Cereus Bonplandii.
A variety of Cactus grandiflorus. N. O. Cactaceć. Tincture of stems.
Clinical.─
Eczema. Emaciation. Eyes, neuralgia of.
Heart, affections of. Insanity. Kidneys, affections of. Neuralgia.
Characteristics.─
The principal symptoms of Cer. bon. are in connection with the heart, as in the case of Cactus, with which it must he compared. The symptoms are < at night; < from
pressure of clothing, > undressing. Cer. bon. was proved by John H. Fitch in substantial doses (H. P., xii. 533). The prover lost 7 1/2 lbs. in weight. He felt
weighed down by an incubus. When mental symptoms subsided, bodily symptoms increased and vice versâ. Could not bear contact of clothes; felt better on
undressing. Among the marked symptoms were: Wants to be at work; on something useful. Pains
through globe of eyes and orbit. Pain through heart; in left great pectoral muscle; left
side of chest. Expanding sensation in chest followed by sudden collapse. The effect on the
nervous system passed off in four or five days. The pains of Cer. b.
have a tendency to spread to other parts. Most appear on left side. “Itching in right
popliteal space” lasted eight or nine years after the proving. “Itching with
roughness of the skin like eczema above left knee anteriorly.” “Itching, with
eruption like herpes below left scapula remained permanent.” Fitch (who regards Cer. b. as an “antipsoric of remarkable power”) cured
with it: (1) a case of eczema of both hands extending up
to elbows. (2) Deposits in urine. (3) Dropsy of cardiac and renal origin. (4)
Left intercostal neuralgia. (5) Anterior crural
neuralgia. Also two cases of insanity─(6)
one in a young woman, gloomy, restless, inclined to curse, swear, and throw things at
persons, if resisted; (7) the other in a married woman
who had spiritual delusions─that she had committed the unpardonable sin,
&c. This came on originally after confinement.
Relations.─
Compare:─Cact.,
Anhalon. (visions of colours), Graph.; Anac. (tendency to swear).
SYMPTOMS.
1. Mind.─
Desire to engage in work; to have all
time employed; to be engaged in something useful.─Desire to be
dissolved.─Disposition to pray.─Apathetic; difficult
to keep attention fixed.─Irritable; inclined to curse and swear.─Time
seems to pass slowly.─Spiritual delusions; thinks she has committed the
unpardonable sin.
2. Head.─
Feeling as if head suspended from some
support under skull and base of brain.─Head felt drawn to l. backward.─Pain
extending through forehead (l.) to occiput.─Painful stunning feeling in
r. frontal bone.─Sensation as of a board bound to back of head, more l.─Severe
pain in occiput; running through to brain; < walking
or descending steps.─Profuse failing off of hair.
3. Eyes.─
Heavy feeling in eyes; soreness.─Pains
through globe of r. eye; of l. eye and orbit.─Strong light painful.─Perception
of a cluster of orange-coloured spots, round and symmetrical.
4. Ears.─
Pain behind l. mastoid process extending
upward and backward; through ear and head.
5. Nose.─
Sneezing.─Discharges
hardened mucus, greenish.
6. Face.─
Haggard look.─Pain
along r. malar bone, running to temple, through to occiput.
8. Mouth.─
Tongue: red; deep purple.─Watery
sensation in mouth.─Salivation.
9. Throat.─
Persistent mucus in throat, pale
greenish or clear.
12. Abdomen.─
Pain in l. groin sharp and cutting
as from calculus in ureter.
13. Stool.─
Copious urgent evacuation.─Felt
very well after.─Ineffectual urging.
14. Urinary Organs.─
Pain in kidneys; as from
calculus.─Sticking pain r. ureter.─Deep-coloured,
strong-smelling urine.
15. Male Sexual Organs.─
Priapism in presence of
opposite sex.─Anćsthesia of genitals.
17. Respiratory Organs.─
Clearing the larynx of
mucus.─Breath fetid.─Long, deep, uneasy
respirations, < before rising.─Cough
on throwing off outer garments.
18. Chest.─
Chest expands itself seemingly to its
utmost capacity, in an instant collapsing, to be repeated.─Deep
inspiration at intervals; as from oppression.─Intercostal neuralgia.─Somewhat
persistent pain in cartilages of lower l. false ribs.─Chest feels empty.
19. Heart.─
Irritable heart.─Heart
symptoms < lying l. side.─Pains
in chest l. side and through heart.─Pains in left pectoralis major.─Convulsive
pains at heart on going to bed at night. Sensation as of a great stone laid on heart; soon
after as if chest broken out just in front of heart.─As if heart
transfixed by a bolt.─Pricking pain.
20. Neck and Back.─
Pain on l. side of neck; and
along clavicle; at night.─Pain in upper portion of spine and medulla,
running upwards and expanding to surface of brain, <
stooping or bending head forward.─Pains running along back down to arms.─Vertebral
spines tender to touch.─Pain in r. scapula.
22. Upper Limbs.─
Pain in both upper arms.─Pain
with numbness in arms and hands.
23. Lower Limbs.─
Pain in r. hip.─Pain
inner side l. knee.─Itching in r. popliteal space.
24. Generalities.─
Lost 7 1/2 lbs. in weight.─Ill
at ease, restless.─When mental symptoms subside, bodily ones are <, and conversely.
25. Skin.─
Pustules on body, esp. on nates.─Intolerable
itching.─(The skin symptoms persisted for nine years.)
26. Sleep.─
Fits of yawning.─Drowsy;
slept all night without undressing.─Dreamed: of large assemblies; of
forgotten scenes.─Re-dreamed old dreams.® 2000
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