Rhododendron Ferrugineum

Rhododendron.

Rhododendron chrysanthum. Siberian Rhododendron. Yellow Snow-rose. N. O. Ericaceae. Tincture of fresh leaves.

Amenorrhoea. Asthenopia. Bone, pains in. Bunions. Chorea. Ciliary neuralgia. Coryza. Delirium. Diarrhoea. Diphtheritic paralysis. Earache. Epistaxis. Eyes, affections of. Fever. Flatulence, incarcerated. Gums, itching of. Hydrocele. Lienteria. Lumbago. Memory, weak. Neuralgia. Nightmare. Ovary, cyst of. Rheumatism. Spleen, pain in. Sprains. Stiff-neck. Testes, affections of. Tinnitus. Toothache. Vagina, Cysts in. Wrists, pains in.

The golden-flowered Rhododendron is not much known in general medicine, but the Treasury of Botany says of it that "it is narcotic in its properties and is used medicinally." Growing among the fogs and storms of the Siberian mountains; its provings (by Seidel, Wahle, Herzog, Helbig, and others) show that it produces sensitiveness to storms and weather changes; and this gives the grand keynote of its use in medicine. Rhod. disturbs all parts of the economy, producing delirium, fever, headache, neuralgias (earache, toothache), rheumatism, and inflammations, but the chief determining characteristic is that the symptoms come on or are < on the approach of a storm; during a storm; or in wet weather.

Sensitiveness to electric changes. It is suited to nervous persons who dread a storm, and are particularly afraid of thunder; < before the storm; affections which come on in the spring and autumn, the seasons of change. This is the chief modality, and will be found in some degree present in a large number of cases requiring Rhod.

But Rhod. has other characteristics. Among these is loss of memory: Words are omitted while writing; sudden disappearance of thought; forgets what he is talking about, has to think awhile before he can recall it. Vertigo and confusion, "brain feels as if surrounded by fog." The narcotic reputation of Rhod. is borne out in the provings, for it produced actual intoxication, and also made the provers extraordinarily sensitive to the action of wine. Vertigo occurs whilst lying in bed, and is > by moving about.

An intense degree of tinnitus aurium was caused by it, and this, associated with the vertigo, gives Rhod. a place in Ménière's disease. A Peculiar Symptom is: "Loud sounds re-echo long in ears." Like the other Ericaceae, Rhod. has a strong effect on the kidneys, producing increased urine, with offensive smell, clear, brown red, or of greenish tinge, and, whatever colour it may be, of offensive smell. This offensive smell reappears in the axillary sweat. But the general sweat may be aromatic in odour and not unpleasant.

"Formication with sweat" is characteristic. Rhod. sets up diarrhoea; and also a paralytic condition of the rectum, so that an effort is required to expel a soft stool. Pains in rectum extend to genitals; and the male generative organs experience the most intense action of the drug. The scrotum shrinks; testes are retracted; or else they swell (especially at night), and are the seat of a bruised pain, as if they had been crushed violently.

These pains are < by touch; < sitting; > moving about. They may be so violent as to arrest breathing.

The menses are too early and too profuse; the menses are always accompanied by fever and headache. Menses reappear soon after they have ceased. In one prover Rhod. restored the menses after six months' absence. It has cured cysts in the vagina, and has caused the rupture of an ovarian cyst.

Chorea of left leg, arm, and face, < on approach of a storm, has been cured by it. The paralysing effect of Rhod. was exemplified by the poisoning of a flock of sheep from eating the leaves. A number of them died immediately after the administration of stimulants, and the autopsy showed that cause of death was paralysis of the swallowing muscles (T. C.

Collings, quoted H. W., xxix. 158). Cooper cites a parallel case of death from post-diphtheritic paralysis affecting the throat muscles, occurring a few minutes after drinking tea. In both instances the fluid entered the trachea instead of the gullet and caused suffocation.

Both sides are affected by Rhod. Symptoms frequently alternate: left and right nostril; burning in uterus and pains in limbs; chilliness and heat. Pains go from within outward. H.

S. Budd (H. R., xv. 300) relates the case of Mrs. X., 44, married ten years, three children.

Neuralgia for three years. Attacks occur usually on Friday or Saturday and last till Monday or Tuesday, but are induced any time by high winds, damp weather, or an approaching storm. Ammonol, Phenacetin, Antikamnia, had all failed, and Passif. only partly relieved, sometimes enabling patient to get sleep. The pain was < after hard work; during any movement; in very cold weather; from hot applications.

Intense soreness all over right half of head. Cannot rest on pillow or endure even lightest hairpins when pain is worst. < At night. Intensely nervous and hysterical at being touched, even by accident.

During pain increased activity of kidneys, ceasing when pain ceases. Pain greatest in right lower jaw. Sometimes > for an hour by chewing gum or eating. Afraid of thunder.

Omits words when writing. Rhod. 16x every hour was given on May 12th. Each dose caused immediate <. Next morning pains stopped suddenly and did not return.

On June 7th there was a premonitory twinge, and A powder of Rhod. 1m was given, after which there was complete immunity. E. V. Moffat (quoted Am.

H., xxiii. 268) treated a girl, 10, for neuralgia, which had existed for several years. The patient was of marked gouty heredity, and had been treated by leading old-school doctors in New York. She was well during the summer, but suffered intensely during winter. Pains general and shifting, sometimes intercostal, sometimes sciatic; in bad weather never absent.

The last form was prostrating headache, incapacitating her for school work. The eyes were normal. While the sun shone she was comfortable. If it stormed or threatened she was miserable.

If she had a headache on a stormy day and the sun came out, in ten minutes she was relieved, and it returned at once if snow or rain came on. A cold day, especially if damp, was almost as bad as a storm. Rhod. Ø, in repeated and increasing doses, cured in three weeks. Colour, spirits, strength returned, and she no longer minded the weather or missed her school.

Peculiar Sensations are: Brain as if in a fog. Scalp as if bruised. As if a worm in ear. As if water rushing into ear.

As if throat lined with mucus. As from tension under short ribs. Testicle as if violently contused or crushed. As if a fist pressed forcibly against stomach.

As if blood ceased to circulate in arms. As if arms asleep. As if feet and legs asleep. As if heavy weights hanging to feet.

As of subcutaneous ulceration. Undulating sensation arising from abdomen. Warm undulations in heart. Bruised pains.

Pains flying about. Crawling sensations. A Peculiar Symptom in the eyes is: One pupil dilated, the other contracted. There is a splenic stitch on walking fast.

The incarcerated flatus is felt in the hypochondria and small of the back. It is not at all unusual to meet this symptom, "Flatus felt in the back," in cases of flatulent indigestion. "Increased warmth of hands even in cold weather" is another peculiar symptom. The symptoms are < by touch (toothache, testicles, chest—this sensitiveness is general).

Rest <; motion (especially commencing motion) >. (Walking = stitches in spleen; motion < pain in ears; and prosopalgia). Rheumatic pain in shoulder on which he rests; goes off on turning. < Sitting.

> Rising. < Standing. < When writing. < Wind; east wind; rough weather; wet, cold weather; getting wet.

< Before a storm (ciliary neuralgia; pains through eye from head; toothache; diarrhoea; dysentery; pain in deltoids; paroxysmal chorea). > Warmth. > Wrapping up. (But heat in bed < formication of anus; and toothache.) Dry heat >.

< Change. < Thunder. Toothache > whilst and after eating and from warmth. Pain in left side > by eating.

Drinking cold water = pressure at stomach. < Drinking wine; easily intoxicated. Belching >. General sweat >.

< Night; morning in bed and on rising.

Antidoted by: Bry., Camph., Clem., Rhus. Compare: Arbut., Kalm., Led., Uva ursi, and other Ericaceae. < Wet weather; < weather changes, < rest, > motion, Rhus (Rhus affects periosteum more than Rhod.;

Rhod. > commencing motion, Rhus <). < During thunderstorm, Nat. c., Phos., Pso., Sil. < From wine, Zn.

Heat in heart, Croc., Lchn., Op. Orchitis become chronic, indurated testicle, Clem., Puls. (Rhod. has tendency to atrophy; and crushed feeling in testes). Orchitis, crushed sensation, Aur., Cham.

Wandering rheumatism < in wet and stormy weather; right side neuralgia, Kalm. Fibrous deposits in great toe, Colch., Led. (Led. has > by cold). < In stormy, wet weather, Dulc., Nat. s., Nux m.

(Rhod. most before the storm). Diarrhoea from fruit, Rhe. > Wrapping up head, Sil. Sensation of subcutaneous ulceration, Pul., Ran. b.

Bruised pains, Arn., Con. One pupil contracted the other dilated, Cad. s., Phys. Hydrocele, Bry. Intoxication, Querc.

Sounds re-echo, Caust., Pho., Ph. ac., Sars.

Stormy weather. Thunder. Sprains. Eating fruit. Getting wet Catching cold.

Copious accumulation of saliva in mouth, with dryness of gullet and smarting vesicles under tongue.—Greenish coated tongue with bitter, putrid taste.

Scraping in throat; sensation as if lined with mucus.—Constriction and burning sensation in throat.

We think of this remedy chiefly for the sufferings that are < in windy weather, even if the patient be not exposed to it; he may be in bed or in a warm, comfortable room, but the blowing of the wind < the symptoms Tendency to faint in young girls of phthisical tendency who grow rapidly and are upset by thunderstorms (R. T. C.)

Affections in general of the r. upper extremities; r. abdominal ring; l. side of nose; testes; r. lower extremity; inner surface of thigh Serous cysts in vagina Induration or swelling of the testicles, particularly of the r. one Diarrhoea after eating fruit; flatulent colic

Arthritic nodes Dragging up or rooting sensation; crawling of the skin or over the skin like ants; toothache which ceases suddenly, beginning again in two or three hours; feeling of heaviness in stomach after drinking cold water Great dejection and painful weariness after the least exercise Dropsical swellings

Frequent remission of sufferings, and appearance of them generally in morning Sufferings excited or < by cold, damp weather, or by the approach of a storm, as also during repose.