Helonias Dioica

Helonias.

Helonias dioica, Pursh; H. lutea, Ait.; Chamoelirium luteum, Gray; C. Carolinianum, Willd.; Veratrum luteum, Linn.; Ophiostachys virginica, Delile. False Unicorn, Devil's Bit, Blazing Star. N. O. Melanthaceae. Tincture of the root. Triturations of the resinoid Helonin.

Albuminuria. Amenorrhoea. Anaemia. Breasts, affections of. Chlorosis. Debility. Diabetes. Dysmenorrhoea. Impotence. Kidneys, pains in. Leucorrhoea. Lochia, prolonged. Menopause. Menorrhagia. Metrorrhagia. Pruritus vulvae. Rheumatism. Splenalgia. Sterility. Uterus, affections of.

Helonias, like Aletris, to which it is a botanical ally, and with which it has been often confounded (both have been called "Unicorn plant," or "Unicorn root," "Star Grass," and "Blazing Grass," or "Blazing Star"), is a uterine remedy of great power. It has an extensive range of action, as its provings show, but the organ predominantly affected is the uterus. It has been called with justice a "uterine tonic," and one of the keynote indications for its use is a "consciousness of the womb," and relaxation of uterine ligaments, misplacements, and prolapse have been removed by Helon.

Marvin A. Custis (Am. H., xi. 594) reports a case in point: "Mrs. L.—, 28, has two children, both living.

Has prolapse of uterus, ulceration of cervix, dark, offensive leucorrhoea. Her system is worn out and her expression one of great distress. Is irritable, finds fault with every one, and cannot bear contradiction. Restless, wants to move around, as she feels better when mind and body are employed." There was severe backache and a sore and heavy feeling in the womb; in fact, as she said, she was always "conscious of her womb." Helon. 30 every three hours for two days, and then every night, was prescribed, with a warm water injection night and morning.

At the end of three weeks the leucorrhoea had almost ceased, the womb was in the first position, and she "forgets that she has such an organ." The mental symptoms of Helon. are very marked, and the extreme depression, gloom, and irritability of this case are characteristic of the remedy. One of the provers had a preliminary feeling of wellness before being plunged into a mental hell. It is specially suited to nervously run-down females, easily fatigued by any work, who complain of a tired backache, a tired feeling extending into the limbs.

Some of this passes off after commencing to work. This looks rather like the Rhus: "< on commencing to work, > after working a little;" but it is not the same, for in the case of Rhus the relief comes from a limbering up of stiff joints. The backache is in the lumbar region, just over the kidneys, or else in the sacrum. The kidneys themselves, especially the right, are the seat of pain, and then the urine is generally scanty.

S. A. Jones found Helonin turned an alkaline urine acid; increased the amount of urea; increased the amount of urine secreted. He considers this to be the result of a condition of debility, venous paresis, the result of previous arterial tonic contraction.

Helon. produces irritation in mucous membranes; sore mouth; irritable stomach; burning and scalding when urinating; but the most intense effect is produced in the vaginal mucous membrane. L. L. Danforth treated Mrs.

W., who had intense pruritus, vulvar and vaginal, for several weeks: "She could tear the flesh out" it was so intense. There was vulvo-vaginitis, the labia and adjoining skin being red and swollen, and covered with thin, white, curdy deposits. Further examination showed, pouring from a congested cervix, a thin albuminous leucorrhoea, evidently the cause of the pruritus. It coagulated on the vagina, forming small curds covering the mucous membrane of vagina and vulva.

Helon. Ø on tablets speedily relieved. The relation of the remedy to the climacteric period is indicated in the provings by alternate sensations of heat and cold. "A sensation as if a cool wind streamed up the back of the legs along the gastrocnemii muscles to the popliteal space" was noticed by one prover who had before had a burning, or warm numbness, in the legs, most marked in the knees, "seeming to begin at the tendo Achillis of each leg, and very marked over the region of each gastrocnemius." "Every movement of the arms occasioned a chill, which seemed to radiate from the solar plexus all over the body." Burning sensations are common.

A patient to whom I gave it in the 6th had "burning-sinking at the epigastrium" half an hour after each dose. Motion < almost all symptoms, but > numbness of the feet, and the profound debility. > By mental diversion. The chest is sensitive to the air; toothache is < in a warm room; and warm, moist air < toothache.

Touch <: cannot bear the least pressure of the dress (on breasts, nipples, kidneys, &c.)

Alet. and Lil. t. are closely allied botanically and medically with Helon. Helon. antidotes the prolapse of Lil. t. and the mental depression of Kali brom. In general it is a close analogue of Pulsat., in its local and general symptoms. Compare also: Sep.;

Pic. ac. (tired aching and some burning in back and legs); Pallad. (tiredness; soreness; irritability);

Plat. (indurated uterus); Nat. m., Agn., and Caust. (aversion to coitus);

Eup. purp., Chi., Ferr., Hydrast., Senec.; Act. r. (uterine symptoms and gloom; Nat. hyperchlor.

(sodden condition of uterus); Pip. meth. (> by diverting mind).

Pale, earthy.—Sallow, having an expression of suffering.

Loss of appetite, eructations, fulness, cramp, and painful congestion of the stomach.—Appetite poor, food tasteless bilious sleepy during the day.

Stool loose, yellow in the morning; lumps of faeces in the evening.

Chest sensitive to the air.—Aching, as if the front of chest had been compressed in a vice.

Palpitation.

Severe pains in r. hip-joint, < during motion.—Numbness of feet > by motion, only felt when sitting still.

Tired, weary, drowsy.—Languor, unusually tired, yet knows no reason.—Debility (diphtheria).—Over-sensitiveness to air, < from uncovering; > in warm air.—Anaemia, atony, from prolonged haemorrhage.—Dropsy from albuminuria, general debility, uterine atony or after uterine haemorrhage.

Face pale, earthy; sallow.—Epidermis (of labia) falls off thin, transparent exfoliation.

Drowsy, heavy.—Sleepy during the day.

Chill, seemingly radiating from solar plexus all over body, caused by motion of arms.—Flushes of heat pass over him with every movement while in a room.