you will see a child or infant shake with a distinct chill, but they often go into a remittent fever, an afternoon fever which will subside along towards morning, to be followed the next afternoon by fever. With Gels. the child will lie as still as in Bry. but there is more congestion to the head there is the dark red face and duskiness like Bry.

Running through the febrile complaints, in the spinal meningitis, in congestion of the brain, in intermittents or remittents that change to a continued fever, and even in a cold when the patient is sneezing and has hot face and red eyes, there is one grand feature, viz., a feeling of great weight and tiredness in the entire body and limbs.

The head cannot be lifted from the pillow, so tired and so heavy is it, and there is such a great weight in the limbs. The Bry. patient lies quietly because if lie moves the pains are worse. He has an aversion to motion, because he is conscious that it would cause an increase of suffering.

The heart is feeble and the pulse is feeble, soft and irregular. There is palpitation during the febrile state. Palpitation, with weakness and irregularity of the pulse. There is a sense of weakness and goneness in the region of the heart, and this weakness and goneness often extend into the stomach, involving the whole lower part of the left side of the chest and across the stomach, creating a sensation of hunger, like Ignatia and Sepia. There is a hysterical element running through Gels. and it has the nervous hunger, or gnawing.

There are cardiac nervous affections like Digitalis, Cactus and Sepia. Sepia is not known to be as great a heart remedy as Cactus, but it has cured many cases of heart troubles. Sepia has cured endocarditis, and a remedy that will take hold in endocarditis and root it out must be a deep acting remedy. He feels that if he ceases to move the heart will cease to beat.

The headaches are of the congestive type. The most violent pain is in the occiput, and it is felt sometimes as a hammering. Every pulsation is felt like the blow of a hammer in the base of the skull. These headaches are so violent that the patient can not stand up, but will lie perfectly exhausted, as if paralyzed from the pain. There is an occipital headache that compels walking or rolling the head.

There is commonly relief from lying in bed, bolstered up by pillows, with the head perfectly quiet The face is flushed and dusky and the patient is dazed. After the headache progresses a while, the whole head seems to enter into a state of congestion, there is one great pain, too dreadful to describe, and the patient loses his ability to tell symptoms and appears dazed; lies bolstered up in bed, eyes glassy, pupils dilated, face mottled, and extremities cold.

Gels. has also headaches of a neuralgic character in the temples and over the eyes, with nausea and aggravation from vomiting. The headache is relieved by passing a copious quantity of urine; that is, the urine which has probably been scanty becomes free and then the headache subsides.

There is much nervous excitement. Complaints from fear, from embarrassment, from shock that is attended with fear, from sudden surprises that are attended with fright. A soldier going into battle has an involuntary stool; involuntary discharges from fright and surprises accompanying fright. On becoming suddenly overwhelmed by some surprise he becomes faint, weak and exhausted, he becomes tired in all the limbs and unable to resist opposing circumstances. His heart palpitates. This is similar to Arg. nit. Arg. nit. has the peculiar condition that when dressing for an opera a sudden attack of diarrhea comes on, causing more or less sudden exhaustion, and she must go several times before she can finish dressing.

They who are to appear before an audience are detained because of a sudden attack of diarrhoea. A lady has an attack of diarrhoea when about to meet friends over whom she expects to become excited at the meeting. The anticipation brings on the diarrhoea. Such a state is Arg. nit. These medicines are so closely related to each other that there are times when they will appear to do the work of each other.

Then we have paralytic affections of the sphincters, and so with the febrile conditions there is involuntary loss of stool and urine. There is also paralytic weakness of the extremities and of the hands. With paralytic states there is aching along the spine and in the muscles of the back; drawing, cramping in the muscles of the back and aching under the left shoulder blade.

There are many disturbances of vision; double vision, dimness of vision, appearance of a gauze before the eyes; confusion of vision and blindness. These symptoms come on before going into attacks, in connection with chill, at the coming on of sick headaches and congestive headaches. All sorts of objects are seen; the field of vision appears full of black spots, or full of smoke or little waves of various colors. It is useful in inflammation of all the tissues of the eye and of the eyelids. The eyeballs oscillate laterally when using them.

Drooping of the eyelids or ptosis is a marked feature and is in its paralytic nature.

The muscles are relaxed, they do not hold the lids tip. The lids close when he is looking steadily; they simply fall down over the eyes.

The patient in general is thirstless, and it is the exception that there is much thirst. It has a profuse, exhaustive sweat and is aggravated from motion, or rather motion seems to be impossible. It seems that he is unable to move, that be is too weak to move, and this runs through all complaints. At times it is a remedy for coryza, with sneezing and running of water from the nose, with coldness in the extremities, and the trouble will go down into the throat and produce sore throat, with redness, tumefaction, enlargement of the tonsils, hot head and congested face.

With this, as with the other febrile conditions, there is heaviness of the extremities. The red face, the heaviness of the extremities and sore throat that has come on gradually, a little worse from day to day, until it has become a severe throat, will lead you to Gels., especially if there is paralytic weakness all over, and as the throat trouble progresses the food and drink come back through the nose.

This is due to a paralysis of the muscles of deglutition. The tongue also becomes paralyzed and don not perform its work in an orderly way. There are times when the paralytic weakness is not sufficiently marked to account for things seen, but there is an incoordination of muscles and he is awkward. He undertakes to, take hold of an article and takes hold of something else. When he does grasp his hands feel weak. He is awkward and clumsy and the muscles do this and that and something not ordered to do.

The trembling incoordination and paresis are especially noticed during high excitement and afterwards, and these states occur with the febrile condition and remain sometimes after. Useful in paralytic cases that begin with fevers. Tearing is felt in the nerves all over the body and seems to be due to an inflammatory condition. It has cured sciatica, with tearing pains, associated with great weakness of the limbs.

Loss of sensation is sometimes found; numbness of the end of the nose, of the ears, of the tongue, of the fingers, of the hands and feet, numbness, here and there, of the skin.

In the male, the sexual organs arc in the same condition as the patient in general. The semen dribbles away; there is impotency, no ability to perform the sexual act; the sexual organs are relaxed.

The sleep is greatly disturbed. He cannot go to sleep; every excitement keeps him awake. During marked febrile conditions he has a profound sleep or coma. When he is not in this comatose sleep during congestion he is in a state of nervous excitement in which he lies awake thinking, and yet thinks of nothing in particular, because his!mind will not work in an orderly way.

The symptoms of Gels. may be present in inflammation of any organ, uterus or ovaries, stomach, the lungs and of the rectum. It has congestion of organs, but it has also high grade inflammation. There is nothing peculiar in the inflammation itself that would indicate Gels., neither should Gels. ever be given because there is inflammation, but when the mental symptoms are present, the delirium, the flushed face, the determination of blood to the head with the cold extremities, the great heaviness of the limbs, the disturbance of sensation, the paralysis of sphincters, then Gels. would be good for inflammation of any organ of the body.

In a most distressing and violent, rapidly spreading erysipelas that seems destined to cause death in a few days all the symptoms point to Gels., and though Gels. may not have produced erysipelas, it will stop the progress of the disease in a few hours and the patient will go on to a quick recovery.

Many times when erysipelas has spread over the face and scalp and in the most dangerous manner with the dusky red color that belongs to Gels., and other symptoms such as I have described in a general way, Gels. has taken bold of the erysipelas and cured. If we master thoroughly the Materia Medica we do not stop to see if a remedy produces certain kinds of inflammation, etc., but we consider the state of the patient.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, John Henry Clarke

Gelsemium sempervirens. G. Lucidum. G. Nitidum. Bignonia sempervirens. Yellow jessamine. N. O. Loganiaceae. Tincture of the bark of the root.

Clinical.─Amaurosis. Anterior crural neuralgia. Aphonia. Astigmatism. Bilious fever. Brain, affections of. Cerebro-spinal meningitis. Choroiditis. Colds. Constipation. Convulsions. Deafness. Dengue fever. Diarrhoea. Diphtheria Dupuytren's contraction. Dysentery. Dysmenia. Emotions, effects of. Epilepsy. Eyes, affections of. Fever. Fright. Gonorrhoea. Hay-fever. Headache. Heat, effects of. Heart, diseases of. Hydro-salpingitis. Hysteria. Influenza. Intermittent fever. Jaundice. Labour. Liver, affections of. Locomotor ataxia. Mania. Measles. Meningitis. Menstruation, painful; suppressed. Metrorrhagia. Myalgia. Neuralgia. Nystagmus. Oesophagus, stricture of. Paralysis. Paralysis agitans. Paraplegia. Pregnancy, albuminuria of. Ptosis. Puerperal convulsions. Remittent fever. Retina, detachment of. Rheumatism. Sexual excess, effects of. Sleep, disordered. Spasms. Sun-headache. Sunstroke. Teething. Tic-douloureux. Tobacco, effects of. Tongue, affections of. Toothache. Tremors. Uterus, affections of. Vertigo. Voice, loss of. Writer's cramp.

Characteristics.─Gelsemium, which belongs to the same order of plants as Nux vomica and Curare, is not only one of the most important additions to the materia medica for whose introduction we are mainly indebted to Hale, but it is also in the first rank of importance among the vegetable polychrests. A drug is of importance in homoeopathy not so much by reason of the great number of the symptoms it causes, as by possessing a number of well-marked and clearly characterised symptoms which correspond to symptoms constantly met with in every-day practice. It was this which at once gave Gelsem. a place among the polychrests of homoeopathy. Like its botanical relatives, Gelsem. is a great paralyser. It produces a general state of paresis, mental and bodily. The mind is sluggish; the whole muscular system is relaxed; the limbs feel so heavy he can hardly move them. This condition exists in the cases of typhoid that call for it; the lassitude is expressed by the patient; with Mur. ac. there is the lassitude, but the patient does not express it. The same paretic condition is shown in the eyelids, causing ptosis; in the eye muscles, causing diplopia; in the oesophagus, causing loss of swallowing power; in the anus, which remains open; in diarrhoea from depressing emotions or bad news; in relaxation of the genital organs. Functional paralyses of all descriptions. This is shown again in some features of the headaches. They are accompanied by blurring of the sight, and relieved by a copious discharge of watery urine from a paretic condition of the kidneys. Conversely there may be a desire to urinate during the night, and if the call is not immediately responded to a violent headache supervenes. Post-diphtheritic paralysis; debility after pollutions; great prostration from irritability of seminal vesicles. The mental prostration is typified in "funk," as before an examination, stage-fright, effects of anger, grief, bad news, and is accompanied by drooping eyelids. Alcoholic stimulants relieve all complaints where Gels. is useful. Hysterical dysphagia or aphonia, after emotions. Measles and eruptive disorders, with drowsy state, stiff used face, and even convulsions. Convulsions are no less marked in Gels. than paralyses. Erskine White (H. W., xxxii. 501) cured an infant born in convulsions three weeks after its mother had been terribly frightened by seeing her little brother nearly burnt to death. The only guiding symptom was "the child's chin quivered incessantly." In thirty seconds after the dose the quivering ceased; in three minutes the convulsions were at an end. White had to ride twelve miles over mountains to reach the patient after receiving the summons, so the convulsions must have lasted a considerable time. Tremor is a keynote of the remedy. Gels. is adapted to children and young people; to persons of a nervous, hysterical temperament; to irritable, sensitive, excitable people. The following provings related by Dr. George Logan, of Ottawa (Med. Adv., xxiii. 125) show the power Gels. has over the mental sphere. The subject of the first was Mrs. Logan, who describes her experience thus:-

"A few moments after taking the medicine there is an extreme feeling of restlessness─not able to be still for a second, keep turning and twisting all the time. This is succeeded by intense pain over the right eye, always the right; it seems as if my forehead would come right over my eyes and close them; my eyes feel as if they were turning into my head, roll up all the time. Then a strong inclination to commit suicide. Want to throw myself from a height; invariably think of going to the window and dashing myself down─feel as if it would be a relief. This is succeeded by an inclination to weep, and I generally have a good cry, but before I cry and while the feeling lasts of wishing to throw myself from a height, I clench my hands, and nervous rigors or sensations run all over my body down to my fingers and toes; it seems as if I would lose my senses. Then a great dread of being alone seizes me, and I am afraid of what may happen; think I may lose all self-control. The pain still continues over the right eye, and often the back part of my head seems to have a spot about four inches square that is turning to ice. These feelings are followed by a strong inclination to talk or write, very great exhilaration, and a better opinion of my mental capacity─indeed it seems as if my memory was better, that I can recall almost anything I ever read; nearly always repeat long passages of something to myself that I have read years before. It appears to me that I can remember almost anything I love to recall. Now this is my invariable experience whenever I take Gelsemium─no matter whether in the 3rd or 1,000th potency─and I have been in the habit of using it for twenty years. I am writing this under the influence of the drug. I could not give the symptoms so accurately at any other time. As I am getting over the effects of the drug I have to urinate every few minutes. While suffering I like to have people in the room─have a perfect horror of being alone. I find Cinchona an antidote for most of the symptoms, but it leaves me much exhausted, thoroughly tired, and with a wish to be quiet."

Dr. Logan adds that he first gave the patient Gels. 2 for insomnia and headache. It produced the symptom "wishing to throw herself from a height" so markedly that he was alarmed lest she should carry it out. A year or two after, wishing to give the remedy again, he gave two pellets of the 30th─with the same result. He next prescribed the 1,000th, and the result of that was the proving now related. Here is the second case in Dr. Logan's words:─

" I gave Mr. Dorion, since Dr. Dorion, of St. Paul, five or six, drops of Gelsemium 1st for some ailment the nature of which I fail now to remember. Within a few hours after taking the Gelsemium I was sent for to see Mr. Dorion, who, I was told, was 'insane.' He was brandishing a sword in a threatening manner, and frightening all the occupants of the house. On my arrival at his room I found him in the position of 'shouldering arms' with his sword. I playfully admired his military appearance, and thus secured the dangerous weapon, very much to the relief of his fellow-boarders. It then occurred to me that the symptoms were produced by Gelsemium, and placing him in charge of one of the boarders, I returned to my office in order to procure the antidote, of which I was unaware at the time. I gave Cinchona 30 each half-hour, which, in the course of two or three hours brought him all right again." J. H. Nankivell drank two ounces of tincture of Gelsem. instead of a glass of sherry. He walked a few feet with assistance and in another minute his legs were paralysed. He dragged himself to the bedside with his arms, but they were unable to help him to bed, into which he had to be lifted. As long as he lay quiet there was no trouble, but on the least exertion there were excessive tremors. Vomiting occurred during the next twenty-four hours. Temperature rose to 101.5° F. Heart's action very violent and intermittent (possibly an aggravation of existing disease). All the muscles of the eyes were affected, but of voluntary muscles those of the right side suffered most. Prolonged conversation involved paralysis of upper lip. There was somnolence; absence of mental excitement; and good appetite. The effects passed away in the order of occurrence, from below upwards; but after the arms had recovered, vision was not perfect for twenty-four hours. A patient of mine once took a drachm of the tincture for a headache. On going out he could not tell which side of the street he was on. He was near St. Paul's Cathedral and saw two cathedrals instead of one. The following case of poisoning was recorded by Dr. Edward Jepson (Brit. Med. Jour., Sept. 19, 1891, p. 644). Although Gels. was given with other drugs, and on the last occasion with one of its antidotes (quinine), which probably saved the patient's life, the symptoms are unmistakably those of Gels.:-

"About two months ago Miss W., aged about forty, an inmate of my house, was seized with very severe neuralgia about both temples. I gave her tincture of Gelsemium 10 minims, with a bismuth mixture to be taken every two or three hours. After taking this for about a day and obtaining no relief─but rather she grew worse, being, as is described, 'nearly mad with pain'─I gave her the full dose of the tincture of Gelsemium, according to Squire's Companion of the Pharmacopoeia, 1882, and Whitla's Materia Medica, third edition, namely, 20 minims in a quinine mixture. This was taken every three hours, but with only moderate relief, three or four doses having been taken during the night. At about eight o'clock the following morning Miss W. was able to speak pretty well, and said she thought she was better. At about nine o'clock she was speechless and in the greatest distress of mind and body; there was total loss of power in the tongue; it could not be protruded, she could not articulate, and with very great difficulty could she swallow the brandy and water we forced upon her. There was alteration in vision; she could not distinguish us clearly, and the pupils were widely dilated. She had uncertain power over the muscles of the hand and arm, so that she could not write her name. All this time she was perfectly conscious, and nodded her head in answer to questions. She was greatly alarmed as to herself, and, as she informed us afterwards, she thought she was about to have a fit. Not knowing of any special antidote for Gelsemium, and seeing that there was no time to lose if we wanted to avert any increase of the paralysis, it fortunately came into my mind to give her a subcutaneous injection of Strychnine, using 1 minim of the liquor Strychninae, or 1-120th part of a grain. Ten minutes after this the change for the better was most marked; there was return of power in the tongue and in the hands, and an improvement in the vision. . . . I again injected a minim of the Strychnine, and with further improvement in the condition of the patient. After this she took food and stimulants, and all paralysis disappeared. The vision was not perfectly restored for some hours, the pupils being less dilated. She had some return of the neuralgia, and was very weak for a few days, but eventually she quite recovered, and has had altogether better health since this event than she had prior to it." Gelsem. in the attenuations is a great neuralgic remedy. I have cured among other cases one of neuralgia of the anterior crural nerve. The paralysis of the tongue recalls another condition, trembling of the tongue, which is one indication for Gels. in typhoid, in which it is a leading remedy. The tongue is only thinly coated, and has not the dark streak of the Bapt. tongue. The Gels. face is flushed crimson, but not quite as besotted as that of Bapt. There is excessive weakness and trembling, but the consciousness is not so clouded. In coryza and hay fever Gels. has an important place. Early morning sneezing and streaming colds are a strong indication. The characteristic headache of Gels. begins in the occiput and spreads over the whole head, settling down over eyes. Dizziness and dim vision, and dizziness rising up from occiput and spreading over whole head, with depression, from heat of summer. Headache with stiff neck, < in morning; > urinating; preceded by blur before eyes, drowsiness with headache, difficulty in keeping eyes open, dull headache over eyes to vertex and occiput, with irregular action of eye-muscles. Neurotic symptoms in cigar-makers, impotence, palpitation. Many symptoms occur in connection with the sexual organs, male and female. [J. H. Allen (H. P., xiii. 244) cured a case of hydrosalpingitis, of gonorrhoeal origin, with Gels. 1m. The symptoms were: Feeling of fulness and heaviness in uterine region, cramp-like pains during menses, sharp pains moving from uterus to back and hips. A languid aching in back and hips a day or so before menses; great weakness and loss of power in lower extremities; very little pain after menses began. Lump in throat which she cannot swallow. After menses, pains in back of head and spine. Pains running up back of neck, with a feeling of tightness in the brain; irritable, easily angered. Fever in afternoon, twitching of muscles. Menses last eight days; for first three days appear natural, but afterwards very light-coloured, like serum. The tumour, which was in the left side of abdomen, disappeared in three months, improvement having set in from the first.] Dysmenia; epileptiform convulsions at menstrual period; rigid os in labour; chill, beginning in hands; or feet; and running up back. There is < both before, during, and after menses. Itching of skin; eruption like measles. Sensations of lightness: of head, of body. Sensation as if the head were enlarged; as if there were a tape round the head; as if the skin were contracted in the middle of the forehead; sensation from throat up into left nostril like a stream of scalding water; sensation as if a lump were in oesophagus; load in stomach as if stomach were quite gone; as if the uterus were squeezed by a hand; as if he would die; as if the blood ceased to circulate as if the heart would stop unless he kept moving; as if a knife were thrust through from occiput to forehead; as if eyes were jumping out of head; as if a lump were in throat which could not be swallowed. The stools of Gelsem., whether loose or constipated, are mostly yellow, like the flower. The colour comes out also in the colour of the tongue, and bilious symptoms generally. Wants to lie down and rest. Wants to be held, that he may not shake. Motion < most symptoms; > muscular pains; > heart. Rising from seat = pain in heart. Shaking head > heaviness of head. Lifting arms = trembling of hands. Playing piano = tired sensation in arms. (J. G. Blackley pointed out the suitability of Gels. to writer's cramp and professional paralyses. I have relieved with it cases of Dupuytren's contraction.) Great distress and apprehensive feeling at approach of a thunderstorm. Heat of sun or summer <. Hot applications > pain back of head. Must be covered in all stages of the paroxysm. Complaints from sudden change from hot or dry to damp air. Catarrh occurring in warm, moist, relaxing weather. < Damp weather; cold, damp atmosphere; > cold, open air; < from fog. Cold drinks are vomited immediately; warm or spirituous drinks can partially be swallowed. "> From stimulants" is a very general characteristic.

Relations.─Antidoted by: Atrop., Chi., Coff., Dig., Nux. mos. In cases of poisoning, artificial respiration and faradisation of respiratory muscles. Foy found Nitro-glycerine a perfect antidote in one case. Jephson antidoted his case with Strychnine. It Antidotes: Mag. phos. It antagonises: Atrop., Op. Compatible: Bap. (in typhoid, influenza); Ipec. (in dumb ague). Compare: Bell. (labour); Caulo., Caust. (complaints of women); Coccul., Con., Curare (paralysis); Fer. phos. (fever); Phos. (effect of thunderstorms); Ol. an., Verat. (headache): Borax (sense of falling). Bry. (typhoid; dreads movement, Gels. because he is so weak, Bry. because movement < pains); Hyper. (< from fog).

Causation.─Depressing emotions. Fright. Anger. Bad news. Sun. Heat. Damp weather, warm or cold. Thunderstorms. Alcohol. Self-abuse.

SYMPTOMS.

1. Mind.─Great irritability, does not wish to be spoken to.─Irritable, sensitive; desires to be let alone.─Incapacity to think or fix the attention.─Vivacity, carelessness, followed by depression of spirits.─Unconnected ideas; cannot follow an idea for any length of time; if he attempts to think consecutively he is attacked by a painful vacant feeling of the mind.─Loss of memory, with headache.─Unconsciousness.─Delirium in sleep; half-waking, with incoherent talk.─Acts as if crazy, brandishes a sword in a threatening manner.─Stupor, cannot open the eyes.─Dulness of the mental faculties.─Sensation of intoxication, with diarrhoea.─Cataleptic immobility, with dilated pupils, closed eyes, but conscious.─Confusion; when attempting to move, the muscles refuse to obey the will; head giddy.─Strong inclination to suicide.─Want to throw myself from a height. Invariably think of going to the window. This is succeeded by an inclination to weep, and I generally have a good cry, and while the desire to throw myself from a height lasts, I clench my hands and nervous rigors run all over my body down to fingers and toes. It seems as if I should lose my senses.─Dread of being alone; afraid of what may happen; think I may lose self-control. These feelings are followed by a strong inclination to talk or write, increased sense of mental capacity and memory.─Every exciting news causes diarrhoea; bad effects from fright and fear.─Cowardice.

2. Head.─Staggering as if intoxicated when trying to move; < from smoking.─Lightheaded and dizzy; < by sudden movement of the head, and walking.─Giddiness as if intoxicated, as if he should fall down.─Dizziness and blurred vision.─Giddiness with loss of sight, chilliness, accelerated pulse, dulness of vision, double vision.─Sensation of falling in children; child starts, grasps nurse or crib and screams out from fear of falling.─Intense pain over r. eye, as if forehead would come right over eyes and close them.─Sick headache, principally r. temple, beginning in the morning and increasing during day; < from motion and light; > after lying down; > by sleep or vomiting.─Neuralgic headache, beginning in upper cervical spine; vertebra prominens sensitive; numbness of occipital region; pains extend over head, causing a bursting pain in forehead and eyeballs; < at 10 a.m., when lying; with nausea, vomiting, cold sweat, cold feet.─Cerebro-spinal meningitis, stage of congestion; severe chill; dilated pupils; congestion of spine and brain.─Fulness in the head, with heat in the face and chilliness.─Great heaviness of the head, relieved by profuse micturition.─Pressure on vertex, so great as to extend into shoulders; head feels very heavy.─Pain as from a tape around the head.─Dull pain in the back part of the head after breakfast, worse when moving and stooping.─Back part of head seems to have a spot four inches square that is turning to ice.─Sensation as if the brain were bruised.─With the headache giddiness, faintness, pain in the neck, pulsation of the carotid arteries, pain in the limbs great drowsiness, sneezing, double vision, loss of sight.─Sensation of contraction of the skin in the middle of the forehead.─Itching on the head (face, neck, shoulders), preventing sleep.

3. Eyes.─Eyes feel bruised.─Yellow colour of the eyes.─Drooping of the eyelids; they are heavy; can hardly open them or keep them open.─Fulness and congestion of the eyelids; paralysis of the eyelids.─Double vision controllable by the strength of the will, or when looking sideways, not when looking straight forward.─Eyeballs oscillate laterally when using them.─Double vision, cannot tell which side of the street he is on.─Diplopia and dim vision during pregnancy.─Amaurosis from masturbation.─Smoky appearance before the eyes, with pain above them.─Detached retina.─Dimness of sight, and vertigo.─Cannot see anything (complete blindness).─Sudden blindness.─Pupils dilated.─Aversion to light; more to candle-light.─Thirst for light.─Confusion of sight; blindness; astigmatism.

4. Ears.─Sudden loss of hearing for a short time; rushing and roaring in ears.─Catarrhal deafness, with pain from throat into middle ear.─(Deafness and loss of speech from quinine.).─Earache from cold.

5. Nose.─Sneezing followed by tingling and fulness in the nose.─Early morning sneezing; streaming of water from nose.─Sneezing with fluent coryza; profuse watery discharge excoriates the nostrils.─Sensation of fulness at root of nose extending to neck and clavicles.

6. Face.─Heavy, dull expression of the countenance.─Heavy, besotted expression; flushed and hot to the touch.─Heat of the face with fulness in head and cold feet.─Lips dry, hot, and coated.─Paralysis of upper lips after prolonged conversation.─Yellow colour of the face.─Paleness and nausea.─Erythema of the face and neck.─The muscles of the face seem to be contracted, esp. around the mouth, making it difficult to speak.─Orbital neuralgia in distinct paroxysms, with contractions and twitching of the muscles on the affected side.─Stiffness of the jaws, the jaws are locked.─Lower jaw dropped.─Chin quivers incessantly.─Lower jaw began wagging sideways; had no control over it.

8. Mouth.─Saliva coloured yellow as from blood.─The tongue is coated yellowish-white with fetid breath.─Putrid taste and fetid breath.─Sticky, feverish feeling in the mouth.─Lips dry; coated with dark mucus.─Thick coating of the tongue (during the chill).─Tongue red, raw, painful, dry, inflamed in the middle.─Numbness of the tongue; feels so thick he can hardly speak; partial paralysis.

9. Throat.─Dryness and burning in throat.─Dry roughness in throat when coughing.─Dryness of throat with hoarseness.─Sensation of heat and constriction in throat.─Burning in the mouth extending to throat and stomach.─Spasmodic sensations and cramp-like pains in gullet.─Sensation as if a foreign body were lodged in the throat.─Difficult deglutition (paralytic dysphagia).─Swallowing causes shooting into the ear.─Diphtheria; local tingling of the parts during the fever; incipient paralysis.

11. Stomach.─Thirst (during the perspiration).─Increased appetite, easily satisfied with small quantities of food.─Sour eructations.─Nausea (with giddiness and headache).─Sensation of emptiness in the stomach.─Feeling of emptiness and weakness in the stomach and bowels.─Oppression and fulness in stomach; < from pressure of clothing.─Burning in the stomach extending to the mouth.

12. Abdomen.─Gnawing pain in the transverse colon.─Sudden spasmodic pains in upper part of abdomen, compelling him to cry, leaving a sensation of contraction.─Sensation of soreness in abdominal walls.─Tenderness in r. iliac region during typhus.─Rumbling in abdomen with discharge of wind above and below.─Periodic colic with diarrhoea (yellow discharges setting in in the evening.).─Acute catarrhal enteritis during damp weather.

13. Stool and Anus.─Frequent discharge of flatus.─The soft stool is passed with difficulty as if the sphincter ani resisted the passage by contraction.─Paralysis of the sphincter ani, with disposition to prolapsus ani.─Stools loose, colour of tea, dark yellow.─Stools yellow; faecal; bilious; cream-coloured; clay-coloured; green.─Diarrhoea with intermittent fever.─Diarrhoea after sudden emotions, grief, fright, bad news; anticipation of any unusual ordeal.

14. Urinary Organs.─Frequent micturition (relieving the headache).─Copious discharge of clear, limpid urine, relieving the headache.─Incontinence from paralysis of the sphincter; in nervous children.─Tenesmus of the bladder.─Irritable neck of bladder (in hysterical women), calling for constant urination.

15. Male Sexual Organs.─Genitals cold and relaxed.─Involuntary emission of semen without an erection; also during stool.─Excitable sexual desire (spermatorrhoea).─Sexual power exhausted, slightest caress causes an emission.─Painful redness at the urethra.─(Secondary gonorrhoea.)

16. Female Sexual Organs.─Sensation of heaviness in the uterus.─Sensation as if uterus squeezed by a band.─Suppressed menstruation with convulsions (every evening).─Metrorrhagia; almost continuous flow without any pain; after ague suppressed by quinine.─Severe, sharp, labour-like pains extending to back and hips.─Dizziness and headache with amenorrhoea.─Ailments from masturbation with depression and languor.─Rigidity of the neck of the uterus.─Spasmodic or neuralgic dysmenorrhoea.─Vaginismus.─Leucorrhoea; white; in gushes; with backache.─Spasmodic labour-pains.─False labour-pains; rigid os.─Premature labour (abortion) (after fright).─During pregnancy, violent pains in the uterus, headache, drowsiness, double vision, obscuration of sight, giddiness, pulsation of the carotid arteries, small, slow pulse.─Cramps in the abdomen and legs during pregnancy; diplopia; drowsiness; loss of muscular power; convulsions.─Inefficient labour-pains or none at all; os widely dilated; complete atony.

17. Respiratory Organs.─Voice weak.─Paralysis of the glottis with difficult deglutition.─Spasm of the glottis, in evening, threatening suffocation.─Roughness of the throat, raw, as if ulcerated in the larynx.─Bronchitis.─Hoarseness with dryness of the throat.─Burning in the larynx, descending into the trachea.─Dry cough with soreness of the chest and fluent coryza.─Breathing frequent.

18. Chest.─Heaviness in middle of chest (afternoon).─Sensation of constriction in the lower thorax.─Extreme and alarming difficulty of breathing; extreme restlessness from threatened suffocation.─Stitches in the chest in region of heart.─Paralysis of the lungs.

19. Heart and Pulse.─Irregular beating of the heart; palpitation.─Feeling as if the heart would stop beating if she did not move about.─Stitches in the region of the heart.─Pain in the heart when rising from a seat.─Pulse frequent, soft, weak, almost imperceptible.

20. Neck and Back.─Pulsation of the carotid arteries (during pregnancy).─The muscles of the neck feel bruised.─Sensation of constriction in r. side of neck.─Pains in the neck and under l. shoulder-blade.─Pains in neck like those of cerebro-spinal congestion.─Myalgic pains in the neck, mostly in upper part of the sterno-cleido muscles, back of the parotid glands.─Pains from the spine to the head and shoulders.─Congestion of spine; prostration; languor; muscles feel bruised, and do not obey the will.─Dull aching in lumbar and sacral regions; cannot walk, muscles will not obey.─Locomotor ataxia.─Paraplegia.

21. Limbs.─Trembling in all the limbs.─Deep-seated, dull aching in the muscles of the limbs and in the joints.─Neuralgic and rheumatic pains in the extremities.

22. Upper Limbs.─In the shoulders pain during the night.─Arms weak, numb.─Sensation as if r. elbow were sprained.─Pain in elbow (l.) from draught of air (at night).─Cramps in forearm on attempting to write.─Pain as if sprained in the r. wrist.─Trembling of the hands when lifting them up.─Coldness of the wrists and hands.─Hot dry hands, esp. the palms of the hands.─Spasmodic contraction of fingers.─Dupuytren's contraction.

23. Lower Limbs.─Unsteady gait.─Fatigue after slight exercise.─Loss of voluntary motion.─Violent lancinating pain in the thigh.─Obstinate sciatica; pains < at rest and particularly when beginning to walk; burning pains, < at night, compelling her to lie awake; pain in sole of foot when walking.─Deep-seated muscular pains in legs > by motion.─Anterior crural neuralgia.─Paroxysmal; shooting pains.─Violent lancinating pain in thigh.─Thighs sore to touch as a boil; pains all > when in a sweat.─Rheumatic pains during the night in the knees.─Sudden dislocation or slipping of the knee-pan (during breakfast).─The calves of the legs feel bruised, pain at night.─Cold feet.─Spasmodic contraction of the toes.

24. Generalities.─Hyperaesthesia.─Excessive irritability of mind and body.─Paralytic affections, muscles weak and will not obey the will.─Complete relaxation and prostration of the whole muscular system, with entire motor paralysis.─Trembling and weakness; listless and languid; easily fatigued.─Rheumatic pains (wandering) in the bones and joints (night).─Spasmodic contractive pains.─Sensation as if bruised.─Neuralgia; acute, sudden, darting pains; shooting, tearing along the tracks of the nerves; esp. if aggravated by changes in the weather.─Congestions, arterial or venous, with sluggish circulation.

25. Skin.─Papulous eruptions resembling measles, esp. on the face.─Itching on the head, face, neck, and shoulders.─Skin hot and dry.

26. Sleep.─Sleepiness and long-continued sleep.─As soon as he goes to sleep he is delirious.─Yawning.─Languid and drowsy, but cannot compose the mind for sleep.─Sleeplessness from nervous irritation.─Cannot go to sleep on account of violent itching on the head, face, neck, and shoulders.─Restless sleep; unpleasant dreams.─He wakens from sleep with headache or colic.─Night-terrors, from nose being stopped.─Dreamed of dying, and felt his eyes sinking into their sockets.

27. Fever.─Pulse slow, accelerated by motion.─Limbs cold with oppressed breathing.─Cold hands and feet.─In the evening, when entering a warm room, thirst, pain in the back and loins and in the lower part of the thighs.─Chilliness in upper part of body and back.─Chilliness every day at same hour.─Chilliness esp. in the morning.─Chilliness, languid aching in back and limbs, sense of fatigue, every afternoon, 4 to 5 o'clock.─Nervous chill, the skin is warm; wants to be held that he may not shake so much.─Chill with cold hands, feet, and headache.─Chills begin in the hands; chills running up the back, hands and feet cold.─Chilliness esp. along spine.─Chill with weak pulse.─Coldness of the feet as if they were in cold water, with heat in the head and face, and headache.─Chill followed by heat and later by perspiration.─Heat principally on the head and face.─Typhoid fever when so-called nervous symptoms predominate.─In eruptive and other fevers less restlessness than in Acon.; less violence and suddenness of aggravation than Bell.; languid asthenic fever.─Profuse perspiration relieving the pains.─Perspires freely from slight exertion.─Intermittent fevers.─Children's remittent fever.─Cerebro-spinal meningitis.─Measles.)

Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of Some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica (Allen's Keynotes), Henry Clay Allen

Yellow Jasmine (Loganiaceae)

For children, young people, especially women of a nervous, hysterical temperament (Croc., Ign.). Complete relaxation and prostration of whole muscular system with entire motor paralysis. Excitable, irritable, sensitive; for the nervous affections of onanists of both sexes (Kali p.). Bad effects from fright, fear, exciting news and sudden motions (Ign. - from pleasant surprise, Coff.). Fear of death (Ars.); utter lack of courage. The anticipation of any unusual ordeal, preparing for church, theatre, or to meet an engagement, brings on diarrhoea; stage fright, nervous dread of appearing in public (Arg. n.). General depression from heat of sun or summer. Weakness and trembling; of tongue, hands, legs; of the entire body. Desire to be quiet, to be let alone; does not wish to speak or have any one near her, even if the person be silent (Ign.). Vertigo, spreading from the occiput (Sil.); with diplopia, dim vision, loss of sight; seems intoxicated when trying to move. Children; fear of falling, grasp the crib or seize the nurse (Bor., Sanic.). Headache; preceded by blindness (Kali bi.), > by profuse urination. Lack of muscular co-ordination; confused; muscles refuse to obey the will. Headache: beginning in the cervical spine; pains extend over head, causing bursting sensation in forehead and eyeballs (Sang., Sil., begins in the same way, but semi-lateral); < by mental exertion; from smoking; heat of sun; lying with head low. Sensation of band around the head above eyes (Carb. ac., Sulph.); scalp sore to touch. Fears that unless on the move heart will cease beating (fears it would cease beating if she moved, Dig.). Slow pulse of old age. Great heaviness of the eyelids; cannot keep them open (Caust., Graph., Sep.). Chill without thirst, especially along spine, running up and down the back in rapid, wave-like succession from sacrum to occiput.

Relations. - Compare: Bap. in threatening typhoid fever; Ipecac. in dumb ague, after suppression by quinine.

Aggravation. - Damp weather; before a thunderstorm; mental emotion or excitement; bad news; tobacco smoking; when thinking of his ailments; when spoken to of his loss.

Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics, Eugene Beauharnais Nash

Complete relaxation and prostration of the whole muscular system, with almost or entire motor paralysis. Eyelids droop; muscles refuse to obey the will.

Trembling of hands or lower extremities if he attempts to move; must lie still.

Mental faculties dull, cannot think; drowsy, with dull red face.

Susceptibility to mental disturbance, excitement or emotion; causes diarrhoea.

Dull, tired, prostrating headache at base of brain; wants head high, sometimes > by profuse urination.

Vertigo with blurred vision; dilated pupils; double sight; sense of intoxication.

Nervous chill, violent shaking with no sense of coldness.

Desire to be quiet; feels too weak to move.

Children: fear of falling, seize the nurse, grasp the crib, especially in intermittents.

Slow, weak pulse of old age.

Great heaviness of the eyelids; cannot keep them open.

Fears that unless constantly on the move, the heart will cease beating.

General deep-seated muscular pain with prostration (la grippe).

* * * * *

This remedy affects, primarily, the whole nervous system. the most prominent symptom, as we are in the habit of recording the effects of remedies, is "complete relaxation and prostration of the whole muscular system, with almost or quite entire motor paralysis". This muscular prostration seems to come through inability of the nerves to convey impressions; thus we have the symptom "muscles will not obey the will". This condition comes on gradually, the first symptom being a feeling of lassitude or general fatigue. He wants to lie down he feels so weak (Picric acid), and is inclined to drowsiness; the pulse becomes weak and slow, but is accelerated on the least motion. Then, if he attempts to walk, the legs tremble, or the hands tremble if he attempts to lift them, the tongue trembles if he attempts to protrude it; all this from weakness, both objective and subjective. If I were to put one adjective before this remedy to indicate its chief characteristic I would call it the trembling remedy. Sometimes this trembling is so severe as to actually shake the patient like a chill, but there is no chill, objective or subjective. This weakness may increase to the stage of complete paralysis, and such symptoms as these appear: The eyelids droop (Sepia, Caust.) until they are completely closed. The fingers become unmanageable, so that he can no longer guide them over the keys of the piano in playing; he cannot guide his feet where he wants to in trying to walk, notwithstanding the sensorium remains clear, with perhaps the exception of a little drowsiness. He knows perfectly well what he wants to do, it cannot do it.

Then again, there may be neuralgia in various parts, and the pains may be a dull aching all over (myalgia), or they may be sudden and darting, so acute as to cause sudden starting. Or, again, it may cause spasms or convulsions; but with all these there is the characteristic prostration, for instance, in prosopalgia the eyelids droop from weakness. So we repeat Gelsemium is pre-eminently a nerve remedy.

Having shown the central action of this great remedy as it manifests itself upon the nervous system, we will proceed to notice some of its local uses which will always be more or less associated with such action. Upon the mind it shows its depressing power, and is portrayed in such symptoms as these: The Gelsemium subject is torpid, sleepy and dreads movement. The mental faculties are dull, cannot think clearly or fix his attention: "desires to be quiet; does not wish to speak or have any one near her for company, even if the person be silent." This condition of mind is in perfect accordance with the general nervous prostration already described. This condition of mind sometimes is temporarily suspended to give place to an alternate condition of excitement. But this is not the leading, characteristic, and legitimate effect of the drug, but is only the reaction; like a state of sleeplessness is to the characteristic sleepiness or stupor of Opium. I consider the large doses of either remedy used by some to quiet excited conditions, or to control spasms or convulsions by their toxic, depressing, or paralyzing action on the muscular system, antipathyc and in no way truly curative.

There is an excessively sensitive condition of the nerves that is very peculiar, and that this remedy controls markedly, viz., susceptibility to mental disturbance, such as sudden excitement or emotion, bad news or fright, the anticipation of an unusual ordeal. One of the effects following these things is a diarrhoea. Many people are thus affected. Gelsemium not only cures the diarrhoea for the time being, but often cures the whole abnormal condition. I have never known the remedy to do much good in these conditions below the 30th potency, but often in the potencies much above that.

As would be naturally supposed from its general action upon the nervous system, this remedy exerts a decided influence upon the sensorium and brain. Dizziness, with blurred vision, pupils dilated, double sight and sense of intoxication, show this influence. One very characteristic symptom appears here which is found under only one other remedy with any prominence, viz., "child starts and grasps the nurse and screams, as if afraid of falling". If there is any difference between it and Borax, it is that in Borax the child manifests this fear only when it is being laid down in the cradle, or from downward motion.

The most characteristic headache of Gelsemium is a dull, tired headache at the base of the brain. The patient wants to lie with head raised upon a high pillow, and lie perfectly still. It is aggravated by mental labor, smoking tobacco, lying with the head low, and in the heat of the sun. (Glonoine, Lachesis, Lyssin, Natrum carb.). It is temporarily ameliorated by pressure and stimulants. Such headaches often follow a debauch. Sometimes we have a headache from passive congestion; then the pain begins in the occiput and spreads all over the head. The aggravations are about the same as in the other variety, or nervous headache. One notable characteristic is that sometimes the headache is relieved by a profuse flow of urine. (Lac defloratum has a profuse flow of urine during sick headache to which it is adapted, but the pain is not so markedly relieved by the flow). Gelsemium has also a sick headache that is preceded by blindness. As the head begins to ache the blindness disappears. The sick headache of this remedy is not accompanied with much nausea and vomiting, as is that of Sanguinaria, Iris versicolor and Lac defloratum, but is accompanied by the characteristic weakness and trembling belonging to this remedy. Gelsemium is one of the so-called fever remedies. It is useful in the remittent fever of children. The fever is never of that active or violent form calling for Aconite or Belladonna, but of a milder form. The child lies drowsy, does not want to move, or, if it does, cannot move much on account of the weakness. One author says that Gelsemium stands midway between Aconite and Veratrum viride. I should rather place it between Baptisia and Belladonna. Like Baptisia, there is prostration, but the typhoid tongue and other symptoms are not so strong. There may be dark red face with both and a sort of besotted expression; but with Baptisia the sensorium comes more fully under the influence of the drug, so that the patient will fall asleep even when trying to answer questions. Then the offensive sweat, stool and urine of Baptisia are not found under Gelsemium. Like Belladonna, there is congestion to the brain and dilated pupils, but it is not so intense, accompanied by active or violent delirium as with Belladonna. Gelsemium is not a very great intermittent fever remedy; but is one of the best for nervous chill (Gelsemium chills run up and down the back in wave-like succession from sacrum to occiput; chill begins between scapulae, Capsic., Sepia; chill begins in lumbar region, Eupat. purp. and Nat. m.; chill begins in dorsal region, Eupat. perf., Lach.); when there is great shaking and chattering of the teeth, with no objective, or even sense of coldness. "Patient wants to be held because he shakes so." This kind of chill is frequently found in hysterical, and heart diseases (organic). The pulse of Gelsemium is slow when quiet, but greatly accelerated on motion. For the weak, slow pulse of old age there is no remedy oftener useful. For the nervous prostration already described, just preceding typhoid, there is nothing like Gelsemium. I have aborted many cases of typhoid fever with this remedy – at least I think so.