HOMŒOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA
by
WILLIAM BOERICKE, M.D.

  
RHAMNUS CALIFORNICA
California Coffee-tree

One of the most positive remedies for rheumatism and muscular pains. Pleurodynia, lumbago, gastralgia. Vesical tenesmus; dysmenorrhœa of myalgic origin; pain in head, neck, and face. Inflammatory rheumatism, joints swollen, painful; tendency to metastasis; profuse sweat. Rheumatic heart (Webster).

Provings of students. 2x potency.

Mind.--Nervous, restless, irritable. Lassitude; mentally dull and dazed; unable to concentrate mind on studies.

Head.--Dizzy full feeling. Heavy bruised sensation; better from pressure. Bursting feeling with every step. Soreness, especially in occiput and vertex, worse, bending over. Dull pain in left temple. Dull aching in frontal region (left), extending backwards and over forehead. Deep, right-sided frontal headache. Twitching eyelids.

Ears.--Dullness of hearing. Soreness, deep under right tragus on swallowing.

Face.--Flushed, hot and glowing. Outward pressure from malar processes.

Mouth.--Canker sore between gums and lips. Tongue coated, with clean, pink central patch.

Throat.--Dry, rough. Soreness on right side and tonsil.

Bowels.--Constipation with some flatus. Tenesmus and dry stool. Flatulent diarrhœa.

Genito-urinary.--Increased urination. Tickling in anterior urethra, small morning drop (no previous gonorrhœa). Sexual desire increased.

Respiratory.--Substernal oppression. Tenderness on pressure of right intercostal muscles.

Heart.--Variation of pulse. Slow pulse.

Extremities.--Unable to control muscular action. Legs sore. Walked like a drunken man.

Modality.--Symptoms worse in evening.

Relationship.--Rhamnus cathartica or Rhamnus Frangula-European Buckthorn-a rheumatic remedy--(abdominal symptoms, colic, diarrhœa; hæmorrhoids, especially chronic). Rhamnus Purshiana-Cascara Sagrada--(palliative in constipation, as an intestinal tonic, and dyspepsia dependent thereon. 10-15 drops of tincture).

Dose.--Tincture in 15-drop doses every four hours.

  
RHEUM PALMATUM
Rhubarb
(RHEUM)

Of frequent use in children with sour diarrhœa; difficult dentition. Whole child smells sour.

Mind.--Impatient and vehement; desires many things and cries (Cina).

Head.--Sweat on hairy scalp; constant and profuse. Cool sweat on the face, especially about mouth and nose.

Mouth.--Much saliva. Sensation of coolness in teeth. Difficult teething; restless and irritable. Breath smells sour (Cham).

Stomach.--Desire for various kinds of food, but soon tires of all. Throbbing in pit. Feels full.

Abdomen.--Colicky pain about navel. Colic when uncovering. Wind seems to rise up to chest.

Rectum.--Before stool, unsuccessful urging to urinate. Stools smell sour, pasty, with shivering and tenesmus, and burning in anus. Sour diarrhœa during dentition. Colicky, even ineffectual urging to evacuate altered fecal stools.

Modalities.--Worse, uncovering, after eating, moving about.

Relationship.--Compare: Mag phos; Hep; Pod; Cham; Ipec.

Antidotes: Camph; Cham.

Complementary: Mag carb.

Dose.--Third to sixth potency.

  
RHODODENDRON FERRUGINEUM
Snow-rose
(RHODODENDRON)

Rheumatic and gouty symptoms well marked. Rheumatism in the hot season. The modality (worse before a storm) is a true guiding symptom.

Mind.--Dread of a storm; particularly afraid of thunder. Forgetful.

Head.--Aching in temples. Tearing pain in bones. Headache; worse, wine, wind, cold and wet weather. Pain in eyes before a storm. Ciliary neuralgia, involving eyeball, orbit, and head. Heat in eyes when using them.

Eyes.--Muscular asthenopia; darting pains through eyes from head, worse before a storm.

Ears.--Difficult hearing, with whizzing and ringing in ears. Hearing better in the morning; noises come on after patient has been up a few hours.

Face.--Prosopalgia; violent jerking pain involving dental nerves, from temple to lower jaw and chin; better, warmth and eating. toothache in damp weather and before a storm. Swollen gums. Stumps of teeth are loosened.

Chest.--Violent pleuritic pains running downward in left anterior chest. Breathless and speechless from violent pleuritic pains running down the anterior chest. Stitches in spleen from fast walking. Crampy pain under short ribs.

Male.--Testicles, worse left, swollen, painful, drawn up. Orchitis; glands feel crushed. Induration and swelling of testes after gonorrhœa. Hydrocele (Sil).

Extremities.--Joints swollen. Gouty inflammation of great toe-joint. Rheumatic tearing in all limbs, especially right side; worse, at rest and in stormy weather. Stiffness of neck. Pain in shoulders, arms, wrists; worse when at rest. Pains in bones in spots, and reappear by change of weather. Cannot sleep unless legs are crossed.

Modalities.--Worse, before a storm. All symptoms reappear in rough weather, night, towards morning. Better, after the storm breaks, warmth, and eating.

Relationship.--Compare: Ampelopsis (hydrocele and renal dropsy); Dulc; Rhus; Nat sulph.

Dose.--First to sixth potency.

  
RHODIUM METALLICUM
Metal Chemical Element
(RHODIUM)

(Proved by MacFarlan with the 200th potency).

Nervous and tearful. Frontal headache; shocks through head. Fleeting neuralgic pains in head, over eyes, in ear, both sides of nose, teeth. Loose cold in head. Lips dry. Nausea especially from sweets. Dull headache. Stiff neck and rheumatic pain down left shoulder and arm. Itching in arms, palms and face. Loose stools with gripings in abdomen. Hyper-active peristalsis, tenesmus after stool. More urine passed. Cough scratchy, wheezy. Thick, yellow mucus from chest. Feels weak, dizzy and a tired feeling.

  
RHUS AROMATICA
Fragrant Sumach

Renal and urinary affections, especially diabetes. Enuresis due to vesical atony; senile incontinence. Hæmaturia and cystitis come within the range of this remedy.

Urine.--Pale, albuminous. Incontinence. Severe pain at beginning or before urination, causing great agony in children. Constant dribbling. Diabetes, large quantities of urine of low specific gravity (Phos ac; Acet ac).

Dose.--Tincture, in rather material doses.

  
RHUS GLABRA
Smooth Sumach

Epistaxis and occipital headache. Fetid flatus. Ulceration of mouth. Dreams of flying through the air (Sticta). Profuse perspiration arising from debility (China). It is claimed that this remedy will so disinfect the bowels that the flatus and stools will be free from odor. It acts well in putrescent conditions with tendency to ulceration.

Mouth.--Scurvy; nursing sore mouth (Veronica). Aphthous stomatitis.

Relationship.--Said to be antidotal to the action of Mercury, and has been employed in the treatment of secondary syphilis after mercurialization.

Dose.--Tincture. Usually locally to soft, spongy gums, aphthæ, pharyngitis, etc. Internally, first potency.

  
RHUS TOXICODENDRON
Poison-ivy

The effects on the skin, rheumatic pains, mucous membrane affections, and a typhoid type of fever, make this remedy frequently indicated. Rhus affects fibrous tissue markedly-joints, tendons, sheaths-aponeurosis, etc, producing pains and stiffness. Post-operative complications. Tearing asunder pains. Motion always "limbers up" the Rhus patient, and hence he feels better for a time from a change of position. Ailments from strains, overlifting, getting wet while perspiring. Septic conditions. Cellulitis and infections, carbuncles in early stages (Echinac). Rheumatism in the cold season. Septicæmia.

Mind.--Listless, sad. Thoughts of suicide. Extreme restlessness, with continued change of position. Delirium, with fear of being poisoned (Hyos). Sensorium becomes cloudy. Great apprehension at night, cannot remain in bed.

Head.--Feels as if a board were strapped on the forehead. Vertigo when rising. Heavy head. Brain feels loose and as if struck against skull on walking or rising. Scalp sensitive; worse on side lain on. Headache in occiput (Rhus rad); painful to touch. Pain in forehead and proceeds thence backward. Humid eruptions on scalp; itching greatly.

Eyes.--Swollen, red, œdematous; orbital cellulitis. Pustular inflammations. Photophobia; profuse flow of yellow pus. Œdema of lids, suppurative iritis. Lids inflamed, agglutinated swollen. Old injured eyes. Circumscribed corneal injection. Intensive ulceration of the cornea. Iritis, after exposure to cold and dampness, and of rheumatic origin. Eye painful on turning it or pressing, can hardly move it, as in acute retrobulbar neuritis. Profuse gush of hot, scalding tears upon opening lids.

Ears.--Pain in ears, with sensation as if something were in them. Lobules swollen. Discharge of bloody pus.

Nose.--Sneezing; coryza from getting wet. Tip of nose red, sore, ulcerated. Swelling of nose. Nosebleed on stooping.

Face.--Jaws crack when chewing. Easy dislocation of jaw (Ign; Petrol). Swollen face, erysipelas. Cheek bones sensitive to touch. Parotitis. Facial neuralgia, with chilliness; worse, evening. Crusta lactea (Calc; Viol tric).

Mouth.--Teeth feel loose and long; gums sore. Tongue red and cracked; coated, except red triangular space at the tip; dry and red at edges. Corners of mouth ulcerated; fever-blisters around mouth and chin (Nat mur). Pain in maxillary joint.

Throat.--Sore, with swollen glands. Sticking pain on swallowing. Parotitis; left side.

Stomach.--Want of appetite for any kind of food, with unquenchable thirst. Bitter taste (Cupr). Nausea, vertigo, and bloated abdomen after eating. Desire for milk. Great thirst, with dry mouth and throat. Pressure as from a stone. (Bry; Ars) Drowsy after eating.

Abdomen.--Violent pains, relieved by lying on abdomen. Swelling of inguinal glands. Pain in region of ascending colon. Colic, compelling to walk bent. Excessive distention after eating. Rumbling of flatus on first rising, but disappears with continued motion.

Rectum.--Diarrhœa of blood, slime, and reddish mucus. Dysentery, with tearing pains down thighs. Stools of cadaverous odor. Frothy, painless stools. Will often abort a beginning suppurative process near the rectum. Dysentery.

Urinary.--Dark, turbid, high-colored, scanty urine, with white sediment. Dysuria, with loss of blood.

Male.--Swelling of glands and prepuce-dark-red erysipelatous; scrotum thick, swollen, œdematous. Itching intense.

Female.--Swelling, with intense itching of vulva. Pelvic articulations stiff when beginning to move. Menses early, profuse, and prolonged, acrid. Lochia thin, protracted, offensive diminished (Puls; Secale), with shooting upwards in vagina (Sep).

Respiratory.--Tickling behind upper sternum. Dry, teasing cough from midnight until morning, during a chill, or when putting hands out of bed. Hæmoptysis from overexertion; blood bright red. Influenza, with aching in all bones (Eup perf). Hoarseness from overtraining voice (Arn). Oppression of the chest, cannot get breath with sticking pains. Bronchial coughs in old people, worse on awaking and with expectoration of small plugs of mucus.

Heart.--Hypertrophy from overexertion. Pulse quick, weak, irregular, intermittent, with numbness of left arm. Trembling and palpitation when sitting still.

Back.--Pain between shoulders on swallowing. Pain and stiffness in small of back; better, motion, or lying on something hard; worse, while sitting. Stiffness of the nape of the neck.

Extremities.--Hot, painful swelling of joints. Pains tearing in tendons, ligaments, and fasciæ. Rheumatic pains spread over a large surface at nape of neck, loins, and extremities; better motion (Agaric). Soreness of condyles of bones. Limbs stiff paralyzed. The cold fresh air is not tolerated; it makes the skin painful. Pain along ulnar nerve. Tearing down thighs. Sciatica; worse, cold, damp weather, at night. Numbness and formication, after overwork and exposure. Paralysis; trembling after exertion. Tenderness about knee-joint. Loss of power in forearm and fingers; crawling sensation in the tips of fingers. Tingling in feet.

Fever.--Adynamic; restless, trembling. Typhoid; tongue dry and brown; sordes; bowels loose; great restlessness. Intermittent; chill, with dry cough and restlessness. During heat, urticaria. Hydroa. Chilly, as if cold water were poured over him, followed by heat and inclination to stretch the limbs.

Skin.--Red, swollen; itching intense. Vesicles, herpes; urticaria; pemphigus; erysipelas; vesicular suppurative forms. Glands swollen. Cellulitis. Burning eczematous eruptions with tendency to scale formation.

Sleep.--Dreams of great exertion. Heavy sleep, as from stupor. Sleepless before midnight.

Modalities.--Worse, during sleep, cold, wet rainy weather and after rain; at night, during rest, drenching, when lying on back or right side. Better, warm, dry weather, motion; walking, change of position, rubbing, warm applications, from stretching out limbs.

Relationship.--Complementary: Bry; Calc fluor. Phytol (Rheumatism). In urticaria follow with Bovista.

Inimical: Apis.

Antidotes: Bathing with milk and Grindelia lotion very effective. Ampelopsis Trifolia-Three-leaf Woodbine--(Toxic dermatitis due to vegetable poisons-30 and 200. Very similar to Rhus poisoning). Desensitizing against Ivy poisoning by the use of descending doses of the tincture by mouth or by hypodermic injections is recommended by old school authorities, but is not as effective as the homeopathic remedies especially Rhus 30 and 200 and Anacard, etc. Anacard; Croton; Grindelia; Mezer; Cyprip; Plumbago (eczema of vulva); Graph.

Compare: Rhus radicans (almost identical action); characteristics are, burning in tongue, tip feels sore, pains are often semilateral and in various parts, often remote and successive. Many symptoms are better after a storm has thoroughly set in, especially after an electric storm. Has pronounced yearly aggravation (Laches). Rhus radicans has headache in occiput even pain in nape of neck and from there pains draw over the head forwards. Rhus diversiloba-California Poison-oak (antidote to Rhus; violent skin symptoms, with frightful itching; much swelling of face, hands and genitals; skin very sensitive; eczema and erysipelas, great nervous weakness, tired from least effort; goes to sleep from sheer exhaustion); Xerophyllum (dysmenorrhœa and skin symptoms). Compare, also; Arn; Bapt; Lach; Ars; Hyos; Op (stupefaction more profound). Mimosa-Sensitive Plant--(rheumatism, knee stiff, lancinating pains in back and limbs. Swelling of ankles Legs tremble).

Dose.--Sixth to thirtieth potency. The 200th and higher are antidotal to poisoning with the plant and tincture.

  
RHUS VENENATA
Poison-elder

The skin symptoms of this species of Rhus are most severe.

Mind.--Great melancholy; no desire to live, gloomy.

Head.--Heavy, frontal headache; worse, walking or stooping. Eyes nearly closed with great swelling. Vesicular inflammation of ears. Nose red and shiny. Face swollen.

Tongue.--Red at tip. Fissured in middle. Vesicles on under side.

Abdomen.--Profuse, watery, white stools in morning, 4 am, with colicky pains; expelled with force. Pain in hypogastrium before every stool.

Extremities.--Paralytic drawing in right arm, especially wrist, and extending to fingers.

Skin.--Itching; relieved by hot water. Vesicles. Erysipelas; skin dark red. Erythema nodosum, with nightly itching and pains in long bones.

Relationship.--Antidote: Clematis. The California Poison-oak (Rhus diversiloba) is identical with it. It antidotes Radium and follows it well. Compare: Anacard.

Dose.--Sixth to thirtieth potency.

  
RICINUS COMMUNIS
Castor-oil
(RICINUS COMMUNIS - BOFAREIRA)

Has marked action on gastro-intestinal tract. Increase the quantity of milk in nursing women. Vomiting and purging. Languor and weakness.

Head.--Vertigo, occipital pain, congestive symptoms, buzzing in ears. Face pale, twitching of mouth.

Stomach.--Anorexia with great thirst, burning in stomach, pyrosis, nausea profuse vomiting, pit of stomach sensitive. Mouth dry.

Abdomen.--Rumbling with contraction of recti muscles, colic, incessant diarrhœa with purging. Rice water stools with cramps and chilliness.

Stool.--Loose, incessant, painless, with painful cramps in muscles of extremities. Anus inflamed. Stools green, slimy, and bloody. Fever, emaciation, somnolence.

Relationship.--Compare: Resorcin (summer complaint with vomiting); destroys organic germs of putrefaction; Cholos terrapina (cramps of muscles). Ars; Verat.

Dose.--Third potency. Five drops every four hours for increasing flow of milk; also locally a poultice of the leaves.

  
ROBINIA PSEUDACACIA
Yellow Locust
(ROBINIA)

The remedy for hperchlorhydria. In cases where albuminoid digestion is too rapid and starch digestion is perverted. The gastric symptoms with the most pronounced acidity are well authenticated, and are the guiding symptoms. The acidity of Robinia is accompanied by frontal headache. Intensely acrid eructations. Acrid and greenish vomiting, colic and flatulence, nightly burning pains in stomach and constipation with urgent desire.--Acidity of children. Stools and perspiration sour. Incarcerated flatus.

Head.--Dull, throbbing, frontal pain; worse, motion and reading. Gastric headache with acid vomiting.

Stomach.--Dull, heavy aching. Nausea; sour, eructations; profuse vomiting of an intensely sour fluid (Sulph ac). Great distention of stomach and bowels. Flatulent colic (Cham; Diosc). Sour stools; child smells sour.

Female.--Nymphomania. Acrid, fetid leucorrhœa. Discharge of blood between menstrual periods. Herpes on vagina and vulva.

Relationship.--Magnes phos; Arg nit; Orexine tannate. (Hyperchlorhydria; deficient acid and slow digestion; 14 hourly doses)

Dose.--Third potency. Must be continued a long time.

  
ROSA DAMASCENA
Damask Rose

Useful in the beginning of hay-fever, with involvement of Eustachian tube.

Ear.--Hardness of hearing; tinnitus. Eustachian catarrh (Hydr; Merc dulc).

Relationship.--Compare: in hay-fever: Phleum pratense--Timothy grass--(Hay-fever with asthma; watery coryza, itching of nose and eyes; frequent sneezing, dyspnœa. Use 6-30 potency. Rabe). Succin acid; Sabad; Euph; Psor; Kali hyd; Naphth.

Dose.--Lower potencies.

  
RUMEX CRISPUS
Yellow Dock

Is characterized by pains, numerous and varied, neither fixed nor constant anywhere. Cough caused by an incessant tickling in the throat-pit, which tickling runs down to the bifurcation of the bronchial tubes. Touching the throat-pit brings on the cough. Worse from the least cold air; so that all cough ceases by covering up all the body and head with the bedclothes. Rumex diminishes the secretions of mucous membranes, and at the same time exalts sensibility of the mucous membranes of the larynx and trachea. Its action upon the skin is marked, producing an intense itching. Lymphatics enlarged and secretions perverted.

Stomach.--Tongue sore at edges; coated; sensation of hard substance in pit of stomach; hiccough, pyrosis, nausea; cannot eat meat; it causes eructations, pruritus. Jaundice after excessive use of alcoholics. Chronic gastritis; aching pain in pit of stomach and shooting in the chest; extends towards the throat-pit, worse any motion or talking. Pain in left breast after meals; flatulence.

Respiratory.--Nose dry. Tickling in throat-pit causes cough. Copious mucous discharge from nose and trachea. Dry, teasing cough, preventing sleep. Aggravated by pressure, talking, and especially by inspiring cool air and at night. Thin, watery, frothy expectoration by the mouthful: later, stringy and tough. Rawness of larynx and trachea. Soreness behind sternum, especially left side, in region of left shoulder. Raw pain under clavicle. Lump in throat.

Stool.--Brown, watery, diarrhœa early in morning, with cough, driving him out of bed. Valuable in advanced phthisis (Seneg; Puls; Lycop; Ars). Itching of anus, with sensation as of a stick in rectum. Piles.

Skin.--Intense itching of skin, especially of lower extremities; worse, exposure to cold air when undressing. Urticaria; contagious prurigo.

Modalities.--Worse, in evening, from inhaling cold air; left chest; uncovering.

Relationship.--Compare: Caust; Sulph; Bell; Rumex contains chrysophanic acid to which the skin symptoms correspond. Rumex acetosa-Sheep sorrel--(Gathered in June and dried, used locally for Epithelioma of face (Cowperthwaite). Dry, unremitting short cough, and violent pains in the bowels; uvula elongated; inflammation of œsophagus; also cancer); Rumex obtusifolius-Lapathum-Broad-leaf dock--(nosebleed and headache following; pain in kidneys; leucorrhœa).

Dose.--Third to sixth potency.

  
RUTA GRAVEOLENS
Rue-bitterwort

Acts upon the periosteum and cartilages, eyes and uterus. Complaints from straining flexor tendons especially. Tendency to the formation of deposits in the periosteum, tendons, and about joints, especially wrist. Overstrain of ocular muscles. All parts of the body are painful, as if bruised. Sprains (after Arnica). Lameness after sprains. Jaundice. Feeling of intense lassitude, weakness and despair. Injured "bruised" bones.

Head.--Pain as from a nail; after excessive intoxicating drinks. Periosteum sore. Epistaxis.

Eyes.--Eyes-strain followed by headache. Eyes red, hot, and painful from sewing or reading fine print (Nat mur; Arg nit). Disturbances of accommodation. Weary pain while reading. Pressure deep in orbits. Tarsal cartilage feels bruised. Pressure over eyebrow. Asthenopia.

Stomach.--Gastralgia of aching, gnawing character.

Urinary.--Pressure in neck of bladder after urinating; painful closure (Apis). Constant urging to urinate, feels bladder full.

Rectum.--Difficult feces, evacuated only with straining. Constipation, alternating with mucous, frothy stools; discharge of blood with stool. When sitting, tearing stitches in rectum. Carcinoma affecting lower bowel. Prolapsus ani every time the bowels move, after confinement. Frequent, unsuccessful urging to stool. Protrusion of rectum when stooping.

Respiratory.--Cough with copious, thick, yellow expectoration; chest feels weak. Painful spot on sternum; short breath with tightness of chest.

Back.--Pain in nape, back and loins. Backache better pressure and lying on back. Lumbago worse morning before rising.

Extremities.--Spine and limbs feel bruised. Small of back and loins pain. Legs give out on rising from a chair, hips and thighs so weak (Phos; Con). Contraction of fingers. Pain and stiffness in wrists and hands. Ganglia (Benzoic ac). Sciatica; worse, lying down at night; pain from back down hips and thighs. Hamstrings feel shortened (Graph). Tendons sore. Aching pain in tendo-Achilles. Thighs pain when stretching the limbs. Pain in bones of feet and ankles. Great restlessness.

Modalities.--Worse, lying down, from cold, wet weather.

Relationship.--Compare: Ratanhia; Carduus. Rectal (irritation); Jaborandi; Phyt; Rhus; Sil; Arn.

Antidote: Camph.

Complementary: Calc phos.

Dose.--First to sixth potency. Locally, the tincture for ganglia and as a lotion for the eyes.

 

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