Euonymus
Europæus.
By Frederick H. Lutze, M. D.
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet
Dr Edwin M. Hale
On account of its
disagreeable taste, it is generally used in the form of its alkaloid Eunonymin.
Dr. E. M. Hale, in his “Therapeutics of
the New Remedies,” gives the following
indications : Headache, nausea, vomiting, carmina, bilious
discharges from the bowels, albumen in the urine.The following two
clinical cases may serve to further illustrate its action :
CASE I :
My first experience
with this remedy was in the case Miss F—., aged 18, of Portuguese
parentage, black hair, sallow complexion, tall but thin, weighing only
about 110 pounds. She had been under old school treatment for some time,
without being benefited in anyway, when she applied to me. She
complained of impaired appetite, a general feeling of malaise, and
swelling of the legs, which proved to be dropsy but could give no other
symptoms. Examination of the urine showed it to be highly albuminous.Having read the above
indications in Dr., Hale’s “Therapeutics
of the New Remedies.” I decided on account of the
absence of any guiding symptoms, to try this new remedy, giving it in
the form of Euonymin 1x two grains,
in a half glass of water (on account of its disagreeable taste and
smell), a spoonful to be taken every hour. When she called again the
dropsy had increased and even extended above the knees, including the
lower third of the thighs ; but she said she felt some better in
general, and characteristic symptoms being still conspicuously absent, Euonymin
was continued as before. Henceforward the dropsy decreased rapidly, the
albumen disappeared from the urine and her general health and appearance
improved correspondingly. After about three weeks treatment with this
remedy, the urine was free of albumen and the limbs from dropsy, except
a little still remaining in the feet, but now she complained of a
dwelling of the abdomen and an examination being proposed, she readily
consented. This revealed the fact that she was perhaps in the eighth
month of pregnancy. She indignantly denied this and refused to take any
more medicine from me.
Dr Frederick H.
Lutze
However, about a month
later I was called to attend her in labor, when she was delivered of a
healthy child at full term, thus confirming my late diagnosis and
establishing the fact, that Euonymin
may be useful in albuminuria of pregnancy, when symptoms for the
simillimum are absent.Though she was tall and
slender, no external signs of pregnancy were visible, and I did not
suspect her condition until I felt the well developed parts through the
thin Parietes of the abdomen.
CASE II :
Mr. F. L. H—., aged
17, tall, weight about 160 pounds, by occupation a farmer, consulted me
with regard to an eczema, for which I gave several remedies without
avail, till finally he gave me the symptoms : Awakened at 1 A. M.
with intolerable burning and itching over the whole body, and relieved
by scratching, when Arsenicum 200
quickly cured him.A few months later,
having exposed himself while fishing at night standing in water up to
the knees during the middle of April, 1886, he returned for treatment,
complaining of general malaise and continued sleepiness, but I could
elicit no symptoms. Different remedies were tried without producing any
beneficial effects, on the contrary steadily growing worse, till finally
he said his feet were swollen, which on inspection proved to be dropsy.Here, too, no symptoms
of a characteristic nature could be elicited until after almost a week,
when the following appeared :Indifferent, sleeping
most of the time day and night, sometimes with heavy breathing. A
general anasarca, affecting prominently the face and upper and lower
extremities. Pulse slow, 50 to 60 ; full, though not of great
volume. Occasional dull frontal or occipital headache, face of a sallow
hue, sclerotica yellow, in fact a general icteric condition, temperature
102°F to 103°F. Urine scanty, specific gravity 1017 (falling later to
1009), contained a large quantity of albumen, epithelial casts and
granular debris, but was devoid of bile and chlorides ; the stool
was of a grayish color. He said he felt pretty good, had no pain and
seemed to have no subjective symptoms. This then seemed to be a well
developed case of acute Bright’s disease. I prescribed Euonymin
1 x again, two grains in a one-half-glass of water, a
spoonful every hour, and in three days there was a visible improvement.
This treatment was continued for about a month, when he had very nearly
recovered ; the anasarca having disappeared, and the urine being
free from albumen Then with a few doses of such remedies as Pulsatilla.
Calcarea and Sulphur, given at long intervals on well known symptoms, he
was completely restored, and is today an active farmer in average good
health, weighing 180 to 190 pounds.Dr Frederick H. Lutze,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Source :
Medical Advance, 1890.
Copyright © Sylvain
Cazalet 2001
