Hydrastis

Hydrastis canadensis. Golden Seal. Orange-root. Yellow Puccoon. N, O, Ranunculaceae. Tincture of the fresh root.

Clinical

Alcoholism. Asthma. Cancer. Catarrh. Chancroids. Constipation. Corns. Dyspepsia. Eczema impetigonoides. Ears affections of . Faintness. Fistula. Gastric catarrh. Gonorrhoea. Haemorrhoids. Jaundice. Leucorrhœa. Lip, cancer of. Liver, affections of. Lumbago. Lupus. Menorrhagia. Metrorrhagia. Mouth, sore. Nails, affections of. Nipples, sore. Noises in the head. Nursing-women, sore mouth of. Ozcena. Placenta, adherent. Post-nasal catarrh Rectum, affections of. Sciatica. Seborrhoea. Stomach, affections of. Syphilis. Taste, disordered. Throat-deafness. Throat, sore. Torque, affections of. Typhus. Ulcers. Uterus, affections of.

Characteristics

The so-called root of Hydrastis from which the tincture is made is really a perennial underground stem, thick, knotty, and yellow. The yellow colour is very intense, and it has been used by Indians as a dye. The plant is the only specimen of its genus among the Ranunculaceae. It grows in shady woods, in rich soil, and damp meadows. The fruit is like a raspberry, and the plant is sometimes called Ground Raspberry in consequence. The medicinal properties of Hydrast. were known to the aborigines of America. The first mention of it in medical literature is by Rafinesque (Medical Botany 1828). Hale quotes him as saying that it is ''tonic, ophthalmic, detergent," and that " it is said to enter into compound remedies for cancer, acting as a detergent tonic, and the Cherokees are supposed to use it in that disease.'' This is important as showing that the traditional reputation of the plant agrees with the results of later experience. For though by no means a specific in all cases of cancer, it is in cancer cases that /hydrast/. has won its chief fame; and I think it may fairly be said that more cases of cancer have been cured with it than with any other single remedy. Thanks to the excellent provings that have been made by homœopathy and the careful observations of able practitioners, we are in a position to use the remedy with much greater precision than formerly. In very many cancer cases there is what has been termed a '' pre-cancerous stage," a period of undefined ill-health without any discernible new growth. This stage is generally marked by symptoms of dyspepsia, and this frequently takes \ht Hydrastis type, which has been well described by A. C. Clifton. The facial expression is dull, heavy, sodden-looking ; yellowish-white in colour. The tongue is large, flabby and slimy-looking ; bluish-white under the fur (which is yellow, slimy, and sticky), and indented by the teeth. Eructations generally sour, at times putrid. Appetite bad, the power of digesting bread and vegetables especially weak and causing eructations. Weight at stomach, with fulness, empty aching "gone " feeling (this is a grand characteristic of Hydrast,, and it is constant, not occurring at special times like that of Sul., &c.). < After a meal The action of the bowels is either infrequent and constipated, or frequent with loose, soft, light-coloured stools. Clifton found this type of dyspepsia occur frequently in phthisical families, and often cured it ; and even in cases of actual phthisis this type is not uncommon, the loss of appetite and "goneness'' being especially prominent In dyspepsia Clifton found the tincture and lower attenuations answer best ; in catarrh of nose and fauces the higher were better. Catarrh of almost all mucous surfaces is caused by Hydrastis — nasal catarrh, pharyngeal, bronchial, gastric, duodenal, intestinal, urethral (gonorrhoea, gleet), vaginal. The characteristic catarrh is yellow (the leading colour of the drug) or white ; tou and stringy. The action on the skin is no less marked. Garth Wilkinson found it externally and internally an excellent remedy in small-pox. Eczema impetigonoides, drying into crusts and burning like fire, has been cured with an application of one part Hydras, f to nine of glycerine. The burning was removed at once. (I once saw a woman, 60, who had been given Hydrasi. f gtt. v. in water three times a day, after a week come out in a scarlet rash, raised and nodular, exceedingly irritable, especially at night. It was on every part of the body except the face, and was worst on buttocks and elbows. It remained out a week. The patient at the same time became very ill with sickness and general digestive disorder.) The skin may be jaundiced. There is excessive sweat, especially of armpits or genitals ; offensive ulcers ; chancroids ; fissures. The female genital organs are very much affected : Metrorrhagia, leucorrhoea, pruritus vulvae, scirrhus of uterus ; of breasts ; sore mouth of nursing- women ; sore nipples. Weiss gave a woman, 31, who had had adherent placenta in several confinements in succession, Hydrast 3X three drops daily from the fourth month during her last three pregnancies, and each terminated without adherent placenta. Four other cases of habitual adherent placenta were successfully treated in the same way. There is much backache of severe character in connection with many of the Hydrast conditions. Sometimes it awakens patients in the night. Like many other " yellow " medicines, it has a marked action on the liver, causing jaundice and liver enlargement Cases of cancer of the liver have been reported cured by it Fulness, goneness, and constipation are the leading indications. The constipation of Hydrast is a leading feature of the pathogenesis. There is torpor of the bowels ; stools lumpy, covered with yellowish tough mucus ; with the constipation continual pain in head, Sad taste in mouth. Hydrast has been a good deal used in bronchial catarrhs with the characteristic tenacious secretion. In one case an over-dose brought on a characteristic attack of asthma (H. W.J xxxiv. 293). The dose was gtt xx of the liquid extract, and Miodowski, who reported the case, thought there was pulmonary œdema secondary to cardiac weakness induced by the drug. It is worthy of note that most remedies which powerfully act on the skin will also cause an asthmatic state. The Symptoms generally are < at night. Skin symptoms are < from warmth; from washing, &c. The catarrhal symptoms are < from harsh, dry winds ; out of doors. Rest > ; motion <. There is < by touch ; clothing feels uncomfortable about groins. Pressure > many symptoms.

Relations p. 920

AniidoUd by : Sul. (head symptoms and sciatic pains). // antidotes: Merc, and Chlorate of potass. Compare: Am. m., Ant. c, Kali, bi., and Puls, (mucous membranes) ; Alo., Collins., Sep., Sul. (lower bowel) ; Berb., Dig., Gels., Lye, Pod., Merc, (gastroduodenal catarrh, involving bile ducts) ; Nux v. (gastric catarrh of alcoholism) ; Merc, con, Euphras. (nasal catarrh) ; Hepar (syphilitic ozaena, after abuse of mercury or iodide of potash) ; Ars., Bapt., Con., Condur., Kreas., Phytol. (cancer of breast) ; Chi; (intermittent) ; Strychn. (spinal cord) ; Chel. (cancer of breast ; liver affections) ; Sang, (burnt sensation on tongue) ; Kali bi. (hair sensation) ; Ars., Aur. mur., Hydrocot, Ant t, Bapt, Thuj.

Mind p. 921

Forgetful ; cannot remember what he is reading or talking about. — Irritable ; disposed to be spiteful. — Gloomy, taciturn, disagreeable. — Moaning with occasional outcries from pain. — Depression ; sure of death and desires it.

Head p. 921

Feeling as if intoxicated; headache; weakness. — Dull, heavy frontal headache over eyes ; catarrhal. — Sharp cutting in temples and over eyes ; < over 1. ; > from pressing with the hand. — Dull frontal headache, with duU pain in hypogastrium and small of back. — Severe frontal headache ; as if brain being pressed against frontal bones. — Vertex headache every other day, commencing at 1 1 a.m., with nausea, retching and anguish. — Dull heavy pain in occiput (1.) — Aching in cerebellum, first r., later l. side. — Myalgic headache in integuments of scalp and muscles of neck. — Eczema on margin of hair in front ; < coming from the cold into a warm room ; oozes after washing.— (Seborrhoea sicca).

Eyes p. 921

Profuse secretion of tears ; smarting and burning of eyes and lids. — Lids agglutinated ; blepharitis marginalis. — Opacity of the cornea. — Ophthalmia ; catarrhal ; scrofulous, with or without ulceration ; thick mucous discharge. — Dark greenish-yellow conjunctiva.

Ears p. 921

Roaring in the ears ; like machinery. — Pain in r. ear ; it disappeared and was followed immediately by fulness in forehead and pain over l. eye. — Sharp pain back of r. ear passing to shoulder. — Otorrhoea, thick mucous discharge (fetid). — Partial stoppage of Eustachian tube. — Throat deafness.

Nose p. 921

Tickling, like a hair in r. nostril. — Constant discharge of thick white mucus ; frontal headache. — Secretion runs more from posterior nares, thick and tenacious. — Coryza watery, excoriating; burning, smarting and rawness in nose (more r, nostril) ; discharge scanty in room, profuse out of doors ; rawness in throat and chest. — Sneezing, with fulness over eyes, dull frontal headache, pain in r. breast and down arms. — Air feels cold in nose. — Nosebleed, l. nostril, with burning rawness ; followed by itching. — Soreness of cartilaginous septum, bleeding when touched; inner edge of r. ala sore and thickened. — Ozsena, with bloody, purulent discharge.

Face p. 921

Expression weary, dull, skin pale, or yellow-white. — Erysipelatous eruption following flushes of heat.Aphthae on the lips.— (Epithelial cancer of lip.) — Tenacious mucus hangs in shreds from mouth.

Mouth p. 921

Taste flat; peppery.— Tongue swollen, shows marks of teeth ; coated white or with a yellow stripe.— Tongue as if burned or scalded, later a vesicle forms on the tip. — Excessive secretion of thick, tenacious thighs, with aching; pulse slow. — Heat in flushes. — Great heat of whole body. — Constant dull burning pains all the evening. — Gastric, bilious «• typhoid forms of fever, with gastric disturbances, jaundice and great debility following.