New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies Part 32

CLINICAL ReSUMe.

The clinical record of _Lathyrus_, though very meagre, gives great hope that it may prove useful in numerous cases of bed-ridden paraplegiacs and in infantile spinal paralysis, as well as in certain forms of myelitis.

The following is a resume of all that I can find published:

I. Case of spinal paraplegia, relieved.

II. A case of multiple sclerosis in a young man of twenty-eight who had been ill seven years and unable to walk for six years was greatly benefited by _Lathyrus_ [Latin: ezh]x.

III. Case of paraplegia, could walk after taking the remedy for some time.

IV. Case of paraplegia, no improvement.

V. Rheumatic paralysis, with stiff knees, could walk after use of _Lathyrus_. (Clark _h.o.m.oeopathic World_.)

VI. In a case of a clerk with loss of power of the lower limbs, reflexes exaggerated, knee-jerk violent, locomotion difficult and unsteady, probably a case of transverse myelitis, _Lathyrus_ [Latin: ezh]x, night and morning, gave most satisfactory results. The patient could walk a mile without a.s.sistance. (Simpson, _h.o.m.oeopathic Review_.)

VII. In a man aged fifty-two who had been unable to walk for six years, the paraplegia coming on after a "stroke" from exposure to wet, _Lathyrus_ [Latin: ezh]x practically cured in eight months. He had been tied to a chair for six, and at the time he stopped treatment he was walking four miles daily. (Blake, _h.o.m.oeopathic Review_.)

From the fact that the _Lathyrus_ disease occurs frequently in certain mountainous regions of Asia it has been remarked that it is akin to Beri-Beri, which has been traced to eating the _Lathyrus_ bread.

LIATRIS SPICATA.

NAT. ORD., Compositae.

COMMON NAMES, Dense b.u.t.ton-Snake-root. Gay Feather. Devil's Bit.

PREPARATION.--The root is pounded to a pulp and macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.

(The following, by Dr. T. C. Duncan, was called forth by the publication of an item in _Eclectic Medical Journal_, stating that twice during the past year _Liatris_ had given good results in dropsy; in one case, on the second day, the patient had pa.s.sed a gallon and a half of urine.

Dr. Duncan's paper was published in the _h.o.m.oeopathic Recorder_ for 1898):

Any new remedy that promises relief in dropsy will be hailed with pleasure by the profession. Happening into a pharmacy soon after receiving the January _Recorder_, a physician rushed in and inquired for "that new remedy for dropsy--that got rid of 'a gallon and a half of urine in one day.' Have a bad case cardiac dropsy. Want to try it. How do you give it?" He could not get it. "Get me some," was his order.

"There is the article, be sure to get the right thing, _Liatris_!"

_Liatris spicata_ is the familiar "b.u.t.ton-snake-root" that I used to dig every fall for our old family physician (who called himself a "botanic physician") and who gave it for indigestion. It is also called "colic root" and "devil's bit," because a piece is missing from each tuber as a rule, just as if bitten out. _Kost's Medicine_ (my first medical work) describes it as follows: "Root perennial, tuberous, ovate, abrupt, beset around the base with many fine fibers; it is aromatic. Stem round, about three feet high, bearing a spike of scaly purple-colored blossoms, bearing in the aggregate a resemblance to an acorn. The leaves are linear or sword-shaped, somewhat resembling the leaves of young corn.

It is found in prairies and open woods in the western States."

"The _Liatris_ is an aromatic stimulant, diaph.o.r.etic, diuretic, anodyne and carminitive. It is particularly useful in colic, backache and flatulency."

It is interesting to know that it has had clinically a good effect in dropsy, (1) due to liver and splenic enlargement, also (2) where the kidneys were involved. In the second case referred to, "_Apocynum can._, _Aralia_, _Digitalis_, _et al._" had been given, but the kidneys failed to respond until the _Liatris_ "was given in infusion," then "on the _second_ day the patient pa.s.sed _a gallon and a half of urine_"--equal to 192 ounces of urine! In the first case the _Liatris_ was followed by _Ferrum carb_.

Whether it will prove equally efficient in cardiac dropsy only time will tell. I hope that the readers of the _Recorder_ will report results, whether favorable or otherwise. The dose that Dr. Bradley gave was about a pint, drank during the course of the day, containing about half an ounce of the root. The tincture will be more convenient, and it is a question if the dilutions will not be equally efficient. Try the third, and then go up or down the scale as the case seems to demand. This drug should be proved. It is harmless. If any young physician will volunteer I will gladly direct him.

Infusion of _Digitalis_ (English leaves) is a favorite prescription with some physicians in cases of cardiac dropsy, but I have not found that form any more efficient than the dilution, except in cases where alcohol had been a cause, then _Strophanthus_ or _a.r.s.enic.u.m_ had a better effect.

LOLIUM TEMULENTUM.

NAT. ORD., Gramineae.

COMMON NAMES, Darnel. (G.) Taumellolch.

PREPARATION.--Trituration of the dried seeds.

(The following concerning this little used drug was reported by Dr. Bonino, an Italian physician, translated by Dr. Mossa and published in the _Allgemeine Hom.

Zeitung_, July, 1898. The use of the drug by Dr. Bonino was truly h.o.m.oeopathic for the short proving of it.

Allen's _Encyclopaedia_ reports trembling of the limbs and hand so great that "he could not hold a gla.s.s of water.")

A carpenter, aged twenty-nine years, had been suffering ever since his eighteenth year of trembling in both hands, especially in the morning; of late also his legs began to tremble. It is remarkable that both his father and his brother were subject to the same ailment, while no definite cause could be indicated. He was first given _Mercurius vivus_, then _Agaricus_, which brought a partial but only transitory improvement. Finally I prescribed _Lolium tem._, which in a short time effected a cure.

(On this Dr. Mossa comments as follows):

The pathogenetic effects of this remedy which has not yet been proved at all are only known to some degree from its effects when it has been mixed with grain and baked into bread. It has caused chest troubles, _vertigo_ (thence the name darnel-gra.s.s, in German _Taumellolch_), _trembling_, paralysis with anguish and distress, vomiting, failing of the memory, blindness, headache, epileptic attacks, deep sleep and insanity. The good success obtained by its use in the case given above shows what curative effects may be expected from it in severe affections of the brain or spinal marrow. An Italian physician, Fantoni, has tried it in cephalalgia, meningitis rheumatica and in ischias.

LYCOPUS VIRGINICUS.

NAT. ORD., l.a.b.i.atae.

COMMON NAME, Bugle Weed.

PREPARATION.--Tincture of the whole plant by macerating one part by weight of the fresh plant in two parts by weight of alcohol.

(Although a well-known remedy, the following concerning it may not be amiss here; it is from the _h.o.m.oeopathic World_, 1889, by Dr. Proell):

_Lycopus Virginicus_ seems to be a specific for bringing back an old (but long disappeared) haemorrhoidal flux in persons with light eyes. I gave, a week ago, the first decimal dilution to a gentleman (sixty years) for noise and throbbing in the head during the night (which prevented the quietness of sleep); because neither _Cactus_ (which helped quickly when he had blood-spitting) nor _Kalmia_, nor _Gelsemium_ helped radically. The night after taking _Lycopus_, he was a little better, and in the forenoon came a bleeding from the r.e.c.t.u.m (about three tablespoonfuls after defecation) with great general relief. There was chronic catarrhus bronchialis. Two days afterwards, I gave an elderly lady (sixty years), who had glycosuria, cataract of the left eye, and every third night was very restless, _Lycopus Virginicus_ 1 decimal dilution, one drop in the evening. The following night was excellent, and in the morning came an abundant bleeding from the r.e.c.t.u.m, with great relief. Both patients are tall, very irritable, have weak innervation of the heart, without decided organic disease of the heart; both are hypochondriacs; have light eyes; noise in the left ear. Both had, years ago, haemorrhoidal flux, which stopped suddenly.

MALARIA OFFICINALIS.

PREPARATION.--It is prepared in three degrees of strength:

No. I. Is the water that stood on decomposed vegetable matter for one week at a temperature of 90 F.

No. II. Is the water that decomposed vegetable matter for two weeks.

No. III. Is the water that decomposed vegetable matter for three weeks.

(The following is an abstract of a paper on this peculiar remedy, by Dr. G. W. Bowen, that appeared in the Transactions of the Indiana Inst.i.tute of h.o.m.oeopathy, 1895):

In the summer of 1862 vegetable matter of different forms was decomposed in my office in gla.s.s jars, and malaria was freely generated. Persons were hired to inhale the gas evolved in its different stages of decomposition, and a careful observation of its effects on them was made that gave me a clue to its future use, and the only reliable guide for combatting its effect when acquired naturally.

Not only did the gaseous form demonstrate, but subsequent use of the liquid product proved it capable of producing not only the three leading types that the past years had made me conversant with, but also others of a minor grade yet of unsuspected parentage.

The miser made delight of added gain, Was like a pebble on the sh.o.r.e again,

In comparison to the satisfactory consolation that came as a realization of the comprehension of the producing cause. Henceforth the battle need not be carried on mid the gloom of the night.