Solanum Nigrum
Clarke - Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · John Henry Clarke · 12,786 chars · source ↗
General
Solanum Nigrum.
Solanum nigrum. Black nightshade. N. O. Solanaceae. Tincture of fresh plant.
Clinical
Amaurosis. Chorea. Headache. Heartburn. Hydrocephalus. Mania. Meningitis. Night-terrors. Parotitis. Peritonitis. Puerperal convulsions. Scarlatina. Small-pox. Stammering. Tetanus. Trismus. Tympanites. Typhoid fever. Varicosis. Vertigo. Ulcers.
Characteristics
Sol. n. is a common weed found in waste places. It has white flowers and blackberries. "The leaves applied externally ease pain and abate inflammation. Too large a quantity occasions violent sickness and headache, giddiness, drowsiness, and other dangerous symptoms.
The Arabians apply the leaves to burns and ulcers, skin diseases, and scrofulous and cancerous affections; they are diaphoretic, diuretic, and purgative" (Green's Herbal). Hale says some country practitioners used it with much success under the impression that it was "an indigenous Belladonna," having been misled by the name "nightshade." Hale verified its use in meningitis and headache; in scarlatina when the eruption is blotchy. Hale justly points out the close affinity of Sol. n. with Bell.:—Delirium, headache, flushed face, sparkling eyes, pains coming and going suddenly, fiery rashes, burning skin and sweat.
The Schema is made up of provings and symptoms of poisoning cases—all are unusually distinctive. A curious feature of the skin effects of the Black nightshade is that they have a tendency to blackness: "The swelling is very painful, it enlarges, becomes shiny, hard, and deep red; and in several places, quite black." "The black hue of the swollen parts grows deeper, the fingers are stiffened," &c. "The tip of the nose, the hands, from the finger-tips to the knuckles, and the toes to the tarsal joints become quite black as if regularly dyed." Corresponding to the black appearance is a bruised feeling all over the body
The headaches of Sol. n. are described as "frightful." They are splitting, throbbing, bursting, piercing, and are < by least movement of head, light, noise, stooping; by least movement after sitting; < in a close room, and rather > in open air. The day after taking a single dose of Ø a patient of Cooper's had this: "Head feels full across forehead, eyes heavy, and forehead burns; could not apply himself to work." The vertigo is < on moving the head. Sensation as if the bed was being rapidly turned in a circle.
Inclines to left on walking. The delirium is characterised by the cephalic cry, efforts to escape, and by stammering speech. Dilatation of the pupils is as marked as with Bell., and there is the same dryness of mouth and throat. Spasms, convulsions, and tetanic rigidity of the whole body have been induced.
The most peculiar feature of the convulsions is this: "In the midst of these convulsions the children frequently stretch out their little hands, then carry them eagerly to their mouths, and go through the motions of mastication and swallowing." The skin symptoms are very marked. After one dose of Ø this condition disappeared in a patient of Cooper's: patches of psoriasis, knees, elbows, and forehead, scaly, with red irritating spots at roots of hair. Peculiar Sensations are: Brain as if swimming.
As if things moving in a circle, when stooping. As if bed turning rapidly in a circle. As if brain shaking about in skull, on moving head. As if head would split.
As from a blow on forehead. As if sand in eyes. As if splinter in right tonsil. Tongue us if scalded.
Pains come and go suddenly. Symptoms extend upward. Right upper, left lower. Alternate coldness and heat.
The symptoms are < by touch. < Motion. < Moving head. < Moving.
< Beginning to move after sitting. < Walking (inclines to left). < Mis-step. < Swallowing.
< Light. < Bright sunshine (eyes). > Closing eyes (headache = him to close eyes). There is very great sensitiveness to cold air, but headache is < in warm room and > in open air.
Many symptoms are < morning on waking. Headache at 10 a.m.
Relations
Compare: In general Bell, and other Solanaceae. Cerebral cry, Apis. Stammering, Stram. Headache 10 a.m., Nat. m. Splinter sensation, Nit. ac., Hep. Tongue as if scalded, Sang. Pain in back of neck, Hell. Sensation of a blow, Naj. (Naj. on occiput, Sol. n. on forehead).
Mind
Delirium: with stammering speech, efforts to get out of bed; with piercing cries and convulsions
Complete cessation of mental faculties
Apoplectic stupor, muscles relaxed, face flushed, pulse full and irregular
Coma with twitching.
Head
Vertigo: on rising and moving about, with dizziness before eyes; with nausea and colic; on stooping; on rising in morning;
> in open air
Brain seems to swim, < on moving head
Sensation as if bed was turning rapidly in a circle (ten minutes after going to bed)
On stooping sensation as if everything moving in a circle
While walking, body inclines to l
Headache: dull, heavy throbbing; followed by dilatation of pupils
Lightness in head
Frightful headache
Headache < beginning to move after sitting;
> walking in open air
Very severe pain in head immediately over eyes, makes him partially close eyes;
< by light; by stooping; 10 a.m
Headache < in close room
Feeling as if head would split
Feeling on least motion after sitting as if brain would burst from forehead
In forehead: dull, heavy pressure; sensation as from a blow; throbbing during whole afternoon
Severe pain through temples as if head would split
Severe throbbing pain in l. temple < slightest mis-step, and < stooping at 1 p.m
Sharp gnawing pain in r. temple 9 a.m., causing him to grasp his hand and shut his eyes
Throbbing of temporal and carotid arteries, 11 a.m
Pain in small circumscribed spot on vertex
Pressure on vertex and forehead
Eruption on forehead of small red pimples, sore to touch and very hard; when one went another came
Scalp sore on moving hand through hair
Scalp sore as if hair had been severely pulled.
Eyes
Wrinkles round eyes
Eyes wide open, moist, and sparkling
Eyes: red; full and tense; dull and heavy; burning; very sensitive to light; sensation as if sand in them
Pain: over l. eye; severe in supraorbital region on waking in morning;
< motion and stooping; heavy, bruised sensation
Sharp shooting over r. eye
Burning in lids
Burning in lid-margins
Lids swollen and itching
Lids agglutinated
Pain in l. inner canthus
Lachrymation
Pupils dilated: enormously and insensible; alternating with contraction
Vision weak, < by bright sunlight
Erethritic amaurosis
Muscae; flickering black points and streaks; darkness before eyes; everything seemed too bright
Sparks before eyes (with nausea).
Ears
Most violent parotitis
Stitches in ear
Sounds seem distant
Buzzing before ears.
Nose
Nose deep red
Considerable sneezing
Discharge of thin, watery substance; from r. nostril, l. being closed
Burning in nose
Nose swollen, painful, and black
Tip of nose black.
Face
Wrinkles round eyes, on upper lip and on fingers
Face highly congested, wild anxious
Face; red, swollen; bloated; itching
Expression: fatigued; of fright and terror; as if intoxicated
Face pale
Sloughs detached from face
Sharp, neuralgic-like pains shooting from lower jaw up into l. ear, coming and going suddenly (10 a.m.)
Lips dry and blistered; as if scalded
Trismus.
Mouth
Lips and tongue dry as if scalded
Tongue sore as if burnt
Dryness: of back of tongue and arch of palate; of mouth
Insipid taste (with pain over eyes) on waking in morning
Utterance becomes uneasy.
Throat
Throat sore as if burnt
Stitches in r. side of throat
Raw sensation in throat, painful on swallowing, solids or liquids
Tickling in throat causing cough
Fauces: dry; sticking in,< on swallowing, at times stitches shooting to drum of r. ear
L. tonsil swollen
Feeling as if splinter in r. tonsil
Cramp in oesophagus
Violent beating of carotids.
Stomach
Appetite lost
Great thirst, for large quantities, often
Empty eructations with burning in stomach
Heartburn
Nausea with sparks before the eyes, continuing till he went to sleep
Nausea and retchings
Nausea and efforts to vomit, followed by profuse vomiting, at first of mucus, afterwards of bluish or greyish-black fluid
Vomit: ingesta; blackish-green liquid, thick
Severe pain in region of stomach, extending into heart region and l. shoulder (5 p.m.)
Pressure in stomach; constant or in paroxysms
Cramps; cutting; burning in pit of stomach
Burning in stomach extending up into oesophagus.
Abdomen
Violent cutting in umbilical region
Abdomen excessively distended and tense
Colic; and ineffectual urging
Pain 5 p.m., as if intestines were cut with knives
Pains in abdomen and desire to lie down.
Stool And Anus
Tenesmus in anus
Stools: natural but more frequent; semi-fluid; yellow, watery
Stools followed by burning pain in stomach, extending up, with nausea
Constipation, small, dry, hard stools.
Urinary Organs
If a sweat did not break out an extraordinary discharge of urine occurred, frequently followed by purging.
Respiratory Organs
Respiration: rapid; difficult; quick but easy; stertorous.
Chest
Chest: oppression of; constriction of
Pressure on sternum and at tenth dorsal vertebra
Cutting pains in l. side
On upper part of sternum a large round blotch, deep red.
Heart
Anxious feeling in region of heart.—Pulse: rapid, scarcely perceptible; irregular; slow, small, soft.
Neck And Back
Neck sore, stiff, as if bruised;
< moving head
Severe pains in muscles of neck
Great pains in back of neck and shoulders and in lower limbs
Pains in back of neck and between shoulders
Bruised feeling in back and limbs.
Limbs
Restlessness in limbs and carphologia
Wandering pains, first in shoulders, then down arm, then in lower limbs
Severe pains in all the limbs, 8 p.m
Painful drawing in arms and feet.
Upper Limbs
Arms heavy, prostrated, < r
Dull, heavy pain in r. arm extending to finger-tips (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
Lancinating pains down l. arm
Pain shooting through l. arm and wrist
Pain in l. shoulder and r. wrist
Palms greenish blue
Tips of fingers black as if dyed
Vesicles appear on back of hands, break and discharge an acrid fluid
Eruption like small-pox; sloughs form on fingers.
Lower Limbs
Gait unsteady, heavy, insecure
Trembling of lower limbs, esp. of muscles of thighs, like small successive jerks
Lower limbs prostrated, < l
Thighs weak
Pain in r. knee extending up to hip
Legs feel sore on walking as if bruised
In l. calf: compression, crawling
Swelling of feet
Tearing on back of l. foot
Chronic ulcers on feet.
Generalities
Coma, convulsive agitation, plaintive cries In midst of convulsion the children stretch out their hands, as if to grasp something, carry them eagerly to their mouths, and go through the motions of mastication and swallowing Most violent, convulsive agitation Convulsions, tetanic rigidity and death
Lies on back in entire prostration, disturbed at intervals by spasmodic movements Increased distension and prominence of varicose veins All muscles sore to touch Bruised feeling of whole body
Great sensitiveness to cold air.
Skin
Red blotches like scarlatina; irregularly dispersed over whole surface
Great swelling and intolerable itching of face, eyelids, lips, hands, and feet
Hands, feet, and nose painful, swollen, and black
Black line of swollen parts; shiny, painful
The swelling and black discoloration diminish together, and are followed by desquamation
Itching burning of extremities
Vesicles on back of hands; sloughing on fingers; blisters discharge acrid fluid over arms
Sloughs are detached from face, but r. hand swells up again
Face cleans off, but hands are again covered with hard and very painful crusts, which fall off and are soon replaced by new ones
Swelling of feet, arms, abdomen, scrotum, and penis.
Sleep
Sleepiness; during forenoon; all day
Deep sleep
Night very restless, sleepless, with hallucinations and carphologia
In middle of night he wakes up uttering groans, which are wrung from him by violent headache
Feeling on waking as if he had lost several nights' sleep
Dreams: waking him in terror, with sensation of falling from a great height; of snakes.
Fever
Alternation of coldness and heat
Flushes across face, 3 p.m
High fever followed by profuse sweat
High fever, 12 p.m., with great pain in back of neck, shoulders, and lower limbs
Heat, redness of face
Fever, painfulness in praecordia, distension of abdomen with at times screaming and grasping at abdomen, and constipation
Burning dry heat
Skin burning, sweating
Heat in face, hands, and along back
Flashes of heat run up and down back
Frequent sweats
Whole body bathed in profuse sweat.