Homeopathic Materia Medica

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, James Tyler Kent

This remedy is seldom used except in acute affections, but it is a long acting and deep acting drug; it produces a powerful impression on the economy; it relates to the deep-seated miasms.

Abdomen: It affects profoundly the abdominal viscera. It shows its symptoms largely on the abdominal organs, the pelvic organs, and the liver. The abdomen seems to be the earliest seat of attack. It produces such an impression upon the stomach and intestinal canal that the healthy action is impaired, digestion and assimilation cease.

Everything taken into the stomach becomes sour. The glands of the stomach are as if paralyzed; there is no digestion; this goes on until we have vomiting and diarrhea. During this there is a wonderful disturbance in the abdomen; rumbling; gurgling as if animals were floundering about; clinically, as if fish were turning and tossing in a pond, as we have seen them before a storm.

Rumbling and rolling. This is attended with severes cramping pains doubling her up. Abdomen is sensitive; so sore she cannot endure pressure. The soreness extends to the stomach, intestines and finally to the liver. The whole abdominal viscera are sore, sensitive to pressure. After this comes a gurgling, watery stool, pouring out of the anus.

A tremendous outpouring so that the patient wonders where all the fluid comes from, and soon it comes on again. Copious, enormous, and very frequent. This soreness, cramping, and rumbling precedes the stool, but sometimes it continues during the stool. Commonly the patient is relieved by the stool. There is much flatus and spluttering, but not so marked as in Aloe.

The colic often comes and goes without stool. Painless stools, in which compare China which has stool coming on at night and after eating. Putrid or not, and of inky color. Podophyllum is rarely indicated when the discharge is not offensive. After a while the abdomen again becomes tumultuous, and this is again relieved by a stool.

This process is repeated over and over. It seems as if the blood vessels would empty themselves into the! abdominal cavity, and then into the outer world. Not unlike cholera and cholera morbus, and these two are the common manifestations of disease for which this remedy is used in routine practice. The cholera morbus coming on in the latter part of the night, especially about 3, 4, or 5 o'clock, resembles Podophyllum. Tumultuous action of the bowels with rumbling, pain, and soreness, and the prostration is so marked that if not relieved in a day or two, it seems he must die. Rice-water stools, jelly-like on standing.

Women: With this tumultuous action, she has an indescribable sensation; an all-gone feeling, a deathly sick feeling, described by some as an emptiness, as if fasting, yet averse to food. An awful, hungry, empty weakness, as if the whole intestines would drop out.

No wonder they think so, because this remedy produces an astonishing amount of relaxation. Described by some as a sensation of dragging down. The uterine ligaments become relaxed and there is prolapsus. The rectum protrudes for inches. The sensation of dragging down as if all the parts would be pushed out into the world is a common feature. It seems to begin with the liver, as if all the parts were let down. Weakness attended with soreness.

Dragging down in the region of the ovary and the ovary is congested. The uterus is extremely sore and is enlarged; sore to touch so that light clothing aggravates. Sensitiveness of the abdomen in diarrhea and vomiting; in cholera morbus; in women when menstruating. Indicated if there is a copious diarrhea during the menstrual period, and great soreness in the uterus. Much pain in the ovaries, in one or both, extending down the crural region, down the front of the thigh.

Pain in the ovaries, especially the right; pain in the ovaries during the menstrual period, gripping pain in the bowels during the menstrual period. Great soreness of the abdomen before and during the menstrual period. (Apis, Cimicifuga, Vespa, Lachesis, but these are not so likely to have diarrhea and, if so, it is not as copious.)

Diarrhea: Alternating conditions is a feature of this remedy. If a Podophyllum patient takes cold, has any mental excitement, overexerts himself, eats boiled food, cabbage, fruits, and overloads his stomach with rich food he has a diarrhea, and following this a constipation lasting for weeks, no stool except in lumps; difficult, scanty stool and as soon as lie disorders Ids stomach again comes a diarrhea. This alternating diarrhea and constipation is a Podophyllum state rather than a chronic diarrhea, which is a continued state found in many remedies. The diarrhea is periodic, alternating with constipation.

Headache: Another alternating feature is the headache.

Chronic headache, periodic headache, sick headache, congestive in character, as if all the blood were in the head, as if the head would burst, and the pains most violent in the back of the head, bursting, and then on comes a diarrhea which relieves the head.

Sometimes when the diarrhea slacks up too suddenly, a headache is the result. It is a common feature after giving a high potency of Podophyllum in a diarrhea, that a headache comes, on after the diarrhea is stopped. It means that the medicine has acted suddenly and the headache will pass away soon.

Headache alternating with liver disturbances. The patient lies on the side or abdomen. Rending pains towards the duodenum. You will wonder if it is not gall stone colic. Periodic, violent headaches; alternating diarrhea and constipation; he strokes the region of the liver from behind forward and in this way gets relief, yet the liver is so sore that he can hardly bear the pressure.

Liver sensitive to touch.

Soreness about the liver; pain through to the back; dull aching pain, finally jaundice; becomes extremely yellow. Uneasiness and distress about two or three hours after eating, with jaundice; horrible nausea; aversion to food; empty all-gone feeling in the bowels.

Vomiting, greenish, profuse, watery, vomits everything; vomiting of milk (Calc., Aeth. - the latter sometimes retains water); hunger after vomiting; deathly, overpowering nausea and prostration. Prolapse of rectum and anus during vomiting. (Mur. ac.). A condition commonly called duodenal catarrh; a chronic state; rouses into a Podophyllum diarrhea every once in a while.

Mental symptoms troublesome.

A torpid liver is often associated with a torpid fluctuating state of the mind; also a slow, sluggish pulse; palpitation. Great depression of spirits, melancholia, sadness, dejection everything goes wrong; the clouds are very dark; there is no light; thinks he may die or that he is going to become ill; that his disease will become chronic; that he has organic disease of the heart and liver; that he has sinned away his day of grace, and other such delusions. Mind easily fatigued; fidgety and restless; cannot sit still, whole body fidgety.

In this mental state with jaundice, all-gone sensation, aversion to food, even the thought or smell of food; stuffed feeling and distension in the region of the liver. The tongue is covered with thick slime; pasty, yellow coating as if mustard were spread upon it; imprint of the teeth upon the tongue; breath foul. For such a condition the ancients gave Calomel.

Gallstone colic; enlargement of the liver; gastric weakness; unable to digest; duodenal catarrh; catarrh of intestines with copious diarrhea. If you notice the Podophyllum discharge in the commode, you will see a great amount of water, on the bottom a sediment like cornmeal gruel; as if cornmeal had been stirred in. If you see it early it is yellow, muddy, or yellow-green, profuse, offensive, cadaverous; the odor penetrates the whole house; stool gushes away like water from a bung-bole; gurgling and much flatus.

With the stool there is very commonly a prolapse of the rectum; a gush of watery stool and a prolapse of the rectum; a soft stool with great straining and a prolapse of the rectum.

Prolapsus of the uterus; prominent are Murex, Sepia, Natrum mur. Sepia is better sitting or lying; worse walking. Aversion to coition; hot flushes; constipation with sense of lump in the rectum, or better by stool. Murex has the following. The only relief is to press on the vulva; not better lying down; she then has pains in the back and hips compelling her to walk, yet his aggravates. Strong sexual desire. Pain in right ovary, which crosses entire body to left breast. Pain shooting up in the uterus.

The word bile is a striking feature in Podophyllum, You must connect the vomiting and the stool with this color. The patient declares he is "bilious;" his liver is out of order;" bitter taste in the mouth; spitting up bile and the color is yellow; in diarrhea it is a green substance.

In children subject to copious diarrhea, with prolapsus of the anus no other symptom, Podophyllum often cures.

A feature of infancy is the following: child may not have diarrhea, may even be constipated, but it lies in bed and rolls the head in sleep. Bell. and Apis roll head.

Apis lies on back with the head on its side, Chewing motion of the jaws; sometimes a sucking; a grinding of the teeth in those who are old and have teeth; rolling the head from side to side; if you lift the eyelids you will find a strabisms.

Provers felt as if the eyes were drawn inward. It has cured such a strabismus in congestion of the brain following a suddenly suppressed diarrhea.

A child who should have a colored stool has instead a white one like chalk (Calc. c.). in adults, a bileless, white stool.

The body is offensive; offensive sweat; compare Sepia, Merc., Aloe, Sulph., Murex, Nux.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, John Henry Clarke

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

Clinical.─Acidity. Amenorrhoea. Anus, Prolapse of. Asthma, bronchial. Bilious attack. Bronchitis. Cataract. Cholera infantum. Cornea, ulcer of. Dentition. Diarrhoea; camp. Duodenum, catarrh of. Dysentery. Dysmenia. Dyspepsia; from calomel. Fevers. Flatulence. Gagging. Gall-stones. Gastric catarrh. Goitre. Haemorrhoids. Headache, sick; bilious. Heart, pains in. Hydrocephaloid. Intermittents. Jaundice. Leucoma. Liver, affections of. Ophthalmia. Ovaries, pains in; numbness in; tumour of. Palpitation. Pneumonia. Proctitis. Prostatitis. Pustules. Sciatica. Stomatitis. Strabismus. Taste, lost, perverted; illusions of. Tenesmus. Tongue, burning in. Urticaria. Uterus, prolapse of. Whooping-cough. Worms.

Characteristics.─Pod. grows throughout the United States in damp, shady places in woods, has leaves five to nine-lobed, large white nodding flowers, yellowish fruits, egg-shaped, not unlike a small lemon, hence the plant is sometimes called Wild Lemon. It flowers in May and June, and the fruit ripens in October. Indian tribes use the root to expel worms, and drop the juice of the root into the ear to cure deafness. "All the tribes are fond of the fruit," says Rafinesque, quoted by Hale, who gives a full account of the medicine. The botanic and eclectic practitioners adopted the remedy and used it as the "vegetable mercury." The first homoeopathic proving was made by Williamson. An unintentional proving recorded by E. V. Rose (H. W., xxv. 246) brings out the chief characteristics of Pod., and shows that its reputation as a "vegetable mercury is not undeserved: Mr. J., 26, took at 11 a.m. gr. x of Pod. 1x to "stir up his liver." At 6 p.m. was taken with an indescribable sick feeling all over, and a persistent dry, rough feeling in pharynx and oesophagus, extending along right Eustachian tube, with dull, aching pain in right ear; feeling as though a ball or lump in upper oesophagus. At 8 p.m. dull and stupefying headache, chiefly frontal, < lying down. Fulness in stomach, belching of gas, sour eructations; marked salivation and offensive odour from mouth. Sleep disturbed, full of confused dreams; rolled and tossed about, bed felt too hard; and a feeling as though head and shoulders were lying too low. At 3 a.m. call to stool, which was profuse, watery, dark green. Calls frequent. Before stool: peculiar weak, dull, griping pain below umbilicus; fulness in rectum. During stool: weak feeling in stomach. After stool: tenesmus and faint feeling. These symptoms passed off in two or three days, the diarrhoea being followed by constipation, which was quickly removed by Nux. These symptoms are nearly all proved characteristics of Pod.: The early morning <; the profuse stools, faint, gone sensation; fulness and tenesmus in rectum. Pod. is an irritant wherever applied. Externally on the skin it produces a rawness like intertrigo. The dust of the powdered root getting into the eyes sets up intense inflammation, ulceration, and leucoma. These effects have proved leading indications for its internal use in eye affections. The fulness and tenderness of the rectum noted in Ross's case went on to actual prolapse in the provings. I have many times cured with Pod. 6 prolapsus ani in children. With Pod. 1x Mr. Knox Shaw relieved "continual urging and straining" in a case of rectal cancer too far gone for operation. The genital organs were involved with the rectum in the tendency to prolapse. "Symptoms of prolapsus uteri with pain in sacrum; with muco-gelatinous stools"; "sensation at stool as if the genital organs would fall out" are keynotes of the provings which have led to many cures. Pains in the ovaries, especially the right, extending down the anterior and inner side of thighs. In the pregnant and puerperal state Pod. is frequently indicated: in the vomiting of pregnancy; swelling of labia; severe after-pains with strong bearing-down sensation; haemorrhoids and prolapsus recti after confinement. A peculiar symptom of pregnancy indicating Pod. is: "Can lie comfortably only on stomach (early months)." The irritation of Pod. is shown in the brain, but it is then generally reflected even from the abdominal viscera (cholera infantum) or the teeth (dentition). There is moaning and whining during sleep; the head is thrown back and rolls from side to side; the child grates its teeth. "Great desire to press gums or teeth together" is a keynote. The salivation, foul breath, and moist, tooth-indented tongue of Merc. are reproduced in the Pod. provings, and so also is the congested, sensitive liver, with excess or absence of bile. These, combined with the feverishness and proneness to sweat, make Pod. one of the important antidotes to Merc. Fevers of many kinds are met by Pod.─remittent, chiefly bilious remittent, intermittent. Delirium is not rare, and is apt to be loquacious. Moaning and whining during sleep. Much drowsiness and desire to stretch. Alternating conditions are noted: Diarrhoea alternating with constipation; headache alternating with diarrhoea; headache in winter, diarrhoea in summer; inflammation of scrotum or of the eyes; not of both. Some Concomitants are important: Pains in sacrum, in lumbar region with rectal and uterine symptoms; cramps in calves with stools. The stools may be painless, or may be preceded, accompanied, and followed by colic, tenesmus and other symptoms. The concomitance of diarrhoea with other affections points to Pod. Loquacity during chill and heat is a keynote in fevers. Nash cured an obstinate case of intermittent through this symptom: Chills violent, followed by intense fever with great loquacity; when the fever was past patient fell asleep, and on waking remembered nothing of his loquacious delirium. "Burning tongue" is another leading symptom. A case is related by W. A. Burr (Critique, quoted Hom. News, xxviii. 87) of a young man who had for some weeks a burning sensation along left edge of tongue, occasionally shooting to tip, or through to opposite edge. He had been in poor health, "bilious," for years. With catarrh of stomach, duodenum, and bile ducts extreme discomfort followed even the blandest foods. Pod. 3x improved in two days, and the tongue was well in a week. L. M. Barnes (Hom. News, xxix. 45) reports these cases: (1) A lady for four months after miscarriage had much ovarian pain, < at night. She was sleepless, nervous, restless. Much bearing down in abdomen and back. She was a large, stout woman, with a pendulous abdomen. Pod. cured after Puls. and Act. r. had only partially relieved. (2) A stout woman, 60, complained of burning, aching, cutting pain in rectum. Was obliged to be on her feet all day. Nervous, cross, irritable. Pod. cured. Pod. is suited to bilious temperaments, especially after mercurialisation. Peculiar sensations are: As if strabismus would occur. Pain in head as from ice on occipital protuberance. As if tongue, throat, and palate had been burned. As if a thousand live things moving about in abdomen, or of fish turning over. As if everything would drop through pelvis. As if heart ascending to throat. Ball in upper oesophagus. Notable symptoms are: Thirst for large quantities of cold water. Intense desire to press the gums together. Viscid mucus in mouth, coating teeth. Diarrhoea whilst being bathed or washed; of dirty water soaking through napkin; with gagging. Patient is constantly shaking and rubbing region of liver with his hands. Great loquacity during chill and heat. Pod. is predominantly right sided─right throat; hypochondrium; ovary. Guernsey mentions that it is often called for in complaints of pregnant and parturient women, with sensation as if intestines were falling down. He mentions also "whooping-cough with costiveness and loss of appetite." The symptoms are < by touch (spot on right hypochondrium); > by pressure. > Rubbing (inclination to rub liver region with hand). > Lying down; lying on abdomen; stretching in bed. Pain in left leg < by straightening out the limb. < Motion; walking; ascending stairs; exertion. < Morning, especially early morning, 2 to 4 a.m. Some symptoms < night. < Open air; while washing. External heat > pain in bowels. Heat of stove does not > chilliness, but wrapping warmly in bed does >. Hot weather, summer, < diarrhoea. < After eating and drinking; after acid fruit and milk. < By swallowing. < Before, during, and after stool.

Relations.─Antidoted by: Lact. ac., Nux, Coloc., Lept. Antidote to: Merc. Compatible: After Ipec. and Nux in vomiting; after Calc. and Sul. in liver diseases. Incompatible: Salt, which increases its action. Compare: Morning diarrhoea, Sul., Dros., Bry., Nat. s., Rx. c. Hot, yellowish, green, offensive diarrhoea, Cham. (Cham. < evening; Pod. < morning, in one gush). Cholera morbus, profuse stools, Ver. (Ver. has much pain; Pod. may have absence of pain). Diarrhoea < after eating; headaches alternating with uterine and bowel affections, Alo. (Plumb. delirium alternating with colic). Prolapsus ani before stool with weakness in abdomen (Alo. after stool). Prolapsus uteri < during stool, Stan. (with Pod. the stool is diarrhoeic and comes with a rush). Prolapsus recti et uteri, Nux, Sep. Bearing down in hypogastric and anal regions, > lying down, Sep. Prolapsus of rectum, Bell., Aesc. h., Nit. ac., Rut. (especially in children, Chi., Chi. s., Pod.). Duodenal catarrh, Berb., Chi., Hydras., Lyc., Merc., Ric. c. Diarrhoea immediately after eating, Alo., Ars., Chi., Lyc., Staph., Trbd. (whilst eating, Fer.). < After eating or drinking, Dig., Trbd. Headache from over-excitement, Epipheg. Blur before headache, K. bi., Ir. v. Wants to bite gums together, Phyt. Tongue as if burnt, Sang. Blue tongue, Gymno. As if something alive in abdomen, Croc. Regurgitation of food, Sul. Pain under right scapula, Chel. Diarrhoea, ovarian pain, ovarian tumour, dysmenia, Coloc.

Causation.─Over-lifting or over-straining (prolapsus uteri). Summer (diarrhoea).

SYMPTOMS.

1. Mind.─Conscious during chill, but cannot talk, forgets words.─Delirium, loquacious during heat; forgetful after of what has passed.─Depression: imagines he is going to die or be very ill; in gastric affections.─Disgust for life; headache; biliary disorders.─Over-fatigue of mind from business; when in bed he rolled his head on waking and while awake.

2. Head.─Vertigo: while standing; in open air; with tendency to fall forward; with sensation of fulness over eyes; from gastric or bilious disorders.─Momentary darts of pain in forehead, obliging one to shut eyes.─Stunning headache through temples, > by pressure.─Sudden pain in forehead, with soreness of throat, evening.─Pressing in temples, forenoon, with drawing in eyes as if strabismus would follow.─Throbbing in temples, aching eyes, hot tears, in morning.─After stool, 10 a.m.: Frontal headache with feverishness; sensation of great dryness in forehead and eyes, > for short time by bathing with cold water.─Sick headache accompanied by constipation.─Headache alternating with diarrhoea.─Bilious headache, burning at vertex and over forehead, pain lasts twenty-four hours, ends in vomiting; pale urine during attack; passes much bile next day; < from over-excitement or walking.─Morning headache with flushed face and heat in vertex.─Dull headache with pain behind eyes; liver, torpid.─Pain in vertex on rising in morning.─Sick headache most in occiput, preceded by blur before vision, coming suddenly.─Head hot, rolling head from side to side; dentition.─Reflex irritation of brain from disorders of bowels; grinding teeth at night; morning in sleep; eyes half-closed; head sweaty.

3. Eyes.─Inflammation of eyes with excruciating, heavy pain, great turgescence of vessels.─Superficial ulceration of each cornea with general congestion of conjunctivae; ulceration central and extensive, in r. eye its base was densely white, as if lead had been used (after ten days, from the dust whilst grinding the root).─Eyes inflamed in morning.─L. eye sore.─(Arcus senilis lessens and a dribbling of saliva ceases in an old man.─R. T. C.).─Eyes glazed and motionless (from ripe fruit).─Eyes sunken.─Heaviness of eyes with occasional pains at vertex.─Smarting; inflammation of lids.─Pain in eyeballs and temples, with heat and throbbing of. temporal arteries.─Drawing in eyes as if squint would follow.─Scrofulous ophthalmia < in morning.─(Cataract has been known to clear after Pod. given internally.─R. T. C.)

4. Ears.─Aching pain in r. ear, with rough feeling extending from there along r. Eustachian tube.

5. Nose.─Nose pinched.─Soreness and little pimples on nose.

6. Face.─Corpse-like pallor.─Complexion sallow, dingy.─Hot, flushed cheeks.─Under jaw fallen.

7. Teeth.─Great desire to press gums together; jaws clenched; grinds teeth at night; difficult dentition.─During dentition; catarrhal cough; catarrh of chest; cholera infantum; hydrocephaloid.─Teeth covered with dried mucus in morning.

8. Mouth.─Total loss of taste, could not tell sweet from sour; sleepless, restless.─Everything tastes sour or putrid; sweet.─Taste of fried liver in mouth at night.─Bad taste after other symptoms had disappeared.─Feeling as if tongue, and sometimes palate and throat, had been burned.─Tongue: furred white with foul taste; white, moist, shows imprints of teeth; dry, yellow; full and broad with pasty coat in centre; red, not bright red; rough with uniformly erect papillae; dull bluish colour; red, dry, cracked, somewhat swollen and often bleeding.─Offensive breath; at night; perceptible to patient.─Copious salivation.─(Dribbling of saliva in an old epileptic case ceases.─R. T. C.).─Much viscid mucus in mouth (morning).─Mouth and tongue dry on awaking.─Nursing sore mouth; canker.

9. Throat.─Dryness of throat.─Burning in throat (from the ripe fruit).─Soreness of throat extending to ears; r. to l.; l. side sore, < swallowing liquids, morning.─Rattling of mucus in throat.─Goitre.─Dry, rough feeling in pharynx and oesophagus, extending along r. Eustachian tube with aching pain in r. ear.

10. Appetite.─Indifference to food; loss of appetite; smell. of food = loathing.─Satiety from small quantity of food, followed by nausea and vomiting.─Appetite variable, at times voracious.─Great thirst for (cold water in) large quantities; Moderate thirst during fever.─Increased thirst after eating.─Desire for something sour.─Thirst towards evening.─After eating: regurgitation of food, sour; hot, sour belching; diarrhoea; vomits food an hour after, craving appetite afterwards; depression of spirits.─After eating and drinking: diarrhoea.─After acid fruit and milk: diarrhoea.

11. Stomach.─Heartburn, waterbrash, heat in stomach.─Eructations: smelling like rotten eggs; hot; sour.─Nausea: distressing and extreme; with attempts to vomit; motion of gagging is made with mouth but not accompanied with retching; stomach contracts so hard and rapidly that the wrenching pain = patient to utter sharp screams; gagging or empty retching.─Gagging in infantile diarrhoea.─Nausea and vomiting with fulness in head.─Vomiting: of milk in infants, with protrusion of anus; of food with putrid taste and odour; of thick bile and blood; of hot, frothy mucus; with congestion of pelvic viscera during pregnancy.─Acidity in afternoon with unpleasant, sickly sensation in stomach.─Tender over stomach and bowels, < least touch or motion.─Hollow, empty, weak, sinking feeling at epigastrium; without hunger.─Stitches in epigastrium from coughing.─Dyspepsia from calomel, aching behind eyes, clayey stools.─Gastric catarrh.─Awakened by violent pains in stomach and bowels.─After breakfast and dinner burning in stomach as if caused by hot steam.─Heat in stomach.─Cold water <; it = oppression and uneasiness; small quantities of it were ejected, tasting bitter and causing much burning in oesophagus.

12. Abdomen.─Acute burning in region of pyloric orifice, with violent retching and vomiting of bile and belching of wind; constipation; after attacks, prostration; slight jaundice and persistent tenderness to touch in one spot corresponding to entrance of common bile duct into duodenum.─Fulness in r. hypochondrium, with flatulence, pain, and soreness.─Twisting in r. hypochondrium with burning.─Stitches in hypochondria, < while eating.─Pain in region of liver with inclination to rub the part with the hand.─Excessive secretion of bile, great irritability of liver.─Hepatitis with costiveness; tenderness and pain in region of liver.─Gall-stones and jaundice.─Biliousness; nausea and giddiness; bitter taste and risings; tendency to bilious vomiting and purging; dark urine.─Abdomen swelled almost to bursting (fruit).─Flatulence.─Abdominal plethora: bloated feeling; soreness, uneasiness; > after stool; causing uterine troubles.─Rumbling.─Colic.─Awakened by violent pains in stomach and bowels, griping, stitching, > for short time by pressure; 3 a.m. (first night).─Pain in transverse colon, 3 a.m., followed by diarrhoea.─Pain in limbs at daylight, > by external warmth and bending forward whilst lying on side, < lying on back.─Heat in bowels with inclination to stool.─Woke 2 a.m. with stitches in bowels and desire to go to stool; > flexing thighs or abdomen.─Symptoms generally, and esp. abdominal symptoms, < morning, > evening.─Tenderness over hypogastrium.─Pain extended into lower bowels and r. ovary.

13. Stool and Anus.─Emission of fetid flatus.─Morning diarrhoea, then no more stools during day.─Diarrhoea early in morning, continuing through forenoon, followed by natural stool in evening.─Diarrhoea immediately after eating and drinking.─Stools in morning, with strong urgings in bowels and heat and pain in anus.─Small, frequent, bilious stools with tenesmus.─Diarrhoea, yellow stools, one every hour for five hours.─Stools of pure blood (produced.─R. T. C.).─Infantile dysentery (cured.─R. T. C.).─Dysenteric diarrhoea.─Stools: thin, watery, green; green; muco-gelatinous with pain in sacrum; 4 a.m., yellow, undigested faeces, mixed with mucus, offensive; with violent tenesmus; burning, acrid, causing much bearing down during and after stool; with gagging and excessive thirst in children; gushing, watery, profuse, green, with sudden urging, often painless; offensive, < in hot weather; pasty; yellow, watery, with meal-like sediment; smelling like carrion; mucous and blood-streaked; black, only in morning; tar-like; changing colour.─Stool with much pain and deadly nausea.─Diarrhoea and constipation alternating every day or two, for several days after the most prominent symptoms had disappeared.─Diarrhoea with great sinking at epigastrium, sensation as if everything would drop through pelvis, prolapsus ani.─Small stools, yellow, watery, coming after meals with sick feeling, in pregnancy.─Diarrhoea from indigestion after eating canned fruit.─Before stool: intense nausea; sudden urging; loud gurgling as of water; rumbling in l. side; violent colic or absence of pain; prolapsus ani.─During stool: urging in bowels; heat and pain in anus; sensation as if genital organs would fall out; in women bearing down as from inactivity of rectum; nausea; gagging, tormina, and pain in lumbar region; colic or absence of pain; prolapsus ani; pains in sacrum; tenesmus.─After stool: extreme weakness and cutting pain in intestines; exhaustion, even after natural stool; flashes of heat running up back, cutting in bowels, severe and painful tenesmus; colic continues; faintness and pain in lumbar region; prolapsus ani; sore anus; sensation of emptiness in abdomen and rectum.─Aggravation of internal piles; rectum protrudes more than an inch after every stool, or sudden motion as sneezing, even during mental excitement; prolapse sometimes persists for days from swelling and congestion.─Prolapsus ani: in infants, stool bloody, or too large; with uterine displacement.─Secretion of mucus from anus.─External piles, bleeding or not.─(Cancer of rectum.)

14. Urinary Organs.─Micturition painful; scanty with frequent voidings.─Urine: yellow, containing sediment; very red.─Diabetes mellitus and insipidus; chalky stool, urination immediately after drinking, frequent, profuse.─Urinary tenesmus.─Enuresis; (markedly < on lying down, hence at night.─R. T. C.).

15. Male Sexual Organs.─Sticking pain above pubes and in course of spermatic cords.─Diseases of prostate gland associated with rectal troubles.─Inflammation either of scrotum or of eyes; seldom of both.─Inflammation of scrotum is attended with a pustular eruption which suppurates freely.

16. Female Sexual Organs.─Symptoms of prolapsus uteri, with pain in sacrum, muco-gelatinous stools.─Sensation as if genital organs would fall out at stool.─After-pains with strong bearing down.─Pain in r. ovary and uterus.─Numb aching in l. ovary; heat down thigh; third month of pregnancy.─Pain in ovaries, esp. r.; extending down limbs.─Pain from r. ovary down anterior crural nerve, pain < as it descends; < straightening limb.─Shooting pain in r. ovary, before and during menses.─Ovarian tumour with pains extending up to shoulder.─Prolapsus uteri: with diarrhoea from washing; after over-lifting or straining; after parturition.─Induration of os uteri.─(Extreme tenderness of uterus, backache, sick feeling and enuresis on lying down.─R. T. C.).─Menorrhagia from straining.─Menses, retarded; with ovarian, hypogastric, and sacral pains, < from motion, > lying down.─Bearing down in abdomen and back during menses; ovarian pains running into thighs.─During pregnancy: swelling of labia; can lie comfortably only on stomach, early months; excessive vomiting.─Haemorrhoids and prolapsus ani after confinement.─Pendulous abdomen.

17. Respiratory Organs.─Chronic bronchitis.─Inclination to breathe deep; sighing.─Sensation of suffocation on first lying down at night.─Bronchial asthma; < after catching cold.─Cough: loose, hacking; with remittent fever; dry; loose; rattling in chest, during dentition; from disease of liver.─Whooping-cough, with constipation and loss of appetite.

18. Chest.─Catarrh of chest during dentition.─Pneumonia.─Snapping in r. lung like breaking a thread, when taking a deep inspiration.─Pains in chest < by deep inspiration.─Oppression in chest with constant desire to breathe deep, which is prevented by feeling of constriction in chest.

19. Heart.─Sensation in chest as if heart ascending to throat.─Sticking (or stinging) in region of heart.─Palpitation: with a clucking sensation rising up to throat, obstructing respiration; from exertion or mental emotion; with heavy sleep and feeling of fatigue on waking; nervous, in consequence of excessive hepatic action.─Pulse: quick and small; slow, scarcely perceptible; pulseless.

20. Neck and Back.─Nape of neck stiff, muscles sore.─Pain under r. scapula.─Pain between shoulders, morning: with soreness, < night and morning, < by motion.─Pain in small of back, when walking or standing, with sensation of back bending inward.─Pain in lumbar region with sensation of coldness, < at night and from motion.─Pain in lumbar and sacral regions < during stool, and still < after.─Pain in loins < walking on uneven ground or from mis-step.─Sacral pain.

21. Limbs.─Aching in limbs < night.─Weakness of joints, esp. knees.

22. Upper Limbs.─Pain in course of ulnar nerve of both arms.─Rheumatism in l. forearm and fingers.─Pains from head into neck and shoulders; fingers numb.─Weakness of wrists, sore to touch.

23. Lower Limbs.─Pain and weakness in l. hip, like rheumatism from cold; < by going up stairs.─Sharply defined ache in sacro-ischiadic foramen, with tenderness on pressure.─Slight paralytic weakness of l. side.─Heaviness and stiffness of knees as after a long walk.─Cracking in knee from motion.─Cramps in calves, thighs, and feet, with painless, watery stools.─Sharp pains in outer and upper portion of l. foot.

24. Generalities.─Faintness and emptiness after stool.─Prostration with the pain.─Stiffness on beginning to move.─Sudden shocks of jerking pains.

25. Skin.─Sallow skin; jaundice; also in children.─Skin moist with preternatural warmth.─Scabs on arms and legs.─Pustules slow in healing.─Rawness and itching of genitals; also pustules.─Cold, clammy skin.─Erysipelas.─Rubefaciant and vesicatory.─Intolerable itching of body and arms.─Urticaria.─Skin has peculiar odour in patients taking Pod. (Ussher).

26. Sleep.─Sleepiness: in daytime, esp. forenoon; with rumbling in bowels in morning.─Heavy sleep; fatigue on waking.─Drowsy, half-closed eyes, moaning, whining, esp. children.─Great restlessness, tossing about in bed, yawning and stretching, which > completely.─Rising up in sleep without waking.─Drowsiness or restless sleep, with grinding of teeth or rolling of head.─Worrying and sleepless early part of night, apparently from nervous irritability.─Sleep disturbed, full of confused dreams.─Rolled and tossed about, bed felt too hard; feeling as though head and shoulders lying too low.

27. Fever.─Chilliness while moving about during fever, and in act of lying down, with sweat immediately after.─Chilly at first on lying down in evening, followed by fever and sleep with talking and imperfect waking.─Chill 7 a.m.─Backache before chill.─During chill great loquacity.─Shaking and sensation of coldness continue some time after heat commences.─Heat begins during chill or whilst he is yet chilly.─Chilly with stool.─Pain in bowels first attended with coldness, which is followed by heat and warm sweat.─Feverish during afternoon, with occasional chilliness, not > by heat of stove, but > by covering up warmly in bed.─Heat with violent pains in head; thirst; loquacity.─Flashes of heat running up back during stool.─Ravenous hunger with thirst during fever.─Bilious fever; bilious intermittent; remittent; infantile remittent; intermittent, quotidian, tertian, quartan.─Sweat: profuse, dropped off prover's fingers; of feet in evening; bathed in cold; warm on head and legs.─Sleep during sweat.

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

May Apple (Berberidaceae)

Adapted to persons of bilious temperament who suffer from gastro- intestinal derangement, especially after abuse of mercury; "bilious attacks.". Thirst for large quantities of cold water (Bry.). Pains: sudden shocks of jerking pains. Depression of spirits, imagines he is going to die or be very ill (Ars.); disgust for life. Headache alternates with diarrhoea (Aloe); headache in winter, diarrhoea in summer. Painless cholera morbus; cholera infantum (Phyt.). Violent cramps in feet, calves, thighs, watery, painless stools. Difficult dentition: moaning, grinding the teeth at night; intense desire to press the gums together (Phyt.); head hot and rolling from side to side (Bell., Hell.). Diarrhoea: of long standing; early in morning, continues through forenoon, followed by natural stool in evening (Aloe), and accompanied by sensation of weakness or sinking in abdomen or rectum. Diarrhoea of children: during teething; after eating; while being bathed or washed; of dirty water soaking napkin through (Benz. ac.); with gagging. Stool: green, watery, fetid, profuse (Calc.); gushing out (Gamb., Jat., Phos.); chalk-like, jelly-like (Aloe); undigested (Cinch., Ferr.); yellow meal-like sediment; prolapse of rectum before or with stool. Prolapsus uteri: from overlifting or straining; from constipation; after parturition; with subinvolution. In early months of pregnancy, can lie comfortably only on stomach (Acet. ac.). Patient is constantly rubbing and shaking the region of liver with his hand. Fever paroxysm at 7 a. m. with great loquacity during chill and heat; sleep during perspiration. Affects right throat, right ovary, right hypochondrium (Lyc.). Pain and numbness in right ovary, running down thigh of that side (Lil.). Suppressed menses in young girls (Puls., Tub.).

Relations. - Compare: Aloe, Chel., Collin., Lil., Merc., Nux, Sulph. It antidoes the bad effects of mercury. After: Ipec., Nux, in gastric affections; after Calc. and Sulph. in liver diseases.

Aggravation. - In early morning (Aloe, Nux, Sulph.); in hot weather; during dentition.

Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics, Eugene Beauharnais Nash

Diarrhoea; stools profuse (drain the patient dry), offensive, < morning and during dentition.

Persistent gagging, without vomiting; rolling the head and moaning with half-closed eyes.

Great loquacity during the fever stage, especially with jaundiced skin.

Prolapsus of uteri; prolapse of rectum.

* * * * *

There are many remedies that are powerful cathartics, and this is one of them. A superficial understanding of our law of cure would lead a novice to conclude that all one would have to do for a case of diarrhoea would be to prescribe Podophyllum. Of course failure would often be the result. The simple fact of diarrhoea is only a factor in the case, where the selection of a remedy for its cure is concerned; for each cathartic has not only a diarrhoea, but a peculiar kind of diarrhoea which no other remedy has. The diarrhoea of Podophyllum is characterized by:

1st. The profuseness of the stool. 2d. The offensiveness of the stool. 3d. The aggravations in the morning, hot weather, and during dentition. Then again the concomitants are very peculiar. There is often present prolapsus ani, sleep with eyes half closed and rolling the head from side to side and moaning; frequent gagging or empty retching. These symptoms present have often led to the administration of this great remedy with very gratifying results. In regard to the profuse stools, they are so much so that they seem to drain the patient dry at every one. They may be yellow or greenish watery, and when watery, always profuse. Then again they may be pappy and profuse (Gambogia), or mucous and scanty, but always with Podophyllum very offensive. I have cured these cases in all stages. In the first onset of the disease, as well as in the very far advanced and apparently hopeless cases of cholera infantum, the 1000th potency (B. & T.) has done the best for me. Notwithstanding the fact that this remedy is one of quite a list set down for liver troubles, both with looseness of the bowels and constipation, I have not found it very efficacious in the latter. I can readily see how it might be, however, in liver troubles with constipation which had followed a preceding diarrhoea, just as Opium might cure the sleeplessness that followed preceding stupor, and Coffea sleepiness which followed preceding excitement. All drugs have their double action, or what is called primary and secondary action. But the surest and most lasting curative action of any drug is that in which the condition to be cured simulates the primary action of the drug. For, as I have held elsewhere, I think that what is called secondary action is really not the legitimate action of the drug, but the aroused powers of the organism against the drug. So the alternate diarrhoea and constipation in disease is a fight, for instance, between the disease (diarrhoea) and the natural powers resisting it. It is of considerable importance then to be able to recognize in such a case whether it is the diarrhoea or constipation that is the disease, against which the alternate condition is the effort of the vital force to establish health. Yet such an understanding is not always absolutely imperative, for in either case there are generally enough concomitant symptoms to decide the choice of the remedy. Indeed, the choice must always rest upon either the peculiar and characteristic symptoms appearing in the case or the totality of them. None but the true homoeopathist learns to appreciate this. Here is where what is called pathological prescribing often fails, for the choice of the remedy may depend upon symptoms entirely outside of the symptoms which go to make up the pathology of the case, at least so far as we as yet understand pathology.

Podophyllum has a great desire to press the gums together during dentition. When this symptom is prominent, the choice will have to be made between this remedy and Phytolacca, both being great remedies for cholera infantum. In the nausea of Podophyllum vomiting is not so prominent as with Ipecac, but the gagging without vomiting is very marked, as it is also under Secale cornutum. Rumbling in the abdomen, especially in the ascending colon, is strong indication for this remedy even in chronic bowel troubles. Prolapsus ani is also a prominent symptom of this remedy, so also is prolapsus of the uterus, especially after straining, over-lifting or parturition. Here the choice will often be between Podophyllum, Rhus tox. and Nux vomica.

Podophyllum seems also to have a strong affinity for the ovaries, and some remarkable cures have been made on the symptom, – "Pain in right ovary, running down thigh of that side." (Lilium tig.) Sometimes there is also numbness attending. Ovarian tumors have disappeared under the action of this remedy, when this symptom was present. I once made a brilliant cure of an obstinate case of intermittent fever with this remedy. The chills were very violent and were followed by intense fever with great loquacity. There was also great jaundice present. When the fever was past the patient fell asleep, and on awakening did not remember what he had said in his loquacious delirium. The range of this remedy does not seem very wide, but within its range its action is surprisingly prompt and radical.