Part 30

Dr. Hannon (_Presse Med. Belge_, 1853) mentions that he had found _Thlaspi_ very useful in hæmorrhage when the blood was poor in fibrine. Dr. Heer (Berlin _Med. Zeit._, 1857) found _Thlaspi_ efficacious in the dysuria of old persons, when the passage of the urine is painful and there is at the same time spasmodic retention of it. On giving the medicine, a large quantity of white or red sand is discharged, and the troublesome symptoms disappear. Dr. Joussett (_Bull. de la Soc. Hom. de France_, 1866) had a case of hæmorrhage, after miscarriage, at three months. He tried _Sabina_, _Secale_, _Crocus_, tampons soaked in chloride of iron, but all in vain. He consulted Dr. Tessier, who recommended him to try _Thlaspi_, 20 drops of the mother tincture in a draught; at the second spoonful the hæmorrhage ceased. He found it useful in hæmorrhage with severe uterine colic, with clots of blood, in that following miscarriage, in the metrorrhagias at the menopause, and in those associated with cancer of the neck of the uterus. He found good effects from the dilutions in some of these cases. Dr. Jousset, in his _Elements de Med. Prat._, repeats his recommendation of _Thlaspi_ in hæmorrhages.

My own experience of _Thlaspi_ is very small. In one case Dr. Rafinesque, of Paris, cleverly "wiped my eye," to use a sporting term, with this medicine. A young French widow was treated by me for a severe attack of jaundice, from which she made a good recovery. But after this she suffered for a couple of months from a very peculiar discharge after the catamenial flux. It had the appearance of brownish, grumous blood, and was attended with obscure abdominal pains. The cervix uteri was swollen and soft, but not ulcerated. I tried and tried to stop this discharge, but without success. She went back to Paris and put herself under the care of Dr. Rafinesque, who was her ordinary medical attendant. He tried several different medicines without any effect on the discharge. At last he gave _Thlaspi_, 6th dilution, and this had an immediate good effect. Afterwards he gave the mother tincture, 10 drops in 200 grms. of water, by spoonfuls, and again in the 6th dilution, and after keeping her on this medicine for some weeks the discharge was completely cured. The full details of the case will be found in the _Brit. Journ. of Hom._, vol. 32, p. 370.

One other case I have had illustrative of its action in the presence of excessive quantities of uric acid in the urine: A lady, æt 76, was under my care for a very curious affection. She had considerable rheumatic muscular pains in various parts, and constant profuse perspirations day and night. Along with this she had the most abundant secretion of uric acid, which passed away with every discharge of urine. Sometimes the uric acid formed small calculi, which gave much pain in their passage down the ureter, but it generally appeared in the form of coarse sand, which formed a thick layer at the bottom of the utensil. This sand continued to pass after the cessation of the sweats and rheumatic pains, which lasted six or seven weeks. I tried various remedies--_Pulsatilla_, _Picric acid_, _Lycopodium_, etc., but without effect. At last I bethought me of Rademacher's recommendation of _Thlaspi_, and after a few doses of the 1st dilution the sand diminished very much, and, indeed, sometimes disappeared altogether, and when it did return, it was in insignificant quantity.

On the whole, I think this medicine deserves a thorough and complete proving. It is evidently a powerful anti-hæmorrhagic, and its influence on the urinary organs, more particularly in bringing away and in curing excess of uric acid in the urine, is very remarkable.

I have elsewhere mentioned the power of this substance to affect the secretion of uric acid, and then I have seen several cases corroborative of its medicinal virtues in this direction. One, a gentleman, æt. 57, who, in addition to other dyspeptic symptoms, had occasionally large discharges of coarse uric acid, coming away in masses the size of a good big pin's head, but curiously enough without pain. I prescribed _Thlaspi_, which he said soon stopped the uric acid. Nearly a year after this he called on me for a different affection, and informed me that the uric acid had reappeared several times in his urine, but that a few doses of _Thlaspi_ 1 stopped it, and it never came to the height it attained when I first gave it to him. A lady, nearly eighty years of age, was suffering from the pressure of a calculus in the left ureter, which I knew to be of uric acid, as she had previously passed much 'sand.' The urine showed no sand, and was very scanty. I tried several remedies, among the rest the Borocitrate of magnesia, but it was not till I gave _Thlaspi_ 1 that a great discharge of coarse brick-colored sand took place, with speedy relief to her pain. At the same time, indeed, I made her drink copiously of distilled water, which has a powerfully disintegrating effect on uric acid sometimes, but, as she had already been taking this for several days without effect, I am inclined to give the whole credit of the cure to _Thlaspi_.

It is not alone in such cases that _Thlaspi_ is useful. Its ancient use as a hæmostatic has been confirmed in modern times and in my own experience, and my friend, Dr. Harper, related to me lately a most interesting cure he had effected by its means of a very prolonged and serious affection. The case was that of an elderly lady who for years had suffered from a large discharge of muco-pus, sometimes mixed with blood, sometimes apparently nearly all blood, which poured from the bowels after each evacuation. She had been many months under the medical treatment of the late Dr. D. Wilson, who at last told her he considered her disease incurable. She then put herself under the treatment of a practitioner who relies chiefly on oxygen gas for his cures; but she was no better--rather worse--after his treatment. She then came to Dr. Harper, who worked away at her with all the ordinary remedies without doing a bit of good. At last he bethought him of _Thlaspi_, led thereto by my remarks on its anti-hæmorrhagic properties in my "therapeutic notes" in _The Monthly Homoeopathic Review_ of October, 1888, and he found that, from the time she commenced using this remedy, the discharge from the bowels gradually declined and ultimately ceased, and there has been no return of it.

No doubt _Thlaspi_ is a great remedy, and until it is satisfactorily proved, we may employ it with advantage in cases similar to those I have mentioned. But it is to be hoped that some of our colleagues endowed with youth, health and zeal, will ere long favor us with a good proving of it, whereby its curative powers may be precisionized. At present we only partially know these from the less satisfactory results of clinical experience.

(The following is from a paper by Dr. Millie J. Chapman in Transactions of American Institute of Homoeopathy, 1897:)

The provings are brief and do not furnish very full indications for its use. However, from them we learn of its effectiveness in expelling accumulations of sand and uric-acid crystals from the kidneys and bladder, also in controlling hemorrhage from the nose, kidneys, or uterus.

My attention was first called to this remedy in cases of sub-involution following either abortion or labor at full term, where it many a time induced recovery.

I have since witnessed equal success in hemorrhage from uterine fibroid where the flow was controlled, and the growth was greatly reduced in size before the age of the individual would naturally produce these changes. Also uterine hemorrhage, attended with cramps and expulsion of clots, has been relieved by it after curetting had failed.

A member of the Women's Provers' Association took five drops of the tincture three times a day for ten days. This was followed by a great increase of urine and a menstrual flow lasting fifteen days. She became alarmed and could not be persuaded to continue the proving.

Another took ten drops, three times a day, for five days, when the quantity of urine and brick dust deposit were so unusual that her interest in scientific investigation suddenly ceased.

About a year since, there came for treatment a patient who had suffered long from both disease and treatment of the bladder. _Thlaspi_ 2x and later five drop doses of the tincture expelled great quantities of sand, and was followed by complete relief of the bladder symptoms and the disappearance of rheumatic pains that had been supposed incurable.

Another case of similar bladder irritation and marked evidences of gout was promptly relieved.

_Thlaspi_ also has a reputation in the cure of urethritis.

THYROID.

PREPARATION.--The dried thyroid gland of the sheep is triturated in the usual way or an extract may be prepared from the fresh gland.

(The following paper on the effects of _Thyroid_ was written by Dr. F. G. OEhme, Roseburg, Oregon:)

The _Thyroid_, especially if used continually or in large doses, _causes_ the following _symptoms_:

1. Elevation of the temperature.

2. Increase of the heart's action and of the frequency and volume of the pulse, which, however, is more compressible. Walking, even standing, after taking a dose is apt to cause a feeling of faintness and even complete syncope. The heart may become so weak that it cannot endure any overexertion without danger, even death may result.

3. Shortness of breath.

4. Increase or decrease of appetite, sometimes nausea, less frequently vomiting, still less diarrhoea.

5. Improvement in body nutrition generally, more complete absorption of nitrogenous food. But later on nitrogen is excreted in excess of that taken in the food.

6. Loss of weight.

7. Increase of sexual desire.

8. Menses profuse, prolonged or more frequent, rarely amenorrhoea.

9. Increased activity of the mucous membrane, kidneys and skin, which becomes moist and oily, sometimes exfoliation of the epidermis.

10. Rapid growth of the skeleton in the young with softening and bending of those bones which have to bear weight.

11. A disease closely resembling exophthalmic goitre. A cataleptic improved under large doses of _Thyroid_, but when the dose of 75 grs. a day was reached symptoms like those of exophthalmic goitre developed with a pulse of 160, but no glandular swelling. When the _Thyroid_ was discontinued the catalepsy grew worse, the exophthalmic goitre better; when resumed the catalepsy better, the exophthalmic goitre worse.

A patient, while under _Thyroid_ treatment for myxoedema, took, through a misunderstanding, in eleven days nearly 3 ounces of the dessicated _Thyroid_, whereupon tachycardia, pyrexia, insomnia, tremor of the limbs, polyuria, albuminuria, and glucosuria, in short, a disease similar to exophthalmic goitre developed.

_Thyroid_ has been _used_ with benefit in the following _diseases_:

1. Arrested development in children, cretinism, idiotism.

2. Myxoedema. [The extirpation of the entire _Thyroid_ produces a disease resembling myxoedema.]

3. Simple goitre.

4. Excessive obesity with tendency to weakness and anæmia.

5. Melancholia functional insanity, where improvement has taken place up to a certain point and then remains so.

6. Defective secretion of milk during lactation when connected with reappearance of menses. _Thyroid_ will suppress the latter and increase and enrich the milk.

7. In fractures of the bones in which consolidation does not promptly occur.

8. Hypertrophy of cicatricial tissue resembling keloid, possibly true keloid.

_Doses:_ Either the fresh gland of the sheep prepared like food or the extract, or in the dessicated state, of the latter may be given from 2-3 grs., or more or less, once a day (at night) or oftener.

The _Thyroid_ is _contra-indicated_ in tuberculous persons, as they are apt to lose quickly in weight, over two pounds in twenty-four hours.

Rheumatic and anæmic symptoms are more frequently aggravated than improved.

As the _Thyroid_ is a powerful remedy, the following should be always remembered:

There is a decided difference with regard to individual toleration, some are very susceptible.

The pulse should be watched regarding frequency and quality. The least effort or exertion will increase it even to 160, hence some cases should be kept in bed or at least very quiet and tranquil even for a time after the remedy has been discontinued. Deaths have taken place after a few days' treatment.

If _Thyroid_ is not taken for myxoedema the patient should be weighed at least every two weeks, and if pathogenetic symptoms, called thyroidism, appear the remedy should be discontinued or reduced.

If softening of the bones has been caused it may be necessary to restrict the use of the legs or to use splints.

_Thyroid_ seems to have a cumulative effect.

In many cases a liberal diet should be prescribed to avoid injurious consequences.

TRYCHOSANTHES DIOICA.

NAT. ORD., Cucurbitaceæ.

COMMON NAME, Patal.

PREPARATION.--One part of the entire fresh plant is macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.

(In 1893 H. L. Saha, homoeopathic practitioner, Pabna, Bengal, sent the following to _Hom. Recorder_:)

_Trychosanthes dioica_ (Bengali name, Patal). It belongs to the order of _Cucurbitaeæ_, is a creeper, flowering in all seasons, but chiefly in spring. It is a native of Bengal. Its fruit is called Patal, and is used by the natives as one of their chief curry.

The plant and its root are used by the native physicians in various maladies. Its action is mainly upon the liver and intestines. The decoction of the root is generally used by the mother physicians for removing costiveness, especially where there is a derangement of the functions of the liver.

A boy of fourteen years of age, who had habitual constipation, took, at the advice of a quack native physician, about three or four ounces of the decoction of its root, which produced profuse diarrhoea. After four or five stools I was called. I saw him weak and dejected, using abusive language to his native physician. His face was very pale. Stools were profuse, frequent, gushing, yellowish, watery. Much pain and cutting about the umbilicus during and before stool. After every stool he felt dizziness of the brain. This case struck me that _Trychosanthes dioica_ will prove a grand remedy for diarrhoea. I prepared its tincture from the root and used it in 3x potency, in some cases with great satisfaction. The following cases will show its curative power:

1. A girl, aged 6 years, was attacked with diarrhoea; stools were profuse, thin, yellowish, watery, mixed with little white mucous; very offensive smell; cutting pain about umbilicus during and after stool. Pain in liver and eyes; jaundice; face yellowish; very weak; did not wish to answer questions: sad and peevish. On the fifth day I was called. I prescribed _Trychosanthes dioica_ 3x every three hours. I saw the patient much better next day. Within a day or two the patient was all right.

2. A boy, aged 16 years, suffering from chronic diarrhoea; passed from four to five stools in a day. The character of the stool was yellowish, watery, mixed with a little white and greenish mucus. Smell offensive; dull, aching pain in the region of the liver. Face very pale; eyes jaundiced. He was very sad and dejected. His appetite little; taste bitter. He had been at first treated by an allopath, then, afterwards, by a homoeopath. The latter showed some improvement. I was called on the thirteenth day, when I noticed the above symptoms. I prescribed _Trychosanthes_ 3x every four hours. The patient was completely cured within four days.

I cured some cases of choleric diarrhoea by this medicine, but those cases were vaguely reported to me.

I hope that, when proven, _Trychosanthes dioica_ will show its large sphere of action and give our Materia Medica a new remedy for looseness of bowels.

USNEA BARBATA.

NAT. ORD., Lichens.

PREPARATION.--The fresh lichen is macerated in five times its weight of alcohol.

(This appeared in No. 284 of the _U. S. Med. Investigator_ signed "---- M. D."):

In March, 1878, I was cutting wood. I cut down a soft maple; the top was well loaded with moss. It attracted my attention; I viewed it closely. I ate a little, about the size of a hickory nut, as I trimmed up my tree. My head began to ache. I cut off one log, and had to go to the house. I could feel the blood press to the brain. My wife worked over me, and I got to sleep. Next morning felt well; never felt better. I did not think of the moss I had eaten. I went on a visit and was gone five days. On my return I went to my tree. The first sight of it reminded me of my headache.

I gathered some of the moss and made a tincture. I soon had a case of headache to try my remedy on; it stopped at once.

In the fall, about September, a load of young folks came to pick cranberries. Two of the young ladies had headache from riding in the hot sun. Both took to the lounge. Now for my remedy. I put one drop of tincture in a goblet of water, gave a teaspoonful; ordered another in fifteen minutes. The second dose stopped the pain.

A young married lady came on a visit to a relative--was having pains in her head. I was sent for; found her wild with pain. She said she had been subject to headache for five years; had got tired of doctoring. Gave her one drop in a cup of water, teaspoonful in twenty minutes; no more pain. I put ten drops in a two-drachm vial of alcohol, directed her to take one drop when she felt her headache coming on. One year after she wrote her friend it had cured headache; sent thanks to me.

I could give many more cases where the pain is over the entire head, or front head, with a feeling as if the temples would burst or the eyes would burst out of their sockets. I have always used the tincture. I have not noticed any other effect from it; would like to see a proving.

VERBENA HASTATA.

NAT. ORD., Verbenaceæ.

COMMON NAMES, Blue Vervain, Purvain, Wild Hyssop.

PREPARATION.--One part of the fresh plant, in flower, is macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.

(An extract from a paper by Dr. J. N. White, Queen City, Texas, detailing at length the case of a five-year-old boy, who, after six weeks of whooping cough, developed epileptic symptoms, having as high as twelve spasms in twenty-four hours. After two months of treatment with such remedies as _Solanum Car._, _Sulphonal_, _Hyoscyamus_, _Cannabis Ind._, _Calomel_, _Zinc_, etc., with no results, the case was given _Verbena hastata_. Another doctor was in consultation and we quote:)

I told my friend (the Doctor) that when he became satisfied with the zinc treatment I wanted to try another eclectic remedy. (The Doctor was an allopath.) He was perfectly willing and I put him on _Verbena hastata_, 12 minims every four hours, skipping the dose at midnight. After we both took the case we decided, as there were no curative properties in the sulfonal, we would drop it, and not use anything to control the paroxysms, and consequently the boy seemed to get worse to the parents, as he would have several falling spells a day. From the first dose of the _Verbena hastata_ the boy began to improve. He would have contractions of the muscles of the arms and legs and look wild for a minute or more for the first week, but after that he never had another symptom. We kept him on the medicine, as above, for six weeks, and now he takes twelve drops three times a day.

He has not had any symptom in over two months, and all that wild vacant look is gone, and he plays, eats, sleeps, etc., as if he had never been troubled with epilepsy.

VISCUM ALBUM.

NAT. ORD., Loranthaceæ.

COMMON NAME, Mistletoe.

PREPARATION.--One part of the fresh leaves and berries is macerated in twice its weight of alcohol.

(The following account of this ancient remedy was published in the _Allgemeine Hom. Zeitung_, 1886:)

_The Grand Universal Panacea of the old Gauls and Germans._--By _Dr. v. Gerstel_, of Regensburg.--This parasite shrub belongs to the 22d class, Linné, is found on various trees, and was prized above all others as a healing remedy in the Gallic and German antiquity. The Druids--their priests--were at the same time naturalists, metaphysicians, doctors and sorcerers, and to the mistletoe growing on oaks were ascribed, above all other plants, marvelous healing powers. That the oak mistletoe was prized above all those growing on fruit or other trees, as a remedy, may be due to the fact that in ancient times all oaks and oak groves were regarded with a holy veneration, being considered the favorite abodes of the old German deities. The mistletoe growing on oaks was therefore venerated by the ancient Gauls and Germans as the holiest of heaven-sent gifts to mankind. It was applied in all diseases, and without it no religious service could be conducted. From the Germanic mythology we know that as a priest--a Druid--discovered a mistletoe growing on an oak, he at once called up all the brethren of his order of the neighborhood. They doffed the many-colored garments in daily use, and donned flowing white robes as a sign of humility in the presence of the divine plant. The highest in rank approached the tree provided with a golden sickle, bent his knees, and was then lifted by his companions on high until he could reach the plant. This was then cut with the golden sickle and prepared and preserved for sacred and for healing purposes.

If it could be secured six days after the new moon, the most exhalted healing properties were attributed to it, and it was at once made into a potion which, mixed with the blood of steers that had never done any work and which had been immolated beneath the oaks, formed a draught which brought blessings, fruitfulness, health and prosperity to all who could partake of it.

As at that time, and for a long time after, the origin and propagation of the parasitic plant was unknown, it was surrounded with a magic halo, and by virtue of its undoubted healing qualities, especially in gout, rheumatism, nerve pains of various kinds, neuralgias, especially of the rheumatic and gouty variety, as well as of its close affinity with and influence upon the female sexual system, it was accorded the highest rank among all remedies by the Priestesses, the female Druids.

About the year 1857-58, I passed one year in the town of Steger, in upper Austria, as physician to Prince Lamberg; there I became well acquainted with Dr. W. Huber, at the time physician to the Homoeopathic Hospital of the "Sisters of Mercy," and found in him also an antiquary of considerable learning. His researches brought to his notice in what high veneration the mistletoe was held by the ancient Germans and Gauls and its employment as a universal healing remedy. Dr. Huber, who was a man of unusual intelligence and of high scientific acquirements, desired to learn the true sphere of action of this important remedy, and preparing a mother-tincture from the mistletoe--_lege artis_--he proved the several dilutions on himself and others, men and women, thus truly following the example of Hahnemann and his disciples. I still possess some of this identical tincture as prepared by Dr. Huber, who, I am grieved to say, died suddenly of apoplexy during my sojourn, in the year 1858.