HOMŒOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA
by
WILLIAM BOERICKE, M.D.

 

  
DAMIANA
Turnera
(TURNERA)

Said to be of use in sexual neurasthenia; impotency. Sexual debility from nervous prostration. Incontinence of old people. Chronic prostatic discharge. Renal and cystic catarrh; frigidity of females. Aids the establishment of normal menstrual flow in young girls.

Dose.--Tincture and fluid extract-ten-to forty-drops doses.

  
DAPHNE INDICA
Spurge Laurel

Acts on lower tissues, muscles, bones and skin. Sudden, lightning jerks in different parts of the body. Craving for tobacco. Burning in stomach. Parts of the body feel separated (Bapt). Fetid breath, urine, sweat.

Head.--Feels as if skull would burst; as if head were separated from body. Heat in head, especially in vertex. Tongue coated on one side only (Rhus). Foul-smelling, ptyalism hot.

Urine.--Thick, turbid, yellowish, like rotten eggs.

Extremities.--Right toe swollen, painful. Pain shoots upward into abdomen and heart. Rheumatic pains in thighs and knees. Cold feeling on buttocks. Shooting pains, shift rapidly worse, cold air.

Sleep.--Entire inability to sleep; sometimes caused by aching in bones. Dreams, with nightmare. Dreams of cats, black cats. Starting on falling to sleep with chilliness and clamminess.

Relationship.--Antidotes: Bry; Rhus.

Compare: Fluor ac; Aur; Mez; Staph.

Dose.--First to sixth attenuation.

  
DIGITALIS PURPUREA
Foxglove
(DIGITALIS)

Comes into play in all diseases where the heart is primarily involved, where the pulse is weak, irregular, intermittent, abnormally slow, and dropsy of external and internal parts. Weakness and dilatation of the myocardium. Its greatest indication is in failure of compensation and especially when auricular fibrillation has set in. Slow pulse in recumbent posture, but irregular and dicrotic on sitting up. Auricular flutter and fibrillation especially when subsequent to rheumatic fever. Heart block, very slow pulse. Other symptoms of organic heart disease, such as great weakness and sinking of strength, faintness, coldness of skin, and irregular respiration; cardiac irritability and ocular troubles after tobacco; jaundice from induration and hypertrophy of the liver, frequently call for Digitalis. Jaundice with heart disease. Faint, as if dying. Bluish appearance of face. Cardiac muscular failure when asystole is present. Stimulates the heart's muscles, increases force of systole, increases length. Prostration from slight exertion. Collapse.

Mind.--Despondency; fearful; anxious about the future. Dullness of sense. Every shock strikes in epigastrium. Melancholia, dull lethargic with slow pulse.

Head.--Vertigo, when walking and on rising, in cardiac and hepatic affections. Sharp, shooting frontal pain, extending into nose, after drinking cold water or eating ice-cream. Heaviness of head, with sensation as if it would fall backward. Face bluish. Confusion, fullness and noise in head. Cracking sounds during a nap. Blue tongue and lips.

Eyes.--Blueness of eyelids. Dark bodies, like flies, before eyes. Change in acuteness of perception of shades of green. Objects, appear green and yellow. Mydriasis; lid margins red, swollen, agglutinated in morning. Detachment of retina. Dim vision, irregular pupils, diplopia.

Stomach.--Sweet taste with constant ptyalism. Excessive nausea, not relieved by vomiting. Faintness, great weakness in stomach. Burning in stomach extending to œsophagus. After cold water or ice-cream, sharp pain in forehead, extending to nose. Faintness and vomiting from motion. Discomfort, even after a small quantity of food, or from mere sight or smell. Tenderness of epigastrium. Copious salivation. Neuralgic pain in stomach, unconnected with taking food.

Abdomen.--Pain in left side apparently in descending colon and under false ribs. Severe abdominal pains, pulsation in abdominal aorta, and epigastric constriction. Enlarged, sore, painful liver.

Stool.--White, chalk-like, ashy, pasty stools. Diarrhœa during jaundice.

Urine.--Continued urging, in drops, dark, hot, burning, with sharp cutting or throbbing pain at neck of bladder, as if a straw was being thrust back and forth; worse at night. Suppressed. Ammoniacal, and turbid. Urethritis, phimosis, strangury. Full feeling after urination. Constriction and burning, as if urethra was too small. Brick-dust sediment.

Female.--Labor-like pains in abdomen and back before menses. Uterine hæmorrhage.

Male.--Nightly emission (Digitalin), with great weakness of genitals after coitus. Hydrocele; scrotum enlarged like a bladder. Gonorrhœa, balanitis (Merc), with œdema of prepuce. Dropsical swelling of genitals (Sulph). Enlarged prostate.

Respiratory.--Desire to take a deep breath. Breathing irregular, difficult; deep sighing. Cough, with raw, sore feeling in chest. Expectoration sweetish. Senile pneumonia. Great weakness in chest. Dyspnœa, constant desire to breathe deeply, lungs feel compressed. Chronic bronchitis; passive congestion of the lungs, giving bloody sputum due to failing myocardium. Cannot bear to talk. Hæmoptysis with weak heart.

Heart.--The least movement causes violent palpitation, and sensation as if it would cease beating, if he moves (Opposite; Gels). Frequent stitches in heart. Irregular heart especially of mitral disease. Very slow pulse. Intermits; weak. Cyanosis. Inequality of pulse; it varies. Sudden sensation as if heart stood still. Pulse weak, and quickened by least movement. Pericarditis, copious serous exudation. Dilated heart, tired, irregular, with slow and feeble pulse. Hypertrophy with dilatation. Cardiac failure following fevers. Cardiac dropsy.

Extremities.--Swelling of the feet. Fingers go to sleep easily. Coldness of hands and feet. Rheumatic pain in joints. Shining, white swelling of joints. Muscular debility. Nocturnal swelling of fingers. Sensation in legs as if a red hot wire suddenly darted through them (Dudgeon).

Sleep.--Starts from sleep in alarm that he is falling from a height. Continuous sleepiness.

Fever.--Sudden flushes of heat, followed by great nervous weakness.

Skin.--Erythema, deep red, worse on back, like measles. Blue distended veins on lids, ears, lips and tongue. Dropsical. Itching and jaundiced.

Modalities.--Worse, when sitting erect, after meals and music. Better, when stomach is empty; in open air.

Relationship.--Antidotes: Camph; Serpentaria. Incompatible: China. Compare: Nerium odorum (resembles in heart effects Digitalis, but also has an action like Strychnia on spinal cord. Spasms appear more in upper part of body. Palpitation; weak heart will be strengthened by it. Lock-jaw). Adonia; Cratægus (a true heat tonic); Kalmia; Spigel; Liatris; Compare also; Digitoxinum (Digitalis dissolved in Chloroform; which has yellow vision very marked, and distressing nausea, aggravated by champagne and aerated waters). Nitri spir dulc increases action of Digit. Ichthyotoxin. Eel Serum (Experiments show great analogy between the serum and the venom of vipera. Indicated whenever the systole of the heart is insufficient, decompensated valvular disease, irregular pulse due to fibrillation of the auricle. Assytole, feeble, frequent, irregular pulse, dyspnœa and scanty urine. Liver enlarged, dyspnœa, albuminuria. No œdema). Convallaria (heart disease with vertigo and digestive disturbances). Quinidin-Isomeric methoxyl compound.--(Restores normal rhythm in auricular fibrillation, often supplements the action of Digitalis. Two doses of 3 grains each, three hours apart-if no symptoms of cinchonism develop, 4 doses 6 grs each daily (C. Harlan Wells). Paroxysmal tachycardia. Establishes normal heart rhythm at least temporarily, less in valvular lesions).

Dose.--The third to thirtieth attenuation will bring about reaction when the drug is homeopathically indicated; but for palliative purposes the physiological dosage is required. For this purpose, the tincture made from the fresh plant, in doses of five to twenty drops, when the cardiac stimulation is desired, or the infusion of 1 1/2 per cent. Dose, one-half to one ounce if the diuretic action is wanted. The tincture may be given on sugar or bread, and nothing liquid be taken for twenty minutes before or after its administration. Of the powdered leaves, 1/2 to 2 grains in capsules. Digitoxin 1-250 grain. No matter what form of digitalis is given the dose should be reduced as soon as the pulse rate has been lowered to 80 beats a minute and the normal rhythm has been partially or completely restored. Under such conditions a good rule is to cut the dose in half and still more if there be a sudden falling off of the urinary output.

  
DIOSCOREA VILLOSA
Wild Yam

As a remedy for many kinds of pain, especially colic, and in severe, painful affections of abdominal and pelvic viscera; it ranks with the polychrests of the Materia Medica. Persons of feeble digestive powers; tea-drinkers, with much flatulence. Gall stone colic.

Mind.--Calls things by the wrong name.

Head.--Dull pain in both temples; better pressure, but worse afterwards. Buzzing in head.

Stomach.--Mouth dry and bitter in morning, tongue coated, no thirst. Belching of large quantities of offensive gas. Neuralgia of stomach. Sinking at the pit of the stomach; pyrosis. Pain along sternum and extending into arms. Eructations of sour, bitter wind, with hiccough. Sharp pain in epigastrium, relieved by standing erect.

Abdomen.--Pains suddenly shift to different parts; appear in remote localities, as fingers and toes. Rumbling, with emission of much flatus. Griping, cutting in hypogastric region, with intermittent cutting in stomach and small intestines. Colic; better walking about; pains radiate from abdomen, to back, chest, arms; worse, bending forwards and while lying. Sharp pains from liver, shooting upward to right nipple. Pain from gall-bladder to chest, back, and arms. Renal colic, with pain in extremities. Hurried desire for stool.

Heart.--Angina pectoris; pain back of sternum into arms; labored breathing; feeble action of heart. Especially with flatulence and pain through chest and tightness across.

Rectum.--Hæmorrhoids, with darting pains to liver; look like bunches or grapes or red cherries; protrude after stool, with pain in anus. Diarrhœa (worse in morning), yellowish, followed by exhaustion, as if flatus and feces were hot.

Male.--Relaxation and coldness of organs. Pains shoot into testicles from region of kidneys. Strong-smelling sweat on scrotum and pubes. Emissions in sleep, or from sexual atony, with weak knees.

Female.--Uterine colic; pains radiate from uterus. Vivid dreams.

Respiratory.--Tight feeling all along sternum. Chest does not seem to expand on breathing. Short-winded.

Extremities.--Lameness in back; worse, stooping. Aching and stiffness in joints. Sciatica; pains shoot down thigh; worse, right side; better, when perfectly still. Felons in beginning, when pricking is first felt. Nails brittle. Cramps in flexors of fingers and toes.

Modalities.--Worse, evening and night, lying down, and doubling up. Better, standing erect, motion in open air; pressure.

Relationship.--Antidotes: Chamom; Camph.

Compare: Colocy (differs in modalities); Nux; Cham; Bry.

Dose.--Tincture, to third potency.

  
DIOSMA LINCARIS
Buku-from Cape of Good Hope

Pathogenically it produces: Somnolence; nervous insomnia; night sweats. Erratic pains, with bad humor, desire to weep or fear of sickness. Violent vertigo. Cephalalgia, chiefly frontal, radiating to the occiput. Eyes brilliant, with lachrymation or itching, the conditions accompanied by a species of stupefaction, with hardness of hearing or noises from aural pressure. Earthy face with disseminated rosaceous eruption. Nausea, fetid breath, with sensation of emptiness. Sensation of meteorism, with stinging pains in the spleen. Painful sensation in the abdomen, with pubic pressure-the pressure of the clothing becomes insupportable, with emission of high-colored, bloody urine. Frequent yellow diarrhœa, worse at night. Catamenia abundant, anticipating, sometimes metrorrhagic in type; crampy pains on ingesting food. Sensation of heat or of cold in the hands, with convulsive movements of the fingers. Weakness of the legs, aggravated by sitting down.

Clinically, this pathogeny should be useful in cerebral affections with dullness or stupefaction; in convulsive or epileptiform attacks; in hysteria; in hepatitis (cirrhosis or atrophy); in hæmaturia with ovarian or uterine lesions.

In splenitis, where it should surpass Ceanothus. Mental disorders in nervous or ascetic individuals, particularly where there is constant fear of death, or erotic or maniacal attacks. Gastralgia. Gastro-enteritis. Sudden fright, with trembling and weakness of the legs (Dr. C. Leal La Rota).

  
DIPHTHERINUM
Potentized Diphtheritic Virus

Adapted to patients prone to catarrhal affections of respiratory organs, scrofulous individuals. Diphtheria, laryngeal diphtheria, post-diphtheritic paralysis. Malignancy from the start. Glands swollen; tongue red, swollen; breath and discharge very offensive. Diphtheritic; membrane thick, dark. Epistaxis; profound prostration. Swallows without pain, but fluids are vomited or returned by the nose.

Relationship.--Compare: Diphtherotoxin (Cahis) (Chronic bronchitis with rales. Cartier suggests it in the vago-paralytic forms of Bronchitis of the aged or in toxic bronchitis after grip).

Dose.--Thirtieth, two hundredth or C. M potency. Must not be repeated too frequently.

  
DOLICHOS PRURIENS
Cowhage
(DOLICHOS PURIENS - MUCUNA)

A right-sided medicine, with pronounced liver and skin symptoms. A general intense itching without eruption. Exalted nervous sensibility. Senile pruritus. Hæmorrhoidal diathesis.

Throat.--Pain in throat, worse swallowing, below right angle of jaw, as if splinter were imbedded vertically. Pain in gums prevents sleep.

Abdomen.--Colic from getting feet wet. Constipation, with intense itching; bloated abdomen. White stools. Swelling of liver. Hæmorrhoids, with burning sensation.

Skin.--Intense itching, with no swelling or rash; worse across shoulders, also about elbows and knees and hairy parts. Jaundice. Yellow in spots; itching excessively at night. Herpes zoster (Ars).

Modalities.--Worse, at night, scratching, right side.

Relationship.--Compare: Rhus; Bell; Hep; Nit ac; Fagopyr.

Dose.--Sixth potency. Tincture, drop doses, in hæmorrhoids.

  
DORYPHORA DECEMLINEATA
Colorado Potato-bug
(DORYPHORA)

The center of this drug's action seems to be in the urinary organs, and hence its employment in gonorrhœa and gleet. Urethritis in children from local irritation and gleet. Great trembling in extremities. Prostration. Swelling of body. Burning sensation.

Urinary.--Difficult micturition. Urethra inflamed, with excruciating pain when urinating. Pain in back and loins. Severe trembling in limbs.

Relationship.--Antidote: Stram.

Compare: Agar; Apis; Canth; Lach; Coccion.

Dose.--Sixth to thirtieth potency.

  
DROSERA ROTUNDIFOLIA
Sundew
(DROSERA)

Affects markedly the respiratory organs and was pointed out by Hahnemann as the principal remedy for whooping-cough. Drosera can break down resistance to tubercle and should therefore be capable of raising it (Dr. Tyler). Laryngeal phthisis is benefited by it. Phthisis pulmonum; vomiting of food from coughing with gastric irritation and profuse expectoration. Pains about hip-joint. Tubercular glands.

Head.--Vertigo when walking in open air, with inclination to fall to the left side. Coldness of left half of face, with stinging pains and dry heat of right half.

Stomach.--Nausea. Aversion to and bad effects from acids.

Respiratory Organs.--Spasmodic, dry irritative cough, like whooping-cough, the paroxysms following each other very rapidly; can scarcely breathe; chokes. Cough very deep and hoarse; worse, after midnight; yellow expectoration, with bleeding from nose and mouth; retching. Deep, hoarse voice; hoarseness; laryngitis. Rough, scraping sensation deep in the fauces and soft palate. Sensation as if crumbs were in the throat, of feather in larynx. Laryngeal phthisis, with rapid emaciation. Harassing and titillating cough in children-not at all through the day, but commences as soon as the head touches the pillow at night. Clergyman's sore throat, with rough, scraping, dry sensation deep in the fauces; voice hoarse, deep, toneless, cracked, requires exertion to speak. Asthma when talking, with contraction of the throat at every word uttered.

Extremities.--Paralytic pains in the coxo-femoral joint and thighs. Stiffness in joints of feet. All limbs feel lame. Bed feels too hard.

Fever.--Internal chilliness; shivering, with hot face, cold hands, no thirst. Is always too cold, even in bed.

Modalities.--Worse, after midnight, lying down, on getting warm in bed, drinking, singing, laughing.

Relationship.--Antidote: Camph.

Compare: Fluoroform (2 per cent watery solution, 2-4 drops, after paroxysms, considered specific for whooping-cough). Ouabain from leaves of Carissa schimperi-arrow poison (Respiratory spasm-Whooping cough is cut short in first stage and reduced in frequency of attacks and hastens convalescence). Chelid; Corall; Cupr; Castanea; Argent; Menyanth.

Dose.--First to twelfth attenuation.

  
DUBOISIA MYOPOROIDES
Corkwood Elm
(DUBOISIA)

Acts chiefly on the nervous system, eyes, upper respiratory tract. Recommended in pharyngitis sicca, with black, stringy mucus. It dilates the pupil, dries the mouth, checks perspiration, causes headache and drowsiness. On the eye it acts more promptly than Atropia, much stronger as a mydriatic. Red spots floats in the field of vision. Sensation as if stepping on empty space. Vertigo with pale face; not gastric in origin. Scarlet fever; locomotor ataxia. Palliative in exophthalmic goitre.

Mind.--Absent-minded, incoherent, silly and nonsensical, memory impaired.

Head.--Impossible to stand with eyes shut, tendency to fall backwards.

Eyes.--Conjunctivitis, acute and chronic. Mydriasis. Paralysis of accommodation. Hyperæmia of retina with weakness of accommodation, fundus red, blood-vessels full and tortuous; pupils dilated, with dim vision. Pain over eye, between it and brow.

Respiratory.--Larynx dry, voice hoarse, phonation difficult. Dry cough with oppressed breathing.

Extremities.--Loss of power in limbs, staggers; feels as if he stepped on empty space. Trembling, numbness and weakness.

Relationship.--It antagonizes Muscarine. Duboisin sulphate 1-100 gr sedative in mania. 2-4 milligrams a day. Hystero-epilepsy. Motor restlessness of insane (Has been used as a substitute for Atropia in doses of 1-20 of a grain hypodermically). Antidotes: Morphia; Pilocarp. Compare: Bellad; Stram; Hyos.

Dose.--Third to twelfth potency.

  
DULCAMARA
Bitter-sweet

Hot days and cold nights towards the close of summer are especially favorable to the action of Dulcamara, and is one of the remedies that correspond in their symptoms to the conditions found as effects of damp weather, colds after exposure to wet, especially diarrhœa. It has a specific relation also to the skin, glands, and digestive organs, mucous membranes secreting more profusely while the skin is inactive. The rheumatic troubles induced by damp cold are aggravated by every cold change and somewhat relieved by moving about. Results from sitting on cold, damp ground. Icy coldness. One-sided spasms with speechlessness. Paralysis of single parts. Congestive headache, with neuralgia and dry nose. Patients living or working in damp, cold basements (Nat sulph). Eruptions on hands, arms or face around the menstrual period.

Head.--Mental confusion. Occipital pain ascending from nape of neck. Headache relieved by conversation. Rejects things asked for. Back part of head chilly, heavy, aching, during cold weather. Ringworm of scalp. Scaldhead, thick brown crusts, bleeding when scratched. Buzzing in head.

Nose.--Dry coryza. Complete stoppage of nose. Stuffs up when there is a cold rain. Thick, yellow mucus, bloody crusts. Profuse coryza. Wants nose kept warm, least cold air stops the nose. Coryza of the new born.

Eyes.--Every time he takes cold it settles in eyes. Thick, yellow discharge; granular lids. Hay-fever; profuse, watery discharge, worse in open air.

Ears.--Earache, buzzing, stitches, and swelling of parotids. Middle-ear catarrh (Merc dulc; Kal mur).

Face.--Tearing in cheek extending to ear, orbit, and jaw, preceded by coldness of parts, and attended by canine hunger. Humid eruption on cheeks and face generally.

Mouth.--Saliva tenacious, soapy. Dry, rough tongue, rough scraping in throat, after taking cold in damp weather. Cold-sores on lips. Facial neuralgia; worse, slightest exposure to cold.

Stomach.--Vomiting of white, tenacious mucus. Aversion to food. Burning thirst for cold drinks. Heartburn. Nausea accompanies the desire for stool. Chilliness during vomiting.

Abdomen.--Colic from cold. Acts prominently on umbilical region. Cutting pain about navel. Swelling of inguinal glands (Merc).

Stool.--Green, watery, slimy, bloody, mucus, especially in summer, when the weather suddenly becomes cold; from damp, cold weather and repelled eruptions.

Urine.--Must urinate when getting chilled. Strangury, painful micturition. Catarrh of bladder from taking cold. Urine has thick, mucous, purulent sediment. Ischuria from wading with bare feet in cold water.

Female.--Suppression of menses from cold or dampness. Before appearance of menses, a rash appears on skin, or sexual excitement. Dysmenorrhœa, with blotches all over; mammæ engorged and sore, delicate, sensitive to cold.

Respiratory.--Cough worse cold, wet weather, with free expectoration, tickling in larynx. Cough, hoarse, spasmodic. Whooping-cough, with excessive secretion of mucus. Winter coughs, dry, teasing. Asthma with dyspnœa. Loose, rattling cough; worse wet weather. Must cough a long time to expel phlegm. Cough after physical exertion.

Back.--Stiff neck. Pain in small of back, as after long stooping. Stiffness and lameness across neck and shoulders, after getting cold and wet.

Extremities.--Paralysis; paralyzed limbs, feet icy cold. Warts on hands. Perspiration on palms of hands. Pain in shin-bones. Rheumatism alternates with diarrhœa. Rheumatic symptoms after acute skin eruptions.

Skin.--Adenitis. Pruritus, always worse in cold, wet weather. Herpes zoster, pemphigus. Swelling and indurated glands from cold. Vesicular eruptions. Sensitive bleeding ulcers. Little boils. Red spots, urticaria, brought on by exposure, or sour stomach. Humid eruptions on face, genitals, hands, etc. Warts, large, smooth, on face and palmar surface of hands. Anasarca. Thick, brown-yellow crusts, bleeding when scratched.

Fever.--Dry burning heat all over. Chilliness towards evening, mostly in back. Icy coldness, with pains. Dry heat and burning of skin. Chilliness with thirst.

Modalities.--Worse, at night; from cold in general, damp, rainy weather. Better, from moving about, external warmth.

Relationship.--Antidotes: Camph; Cupr.

Complementary: Baryta carb.

Incompatible: Bellad; Laches.

Compare: Pimpinello--(Bibernell).--Respiratory mucous membrane sensitive to draughts, pain and coldness in occiput and nape. Whole body weak; heavy head and drowsiness; lumbago and stiff neck; pain from nape to shoulder; chilliness. Rhus; Cimicif; Calc; Puls; Bry; Nat sulph.

Dose.--Second to thirtieth potency.

 

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