Cicuta Virosa
Clarke - Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · John Henry Clarke · 15,487 chars · source ↗
General
Cicuta Virosa.
Cow-bane. Water Hemlock. N. O. Umbelliferae. Tincture of fresh root gathered at time of flowering.
Clinical
Bladder, paralysis of. Cancer. Catalepsy. Cerebro-spinal meningitis. Coccygodynia. Concussions. Convulsions. Eczema. Epilepsy. Epithelioma. Eyes, inflammation of. Face, eruption on. Hiccough. Hysteria. Impetigo. Meningitis. Myelitis. Numbness. Oesophagus, stricture of. Paralysis. Psoriasis. Puerperal convulsions. Screaming. Strabismus. Stuttering. Tetanus. Trismus. Waking, weeping on. Worm complaints.
Characteristics
Cicuta v. is one of the most active of the poisonous Umbelliferae. Its chief influence is excited on the medulla oblongata, the gastro-intestinal tract, and the skin. Twitching and spasmodic jerks are a keynote of Cicuta. "Bending the head backward" is very characteristic.
The remedy has cured many cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis, the opisthotonos being the leading indication. Violence is a leading feature: violent spasms; moans and howls; great agitation; makes gesticulations; odd motions; strange desires, as to eat coal. "Head turned or twisted to one side" is no less indicative of the drug in convulsions of children or adults. (See cases referred to below.) It corresponds to falls and the effects of concussions.
Utter prostration follows the convulsive attacks; sudden rigidity, then jerks and violent distortions; then prostration. "jerking of the left arm all day" is a very characteristic symptom. Tremor when touched. Trembling palpitation.
Convergent strabismus; from fall or blow. Soporous sleep, weeps on being roused, distorts facial muscles and stares vacantly. Pupils dilated. Shocks from head down body.
Face bluish. Froths at mouth. Jaws locked. Bites tongue.
Hiccough. Hungry immediately after a meal. Tearing, jerking in coccyx. Cicuta has a marked action on the skin: eruption of pustules which run together with yellowish honey-coloured scabs, especially about mouth, and matting the whiskers.
Nash cured eczema capitis in a young woman with Cic. v.—whole scalp was covered as with a solid cap. Epithelioma, growths covered with honey-coloured scabs. Suited to old people and children. Teste places Cicuta in the Sulphur group.
He regards it as antipsoric, and considers that as its eruptions are mostly found in the head and face, so its symptoms, when repercussion of skin eruptions occur, are chiefly felt in the brain. Bovista and Aethusa are like Cic. v. in this. Teste mentions the case of a lady of fifty-eight who ceased to menstruate at thirty in consequence of a fright, and who was "of robust constitution, irritable, nervous, and excessively fanciful and odd." She had a chronic swelling of the left ovary.
Cic. v. had a remarkably quieting effect for several weeks, and during that time the swelling diminished considerably. The patient had to leave Paris, so the treatment could not be followed up. The two following cases illustrate the action of Cicuta in a striking way. The first, a case of acute meningitis, is quoted from N.
A. J. H. by Amer. Hom. of January 1, 1898: Dr.
H. von Musits treated J. N. R., aet. 43; male; married; a user of alcohol and tobacco; bookkeeper. After the intense summer heat, these symptoms developed: Convulsion; distortion of limbs; head turned backward.
Trismus. Froth from mouth. Biting of the tongue. Oppression of breathing.
Entire loss of consciousness and of power of swallowing. Convulsions, followed by complete exhaustion. Stupor. Swelling of face.
Inability to move the tongue. The whole body seems to be of enormous size. The patient had three attacks of convulsions during twenty-four hours, followed by the swelling of the tongue and body. Extreme trembling of the hands.
Articulation difficult. Next day profuse watery diarrhoea stools < by any noise, sudden entrance of any person into the room or loud talking. > By rest and in a dark room. Several times previously he had had symptoms of nervous exhaustion.
His brother, a physician, died the previous spring from paresis in consequence of excessive use of alcohol and drugging. After two doses of Cicuta vir. 200 there were no more convulsions and the patient was perfectly cured in two weeks. There was no relapse. The next case, one of cholera, is quoted from the Indian Hom.
Rev. by Amer. Hom., December 15, 1896. Banerjee records the case: "A lad, aged five years, had an attack of cholera three days before my visit. Had been treated by a homoeopath from beginning of attack.
The patient was suffering from convulsions, when I first saw him on the fourth day. The convulsive fits were very severe since the third day of the attack of cholera. The symptoms were: eyes half turned, head drawn toward the left side, and the hands and feet of the same side were contracted. He was given Bell., Hyos., Cina, and Bryonia without effect.
Cicuta virosa was then given. The first dose mitigated the severity of the fits, the second dose put the child to sleep, and thus he was saved from imminent death." The chief Conditions are: < From concussions, especially of brain and spine; from turning the head; from slightest touch (renews the spasms); from cold. > From warmth. Immediately after eating: bellyache and sleepiness.
Immediately after commencing to eat: feels satisfied. Soon after a meal-great hunger.
Relations
Antidoted by: Arn., Op. for massive doses, Tobacco. Antidote to: Opium. Compatible after: Lach; after Ars. and Con. (cancer of lip); Cupr. (aphasia ill chorea). Compare: Con., Aethus, Oenanth. croc.; Hyperic. (spinal concussion); Hyo. (twitchings); Helleb; Hydrocy. ac. (body thrown back, cramps in neck); Nux and Strychnia (tetanus; but with Nux there is not the utter prostration and great oppression of breathing of Cic., nor the loss of consciousness; Nux is less epileptiform and has more excitability).
Mind
Strange desires, as desire to eat coal, &c
Anxiety, and great tendency to be deeply affected by mournful stories
Groans, complaints, and howling
Discontent and ill-humour
Suspicion and mistrust, with misanthropy
Disposition to be frightened
Mania, with dancing, laughing, and ridiculous gestures; with heat of the body and longing for wine
Forgets his own name
Dementia
Giddiness and absence of mind
He confounds the present with the past
He thinks himself a young child
Want of confidence in and dread of man, retires into solitude.
Head
Vertigo, and staggering, to the extent of falling
Giddiness, with falling forward
Whirling vertigo on rising in the bed, with obscuration of sight
Feeling as of intoxication
Headache above the orbits
Congestion of the brain with vomiting and purging
Attacks of semi-lateral cephalalgia, with nausea
Semi-lateral headache, as from congestion to the head; relieved when sitting erect
Heaviness of the head with dizziness
Compression from both sides of the head
Stupefying pressure on the forehead
Diminution of pain in the head on rising, and on passing flatus
Affections of the brain, from concussion of the brain
Headache, as from commotion of the brain
Feeling of looseness of the brain, as if it were shaken in walking; early in the morning; disappearing when thinking of the pain intensely
Severe headache in occiput, like a dull pressure; as with coryza
Suppurating eruptions on the scalp, with burning pain
Startings and spasmodic shocks in the head, with drawing backward of the head
Staring at an object, the head inclines forward; is frequently bent back again, with twitching, trembling, and tension in the neck while moving it
Jerking and twitching of head.
Eyes
Burning pain in the eyes
Pupils either much contracted or dilated
Suspension of the sight, with vertigo, on walking
Look fixed, sometimes from a sort of absence of mind
Wavering of all objects before the sight
Iris-like circles round candle
Mobility of the characters on reading; the letters turn, and are surrounded with a coloured areola, the same as round the light
Diplopia, or obscuration of the eyes, sometimes alternately with hardness of hearing
The objects appear double and black
Luminous and coloured circle around all objects
Photophobia
Nocturnal agglutination of the eyelids
Twitching of the orbicularis muscle.
Ears
Sensation of excoriation, and pain, as of contusion, behind the ears
Purulent eruption before, behind, and on the ears
Discharge of blood from the ears
Hearing indistinct, sometimes alternating with obscuration of the eyes
Detonation in r. ear when swallowing.
Nose
Pains as of excoriation and of a bruise, in the (r.) ala nasi
Scabs in the nostrils
Yellowish discharge from the nose
Obstruction of the nose, with abundant secretion of mucus
Frequent sneezing, without coryza.
Face
Pallor and coldness of the face, with coldness of the hands
Cheeks pale, with eyes sunk, and surrounded by a livid circle
Redness and swelling of the face and of the neck
Eruption on the face, confluent, purulent, and of a deep red colour, with lenticular pimples on the forehead
Burning scabs, with yellowish serum, on the upper lip, cheeks, and chin
Thick, honey-coloured scurf on the chin, upper lip, and lower portion of the cheeks (milk crust), burning soreness and oozing, accompanied with swelling of the sub-maxillary glands, and insatiable appetite
Painful ulcer on the lips
Painful swelling of the sub-maxillary glands
Trismus
Disposition to grind the teeth.
Mouth
Foam before and in the mouth
Whitish pustules, painful on being touched, and ulcers on the edge of the tongue
Swelling of the tongue; white, painful, burning ulcers on the edges of the tongue
Speech embarrassed, with convulsive movements of the head (from before backwards) and of the arms at every word that is uttered.
Throat
Throat dry
Inability to swallow; the throat is, as it were, closed, and feels bruised when touched externally (with eructations)
Stricture of oesophagus
Strangling on attempting to swallow
Constriction after being hurt by swallowing a splinter of bone.
Appetite
Want of appetite, caused by a sensation of dryness in the mouth
Satiety, and aching in the stomach, after the first mouthful
Great inclination to eat coal
Continual hunger and appetite, even shortly after a meal
Burning thirst, esp. during the cramps
After a meal, colic, cuttings, pressure on the epigastrium, and drowsiness.
Stomach
Violent and noisy hiccough; with crying
Bitter and yellowish regurgitation on stooping, and followed by a burning sensation in the throat
Nausea in the morning and during a meal, sometimes with headache
Vomiting of blood
Vomiting, alternately with tonic spasms in the muscles of the chest, and convulsive movements of the eyes;
(the vomiting does not relieve the lock-jaw)
Burning pressure on the stomach and abdomen
Pulsative pains in the epigastrium, which is much inflated
Oppression and anxiety in the epigastric region
Swelling and throbbing in the pit of the stomach.
Abdomen
Colic, with convulsions (in children from worms)
Cuttings, immediately after a meal, with drowsiness
Pinchings and borborygmi in the abdomen
Accumulation of flatus, with anguish and ill-humour
Distension and painfulness of the abdomen
Pain, as from ulceration in the groins.
Stool And Anus
Constipation
Liquid and too frequent evacuations
Itching in the rectum, with burning pain after friction.
Urinary Organs
Retention of urine
Frequent micturition; the urine is propelled with great force
Involuntary urination as from paralysis of the bladder.
Male Sexual Organs
Testes drawn up
Sore drawing pain in urethra as far as glans, obliging one to urinate
Stitches in fossa navicularis with nightly emissions
Pollutions without lascivious dreams
Strictures (spasmodic) sometimes after gonorrhoea.
Female Sexual Organs
Menses delayed; spasmodic symptoms.—Tearing and drawing in coccyx during menses.—(Painful tumours of mammae.)
Respiratory Organs
Hoarseness
Difficult respiration, and want of breath
Cough with copious expectoration.
Chest
Tightness in the chest; she is scarcely able to breathe all day
Pressure on the chest, as from a weight, with difficulty of respiration
Sensation in chest and throat as though something the size of a fist were lodged there
Tonic spasms in the muscles of the chest, alternately with vomiting
Heat in the chest
Pain, as from a bruise, and from excoriation, in the lower extremity of the sternum
Burning pain in the nipples
Burning in the chest.
Heart
Trembling palpitation of heart.—Feels as if heart stopped beating; and sometimes faint feeling therewith.
Neck And Back
Tension, as from a wound, in the muscles of the neck, on bending the head back
Swelling of the neck
Tonic spasms of the cervical muscles
Neuralgia of neck with tendency to draw head backwards and dull occipital headache
Tearing jerking in coccyx
Coccygodynia coming on for first time during catamenia, after parturition
Spasmodic bending backwards of the back, like an arch
Tension above the shoulder-blades
Pain of ulceration in the shoulder-blades.
Limbs
Great weakness in arms and legs after slight exertion
Trembling in limbs
Spasmodic contortions and fearful jerking of limbs.
Upper Limbs
Pain, as from a bruise, or of excoriation, in the joints of the shoulder, and in the forearms
Sensation of heaviness and want of strength in the arms
Jerking in the l. arm all day
Startings and convulsive movements (involuntary) in the arms and in the fingers
Deadness of the fingers
The veins on the hands are enlarged.
Lower Limbs
Involuntary starting of the lower limbs, jerks and twitches
Painful stiffness of the legs
Trembling of the legs
Yielding of the feet, when walking; they turn inwards.
Generalities
Pains, as from excoriation, or from a bruise, on various parts Trembling of the limbs Shocks, as from electric sparks, in the head, the arms, and the legs General convulsions, and fits of epilepsy, sometimes with cries, paleness or yellow colour of the face, pressing together of the jaws, numbness and distortion of the limbs, suspension of respiration, and foam at the mouth
After the fit, the body remains insensible, and, as it were, dead State of insensibility and immobility, with loss of consciousness and of strength Attacks of catalepsy, with relaxation of all the muscles, and absence of respiration Tetanus
Drawing pains in the limbs Affections of the r. side of the back Spasms during parturition; children have convulsions from worms Strictures after inflammation, sometimes after gonorrhoea.
Skin
Burning itching over the whole body
Purulent eruptions, with yellowish and burning scabs
Lenticular pimples, of a deep red colour
Long-lasting purulent eruptions, confluent, forming thick yellow crusts, with burning pain.
Sleep
Sleeplessness and nocturnal sweat
Half-sleep, with restless movements and confused dreams
Frequent waking, with profuse sweat, which, however, alleviates
Vivid dreams of the events of the day
Vivid dreams which cannot be recollected.
Fever
Pulse weak, slow, trembling
Shivering, and perpetual desire to be near the fire
The chilliness begins in the chest and extends down the legs and into the arms
Coldness in the thighs, and in the arms, with fixedness of look
Heat only internally
Perspiration at night (in the morning hours), principally on the abdomen
Worm fever with colic and convulsions.