Rhus venenata

Poison Sumach. Anacardiacese.

Grows in swampy localities in Canada and the United States.

The tincture is prepared from the fresh leaves and bark.

Provings by Bute, Archiv fur Horn., vol. 15, p. 179 ; Kunde, N. Zeit. fur Klinik, vol. 12, p. 155; Burt, Am. Ham. Rev., vol. 5, p. 23 ; Oehme, N. E. Med. Gaz., vol. 1, p. 121 ; Butman, N. E. Med. Gaz., vol. 4, p. 200; Mcgeorge, H. M., vol. 7, p. 315.

Clinical Authorities. — Sore mouth, Burt, A. H. O., vol. 2, p. 66 ; Ulceration of cervical glands, Thomas, B. J. H., vol. 14, p. 350; Swelling on wrist, Thomas, B. J. H., vol. 14, p. 349; Chronic rheumatism, Thomas, B. J. H., vol. 16, p. 329; Use in suppuration, etc., Thomas, B. J. H., vol. 14, p. 350 ; Erythema nodosum, Q5hme, N. E. M. G., vol. 1, p. 152; Wander, A. H. Z., vol. 108, p. 36; Impetigo, (Ehme, N. E. M. G., vol. 1, p. 151 ; Erysipelas, Small, Eaue's Rec, 1873, p. 240, from U. S. M. and S. Jour., vol. 7, p. 156 ; Rhus poisoning (2 cases), Mcgeorge, Hah. Mo., vol. 7, p. 322.

Mind

Great sadness, no desire to live, everything seems gloomy.

Inability, at times, to connect ideas ; forgetfulness ; dull and stupid feeling.

^Sensorium. Vertigo; < in evening; intolerable heaviness of head.

Inner Head

Dull heavy, frontal headache, < walking and stooping.

Outer Head

' l Great swelling of head, face and hands, with sharp, irritating fever.

││ Vesicular erysipelas of face and scalp.

Sight and Eyes

' i Eyes closed from great swelling of cellular tissue about them.

││ Profuse lachrymation ; constant dull, aching pains in eyeballs.

││ Chronic inflammation of eyes.

Hearing and Ears

Vesicular inflammation of ears, exuding a yellow watery serum.

Smell and Nose

Erysipelatous redness of nose.

Upper Face

▌ Nose and r. side of face much swollen, especially under r. eye.

▌ Face hot, itching and burning in different parts of face, especially 1. cheek.

││ Vesicular eruption about face and hands accompanied by much swelling and an intolerable itching and burning. θ Erysipelas.

Lower Face p. 116

Drawing pains in upper and lower jaw.

'"Teeth and Gums, i i.Red vesicular eruption on gums of upper incisors.

Taste and Tongue p. 116

││ Scalded feeling of tongue, salty, flat, rough taste.

││ Centre and base of tongue coated white, sides very red.

││ Vesicles on under side of tongue, with a scalded feeling.

▌ Tongue red on tip, or red and cracked in middle.

Distress in root of tongue and fauces.

Inner Mouth p. 116

│ ' Mucous membrane of mouth very red.

││ Sore mouth ; intense redness of mucous membrane of tongue, cheeks and fauces, with appearance of small vesicular points, accompanied by intense burning, as if mouth and throat had been scalded; this condition, if allowed to go on, seemed to extend wherever there was mucous membrane, even to rectum and vagina; several such attacks every year.

'^Throat. Difficult deglutition.

Scrobiculum and Stomach p. 116

││ Dyspepsia, with red tongue and tendency to erysipelas.

Abdomen p. 116

Abdomen bloated and exceedingly painful to least pressure.

Constant rumbling and griping in bowels.

Constant dull pains in umbilicus, with rumbling in bowels, followed by a soft diarrhoeic stool.

Pains < before stool, but an evacuation does not stop the pain.

Pains in umbilicus with dry, lumpy, dark-colored stools.

Intolerable itching and burning of anus ; neuralgic pains in anus.

Pains in bowels < in morning.

Stool and Rectum p. 116

Stool almost white, thin, papescent.

Large watery stool, passed with great force and attended with violent colicky pains, at 4 a.m.; during next two hours had three more profuse stools of this character.

Urinary Organs p. 116

Burning in urethra.

Male Sexual Organs p. 116

│ ' Scrotum much swollen, deep red, covered with vesicles.

Voice and Larynx. Trachea and Bronchia p. 116

Dryness and pain in larynx ; hoarseness.

Cough p. 116

Harsh, dry cough, continuing for more than two weeks.

Inner Chest and Lungs p. 116

Violent stitches through chest with great suddenness.

Outer Chest p. 116

Stiff neck or "crick in neck" and rheumatic pains between shoulders.

▌ Lumbago from a strain or a cold.

Neck and Back p. 117

││ Ulceration of cervical glands, which discharged a very offensive, dark-colored pus ; dark red areola around ulcers.

Upper Limbs p. 117

Paralytic drawing in r. arm, especially in wrist, extending to tips of fingers.

││ Synovial swelling on wrist joint, of nine months' growth, large as a w^walnut, dark-colored, so as to look like a suppurating tumor ; on holding to light it appeared translucent ; not much pain.

Lower Limbs p. 117

Paralyzed and bruised sensation in legs.

Paralytic drawing, with pains in bones of 1. leg.

Great weakness of knees and ankles ; they ache constantly.

││ Chronic rheumatism; pain centred in heel; is lame, walks with two sticks ; great pain on first putting foot down to stand upon it; shooting pain in bone and sore pain in ball of foot; foot oedematous.

Limbs in General p. 117

Trembling of limbs with twitching of muscles.

^^Rest. Position. Motion. Stooping: frontal headache <.

When first putting down foot to stand upon it : great pain.

Walking: frontal headache <.

'^Nerves, a Great restlessness.

▌ Lassitude ; very weak and languid ; stretching.

Sleep p. 117

Many dreams during sleep.

^''Time. Aggravation of all symptoms in morning after waking.

4 A.M. : large watery stools with pain <.

Morning: pain in bowels <.

Evening: vertigo <.

Temperature and Weather p. 117

Warm room : chills.

*Tever. Chills: over whole body; run up back even when warm and in a warm room.

Intermittent without sweat.

▌ Typhus and typhoid fevers.

Attacks, Periodicity p. 117

Intense itching periodically ; returning every hour or two.

For more than two weeks : harsh, dry cough.

For nine months: a synovial swelling on wrist joint.

Every year: several attacks of sore mouth, burning of mucous membrane.

Locality and Direction p. 117

Right : side of face much swollen, especially under eye; paralytic drawing in arm; erythema nodosum below knee.

Left : itching and burning of cheek ; pains in bones of leg ; erythema nodosum on leg.

Sensations p. 117

As if mouth and throat had been scalded.

Pain : in bowels ; in larynx ; in bones of 1. leg ; in ankles, wrists and elbows.

Violent stitches : through chest.

Shooting pains : in bone of foot.

Neuralgic pains : of anus.

Rheumatic pains : between shoulders ; in heel.

Drawing pains : in upper and lower jaw.

Griping : of bowels.

Colicky pains : in bowels.

Dull, aching pains : in eyeballs.

Dull, heavy pain : in forehead.

Dull pains : in umbilicus.

Aching : in knees and ankles.

Paralytic drawing: in r. arm; in 1. leg.

│ Distress : in root of tongue and fauces.

Sore pain : in ball of foot.

Burning: in face; of mouth and throat; of anus; in urethra.

Bruised sensation : in legs.

Scalded feeling : of tongue.

Heaviness : of head.

Great weakness: of knees and ankles.

Trembling : of limbs.

Dryness : of larynx.

Itching : in face ; of anus ; under and about vesicles on forearms and hands of Rhus poisoning.

Tissues p. 118

Affects all parts of the body where bones are directly covered with the cutis and nothing more ; back of fingers, forehead, etc.

Phagedenic ulcers of legs and arms, S3^philitic or scrofulous, having a dark red blush.

▌ Ulcerations of lymphatic glands; lymphatic abscesses.

Touch. Passive Motion. Injuries p. 118

Touch: erythema nodosum painful.

Pressure : abdomen exceedingly painful to least.

Skin p. 118

A fine white rash keeps under the skin.

││ Erythema nodosum : on r. leg below knee, seven such spots ; on 1. three, all in different stages, the largest one over two inches in diameter.

││ Erythema nodosum during an invasion of an attack of typhoid fever; pain in ankles, wrists and elbows, followed by an eruption of red patches, these also soon appear on anterior surface of thighs and forearms ; these spots are painful to touch, new ones are constantly forming, some of which are bluish.

││ On forearms and hands, especially on r. side, little vesicles formed, the contents of which soon changed to pus, but as itching was very violent, they were almost always destroyed by scratching, before the transformation into pus was complete ; these efflorescence were soon covered with thin, brownish, cracked, firmly adhering scabs, and increased in circumference ; the largest was about six lines in diameter ; under the scab is a sore, even with the skin and covered with a thin layer of pus ; violent itching under and about the vesicles. θ Impetigo.

││ Phlegmonous erysipelas.

▌ Rhus tox. poisoning: eruption on face, hands, genitals and thighs ; red and rough ; scabs at corners of mouth ; intolerable itching.

▌ Ulcers, cuts and other lesions of skin surrounded by a miliary, whitish rash.

Stages of Life, Constitution p. 119

Girl, set. 5, during invasion of typhoid fever ; erythema nodosum.

Boy, aet. 13; Rhus tox. poisoning.

Boy, set.' 16, suffering two years; ulceration of cervical glands.

Lady, set. 22, suffering several weeks ; impetigo.

Man, set. 30, fifteen months ago had rheumatism in shoulders and arms, pain disappeared from these parts and became fixed in heel ; chronic rheumatism.

Lady, set. 38, lymphatic temperament; erysipelas.

Man, set. 40; Rhus rad. poisoning.

Relations p. 119

Antidoted by : Phosphor., Bryon. Blue clay applied externally relieves itching and burning entirely.

Compare: Anac, Clematis, Comoclad., Crot, tig., Ranunculus, Rhus tax., radicans and vernix.