ARALIA RACEMOSA.
Aralia racemosa, L.
Natural Order
, Araliaceæ.
Common name
, Spikenard (American name).
Authority.
S. A. Jones, M.D., Hales’s New Remedies, third
edition, p. 471. At 3 P.M., I took 10 drops of the mother tincture in 2 ounces of water.On retiring at 12 P.M., felt as well as I ever did. Had no sooner laid
down than I was seized with a fit of asthma. I had laid upon my back when the following
symptoms had supervened: Dry wheezing respiration, sense of impending suffocation, and
rapidly increasing dyspnœa. Very loud musical whistlings during both inspiration and
expiration, but louder during inspiration. The attack
soon reached its acme, and phlegm began to come up. It was scanty, but each expectoration
was attended with a sensation that more would soon follow. My wife now observed that my
wheezing was so labored as to make the whole bed vibrate. Could not possibly lie down; felt
that I would suffocate if I did not sit up. Phlegm began to come freer and more abundantly;
had a markedly salty taste, and felt quite warm in the mouth. Right lung appeared to be more
oppressed than the left.When the worst of the attack was over I lay on my right side, and then it
seemed as if all the oppression and discomfort was in the right lung. Shortly after I turned
over, and soon it felt as if my left lung was affected, while the
right was entirely relieved.It took a long time for me to “come to.” Had a constant desire
to clear the chest of something, so that I could inspire better. All
the obstruction seemed to be in inspiration. On making a forcible expiration, in
the attempt to clear the chest, had a raw, burning, sore feeling behind the whole length of
the sternum, and in each lung, most intense behind the sternum. Slept well all night. After
rising in the morning, raised some loose phlegm easily.I am inclined to asthma, and at first though this one of its attacks; but
as the phenomena were evolved, the programme was so different that my drink of Aralia
flashed into memory.On the night of the 28th, I was literally drenched with perspiration
while asleep. Was wakened by a patient, when it passed off and did not recur.29th. I have been annoyed all day by a dread that my right lung is
seriously diseased. Could not shake off the fear. Cough now and then, raising a little
phlegm, which is involuntarily swallowed. Took 10 drops of the tincture at 1.30 A.M. No
symptoms that night. On rising at 8.30, bowels felt as they have done after a large-sized
“spree.” Faintly defined nausea in throat and stomach, and sensation in intestines
as if diarrhœa would set in. At 3.15 P.M., went to closet, expecting from my feelings a
loose stool. Evacuation was soft, yellow, about a teaspoonful in quantity, and expelled with
great difficulty. Mucous memnbrane of rectum came down like a tumor (Have had hæmorrhoids).
After stools, and while sitting on the “throne,” an aching pain in the rectum,
extending upward, and on the left side.Feel weak, prostrated, half sick, and filled with a vague nausea.
® 2000
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