Homeopathic Materia Medica

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, James Tyler Kent

Veins: This is a most useful remedy in varicose veins; especially are the capillaries spongy and enlarged.

Veins break easily when congested. Wounds bleed easily and much. It favors apoplexy. Ecchymoses of the skin and eyes. It favors local congestions. Hemorrhage from any part, from wounds, from ulcers.

Atony of the blood vessels. Haemorrhage from the lungs, stomach, rectum, nose, after extraction of teeth. The blood is generally bright red. Varicose veins on the limbs during pregnancy when painful. Haemorrhage in malignant ulceration.

After an operation and the wound has been properly closed the skin forming the edges of the wound continues to ooze a bright red blood. When a general haemorrhagic condition prevails. These features are often associated with heart troubles that will be expected.

Bleeding: If there has been a history of bleeding it should be given before a surgical procedure (Lach.).

Violent congestion after haemorrhage. No tendency to repair of vascular tissue. Hyperaemia of the brain and red face.

Head: Fullness and heat in head, but no fever.

A rush of blood from: chest to the head like a surging. Violent headache. Dull occipital pain. Pain in head aggravated by stooping.

Eyes, nose and ears: Blood-shot eyes.

Sharp pain in eyes and root of nose. Eyes red and congested. Foggy vision.

Noise in left ear startles her; later when laughing. Sensation as of cold air passing out of ear. Sensation as though ears were stopped. Sharp pain in ear. Earache.

Epistaxis, with congestion to head and chest.

Face red, without fever. Venous face. Flushes to face.

Pain in teeth from hot things. A haemorrhagic patient should have a dose of Mill. or Lach. before having teeth extracted. The throat is red, ulcerated and bleeds easily.

Empty hungry feeling in morning. Burning in stomach, aggravated bending forward. Burning in stomach and abdomen extending to chest. Vomiting blood.

Abdomen distended with flatus. Haemorrhage from intestines and rectum. Haemorrhage in typhoid fever. Internal haemorrhage from lifting and from injuries. Prolonged buildings. Bleeding piles. Bleeding condylomata of anus.

The urine is bloody, clots in the urine after standing. Pain in kidneys followed by bloody urine lasting many days. Incontinence of urine.

Want of ejaculation in coition. Haemorrhage, from bladder and urethra. Bleeding wounds.

Profuse menses, protracted, with cramps in uterus and abdomen. Uterine haemorrhage after slight exertion from abortion, or during labor; continuous, bright red blood.

Varicose veins of legs ulcerate and bleed in pregnant women. After hard delivery prolonged obstinate bleeding.

A woman predisposed to hemorrhage should have a dose of Millefolium before going into confinement. Suppressed lochia. No milk in breasts. Inflammation of the uterus after a uterine hemorrhage.

Oppression of the chest; palpitation; surging of blood from chest to head. Hemorrhage from lungs, Congestion of lungs following bleeding of lungs. Bleeding from lungs from suppressed menses.

Expectoration of blood 4 P.M. daily. Bleeding from the lungs in phthisis. Bleeding from lungs after exertion. A man thrown from a carriage had continued to cough up blood for many weeks was cured by this remedy very high.

Orgasm of blood about heart.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, John Henry Clarke

Achillea millefolium. Yarrow. N. O. Compositae. Tincture of whole fresh plant.

Clinical.─Asthma. Cancer. Chlorosis. Consumption. Dentition. Diarrhoea. Dysmenorrhoea. Enuresis. Epilepsy. Fistula lachrymalis. Haematemesis. Haematuria. Haemoptysis. Haemorrhages. Hypochondriasis. Hysteria. Leucorrhoea of children. Lochia, too profuse; suppressed. Milk, absence of. Nipples, sore. Nose, bleeding of. Puerperal convulsions. Puerperal fever. Rodent ulcer. Sterility. Sycosis Hahnemanni. Tetanus. Varices.

Characteristics.─Yarrow was named Achillea by Linnaeus because the plant is mentioned in the Iliad as having been used by Achilles, on the instruction of Chiron, to heal the wounds of his soldiers. The knowledge of the vulnerary powers of Mill. is thus of great antiquity. It received its popular name, "Nose-bleed," because nose-bleed comes on if the leaves are inserted into the nostrils. There is another species of Achillea, besides A. millefolium, indigenous to Great Britain, A. ptarmica, called "sneeze-wort" from its sternutatory properties. Millefol. in its haemorrhages and vulnerary action is closely allied to Arn., and it has another action common to many Compositae, that of a convulsant. But this action is again allied to its haemorrhagic power, for it is chiefly (but not exclusively) in relation to suppressed haemorrhages (menses) or other secretions as the lochia or milk that the convulsions occur. The haemorrhages are chiefly florid. As well as haemorrhages, there are copious mucous discharges, especially when these are due to atony. Mill. has a very pronounced relation to pregnancy and the puerperal state. Varicose veins in pregnant women have been cured with it. C. W. (H. W., xxvi. 108) relates an interesting experience. A man had severe diarrhoea, profuse dark chocolate-coloured stools, verging on black, and slightly tinged with blood. A club doctor had failed to relieve, but an old woman cured the man with "millefoil tea." C. W. had a collie dog which, when excited, would pull up grass or weeds and swallow them. When it happened to be millefoil this invariably caused: First, rattling of fluid in the bowels, then dark chocolate diarrhoea, changing to black, very offensive, finally blood-tinged. This lasted a day or two. It was at length found that Ars. iod. 3x in solution was a complete antidote. Given every ten minutes, as soon as rattling came on, it effectually stopped it. The dog also had fissured pads. Ars. iod. did nothing for these, but Ars. 30 cured. Peculiar sensations are: As if he had forgotten something. As if all blood ascended to head. Right side of head as if screwed together. As if too much blood in eyes. As if cold air passing out of ear. As of a liquid moving from stomach to intestines. Pain as from a blow or sprain in right tendo Achillis. Mill. is suited to all wounds which bleed profusely, sprains, and overlifting. The symptoms are < by stooping; < doubling the body (burning in stomach); < much exertion; < by lifting. Lying down > nausea; < haemoptysis. Violent exercise > vertigo. Symptoms < by coffee, > by wine. Mill. is suited to the aged; atonic; women and children.

Relations.─Ant. t. relieves the vertigo of Mill., Ars. i. the diarrhoea. Mill. Antidotes: Arum mac. Incompatible: Coffee (= congestion to head). Compare: Erech. (epistaxis and haemoptysis); Senec. aur. (haematuria). Ham. and Ipec. (haemorrhages); Plat. (Mill. red, clotted; Plat. dark, clotted); Bry., Ustil., and Ham. (haematemesis) Aco. (haemorrhages, profuse flow of bright red blood─Aco., anxiety; Mill., absence of anxiety). The Compositae generally, Arn., Bellis, Calend., etc.

Causation.─Falls (from height). Over-exertion. Lifting. Suppressed lochia. Suppressed menses. Suppressed milk.

SYMPTOMS.

1. Mind.─Violent, irritable.─Averse to work.─Seems to have forgotten something; does not know what he is doing or wants to do; head dull and confused, esp. evening; < after coffee.─Very excited, with pain in pit of stomach.─Sighing and groaning of children.

2. Head.─Vertigo, falls to r. side and backward, when moving slowly, walking, but not when taking violent exercise; with nausea when stooping, not when lying down (> by Ant. t.).─Dull pain in vertex.─Confused, dull headache.─Slight throbbing in arteries of head and face.─Violent movements and painful beatings in head.─Rush of blood to head.─Sensation, as if all the blood were carried towards head.─Acute drawing pains and shootings in r. side of head; sensation in r. side of head as if screwed together.─Violent headache, he strikes head against bed-post or wall, with twitching of eyelids and muscles of forehead.─Sensation of constriction in skin of forehead.─Hair becomes tangled.

3. Eyes.─Glistening, brilliant eyes.─Agglutination of eyes in morning.─Lachrymation and discharges from eyes (fistula lachrymalis).─Sensation of too much blood in eyes.─Inward piercing pressing in eyes, to root of nose and sides of forehead.─Clear, bright vision.─Fog, not near eyes, but at a distance.

4. Ears.─Sensation of stoppage in ears.

5. Nose.─Nose-bleed.─Nose-bleed with congestions to head and chest.─Stuffed nose.

6. Face.─Sensation of heat, as if blood was rising to head.─Redness of face without internal heat.─Tearing: in face to temples; r. lower jaw to ears; then teeth.

7. Teeth.─Toothache: from heating things; rheumatic, with diseased gums.─Gumboil.─Ulcers on gums.─Stomacace.

8. Mouth.─Tongue swollen and coated.─Thirst; mouth dry.

9. Throat.─Elongation of palate.─Uvula relaxed.─Ulceration of throat; pain in l. side when swallowing.

11. Stomach.─Painful gnawing and digging in stomach as from hunger.─Burning in stomach, extending to chest.─Violent pain in pit of stomach (during retrogressive small-pox).─Vomiting when coughing.─Nausea with vertigo.─Haematemesis.─Cramps in stomach, with a sensation of a liquid flowing from stomach to anus.─Burning pain in stomach.─Sensation of fulness in stomach; as if stomach were contracted and filled with earth.─Eructations.

12. Abdomen.─Pain in region of liver.─Congestions to portal system.─Colic during menstruation.─Ascites.─Incarcerated hernia.─Pain as from incarcerated flatulence.─Frequent emission of fetid flatulence.─Violent colic, with bloody diarrhoea (during pregnancy).─Dysentery.─Abdomen distended.

13. Stool and Anus.─Bleeding haemorrhoids; profuse flow of blood from bowels.─Diarrhoea, preceded by rattling of fluids in abdomen, profuse chocolate-coloured stools, changing to black, very offensive, becoming blood-streaked.─Mucous diarrhoea; bloody; dysentery.─Ascarides.

14. Urinary Organs.─Haematuria.─Involuntary micturition; of children.─Bloody urine.─Catarrh of bladder from atony.─Stone in bladder, with retention of urine.

15. Male Sexual Organs.─Swelling of penis or testicles.─The semen is not discharged during an embrace.─Spermatorrhoea.─Sycotic excrescences.─Gonorrhoea; gleet.

16. Female Sexual Organs.─Haemorrhage from uterus from too violent exertions.─Metrorrhagia.─Menses too profuse.─Suppressed menstruation with epileptic attacks.─Barrenness with too profuse menstruation, or tendency to miscarry.─Suppressed lochia with violent fever, suppressed secretion of milk, or convulsions, convulsive motion of all limbs and violent pain.─Lochia too profuse.─Sore nipples.

17. Respiratory Organs.─Rough voice.─Haemoptysis; florid; after failing from a height; in connection with haemorrhoidal symptoms.─Very difficult breathing, with tetanic spasms.

18. Chest.─Oppression of chest, with bloody expectoration.

19. Heart and Pulse.─Excessive palpitation and bloody sputum.─Ebullitions from coughing blood.─Anxiousness with pain at heart.─Pulse accelerated and contracted.

22. Upper Limbs.─Pricking and numbness of l. arm.─Heat of hands.

23. Lower Limbs.─Acute drawing pain in knees and legs.─R. tendo-Achillis pains as from a blow or sprain.─Feet go to sleep; first l. foot, later r.; disappearing on walking.

24. Generalities.─Rheumatic and arthritic complaints.─Piercing, drawing, tearing pains in limbs.─Paralysis and contraction of limbs.─Tetanus.─Convulsions after parturition.─Convulsions and fainting attacks of infants.─Hysterical spasms.─Epileptic spasms from suppressed menstruation.─Congestions.─Haemorrhages from various organs.─Haemorrhages from almost all the openings of body.─Mucous discharges from atony.─Wounds bleed profusely, esp. from a fall.─Effects of over-lifting or overexertion.─< In evening and night; > during day.

25. Skin.─Suppressed itch, and from it fever.─Painless varices of pregnant women.─Fistulous ulcers.─Ulceration of internal organs.─Cancerous ulcers.─Wounds; after operation for stone in the bladder.─Bruises, bleeding from wounds.─Bad effects from a fall (from a height) and sprains.

26. Sleep.─Violent yawning without being tired.─Goes to sleep late, and does not feel refreshed in morning.

27. Fever.─Pulse accelerated and contracted.─Chilliness with pain in (l.) kidney.─Fever heat with thirst.─Heat in hands and feet.─Colliquative perspirations.

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

Yarrow (Compositae)

Ailments: from over-lifting, over-exertion, or a fall. Vertigo; when moving slowly, but not when taking violent exercise. Haemorrhages: painless, without fever; bright red, fluid blood (Acon., Ipec., Sab.); from lungs, bronchi, larynx, mouth, nose, stomach, bladder, rectum, uterus; of mechanical origin (Arn.); of wounds (Ham.). Wounds which bleed profusely, especially after a fall (Arn., Ham.). Haemoptysis: after injury; in incipient phthisis; in haemorrhoidal patients; from a ruptured blood vessel. Painless drainage, from nose, lungs, uterus; after labor or abortion; after great exertion; after miscarriage. Preventive in post- partum haemorrhage. Menses: early, profuse, protracted; suppressed, with colic pain in abdomen. Leucorrhoea of children from atony (Cal.). Cough: with raising of bright blood; in suppressed menses or haemorrhoids; with oppression and palpitation; after a fall from a height (Arn.); after violent extertion; with blood, daily at 4 p. m. (Lyc.).

Relations. - Compare: Erecht. in epistaxis and haemoptysis, blood bright red. Follows well: after, Acon., and Arn., in haemorrhages.

Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics, Eugene Beauharnais Nash

Are three remedies having a reputation for their power to control haemorrhages. Erigeron has cured epistaxis, with congestion to the head, red face (Melilotus) and febrile action. Haematemesis, with violent retching and burning in the stomach. Bleeding from haemorrhoids, with burning. Haemoptysis and blood spitting. Haematuria, with stone in the bladder and uterine haemorrhage. The only marked symptom in addition to the haemorrhage that should lead to its selection over other remedies of this class, especially in its haemorrhages from the pelvic organs, is the marked violent irritation of the rectum and bladder. Here we must remember also Cantharis, Lilium tig. and Nux vomica.

Trillium, from clinical use, seems to be a genuine haemorrhage remedy. The blood is bright red, whether of the active or passive kind of haemorrhage. It is especially useful in menses every two weeks, lasting a week and very profuse. Here a choice may have to be made between it and Calcarea ost. and Nux vomica.

It resembles China in flooding, with fainting, dim sight and noises in the ears. Of course, China would be the best for the after effects of such a haemorrhage.

There is sometimes with such flooding a relaxed sensation as if the hips, sacro-synchrondroses and small of back would all fall apart; wants to be bound together. This should doubly indicate it in post-partum haemorrhage.

It is also especially useful at the climacteric with the above symptoms. It has cured haemorrhages from other organs, but I have no experience with it there.

Millefolium is the only one of the three that has seemed to have produced haemorrhages in its pathogenesis. Hahnemann says of it: "It causes nose-bleed. It causes haematuria." Clinical use has verified it.

The blood from the different organs is generally bright red, like that of Aconite, but the anxiety of that remedy is not there. In fact, no great fear is present in the cases where I have used it. Sometimes the blood in the urine forms in the bottom of the vessel a bloody cake. When a young man I was troubled for a long time with frequent attacks of profuse epistaxis. Dr. T. L Brown prescribed for me several times, but without success. I became weak from loss of blood. Finally my old grandmother told me to chew yarrow root, and showed me the plant growing in my father's yard. I did so and was quickly cured. While on my vacation at Blue Mountain Lake, in the Adirondacks, I met a man there in the last stage of consumption. He had his medicine from his doctor in New York with him. He was spitting daily large quantities of blood, with severe cough, and his Secale was nor able to control it in the least. He finally said to me: "Doctor, can you do anything to stop this bleeding?" I stooped down (I did not want that patient on my hands) and pulled up a little root of yarrow growing at our feet, handed it to him and told him to chew it. He looked surprised, but did so, liked the taste of it and kept on chewing. It stopped his bleeding and soothed his cough so much that he dug up a basket of yarrow and took it home with him. That controlled the bleeding. He went to Florida for the winter, but died the next spring. It is especially recommended for haemorrhages after a fall or other injuries. If Arnica failed in such a case I would think of Millefolium.