Echinacea Angustifolia

Clarke - Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · John Henry Clarke · 9,956 chars · source ↗

General

Echinacea Angustifolia.

(Echinacea angustifolia is the Western species of E.; not to be confounded with E. purpurea, or Black Sampson, the Eastern species.) N. O. Compositae, allied to Rudbeckia. Tincture of whole fresh plant.

Clinical

Appendicitis. Bites of rabid animals. Blood-poisoning. Carbuncles. Diphtheria. Enteric Fever. Gangrene. Poisoned wounds. Pyaemia. Rhus-poisoning. Scarlatina. Septicaemia. Snake-bites. Struma. Syphilis. Typhoid. Ulcers. Vaccination, effects of.

Characteristics

Echinacea angustifolia has long been prized by eclectics in low typhoid conditions, diphtheria, malignant scarlatina, carbuncles and boils, and as a remedy in snake-bites. A remarkable case of vaccinal poisoning is recorded (H. R., x. 527) in a man, 45, cured mainly by Echin. in 20-drop doses. The symptoms were: vitality ebbed; he became so weak he could not sit up; hair fell out; an eruption of psoriasis appeared on extremities extending to body.

The disease advanced rapidly; the nails fell off. Left iritis supervened, and then keratitis of the right eye. Under Kali iod., and phospho-albumen as a food, the hair ceased to fall off, but other symptoms became rapidly worse. Echin. was now given, and slowly the disease was arrested; then gradual improvement and ultimate cure ensued.

The report does not mention if the sight of the left eye was recovered. Homoeopathists have generally followed the eclectics in using substantial doses. Fortunately we are now much better placed to understand Echin., thanks to an extensive proving undertaken by J. C.

Fahnestock, with additional symptoms contributed by T. C. Duncan (H. R., xiv. 337, 386).

With one exception the provers were males. The first symptom noticed was a biting, tingling sensation on the tongue, lips, and fauces (compare Acon.) with a sense of fear and pain about the heart. Febrile symptoms, full head, flushed face and accelerated pulse followed. Languor was experienced by many provers, and neuralgic, sharp, darting, shifting pains.

Catarrh of the digestive add respiratory tracts. Griping pains, offensive flatus and loose yellowish stool. Drowsiness was a very marked feature. The symptoms were < after eating; in evening; after physical or mental exertion;

> by lying down, and by rest. In two provers there was found a diminution of red blood corpuscles after the proving. There is much chilliness (coldness of right leg), and sensitiveness to cold, < from exposure to cold air. Pains in abdomen come and go suddenly, and are > by bending double.

Relations

The closest analogue of Ech. a. is Baptisia. In snake-bites it compares with Lobelia purpurascens; in boils with Anthracin., &c. Head feels enlarged, Arg. n., Bapt., Bovist., Glon., Nux mosch., Nux v. Cases of Rhus-poisoning have been cured with Ech. a. Compare also: the vulnerary Compositae, Arnica, Calendula and Bellis.

Mind

Dulness in head, with cross, irritable feeling

So nervous could not study

Confused feeling of the brain

Felt depressed and much out of sorts

Felt a mental depression in afternoons

Sense of fear with pain about heart and accelerated pulse

Senses seemed to be numbed

Drowsy, could not read

Drowsy condition with yawning

Becomes angry when corrected, does not wish to be contradicted

General depression, with weakness

General dulness and drowsiness

General dulness, unable to apply the mind

Does not wish to think or study.

Head

Vertigo when changing position of head

Dull headache, felt as if brain was too large, with every beat of heart

Dull pain in brain, full feeling

Dull frontal headache, esp. over l. eye, which was relieved in open air

Severe headache in vertex, > by rest in bed

Dull headache above eyes

Dull, throbbing headache, worse through temples

Head feels too large

Dull headache, < in evening

Dull headache, worse in r. temple, with sharp pain

Full feeling in temples

Sudden pain in l. temple

Sudden pain in l. head above coronal suture

Brain weary, felt most in l. hemisphere

Dull pain in occiput

Chilly sensation in l. occiput

Dull headache, with dizziness

Constant dull pressing pain in both temples

Shooting pains through temples

Dull occipital headache

Constant dull pain in temples, > at rest and by pressure

Head feels as big as a windmill, with mental depression.

Eyes

Eyes ache when reading

Tires me dreadfully to hold a book and read

Eyes pain on looking at an object and will fill with tears, > by closing them

Sleepy sensation in eyes, but cannot sleep

Eyes feel brighter than natural

Pains back of r. eye

Sense of heat in eyes when closing them

Dull pain in both eyes

Lachrymation from cold air

Sharp pains in eyes and temples.

Ears

Shooting pain in r. ear.

Nose

Stuffiness of nostrils, with mucus in nares and pharynx

Full feeling in nose as if it would close up

Full feeling of nose, obliged to blow nose, but it does not >

Nostrils sore

Mucous discharge from r. nostril

Rawness of r. nostril, sensitive to cold, which causes a flow of mucus

Bleeding from r. nostril

R. nostril sore, when picking causes haemorrhage

Headache over eyes, with sneezing.

Face

Paleness of face when head aches

Face flushed

Fine eruptions on forehead and cheeks

Neuralgic pain in l. upper branch of fifth nerve

Vomiting with pale face

Biting tingling on lips.

Teeth

Darting pains in the teeth, worse on r. side

Neuralgic pains in superior and inferior maxilla

Dull aching of the teeth.

Mouth

White coating of tongue in the mornings, with white frothy mucus in mouth

Slight burning of tongue

Biting tingling sensation of tongue, lips, and fauces

Whitish coat of tongue, with red edges

Accumulation of sticky, white mucus

Burning of the tongue, with increased saliva

Dry sensation in back part of mouth

Burning peppery taste when taking remedy

Bad taste in the mouth in the morning

A metallic taste

Dryness of the mouth.

Throat

Accumulation of mucus in throat

Mucus in throat, with raw sensation

Biting tingling in fauces

After vomiting of sour mucus, throat burns

Soreness of throat, worse on l. side.

Appetite

Loss of appetite

Desire for cold water

Nausea, could not eat.

Stomach

Nausea before going to bed, which was always > lying down

After eating, stomach and abdomen fill with gas

After eating, belching, which tastes of food eaten

Nausea, with eructation of gas

Stomach distended with gas, not > by belching

Belching of tasteless gas

Sour eructation

Sour eructation, which caused burning of throat

Sense of something large and hard in stomach

Belching of gas and at same time passing flatus

Sour stomach, "heartburn," with belching of gas

Relaxed feeling of the stomach

Pain in stomach, going down through bowels, followed by diarrhoea

Dull pain in stomach.

Abdomen

Pain in r. hypochondrium

Full feeling in abdomen, with borborygmus

Pain about umbilicus, > by bending double

Pain in abdomen, sharp cutting, coming and going suddenly

Pain in l. iliac fossa.

Stool

Griping pains followed by passing offensive flatus, or a loose yellowish stool, which always produced great exhaustion.—Diarrhoea following pain in stomach, going through bowels.

Urinary Organs

Desire for frequent urination

Involuntary urination "in spite of myself."

Sense of heat while passing urine

Pain and burning on urination

Urine increased

Urine pale and copious

Urine scanty and dark in colour.

Male Sexual Organs

Soreness in perineum

Pain across perineum

Perineum seems stretched

Pain in r. spermatic cord

Testicles drawn up and sore

Pain in meatus while urinating.

Female Sexual Organs

Mucus from vagina in evening.—Pain in r. iliac region, which seems deep, lasting but a short time.

Respiratory Organs

Irritation of larynx

Voice husky

Constant clearing of mucus from throat

Mucus comes in throat while in bed, must cough to clear throat.

Chest

Full feeling in upper part of lungs

Pain in region of diaphragm

Pain in r. lung

Pain in pectoral muscles

Sore feeling in the chest

Feels like lump in chest

Feeling of a lump under sternum

Sharp burning pain under sternum.

Heart

Slight pain over heart

Stitching pain in l. chest (apex of heart)

Rapid beating of heart

Heart's action increased

Pulse 80, full and strong, later decreased and again increased

Heart's action decreased

Anxiety about the heart.

Neck And Back

Pain in back of neck

Pain in small of back over kidneys

Dull pain in small of back

Pain in lumbar region, < from stooping.

Limbs

General weakness of limbs.—Pain between shoulders, which extends to axilla and down the arms.

Upper Limbs

Pain in l. shoulder, > by rest and warmth

Pain in r. shoulder, going down to fingers

Sharp pain in l. arm, going down to fingers, with loss of muscular power

Sharp pain in l. elbow

Cold hands

Pain in r. thumb

Pain in wrists and fingers.

Lower Limbs

Pain in r. thigh

Pain in back of l. knee

Sharp shooting pain in legs

Extremities cold

Chilliness in r. leg

L. hip and knee pains

Pain in r. leg

Cold feet.

Generalities

Exhausted, tired feeling.—Muscular weakness.—Felt as if I had been sick for a long time.—General aching all over, with exhaustion.—After proving found a diminution of red corpuscles.—Pains and sickness of stomach > by lying down.

Skin

Intense itching and burning of skin on neck

Little papules on skin, with redness, feeling like nettles; this occurred on the fifth day of the proving

Skin dry

Small red pimples on neck and face.—(Boils.)

Sleep

General languor, sleepy

Sleep disturbed, wakes often

Sleep full of dreams

Dreams about exciting things all night

Dreams of dead relations.

Fever

Chills up the back

General chilliness with nausea

Cold flashes all over the back

Temperature raised a degree, with flushed face and fulness of head, accelerated full pulse

Sweat chiefly on upper part of body.