Lycopus

Virginicus. Bugle-weed. Virginia horehound. (Shady and wet places in U.S.) N. O. Labiatæ. Tincture of fresh plant in flower.

Clinical

Aneurism / Bites of reptiles / Bright's disease / Cough / Diabetes / Exophthalmos / Hæmoptysis / Headache / Heart, diseases of / Pericarditis / Phthisis / Snake-bites / Tarentula bites / Typho-malarial fever

Characteristics

According to Hale Lycopus is mentioned by Rafinesque as "partaking of the properties of Digitalis, Sanguinaria, Cimicifuga, and Spigelia," and as being "one of the mildest and best narcotics in existence." He commends it specially as a substitute for Dig., as having the advantage over it of being non-poisonous; as useful in hæmoptysis and "wherever it is required to quell inordinate motions of the blood." This gives a very good picture of the Lcps. place and action, which homœopathy has made good use of and developed. The association of Lcps. with Dig., Act. r., and Spi. particularly shows a very clear insight into the action of the remedy, which an experience of mine seems to confirm. Miss S., 25, came to me in October, 1899. About three years previously she had manifested the first symptoms of exophthalmos, which was ascribed by her mother to a prescription of Macrotyn, in low potency, taken for pains in the eyes and continued for a long period. The first symptoms were sore throat with ulcerations, then the goître appeared, and the heart became painful, its action intermittent, with breathlessness and inability to take exertion. After a course of Thyroidin, and later of Thuja 30 (she had been much vaccinated), Lcps. 12 was given, and this tool, away all the heart pains. Attacks of influenza complicated the case later on, and other remedies had to be given. Now the patient is doing very well under Spig. 30, as far as the heart is concerned, though no impression has been made on the goître, which is small. The heart sounds are normal. Stammers Morrisson made an extensive proving of Lcps., and developed unmistakable heart symptoms. Two cases by Proell (H. W., xxiv. 546) bring out a very important feature of the action of this drug, namely, on the consequences of suppressions, in his cases, of suppression of hæmorrhoidal flux. The patients were each 60 years of age, a man and a woman, both fair with light eyes, tall, very irritable, with weak innervation of the heart without decided organic disease. Both had had, years before, hæmorrhoidal flux which stopped suddenly. Both were hypochondriacal and had noise in left ear. This last symptom was the chief thing the man complained of, along with throbbing in the head preventing sleep. Neither Cact., Kalm., nor Gels. helped radically (though Cact. had once given prompt help when he had had blood-spitting). The night after taking Lcps. he was a little better, and in the forenoon came a bleeding from the rectum (about three tablespoonfuls, after defecation), with great general relief. The lady had glycosuria, cataract of left eye, and every third night was restless. Lcps. 1x (same dilution as in the other case), one drop in evening. The following night was excellent, and in the morning came an abundant bleeding from the rectum with great relief. In a case cured with Lcps. by Morrison (of U.S.)., quoted by Hale, the sufferings were associated with the menstrual period, which was exactly regular but intermittent in flow. The first symptom appeared within three or four hours of the onset of the flow, and was a deep-seated pain with heat in occiput. Then followed a train of symptoms, among them nausea, and when the nausea came on the occipital pain was better. This is quite a feature of Lcps.: the symptoms shift about. In Proell's cases there was a shift from rectum to heart and head. Pains also shift from heart to eyes, from head to heart, from heart to left wrist and right calf, and back to wrist and heart. The characteristic heart is a feeble heart, with distress and weak pulse. Cardiac irritability with depressed force. This may be found with organic disease as well as without. When this condition exists and has other symptoms associated with it . in the head, throat, eyes, and elsewhere . Lcps. will most likely be needed. If in addition there is a history of suppressed discharge the indications will be all the stronger. Lcps. is a remedy of accompaniments. The heart condition has many associated symptoms not directly referable to the heart. When pulmonary complaints are associated with loose stools Lcps. will very likely be the remedy. There is a characteristic cough with hæmoptysis associated with feeble heart action, deep, violent in evening and night without waking, expectoration sweetish, renewed by change to cold weather and cold winds. Stanley Wilde (H. W., xxv. 108) cured a desperate case of pericarditis associated with bronchitis with Lcps. Ø; also a case of palpitation with darting pain in heart in a young woman, following an attack of acute rheumatism two years before. Briggs of Fort Lovell (St. Louis Periscope, ix. 329), relates the cure of a patient of Tarentula bite by application of a liquid made of Lycopus. He says the Cherokee Indians allow themselves to be bitten by rattlesnakes, centipedes, and tarentulas, chewing as an antidote large quantities of Lycopus and swallowing the juice. H. W. Felter, an eclectic, is quoted (H. R., xv. 430) as commending Lcps. in: passive lung hæmorrhages; wild, tumultuous beating of heart (which often precedes lung hæmorrhage); cough of phthisis. It does not disorder the stomach, he says, but acts as a tonic and appetiser. Motion, exercise, walking, ascending, all <. At the same time lying down = cardiac depression; and lying on right side < constriction of thorax. There is restlessness, must change position in spite of weakness. By friction. < In morning; (aching down spine, > after rising). < Towards sunset and in evening. At night, violent cough. The muscular pains are > in warm room and in bed; but not > by direct warmth. Open air = faintness and slight nausea; change to cold weather and cold winds = renewed cough. Cold air < rheumatoid pains. Pains shift generally r. to l.

Relations

Antidote to: Act. r. (?). Compare: Lamium (botan.; piles); Ocim. can. (botan); Iber., Kalm., Spi., Cratæg., Cact., Dig., Hydr. ac., Lauro., Pru. spi. (heart); Sang.

Causation

Suppressed hæmorrhoidal flow.

1. Mind

Increased mental and physical activity in evening. Stupid, with lack of expression, during menstrual flow. Mind wanders from one thing to another. General wakefulness and morbid vigilance. Slight obtusion of intellect, with dull aching through sinciput; increased power of concentration.

2. Head

Vertigo, tends to stagger to r. Pressure in forehead, < l. portion. Aching in frontal eminences, l. to r., < l. Pain in forehead and temples, > by nausea. Noise and throbbing in head preventing sleep, after suppressed hæmorrhoids, Lycopus relieved the head and then restored the flow. Headaches: frontal then occipital; over eyes and frontal eminences; pains, aching, pressive, pressing out, congestive; often succeeded by laboured heart and cardiac depression; accompanied by intellectual obtuseness.

3. Eyes

Eyes feel weak, as if system was fatigued. Eyes feel full and heavy; pressing outward with pressure in front of head. Dull pain in l. supraorbital region. Neuralgic pain in r. supraorbital region and l. testicle. Protrusion of eyes with tumultuous action of heart (exophthalmic goître).

4. Ears

Burning in r. ear.

5. Nose

Sneezing and slight nasal catarrh.

7. Teeth

Toothache in r. lower molars, then subacute pain, first in l. then r. frontal eminence, in r. molar, then r. temple, then l. molar, then l. temple, again to r. molar, then to loins with frontal oppression.

9. Throat

Rawness at back of r. palate extending to l. Burning in spot on soft palate, following headache.

11. Stomach

Nausea from back of fauces, > by eructations that taste of tea and the drug; succeeded by persistent giddiness while sitting, and staggering while walking. Nausea and faintness. Circumscribed pain and compression in region of stomach. Indigestion with pain and distress in gastric region. Gastritis; enteritis; diarrhœa; dysentery.

12. Abdomen

Tugging pain in spleen. Tenderness in l. hypochondrium. Flatulence and rumbling. Aching in inguinal canal, < walking, > from upward pressure; with pain in testicles; bearing down as from hernia.

13. Stool and Anus

Severe colic followed by profuse forcible diarrhœa; stools shining, dark brown, offensive; tenesmus with first part of semi-solid movement. Increased action of bowels, diarrhœic symptoms, could have a passage at any time, but sphincter is under perfect control. Diarrhœa in jaundice from weakened heart. Diarrhœa with griping and rumbling. Constipation lasting six or seven days, stools dry and clay-like. (Restores hæmorrhoidal flow after suppression and relieves other symptoms.)

14. Urinary Organs

Drinks large quantities of water; passes nine to eleven quarts of urine a day; fearful thirst, nothing but coldest water would satisfy; very irritable unless spoken to very softly; disinclined to talk, even to her own family (diabetes). Diabetes mellitus, great thirst, and emaciation. Tenderness in bladder. Bladder feels distended when empty; dull pain in l. lumbar region. Profuse flow of limpid watery urine, esp. when heart is most irritable. Urine: scanty, thick, muddy, œdema of feet; cloudy; acid; containing mucus, epithelia) cells and minute crystals, oxalate of lime, spermatozoa.

15. Male Sexual Organs

Neuralgic pain in testicle with supraorbital pain. Acute aching in testicles while sitting, 1 p.m., or with occasional darting pains, changing to r. then l. after rising; from r. to l. then both, with aching in inguinal canal. Sharp darting through l. testicle. (Lcps. relieved the pain in testicle in a case of orchitis, but had no influence on the inflammation.)

16. Female Sexual Organs

Menorrhagia and metrorrhagia. Menses: intermit for ten or twelve days; last from half an hour to six hours. Vagina very hot, os uteri engorged and swollen. Puffing of parts on and around pubes and vulva, dilated condition of vagina. (When heart's action was tumultuous œdema of pubes was <.)

17. Respiratory Organs

Constriction of larynx, 7 p.m. Breathing: oppressed, with sighing breathing 7 p.m.; wheezing; dyspnœa as from bronchial cold, < during exercise, esp. going up stairs. Cough: with hemiplegia and feeble heart action; deep, violent in evening and night without waking; renewed by change to cold weather, and by cold winds. Expectoration pale, sweetish, unpleasant tasting, at times difficult. Cough and irritation of lungs; with hæmoptysis, feeble, quick, irregular action of heart.

18. Chest

Constriction across lower half of thorax, impeding respiration, with subacute pain; < lying on r. side. Febrile action, quick, weak pulse, occasional hæmoptysis, l. apex affected (incipient phthisis). Pulmonary disease associated with looseness of bowels.

19. Heart

Constrictive sensation in cardiac region, tenderness; pulse quick and irregular in force. Acute darting pains in heart, with intermissions of heart-beat. Throbbing pain in cardia, pressure in forehead "And eyes. Oppressed feeling in brain followed by pain an inch below and to outer side of l. nipple. Rheumatoid aching in precordial region and at apex, followed by pains in l. wrist, inner side r. calf, and subclavicular region, and again in l. wrist and region of apex. Cardiac erethism; debility of heart, marked by the influences of some smouldering inflammation, generally in lungs. Cardiac irritability, profuse flow of watery limpid urine. Palpitation in cardiac hypertrophy with dilatation. Palpitation and cardiac distress, < morning and evening and when thinking of it. Action of heart tumultuous and forcible, could be heard several feet from bed. (It renders heart-beat slower, fuller, and more regular.). On lying down, cardiac depression with dull, heavy beating. Palpitation from nervous irritation with plethora. Excessive flatulence which < the palpitations. Can only walk a few steps without having to stop and get breath; l. arm, head, leg, and foot œdematous; occasionally a sharp, shooting pain from sternum to l. scapula. Menses appear regularly, begin with deep pain and heat in occiput, and, later, pain in forehead and temples; faintness and nausea follow and occipital pain is >; aversion to smell of food; exophthalmos; menses intermittent; during menses, stupid; pubes swollen, vagina hot, > by ice locally; constipation, stools dry, clay-like, with exophthalmos, heart tumultuous and swelling of parts <; when heart quiet œdema of pubes >; urine scanty, thick, muddy; all symptoms > after menses (Lcps. cured). Aneurism of large vessels near heart. Pulse: many symptoms are < and > according to weakness or strength of heart's action.

20. Neck and Back

Acute pain at 7th cervical vertebra. Slight rheumatoid pain in l. supra-scapular muscle. Congestive pain in nape, with severe continuous dorsal and lumbar pain, < lower l. side. Rheumatoid pains: scapular muscle; lower dorsal region; sent from apex of heart by friction to l. subscapular region, then to mid-dorsal and later to apex. Severe continuous aching in lumbar region. Sharp pains first in lumbar region, then in l. leg, extending up thigh, then in r.; feels weak as if over-fatigued. Severe aching down spine, < from friction, passing off after rising, morning.

21. Limbs

Muscular rheumatoid pains, affecting articulations and tendons, < by motion and cold air, not > by friction, or cold affusion, or direct warmth, but > in warm room or in bed; rheumatic pains around heart; irregular and intermittent pulse; < towards sunset.

22. Upper Limbs

Rheumatoid pains in forearm and wrists, with trembling of hands. Hands unsteady, writing difficult.

23. Lower Limbs

Rheumatoid pains in knees, legs, thighs, wandering to back, slight lameness, unsteady gait. L. leg feels shorter than r. and so sounds when walking. Unsteady feeling when walking.

25. Skin

Prickings as if bitten by insects. Troublesome urticaria, esp. on l. forearm and r. leg, before retiring.

26. Sleep

Sleep restless, full of troublesome dreams. Wakeful on retiring, though fatigued.

27. Fever

Stupid, will not answer questions; is waxy, cold; pulse very low yet full and large, soft and compressive; hæmorrhage from bowels; tawny expressionless face; veins full and face bloated; eyes expressionless and seem to project from their sockets; fever not high; chokes and swallows. (typhoid malaria).