Part 60 (1/2)

This proving is quite long. From it we note the following symptoms: Severe pain in right shoulder joint. Muscular twitching in right leg.

Dull pain under left false ribs. Neuralgic pain in sciatic nerve. Back, lumbar region, stiff and weak. Pain in right knee joint, painful to move and tender to the touch. Weight and oppression of the heart, with gripping feeling as if a hand were squeezing it; the load seemed to lift, with great relief, but came back again. A curious sensation of tickling about the heart. Twinges of pain in the great toes. The last record some days after ceasing the proving reads as follows: ”I think it was the same night as the previously recorded symptoms that I went to bed between 12 and 1 o'clock, and after lying down experienced a curious general tremor through my body, as if all the muscles were in a state of fibrillary contraction; not a single involuntary jerk, nor the continued twitching of the muscle or a portion of one, but a general state affecting the whole body. It lasted until I fell asleep.”

Therapeutically the drug has been used for palsy, ”incompetency and tumultuous distressing cardiac action,” mitral disease, ch.o.r.ea, epilepsy, retention of placenta, catarrhal deafness, menorrhagia, sciatica, rheumatism, periost.i.tis, hydrothorax, and transient deafness.

The Druids sweepingly a.s.serted that it would ”heal all diseases.”

WYETHIA HELENIOIDES.

NAT. ORD., Compositae.

COMMON NAME, Californian compa.s.s plant.

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

(The following, by Dr. J. M. Selfridge, Oakland, Cal., was published in _Pacific Coast Journal of h.o.m.oeopathy_, April, 1899:)

There is probably no State in the Union where there is a greater number of valuable remedies to be found than in the State of California. These remedies are waiting to be proved by those of us who have sufficient enthusiasm and who are willing to take the trouble and make what sacrifice is necessary to accomplish so desirable a result. I know it has been said that we have too many remedies which have not been properly proven. While this is doubtless true, it is equally true that many of the new remedies which have been introduced within the memory of some of us are absolutely indispensable in the treatment of certain forms of disease.

There is another reason why these California remedies should become a part of our armamentarium. It is claimed by Teste and others that where certain forms of disease prevail there, or in that vicinity, the curative remedy may be found.

Again, it has been said that there is a remedy somewhere in nature for every ill to which flesh is heir.

Whether this be true or not, we know there are certain diseases, which, so far as we are aware, are incurable, for the simple reason that we know of no remedy that will control the abnormal conditions. This being true, the incentive ought to be sufficiently great to urge us forward in the line of knowing more than we now know of the wealth of those remedies that lie at our very doors. All we know of these drugs, so far, are mere hints which have been given us by the older inhabitants of the Coast.

Thus, the _Eriodictyon Californic.u.m_ or ”Yerba Santa,” has been suggested for the cure of ”poison oak” and for certain bronchial affections. A partial proving of it was made some years ago under the supervision of the late Dr. Pease, which can be found in ”Allen's Encyclopaedia,” Vol. iv., page 218.

The _Micromeria Dougla.s.si_, or ”Yerba Bueno,” is another plant which should be proved. Many years ago a friend of mine was suffering with a series of boils, when an old ”Spanish woman” directed him to make a tea of this plant. This he did, and cured his boils; but, as the tea had an agreeable taste, he continued to drink it, believing, as some do, ”that if little was good, more was better,” until finally he became so weak he could not continue his work.

It was one of these hints that induced me some years ago to make a proving of _Wyethia Helenioides_, or ”poison weed.” Like many other provings, it was only partial. A schema of it was published in ”Allen's Encyclopaedia,” Vol. x., page 168.

Two years ago an attempt was made to secure additional symptoms, which are given below in the language of the provers, who at that time were members of the ”Organon and Materia Medica Club of the Bay Cities.”

At the time of the proving, the potency and the drug were unknown to the provers.

I. ”June 9th, 1896, began taking----, of which I took a drop in a teaspoonful of water before each meal. First dose 7:35 (did this for four days); 7:45, feels in nose as if about to sneeze; 7:50, sitting quietly, a momentary pain on inside of right foot from instep to the sole; 8:35, stretching and yawning, itching on the left side of the chin; 4:10 P.M., dry sensation in throat, although mucus is abundant; 5:30 P.M., sensation of dryness and tickling on the edges of eyelids, such as I felt when a sty was about to appear; sensation of dryness in throat; 5:35 P.M., a small itching spot on right side of neck; 8 P.M., dryness in throat with abundant mucus.

”June 7th.--7:30 A.M., throat sore; 8:35, tingling in right foot when standing; 11, while in church, sensations of formications in eyelids with lachrymations; 11:25, pain in the right t.e.s.t.i.c.l.e; 3 P.M., despondent; P.M., pain on top of right shoulder midway between neck and point of shoulder; motion does not affect it.

”June 8th.--Before breakfast, lips feel dry, back of throat (posterior wall of pharynx) sore, increased flow of tasteless saliva; 10:30, pain in left ear, itching in left external canthus; 1:30 P.M., mouth full of sweetish saliva; at lunch bit tongue severely; 9:30 P.M., mouth feels dry and as if scalded, with desire to drink frequently in order to moisten it.

”June 9th.--Scalded mouth continues.

”June 12th.--6 A.M., lips feel scalded and swollen.

”June 17th.--Itching in r.e.c.t.u.m.

”July 4th.--10 A.M., headache in left anterior part of brain, as if radiated from left inner canthus; 12:30, headache in left occipital protuberance.

”For several nights waken frequently and too early in the morning, without any disagreeable consequences.