HELLEBORUS NIGER.
By Timothy F. Allen — The Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica
Helleborus niger, Linn.
Natural order , Ranunculaceæ.
Common names , Black Hellebore; (G.) Schwarz-Christwurzel; (Fr.) La rose d'hiver.
Preparation , Tincture of the root.
Authorities. ( 1 ,- 21 , from Hahnemann.).
1 , Hahnemann, R. A. M. L., 3, 203; 2 , Hartmann; 3 , Hornburg; 4 , Kummer; 5 , Langhammer; 6 , Mossdorf; 7 , Rückert; 8 , Stapf; 9 , Wislicenus; 10 , Alberti, Jurisp. Med., tom. vi, p. 719, "not accesible;" 11 , Bacher (or Büchner), in Samml. f. pr. Aerzte, 1, p. 3, "observation;" 12 , Bisset, see H. fœtidus; 13 , John Cook, in Oxford Mag., March, 1769, "poisoning;" 14 , Gesner, see H. fœtidus; 15 , Grew, Anatomy of Plants, p. 280, "from chewing root;" 16 , Van Hilden, Op. Med. Chir. Cent., 4, Obs12, "from inhaling its odor;" 17 , Morgagni, De sed. et caus. morb., lix, 15, 16, "effects of extract on a melancholic;" 18 , Schulze, Mat. Med., p. 152, "from continued use;" 19 , Scopoli, Flora Carniolica, p. 557, "observation;" 20 , Stegmann, Diss. de salut. et nox. Elleb. nigri usu., Halæ., 1751, p. 22, "not accessible;" 21 , Tournefort, Voyage dans le Levant, II, p. 189, "statement;" 22 , Nenning, symptoms from Hartlaub and Trinks, 1, 295; 23 , Dr. Frank, effects of taking Hell. 1st for a blister on his tongue, and afterward repeated as an experiment, A. H. Z., 18, 115; , Lembke, proving with powdered root made into pills with licorice, each containing 1 grain, took first day 1, second 2, third 3, sixth 5, eighth 6, tenth 7, fifteenth 8, twentieth 10, twenty-fifth 10, twenty-seventh 12, thirty-sixth 12 pills; afterward took extract with licorice 1-grain doses; provings repeated next year, when he also took the one-tenth dil., 5 to 40 drops, N. Z. f. Kl., 7, 172; , Dr. Bruno Lind, took tincture, 6 drops first day 10 second, 20 the sixth day, A. H. Z., 39, 282; , Scholtz, aged 23, took tincture, first day 4, third 4, fourth 5, fifth 7, eighth 10, tenth and eleventh 10 drops, ibid.; , C. V. Schroff, provings on three healthy men with aqueous and ethereal extracts in doses of 5 to 15 grains; Viertlj. f. prak. Heilk., 16. p. 49 (1859); , same, experiment on a man, aged 31, suffering from insane melancholy, obstinate constipation, and diminished secretions, with aq. ext., 1/2 scruple morning and evening for four days, 1 scruple twice, fifth day; 2 scruples twice, sixth day; 1 drachm, seventh day; , same, experiment on a woman, aged 26, suffering from imbecility following puerperal melancholy, otherwise healthy, took 2 scruples daily for seven days; , same, a woman, aged 42, emaciated, suffering from disturbances of digestion, secretions and excretions, took 2 scruples daily for six days (before experiment, skin dry, temp. low, pulse 68-72, not stool for one day); , same, a suffering from religious melancholy, took 1 scruple daily for five days, then 1/2 drachm daily for four days; , Ferrari, Journ. Univers., from Wibmer, two persons took a decoction of root in cider; , omitted; , Fahrenhorst, in Rust's Mag. (Frank's Mag., 1, 498), a young man took a tablespoonful of powdered root by mistake; , Hildanus, a woman just confined, took same, from Wibmer.
MIND
- Emotional.
- Delirium, 32.
- Vivid fancies after lying down in bed, a hundred forms float before his eyes, which vanish as speedily as they come, 4.
- He groans and grunts, 1.
- Reflective taciturn mood, the whole afternoon, 10.
- Home sickness, 1.
- Always joyous and in good humor (curative action), 4.
- Sad mood, on account of his present condition, everything seems shallow and has no incentive for him, 9.
- Depression and sadness, lasting several hours, 27.
- Despondent, believes he shall die (in a sufferer from religious melancholy), (fifth day), 31. [10.]
- He becomes melancholy on beholding a cheerful person, and then, for the first time, feels very unhappy, 1.
- Anxiety, 11, 20.
- Such anxiety, nausea, and distress that he thinks he will die, 10.
- Extreme anxiety, 1.*
- Anxious mood, in different to joy or sorrow, contented with nothing (second day), 22.
- Dread of death (in a sufferer from religious melancholy), (fifth day), 31.
- He is doubtful about his own life, 1.
- Extremely inclined to be irritable, the most trifling thing which goes contrary to his wishes excites anger (second day), 22.
- Fretful mood (twelfth day), 26.
- Very indifferent mood, without joy or sorrow (first day), 22.
- Intellectual. [20.]
- Inability to reflect (after ten hours), 6.
- Distraction of mind, when studying; cannot hold his thoughts fixed, 1.
- (He dresses himself unbecomingly), 1.
- (Irresolution), 1.
- Weakness of memory, he is only able by exerting himself and after thinking for some time to remember what he wanted to say and why he had asked a question (after half an hour), 6.
- Weakness of memory; he does not remember for a moment what he is reading, .
HEAD
- Confusion and Vertigo.
- Confusion of the head, 27.
- Confusion of the head, which makes it dull; a dull pain every afternoon from 4 to 8, 1. [30.]
- Confusion in the head, with increased warmth; aggravated by stooping (twelfth day), 26.
- A dull painful confusion of the head, relieved by pressing the head with the palm of the hand, 22.
- Dizzy confusion of the head, with fluent coryza (after a quarter of an hour), 22.
- Head confused, heavy, lasting till evening (after two hours), 24.
- Head confused, heavy, and inclined to be dizzy, better in the open air, though even then there is almost constant feeling as though an attack of vertigo would come on (third day), 24.
- Confusion, heaviness, and painfulness of the forehead all day, 24.
- Dull, painful confusion in left side of head, during which the fluent coryza changes to a stopped coryza, 22.
- Vertigo, 27.
- Vertigo in the morning on waking, lasting some minutes, on rising, with heaviness of the head, soon followed by nausea, which persists some time; white sitting and bending the head he feels better, but on rising the nausea and vertigo return (first day), 24.
- Vertigo, on becoming erect (first day), 24. [40.]
- Vertigo, on stooping a little (first day), 24.
- Vertigo, on stooping and raising the head again, which immediately passes off after becoming erect (after ten hours and a half), 6.
- Vertigo, while walking, so that he was obliged to stand still, to prevent falling (after four hours), 24.
- Vertigo, with indistinct vision, dilated pupils, roaring in the ears, and unsteady gait (fourth day), 30.
- Vertigo, with excessive nausea, and so great prostration that he had to be put to bed (fifth day), 31.
- Vertigo, with pleasant warmth in the stomach and abdomen (immediately), 22.
- Reeling vertigo, with inclination to fall forward (fifth day), 26.
- So dizzy that all objects seem to move in a circle; with stupidity, 22.
- Reeling in the head, 10.
EYE
- Frequent inclination to involuntarily stare, fixing the eyes immovably upon an object, 22.
- Violent boring deep in the right eye (first day), 24.
- Pressure in the eyes, 24.
- Pressure upon the eyes (soon), 24.
- Pressure deep in the right eye (fifteenth day), 24.
- Pressing pain deep in the right eye, soon, 24.
- Feeling in the eyes as if they were pressed together by something heavy from above; he is obliged to exert himself in order to open them widely; in the open air (after seven and eight hours), 1.
- Sticking in the eyes, as if they would lachrymate (immediately), 6.
- Burning biting in the eyes, especially in the inner canthus, 9.
- Brow and Orbit. [150.]
- Twitching in the muscles of the eyebrows and cheeks, with heat of the face, 6.
- A sticking tension when touched on the left eyebrow, as if a pimple would from (after forty-six hours), 6.
- Pain in the eyebrows drawing backward and forward, with spasmodic contraction of the muscles of the eyebrows (after ten hours), 6.
- Violent pressure deep in the orbits (fifth day), 26.
- Pressure in the orbits, as if the eyes would fall out, 7.
- A momentary pain, as if a dull needle were thrust into the upper margin of the left orbit, rather towards the inner canthus; relieved by pressure with the fingers, but immediately returning when the pressure ceases, lasting a quarter of an hour (second day), 22.
- A very violent pressing-tearing pain in a small indefinite spot on the outer side of the left orbit, as if between the eyeball and the wall of the orbit, and affecting the eyeball; lasting about five minutes, and returning three times in the evening (third day), 25.
- Lids.
- (Swollen red eyelids), 1.
- He slumbers with half-open eyes, the pupils drawn upward (immediately), 1.
- Twitching of the lids, 1. [160.]
- Twitching of the upper lids, 24.
- Biting in the margins of the lids (first day), 24.
EAR
- Drawing in both ears, as if the inner ears would burst, a kind of earache, 8.
- Pressure in the ears, 24.
- Burrowing boring-sticking in the right ear through the night, with sticking-tearing toothache; only the earache remained in the morning and during the day, 4. [190.]
- Pressure in the fossæ behind the lobules of the ears, 1.
- Roaring and ringing in the ears, 27.
NOSE
- Objective.
- Sneezing, 16.
- Sneezing, in the morning, fasting (after twenty-six hours), 5.
- Sneezing, immediately after rising in the morning from bed, whereby the upper lip cracks in the middle, 4.
- Died sneezing, 35.
- Sneezing, with nausea (eleventh day), 26.
- Subjective.
- A very peculiar sensation of heat in the nose, especially in the nostrils, lasting several minutes (third day), 24.
- Burning about the nostrils (tenth day), 24.
- Burning under the nose (twentieth day), 24. [200.]
- Itching burning in the left wing of the nose, 3.
- Constriction in the nose, as though suffocation would follow, 18 . [With S. 71. -Hughes.]
- Pressive pain in the root of the nose, 1.
- Spasmodic tickling irritability in the nose, as if it would provoke sneezing (which it does not), with yawning (after one hour), 4.
- Biting itching beneath the nose and on the upper lip, as in commencing coryza, 6.
- Diminished sense of smell (twelfth day), 26.
FACE
- Objective.
- *Redness of the face, 24.
- Yellow color of the face, 1.
- Paleness of the face during the heat of the head, 1.*
- Face pale and features distorted (after two hours), 34.* [210.]
- *Pale, sunken face, loss of pulse, icy coldness, and cold sweat all over, so that a drop is on the end of every hair, 10.
- External heat of the face, glowing of the cheeks, in the room (after six hours), 6.
- Subjective.
- Heat and heaviness in the face and head (first day), 24.
- Excessive heat in the face, after dinner; the face was burning red; this was noticed frequently during the proving, but especially to-day (sixth day), 25.
- Cheeks.
- Transient dull pain in the right zygoma, as if in the bone (third forenoon), 22.
- Pressure in the left zygoma, knees, elbows (tenth day), 24.
- Crawling in the left cheek, soon, 24.
- Lips.
- A vesicle in the centre of the red of the upper lip, in the, morning after waking, 3.
- Ulceration of the corners of the lips, with itching, 1.
- Chin.
- A row of needlelike stitches behind the ascending ramus of the lower jaw near the ear (after thirty hours), 4.
MOUTH
- Teeth. [220.]
- Tearing in the third back teeth above and below, on biting them together, extending into the roots (immediately), 6.
- Sticking-tearing toothache in the right upper and lower back teeth, in the evening after lying down in bed, which endures neither warmth nor cold, and torments him the whole night, so that he sleeps only a little; the lower back teeth seem longer, lasting during the day, 4.
- Tongue.
- A sticking painful pimple on the tip of the tongue, when touched, 4.
- Vesicles upon the tongue, 1.
- Trembling of the tongue, 11 . [Corrected by Hughes.]
- Tongue stiff, insensible, 15.
- Tongue very dry ; white, in the morning on rising from bed (after twenty-four hours), 4.*
- Stitches in the tongue (twentieth day), 24.
- General Mouth.
- Sensation of dryness in the mouth, 27.
- Dryness in the mouth and scraping in the throat, the whole day (after four hours), 24. [230.]
- Distressing dryness of the palate and cutting-scraping pain in the palate, on moving the mouth to swallow, lasting several days, 9.
- A scraping feeling on the posterior portion of the palate, 8.
- Constant scraping sensation in the arch of the palate and fauces (first day), 25.
- Saliva.
- Accumulation of saliva, 1.
- Accumulation of watery saliva; he is frequently obliged to spit, 1.
- Much watery saliva in the mouth, 8.
- Constant accumulation of water in the mouth, which he is obliged to spit out (after one hour and three-quarters), 2.
- Taste.
- Dry slimy taste and excessive thirst, for two hours, 6.
- Sourish taste, with increased saliva (eleventh day), 26.
- Bitter taste in the throat, but still more bitter on eating, . [240.]
THROAT
- A flapping as of mucus in the throat, on every inspiration, but not on expiration, even if not forcible, which was like the opening and shutting of a valve (second day), 25.
- Burning and dryness of the throat (first day), 24.
- Sticking low down in the throat (first day), 24.
- Sore throat; on swallowing, a pressure and feeling of soreness in the throat, 1.
- Rawness if the throat, as after acrid liquor (after half an hour), 22.
- Scraping in the throat, 24.
- Scraping and sticking in the throat (twentieth day), 24.
- Fauces.
- Scraping in the fauces from 10 to 1, and again from 10 to 11 P.M. (tenth day), 24. [250.]
- Scraping and dryness in the fauces, lasting six hours (after one hour), 24.
- External Throat.
- Pain in the cervical glands, 1.
STOMACH
- Appetite.
- Great appetite; is constantly hungry, and everything relishes, 4.
- Great appetite, with frequent tasteless eructations, 22.
- Diminished appetite (fifth day), 26.
- Loss of appetite (first day), 24 ; (fifth day), 31.
- Aversion to food, 1.
- Aversion to fat meat (for more than a week), while he relishes bread and bread and lean meat, 1.
- Aversion to green vegetables and sauerkraut, with good appetite for bread and meat (for more than a week), 1.
- Thirst.
- *Thirst, 11, 20. [260.]
- No thirst, the whole day, 1.
- Eructation and Hiccough.
- Eructations (second day), 31.
- Empty eructations, without any taste (after half an hour), 4.
- Empty eructations, after breakfast, 22.
- Empty eructations and qualmishness, yet he is unable to vomit, 1.
- Many empty eructations (fifteenth day), 24.
- Frequent tasteless dry eructations, during the first hour, followed by completely suppressed eructations, 8.
- Eructations tasting of the drug (immediately), 22.
- Gulping up of bitter fluid (twelfth day), 26.
- Hiccough, 11, 20 ; (after two hours), 5.
- Nausea and Vomiting. [270.]
- Nausea (first day), 24.*
- Nausea and headache, relieved after breakfast (fourth day), 31.
- Nausea and inclination to vomit (second day), 31.
- Sensation of nausea in the whole abdomen, with frequent empty eructations, 22.
- Feeling of nausea in the stomach; it frequently seems as though he were hungry, but food disgusts him, though at the same time there is no unnatural taste in the mouth, nor of the food (after twenty-four hours), .
ABDOMEN
- Hypochondria.
- Twisting griping commencing in the hepatic region, and constantly extending downward and forward (after two hours and a half), 2.
- Umbilical.
- Audible painless rumbling beneath the umbilical region (after one hour), 4.
- Pain several times deep in the umbilical region (fifth day), 24.
- Heat deep in the umbilical region (tenth day), 24. [320.]
- Feeling of heat deep in the umbilical region, with dull pressure in it (eighth day), 24.
- Pressure deep in the umbilical region (twentieth day), 24.
- Sharp pressure transversely across the abdomen below the umbilicus from without inward, especially severe while sitting (after twenty-four hours), 9.
- Violent pressive pain deep in the umbilical region, lasting more than an hour (third day), 24.
- Colic early in the morning, consisting of a kind of twisting and cutting about the umbilicus, somewhat relieved by lying bent together, gradually relieved after the passage of flatulence (first day), 23.
- General Abdomen.
- Excessive distension of the abdomen , in the evening (after five days), 1.*
- Painful distension of the abdomen (first day), 24.
- Abdomen distended, but not very painful when touched (after two hours), 34.
- Movements of flatulence in the abdomen, 3, 8.
- Movements in the abdomen as if bubbles rose up and burst, followed by emission of offensive flatus (after eight hours), 4. [330.]
- Fermentation in the abdomen (twelfth day), 26.
- Rumbling in the abdomen, 1.*
- Rumbling and uneasiness in the bowels, 27.
- Excessive rumbling in the abdomen, and noises (immediately), 1.
- Flatulence rising up towards the short ribs, with empty eructations, 22.
- Emission of much offensive flatus, soon after dinner (after one hour and a quarter), .
RECTUM AND ANUS
- Inclination to hæmorrhoids, 18.
- Feeling in the anus the whole day as if there were obstinate constipation (fourth day), 25.
- Burning, biting pain in the anus, for a minute after an evacuation, 8.
- Dragging and pressing asunder sensation in the anus, followed by difficult evacuation of some frothy, mostly hard fæces in small balls (one hour after the dose second day), 25.
- Sudden dull pressure as from a foreign substance in the anus, with desire for stool, though only some flatus in passed; sometime afterwards the pressure returns, and a small amount of large fæces in evacuated (eighth day), 25.
- Sudden pressing-asunder urging in the rectum, as if a stool would immediately follow, but a thick dry evacuation was passed with difficulty, attended by smarting pain in the anus, which continued even after the evacuation (third day), 25. [370.]
- Desire for stool, which, however, was not satisfactory (first day), 23.
- Frequent inclination for stool, 23.
- Sudden urging to stool, with cutting in the abdomen, followed by soft pasty stool, with disappearance of the discomfort in the abdomen (sixth day), 25.
- Ineffectual urging and long pressing, without a stool (first day), 22.
- Ineffectual desire for stool (ninth day), 25.
- All desire for stool was wanting at the usual time, with a sensation in the anus as if it were forever closed, followed by sudden pressure and sensation of distension and sudden urging to stool; at first only some flatus passed, then a hard large stool with difficulty, during and after which there was violent smarting in the anus (fifth day), 25.
STOOL
- Diarrhœa.
- Diarrhœa, 1, 17.
- Diarrhœa always preceded by colic, which is relieved after every stool, 7.
- A little diarrhœa, 35.
- Purging, with nausea and colic, 21. [380.]
- Considerably purged, 33.
- Frequent pasty, undigested stools (fifth day), 26.
- Six evacuations (second day); two liquid evacuations (the night of second day); twelve (third day); several stools in quick succession (fourth and fifth days); followed by some tenesmus (sixth day), 30.
- Two rather soft evacuations, with violent colic (third day), 31.
- Two evacuations (second day); one (third day); two (fourth day); one (fifth and sixth days), 29.
- The stool is retained the whole day, but the next day is earlier than usual, and in the afternoon there is a diarrhœic stool, 1.
- *Stool consisting solely of clear, tenacious, colorless mucus, 1.
- A white gelatinous stool like frog spawn is passed three or four times a day, with much pressure, 1.*
- Stool not well digested (twelfth day), 26.
- Constipation.
- Constipation (fifth day), 31.* [390.]
- In none of the provings was there an increase of the stools; in several there was a decided indolence in the evacuation of the fæces, 27.
- Stool large, difficult, with burning, smarting pain in the anus, which continues after the stool, and violently affects the sphincter (fourth day), 25.
- Hard, scanty stool, during which, and immediately afterwards, there is violent cutting sticking in the rectum, extending from below upwards, as if drew itself tightly together, and something with sharp edges were sticking between its walls (after twelve hours), 6.
- During the stool a feeling as though the intestines had not the power to evacuate the fæces though they were soft and in part thin (first morning), 23.
URINARY ORGANS
- Micturition.
- Urging to urinate, 1.*
- Frequent urging to pass urine, with scanty discharge (after three-quarters, two and a half, three, and five hours and a half), 5.*
- Some desire to urinate, with only scanty discharge, with violent burning through the whole urethra, in the afternoon, 22.
- Frequent micturition, 1.*
- When urinating there is no stream or desire, as if the bladder had lost all its power to expel the urine; during the whole proving, 22.
- Urine.
- Some increase in the urine (tenth day), 28. [400.]
- Urine seems to be secreted in greater abundance than usual (seventh and eighth days); the bladder also expels the urine better, 22.
- Passage of copious urine without much urging (after twenty-four and twenty-six hours), 5.
- Passage of much watery urine, 8.
- There seems to be less secretion of urine than usual, though not remarkably so, 22.
- Urine dark yellow, it passed without any stream (after five hours), 22.
- The urine decomposes in a few hours, 22.
SEXUAL ORGANS
- Male.
- General relaxation of the genitals, without any inclination for coition, 22.
- No erections, even when the urine has accumulated in the bladder, the penis constantly remains relaxed (after six days), 22.
- Several itching fine stitches at the tip of the glans penis (after half an hour), 5.
- It seems for forcibly suppress sexual desire, 8.
- Female. [410.]
- Appearance of menstruation (after eight hours), 1.
RESPIRATORY ORGANS
- Mucus in the air-passages, so that respiration was audible, lasting till noon, when it disappeared (sixth day), 25.
- Sensation on inspiration for some time, as if the air-passages were contracted, and thereby the usually imperceptible inspiration was audible; as after long running, in a person suffering from catarrh (second day), 25.
- Larynx.
- Constriction of the larynx, 11.
- Cough.
- Cough (twelfth day), 26.
- Hacking cough, 1.
- *Constant hacking cough, appearing suddenly while smoking tobacco as usual, while sitting (after fifteen hours), 5.
- Frequent dry hacking cough, with painful tension in the left short ribs (after five hours), 22.
- Respiration.
- Rapid breathing, 1.
- Involuntary sighing, 22. [420.]
- Difficult breathing, the thorax seems too tight (fifth day), 22.
- Difficult breathing; he is obliged to breathe slowly and deeply (after quarter of an hour), 6.
- Difficult breathing, with very frequent need to take a deep breath; especially noticed when walking in the open air, 22.
CHEST
- Increased warmth in the lower portion of the chest, 3.
- Pain in the walls of the chest (first day), 24.
- Pain in the left pectoral muscles (fifth and sixth days), 24.
- Chest very much constricted, so that he gasps for breath with open mouth, but cannot breathe, 10.*
- Tightness in the chest, as if the lungs were tightened, because the ribs do not seem to expand, 22.
- Pressure in the walls of the chest, soon, 24.
- Pressure in the pectoral muscles (tenth and twentieth days), 24. [430.]
- Sharp cutting on the lowest true ribs through the chest from within outward, aggravated by inspiration, 9.
- Sticking in the walls of the chest (first day), 24.
- Sticking in the left costal region (third day), 26.
- Stitches in the walls of the chest (first day), 24.
- Stitches in the top of the lungs (eighth day), 24.
- Stitches beneath the left ribs (after one hour), 24.
- Sharp stitches in the left short ribs, when walking, 22.
- The left short ribs seem to be screwed to the spine (after four hours), 22.
- Front.
- Twinging pain at one time in the right anterior portion of the chest, at another in the left in the region of the heart (first day), 25.
- Scraping sensation in the upper portion of the sternum, 3.
- Sides. [440.]
- A few slight transient stitches in the left side of the chest (fifth day), 26.
- Dull stitches in the last true ribs of both sides, on every inspiration, 22.
- Dull stitches in the left side of the chest, on every deep inspiration, when lying down in the evening, 22.
HEART AND PULSE
- Palpitation, 3.
- Rapid pulse (tenth, fifteenth, and twentieth days), 24.*
- The pulse was constantly increased in frequency; the action on the pulse was, however, transient, so that after two, or at most, three hours, it became normal, 27.
- Pulse 100 or more, while sitting, at 9 A.M. (eighth day), 24.
- Pulse rose from 80 to 100 (second day); 100 (third day); 96 in the morning, 100 in the evening (fourth day), 29.
- Slow pulse (after one and sixteen hours), 1.
- Pulse 66 (second day); 60 (third, fourth, and fifth days); 84 (sixth day); 66 (seventh day); 78 (eighth day), 31. [450.]
- Pulse 66 in the morning, 76 in the evening (second day); 72, 76 (third day); 64 (fourth day); 64, 68 (fifth day), 66 (sixth day), 30.
- The rise in the pulse usually took place during the first half hour, or at most during the first hour, and amounted to from 5 to 25 beats in increase; the retardation, however, lasted over two hours, and sometimes ended more speedily, and amounted to 5, 10, or at most 15 beats below the normal, 27.
- Violent pulse (after quarter of an hour), 3.
- Pulse small and tremulous (after two hours), 34.*
- Very small pulse, 1.
- He feels the beat of his pulse vividly through his whole body, but mostly at the heart, 4.
NECK AND BACK
- Neck.
- Stiffness of the muscles of the nape the neck, as far up as the occiput, during rest, though mostly on moving the head, in the morning (after forty-one hours), 6.
- Rheumatic stiffness of the nape of the neck, 1.
- On moving the neck, some of the muscles are painful and stiff, 8.
- Pressing pain in the cervical bone, soon, 24.
- Back. [460.]
- Pain in various places in the back, 34.
- Backache, as from flatulence, as if it could not pass, towards evening, while sitting, 22.
- Constant dull stitches, with gnawing, in the middle of the spine, 22.
- Dorsal.
- Dull pain in the left scapula, becoming a sharp pain on moving it, 8.
- Boring stitches in the region of the spine, just below the shoulders (first day), 26.
- A bruised pain in the spine, between the scapulæ, 3.
- Lumbar.
- Contractive pain in the small of the back, 1.
- Pressive pain in the lumbar muscles (first day), 24.
EXTREMITIES IN GENERAL
- Objective.
- Stretching of the limbs (after one hour), 4.
- Relaxation of the arms and limbs (fifth day), 26.
- Subjective. [470.]
- Torpor of the limbs and unusual stiffness, 19 . [Corrected by Hughes.]
- Heaving in the limbs (twelfth day), 26.
- All the limbs feel so heavy, with painful sensitiveness of the muscles, that he can only move them reluctantly, 9.
- Some pain in the arms, toes, and knees (second day), 24.
- Pressure in the knees, toes, and shoulders (after half an hour), 24.
- Pressure in the right knee and in the legs, in the tibiæ, in the joints of the fingers, hands, and feet, lasting through the day till evening (first day), 24.
- Pressure and drawing alternating in the left fingers, calves, left elbow, beneath the right shoulder, in the left cervical muscles, in the right knee, and afterwards more seldom in the toes and left side of the head (eighth day), 24.
- Constant pressure in the left knee, right shoulder, and in the toes (tenth day), 24.
- Violent pressure in the lower portion of the thighs and in the elbows, soon, 24.
- Pressing pain in the toes and fingers, soon, 24. [480.]
- Pressing pain in the anterior muscles of the thigh and in the wrist reappeared after a new dose, 24.
- Pressive pain in the fingers, knees, and shoulders, 24.
- The pains in the joints change from one place to another, 24.
SUPERIOR EXTREMITIES
- Pressure in the muscles of the arms, scapulæ (first day), 24.
- Fine tearing in the bones of the arm, 9.
- Shoulder.
- Pressure in the shoulders (second day), 24.
- Pressure in the shoulders, afterwards in the thighs and knees, after every dose, 24.
- Pressure in the right shoulder (tenth day), 24.
- Violent pressure in the right shoulder, lasting a long time (twentieth day), 24.
- Tearing pain in the left shoulder (seventh day), 25.
- Arm. [490.]
- Visible twitching of the muscles of the left upper arm, with pain, as if something hard had violently knocked the place, 3.
- Pressure in the upper arms, 24.
- A sensation in the right upper arm, as after a blow, though nothing is felt on touching it, 3.
- Forearm.
- Violent drawing in the middle of the forearm, about the bend of the elbow, 6.
- Violent pressive pains in the left forearm (sixth day), 24.
- Violent tearing pains in the right forearm (eighth day), 25.
- Fine tearing in the right forearm (ninth day), 25.
- Wrist.
- Pressure in the wrists (tenth day), 24.
- Violent pressure in the left wrist (sixth day), 24.
- Violent needlelike stitches in the left wrist when walking in the open air in the evening (after thirteen hours), 5.
- Hand. [500.]
- Loss of power in both hands, so that he could not hold anything or clench his fists, 6.
- Numbness of the right hand, coldness through the whole arm, the tips of the fingers (soon), 24.
- Fuzzy feeling, with internal coldness in the right hand and arm (after half an hour), 24.
- Pressure in the metacarpal bones (twentieth day), 24.
- Especially violent pressure in the right metacarpal bones (fifteenth day), .
INFERIOR EXTREMITIES
- Objective.
- Frequent twitchings of the muscles of the legs (after two hours), 34. [520.]
- Unsteadiness of the limbs, weakness of the feet, tottering of the knees, he could only walk slowly, 1.
- Great weariness in both limbs, especially when standing, with bruised pain in the small of the back (fifth day), 25.
- Great prostration in the legs, a feeling of weakness (after half an hour), 22.
- Subjective.
- Pain in the legs (first day), 24.
- Drawing pains in the legs (soon), 24.
- Hip.
- Sudden paralytic stiffness of the left hip-joint when walking in the open air (after twenty-three hours), 6.
- Pain in the left hip, like sciatica (seventh day), 25.
- Continued burning in the left hip (ninth day), 25.
- A slight drawing pain in the right hip, 8.
- Burning pressure several times in the left hip (after two hours), 3. [530.]
- Several stitches in the left hip, as if with needles, 3.
- Some violent, somewhat slow stitches, as with several pins, in the left hip, 3.
- Painful sensation in the left hip, as if rubbed sore or burnt, aggravated even by touch, the whole day (eighth day), 25.
- Thigh.
- Weariness in the thighs, 1.
- Very great weakness of the thighs and legs (after one hour and a half), 2.
- Stiffness and tension of the muscles of the thighs, 7.
- Stiffness of the hamstrings, especially the external, when walking in the open air (after twenty-five hours), 6.
- Pain in the anterior muscles of the left thigh (fifth day), 24.
- Violent pain in the muscles of the left thigh, lasting several minutes (first day), 24.
- A very decided painfulness in the whole anterior and outer portion of the right thigh, lasting only a short time, similar to sciatica, not extending to any other place, but consisting of a tearing-aching over the whole region (third day), . [540.]
HELLEBORUS NIGER. GENERAL SYMPTOMS
- Objective. [580.]
- Remarkable unsteadiness in her actions (fourth day), 29.
- Convulsions, spasms, 11, 16, 20.*
- Horrible convulsions, accompanied with extreme coldness, 32.*
- Cramps and convulsive motions, together with shooting in the brain, as with an arrow, 21.
- As soon as he opens his eyes in the morning in bed, he is obliged to stretch, after which he becomes weary and the eyes close again, 4.
- Constant relaxation of all the muscles; he suddenly falls to the ground, with coldness of the body, cold sweat on the forehead, and stammers, but is conscious; the pulse is very slow, and the pupils very much contracted (after one hour), 1.
- He could neither sit, stand, nor lie, and constantly pointed towards his heart, 10.
- Weariness, 27.
- Weariness and sleepiness in the forenoon, with yawning (after two hours), 4.
- Weakness (fifth day), 31.* [590.]
- Prostration, 27 ; (fifth day), 31.
- Faintness, 11, 13, 20.
- Restless and anxious , apprehending misfortune (after five days), 4.*
- Subjective.
- General discomfort, 27.
- In the open air, he feels as though he had been long sick; all objects seem changed and new to him, 1.
- Felling as after a fever, as if he had been long sick in bed, 1.
- An agreeable warmth, extending from the pharynx to the stomach and over the whole body, as after spirituous drinks, 22.
- (A sensation is swollen parts as if they would burst and were too heavy), 1.
- Sticking-boring pains in the coverings of the bones, 1.
- Sticking-boring pains in various parts of the body, aggravated by cold or by physical exertion, and after eating and drinking, . [600.]
SKIN
- Objective.
- *Sudden dropsical swelling of the skin, 1 . [This symptom, combined with 358, 395, 401, seems to corresponded closely to many diseases accompanied by swelling; such are certainly cured rapidly and permanently by Hellebore, when the other symptoms are homœopathic to it, that is, have the same peculiarity as those which this powerful vegetable specially causes in healthy people; hereupon also depend the occasional curative effects of Bacher's pills, which seem to have been simply an accidental discovery in domestic practice, for medical art knew nothing hitherto of the homeopathic application of Hellebore to certain dropsical diseases, for the pathogenetic action of this plant was unknown; medical art also had no intimation of the curative action that could be developed from it. -Hahnemann.]
- The skin of the body desquamates, 13.
- The hairs of the whole body fall out; the nails fall off, 13.
- A small swelling in the skin of the forehead, which is painful, as if bruised or as if caused by a blow, 1.
- Eruptions.
- A pimple on the left side of the forehead that pains on hard touch, as if beaten, 6.
- Several small vesicles between the first joints of the fourth and fifth fingers, smarting when touched, moist for some time, and then covered with scabs for a long time, 6.
- Small, moist, painless vesicles on the middle joint of the right fourth finger; on severe pressure, the bone seemed to be sore, 6. [610.]
- Yellowish roundish tetter on both arms, exuding water on scratching, 1.
- Subjective.
- Prickling in the left foot, soon, 24.
- Corrosive itching on both arms, and biting, as from salt water, after scratching, after going to sleep in the evening and morning, 1.
SLEEP AND DREAMS
- Sleepiness.
- Frequent yawning (fifth day), 26.
- Sleepiness, followed by either uneasy sleep disturbed by dreams, or by coma vigil, followed by deep sleep, 27.
- Great sleepiness in the evening (second and third days), 25.
- Sleeplessness.
- Uneasy sleep towards morning, he turns himself from side to side; in this slumber there are dark, floating visions, 4.
- Uneasy slumber, filled with historical fancies towards morning, during which he changes his position from side to side, 4.
- Dreams.
- Confused dreams at night, which are not remembered, 5.
- Incessant, confused, frequently very anxious dreams at night, which he is unable to recollect, 9. [620.]
- Anxious dreams (first night), 24.
FEVER
- Chilliness.
- Skin cool (fourth day), 30.
- Chilliness always on lying down in the evening; perspiration every morning (after ten days), 1.
- General shaking chill, with gooseflesh; painful sensitiveness of the external head to touch and motion; drawing-tearing in the limbs, and frequent sticking in the joints, especially of the elbows and shoulders; without thirst, for several days together, commencing in the morning (after twenty-five hours), 9.
- Coldness of the body , especially in the morning, 1.*
- Coldness over the whole body, with cold hands and feet , lasting several hours (first day), 24.*
- Shivering commencing in the arms, 1.
- Shivering, for five days, without thirst, followed by thirst, 1.
- He desires to lie in bed on account of shivering, and looks yellow in the face, 1.
- Fever; constant chilliness over the body, without thirst; heat in the head, and headache like a bruised pain in the occiput, 1. [630.]
- Fever for several days, more constant when not in bed; chilliness over the whole body, without thirst (while sitting, standing, and walking), with cold hands, with internal burning heat and dulness of the head, and with great sleepiness, heaviness and weakness of the feet, and stiffness in the hollows of the knees; after lying down in bed, immediate heat and perspiration all over, also without thirst, 1.
- Chilliness in the back, 22.
- Chilliness in the left side of the back, near the spine, extending up and down, and for a moment across the left shoulder towards the front (seventh day), 25.
- Feeling of coldness in the abdomen, 1.
- Coldness of the hands, while the face and rest of the body were warm (after a quarter of an hour), 5.
- Sensation of coldness and transient chilliness in the small of the back and loins during dinner; this sensation of coldness and chilliness was relieved by the warmth of the stove, but immediately returned (second day), 22.
- (Cold feet in the evening, which do not get warm even in bed), 4.
- Great coldness through the back (after a quarter of an hour), 24.
CONDITIONS
- Aggravation.
- ( Morning ), On waking, vertigo, etc.; on waking, headache; in bed, headache in top of head; soreness in canthus, etc.; after waking, sticking in eyeball; immediately after rising, sneezing; after waking, vesicle on lip; on rising, tongue dry, etc.; early, colic; sensation in abdomen; at 5 o'clock, colic; stiffness of nape of neck; in bed, tearing in left fingers; perspiration; coldness of body.
- ( Afternoon ), The symptoms; from 4 to 8 o'clock, pain in head; heaviness, etc., in forehead; pain in surface of os ilium.
- ( Evening ), The symptoms; after lying down in bed, vivid fancies; headache in forehead; pressure, etc.; in forehead; after lying down in bed, pain in back teeth; pain in stomach; distension of abdomen; when walking in open air, stitches in wrist; on lying down chilliness; cold feet; between 5 and 6 o'clock, and especially after lying down, heat all over, etc.
- ( Night ), Perspiration; towards morning, general sweat , towards morning, perspiration on soles.
- ( Open air ), Feeling in eyes; feeling as after long sickness.
- ( Walking in open air ), Headache in frontal eminences; difficult breathing; stitches across tendons of left hand; stiffness of hip-joint; stiffness of hamstrings.
- ( On ascending steps ), Griping in abdomen.
- ( After exerting attention ), Headache in temple.
- ( Cold ), Pains in various parts.
- ( After dinner ), Heat in face.
- ( Eating ), Bitter taste.
- ( After eating and drinking ), Pains in various parts.
- ( Becoming erect ), Vertigo.
- ( Physical exertion ), Pains in various parts.
- ( Inspiration ), Cutting in ribs; stitches in ribs.
- ( After meals ), Pain in stomach.
- ( Motion ), Especially stooping and ascending steps, external pain in vertex.
SUPPLEMENT: HELLEBORUS NIGER. Authorities.
36 , Cattell, Brit. Journ. of Hom., vol. xi, p. 343; 37 , J. Massey, M.D., Lancet 1856 (2), p. 100, a woman took about a teaspoonful of a strong infusion; 38 , H. P. Gatchell, Northwestern Annalist (Am. Obs., vol. xv, 1878, p. 518), Jan. 14th, took 2d at 3.30 P.M., repeated the dose at 4 and 4.30.
MIND
- Happy carelessness about everything; feel indifferent to family (after first dose), 38.
- Alternate feelings of mirth and melancholy; great desire to laugh, followed by desire to weep (after first dose), 38.
- Great feeling of self-confidence (after second dose), 38.
- Feeling as from grief (after second dose), 38.
- Moans (fifth day), 38.
- Don't wish any one to speak to me or look at me (after first dose), 38.
- Do not wish to speak; dread company (after second dose), 38. [670.]
- Lay down in a kind of stupor; awake about an hour later refreshed by sleep (after third dose), 38.
HEAD
- Head confused, noise hurts, sound of wind distresses (after third dose), 38.
- Brain feels too large (third day), 38.
- Awoke with a sensation as if the brain were too large, with severe pain in the forehead, relieved by pressure; pain in paroxysms, aggravated by movement (fifth day), 38.
- Brain too large in front; occiput feels empty; afterwards reverse in forehead, and occiput feels as if it would fall forward; disposition to lie down and roll head from side to side; feel helpless like an infant, as would like to lie in mother's arms; disposition to draw up feet like an infant (fifth day), 38.
- Headache over eyes extending to temples, with a sensation as if the skin drawn tight over the forehead, accompanied by a disposition to frown; weak feeling in head (after first dose), 38.
- Temples feel as if they would burst (after first dose), 38.
EYE
- Aching pain in socket of eye; great desire to be in a dark room (after first dose), 38.
- Prickling and burning of eyelids (after two minutes), 38.
- Dimness of sight (after two minutes), 38. [680.]
- Sight obscured (after first dose), 38.
- In the morning, unable to read a letter for dimness of vision (sixth day), 38.
- Dread light (fifth day), 38.
NOSE
- Catarrh of left nostril (after first dose); increased (after second dose), 38.
MOUTH
- Feeling as if cold air were passing through hollow teeth (after first dose), 38.
STOMACH
- In the evening nausea, with extreme prostration, relieved by bitter vomiting, followed by a helpless feeling; indisposition to be spoken to, or to be looked at (third day), 38.
- At night, nausea, prostration, and bitter vomiting (fifth day); nausea after eating (sixth day), 38.
- At night, bitter vomiting (third day), 38.
- Vomiting of a greenish, slimy substance, 38.
- Burning in stomach (after second dose), 38. [690.]
- Feel as if a fluid were pouring into stomach (after third dose), 38.
- Lancinating pains from epigastrium to rectum (fifth day), 38.
ABDOMEN
- Distended abdomen, wind in intestines (after third dose), 38.
RECTUM AND ANUS
- Pressing fulness in rectum (after first dose), 38.
- Aching feeling in rectum (after second dose), 38.
- Pressure in rectum (third day), 38.
- Fulness in rectum (fifth day), 38.
- Itching, as from ascarides (third day), 38.
URINARY ORGANS
- Great desire to urinate (after first dose), 38.
SEXUAL ORGANS
- Pain in region of right ovary (after third dose), 38.
RESPIRATORY ORGANS. [700.]
- Shortness of breath in reading or speaking (after first dose), 38.
- Breathe better with mouth open (after second dose), 38.
- In the evening, breathing oppressed (third day), 38.
CHEST
- Sharp pain in left breast near armpit; pain piercing (after second dose), 38.
- Pain near armpit (after third dose), 38.
- On moving, pain left breast and shoulder, extending down the arm to elbow (after third dose), 38.
- On leaning over, pain in left breast (after third dose), 38.
HEART AND PULSE
- Heaviness about heart (sixth day), 38.
- Pain in region of heart (after second dose), 38.
- Violent throbbing of the heart (after two minutes), 38. [710.]
- Pulse small and feeble, 78 (fifth day), 38.
NECK AND BACK
- Pain under right shoulderblade (after third dose), 38.
- Pain under left shoulderblade (after second dose), 38.
- Aching pain in back above the waist, rocking from side to side (after second dose), 38.
EXTREMITIES
- At night after retiring, tearing and rending pains in joints, as if torn apart (fourth day), 38.
- Pains like rheumatism in limbs; pains as if in bones (fifth day), 38.
- A paralytic feeling of the limbs. They feel large and heavy; can raise them with difficulty (sixth day), 38.
SUPERIOR EXTREMITIES
- Pain in left shoulder, which feels higher than the right (after second dose), 38.
INFERIOR EXTREMITIES
- Aching pain in lower limbs as they get warm (after second dose), 38.
GENERALITIES
- Pain and pricking in the tongue, fauces, and throat. To use her own expression, "as if a hundred pins were sticking there." There was a painful sense of strangury and constriction of the throat, with difficulty of swallowing; pain at the epigastrium, and very violent, sickness. The tongue began to swell, as well as the other organs of deglutition; much viscid mucus was voided from the mouth; the eyes were sunk; there was excessive prostration of strength; discoloration about the eyelids, with great collapse of the vital powers; the extremities were cold, and the general surface of the body was bedewed with cold, clammy sweat; pulse varied from 30 to 50 beats in the minute, very small, and at times scarcely perceptible, 37. [720.]
- Tremor of the whole body (after the first dose), 38.
- Great restlessness, excitable, impatient, hopeful; feel as if circulation increased; could run a race, accomplish great deeds, fearless; feel as if brain were boiling (after third dose), 38.
- Great tranquillity and desire to lie down (after first dose), 38.
- Tired and sleepy (after first dose), 38.
- Very tired (after third dose), 38.
- Tired feeling all day (third day), 38.
- Disposition to sit all the time (after second dose), 38.
- Weakness (sixth day), 38.
- Flesh feels soft (fifth day), 38.
- Soreness in flesh (sixth day), 38. [730.]
- Feel as if the flesh were sore, soreness on pressure over the whole body (fourth day), 38.
- Feel as if the blood were thin and poor; feel listless and lifeless (after second dose), 38.
FEVER
- Feel chilly, with dull pains in head (second day); sensitive to cold, with sharp needlelike pains in and about the eyes, with nausea (third day), 38.
- Coldness of whole body (after second dose), 38.
- Hands cold (after second dose), 38.
- Cold feet (after first dose), 38.
- Forehead feels hot to hand, wants ice on head (fifth day), 38.
- Cold sweats, 36.