Taraxacum

Clarke, A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, 1900, Vol. II, p. 1369

Leontodum taraxacum. Taraxacum Dens-leonis. AT. 0. Compositae. Tincture of whole plant just before the perfection of the flower.

Clinical

Ague. Bilious attacks. Debility. Diabetes. Gall-stones. Headache, gastric. Jaundice. Liver, affections of. Neuralgia. Night - sweats. Rheumatism. Tongue, mapped. Typhoid fever.

Characteristics

The young leaves of the Dandelion are sometimes eaten in salads. They have a bitter chicory-like taste, as also has the root. Children eat the flowers, although they are supposed by them to cause bed-wetting. This has given rise to one of the popular names of the plant. Its chief traditional uses are as a remedy for jaundice, liver obstruction, in dysentery, involuntary emissions, and in difficulties in passing water. Hahnemann's provings brought out these leading symptoms : " Painless urging to urinate ; " and "frequent urging to urinate with copious discharge of urine." Hahnemann points out that this, with the thirst, may indicate Trx, in some cases of diabetes. Trx. has caused pains in both splenic and liver regions, and has cured jaundice with enlarged indurated liver. Cooper gives me the following case : An old Indian officer, when in India, suffered much from gall-stones, and was advised to take dandelion infusion every day. This he did, and soon the symptoms left him, and he remained free from them for over twenty years. A symptom in connection with disordered digestion, which has proved a good guide for Trx. in some cases, is the ' mapped tongue." The tongue is coated white, and clears off in patches, leaving dark red very sensitive spots. Treas. of BoL points out that " the bright-yellow flowers of Trx. open in the morning between 5 and 6 o'clock and close in the evening between 8 and 9. Hence this was one of the plants selected by Linnaeus to form his floral dock." The symptoms of Trx, are < at night Hands and nose cold at 8 p.m. " Cold finger-tips "is a guiding mptom. Peculiar Sensation are : As if brain was constricted. As if teeth were set on edge. As if larynx were compressed. As if bubbles were forming and bursting in abdomen. As of rolling and gurgling in right scapula. As if limbs were bound or powerless. Some leading indications are : Gastric and bilious attacks, especially gastric headaches ; the headaches are generally pressive. Pressure in lower occiput after lying down is characteristic. Debility, loss (of appetite, profuse night-sweats, especially when convalescing from bilious or typhoid fever. Restlessness of limbs in typhoid. Sweat between toes. The symptoms are : > By touch (jerking in right calf). Rest<. (Almost all symptoms appear when sitting; lying down; resting.) Motion >. > In open air. Burning in throat is > by drinking. Hahnemann's dosage was a single drop of the tincture (hi. M. P.).

Relations p. 1370

Compatible : Ars. (night-sweats). Compare : In gastric and bilious affections, Bry., Chel., Hydr., Nux. Mapped tongue, Ars., Nat. m., Ran. s. Restlessness of limbs with tearing pains, Rhus.

Mind p. 1370

Irresolution and dislike to labour.-Loquacity and inclination to laugh.

Head p. 1370

Vertigo, with giddiness and staggering when walking in the open air.— Drawing pain in l. temple while sitting, ceasing when walking or standing. — Tearing pain in occiput — Pressure and heaviness in lower part of occiput, after lying down. — Headache, as from contraction or expansion of brain. — Heaviness and pressure in head. — Lancinations in forehead and temples.— Violent headache, felt only when standing or walking.— Tension of scalp.

Eyes p. 1370

Pain in eyes, as if a grain of sand were in internal canthus.— (Aversion to light) burning sensation, and burning shootings in eyes. — Bumin l. eyeball. — Inflammation of eyes with lachrymation and photophobia.— Nocturnal agglutination of lids.

Ears p. 1370

Shootings in ears. — Drawing pain in external ear. — Dysecoia in evening.

Face p. 1370

Purulent pimples on face, cheeks, alae nasi> and (r.) commissures of lips. — Sensation of heat and redness in face. — Shootings and pressure

Chest p. 1370

Upper lip cracked.

Teeth p. 1370

Toothache, with drawing pain in carious teeth, extending to eyebrows. — Pressive pains in teeth. — Teeth set on edge as from acids.— Flow of add blood from carious teeth. — Bluntness of teeth. — Hawking up of sour mucus, causing teeth to feel dull & Mouth. — Accumulation of acid saliva in mouth (with sensation as if the kMTDz were compressed). — Tongue loaded with a white coating, with exfoliation (it cleans off in patches, dark red, and they are very sensitive).— Tongue dry, loaded with a brown coating on waking in morning. g. Throat*-*-Sore throat, with pressive pain, as from internal swelling. --Dryness, shootings, and bitter mucus in the throat.— Hawking up of add mucus.

Appetite p. 1371

Bitter taste in mouth, with natural taste of food.-— Salt or add taste of food, principally c butter and of meat— Tobacco-smoke is disagreeable, causes pyrosis, and interrupts respiration. — Great chilliness after drinking, or eating.

Stomach p. 1371

Bitter risings (eructations and hiccough).— Empty risings, esp. after drinking. — Nausea (with inclination to vomit or vomiting) from very fat food, with anxiety and pressive headache, > in open air.

Abdomen p. 1371

Pinching in abdomen. — Pressive shootings in abdomen, and sides of abdomen, chiefly in l. side ; in hypogtriunu — Grumbling and movements (sudden sensation) in abdomen, as if bubbles were bursting in it

Stool and Anus p. 1371

Ine£Ancient urging to go to stool. — Evacuations several times a day, but accomplished with difficulty (even if stool is not hard). — Faeces of the consistence of pap, followed by tenesmus. — Voluptuous itching in perinaeum (compelling one to scratch).

Urinary Organs p. 1371

Frequent want to urinate (pressure without pain), with profuse emission. — Enuresis somni (?).

Male Sexual Organs p. 1371

Pain in testes.— Permanent erections.— Frequent pollutions ; on alternate nights,

Female Sexual Organs p. 1371

Suppressed menses.

Respiratory Organs p. 1371

Sensation as if the larynx were pressed together.

Chest p. 1371

Pressure at chest — Shootings in chest and sides of chest. — Jerkings in muscles of sides.

Neck and Back p. 1371

Pressive jerkings and shootings in muscles of neck, (throat), and nape. — Tearing from ear downward to the neck. — Pressive pains in loins. — Pressive and tensive shootings in back and loins, when lying down, with obstructed respiration. — Pressing-stinging in spine and sacrum with dyspnoea. — Gurgling and swelling in shoulder-blades and shoulders, with shivering over whole body. — Vibration and quivering in r. scapula.

Upper Limbs p. 1371

Pulsative throbbing and jerking in shoulders and arms. — Jerkings of muscles of arms. — Twitching in muscles of l. forearm. — Shootings in arms and elbows. — Drawings and tearings in forearm and wrist. — Eruptions of pimples on hands and fingers. — Icy coldness of ends of fingers. — Pressive pain in three last fingers of r. hand.

Lower Limbs p. 1371

Shootings in thighs, knees, calves, soles, and toes. — Stitching pain in l. thigh. — Pressive pain in l. calf. — Jerking pain in r. calf, ceasing quickly when touched. — Drawing pain in dorsum of r. foot; when standing; stitches when sitting. — Severe or fine stitching pains in r. sole. — Burning sensation in knees, legs and toes*— Profuse perspiration between toes.

Generalities p. 1371

This remedy acts well in all affections of the liver ; sour taste; darting pains in outer parts.— Affections in l. upper side ; r. lower side ; back of foot ; sole of f oot— < While lying down ; from fat food ; while resting.— > From moving; when walking.— Painful tenderness of all limbs, esp. when touched, and when they are in a false position. — The limbs are movable, but it feels as if the power to move them were impeded.— Sensation of weakness and uneasiness throughout body, with constant necessity to lie down or to sit.— Almost all symptoms appear while the patient is seated, and are dissipated by walking.

Skin p. 1372

Unhealthy, pimply, sycotic skins.— Stinging on skin. — Eruption over body and limbs itching severely, and appears to be a mixture of lichen and urticaria. — Biting in skin with sweat

Sleep p. 1372

Sleepiness, and going to sleep while listening to a scientific discourse. — Sleepiness in daytime, and yawning while sitting. — Vivid unremembered dreams ; frequent waking and tossing.

Fever p. 1372

Chilliness, esp. after eating and drinking. — Chilliness, shiverings, all over, with pressive headache. — Chill in open air. — Heat at night on waking, esp. on face and hands. — Violent night-sweats, mostly before midnight, when just going to sleep. — Very debilitating perspiration, causing biting on the skin.

Taraxacum in the other books