IBERIS.
Iberis amara, Linn.
Natural order
, Cruciferæ. Common name, Bitter candytuft.
Preparation
, Tincture of the seeds.
Authorities.
(Dr. Hale’s provings, U. S.
Med. and Surg. Jour., 7, p. 297).
1
, Dr. R. C. Sabin took repeated doses of
1st dec. dil. (1 to 40 drops), (same prover took, two days later,
increasing doses of the 6th dil. for five days, in all 2 drachms,
without result); 1a, same took tincture, 1 to 10-drop doses;
2, M. M. Dodge (with rheumatic pains
in left shoulder) took the 1/10th, 4 to 20-drop doses; 2a, same
took tincture, 5 to 17-drop doses; 3,
Miss Magee took 6th dil. five days without result, then 4th dil. for
three days, after waiting five days took 3d dil., after waiting five
days took 2d dil.[In view of the fact that the following provings are
still sub judice, we append the
following notes:I. “It has come to my knowledge that the greater
part of the proving of Iberia is spurious and imaginary, and hence
before being incorporated in Allen’s Materia Medica a new proving should
be made. As I understand the case, the provers were informed that the
remedy had a marked action on the heart, hence many imaginary heart
symptoms. The spurious symptoms, I am told, were recorded by one of the
provers who knew them to be spurious at the time”… T. S. Hoyne,
U. S. Med Invest., N. S., vol 1, page 379.II. “The provings of Iberis were made under my
supervision, and I have every reason to believe the majority of them
genuine… The provers were not told ‘that it had a marked action on the
heart.'”… E. M. Hale, U. S. Med. Invest., N. S., 2, p. 96.III. “As one of the provers of Iberis allow me
to deny the imputation of having joined in a conspiracy to perpetrate a
gross fraud, etc. I pronounce the three assertions (of Dr. Hoyne), to be
scandalous and malicious falsehoods… From my knowledge of Dr. Dodge, I
do not hesitate to announce my entire confidence in the reliability of
this proving.”… R. C. Sabin, U. S. Med. Invest., N. S., 2 p. 201.IV. The editor publishes these statements in justice
to all concerned; he wishes to add that Prof. Samuel Jones, of the
University of Michigan, informed him that he had failed to make the
slightest impression on the heart by repeated and large doses, nor did
the sphygmograph show any disturbance of the pulse. The following not
is, however, adduced as collateral
evidence:Amer. Jour. Med. Sci., No., 28, N. S. vol. 14, 1847,
p. 453 (Prov. Med. and Surg. Jour., July 28th, 1847.) Dr. Sylvester
communicated to the southeastern branch of the Provincial Medical and
Surgical Association, at their last annual meeting, a paper on the
virtues and properties of the Iberis amara, or Candytuft, a remedy
brought to light by the late Dr. Williams during a course of
therapeutical researches at St. Thomas’s Hospital. Many striking and
remarkable cases were related in proof of its salutary power over
asthma, bronchitis, dropsy, and more especially
cardiac hypertrophy. It seems that it does not diminish the
velocity of the heart’s action like Digitalis, but that it possesses the
property of controlling the violence and sharp action of the organ, and
softening the pulse; hence its great value in hypertrophy with dropsy.
Dr. Sylvester had prescribed it for years in numerous instances of the
above mentioned diseases, always with some benefit, and sometimes with
almost magical efficiency. No ill effects followed its use; it
occasionally induced giddiness, sickness, or diarrhœa, but these
subsided on discontinuing the medicine. Its curative power was not
dependent on such occasional consequences of its administration,
inasmuch at its control over the abnormal action of the heart was
equally evident, whether these effects were absent or present; its
influence being like Digitalis, Belladonna, and some other natural
agents, of a purely specific character. The dose prescribed was from one
to three grains, generally mixed with cream of tartar, which concealed
the nauseousness of the taste, and secured a perfect trituration and
division of the tough seed.]
MIND.
►
Emotional. ► Frightened
mood; fears she has taken too much of the drug; in the evening (third
day), [3]. ►
Feels frightened; had feelings of dread, as if she had taken a dangerous
dose (second day), [3]. ► Intellectual. ►
Mind very clear and active (half an hour after first dose, second day), [2]. ►
Mind very clear; things long forgotten present themselves with peculiar
distinctness (after half an hour, third day), [2a]. ► Mind
very clear; can remember everything I wish to (20 minutes after second
dose, second day), [2]. ► Inability to fix my mind upon any subject
for any length of time (two hours and a half after second dose, second
day), [2]. ►
Mental faculties dull (after eight hours and a half, third day), [2a]. ►
Dulness of intellect; cannot remember or comprehend the lectures which I
am hearing, at 10 A.M. (fourth day), [1a].
► Great dulness and malaise for six
hours (after first dose, second day), [1a].
[10.] ►
Mind very dull; do not remember what is said in lecture-room for a
minute without an effort to bring the mind to a focus upon it (after two
hours and a half, first day), [2a].
► Memory very clear and active (third
day), [2].
HEAD.
►
Vertigo. ► Vertigo, at 3
P.M. (first day), [3]. ► Slight exertion caused vertigo (after
eight hours and a half, third day), [2a].
► Vertigo, with headache, at 5 P.M.
(first day), [3]. ► Dizziness in back part of head, or
feeling as if occiput were turning round (after four hours, fourth day),
[2]. ►
Dizziness, so that she could not sit still; had to return to bed, in the
morning (second day), [2]. ► Dizziness on rising (fifth day), [1a]. ►
Slight dizziness in the upright position, much increased on stooping
(after half an hour, first day), [2a].
► General Head. ► Feeling of lightness and giddiness in the
head (after third dose, second day), [1].
[20.] ►
Heaviness of the head, with roaring in the ears and slight nausea (after
second dose, second day), [1a]. ► Heat and fulness of head and neck (twenty
minutes after second dose, second day), [2].
► Dull headache, at 3 P.M. (first
day), [3]. ►
Sharp pain in the head, with vertigo (second day), [3]. ► Forehead.
► Slight frontal headache (second and
third days), [2]; on rising (third
day); severe (fourth morning), [1].
► Severe frontal headache at 11 A.M.
(third day), [1a]. ► Severe frontal headache, nausea, and loss
of appetite (fourth morning), [1].
► Dull frontal headache (after second
dose, second day), [1a]; in the
evening (third day), [3]. ► Oppressive frontal headache, with
frequent nausea and great loss of appetite (fourth day), [1a]. ► Temples.
► Throbbing pain through temples, in
afternoon (second day), [3]. ► Parietals. [30.]
► Pain in right side of head (after
half an hour, third day), [2a].
EYE.
►
Eyes red (after one hour, first day), [1a].
► Feeling in the eyes as of being
forced outwards (after forty minutes, fourth day), [2]. ► Flashes
before the eyes (after second dose, second day), [1a].
EAR.
►
Roaring in the ears, with heaviness of the head and slight nausea (after
second dose, second day), [1a]. ► Dulness of hearing and comprehension, at
11 A.M. (third day), [1a].
FACE.
►
Looks sick; feels weak and bad every way (third day), [3]. ► Face
flushed (after one hour, first day), (second day), [1a]. ►
Flushed feeling of face (twenty minutes after second dose, second day), [2].
THROAT.
►
Constant hawking up of thin, viscid, stringy mucus, which was very
troublesome, and continued until supper, after eating which at 7 P.M., I
felt no more of it (second day), [2].
[40.] ►
Throat dry, as though full of dust (after second dose, second day), [2]. ►
Dry throat, with dust sensation; hawking of stringy mucus; very
troublesome (after four hours and a half, third day), [2a]. ►
Dryness of throat and fauces; hawking up of stringy, viscid, white
mucus, which is very persistent (after nearly three hours, third day), [2]. ►
Dry condition of throat and larynx, with hawking up of thin, stringy
mucus, which continued every little while from 10 to 1 o’clock, until
after I had eaten lunch (second day), [2].
► Slight constriction in the throat
(after one hour, first day), [1a].
► Constrictive choking sensation in
the throat (one hour after third dose, third day), [1]. ► Choking
sensation in throat, with fulness and heat (after first dose, third
day), [2]. ►
Choking sensation in throat and great weakness, at 10 A.M. (third day), [1a]. ►
Choking of the throat (fifth day), [2].
► Tickling sensation in throat, with
expectoration of stringy mucus (after one hour and a half, fifth day), [2]. [50.]
► Throat feels full, as though the
tonsils were enlarged (after half an hour, first day), [2a]. ► Dry
tickling sensation in fauces, with hawking up of stringy mucus at
intervals of every few minutes, which was extremely troublesome, for
three hour; this symptom seems always to be relieved by eating (after
one hours and a half, first day), [2a].
STOMACH.
►
Appetite. ► Appetite
somewhat diminished (nearly six hours after first dose, second day), [2]. ►
Appetite much diminished (after four hours and a half, fourth day, [2]; at noon (third day), [2a]. ► Loss
of appetite (fourth day), [3]. ► Loss appetite, with the nausea and
headache (fourth morning), [1]. ► Great loss of appetite, with the nausea
and headache (fourteenth day), [1a].
► Nausea. ► Nausea on rising (fifth day), [1a]. ►
Frequent nausea and great loss of appetite, with the oppressive frontal
headache (fourteenth day), [1a]. ► Slight nausea (after eight hours and a
half, third day), [2a]. [60.] ►
Slight feeling of nausea and dizziness, on going to bed (third day), [1]. ►
Slight nausea, with heaviness of the head and roaring in the ears (after
second dose, second day), [1a]. ► Slight nausea, with cold, chilly feelings
over the body (after second dose, third day), [1]. ► Stomach.
► Sensation in the stomach and bowels
as though food did not digest well; sour eructations, which continued
for considerable time after eating; quite unusual, as my stomach never
troubles me in that way (after five hours and a half), [2].
ABDOMEN.
►
Hypochondria. ► Feeling of
fulness and oppression over the right hypochondrium (after two hours an
a half, fourth day), [2]. ► Tenderness over right hypochondrium
(after five hours and a half, second day), [2a]. ► Pain
over region of liver (after four hours and a half, fourth day), [2]. ►
General Abdomen. ► Fulness
and distension of the bowels; tenderness over right hypochondriac region
(after eight hours and a half, third day), [2a]. ► Bowels
feel tender and oppressed (after four hours and a half), [2].
STOOL.
►
Passed, within ten minutes of each other, three very light clay-colored
stools (after four hours an a half, fourth day); thin, whitish
clay-colored stool (after three hours and a half, fifth day), [2]. [70.]
► Passage of thin clay-colored stools
twice in rapid succession (after twelve hours and a half, third day), [2a]. ►
Passage of large yellow clay-colored stools (after five hours and
three-quarters, second day), [2a].
► Passed large whitish clay-colored
stools (after eight hours and a half, fifth day): these irregularities I
think must be ascribed to the action of the medicine, as I am usually
very regular, having but one passage daily, [2]. ► Soft
mushy stool, unusual with me in winter (it was in January); the same was
the case yesterday morning, and may be the effects of the drug (fourth
day), [1].
URINARY ORGANS.
►
Frequent but scanty urination, at 3 P.M. (first day), [3]. ► Urine
excessive in quantity (second day), [3].
RESPIRATORY ORGANS.
► Larynx. ►
Tightness and constrictive feeling in larynx, at 11 A.M. (third day), [1a]. ►
Choking sensation just above the thyroid cartilage (after half an hour,
first day), [2a]. ► Respiration. ►
Respiration more frequent and laboring, at 11 A.M. (third day), [1a]. ►
Every now and then take a long breath; feel sad, downhearted, and much
oppressed; a peculiar inability to fix my mind upon anything (first
day), [2]. [80.] ►
Considerable dyspnœa, with stabbing pains through the heart, at 10 A.M.
(third day), [1a]. ► Passed a miserable night; considerable
dyspnœa, with pain in the heart, a constant dull aching pain, much
worse from lying on left side (fourth night); continuing until about 11
A.M. (fifth day), [1a].
CHEST.
►
Fulness of thorax (twenty minutes after second dose, second day), [2]. ►
Sensation of weight in the chest, and constrictive feeling under the
sternum; constant desire to draw a long breath, without relief from so
doing, at 10 A.M. (fourth day), [1a].
► Continual feeling of weight and
anxiety in the chest, at 11 A.M. (third day), [1a]. ►
Walking causes indescribable sensations under sternum at the
articulation of the third rib (after five hours and a half, third day), [2a]. ►
Slight pain under the sternum at articulation of third rib, which lasted
about three minutes, during the choking sensation in throat and frontal
headache (third day), [2]. ► Fulness and constriction under the
sternum, with pains of a lancinating character through the chest (after
second dose, second day), [1a]. ► Feeling of weight and pressure under the
sternum (first hour, first day), [1a].
HEART AND PULSE.
►
Præcordium. ► Slight pain
over region of heart (after forty minutes, fourth day), [2]. [90.] ► Much pain over the base of the heart
(after half an hour, third day), [2a].
► A constant dull pain in the heart,
worse when lying down (fourth day), [1a].
► Sharp pains through cardiac region
(after first dose, second day), [1a].
► Sharp sticking pain in the region
of the heart (first day), [1a]. ► On turning on left side, a sharp sticking
pain is felt, as if a needle were crosswise in the ventricles and
pricked at each contraction (third night), [1a]. ► Heart’s
Action. ► Increase of
heart’s action to 88 per minute (normal 72); a wavy, tremulous sensation
over the radial artery, slightly intermittent at every third beat (after
fifteen minutes); 62 (after nearly fourteen hours, first day), 92, wavy,
tremulous, easily compressed, intermits at every third beat (half an
hour after first dose); 63 (two hours and a half after first dose); 98,
wavy, tremulous, slightly intermits every fourth of fifth beat (twenty
minutes after second dose); 70 (one hour and fifty minutes after second
dose, second day); 100, with peculiar double beats, which seemed to run
into each other, full, and easily compressed (after half an hour); 67,
except when making ever so slight exertion; this brings on slight
palpitation, as upon putting down the window in lecture-room; upon
taking my seat, palpitation was quite perceptible for a minute or so; I
never had palpitation before that I remember (after fourteen hours and a
half, third day), [2]. ► Heart’s action much increased, the force
of apex beat being well marked (first dose); apparently depressed for
two or three minutes after taking the drug; thumping away at a great
rate (ten minutes after second dose, second day); on arriving at the
college and mounting the stairs, was seized with a violent palpitation
ot the heart, obliging me to lie down on the seat (third day), [1a]. ►
Palpitation for five minutes, on running across the street rapidly
(after about eleven hours and a half, fifth day), [2]. ► Slight
palpitation of the heart, with sensation of weight and pressure in
region of the heart, with occasional sharp stinging pains in that
region, passing from before backwards, and lasting but a short time
(after one dose, second day); slight recurrence of the pains in the
cardiac region; effects noticed for about an hour (after second dose);
palpitation of the heart, with marked increase in the force of the apex
beat, almost immediately; still noticed after an hour (after third dose,
second day); slightly inconvenienced by the increased action of heart
and pains darting through the organ, during the night; worse on lying on
the left side (second night); apex beat very strong; the hand placed
over the heart outside the clothing being visibly stirred by it; passing
of rapidly (after first dose); passing off in an hour (after second
dose); same remarkable increase in violence of heart’s action, coming on
within five minutes after taking the drug, increasing in intensity for
about fifteen minutes, and gradually passing off in the course of an
hour; the pain is of a dull dragging character, not relieved by any
position or by pressure with the hand (after third dose), (third day), [1]. ►
Each slight exertion caused slight palpitation, with dizziness (fifth
day), [2]. [100.] ►
Slight exertion, as rising from a chair, coughing or laughing, causing
distressing palpitation with increase of the dull pain, which is
constantly felt, at 10 A.M. (fourth day), [1a].
► Could scarcely walk to the college
on account of the palpitation, which was plainly seen over whole chest
(after two hours and a half); after remaining quiet for about ten
minutes the palpitation gradually subsided, but would appear again on
any slight exertion; the sounds of the heart upon auscultation were
found to be considerably increased, especially over the semilunar valves
(third day), [2c]. ► Heart’s action weak and fluttering, at 11
A.M. (third day), [1a]. ► Pulse. ►
Pulse rapid; heart beats too fast, and she feels excited, at 5 P.M.
(first day), [3]. ► Normal rate of pulse 65 to 70;
considerable acceleration of pulse, rising to 96 (fifteen minutes after
first dose); 60 (seven hours after first dose); 98, regular and full
(within fifteen minutes after second dose); great acceleration,
irregular and jerking, with a peculiar thrill under the finger almost
immediately (second day); same acceleration, as from last dose (after
first dose); same symptoms, passing off in an hour (after second dose);
same remarkable increase, coming on within five minutes, increasing in
intensity for about fifteen minutes, and gradually passing off in the
course of an hour (after third dose, third day); pulse rose 90, with
slight palpitation, less noticeable than common (fourth day), [1]. ►
Pulse rose from 70 to 90, hard and jerking, with an intermission every
third beat (after five minutes, first day); 100 and irregular (after
first dose); 100, full and strong, but somewhat irregular (ten minutes
after second dose, second day); 80, small, weak, at 11 A.M. (third day),
[1a]. ►
Pulse 90, undulating, tremulous (after twenty-five minutes); 83 (after
forty minutes); 65 (after two hours and twenty-five minutes, fourth
day); 90 (after half an hour); 70, intermittent, irregular, thin, and
wiry (after one hour and twenty minutes, fifth day), [2]. ► Pulse
77, irregular, full; intermits irregularly, sometimes at every third
beat, at other times every fourth, fifth, or sixth beat; auscultation
reveals no abnormal sounds, but there seems to be great excitement of
the muscular contractions of three or four beats, after which there is a
much longer interval than usual before another pulsation; every little
exertion, as walking across the room, increases this irregularity (after
half an hour); 62, regular, full, but every compressed (after one hour
and a half, first day); 80, very tremulous and irregular; the pulsations
do not seem to be well defined; seem to run into each other (after half
an hour); 72, regular (after one hour and a half, second day); 90 (after
half an hour); 85, irregular and intermittent (after four hours and a
half); heart still very susceptible to slight exciting causes (after ten
hours and a half, third day), [2a].
NECK.
►
Sensation of fulness in neck and head (after fifteen minutes, second
day), [2].
SUPERIOR EXTREMITIES.
► Slight appearance of rheumatic pains in
right shoulder (after four hours and a half, fourth day), [2]. [110.] ► Pain dull and heavy in left arm, first
commencing in tips of fingers, with tingling and numbness (after half an
hour, third day), [2a]. ► Dull aching in left arm, as though I had
slept upon it through the night (after one hour and a half, second day),
[2a]. ►
Dull heavy aching in left arm (after half an hour, second day), [2a]. ►
Tingling and numbness, commencing in fingers of left hand, and gradually
extending up the arm (soon, second day), [2a].
INFERIOR EXTREMITIES.
► Exercise brings on a kind of trembling of
the muscles of lower extremities (after twenty-five minutes, fourth
day), [2].
GENERAL SYMPTOMS.
►
Trembles, in the evening (third day), [3].
► Languid and depressed since taking
last dose (six hours after second dose, third day), [1]. ► Great
lassitude, at 10 A.M. (fourth day), [1a].
► Weary (fourth day), [3]. ► Weak,
nervous, and exhausted on rising, with nausea and dizziness (fifth day),
[1a]. [120.]
► Loss of strength; wish to lie down
(after four hours, fourth day), [2].
► Feeling of being tired, wish to lie
down (after nearly fourteen hours, first day), [2]. ► Got up
feeling weak, in the morning (fourth day), [3]. ► Feeling
of weakness and debility at noon (after five hours and a half, third
day), [2a]. ►
Feel weak, nervous, and very irritable; great desire for some kind of
stimulant (after two hours and a half, first day), [2a]. ► Feel
weak, as though I had been working hard (nearly two hours after second
dose, second day), [2]. ► Feeling of inability to move even a
finger (two hours and a half after first dose, second day), [2]. ►
General feeling of sickness; cannot remain in lecture-room, heat of room
seems to make me sick, feel better in the open air (after one hour and
twenty minutes, fifth day), [2]. ► Feel as though I had been sick a long
time and were just recovering (after twelve hours and a half, third
day), [2a]. ►
Nervous and irritable on rising (second day), [1]. [130.] ► Very nervous (after about thirteen hours
and a half, fifth day), [2]. ► Feeling of nervous excitement in whole
system (half an hour after first dose, second day), [2]. ► Had to
lie down on account of a peculiar trembling sensation throughout the
whole body, especially lower extremities (after half an hour, third
day), [2a]. ►
Feeling of lameness and soreness throughout the whole body, as though I
had taken cold (after four hours and a half, third day), [2]. ► A
severe attack, like influenza, namely, headache, watery eyes, stuffed
nose, cough, with soreness in the chest, fever with chilliness, puffed
face, etc., [3].
SLEEP AND DREAMS.
►
Sleepiness. ► Sleepiness,
at 3 P.M. (first day), [3]. ► Heavy sleep in the morning (fourth day), [3]. ►
Sleeplessness. ►
Sleeplessness (second day), [3]. ► Restless night, with horrid dreams (third
night), [1]. ►
Passed a very restless night, with frightful dreams (third night), [1a]. [140.]
► Very restless all night; tossing
about much disturbed by the dull aching pain about the heart (second
night), [1a]. ► Dreams. ►
Sleep during the night disturbed by all sorts of dreams (quite uncommon
with me, as I seldom dream), (first night), [2]. ► Very
much disturbed by ludicrous dreams; restless, and continually turning in
bed (second night), [2a]. ► Restless night, much disturbed by dreams
of home (first night), [1].
FEVER.
►
Chilliness. ► Skin cool
and moist (after forty minutes, fourth day), [2]. ► Cold,
chilly feeling over the body, with slight nausea (after second dose,
third day), [1]. ► Both hands and feet feel cool (twenty
minutes after second dose, second day), [2].
► Hands, feet, and face cold and
sweaty, with sleeplessness (second day), [3].
► Heat. ►
Fever, with chilliness, at 3 P.M. (first day), [3]. ► Heat
and fulness in neck and head (half an hour after first dose, second
day), [2]. ► Sweat. [150.]
► Cold sweat on the face and hands,
in the evening (third day), [3].
CONDITIONS.
►
Aggravation. ► (Night), the symptoms. ►
(Lying down), Pain in heart. ► (Stooping),
Dizziness. ► Amelioration. ► (Afternoon),
The symptoms. ► (Open air), Feeling of sickness. ► (Eating),
Hawking up mucus.® 2000
Article