Colchicinum.
Alkaloid of Colchicum autumnale. C7 H23
NO6. Trituration.Clinical.─
Diarrhśa. Fever. Intestinal catarrh.
Prostration. Sleeplessness. Spasms.
Characteristics.─
This alkaloid has been proved
and the symptoms are sufficiently distinctive, though I am not aware of any clinical
experience with it. The symptoms point strongly to its use in that form of intestinal
catarrh characterised by the appearance of shreddy membranes; and the symptom,
“convulsive jerkings of right hand,” should prove a valuable indication, if not a
keynote.
Relations.─
Compare:
Ars., Caust., Colch.
SYMPTOMS.
3. Eyes.─
Pupils widely dilated.
6. Face.─
Tearing pains in face.
9. Throat.─
Increased secretion of saliva.
11. Stomach.─
On rising from bed, at night, nausea
suddenly increased, and was followed by vomiting of undigested food, and afterwards of a
bitter greenish fluid; the vomiting was repeated early in the morning.─Vomiting
of blood for nine or ten days.─Pains and excessive sensitiveness in
epigastrium.
12. Abdomen.─
Distension and sensitiveness.─Frequent
rumbling.
13. Stool and Anus.─
Urging, causing him to leave
his bed, followed by copious pasty evacuation, with excessive tenesmus; this was repeated
three times within a short period.─Stools accompanied with tenesmus and
consisting of a thin fluid with numerous flakes looking like the cooked white of egg in
pieces from two to four inches long.─Stools thin, yellowish green,
slimy, accompanied by pain.─Liquid stools.
14. Urinary Organs.─
Urine turbid, depositing a
copious white sediment.
19. Heart.─
Pulse during the first two hours sank
about eleven beats.
22. Upper Limbs.─
Convulsive jerkings of r. hand.
24. Generalities.─
Very great exhaustion on second
day, increasing to feverish excitement lasting two days.
26. Sleep.─
Slight somnolency and collapse.─Awakened
from sleep soon after midnight by uneasy dreams.
27. Fever.─
Chill about noon on first day,
followed by violent heat lasting several hours, with increased thirst, very rapid pulse,
confusion of the head, uneasiness and sleeplessness.® 2000
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