CHAMOMILLA – A Text-Book of Materia Medica. By Pr. Allen Corson Cowperthwaite

A Text-Book of
Materia Medica.

(Characteristic,
Analytical, and Comparative.)

By Pr. 
Allen Corson Cowperthwaite, M. D., PH. D., LL. D.

CHAMOMILLA.

(Matricaria Chamomilla.)

Natural order.- Compositae.

Common name.- Chamomile.

General Analysis.- (Chamomilla)

Acts primarily upon the nervous: system, causing an intensely acute
susceptibility to morbid impressions, and in the motor sphere giving
rise to general exhaustion and prostration.

Through the nervous system it acts prominently upon the liver and
upon the digestive and respiratory mucous membranes, producing
irritation, and giving rise to congestion, catarrh, and other abnormal
conditions to which these parts are especially liable.

The leading feature of Chamomilla is its excessive sensitiveness to
pain, accompanied usually by great peevishness. and irritability, and
the relief from motion.

Characteristic symptoms.

Mind.- (Chamomilla)

Anxious ; uneasy ; fretting and moaning about trifles. (Acon.,
Abies can.)

Irritable, impatient mood

. (Anac., Bry., Nux v., Hep. s.)

Peevishness

(Calc. phos., Caust., Borax) ; ill humor. (Bry.)

Whining restlessness ; the child

wants different things, and refuses or
repels them when given. (Bry., Cina.)

Child cries ; quiet only when carried.

Omits words when writing or speaking. (Lyc., Nux m.)

Pains intolerable ; cannot be endured

. (Cinch., Coff.)

Head.- (Chamomilla)

Confusion of the head.

Vertigo after eating (Nux v.), or on rising from bed. (Acon.,

Bry., Phos.)

Pressive headache in temples, as from pressure with fingers.

Wandering, lancinating pains in temples and one-half of head.

Transient attacks of throbbing

in one-half of the brain.

Pressure extending from vertex to forehead and temples

; worse when thinking of it (Ign.) ; from sudden stooping and from mental exertion.

Eyes.- (Chamomilla)

Eye swollen in morning.

Agglutinated with purulent mucus. (Calc. c

., Lyc., Merc., Puls., Sil., Sulph.)

Violent pressure in orbital region ; sensation in eyeball as if
tightly compressed from all sides, with momentary obstruction of
vision.

Ears.- (Chamomilla)

Roaring in the ears as from rushing waters. (Coccul., Gels.)

Pressing earache ; stitching, tearing pains. (

Merc., Puls.)

Nose.- (Chamomilla)

Extremely sensitive smell. (Acon., Agar., Aur.,

Bell., Colch., Hep. s.) : irritation to sneeze, with
crawling, dry heat ; stoppage ; sensation as if coryza would appear.

Face.- (Chamomilla)

Redness of one cheek

, the other pale. (Acon., Arn.)

Burning in face.

Stitches in the jaw, extending into the back teeth or inner ear.

Mouth.- (Chamomilla)

Lips crack and peel.

Toothache ; drawing ; stitching ; from cold ; after eating ; in the
room ; getting warm in bed (

Merc.) ; after a warm drink. (Puls.)

Teeth feel too long. (Caust., Lyc., Nitr. ac.)

Collection of metallic, sweetish saliva in the mouth. (Phyt.,

Phos., Plumb., Puls.)

Taste bitter (Ars.,

Bry., Coloc., Cinch., Nux v., Puls., Sulph.) ; like rancid fat. (Caust., Puls.)

Blisters on and beneath the tongue, with stinging pain.

Throat.- (Chamomilla)

Spasmodic constriction of the pharynx.

Sore throat, with swelling of parotid gland.

Stomach.- (Chamomilla)

Eructations smelling of bad eggs. (Agar., Ant. tart., Arn., Psor.,
Sep.)

Great thirst for cold water. (Acon., Ars., Bry.)

Nausea ; sour vomiting.

Pressure in the stomach, as from a stone. after eating.

(Ars., Bry., Puls.)

Pressive pain in stomach and beneath short ribs, which impedes
breathing, especially after drinking coffee.

Abdomen.- (Chamomilla)

Griping, tearing colic in region of navel and lower down on both
sides, with pain in small of back, as if broken. (

Bell.)

Cutting, sticking colic ; flatulence in hypochondria ; abdomen
distended like a drum (Carb. v., Cinch.), and sensitive to touch.

Pain in belly from side to side just above the navel, corresponding
to the transverse colon, commencing in the right and going over to the
left.

Stool and Anus.- (Chamomilla)

Blind haemorrhoids. (Brom., Nux v.)

Stools white, slimy, with colic ; painless,

green, watery (Sulph.) ; hot ; smelling like rotten eggs (Ascl. t., Calc. c.) ; green, watery,
corroding, with colic (Sulph.) ; thirst, bitter taste, and bitter
eructations.

Itching in the anus. (Caust.)

Urinary Organs.- (Chamomilla)

Dragging toward ureters like labor pains, with frequent urging to
urinate.

Burning in neck of bladder when urinating.

Female Organs.- (Chamomilla)

Drawing from sacral region forward ; griping and pinching in
uterus, followed by discharge of large clots of blood.

Profuse discharge of clotted blood, with severe labor-like pains in
uterus

; tearing
pains in legs. (Cimic., Puls.)

Leucorrhoea ; acrid, watery ; yellow, smarting.

Nipples inflamed and very tender ; infants’ breasts tender to
touch.

Mammae hard and tender to the touch. (Bry., Coni.)

Distressing after-pains.

Suppression of lochia, followed by diarrhoeic colic, and toothache.

Puerperal peritonitis ; excessive heat, anxiety, tendency to
syncope ; red face, especially redness of one cheek ; formation of
pus.

Respiratory Organs.- (Chamomilla)

Pressure in air passages, with irritation to cough.

Sensation of rawness and scraping in larynx. (

Nux v.)

Paroxysms of coughing about midnight, with which something seems to
rise in the throat, as if she would. suffocate.

Severe dry cough during sleep.

Whistling, wheezing, and rattling in trachea when. breathing.

(Ant. crud., Ipec.)

Constriction in upper part of chest.

Stitches in the chest. (

Bry., Canth., Kali carb.)

Heart.- (Chamomilla)

Palpitation of the heart.

Back.- (Chamomilla)

Bruised sensation in the muscles of the loins and back. (Arn.,
Bry.)

Pains in the sacral region, especially at night.

Drawing pain in the back.

Limbs.- (Chamomilla)

Pain in the periosteum, with paralytic weakness.

Joints sore, as if bruised or tired out ; no power in hands and
feet.

Upper Limbs.- (Chamomilla)

Arms go to sleep (Lyc.), especially when taking hold of anything.

Lower Limbs.- (Chamomilla)

Cramp in the calves. (Calc. c., Camph., Nux v., Sil.,

Sulph.)

Crawling and heaviness in the calves.

Burning in the soles (Calc. c., Sil.) ; puts them out of bed. (

Sulph.)

Generalities.- (Chamomilla)

Child makes itself stiff and bends backward ; kicks with the feet
when carried ; screams immoderately, and throws everything off.

Attacks of faintness ; sick and qualmish about the heart.

Excessive sensitiveness to pain.

(Aur., Cinch., Coff., Ign.)

Paralytic sensations always accompanied by tearing, drawing pain,
and these pains rarely occur without the paralytic or numb sensation
in the part.

Stitches Jumping from place to place, especially in knees and
ankles (Puls.), disappearing on motion.

Convulsions ; convulsive twitches. (

Cic., Stram.)

Sleep.- (Chamomilla)

Sleepy, but cannot sleep. (Bell., Lach.,

Op.)

Restless sleep ; moaning ; starting up, crying, tossing about and
talking.

Skin.- (Chamomilla)

Unhealthy, every injury suppurates. (Borax, Graph.,.

Hep. s., Sil., Sulph.)

Red rash on cheeks.

Severe itching of the sweating parts.

Fever.- (Chamomilla)

Coldness over the whole body, with burning heat of face

and eyes, and hot breath.

Chill of posterior part, with heat, anterior part of body, or vice
versa.

Slight shiverings, alternating with heat, creep over the back and
abdomen.

Alternations of heat and cold in various parts. (Calc. c.)

Heat in head and face. (Acon.,

Bell.)

Chilliness from exposure to air.

Profuse sweat on covered parts. (Bell.)

Perspiration on scalp and forehead.

Aggravation.- (Chamomilla)

In morning ; at night ; from anger ; from cold ; from lying down ;
during sweat ; during sleep.

Amelioration.- (Chamomilla)

After sweating ; on rising ; from motion.

Therapeutic Range.- (Chamomilla)

Bad effects from anger (Acon., Bry.) ; fevers from local
irritation-during dentition, or from indigestible substances in the
stomach or intestines, from worms, etc., or from liver disturbances ;
also diarrhoea or convulsions from the same causes ; headache,
earache, toothache, facial and cervical neuralgia, abdominal colic,
catarrhal affections in general, dyspepsia, dysmenorrhoea,
metrorrhagia, muscular or articular rheumatism, with great nervous
excitability ; also with erratic pains ; drive him out of bed and
compel him to move about ; wounds which suppurate (topically and
internally).

Conditions.- (Chamomilla)

In children ; light or brown hair ; nervous, excitable temperaments
; arthritic or rheumatic diathesis.

Compare.- (Chamomilla)

Acon.,

Agar., Ars., Bell., Bry., Cinch., Cina, Coccul., Coff., Coloc., Graph., Hep. s., Hyos., Ign., Mag. carb., Merc., Nux v., Puls., Sulph., Stram.

Antidotes.- (Chamomilla)

Acon., Alum., Borax, Camph., Coccul., Coff., Coloc., Ign.,
Nux v.,

Puls.

Chamomilla Antidotes.-

Coff., Op.