Sarsaparilla Officinalis
Sarsaparilla · Clarke - Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · John Henry Clarke · 22,090 χαρακτήρες · πηγή ↗
General EN
Sarsaparilla.
Wild Liquorice. The rhizome of several species of Smilax. (The Officinal Sarsae radix is imported from Jamaica.) N. O. Smilaceae (by some classed as a sub-order of the Liliaceae). Triturations and tincture of the dried rhizome.
Clinical EN
Asthma. Bladder, affections of. Bones, affections of. Breast, scirrhus of. Bright's disease. Calculi. Climaxis. Constipation. Dysmenia. Dyspepsia. Dysuria. Enuresis. Eruptions. Eyes, affections of. Faintness. Glands, enlarged. Gonorrhoea. Gout. Gravel. Hands, chapped.
Headache EN
Hernia.
Herpes; of prepuce.
Hiccough.
Intermittents.
Marasmus.
Masturbation, effects of.
Melancholia.
Mercury, abuse of.
Mycosis.
Nipples, retracted.
Plica polonica.
Renal colic.
Rhagades.
Rheumatism; gonorrhoeal.
Seborrhoea.
Spermatic cords, swelling of.
Spermatorrhoea.
Strangury.
Syphilis.
Ulcers.
Warts.
Characteristics EN
The dried root or rhizome of Sarsaparilla, as imported, is of the thickness of a goose quill, many feet in length, reddish brown, scentless, mucilaginous in taste, feebly bitterish, faintly acrid. According to Milne it is "diaphoretic, tonic, alterative. . . . It is given in scrofula and secondary syphilis; and the concomitants of these diseases, such as ulcers, cutaneous eruptions, nodes, indurated glands, caries, necroses, articular swellings, and rheumatism, often improve under a protracted course of it." Some, he adds, "think it a kind of restorative after an exhausting course of Mercury." This well summarises the ancient reputation of Sars. as a "blood purifier," which Hahnemann's proving has amplified and put on a fixed scientific basis.
Sars. meets the sycotic as well as the psoric (scrofulous) and syphilitic constitution; and it is "restorative" after over-dosing with Merc. because it is a homoeopathic antidote to Merc. The chief localities of the action of Sars. are: The urinary organs; genitals; rectum; skin and bones; right lower extremity; right lower side; inner semilateral head. In the urinary sphere there are symptoms which are very severe and also peculiar: There is great pain at end of micturition, just as the urine ceases to flow; inability to pass water freely except in the standing position, when sitting it only dribbles; excessive pain in urethra which may run back into abdomen; passage of gravel which looks like grey sand.
Many cases of renal colic and dysuria in infants with passage of sand have been cured with Sars. Gonorrhoea and the effect of suppressed gonorrhoea have also been cured with it; herpes preputialis; spermatorrhoea, with swollen cords. In the female generative sphere it has many symptoms of painful and disordered menstruation. A peculiar symptom is "moist eruption in right groin before menses." There are moist eruptions also on scrotum and thighs of the male, and offensive odours about genitals in both sexes.
The semen may be bloody. In all cases if the other symptoms are associated with the peculiar urinary symptoms of Sars., this will be a strong corroborative indication. The skin is severely affected by Sars. One of its popular uses is for "clearing the complexion." When it succeeds it is by virtue of its homoeopathicity, for I have seen a very extensive crop of blotches produced by it in a young lady.
Sars. produces herpetic eruptions in all parts, and tettery eruptions, moist and dry. Rhagades. Itch-like eruptions prone to appear in spring. Itching eruption on forehead during menses.
It causes great emaciation, causing the skin to be shrivelled and lie in folds. It is suited to children with faces like old people and enlarged abdomens; to dark-haired persons of lithic or sycotic diathesis. Farrington gives these indications: (1) Sycotic eruption, little spots scarcely raised above the skin, often scaling a little, but looking like the roseola of syphilis and itching intolerably, < in spring. (2) Moist eruption on scalp, the pus from which causes inflammation of any part it touches.
(3) Sycotic headache, beginning at back of head, coming forward and settling at root of nose, with swelling of nose. (4) Moist eruption about genitals or between scrotum and thighs Sars. has many symptoms relative to the female breast, and scirrhus of the breast has been cured with it. The nipples are soft, unexcitable; they are retracted and cannot be made to come out.
Retraction of the nipples is a suspicious sign even when there is no appearance of tumour; and Sars. should be helpful in patients of cancerous history when this condition is present. This shrivelling of the nipples is part of the shrivelling, withering, wrinkling, and hanging in folds which characterises the skin generally. Burnett (H. W., xv. 62) records the case of Miss X., 32, whom he found ill in bed and in great pain.
There was vomiting of bitter matter, diarrhoea, and fainting, the initial stage of a painful period. Conjunctivae yellow, and apparently a sharp upset of the liver. Card. m. Ø removed the pains and vomiting; Chel. 1 relieved tenderness of the liver which remained.
The patient had had painful menses for twenty years, that is, continuously from the commencement, except one year when at school at Tunbridge Wells. She used to begin, generally early in the morning, with bitter vomiting; diarrhoea and fainting fits, with exceedingly cold perspiration; the pain in back, thighs, and hypogastrium she described as dreadful. She had to lie down the first day, the second day the pain continued still very bad, and went off on the third. The left nipple was considerably retracted, arising from a fall when patient was a little child, and in addition to the above-named symptoms she had severe pain in left breast extending down left arm, and the breast was so tender that she would often hold her hand in front of it to ward off any contact.
Twenty-four powders, each containing Sars 30 gtt. i., were ordered, one at bedtime. The next flow was painless; but the breast was as painful as ever. Twelve doses of Sul. 30 were given in as many days, and then Sars. 30 again. The painful menstruation remained cured, but the breast was unchanged.
Twenty-four powders were now ordered, the first, twelfth, and eighteenth containing each ten globules of Sars. 100, the rest unmedicated. Patient reported: The first two or three weeks she thought she had taken a severe cold, as she had such a peculiar pain between the shoulders as if the flesh were taken hold of and twisted round. After a few days it got better, and "there has been scarcely any pain in the part since." The retraction of the nipple seemed to Burnett a little less.
With the same remedy Skinner (ibid.) cured many cases of retraction or flattening of the nipple in nursing women. On two occasions with high potencies of Sars. he enabled a lady to nurse her child when it was utterly hopeless without the simillimum. Peculiar Sensations are: As if in a dream. As of a great weight in head.
Buzzing as if a large bell had been struck in head. As if he had been hit with a hammer on top of head. As if something pressing on head. As if gauze spread over left eye.
As if a grain of sand in eye. As of a needle pricking point of nose. Face as if bruised. Jaw as if being broken.
As if he had eaten nothing. [Sars. has the "sinking" sensation of the great antipsorics.] As if diarrhoea would come on. As if bowels were pressed out. As if bound down to bed by a sort of suction. As if breath were stopped by a spasm.
Breast-bone as if bruised. As if chest were too short. As if tips of fingers ulcerated, or as if salt were put on a wound. Limbs as if paralysed.
There is general sensitiveness. Pains shoot in different directions. Anxiety accompanies the pains of Sars.; and the pains = depression. The symptoms are < by touch, pressure, tight clothes, scratching.
Scratching = itching to begin in another place = eruption on forehead to become humid. Rest >, motion <. Lying down < asthmatic breathing. Sitting <.
Standing > (difficult micturition). Stooping = pains from occiput to forehead. Walking <. < Going up (or down) stairs.
Many symptoms are < on moving. < In spring. Warmth >. Warm diet <.
Cold diet >. Warm room < vertigo. Entering cold air from warm room = rash. Cold air > pain in molars.
Cold, wet weather <. Washing <. Chilliness <. Seminal emission < dim sight.
Bread <. Yawning <.
Relations EN
Antidoted by: Bell., Merc. It antidotes: Merc. Compatible: Cep., Hep., Pho., Rhus, Sep., Sul. Complementary: Merc., Sep.
Compare: In sycosis; warts, Thuj., Nit. ac. Herpes, Nat. m., Petr. "Gone" feeling, Sep. Emaciation, Abrot., Iod., Nat., Sanic.
Dry, flabby skin, Bar. c., Op. Pain at end of urination, Berb., Equis., Med., Thuj. Urine passed without sensation (unknown to patient), Caust. Sand on diaper; child screams before and whilst urinating, Brx., Lyc.
Excruciating pains from right kidney downwards, Lyc., Ocim. Nipples withered, unexcitable, Sil. Itching eruption on forehead during menses, Eug. j., Sang., Pso. Bloody emissions, Led.
Merc., < Going up or down stairs; > on level, Can. s. (Brx. < going down stairs).
Faintness during or connected with stool, Ap., Nx. m., Pul., Spi., Ver. (with scanty stool, Crot. t., Dulc., Ox. ac., Pet., Sul.). Swelling of spermatic cords from unrequited sexual excitement, Mag. mur. Antidotes to Merc., Bell., Camph., Carb. v., Chi., Dulc., Electric., Hep., Hyo.
(loss of voice), Lach., Lyc., Op., Mez., Nit. ac., Sep., Sil., Sul. Stench on genitals, Merc., Sanic. (Sanic. of fish brine), Plica polonica; right side; distension after eating a little, Lyc. > Cold diet, Pho.
> Loosening cravat, Lach. Flickering before eyes with headache, Ir. v., K. bi.
Mind EN
Anxiety, with trembling of the feet
The mental depression is caused by the pains; anxiety also occurs after seminal emissions
Thinking about the food he has eaten = nausea
Despondency, gloominess, amounting to despair
Moroseness and ill-humour, with inclination to work, but unfitness for exertion
Irascibility and susceptibility
Fickleness (changeable disposition)
Impatient; thinks she cannot bear the headache; child cannot bear the itching.
Head EN
Vertigo after gazing fixedly on an object for some time
Vertigo, with nausea and sour risings
Heaviness in head
Dull, stupid feeling, cannot keep mind fixed on study
Staggers, falls forward in open air
Headache with nausea and sour vomiting
Lancinating or pressive headache, or else pressive and lancinating at same time
Pressing and stitching pains in l. side of head
Semilateral spasmodic pains in head, as if head were squeezed in a vice, with cloudiness of eyes or flickering, necessity to lie down, and vibration in brain at every word that is uttered
Inner semilateral head, either side; old neuralgic headaches
Neuralgic headache, r. side, throbbing, stitching, starting from occiput.—(Headache which = jerking of head to one side and screaming
Griggs.)
Sensation as of tight band around head and forehead, which is very painful; as if the hat were too tight, has to remove it often and involuntarily, but without relief
Sound in the head as if a bell were striking, when talking
Throbbing pains in head
Noise and buzzing in head
Pressive and incisive, or pressive, lancinating drawing and tearing pains in exterior of head, < by touch and by walking
Seborrhoea cured by decoction (R.
T.
C.)
Sensibility of scalp
Falling off of hair
Plica polonica.
Eyes EN
Pains in eyes, caused by daylight
Aching in eyes, esp. in evening when reading by candle-light
Shootings in eyes
Burning sensation in eyes and lids
Stinging in eyes on closing lids, violent pain when closed eyes are pressed on
Quivering of r. upper lid
Itch-like eruption on lids
Agglutination of lids in morning
Red stripe from cornea to outer canthus
Internal canthi blue and swollen
Cloudiness before eyes, like a fog;
< after emissions
A red colour is reflected from white paper in evening
Flickering before eyes with headache
Halo round candle.
Ears EN
Shootings in ears
Shooting pains from l. ear to root of nose
Contraction and pressure in ears
Burning, itching scabs on lobes of ear
Tinkling and ringing in ears.
Nose EN
Epistaxis
Scabious eruption upon, under, and in nose
Dry coryza and obstruction of nose
Very thick mucus in nose
Base of nose and eyes swollen
R. nostril stopped up and scabby
Pain in nose, inflamed spots on septum.
Face EN
Face yellow, wrinkled, old-looking
Pimples
Facial eruption
Itching eruption on forehead, with burning sensation, and oozing after having scratched
Rough, pale-red spots on forehead
Thick scabs on the face (like milk crust)
Rigidity and tension in masseters and maxillary joints
Herpes on upper lip
Purulent and itching vesicles on chin.
Teeth EN
Toothache, with drawing tearings, from a cold current of air or from cold drinks
Upper teeth sensitive, set on edge
Tearing in gums
Gums swollen, with pain as from excoriation.
Mouth EN
Dryness of mouth
Aphthae on tongue and palate
Offensive breath.
Throat EN
Sore throat (r. side), with shooting pain during deglutition
Spasmodic pressure at throat, like strangulation, with obstructed respiration; must loosen cravat
Dryness and roughness in throat, esp. in morning
Accumulation of viscid mucus in throat
Trichotomous ulcers after suppression of plica polonica.
Appetite EN
Want of appetite
Bitter, or acid and clammy, or else sweetish, metallic, and herbaceous taste
Bread has a bitter taste
Insipidity of food
After a meal sensation of emptiness in stomach, as while fasting, or else disgust when merely thinking of what has been eaten
After eating stomach has no sensation, feels as if he had eaten nothing
After eating a little, distended as if he had eaten much.—< From warm diet, > from cold
Drinking water = vomiting
Thirst, esp. for water, also in morning.
Stomach EN
Risings and regurgitations, esp. during and after a meal, generally bitter or sour
Belching; with diarrhoea
Hiccough 6 p.m
Frequent or continued nausea, with fruitless inclination to vomit
Sour vomitings
Constrictive pains in stomach
Aching at pit of stomach
Heat and burning sensation in stomach, esp. after eating bread.
Abdomen EN
Contusive pain in the l. hypochondrium
Shootings in the l. hypochondrium
Great sensibility of the abdomen to external pressure
Constrictive and spasmodic pains in the intestines
Cutting pains, esp. in the umbilical region
Shootings in sides of abdomen, esp. in l. side
Severe tension in r. groin
Pinching in l. groin
Hernia
Soreness in bend of r. groin on appearance of menses
Sensation of coldness, or heat and burning sensation in abdomen
Sensation of emptiness and borborygmi in abdomen
Rumbling and fermenting in abdomen; expulsion of much fetid flatus
Inertia of intestines.
Stool And Anus EN
Hard, retarded, and scanty faeces, often with urgent want to evacuate
Painful, difficult evacuations, with contractive pains in the abdomen and violent downward pressure
Obstinate constipation, with frequent want to urinate
Pitchy, sticky, adhesive stools
Blood with Stool
Loose, acrid, corrosive evacuations, with pains in abdomen
Fainting during an evacuation
Pain as from excoriation, and burning itching in anus
Wakened in night with sore pain in anus, which changes into a (burning) itching which lasts all day.
Urinary Organs EN
Diminished secretion of urine
Frequent discharge of pale, copious urine
Tenesmus, with pressure on bladder, and discharge of a white and turbid matter, mixed with mucus
Frequent and ineffectual want to urinate, or with scanty emission
Frequent urination with hard stool
Burning while urine passes with discharge of elongated flakes
Frequent and profuse emission of pale urine, day and night, often without any sensation in urinary organs
Turbid urine, like clay water
Fiery, scanty, red urine
Thread-like flakes in urine
Blood in urine towards the end of an emission (after which the pain, when urinating, abates)
Urine charged with gravel or small pebbles.—(Nephritic calculi.)
Where the patient has gravel, and there is considerable deposit in the urine which looks like grey sand; also pus in urine
Great pain just as the urine ceases to flow; excessive pain in urethra which may run back into abdomen
The infant cries before and during micturition, passes large quantities of sand
Can pass urine only when standing; when he sits it dribbles
Burning sensation in urethra during every urination.—(Burning in urethra with incontinence of urine, < in daytime, < when urine is high-coloured, and < after drinking beer
Much scalding up urethra while urinating, urine high-coloured with lithates, enuresis day and night
R.
T.
C.)
Cramps in bladder, with contractive pain
Stones in the bladder
Discharge of pus from the urethra, as in gonorrhoea
Jerking sensation along male urethra
Pain at meatus urinarius with women.
Male Sexual Organs EN
Fetid exhalation from genital organs
Inflammation and redness of glans.—(Blennorrhoea)
Herpes on the prepuce
Desire for coition, with frequent and painful pollutions
Bloody pollutions; spermatic cords swollen, sexual excitement makes them ache and sensitive
Swelling of cords from unrequited sexual excitement
Bad effects from gonorrhoea suppressed by Mercury
Old dry sycotic warts remaining after mercurial treatment for gouty pains.
Female Sexual Organs EN
Catamenia retarded, scanty, and acrid; very copious, even to haemorrhage (in an old maid)
During menses, want to urinate, excoriation between thighs, pinchings in abdomen, and squeezing, as if by a claw, in loins and pit of stomach
Dysmenorrhoea, began in morning, with bitter vomiting, diarrhoea, and fainting fits, with exceedingly cold sweats; l. breast so tender held her hand in front of it to avoid contact
Mucous leucorrhoea
Leucorrhoea: on walking; pain at meatus urinarius after urinating
Climaxis: asthma < lying down; back pains < by pressure
Suppuration of breasts
Nipples retracted; shrivelled, insensitive, not irritable.
Respiratory Organs EN
Violent cough from a tickling sensation of ulceration in gullet, or from a roughness in throat
Short and obstructed respiration
Violent dyspnoea and choking from a sensation of constriction in throat, and which forces the removal of all clothing from throat and chest.
Chest EN
Spasmodic oppression of chest
Frequent recurrence of deep respiration
Sensation as if a foreign body had stopped in the back on taking a full inspiration
Pressure on chest, often with shortness of breath
Pressive pain on sternum, < by touching it
Shooting in sides of chest, which often forces patient to bend double
Tensive pain in exterior of chest, as from contraction, on rising up.
Heart EN
Palpitation of the heart.
Neck And Back EN
Painful pressure and tension in back and nape of neck, with lancinations on least movement of trunk or head
Lancinations between shoulder-blades and in muscles of neck
Stitches in back through into chest on least motion
Swelling on one side of neck, painful to touch
Contusive pain in loins, esp. while stooping, and afterwards
Pains from small of back down spermatic cords;
< at night and from motion; after emissions
Tingling in loins
Tensive pain from loins to hips on least movement.
Limbs EN
Paralytic tearing in all joints and limbs, often accompanied by trembling of hands and feet, painful tearings in head, and pinchings in abdomen
Rigidity and immobility of limbs
Lassitude in the hands and feet.
Upper Limbs EN
Tearings and pressive shootings in arms, forearms, and joints of hands and fingers (principally on motion)
Sweating of hands
Herpes on hands
Numbness of fingers
Pain in tips of fingers (bruised and sore), as from subcutaneous ulceration
Purulent vesicles on fingers
Deep rhagades in skin of fingers (with burning pains).
Lower Limbs EN
Affections of any kind in general, appearing in r. lower extremity; r. lower side (H.
N.
G.)
Pressive tearing and shooting in thighs, knees, and legs
Lassitude in thighs and knee-joints
Swelling and stiffness of knees, with shootings
Red, herpetic spots on calves
Rigidity of legs, as from contraction
Cramps in legs and calves of the legs
Drawing tearing in r. big toe
Painful pressive throbbing and throbbing-shooting inner side r. sole, later on whole sole when sitting
Painful sensibility of soles
Tension and swelling of feet, with heat and redness
Coldness of feet, esp. before going to bed.
Generalities EN
Shooting, tearing, pressive pains.—Darting, pricking sensation in bones.—Paralytic tearing in all joints and limbs, often accompanied by trembling of hands and feet, painful tearings in head and pinchings in abdomen.—Arthritic pains (after taking cold in the water; from suppressed gonorrhoea), with diminished secretion of urine.—Rigidity and immobility of the limbs.—Hot and dense swellings.—Great lassitude, esp. in lower limbs.—Lassitude in the hands and feet.—Emaciation.—The pains cause depression of spirits.
Skin EN
Itching, sometimes over whole body, esp. in evening, in bed, and in morning when rising
Red and dry pimples, which itch only when body is warm
Miliary eruption on going into fresh air from a warm room
Nettle-rash
Fine rash on skin of forehead
Exanthema like milk crust
Purulent vesicles
Ulcers after abuse of Mercury
Skin slow to heal
Herpes on almost all parts of body (esp. on prepuce)
Warts
Many little warts.—(Horses lose hair with eruptions.)
Shrivelled skin
Great emaciation, the skin becomes shrivelled or it lies in folds
Deep, burning, painful rhagades (on fingers).
Sleep EN
Complaints concomitant to yawning.—< When yawning
Sleep early in evening
Nocturnal sleeplessness and frequent waking
Frightful dreams with frequent starts.
Fever EN
Shiverings night and day
Chilliness predominating, day and night)
Coldness, even near the fire, over whole body, except face and chest, but principally in feet
Rigor, mostly in forenoon, running from feet upwards
Heat in the evening, with ebullition of blood, palpitation of heart, and perspiration (only) on forehead.