A Text-Book of
Materia Medica.
(Characteristic,
Analytical, and Comparative.)
By Pr.
Allen Corson Cowperthwaite, M. D., PH. D., LL. D.
DIGITALIS.
(Digitalis Purpurea.)
Natural order.- Scrophulariaceae.
Common name.- Fox Glove.
General Analysis.-
Digitalis
acts
profoundly upon the muscular substance of the heart and arteries
through the pneumogastric and the vaso-motor nerves, producing
debility of these tissues even to paralysis, causing a depression of
the circulation, and an intermission of the beats of the pulse.It also secondarily produces functional derangements of the brain,
the kidneys, and the digestive apparatus.The chief characteristic of
Digitalis is its extremely slow, intermittent pulse.
Characteristic symptoms.
Mind.- (Digitalis)
Great anxiety. (Acon., Ars., Rhus tox.)
Apprehensive, sad, with great depression ; extremely aggravated by
music. (Sabin.)Thinking difficult, and weakness of memory. (
Anac., Kreos., Lach., Nux m., Natr.
mur., Phos. ac.)Head.- (Digitalis)
Confusion and heaviness of the head.
Vertigo
,
with anxiety and faintness (Acon.), on rising from sitting (Bry.,
Sulph.), with very slow pulse.Head constantly falls backward while sitting and walking, as from
paralysis of cervical muscles. (Agar.)Sudden cracking noise in the head during siesta, with starting, as
in a fright.Head heavy, confused, as if full.
Throbbing headache in the forehead. (
Bell., Cinch.)
Eyes.- (Digitalis)
Pupils dilated and insensible. (
Bell., Cic., Hyos., Op., Stram.)
Objects appear either green or yellow.
Inflammation of the Meibomian glands. (Puls., Rhus tox.)
Agglutination of the lids in the morning. (Calc. c.,
Lyc., Merc., Puls., Sulph., Sil.)
Ears.- (Digitalis)
Hissing in both ears, as from boiling water.
Face.- (Digitalis)
Face pale ; sickly, death-like expression. (Ars.)
Stomach.- (Digitalis)
Loss of appetite. (
Ant. crud., Ars., Cycl.)
Extreme thirst
. (Acon., Bry.)
Deathly nausea (
Ant. tart., Ipec., Lob.) ; vomiting.
Faintness or sinking at the stomach ; feels as if he were dying.
(Tabac.)Extreme anxiety in the epigastrium.
Extreme sensitiveness in epigastrium. (Bell.,
Bry., Lyc.)
Stool.- (Digitalis)
Constipation.
Ash-colored diarrhoea.
Urinary Organs.- (Digitalis)
Constant urging to urinate, with scanty discharge. (Ars., Apis,
Coloc.)
Frequent urination at night. (Ambr., Borax, Coni., Phos. ac., Sep.)
Urine scanty, dark, turbid. (Canth.,
Chel., Cina.)
Male Organs.- (Digitalis)
Copious nocturnal emissions.(Aur.)
Respiratory Organs.- (Digitalis)
Frequent painless hoarseness.
Respiration irregular
(Chin., Gels.), difficult ; performed by frequent deep sighs.
Suffocative painful constriction of the chest, as if internal parts
were grown together.Dry spasmodic cough.
Expectoration of blood, or streaked with blood. (
Phos.)
Constant desire to take a deep breath, which seems prevented by
some impediment in the chest, with dry cough, especially on deep
inspiration.Heart and Pulse.- (Digitalis)
Uneasiness in region of heart (Physos.), with sensation of weakness
in forearm.
Sudden sensation
as though the heart stood still, with great
anxiety.
Heart’s action feeble
(Lyc.) ; beats are more frequent and intermittent (Coni., Natr. mur., Kali c.) ; sometimes irregular.
Thready
(Acon.), slow, intermittent pulse (Natr. mur.) ; irregular, small.
Extremely slow pulse
. (Ascl. c., Can. ind., Op., Ferr.)
Lower Limbs.- (Digitalis)
Infiltration of lower extremities. (Ars.)
Lassitude in legs and knees.
Generalities.- (Digitalis)
Great weakness and sinking of strength. (Ars., Bry., Phos.)
Convulsions.
Faintness
; feeling of great debility.
Sleep.- (Digitalis)
Uneasy, unrefreshing sleep.
Frequent waking, as from anxiety.
Fever.- (Digitalis)
Great coldness of the skin.
Coldness of the extremities.
Cold, clammy, copious perspiration. (Ars., Camph.)
Therapeutic Range.- (Digitalis)
Organic affections of the heart ; hydrothorax ; emphysema ;
pericarditis ; aneurism ; cyanosis ; dropsical affections ; gastric
and bilious affections ; jaundice.Compare.- (Digitalis)
Ant. crud., Ars., Bell., Bry., Cinch., Coni., Kalm., Lob., Lyc.,
Nux v., Op., Puls., Sep., Spig., Sulph.Antidotes.- (Digitalis)
Camph., Nux v., Op.
To large doses : Sweet milk with Foenum graecum ; vegetable acids,
vinegar, infusion of galls, ether, camphor.Digitalis Antidote.-
Wine.