Senega

Senega.

Polygala senega. Seneca Snake-root. N. O. Polygalaceae. Tincture of powdered dried root.

Amblyopia. Ascites. Asthma. Bladder, irritable; catarrh of. Blepharitis ciliaris. Bronchitis. Constipation. Cornea, opacity of. Cough. Enuresis. Facial paralysis. Hay-fever. Hydrothorax. Hypopion. Influenza. Iritis. Oesophagus, stricture of; catarrh of. Phthisis mucosa. Pleurisy. Pneumonia. Snake-bites. Sneezing: fits of; at end of cough. Styes. Throat, sore. Whooping-cough.

Senega was introduced to medical practice by Dr. Tennant, of Virginia, who was led to test its properties through hearing that the Indians used it as an antidote to snake-bites. As it relieved the symptoms of snake venom, Tennant concluded that it might also relieve dyspnoea, cough, and haemoptysis arising from other causes, and gave it with success in cases of pneumonia, pleurisy, and hydro-thorax (Teste). Other old-school practitioners used it as an expectorant in chronic respiratory catarrh, acute phthisis, rheumatic fever, dropsies, incipient cataract, croup.

It is at present regarded as "a stimulant, diaphoretic, and expectorant, especially in chronic bronchitis." It is in affections of the chest, eyes, and bladder that homoeopaths have found it of most service, and the extensive provings have supplied excellent data for prescribing. Teste (who includes Seneg. with Phos. ac., Cham. and Canth. in his Conium group) considers it specially suited to "females of slender and tall make, thin, but having retained a good deal of sprightliness and moral power." He cites this case in which it gave great relief: Lady, 45, had contusion, pressive, sometimes cramping, very old pains in chest, anterior wall of which was sensitive to contact (on both sides); pains at times <, at times > in open air; respiratory mucus at apices feeble, without rhoncus; dyspnoea when walking, and especially when going up stairs; paroxysms of vesicular agitation in chest as if she would faint; catarrhal cough, not very frequent, with ropy, not very profuse expectoration; spitting of red blood now and then; paroxysms of palpitations, during which the rhythm of the heart changed to an almost imperceptible tremor, and which, in some instances, lasted all night, and even longer; menses regular; the palpitation generally took place after the period or in consequence of some moral emotion.

This patient was apparently of the type Teste mentions, and the case shows that the correspondence of type must not be too closely considered, for other observers, including myself, have found Seneg. more suited to plethoric, phlegmatic persons; persons tending to obesity; fat persons of lax fibre; fat, chubby children; and old persons. Senega is one of the sources of Saponin. It has a nauseous taste, and leaves a scraping sensation in the throat. Guernsey outlines its action thus: "Where there is a great burning in the chest, either before or after coughing; profuse secretion of mucus.

Dryness of inner parts which are usually moist; dry skin. General affections of the windpipe; left side of chest particularly; right eye; lower eyelids." Nash (who has only obtained success with low attenuations of Seneg.) has cured many cases of "cough with great accumulation of mucus which seems to fill the chest, with much rattling, wheezing, and difficult breathing." It is especially valuable, he says, with old people, but works well with others. I have used Seneg. only in the 30th, and have found it answer to its indications exceedingly well.

In the case of a very stout elderly lady, of phthisical family history, who had pneumonia of both bases, especially right, very violent paroxysmal cough, with ropy, difficult expectoration tinged with blood, Seneg. 30 quickly relieved a very dangerous condition when other remedies had failed. Leading indications for Seneg. in chest cases are: (1) Great accumulation of clear albuminous mucus, which is difficult to expel. (2) Great soreness of walls of chest. (3) Pressure on chest as though lungs were forced back to spine.

Whooping-cough in fat, chubby children, clear mucus like white of egg, difficult to raise, cough < towards evening. The soreness of the chest walls makes Seneg. appropriate to cases of pleurodynia. There is hoarseness, and the throat is so dry and sensitive it hurts the patient to talk. Cough often ends in sneezing.

Clinton Enos (quoted A. H., xxiv. 253) relates this case: A very fat girl, aet. 10, with cold, damp feet and hands and sweating about the head, had spells of sneezing for two years, ever since whooping-cough. Several spells a day lasting about half an hour. Sharp pains in chest and temples during the attacks.

In nose a large quantity of mucus with stuffed-up feeling. One dose of Seneg. 200 removed the whole trouble in a week. A. R.

Macmichael (N. A. J. H., xl. 824) cured Mrs.

B., 40, of acute Catarrhal laryngitis which had lasted ten days with Seneg. 1. There was hoarseness; hawking of thick, tenacious mucus (profuse, a quart in twenty-four hours) from larynx, especially in morning, with burning sensation. Relief set in within three hours from first dose. Seneg. acts on the eyes even more powerfully than on the nose, producing pains, inflammation both of the exterior and interior of the eye and lids, and much disorder of vision.

The eye troubles are < when looking intently at an object; and another modality brought out in the proving has taken the rank of a keynote: > Bending head backwards. The symptom in which it was first noticed was this: "When walking towards the setting sun he seemed to see another smaller sun hover below the other, assuming a somewhat oval shape when looking down, disappearing on bending the head backwards, and on closing the eyes." The prover took from 40 to 60 drops of the tincture.

"< Bending head forward" and "< stooping" are scarcely less characteristic. Eye symptoms as an accompaniment of head symptoms indicate Seneg.: "Violent rush of blood to head when stooping, especially to eyeballs, where a painful pressure is experienced." Extreme tenderness is another note of Seneg.: "A sort of aching pain in head, in sinciput, and occiput, not < by pressure; < sitting in warm room; accompanied with pressure in eyes, which did not bear touch." Pressure; dulness; heaviness are the leading head sensations.

There is painful sensitiveness of hearing. The digestive organs are disordered. Seneg. has been used as an emetic. The urinary organs are very prominently affected, irritability and catarrh being the leading effects.

There is frequent urging, scalding in urethra before or after micturition, and the urine is loaded with mucous threads. Peculiar Sensations of Seneg. are: Eyes, as if they were pressed out; as if eyeballs were being expanded; as if soap in eyes. As if red pepper throughout nostrils and air passages. As if chest too narrow.

Dyspnoea as from stagnation in lungs. As if lungs pushed back to spine. As if chest would burst. Wrist as if sprained.

Joints as if lame. Seneg. has the gnawing hunger and empty feeling well marked. It is predominantly left-sided in its action. The symptoms are < by touch and pressure (but pressure on left side >).

< Rubbing. Most symptoms < rest; > walking in open air. Rest > dry cough.

Lying down = tickling in larynx; fear of suffocation. Lying on right side = pain in chest. Motion = pain under sternum. Motion of arms = soreness of walls of chest.

< Going up stairs. Stepping hard, walking fast, or running = pain through mediastinum; piercing pain between scapulae. > Bending head back. < Stooping; bending forward.

< Morning; and night. Whooping cough < towards evening. < In warm air; in warm room. Lachrymation, sore chest.

Cough and chilliness < in open or cold air. Sweat >. < Looking intently at an object.

Antidoted by: Bry.; also Arn., Bell., Camph. Followed well by: Calc., Pho., Lyc., Sul. Compare: Saponin (a derivative of Senega root). In bronchial affections, Ammon.

Fat, plethoric people disposed to catarrhs, Calc. Muscular asthenopia, loss of voice, paralysis (facial, &c.), Caust. Laryngeal and pulmonary catarrh, Pho. Bronchial catarrh, Spo.

Whooping-cough, Coc. c., K. bi. (Seneg. clear phlegm, cough < towards evening; Coc. c. clear phlegm < morning; K. bi. yellow phlegm < morning).

Pleurodynia, pleurisy, Bry. Mucous phthisis, Stn.

Bites, poisonous. Sprains.

The teeth are set on edge.—Digging in the teeth during inspiration (of damp and cold air).

Menses too soon; has to press her l. side at tenth rib to relieve gnawing pain.—Slimy leucorrhoea.

Where there is great burning in chest, either before or after coughing; profuse secretion of mucus Dryness of inner parts which are usually moist: dry skin Diseases of mucous membranes Dropsy of internal organs (esp. after inflammation)

Inflammation of internal organs General affections of windpipe; l. side of chest particularly; r. eye; lower eyelids; < from looking fixedly at any object for a long time Sensation of great general lassitude, with trembling, esp. in lower limbs

Great moral and physical depression, with stretching of limbs, heaviness, emptiness, and throbbing in head Great weakness, which seems to proceed from the chest Fainting, when walking in open air Several symptoms, esp. those of chest, are < by repose, and > by walking in open air.

Bites of poisonous animals or animals when in a state of rage.