Scilla Maritima

Scilla Maritima.

Scilla maritima. Squill. Sea Onion. (Red variety.) N. O. Liliaceae. Tincture of fresh bulb. Acetum.

Angina pectoris. Asthma; dry; splenic. Bright's disease. Bronchitis. Conjunctivitis, phlyctenular. Coryza. Cough, catarrhal. Diabetes; insipidus. Dropsy; splenic. Eyes, affections of; watering of. Fidgets. Heart, palpitation of. Hydrothorax. Measles. Pleurisy. Pneumonia. Spleen, affections of. Spleen-cough. Toothache. Urine, excessive. Whooping-cough. Worms.

The genus Scilla is distinguished from Allium by having the flowers inserted one above the other on the scape, and from Ornithogalum by having the petals deciduous. Scilla maritima grows on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and has had a place in medicine from the most ancient times. If much handled it irritates the skin; and in large doses excites nausea, strangury, bloody urine and haemorrhoids; fatal inflammation, gangrene of stomach and bowels; in small doses, promotes expectoration and urine; in large doses, vomiting and purging (Meyrick in Green's Herbal).

"Its cardiac action is exactly the same as that of Digitalis" (Mitchell Bruce). An old rule runs: "Put squills in every cough-mixture." The continuous use of squills seems to cause teeth and gums to ache (R. T. C).

"Diuretic, expectorant, emetic, cathartic, and a narcotico-acrid poison; in large doses it produces inflammation of the alimentary and urinary canals, and a dose of gr. xxiv has proved fatal" (Milne). According to Hamilton (Flora Hom.) Aricenna employed Scil. "in complaints of the gums, in inveterate coughs, in diseases of the spleen, in dropsy and jaundice, and forbids its use in ulceration of the viscera," the last caution also being mentioned by Celsus. The reputation of Scil. as a splenic was revived by Rademacher, whom Burnett quotes (Dis. of Spleen, p. 89): "I have found it quickly and surely helpful in painful spleen diseases—affections painful and beyond any doubt in and of the spleen.

In those dull pains on the border of the left hypochondriac and epigastric regions, there being no signs of any liver affection, I have used Scil. as a remedy with advantage." Rademacher also mentions as cured by Scil.—-(a) those so-called "stomach pains" that are made much better by lying on the left side, and probably in reality splenic; (b) one case of continuous asthma from a splenic affection, with nocturnal exacerbation; (c) (possibly) splenic dropsy. Burnett has improved on Rademacher's teachings, and applied Scil. successfully in cases of spleen-cough.

Hahnemann's proving brought out many symptoms, apparently arising from the spleen, notably stitches under the free ribs of the left side. Burnett used the Acetum scillae; and I gave this (five drops of Ø in water three times a day) with excellent effect in the case of an elderly lady, very gouty, who had a distressing paroxysmal cough, with a pain extending from splenic region into the throat. The cough caused the eyes to pour with tears. Besides relieving the cough, Scil. made the motions, which had been very light, darker and more natural in colour.

The gushing of tears with the cough is another Scil. indication: The cough causes sneezing, flow of tears, spurting of urine, and even involuntary stools. The kidneys are powerfully acted on by Scil., and many of the traditional uses of the drug have been with the idea of eliminating dropsical effusions by producing a great flow of urine. Hahnemann pointed out that the excessive flow of urine accompanying dropsy and other complaints was one of the best indications for its use.

Boger (H. R., xv. 33) adds the heart to the organs primarily affected by Scil. He gives these cases: (1) Mr. B. suffered from angina pectoris; forcible cardiac contractions, profuse urine, much loose mucus in throat and trachea, heart pain indefinite but very severe.

Scil. 30 relieved in a few hours, and kept him free from an attack for three months. (2) Miss L., pleuro-pneumonia, pulse 132, temperature 103°, respiration 30; must sit erect in bed; stitching pains in left chest; constant hacking cough; frequent, hot, scanty urine; great weakness and anorexia. Scil. cm cured. (3) Boy, 7, hay-fever for third year in succession.

Teeth show black marks; constantly rubs eyes and sneezes, bloated about eyes and face, loose cough. Under Scil. there was complete relief in two days, and no further trouble that season. The italicised symptoms in this case are very characteristic. Boger mentions that Lippe notes "Black teeth" as a symptom of Scil.

Boger adds that the nails become brittle and split, and that veterinarians use Scil. for cracked hoof in horses. The use of Scil. as an "expectorant" depends on its power of producing free secretion from the respiratory mucous membranes: in homoeopathy this free secretion is one of the leading indications. Hering says Scil. is suited to the pleurisy and pneumonia that follow blood-letting. H.

P. Holmes (A. H., xxi. 176) has an excellent article on Scil., to which I am indebted for many comparisons in the RELATIONS section. Sherbino (M.

A., xxii. 398) gives this verification of a Scilla symptom: Miss H., 15, fleshy, light complexioned, blue eyed, large for her age. Her left eye was much smaller, and lids not so wide open as those of right eye. Scil. 1m (Jen.) was given in May, and repeated each month for three months. Improvement began in the first month.

On December 28th Scil. 45m (Fincke) was given, and soon after that the restoration was complete; the eyes were a perfect match. Peculiar Sensations are: Eyes as if swimming in cold water. Nostrils as if sore. As if diarrhoea would set in.

As if chest too tight. Tickling creeping in chest. As if intestines would burst through abdomen. Stitches are very prominent: in teeth; in chest; in head.

The symptoms are: < In morning; by inspiration; by motion; by uncovering. > By rest; lying down in bed wrapping warmly. Drinking cold water = cough. < Exertion ascending; cold air.

> Sitting up. > Expectorating even a small quantity. < Coughing.

Antidoted by Camph. Compatible after: Bry. Compare: Headache; < motion chest symptoms, Bry.

(Bry. cough is < change to warm, Scil. cough < change to cold air). Stitches; swollen upper eyelids, K. ca. Cold drink = or < cough, Lyc., Sit. (> cough, Caust.).

Expectoration sweetish and offensive, Calc., Stan. Spurting of urine when coughing, Caust., Alm., Con., Nat. m., Puls. Involuntary stool when coughing, Pho.; when sneezing, Sul.; when urinating, Ail., Alo., Mur. ac., Sul. Convulsive twitching of limbs, "fidgets," Meny., Pso., Rhus, Caust., Zn.

Icy-cold feet, rest of body warm, Meny. Sweat only on toes, Scil.—under toes, Tarax. Averse to uncover in fever, Nux. Furious, exhausting cough, Coral., Cup., Stan

Cough < in cold air, Carb. v., Pho., Rx. c., Ver. Tickling in chest, Ver. Sensation of cold water in eyes, Lach. (cold tears), Berb., Euphr., Alm., Con., Lyc., Plat., and Med.

(cold feeling), Thuj. (as if cold air blowing out through eyes). Bloated round eyes in morning, Elaps. Coryza, Agrap. n., Cep., Ars., Phos., Chlor., Ar. t.

Anxiety and fear of death, Aco., Ars. Irritable, angry about trifles, Cham. Rubs face and eyes, Scil Con. rubs and picks nose;

Ar. t. picks nose, lips, and fingers till they bleed; Sanic. rubs eyes and nose on waking. Splenics, Cean., Querc. Sweetish taste of food, Lyc., Merc., Pul.

Blood-letting.

Tearing behind l. ear.—(Tearing pains in both ears.)

Dull stitches in glans causing anxiety.—Compressive pain in testicles.

Atony of cervix uteri.—Haemorrhage from uterus.

Stitches: in chest, esp. when inhaling and coughing; sharp in scapular end of clavicle during inspiration and expiration; severe near sternum, extending downward; in middle of ensiform cartilage; recurrent in side; broad, pressive beneath ribs of both sides; jerking in r. and l. side of chest near sternum; broad, blunt in last rib of l. side, in morning in bed, waking him.—Contracting stitch in l. side, just beneath last ribs, caused by rapid walking.

Palpitation of heart.—Pulse: small and slow; slightly hard.

Weariness.—Spasmodic movements.—Pains over whole body.—Dull rheumatic pains; < when exercising, > when at rest.—Deficiency of blood.—Heat, with aversion to undress or uncover.—Respiration anxious.—Sweetish taste.—Symptoms generally appearing in l. upper extremity; on l. side generally; in lower belly; lower part of chest.—< In morning; during inspiration; from undressing.—> While lying in bed; after lying down; from wrapping up warmly.