Cantharis Vesicatoria
Cantharis · Clarke - Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · John Henry Clarke · 15,089 chars · source ↗
General
Cantharis.
Cantharis vesicator. Lytta vesicator. Spanish fly. N. O. Insecta, Coleoptera. Tincture or trituration of living insects.
Clinical
Bladder affections. Burns. Chordee. Diphtheria. Dysentery. Eczema. Emissions. Erotomania. Erysipelas. Eyes, inflammation of. Gastritis. Gonorrhoea. Herpes zoster. Hydrophobia. Kidneys, affections of. Mania. Neuralgia. Nymphomania. Ovaries, affections of. Peritonitis. Pleurisy. Pregnancy, disorders of. Retained placenta. Satyriasis. Scarlatina. Spermatorrhoea. Strangury. Thirst. Throat, sore. Tongue, inflammation of. Urine, abnormal. Vesication of skin.
Characteristics
Cantharis belongs to the animal kingdom and finds its most prominent sphere of action in exciting the animal passions. There is anger in a very acute degree amounting to paroxysms of rage; and a corresponding condition of the bodily tissues. The word "irritation" best expresses the totality of the Cantharis effects. The pains are burning, and sharp, lancinating along the course of a nerve.
Neuralgia of head and face from taking cold, with loud screams and jerking of muscles. The slightest touch or approach aggravates the mental symptoms. Violent spasms reproduced by touching larynx. There is also < from dazzling objects and by water—completing the hydrophobia picture.
It may be well to remember in this connection the violent erotic action of Canth., for many have maintained that rabies only arises among domesticated animals where sexual functions are under more or less abnormal conditions. Guernsey gives as the special indications in hydrophobia: "Moaning and violent cries, interspersed with barking." Canth. produces amorous frenzy, unbounded sexual desire; also sexual erethism and excitability. It acts on the brain, producing inflammation of the tissues.
The eyes are bright, pupils widely dilated. Erysipelas commencing in nose. The face is generally pale or yellowish, with an expression of deep-seated suffering. There is diphtheritic inflammation of throat, severe burning, constriction; thirst, with aversion to drinking.
The stomach is inflamed. Pain in abdomen colic-like, doubling the patient up, cutting, burning, lancinating. Dysenteric stools with tenesmus. In the genito-urinary region the most intense action is developed.
There is extreme superficial sensitiveness in hypogastrium (especially when the bladder is full), attended with unbearable tenesmus vesicae. Cutting, burning pains from the kidney down to urethra. Strangury. Can pass only a few drops, like molten lead.
Irritation of all grades. The sexual appetite is aroused to the point of mania. Coitus does not always reduce it. On the skin and serous membranes the irritating effects of the remedy are equally pronounced.
Pleurisy with effusion has been cured by the remedy given internally. Burning, stitches, shooting pains and exudation are the indications. So the fly-blister treatment of olden days had more to say for itself than those who used it knew. Vesication is the note of its effects on the skin and indicates its use in burns of the first degree, erysipelas, blisters.
In burns the part may be treated with a lotion containing a few drops of the tincture to the ounce of water, a dilution being given internally. An ointment made with the 3x is a good application for herpes zoster. H. N.
Guernsey observed that Canth. is almost always the remedy for whatever other sufferings there may be, when there is as well frequent micturition with burning, cutting pain; or if cutting burning pain attends the flow, even when micturition is not very frequent. Guernsey also pointed out that Canth. should be studied in treating affections of the air-passages when the mucus is tenacious. Nash records a case in which this observation led him to make a pretty cure. Kali bich. had completely failed to relieve a lady who had suffered long from bronchitis.
The mucus was profuse, tenacious, and ropy. One day the patient mentioned that she had great cutting and burning on urinating, which she was obliged to do very frequently. Canth, made a rapid cure. Canth. has cured a case of malarial cachexia in which the symptoms were always < when the urine was scanty.
"Burning" runs through the Canth. pathogeneses in a very striking way. Another marked feature of the remedy is its effect in increasing the secretions of membranes. Canth. "expels moles, dead fetus, placentae; promotes fecundity" (Guernsey).
The < is: from drinking; from coffee; from drinking cold water; whilst urinating; after urinating; from touch. > From rubbing; from warm applications.
Relations
Antidotes: Camph. antidotes the strangury and retention of urine of Canth., Apis the cystitis, Kali nit. the renal symptoms. For its throat symptoms it is nearest to Capsicum. Other antidotes: Acon., Lauro., Puls. Canth. is antidote to: Camph., Vinegar, Alcohol.
Compatible: Bell., Merc., Pho., Pul., Sep., Sul. Incompatible: Coffea. Compare: Doryph., Coccus cact., Coccionella, Apis, Bell., Bry., Can. s. (more burning and smarting;
Canth. more tenesmus); Petros. (sudden urging); Caps;
Puls. (retained placenta); Ars. (delayed urination after parturition);
Thuja (erections; those of Canth. prevent urination; those of Thuja do not); Merc. (semen mixed with blood); Sarsapar.
(urine burns like fire, shreddy particles and blood in it); Arum, Arn., Rhus, Ranunc. scel. (Teste classes Canth. with Senega and Phos. ac. in his Conium group.)
Mind
Dejected and lachrymose humour
Anxious inquietude, with agitation, which necessitates constant motion
Want of confidence in one's self
Pusillanimity and timidity
Disposition to be angry, and to fly into a rage
Paroxysms of rage, with cries, blows, and barkings, renewed on feeling the gullet, and at the sight of water
Delirium
Insanity
Mania, with extravagant acts and gestures
Constantly attempting to do something, but accomplishing nothing.
Head
Vertigo, with loss of consciousness, and mist before the sight, chiefly in the open air
Headache, which interrupts sleep at night
Pressive lancinations in the head, which disappear on walking
Acute drawing pains in the head, with vertigo
Congestion in the head
Throbbing in the brain, and heat, which ascends to the head
Sensation of burning in the head, as if the interior were raw, with inflammation of the brain
Drawing, jerking, and gnawing in the bones of the head
Headache, as if the hair were pulled
Hair standing on end
Headache, as if coming from the nape of the neck, and wishing to escape by the forehead
Burning in the sides of the head, ascending from the neck, with soreness and giddiness;
< in the morning and afternoon; when standing or sitting;
> when walking or lying down.
Eyes
Pain in the eyes, with sensation as if the eyelids were excoriated, chiefly when they are opened
Inflammation of the eyes, with burning smarting
Yellowish colour of the eyes
Prominence, and convulsive movements of the eyes; fiery, sparkling, staring look
Objects seemed to be tinged with a yellow hue.
Ears
Inflammation and burning heat of the ears.
Nose
Swelling of the nose, even in the interior, with redness and burning heat
Erysipelatous inflammation of the dorsum of the nose, extending to the cheeks (r.) with hardness and subsequent desquamation
Fetid and sickly smell before the nose
Coryza of long duration, and catarrh, with copious flow of viscid mucus from the nose.
Face
Paleness of the face
Face hollow, hippocratic, with features which express anguish and despair
Yellowish colour of the face
Erysipelatous inflammation and desquamation of the cheeks
Burning redness and swelling of the face
Swelling at one side of the face (r.), with tension
Swelling and inflammation of the lips
Fissure and exfoliation of the lips
Trismus.
Teeth
Toothache, generally drawing, < by eating
Fistula in the gums
Ulceration of the gums.
Mouth
Taste of cedar pitch in the mouth
Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the mouth
Inflammation of the mouth and pharynx
Inflammation and suppuration of the tonsils, with inability to swallow
Burning in the mouth, extending down the pharynx, oesophagus and stomach;
< from drinking cold water
Phlegmonous inflammation of the interior of the cheek
Aphthae in the mouth
Frothy salivation, with streaks of blood
Foam at the mouth
Coagulated blood coming from the mouth
Inflammatory swelling and suppuration of the tongue
Suppuration of the gums
Fistula dentalis (suppurating) (upper incisors)
Weakness of the organs of speech, and languid diction.
Throat
Sore throat, on swallowing
Difficult deglutition, with strangulation in the throat, and nocturnal regurgitation of food
Impeded deglutition, esp. in the case of liquids
Burning in the throat, on swallowing
Inflammation and ulceration of the tonsils and of the throat; with inability to swallow
Burning pains in the throat, < by drinking water.
Appetite
Loss of taste
Taste of pitch in the mouth and in the throat
Thirst, from dryness of the lips, with repugnance to all drinks
Want of appetite, with disgust and repugnance to all sorts of food.
Stomach
Risings, with burning sensation, as if from pyrosis, aggravated by drinking
Sob-like risings, which seem to take an inverse direction and to return towards the stomach
Vomiting of undigested food
Vomiting of bilious and slimy substances, or of blood
Great sensitiveness of the precordial region
Pressive fulness, with anxiety and inquietude in the stomach
Smarting and burning pains in the stomach
Inflammation of the stomach.
Abdomen
Pains in abdomen, after taking coffee
Inflammation of the liver
Shootings and contraction in r. hypochondrium
Great sensibility of the abdomen to the touch
Burning pain in the abdomen, from the gullet to the rectum
Burning pain above the navel, on coughing, on sneezing, on blowing the nose, with yellowish spots on the part affected
Inflammation of the intestines
Dropsical swelling of the abdomen
Incarceration of flatulency under the hypochondria.
Stool And Anus
Constipation and hard faeces
Diarrhoea, with evacuation of frothy matter, or of greenish mucus, with cutting pains after the evacuation and burning pains in the rectum
During stool, burning in the anus; prolapsus ani
After stool, chilliness and tenesmus
Dysenteric diarrhoea, with nocturnal evacuation of whitish mucus, and of solid pieces, like false membranes, with streaks of blood
Sanguineous evacuations.
Urinary Organs
Retention of urine, with cramp-like pains in the bladder
Urgent and ineffectual efforts to make water, with painful emission, drop by drop
Difficult emission of urine, in a weak and scattered stream
Increased secretion of urine
Urine, pale yellow, or of a deep red colour
Flow of sanguineous mucus from the bladder
Emission of blood, drop by drop
Purulent urine
Burning smarting, on making water
Incisive pains in the front part of the urethra, during the emission of urine, and afterwards
Sharp, tearing, and incisive pains, successive pullings and pulsations in the urinary organs
Burning, stinging and tearing in the kidneys
Pressing pain in the kidneys, extending to the bladder; along the ureters; relieved by pressing upon the glans
Inflammation and ulceration of the kidneys, of the bladder, and of the urethra
Exceedingly painful sensibility of the region of the bladder on its being touched.
Male Sexual Organs
Draggings in the spermatic cord, on making water
Inflammation and gangrene of the genital parts
Painful swelling of the testes
Sexual desire greatly increased, with painful, frequent erections (with gonorrhoea), of long continuance, as in priapismus
Ready emission, during amorous caresses
Spermatorrhoea
After coition, burning pain in the urethra.
Female Sexual Organs
Catamenia premature and too copious, with black blood and pains during the flow
Voiding of moles, of foetus, and of placentae
Inflammation of the ovaries
Swelling of the cervix uteri
Corrosive leucorrhoea, with burning sensation on making water, and excitement of sexual desire.
Respiratory Organs
Hoarseness, with painful rattling of viscid mucus, copious, and coming from the chest, and with incisive shootings in the trachea
Oppression of breathing, with sensation of constriction of the pharynx
Stitches in the chest during air inspiration.
(Inflammation of the lungs.)
Inflammation of the larynx
Sensation of excessive weakness in the organs of respiration, on speaking and on breathing deeply
Voice feeble, timid, and trembling.
Chest
Respiration rendered difficult and oppressed by constriction of the throat, and dryness of the nose
Suspension of respiration in going up a hill, with rattling in the chest and nausea
Shootings in the chest, and in the sides
Burning pains in the chest, from whence small clots of blood are at times detached
Palpitation of the heart.
Neck And Back
Stiffness in the nape of the neck, with tension when bending it over
Acute drawing pains in the back
Tearing in the back (after rising from a seat)
Sensation of constriction in the spine
Emprosthotonos and opisthotonos.
Limbs
Weakness and swelling of limbs
Dropsical swelling of hands and feet
Cold sweat of hands and feet.
Upper Limbs
Acute tractive pains in the arms
Want of strength in the hands
Eczematous eruption on dorsum of hand and between fingers, itching and burning fearfully, < from cold water, > from warmth.
Lower Limbs
Pains in the hips, with spasmodic sufferings in the urinary passages
Acute tractive, piercing pains, in the legs, from the feet to the hips
Trembling of the legs
Darting pain from r. foot to r. side of h cad in paroxysms.
Generalities
Burning pains, as from excoriation, in all the cavities of the body Acute shootings towards the interior in different parts Drawing, arthritic pains in the limbs, with affection of the urinary ducts, mitigated by rubbing Violent pains, with groans and lamentations
Sensation of dryness in the joints Want of flexibility of the whole body Dejection and weakness, with excessive sensibility in all parts of the body, trembling, and desire to lie down Prostration of strength, proceeding even to paralysis
Convulsions, tetanus The sufferings show themselves chiefly on the r. side, and are mitigated in a recumbent posture The symptoms are renewed every seven days.
Skin
Itching vesicles, with burning pain on being touched
Blisters, from burns
Erysipelatous inflammations
Acute drawing pains in ulcers, with increased suppuration.
Sleep
Great drowsiness, esp. in the afternoon, with yawnings and stretching
Sleeplessness without apparent cause
At night, half sleep, with frequent waking.
Fever
Pulse hard, full and rapid
Fever, which manifests itself only by cold
Cold and shivering, with cutis anserina and paleness of the face
Thirst only after the shivering
Perspiration; cold, esp. on the hands and feet; on the genitals
Sweat, of the smell of urine
Pulsation through the trembling limbs.