Hypericum

Hypericum perforatum, Linn.

Natural order, Hypericacese. Common names, St. John’s Wort; (G.), Johannis-kraut, Farther ; (F.), Mille-pertuis.

Preparation, Tincture of the whole plant.

Authorities. 1, Dr. George F. Muller, Hygeia, 5, 484, “Caroline,” aged 23, unmarried, took 4 drops of tincture, one dose; 2, “Catharine,” aged 31, took same; 3, “ Madeline,” aged 21, took same ; 4, Thore, Beitrage, 4, 1839, p. 118, effects of 30th dilution, taken in the evening; 5, Dr. Stokes’s provings on self and wife, with 10 to 30 drops of tincture three times a day, also doses of to 1 drachm of tincture and of infusion, Horn. Times, 1853 (from German translation, original not accessible); 6, Dr. Rucker, A. H. Z., 68, 132, took 6th dilution (first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth days), 30th dilution (seventh day), 6th dilution (eighth, ninth, fourteenth days); 6a, same prover took (the subsequent year) 1st dilution for a headache; 7, Schelling, A. H. Z., 79, 22, took 1st dilution (first day), afterwards 6 drops of tincture, and after four days, 1 drop daily for eight days; 7 a, same prover the next year took 1st dilution, three doses in one forenoon.

Mind

I^niotiooal. Mental excitement, as after drinking tea

She talks wildly in the night, after 4 A.M., while asleep, with distorted, staring eyes, head hot, carotids throbbing violently, face puffy, eyes very red, fixed, pupils dilated, pulse very rapid, hair of the head moist, with dry, burning heat over the rest of the body, and great apprehensiveness ; once she ceased her talk and sang, but soon afterwards wept and screamed frightfully, and gasped for breath ; after a few magnetic passes she came to herself ; applying the hand to the head produced a comforting, soothing effect the whole attack lasted about an hour (second night),b

Very sad, out of humor (next morning)

Great depression of spirits, so that she wished to cry, at 5 p.m. (first day),h

Great depression, inclined to weep, which she endeavored to suppress, in the evening (fifth day) Apprehensiveness She was easily frightened for some time after the proving

Intellectual. Mental exhaustion

Weakness of memory, after the proving

Forgetful (second morning)

Remarkable weakness of memory for some time after the proving 113

Head

Confu.Him and VertUjo. Confusion of the head, ; morning, on waking (fifth day)

Constant vertigo, at 9 A.M. (eleventh day)

Excessive vertigo and nausea, on waking in the morning (eleventh day)

Dizziness (first day),’; in morning (second General Head. Feeling of weakness of the head, in the evening_(first day), and after the proving,’; throughout the proving,®. Heaviness in the head , the brain feels compressed (fourth day)

Great heaviness in the head, in t e afternoon (third day)

Feeling of heaviness in the head (first day),. Head heavy, confused/

Head heavy, confused, full

Head heavy, with general weakness, in the morning

Feeling as though the head were as large again as usual (eighth day)

Feeling as though the head were as long again as natural (fifth day)

(Waking at night from headache, but falling asleep again), (second night)

Violent headache, as from a hammering, especially on the vertex (third morning)

Pressing asunder sensation in the head, especially on the vertex, a sensation of dull roaring, at 6 p.m. (first day)

The brain seems compressed in the evening (seventh day)

Tearing stitches within the head (third morning)

A feeling as of something alive or a tickling in the brain, in bed (first night)

Forehead. Head heavy, tense between the temples

A feeling in the forehead as though some one touched it with icy-cold hands, lasting half an hour, afterwards extending towards the right eye, in the evening (fourth day)

Tension in the forehead, as if it were drawn up

Temples. Tension in the temples (first day)

Aching in the temples (sixth day)

Stitches now in the right, now in the left temporal region, in the evening (second day)

Some stitches in the right temporal region (after one hour)

Violent stitch in the left temporal region, in the evening (fourteenth day)

Violent stitch in the left temporal region, almost compelling him to cry out suddenly while walking (eighth day)

Transient violent tearing in the right temporal region, with chilliness over the whole body, at 4 p.m. (first day)

Throbbing in the right temporal region (third day)

Throbbing in the left temporal region (second day)

Vertex. Headache in the vertex, with roaring in the ears, especially in the left, in the morning on waking (fifth day)

Violent stitches in the crown of the head, at 7 p.m. (third day)

Tearing in the vertex, in the evening (seventh day)

* Throbbing in the vertex, and a feeling of heat in the head in the afternoon (fifth day)

Farietals, Slight stitches in the right side of the head, on exerting the eyes and head (fourteenth day)

Occiput. Pressive pain in the occiput, on motion

Pressive pain, with some drawing stitches in the occiput, in the evening

Tearing in the occiput, in the evening (fifth day)

Fxtevual Head. The hair of the head falls out easily, for some time after the proving

Profuse falling out of the hair, for a fortnight, after the proving

Formication on the vertex (second day)

Itching on the head (first night)

Eyes p. 54

Weariness in the eye

Feeling as though the eyes were difficult to move, as after weeping

Burning in the canthi

Tension in both eyes (fifth day)

Tension in both eyes (third day)

Aching sensation in the eyes (second day)

Stitches through the right eye (tenth day)

Tearing in the right eye, in the evening (seventh day)

Eroiv, Drawing stitches above the eyes, especially in the soft parts of the head

Lids. Eyelids covered with mucus, tense

The right eye is spasmodically closed for about a quarter of an hour, in the evening (fourth day)

Smarting of the eyelids

Pupil. Pupils dilated (fifth day),’; at 6 p.m. (first day)

Vision. Sight longer than usual, in a myope

Sight weaker than usual

Ears p. 54

Ears hot, on going to bed, without any heat in the body (fourteenth day)

Drawing pain in the left ear towards the zygoma; on touching the zygoma it feels swollen (eighth day)

Transient stitches through the right ear, in the evening (fourth day)

Itching and pressure in the ear

Roaring in the ears, especially in the left (not an unusual symptom), (fifth day)

Nose p. 55

Much sneezing iu the morning (second day)/.

Nose mostly dry/. Nose extremely dry (fifth day)/.

Remarkably acute smell (first day)/.

Face p. 55

Y^ce seems puffy, in the evening (second day),h

Pains in the face (starting from a hollow tooth), worse at night

C/i^e/.^s•. Feeling of tension in the cheeks, lasting several hours (after two hours) ; from noon till evening (second day)

A kind of contraction in the left zygoma (seventh day'),". Jerking and crawling in the left zygoma, in the morning (sixth day)

Dull jerking pain in the cheeks (fourth day)

Lips. Lips dry, the mucous membrane dry (after four hours)

Feeling of heat in the lips (second day)/.

Mouth p. 55

Teeth. Tension in the teeth, in the forenoon (fourth day)/. ^ Aching in the teeth, in the forenoon (second day)

Drawing toothache in the whole lower jaw, lasting a short time, aftermidnight (third night),h

Tearing here and there in the teeth (second day)/.

Tearing toothache in the right upper and lower jaws, on waking, at 3 a.m. (fourth day)/.

Dull jerking pain iu the teeth and cheeks, in the afternoon (third day)

To}i(the. Tongue coated, iu the morning

* Tongue coated tvhite,^; (eighth day)

Tongue whitish-gray, especially at the base

Tongue coated dirty yellow (eighth day)/.

General Mouth. Mouth dry,^; (after one hour)/.

Dry burning heat in the mouth, at 5 p.m. (first day)

Saliva. Much mucus in the mouth after eating

Taste. Bad taste in the mouth, eructations (fifth day)

Taste of blood in the throat following the stool; on hawking expectoration of bright-red bloody sputa (third and sixth days),®.f

Throat p. 55

Hawking of tenacious mucus

Feeling as though a worm were squirming in the throat (ninth day),l

Neck swollen (second day),’; (eighth day)

Neck puffed up, for a quarter of an hour (after one hour and a half)

Stomach p. 55

A-Ppetite. Great appetite in the morning (second day)/.

Great hunger, at noon (second day)

Speedy satiety, without pressure in the stomach

Diminished appetite, aversion to eating

Loss of appetite, nausea, and constant pressure as from an overloaded stomach, although he had fasted

No appetite in the evening (first day)

No relish for breakfast (second day)

Thirst. Thirst (fifth day)

Thirst, on waking from sleep; is unable to drink on account of choking in the throat and heat

Thirst, with feeling of heat in the mouth (after seven hours)

Great thirst (after one hour)

Violent thirst (eighth day)

Most violent thirst (third morning)

Eructation. Frequent eructations, with pressure on the chest

Eructations of odorless flatulence

Eructations without taste, on drinking water (after two hours)

Frequent empty tasteless eructations, without having eaten anything, at 5 P.M. (first day)

Bitter eructations (second day)

Eructations of mucus, with burning and pressure iu the stomach, in the morning

Great heat rising up iu the throat, in afternoon (second day)

Nausea. *Afn/sea (after two hours),’; for half an hour (fourth day); (sixth day)

Nausea, so that he is scarcely able to rise in the morning, with pressure iu the precordial region

Nausea, at noon, with inclination to vomit and great weakness (third day)

Nausea and distress in the stomach, with inclination to vomit, retching, collection of water in the mouth, for half an hour, in the evening

Nausea, inclination to vomit, qualmishness, during dinner, with a feeling as though the stomach and bowels were hot and swollen, with sleepiness

Nausea, qualmishness, and aversion to eating (fourth day)

Great constant nausea, with incessant eructations of either wind or mucus, in the evening

Retching

Stomach, Heaviness in the stomach, and feeling of heat and eructations after eating

Feeling of heat in the epigastrium and chest

Pressure, nausea, and weakness, two hours after eating

Pressure in the stomach, after a small meal

Awakened at night by pressure and burning in the stomach; feels as though the stomach were disordered by sour wine

Some pressure in the stomach, after drinking milk

Oppression of the stomach, after eating a little rice, in the evening (second day)

A kind of sticking, now in the epigastric region, now in the right hypochondrium (first day)

A griping in the stomach, in the morning, with yawning, like a sensation of hunger, though without appetite, on account of nausea

Abdomen p. 56

Hypochondria, Feeling of fulness in the hepatic region

Tension in the right and left hypochondria (eighth day)

Drawing pain in the hepatic region

Sticking in the right hypochondrium (third day)

Umbilical. Cutting in the umbilical region, as if something were cooking therein, in the afternoon (fifth day)

General Abdomen. *Distension of the abdomen (third day)

Distension of the abdomen, which is tympanitic and hard, in the evening (fifth day)

Abdomen hard, with tension in the right hypochondrium (ninth day)

Flatulence, with tension in the abdomen

Much flatulence, pressure, and dragging in the abdomen, through the day

Feeling as though flatulence would pass (fourth day)

Troubles from flatulence at night

Pain in the abdomen and diarrhoea-like stool, in the evening after coffee

Abdomen full and tense, as from flatulence, with griping and nausea

Pain in the abdomen, griping distension, followed by soft stool

Violent griping pains in the bowels, as from flatulence, soon followed by soft stool (sixth day)

Cutting and griping in the abdomen, as from incarcerated flatus (third day)

Dragging in the groins

Rectum and Anus p. 56

Burning biting, and a feeling of dryness in the anus, in the morning

Great desire for stool, with discharge of hard masses (second day)

Urgent desire for stool, with passage of small faecal masses (third day)

Very unusual, severe urging to stool, in bed soon after waking, which could only be restrained with very great difficulty while I dressed; stool normal (third morning)

Ineffectual urging to stool (third night)

Stools attended with most violent tenesmus (fourth day)

Stool p. 56

During the proving the stool almost always occurred twice daily, morning and evening, normal and profuse ; usually I had but one stool, and was not at all inclined to diarrhoea

Stool freer than usual, in the morning (second day)

Stool soft, in the evening (third day)

Stool hard (eighth day); at 3 p.m. (second day)

Stool irregular, sometimes hard, sometimes soft very bilious

Stool delayed

Difficult stool, with violent tenesmus, so that it caused nausea, in the evening (seventh day)

Urinary Organs p. 56

Burning in the urethra

Micturition, Urging to urinate, in the afternoon (fifth day)

Urging to urinate, with vertigo, almost a faintness, at two oclock at night, when in and when out of bad (eleventh day)

Frequent emission of very yellow urine, without burning

Urine, Profuse clear yellow urine, at night, with burning

Urine clear, wine-yellow

Urine very highly colored, frothy, of a peculiar sweetish odor, in the morning (fifth day)

Strong-smelling urine (first night)

Sexual Organs p. 57

Lascivious thoughts, soon (in a man)

Tension in the uterine region, as from a short band (seventh night)

Violent tearing in the genitals, with a desire to urinate, and micturition twice at midnight (seventh night)

Leucorrhcea for several days after the proving

Menstruation more profuse and with less difficulty than usual; the second menstruation was three days earlier and more profuse, with cold feet and acute sensibilities

Menstruation fourteen days too late

Respiratory Organs p. 57

Frequent dry, hacking cough (after one hour and a half)

Frequent expectoration of gelatinous mucus (fifth day)

Expectoration of much granular white mucus

Very short breath, in the evening (second day)

Dyspnoea, in the forenoon (third day)

Chest p. 57

Anxiety in the chest, like shortness of breath, in the morning (second day)

Burning pains in the chest, especially in the afternoon

Tightness in the cAest (fifth day),’; in evening, (second day)

Pressure upon the chest (third day)

Pressure and heaviness on the chest

Pressure and burning in the chest, at 5 p.m. (first day)

Oppression of the chest, in the evening (fourth day)

Transient sticking-cutting pain in the right upper half of the chest, on moving about; these cutting pains occurred a few times in the left lower portion of the chest, in the afternoon of the same day (third day)

Sticking in the left chest, in the evening (second day)

(Sticking in the ribs and shoulders, as after taking cold)

Sticking pain in the middle of the chest (internal aching, like heartburn)

Stitches through the left chest, at 8 p.m. (first day)

Constant stitches from within outward, through the left chest and sternum, aggravated by motion (third day)

Some sharp stitches in the chest

Violent stitches through the chest, so that she was obliged to hold the breath, at 5 p.m. (sixth day)

Crawling and orgasm in the chest

Stitches alternately in both sides of the chest (ninth day)

Violent sticking pain in the left breast, in the evening (.second day)

Stitches here and there beneath the right breast, in the evening (second day)

Heart and Pulse p. 57

The heart feels as though it would fall down, in the evening (second day)

Palpitation of the heart (fifth day)

Acceleration of the pulse; at 6 p.m. (first day)

Pulse rapid and hard (fifth day)

Neck and Back p. 57

Need, (Tension in the neck and nape of the neck), (first day)

Tension in the nape of the neck ; motion of the head is painful

Tension in the nape of the neck, with pressure and sticking in the middle of the chest

JBach. Twitchings of muscles in the back

Aching in the back (after one hour and a half)

Dull drawing and pressure in the back, especially in the lumbar region, more in the afternoon and evening

Sticking and burning pain in the back and loins, with feeling of coldness in the back, shoulders, and arms

Dorsal. Stitches in the scapulae (tenth day)

Lumbar. Paralytic pain in the small of the back (ninth day)

Aching in the small of the back (fifth day)

Press!ve pain in the small of the back (eighth day)

Pain in the small of the back, pressive, paralytic (third day)

Some stitches in the small of the back, at noon (fourth day)

Extremities in General p. 57

Numbness of the limbs

Feeling of weakness and trembling in all the limbs (sixth day)

The right foot and left arm feel paralyzed, alternating with tearing (fifth day)

Limbs heavy (first day)

Feeling of stiffness in the limbs

Painfulness in all the joints

Rheumatic drawing and tension in the lirabs

Bruised feeling in the extremities

Superior Extremities p. 58

Trembling and cramp in the left arm and fingers (eleventh day)

Weakness in the arms (eighth day)

Tension in both arms (after one hour and a half ),b

Fine sticking like needles in the arms (second day)

Tearing in the arms (second night)

Tearing in the left arm, in the morning (seventh day)

Tearing in the left arm, especially from the elbow to the fingers, in the evening (third day)

Constant tearing in the arras (fourth day)

Violent tearing in both arms, in the evening (sixth day)

Shoulder, Stitches in the left shoulder with every inspiration, at 2 p.m. (third day)

Tearing in the right shoulder and in the forearm

Arm. (Neuralgia, paralytic pains in the left upper arm),®.t

Elbow, Transient tearing in the elbows (third day)

Wrist. The left wrist is painful on motion, as if sprained

Hand. Tension in the hands (second day)

Pain as from suppuration on the outer margin of the ball of the left hand, while it lies upon the table

Tint/ers, Rheumatic pain, swelling and tension in the last joint of the left little finger

Rheumatic sticking pain in the right middle finger, as though a knife were thrust from the joint along the metacarpal bone to the wrist; afterwards a similar pain in the great toes, but less violent and of shorter duration (sixth day)

Tearing in the right thumb, in the evening (fifth day)

Inferior Extremities p. 58

ThUjh. Crawling and drawing along the course of the sciatic nerve

Knee. Transient cramp in the knee (fourth day)

Slight pain in the outer and upper portion of the left knee as from straining the tendons (third day)

Sticking in the left knee

Tearing in the right knee (tenth day)

Tearing in the right leg and knee (eighth day)

Le(f. Tingling in the legs and knees as from weariness

(Very acute cramp in the calves, several times at night, first in the right, afterwards in the left leg, obliging him to get up and walk about), (fifth night)

Foot. Painful tension like a cramp in the soles of the feet

Cramp in the left foot

Painful craraplike drawing as if the feet would become dead, when lying

Feeling as though the left foot were sprained or dislocated, on rising from stool at 3 p.m. (ninth day)

Sticking in the bone in the inner side of the right foot, as after a sprain, on ascending steps, several times during the day (fourteenth day)

Tearing extending from the right calf through the whole foot, at 6 p.m. (first day)

Toes. Toes and heels somewhat swollen, with biting (ninth and tenth days)

Sticking as with a dull knife in the fourth toe, in the evening (tenth day)

Dull sticking, as with a knife, in the ball of the great toe (fourteenth day)

Generalities p. 58

Objective. Frequent starting up as from affright, always with rising of great heat into the neck (fifth day)

Lameness and stiffness with spasmodic restlessness in the muscles and tendons, especially in the evening and at night, often waking from sleep

Weariness on waking from sleep

Weak, distracted, in the afternoon, after a short walk (first day)

Weakness when walking, was obliged to walk slowly; when walking, but not when sitting

Weakness even to falling down

Great weakness (tenth day),^; continuing after the proving

Great weakness and trembling, on waking in the morning (eighth day),l

Great weakness, with violent thirst, on waking in the morning (second day)

Extremely weak (third day)

Exhaustion (ninth and tenth days)

Great exhaustion (fifth night), and for three weeks after the proving

Subjective. Sensitive to the cold, for some time after the proving

General nervous and vascular excitement (first to fourth day)

Inclined to great activity (fifth day)

Disinclined for mental and physical labor (fourth day)

Feeling of weakness (after one hour and a half )

The whole body feels affected as after a course of medicine

Feeling, on waking at 4 a.m., as though she were not lying in bed, at another time as though she were lying very heavy in bed (second night)

Skin p. 59

Objective. Some small pimples on the skin

Biting eruption like nettle-rash on both hands ; she was obliged to scratch until they were almost sore (eighth day)

Violent biting on both hands; nettlerash eruption on the backs of the hands and between the fingers (fifth day)

Subjective. Crawling in the skin at times

Great itching, especially in the sacral region, in the evening on undressing; the skin felt rough aud seemed full of little pura{)les (tenth day)

(Ulcerating pain in the morning in a vesicle on the thigh), (fifth day)

Biting in the fingers of the left hand, in the evening (ninth day)

Violent biting on the back of the hands, in the evening (second day)

* Crawling m the hands and feet, they felt fuzzy (third morning)

Tingling in the feet

(Itching on the forehead, vertex, and hip)

(Itching on both cheeks, especially in the beard), (second day)

The feet seem fuzzy, with sticking in them as from needles (fourth day)

Sleep and Dreams p. 59

Sleepiness. Yawning

Frequent yawning

Sleepiness, the eyelids keep closed, at 6 p.m. (first day)

(Sleepy, in the afternoon, after eating), (second day)

Very sleepy, at 5 p.m. (second day)

Constantly inclined to sleep (second day)

Sleep heavy, exhausting every night, with sweat in the morning

Wakes late (second morning)

Sleeplessness. Falls asleep late, sleep restless, wakes early (first night)

Sleep uneasy (first and third nights)

Sleep restless; it seems as though she were lying very heavy in the bed (first day)

Sleep restless, disturbed by various pains, and with confused, anxious, voluptuous dreams, or dreams of business

Sleep extremely restless, with frightful dreams, starting up aud apprehensiveness (first night)

Waking early in the morning with hot perspiration and uneasiness (sixth day)

Sleeps usually lying on the back and boring the head into the pillow

Lies on the back, with emissions (second night)

Dveants. Dreamy sleep, with sweat in the morning

Many dreams (second night)

She dreamed very much and awoke after every dream (first night)

Vivid dreams at night, not remembered in the morning (fourth day)

Busy dreams very indistinctly remembered (fifth day)

Many dreams at night of journeyings, etc., indistinctly remembered in the morning (first Pight)

Constant dreams at night; after waking several times he always fell asleep and continued to dream, dreamed of journeying, hunting, etc.; very indistinctly remembered (first night)

Exhausting dreams of climbing mountains, great pressure of business, etc., without sweat at night

Fever p. 59

Chilliness. Chilliness over the whole body, with nausea

Feeling of chilliness through the whole body, at 4 p.m. (fifth day)

Shivering over the whole body, in the evening (second day)

Constant shuddering, while sitting, worse on moving about, with expectoration of mucus, nausea, and qualmishness, slightly relieved by drinking cold water, lasting through the evening till midnight

Coldness of the soles of the feet

Shuddering, coldness, extending from the calves over the legs frequently during the day (second day),’.f

(Shuddering in the back, extending across the shoulders), (fifth day)

JJeflt Heat, with anxiety, in the evening (second and third days)

Dry burning heat over the whole body (third day)

Sensation of internal heat without thirst, with perspiration, preventing falling asleep for two hours, so that I sought a cool place and was frequently obliged to throw off the covering, but I soon became too cold (fifth morning, soon after the dose)

Heat in the head and feet, with restlessness and desire to seek cool places, from 3 to 5 a.m. (tenth day),®.]

Heat in the face in the morning after a restless night

Feeling of heat in the face, in the afternoon (fifth day)

Sweat. Gets into a perspiration easily on slight exertion

Conditions p. 60

Aggravation.

(Morning), On waking, confusion of head; on waking, vertigo, etc.; head heavy, etc.; on waking, headache in vertex; sneezing; at 3 oclock, toothache; on waking, weakness, etc.

(Forenoon), Pains in teeth.

(Afternoon), Heaviness in head ; throbbing in vertex, etc.; pain in teeth ; burning in chest; drawing, etc., in back; at 4 oclock, chilliness.

(Evening), Depression ; weakness in head ; stitches in temporal regions; tearing in vertex; pressive pain, etc., in occiput; tearing in occiput; tearing in eye; stitches through ear; distension of abdomen; after coffee, pain in abdomen, etc.; drawing, etc., in back ; tearing in arms; tearing in thumb ; sticking in toe; lameness, etc., in muscles ; biting on fingers; shuddering; heat, etc.

(Night), Pains in face; after midnight, toothache in lower jaw; troubles from flatulence; cramp in calves.

(Motion), Pain in occiput; stitches through chest; lameness, etc., in muscles ; shuddering.

Footnotes p. 55

† For the past two months I had had a little nosebleed a few times, but only after blowing the nose; formerly it had occurred almost daily.

† On account of this pain I was obliged to omit the proving ; it gradually disappeared after several remedies, but an induration of the cellular tissue remained, which after awhile su[)purated.