Melilotus

Melilotus officinalis, Linn.

Natural order, Leguminosae.

Common name, Yellow Melilot.

Preparation, Tincture of the flowers. (Dr. Bowen uses both the yellow and white species; M. officinalis and M. alba.)

Authorities (Provings of Dr. G. W. Bowen, in MSS., sent to the Editor). 1, Dr. Bowen took 10 drops of 1st cent. dil. at 8 a.m. ; 1 a, same, effects of one dose (of tincture), U. S. Med. and Surg. J., 5, 317 ; 2, T. J., a student (always complaining of headache, pain in legs, with occasional nosebleed), took a few drops of tinct.; 3, Miss B., aged 20, put some of 1st dil. on handkerchief, of which she smelled frequently; 4, Mrs. B., aged 36 (suffering from prolapsus uteri, left inguinal hernia, and periodic headaches), took one drop of tinct. in 4 doses at intervals of six hours; 5, Mrs. Bowen, very sensitive to its action, effect of smelling flowers; 6, T. D., a man aged 20,t took 1 drop of 1st cent. dil. every hour for six hours; 7, Dr. T. C. Duncan, Med. Invest., 1874, vol. 11, p. 519, effect of chewing some Melilotus.

Mind

He was fairly furious; was obliged to lock him in his room for twenty-four hours (after six hours)

Loss of consciousness (with gushing of blood from nose), (fourth day)

Fetid

Dizzy (third day),I

Headache lasting four days, with oppression of the chest, severe stitching or cutting pains in the ivomb and through the hernia; was confined to bed for four days and ordy relieved by profuse bleeding from the nose (after two days); she had no more headaches for seven months

Severe headache (third day)

Almost delirious with headache (second and third day)

In the afternoon had a heavy oppressive headache which towards night assumed a heavy throbbing nature (third day),h

* A frightful, heavy, oppressive headache for three days, which is easiest relieved by applying vinegar to the head

Headache began gradually, and was confined to the left supraorbital region ; it was aggravated by motion ; on lying down it was better; if I allowed myself to think hard, as there was a disposition to do, it would ache worse; I noticed on talking it quite disappeared from the forehead, and settled in the occipital region ; when I stopped talking it returned to the forehead ; it took it about a minute, I should judge, to travel back and forth; I could feel it migrate, especially when returning to the forehead; when I walked around the whole head was affected, but worse over the eye (I am right-handed, and have a weak right eye ; the left brain is therefore best developed) ; this alternate headache is unique, so far as I know; it lasted about two hours (after about two hours)

Nose p. 177

Blood gushed from my nose, and I lost consciousness (fourth day)

Face p. 177

* Very red face (third day)

* Face highly congested, almost livid (after six hours)

Looked very pale (after six days),^; (after a week)

Stomach p. 177

Acid eructations all day, of a burning and smarting nature (first day)

Skin p. 177

Had a heavy throbbing and fulness in the rectum, which I found to be internal piles, which alarmed me very much, as I had never been troubled there before (third day)

Urinary Organs p. 177

Was obliged to leave business, and go to relieve the accumulation of water in the bladder, which annoyed me very much (third day)

Respiratory Organs p. 177

Harsh, spasmodic cough (third day)

Dry cough, spasmodic and distressing (third day)

Smothered or partial suppressed cough

Cough very harassing, as I could not relieve my throat or bronchia by getting anything up until near night, when it began to loosen a little (fourth day) ; when I woke could expectorate quite freely (fifth morning)

Very easily wearied, as I could not get air enough to do me any good apparently (fourth day)

Oppressed for breath, and seemed to be smothering up (after six hours)

Chest p. 177

Much oppression of the chest; there seemed to be a load on my chest; difficult breathing, felt smothered and oppressed; frequently examined my clothes, feared they might be too tight (second day) ; still an oppressed spasmodic breathing, with great fulness of the chest (third day)

A great deal of soreness of the chest, both internally and externally; was fearful I had taken a cold, which I knew was not possible (second day)

Generalities p. 177

Very nervous and easily annoyed (third day)

Seemed to be quite weak (after six days),h

Suffered for three days with terrible headache, a bad cough, and oppression of the chest, but she got relief when her nose began to bleed, which it did to a frightful degree

Symptoms only relieved by severe or profuse bleeding from the nose for three days

Sleep p. 177

Poor sleep (first night)

Passed a miserable night; my wife was much worried about me; slept better towards morning (fourth night)

Fever p. 177

Cold extremities (third day)

Footnotes

† Has been subject to congestive headaches so severe that he would fall in the streets; has had none since taking the Melilotus, now four years.—G. W. B.