Catalpa
By Timothy F. Allen — The Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica
Catalpa bignonioides, Walt.
Natural order , Bignoniaceæ.
Common name , Catalpa.
Authority.
Robert Holmes, Inaug. Thesis, Phila., 1803, p. 29.
Experiment 1.
Two hours after a light breakfast, I took 3 ounces of strong decoction, made with the inner bark of the trunk. My pulse being 70 in a minute, its natural standard.
In five minutes, pulse beat 70 strokes; in ten, 70; in fifteen, 72, in twenty, 74; in twenty-five, 72; in thirty, 68; in thirty-five, 67; in forty, 67; in forty-five, 64; in fifty, 66; in fifty-five, 68; in sixty, 68.
In ten minutes there was no perceptible alteration in my pulse; in twenty, it became rather fuller; in thirty, its fulness increased, and continued so until forty-five minutes had elapsed, when it became smaller and irregular. About two hours after it was taken, it began to operate as a cathartic, and continuing for some time pretty copiously, without inducing nausea or griping. Neither did my body become costive after its operation.
Experiment 2.
Three hours after my usual dinner, my pulse beating 70 in a minute, I took 2 scruples of the extract obtained from the decoction. In five minutes, pulse beat 70 strokes; in ten, 74; in fifteen, 74; in twenty, 75; in twenty-five, 80; in thirty, 78; in thirty-five, 76; in forty, 76; in forty-five, 76; in fifty, 74; in fifty-five, 74; in sixty, 72.
In fifteen minutes my pulse had only increased in frequency; about the twentieth it was diminished in fulness, at which time I began to feel sick at my stomach; in thirty was still smaller, and continued so until the expiration of fifty minutes, when it became irregular and weak.
Purgative effects.
Experiment 3.
Mr. T. S., a healthy young man, took a drachm of powdered bark in a small quantity of milk, three hours after dinner. Pulse 72, in a minute.
In five minute, pulse beat 72 strokes; in ten, 72; in fifteen, 70; in twenty, 66; in twenty-five, 64; in thirty, 63; in thirty-five, 62; in forty, 60; in forty-five, 60; in fifty, 62; in fifty-five, 64; in sixty, 66.
About the twentieth minute his pulse was much fuller, with some tension; and continued so without much variation until forty-five minutes had elapsed, at which time it became small and irregular, and he complained of a slight degree of headache, which lasted some time, after which his pulse began to ussume its natural pulsation.
Experiment 4.
At 11 A.M. I took 3 1/2 scruples of the powdered bark, diffused in a little milk. My pulse beating 72 strokes in a minute.
In five minutes, pulse beat 72 strokes; in ten, 74; in fifteen, 74; in twenty, 76; in twenty-five, 76; in thirty, 77; in thirty-five, 78; in forty, 76; in forty-five, 76; in fifty, 74; in fifty-five, 74; in sixty, 72.
In ten minutes my pulse became fuller; in fifteen its fulness had increased, and continued so without much variation until the expiration of thirty minutes, when it began to grow weak and much smaller. At this time I felt condiserable nausea, which lasted for some time. It, however, went off, and my pulse returned to its natural pulsation.
The same dose was repeated upon a healthy young man, Mr. M. C.
It produced no other effect than an alteration in his pulse.
Experiment 5.
Three hours after my usual breakfast I took 3 ounces of a strong decoction of the leaves. Pulse 72.
In five minutes, pulse beat 80 strokes; in ten, 84; in fifteen, 80; in twenty, 80; in twenty-five, 76; in thirty, 76; in thirty-five, 78; in forty, 76; in forty-five, 76; in fifty, 76; in fifty-five, 74; in sixty, 74.
In five minutes my pulse increased in force and frequency, which continued until twenty; in twenty-five it was much diminished in fulness; at which time I began to feel sick; my pulse continued small and weak until the expiration of fifty minutes, when it became fuller and began to assume its ordinary stroke.
Began to feel sick (after twenty-five minutes), which lasted a considerable length of time.
Copious purgative effect.
Experiment 6.
Two hours and a half after dinner I gave Mr. J. P. 2 scruples of extract from decoction of leaves. Pulse 74.
In five minutes, pulse beat 74 strokes; in ten, 75; in fifteen, 74; in twenty, 76; in twenty-five, 72; in thirty, 72; in thirty-five, 67; in forty, 67; in forty-five, 67; in fifty, 69; in fifty-five, 70; in sixty, 72.
In fifteen minutes his pulse was much increased in fulness, and continued so until twenty-five; in thirty it became much smaller; in thirty-five it was small and weak; continued weak until fifty minutes had elapsed, when it began to recover its natural stroke.
Fulness of the head, an unusual symptom to him (after thirty-five minutes).
Drowsiness, an unusual symptom to him (after thirty-five minutes).
Experiment 7.
At 9.30 A.M. I gave Mr. M. C., a young man in good health, 3 ounces of strong infusion of leaves. Pulse 70.
In five minutes, pulse beat 72 strokes; in ten, 73; in fifteen, 73; in twenty, 75; in twenty-five, 75; in thirty, 76; in thirty-five, 76; in forty, 76; in forty-five, 76; in fifty, 74; in fifty-five, 74; in sixty, 72.
About the twentieth minute his pulse was much fuller, which, however, declined towards the thirty-fifth. It continued small until the expiration of fifty minutes, when it began to take on its ordinary stroke.
About two hours and a half after my usual dinner, I took 3 ounces of strong decoction of the recent root. Pulse 72.
In five minutes, pulse beat 72 strokes; in ten, 74; in fifteen, 72; in twenty, 66; in twenty-five, 66; in thirty, 65; in thirty-five, 68; in forty, 68; in forty-five, 68; in fifty, 70; in fifty-five, 70; in sixty, 72.
In ten minutes my pulse was much fuller; in twenty it was increased; in thirty-five it was much smaller, and a little irregular; in fifty it began to assume its natural pulsation.
Operated as a purgative, without inducing any disagreeable sensation (soon after fifty minutes). Whenever I took the decoction of the bark of the root, or bark of the trunk, in the quantity of 3 ounces, it invariably had a purgative effect, which was very mild.
3 scruples of extract of the pith.
But little alteration of the pulse.