Hydrocotyle Asiatica.
Indian Pennywort (India and South Africa). N. O. Umbelliferć. Tincture of
whole fresh plant.Clinical.─
Acne rosacea.
Constipation. Elephantiasis arabum. Favus. Gangrene
after amputation. Gonorrhśa. Gout. Ichthyosis. Leprosy.
Leucorrhśa. Liver, contraction of. Lupus. Neuralgia
orbitalis. Skin, affections of. Syphilis. Uterus, follicular
inflammation of. Vagina, pruritus of.
Characteristics.─
Hydrocot.
has been long known as an Indian remedy. Boileau was the first to use it as a remedy in
leprosy. It has been tested pathogenetically and clinically, and its place has been fairly
well defined. The skin and the female generative organs are the chief seats of the drug’s
action; though the liver, the nerves, and the mucous membranes are also powerfully acted
upon. A great variety of skin affections have been cured with it; acne, eczema, pemphigus,
lupus, copper-coloured eruption; papular eruption on face; intolerable itching in various
places. Auduit (H. R., ix. 434) cured this case: Girl,
20, weak and sickly-looking, since childhood troubled with glandular swellings, for eight
years had lupus exedens of nose. (Her mother had coppery eruption on face.) On right of nose
was a button the size of a sixpence covered with a thick crust covering yellow pus mixed
with blood. Margins irregular and livid. Five other buttons size of lentils near root of
nose both sides. Hydroc. was given in 6, 3, Ř, and 18th
potencies in succession, with intermissions, and completely cured in five months. Other
indications are: Stomatitis, aphthous and syphilitic. Irritation of the neck of the bladder;
increased secretion of urine. Heat and itching in vagina. Weight in uterus. Granular
ulceration. Hydrocotyle acts on the male sexual organs
also, causing weight in the “male uterus,” the prostate gland. Gouty and rheumatic
disorders. Affections of the trigeminus nerve. Bruised feeling in all the muscles. A patient
of mine who was taking Hydroc. for eczema with advantage
complained of persistent dreaming all the time he was asleep; and an unpleasant mouth on
waking in the morning.
Relations.─
Compare:
Hydrast. (lupus); Fer. pic. (lupus); Hura (leprosy); Thlaspi b. p., Fraxinus (uterine
affections); Mitchella, Eu. purp., Apis, Hydran. (irritation of neck of bladder).
SYMPTOMS.
1. Mind.─
Gloomy thoughts.─Misanthropy.─Inclination
for solitude.─Indifference.─Gaiety (reaction).─Loquacity
(reaction).
2. Head.─
Vertigo; with torpor.─Congestion
of blood to the head; heaviness.─Painful drawing in almost all cranial
nerves.─Neuralgic pain in external frontal nerve.─Intense
pain with some swelling in posterior part of skull.─Occiput acutely
sensitive, esp. to touch.─Constriction of back part of skull and
integuments.
3. Eyes.─
Eyes look unsteady.─Injection
of palpebral conjunctiva.─Pricking in eyes.─Vision
dim; dazzling.
4. Ears.─
Pain in l. internal meatus auditorius.─Throbbing
in r. ear; ringing in (l.), with stoppage.─Confused noise in l.; blowing
sound.
5. Nose.─
Swelling of nose.─Tickling;
< l. nostril.─Feeling as before
bleeding.─Stoppage of nose.─Coryza; dry.─Bleeding.─(Lupus
exedens of nose).
6. Face.─
Intoxicated expression.─Intermittent
pain in l. cheek-bone.
8. Mouth.─
Whitish spots on l. upper and under
sides of tongue.─Impediment in speech.─Redness of
velum palati, with pain on swallowing, < by food.─Hyperćmia
of buccal mucous membrane.─Saliva increased.─Taste
insipid or bitter; unpleasant in morning.
9. Throat.─
Tonsils red.─Pricking
in pharynx.─Disorder of constrictor muscles of pharynx.─Śsophagus
dry and rough burning and pricking in śsophagus.
11. Stomach.─
Loathing of food.─Anorexia
then strong appetite.─Aversion to tobacco smoking.─Eructations
frequent; acid.─Nausea.─Swelling of stomach.─Contraction;
cramp-like pain.─Sensation as if gases collected into a ball.─Anxiety
in region of stomach.─Heat in stomach region spreading out like a bar.
12. Abdomen.─
Borborygmi in different parts.─Flatus.─Violent
contractions of intestines.─Pain; every five minutes; < transverse colon.─Constriction.─Sensation
as if all organs were in motion.─Pain in upper part of liver.─Obstruction
in hepatic region.─Heat in hypogastrium.
13. Stool and Anus.─
Weight in rectum.─Burning
in anus.─Itching in anus.─Ineffectual desire for
stool.─Stools dry, dark.─Stools increased.─Stools
easier.
14. Urinary Organs.─
Slight formication in kidney.─Irritation
of neck of bladder.─Constriction of bladder.─Frequent
desire to urinate.─Irritation of urethra.─Urine
increased.─Urine becomes brown on cooling.─Urine
turbid, without sediment.
15. Male Sexual Organs.─
Drawing in spermatic
cords, < l.─Scrotum relaxed.─Impotence.─Indifference
to intercourse.─Feeling of weight in prostate gland.
16. Female Sexual Organs.─
Vulva, vagina and
cervix red.─Heat in bottom of vagina; pricking and itching at its
orifice.─Leucorrhśa increased. Pain in ovarian region.─Weight
in uterus.─Pain in whole uterus, esp. l. side.─Severe
labour-like pain in uterus and appendages.
17, 18. Respiratory Organs and Chest.─
Pricking in
vicinity of glottis.─Dryness of windpipe; of ventricles of larynx.─Voice
weak.─Speaking soon fatigues.─Irritation of
air-passages.─Difficult expectoration of bronchial mucus.─Breath
short.─Oppression of chest, which suddenly ceases and then returns at
longer or shorter intervals.
19. Heart and Pulse.─
Cardiac spasm.─Constriction
of heart; with quiet and regular pulse, or with a few separate beats in certain arteries, or
with hot flushes in different parts of the face.─Irregular beating of
heart.─Pulse stronger and fuller.
20. Neck and Back.─
Renewal of old rheumatic pains
in l. rhomboid, < pressure.─Bruised
pain in loins.─Obstruction in region of kidneys, with heaviness.
21. Limbs.─
Contractions of forearms and legs.─Irresistible
inclination to stretch.─Pain in all joints; <
l.; pain in all muscles.─Sensation as if hot water ran through marrow of
bones.
22. Upper Limbs.─
Weariness in all muscles of
shoulders.─Crampy numbness of r. forearm, hand, and fingers.─Pain
in finger-joints.
23. Lower Limbs.─
Gait unsteady.─Inability
to stand.─Sharp pains in hips.─Weariness in muscles
of thighs, with crampy movements in calves.
24. Generalities.─
Bruised feeling in all muscles;
on waking.─Wandering pains in muscles of chest and legs.─Drawings
in several muscles.─Malaise.─Weariness (with
depression, heaviness, and dulness); dull feeling throughout the system generally; and
unfitness for everything.
25. Skin.─
Spots almost circular, with raised
scaly edges.─Yellowish spots on legs.─Erysipelatous
redness.─Red points on eyelids, l. side of neck and both hands.─Red
spots, covered with whitish scales, on l. side of neck.─Lilac-coloured
spot, shaped like an ear, on sole; the skin over it is depressed, and walking is painful.─Erythema
on face, neck, back, chest, arms, and thighs; with much itching; with copious sweat.─Miliary
eruptions on neck, back, and chest.─Sudamina on abdomen.─Papules
on face.─Pustules on chest.─Pricking on different
parts.─Itching in several places; itching at tip of nose (in one who had
chilblain there every year).
26. Sleep.─
Yawning and stretching.─Sleepiness;
in the daytime.─Heavy, dreamless sleep.─Persistent
dreaming all the time he was asleep; mouth in unpleasant state in morning.
27. Fever.─
Shivering in afternoon.─Cold
hands and feet, with general condition resembling precursory stage of fever, without
alteration of pulse.─Sensation of coldness in forearm, hand, l. foot,
and leg; > by rubbing, but returning when the rubbing
ceased.─Febrile movements.─Heat: of skin; in bones
of leg; in l. tibia; in face in flushes; in different parts of face in flushes, esp.
temporal regions.─Profuse sweat.® 2000
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