Homeopathic Materia Medica

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, James Tyler Kent

One who makes a study of the proving of Hypericum will be reminded of a class of injuries involving sentient nerves and it is not surprising that this remedy has come into use for the results of such injuries.

Injuries: The surgery of Homeopathy largely involves the use of Arnica, Rhus tox., Ledum, Staphisagria, Calcarea and Hypericum. These remedies are used in a routine way when a physician runs into semi-surgical conditions, or the results of injuries.

For the bruised, "black-and-blue.," sore appearance and sensation Arnica comes into use it corresponds especially to the acute stage until the soreness and bruised condition have disappeared from the parts injured or from the whole body; but for the strains of muscles and tendons Arnica proves insufficient and a thorough study of Rhus will show that that remedy is suitable for the resultant weakness of tendons and muscles, and the bruised, rheumatic feelings that come on in every storm and often wear off on continued motion.

For the final weakness that persists even after Rhus we have Calcarea carb. In these three remedies we have a series, but to distinguish these from Hypericum is the important thing. Hypericum is only a minor remedy for bruised and strained tendons and muscles; it goes into a different class of complaints.

Hypericum and Ledum run close together, and they have to be compared. Ledum, as much of the sore bruised feeling of Arnica and will often take its place; but Hypericum and Ledum come together for consideration when an injury to a nerve has taken on inflammatory action. Instead of the muscles and bones and blood vessels, as in Arnica, Rhus and Calcarea, the nerves are the sphere for these two remedies.

Nerves injuries: When the finger ends or toes have beer, bruised or lacerated, or a nail has been torn off, or when a nerve has become pinched between a hammer and the bone in a blow, and that nerve becomes inflamed and the pain can be traced up along the nerve, and it is gradually extending toward the body from the injured part with stitching, darting pains, coming and going, or shooting up from the region of the injury toward the body, a dangerous condition is coming on.

In this condition Hypericum is above all the remedies to be thought of and hardly any other medicine is likely to come in. It hardly need be said that lock-jaw is threatening.

Sometimes a vicious dog will take bold of an individual through the thumb, or through the hand or the. wrist and run one of his great teeth through the radial nerve or some of its branches in the hand, causing a lacerated wound. You may not find in the earlier stages the symptoms of Hypericum, but they will develop gradually and you will have them to treat. Do not cut the off, but cure it. We cure all these injuries with medicines-punctured, incised, contused and lacerated wounds, painful wounds.

A wound will sometimes yawn, swell up, no tendency to heal, look dry and shiny on its edges, red; inflamed; burning, stinging, tearing pains; no healing process. That wound needs Hypericum. It prevents tetanus. Every practitioner knows that lock-jaw way develop after an injury to sentient nerves. The old school doctor is frightened by these shooting pains up the arms after an injury. A shoemaker may stick his awl into the end of his thumb or a carpenter may stick his finger with a brass tack and he does not think much of it, but the next night shooting pains extend up the arm with much violence.

The allopathic physician looks upon that as a series matter, for he sees lockjaw or tetanus ahead. When these pains come on Hypericum will stop them, and from this stage to advanced states of tetanus with opisthotonos and lock-jaw Hypericum is the remedy. It is full of just such symptoms as are found in tetanus and such symptoms as lead to tetanus and it is full of all the manifestations of an ascending neuritis.

Again, you may have an old scar, and it comes in contact with a hard body and is injured, bruised, torn internal) smashed, and stinging, tearing pains come in that cicatrix, and it burns and stings, and there is no relief, and the pain runs toward the body along the course of nerves. A painful cicatrix with pain shooting up toward the centre of the body following up the nerves.

Hypericum is the medicine for that.

Now there are other remedies - all know about Arnica, but be sure you keep it in its place. The first stage of the injury, where much bruising has been done, and there are none of these pains that I have described, for the first hours for bruised conditions and concussions and shocks Arnica is routine, because it produces states upon the human body like it had been bruised. But you will find Arnica only fits into that one place.

Arnica should never be used for wounds the way the lay people use it, because if it is used in full strength it may bring on erysipelas.

Again, for bruised of bone, cartilages, tendons, insertion of tendons, bruises about cartilages and about joints, Ruta is better than any other remedy; and if we study the proving of Ruta we will not be surprised, because it produces symptoms like those found in such conditions.

Lingering, sore, bruised places on bones, in joints and upon cartilages. But Ledum comes in very often as a preventive Medicine. It is a preventive medicine when an accident happen to the ends of the fingers, if a patient steps on a nail or tack or sticks a splinter under a finger-nail or into the foot. If a horse pick up a nail, pull it out and give him a dose of Ledum; there will never be trouble, he will, not have lock-jaw.

These punctured wounds, rat bites, cat bites, etc-, are all made safe by Ledum; i.e., Ledum prevents the shooting pains that naturally come and the nerves will never be involved. We will have no trouble if we can give it at once. Again, if the pain is a dull aching in the part that was injured, in the wound Ledum is still the remedy; if it shoots from the wound up the nerve of the arm it is more like Hypericum.

A sensitive nervous women steps on a tack during the day, and she feels all the day where the tack went in, lies down in bed and it aches so violently she cannot keep it still. Ledum will prevent any further trouble, but if that goes on until the morning the pains will be shooting up the leg, calling for Hypericum.

I mentioned the use of Ledum when a horse picks up a nail. Now, if a nail goes through the thin part of the hoof and strikes the coffin bone that horse is almost sure to die with tetanus; the veterinarians know nothing for it; though they paultice it and put on liniments, etc., that horse will die with tetanus; but if a dose of Ledum is given before the tetanus comes on it will save the animal from tetanus; after the jerking comes on it will save the animal from tetanus; after the jerking comes on Ledum will not do, but Hypericum must be given.

Hypericum belongs to lacerated wounds and when there is laceration of parts that are full of small nerves, sentient nerves, give it at once. Do not waste time with Arnica because there is soreness, for the soreness is of much less importance than the danger from nerves in lacerated wounds. In punctured wounds give Ledum at once. Whatever sequences come on, of course, have to be met in accordance with the, state and symptoms of the case.

Spine injuries: Injuries of the spine give us another class of troubles requiring Hypericum.

I remember a case such as has been met with quite often and such as we read of and hear about, one, however, that was not saved. A sudden lurch of the car caused a man who was standing on the rear end of the car to be hurled back on his coccyx. He did not think much of it, went home, bad pains in the head and various pass of the body.

Several physicians were called; nobody could find out what was the matter with him, and at the end of ten days he died. They turned him over and found that his coccyx was black and an abscess was threatening in the muscular region. If it had been known Hypericum would have saved his life.

Many times I have seen Hypericum cure similar conditions. Injuries of the coccyx are among the most serious and troublesome injuries that the physician comes in contact with; injuries just like that, falling back and striking a stone, or something that bruises the coccyx.

Very little is found immediately in the coccyx; close examination reveals nothing more than soreness upon pressure, but many times we do have the description of pains shooting up the spine and down the extremities, shooting pains over the body and often convulsive movements.

When such symptoms are present any physician ought to be wise enough to find out an injury, but even very astute physicians are blinded over injuries of the coccyx. Many a woman sustains an injury of the coccyx during labor, and however, slight, soreness remains for years afterwards, and she is always in trouble, always hysterical and nervous, from this injury of the coccyx.

Such injuries, if taken early, can be cured by Hypericum. It is in the remedy. Slight inflammation or irritation of the lower part of the cord; it feels lacerated, and sore, and aches and never passes over until the results of the injury right in the spot have been removed. These injuries have been cured in after years by Carbo animalis, Silica and Thuja and other remedies as indicated.

It is related also to injuries of the spine higher up. It is not an uncommon thing for a man. while going down stairs, to fall backward, his feet to slip from under him and he strikes his back upon one of the steps and undergoes a sharp injury.

Some will at once give Rhus tox; I have known others to give Arnica. Hypericum is to be given at once to prevent the kind of inflammation that may come from such an injury. Then there will be other tendencies, such as drawings and rheumatic symptoms, that will come on, calling for Rhus and finally Calcarea.

Old weakness of the back, with painfulness on rising from a seat, are often cured by Rhus, followed by Calcarea, but Hypericum must first of all take care of the condition of the fibres of the cord and meninges. Meningeal troubles are common from injuries of that class, with drawing of the muscles of the back, a feeling of contraction or tightening. Stitching, shooting pains in the back in various directions; they shoot down the limbs. Injuries of the back are not so likely to end in tetanus as the injuries of the sensory nerves; but they are sometimes even more troublesome because they linger so long.

Persons who have been injured in the spine or about the coccyx linger along for years with symptoms that would lead to many remedies. We find in the provings such symptoms as occur after these injuries, and, of course, this remedy will cure anything that its proving justifies. Its action is upon the nerve sheaths and meninges, with stitching, tearing, rending pains along the nerves, wherever there are injuries.

Now, there is another remedy that we want to know. If you have a clear-cut or incised wound made with a sharp instrument, or if you have made such an opening with your knife while practicing surgery, if you have opened the abdominal cavity and the walls of the abdomen take on an unhealthy look, and there are stinging, burning pains, Staphisagria is the remedy that will make granulation come immediately.

Sphincters: Staphisagria is also a wonderfully useful remedy where the sphincter stretchers have been.

Staphisagria is the natural antidote to stretching. When the urethra of a woman has been stretched for stone in the bladder, Staphisagria is useful. I remember a case of stretching of the urethra; after the operation the patient was in great distress, screaming and crying, bathed in a cold, sweat. head hot and body in cold sweat.

Staphisagria was given to him and in a few minutes she went to sleep. She had been six hours in that suffering without any relief whatever. Where coldness, congestion of the head, and rending, tearing pains occur from stretching sphincters, or from tearing parts, for the purpose of operation, death is likely to occur, and Staphisagria is closely related to that tearing, lacerating and stretching of fibres which causes such suffering.

After a surgical operation, where there has been much cutting, a great state of prostration, coldness, oozing of blood, almost cold breath, of course the Materia Medica man, if there is one around, will say,

"Why give him Carbo veg., of course."

Yes, you will, but it will not help him. It may disappoint you. But if you are a surgeon, know your surgical therapeutics better than a Materia Medica man, you will say,

"No, Strontium carb. is what I want."

It relieves that congestion all over the body; he gets warm and has a comfortable night. Strontium carb. is the Carbo veg. of the surgeon.

Lastly, we sometimes have to antidote chloroform, and because there are pains and aches you will get no action from these medicines; you can antidote your chloroform almost instantly by a dose of Phosphorus, because it is the natural antidote of chloroform. Phosphorus will stop the vomiting, Phosphorus has vomiting like that of chloroform. Phosphorus likes cold things, cold water in the stomach, and vomits as soon as water has become warm in the stomach. So does chloroform. Why should they not antidote each other?

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, John Henry Clarke

Hypericum perforatum, H. perfoliatum. St. John's Wort. N. O. Hypericaceae. Tincture of whole fresh plant.

Clinical.─After-pains. Asthma. Bites. Brachial neuralgia. Breast, affections of. Brain, concussion of. Bruises. Bunions. Compound fractures. Corns. Coxalgia. Diarrhoea. Gunshot wounds. Haemorrhoids. Headache. Hydrophobia. Hypersensitiveness. Impotence. Labour, effects of. Meningitis. Mind, affections of. Neuralgia. Operations, effects of. Panaritium. Paralysis. Rheumatism. Scars. Sciatica. Spastic paralysis. Spinal concussion. Spinal irritation. Stiff-neck. Tetanus. Ulceration. Whooping-cough. Wounds.

Characteristics.─The leaves of various species of Hypericum are sprinkled with pellucid dots and black glands which contain an essential oil. These, which are most conspicuous in H. perforatum, have evidently given the signature which has led to the chief use of the plant in medicine, namely, as a remedy for wounds or perforations of the integuments. The leaves, moreover, are lance-shaped. The leaves of H. androsaenum, commonly called Tutsan (toute saine), were applied to fresh wounds from olden time. The word Hypericum means "sub-heather" (ύπό and έρείκη), indicating its manifest relation to the heaths, which at once leads us to think of Ledum. The proving of Hyp. by Müller and others is very complete and brings out the relation of the drug to wounds and their consequences and also its applicability in maladies of other kinds. Crawling sensations in hands and feet; they felt fuzzy; sticking in them as from needles. Tearing, rheumatic, shaking pains; paralytic weakness. One of the provers had on waking at 4 a.m. a feeling as though she were suspended and not lying in bed, at another time as though she were lying very heavy in bed. The former condition has led to cures in effects of accidents attended with the sensation "as if being lifted high into the air; and great anxiety lest she should fall from this height." The particular kinds of wounds for which Hyp. has been found of signal service are wounds of parts rich in nerves, brain, spine (spinal irritation from falls), coccyx, finger-ends; wounds from stepping on nails, or any punctured wounds. The characteristic of the Hyp. wounds is that they are very sensitive to touch (Led. punctures are not particularly sensitive). W. J. Guernsey (H. R., x. 475) relates the following case: A boy, nine, was bitten by a pet rat on the first finger of left hand. Nothing particular was observed at the time, but some time after, he became ill, and when Dr. Guernsey was called his state was alarming. The boy could talk with great difficulty; teeth firmly locked; conscious; neck so stiff the head could scarcely be moved. There was more tenderness about the wound than the appearance would indicate. Hence Hyp. was preferred to Led. It was given (8 p.m.) in the 500th, dissolved in water, at first every fifteen minutes; later every two hours. At 3 a.m. there was improvement, he fell asleep, and the next morning was practically convalescent. Hyp. is called for in nervous depression following wounds; effects of shock, fright and mesmerism. Ulceration and sloughing of wounds. Hard, dry, yellow crusts form on healing wound. Bunions and corns when the pain is excruciating. Not only is the pain sense exalted, there is exaltation of the senses of hearing and smell. Violent labour-pains and after-pains. Tympanitic distension of abdomen, cutting pains. Gilchrist says Hyp. 3x, given at intervals of twenty minutes for twelve hours or longer, seems to control perfectly the pain following laparotomy. But it must not be thought that Hyp. has no sphere outside wounds and their effects. Like Arnica it has many uses in the respiratory sphere. It has cured asthma < in foggy weather; the attacks were > by copious expectoration. Whooping-cough < 6 to 10 p.m. Tightness of chest; stinging < on moving. Summer diarrhoea with eruption. Palpitation and local congestions, with or without haemorrhage and nervous depression, following wounds. Roehrig (H. R., xii. 40) considers Hyperic. externally and internally the nearest thing to a specific in bleeding piles. He gives it to pneumonia patients who have piles; it cures the pneumonia and prevents the arrest of the flux, always a dangerous symptom in these cases. Ussher (H. W., xxvii. 500) confirms this; "pain, bleeding and tenderness" are his indications. "It seems to suit the plethoric, with great soreness." He uses the 1x. Toothache > lying on affected side and keeping quiet. Hyp. is sensitive to cold: < in cold air; in damp; in fog. The hacking cough is < from heat as well as by cold air. All symptoms < by least exposure. < From touch.

Relations.─Antidoted by: Ars. (weakness or sickness on moving); Cham. (pains in face). It antidotes: Effects of mesmerism (Sulph.). Compare: Aco., Cham., Coff. (exalted sensitiveness); Arn., Calend., Led., Ruta, Con., Bellis, Staph., Al. cep. (wounds); Hydrob., Lach. (bites); Nux (tetanus); Gels., Lathyrus; spastic paralysis.

Causation.─Fright. Bites. Wounds. Shock.

SYMPTOMS.

1. Mind.─Makes mistakes in writing; omits letters; forgets what she wanted to say.─Talks wildly in night after 4 a.m. while asleep; apprehensive; gasped for breath.─Mental excitement as after drinking tea.─Weakness of memory.─Great nervous depression following wounds.─Irritable.─Removes consequences of fright and effects of shock.

2. Head.─Great heaviness in the head.─Confusion, vertigo, and heaviness.─Tearing stitches in the brain.─Buzzing sensation in vertex at night as if something living were in brain.─Pulsation, heat and burning in the vertex (afternoon).─Sensation in the forehead as if touched by an icy cold hand.─Sensation as if the head became elongated.─Headache, extending into zygoma or cheek.─Headache, with sore eyes, after a fall.─Hair moist, rest of body burning hot.

3. Eyes.─Sticking through (r,) eye.─Burning stinging in tarsi.─Stye on l. lower lid.

4. Ears.─Sticking through (r.) ear in evening.─Itching in r. meatus.─Sensitiveness of hearing during menses.

5. Nose.─Pain in bridge of nose on rising.─Sore within nose; itching; continually picking it.─Dryness of nose; with sneezing; of l. nostril with crusts in it.─Smell very acute.

6. Face.─Hot and bloated.─Tension in the cheek.─Tearing in cheek; in l. zygoma.─Eruption around mouth and on r. ear.─Yellowish green scabs with cracking and moisture.

8. Mouth.─Dryness of the lips and mouth.─Dry, burning heat in mouth.─Tongue: coated white; or dirty yellow.─Taste: insipid; of blood.─Thirst, with feeling of heat in mouth.

9. Throat.─Sensation as of a worm moving in throat.─Hot risings in oesophagus after a fright, or with anxious feelings.

11. Stomach.─Great thirst.─Desire for warm drinks.─Eructation on drinking water.─Desire for wine; pickles.─Appetite increased morning and evening.─Pressure at the stomach on eating but little.─Nausea and inclination to vomit.

12. Abdomen.─Sticking in the stomach; in r. hypochondrium.─Tympanitic distension of abdomen; relieved by a stool.─(Effects of laparotomy).

13. Stool and Anus.─Loose, bilious, yellow stools evening or morning.─Summer diarrhoea with eruption.─Diarrhoea driving out of bed in morning.─Very unusual severe urging.─Constipation; violent tenesmus, with discharge of a hard little ball; with nausea.─Rectum feels dry, morning.─Haemorrhoids.─Burning, biting, and feeling of dryness in rectum.─(Piles, with much pain, bleeding, and great soreness.)

14. Urinary Organs.─Nightly urging to urinate, with vertigo.─Desire to urinate, with violent tearing in the genital organs.─Swelling and hardness of female urethra, with burning soreness and sensitiveness.

16. Female Sexual Organs.─Menses too late; headache; sickening pain in abdomen; sensitive to noises.─Tension in region of uterus, as from a tight bandage.─Leucorrhoea.─After-pains after instrumental delivery.─Scirrhus of breast from injury.

17. Respiratory Organs.─Hoarseness; Scraping and roughness in larynx, upper part of pharynx and nares in foggy weather.─Asthma < in foggy weather.─Frequent dry hacking cough; short, barking cough.─Whooping-cough, < 6 to 10 p.m.

18. Chest.─Anxiety in chest in forenoon, with short breath.─Stitches in the chest, below the breasts.─Stitches from within outward, through l. breast and sternum, < from motion.─Pressure and burning in the chest.─Tightness in the chest.─< In foggy weather.─(Pneumonia in persons who have piles.).─Stinging in l. chest, < when moving.

19. Heart.─The heart feels as though, it would fall down, in the evening.─Palpitation.─Pulse rapid and hard.─Local congestions and capillary erethism, with or without haemorrhages and great nervous depression, following wounds.

20. Neck and Back.─After a fall, slightest motion of arms or neck extorts cries.─Cervical vertebrae very sensitive to the touch.─Consequence of spinal concussion.─Violent pains and inability to wall, or stoop, after a fall on the coccyx.─Aching pain and sensation of lameness in the small of the back.─Stitches in the small of the back.─Lies on back jerking head backward.

21. Limbs.─Cannot walk, from affection of the spine.─Feeling of weakness and trembling of all the limbs.─Sensation of lameness of the l. arm and r. foot.─Articular rheumatism (knees mostly), much effusion, muddy urine.─Rheumatism of small joints.─Numbness and crawling in the limbs, hands, and feet.─Hands and feet feel fuzzy.─Compound fractures.─Affections of joints.

22. Upper Limbs.─Stitches on the top of the shoulder at every inspiration.─Flying pains in r. shoulder.─Neuralgia and paralytic pain in l. upper arm.─Tension in both arms and in the hands.─Numbness in l. arm, > by rubbing.

23. Lower Limbs.─Sensation as if the l. foot was strained or dislocated.─The feet feel pithy, as if pricked with needles.─Fearful sharp pain in knees, could hardly touch the m.─Coxalgia after confinement.─Sciatica, rheumatism; from injury.─L. leg numb, cold while sitting.─Effects of running nail or pin into foot.─Feet much swollen.

24. Generalities.─Consequences of shock or fright.─Prevents lockjaw from wounds in soles, in fingers, and in palms of the hands.─Convulsions from blows or concussions.─After a fall, slightest motion of arms or neck extorts cries.─Flesh sore, feels bruised all over.─Injuries to parts rich in sentient nerves, esp. fingers, toes, and matrices of nails.─Mechanical injuries, wounds by nails or splinters in the feet, needles under the nails, squeezing, hammering; of the toes and fingers, esp. the tips of the fingers; when the nerves have been lacerated, wounded, torn, with excruciating pains.─Lacerations, when intolerable, excruciating pain shows nerves are severely involved.─Next to the nervous tissues, the joints are affected.─Sensation as of being lifted up high into air.

25. Skin.─Smarting eruption, like nettle-rash, on the hands.─Painful scars in tissues rich in nerves.

26. Sleep.─Constant drowsiness.─Spasmodic jerks in arms or legs on going to sleep; twitchings.─Dreams: with activity, travelling; vivid; distressing.─At 4 a.m. talks nonsense in sleep, distorted staring eyes, throbbing arteries.─Wakes 4 a.m. with sense of levitation.─On awaking: weary, > by noon; feels refreshed; bowels distended.

27. Fever.─Pulse hard, accelerated.─Shuddering over the whole body, with desire to urinate.─Heat, with delirium; wild, staring look; hot head throbbing of the carotids; bright-red, bloated face; moist hair on the head burning heat of the skin; great oppression and anguish.

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

St. Johns Wort (Hypericaceae)

Mechanical injuries of spinal cord; bad effects of spinal concussion; pains, after a fall on coccyx. Punctured, incised or lacerated wounds; sore, painful (Led. - contused wounds, Arn., Ham.), especially if of long duration. Injuries: from treading on nails, needles, pins, splinters (Led.); from rat-bites; prevents lock-jaw. Preserves integrity of torn and lacerated members when almost entirely separated from body (Calend.). Injury to parts rich in sentient nerves - fingers, toes, matrices of nails, palms or soles - where the intolerable pains shows nerves are severely involved; of tissues of animal life, as hands and feet. Nervous depression following wounds or surgical operations; removes bad effects of shock, of fright, of mesmerism. Always modifies and sometimes arrests ulceration and sloughing (Calend.). Crushed, mashed finger-tips. Tetanus after traumatic injuries (compare, Phys.). Vertigo: sensation as if head became suddenly elongated; at night, with urging to urinate. Headache: after a fall upon occiput, with sensation as if being lifted up high into the air; great anxiety lest she fall from this height. Spine: after a fall; slightest motion of arms or neck extorts cries; spine very sensitive to touch. Bunions and corns when pain is excruciating, showing nerve involvement. Convulsions; after blows on head or concussion.

Relations. - Compare: Arn., Calen., Ruta, Staph. In wounds where formerly Acon., and Arn., were given alternately, Hypericum cures.

Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics, Eugene Beauharnais Nash

Is the remedy "par excellence" for wounded or injured nerves; from simple punctures from nails, splinters, pins, rat bites, etc., to severe concussions of the spine and brain, and especially to parts rich in centient nerves. It is to this kind of injuries what Arnica, Hamamelis, Ruta, etc., are to bruises, and Calendula to lacerated muscular tissue, and Staphisagria to cuts with sharp instruments.