SPIGELIA – 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.

SPIGELIA.

(Spigelia Anthelmia.)

Natural order.- Loganiaceae.

Common name.- Pink Root.

General Analysis.-

Acts especially upon the nerves of animal life and of special
sense, and upon the fibrous and muscular tissues of the eye and the
heart. It produces irritation of the nerves, resulting, in the motor
sphere, in spasmodic movements of the facial muscles, subsultus
tendinum, and even convulsions ; in the sentient nerves, to neuralgic
pains, especially of the fifth pair and of the heart, which, together
with the rheumatic condition of the eye and heart which it produces,
is the most important action of the drug.

Characteristic symptoms.

Mind.- (Spigelia)

Weak memory.

Disinclined to mental work.

Head.- (Spigelia)

Vertigo on looking down, as if he would fall.

Dullness of the whole head,

with pressive pain from within outward, in the
forehead.

Sensation of a band around the head (Ant. tart., Gels., Kali iod.),
especially when stooping.

Tearing pains in temples and forehead, extending toward the eyes ;
worse

on motion,
and especially on making a false step.

Pressing headache, mostly in right temple, and involving the eye ;
worse from motion, noise, jarring, or straining at stool.

Feeling as if the head would burst asunder. (Bry.,

Caps.)

Periodical headache.

Shaking in the brain ; worse when moving the head or stepping hard.
(

Bell., Nux m., Rhus tox.)

Scalp sore and sensitive to the touch. (Acon., Cinch., Merc., Natr.
mur., Sil., Sulph.)

Eyes.- (Spigelia)

Eyes hurt on motion, as if too large for their orbits.

(Carls., Paris, Plumb.,
Phos. ac.)

Sharp, shooting, cutting pains radiate from the eye in every
direction.

Intense, pressive pain in eyeballs, especially on turning them.
(Bry.,

Physos.)

Rheumatic ophthalmia ; profuse lachrymation, with or without pain ;
ptosis.

Pains in the eyes, deep in the sockets. (Aloe, Cimic.)

Inflammation of the eyes, with red, injected sclerotica.

Ears.- (Spigelia)

Periodical deafness.

Sensation of distant ringing in the ears, with sensation as if the
ear were loosely stopped, or a thick mist were in front of it.

Otalgia, with pressive pain, as from a plug.

Nose.- (Spigelia)

Copious mucus flows through the posterior nares, causing choking at
night.

Tickling on back of the nose, as if lightly touched by hairs, or as
if a gentle wind were blowing across it.

Face.- (Spigelia)

Prosopalgia, mostly left-sided (

Acon.), with tearing, shooting, burning pains, especially
in cheek bones, lower jaw, above the eyebrows, and in the eyeball ;
periodical ; from morning until sunset ; worse at noon ; worse from
motion or noise. (Cinch., Chin. sulph.)

Mouth.- (Spigelia)

Toothache, pressing outward ; throbbing, tearing, and jerking,
especially in hollow teeth (Merc.) ; aggravated by cold water (Ant.
crud., Graph., Staph., Sulph.) ; cold air (

Acon.) ; after eating. (Ant. crud.,
Lach.)

Tongue cracked. (Bapt., Bell.,

Rhus tox.)

Stitches in right side of tongue.

Stomach.- (Spigelia)

Pressing in pit of stomach, as from a hard lump.

Dull stitches in pit of stomach. (Bry., Kali c., Merc., Nux v.,
Sep.)

Abdomen.- (Spigelia)

Griping in abdomen, as if constricted, with anxiety and difficult
breathing.

Sharp stitches in the abdomen.

Anus.- (Spigelia)

Itching and tickling in anus and rectum ; ascarides. (Ferr., Merc.,
Sep.)

Boring stitches in perineum.

Urinary Organs.- (Spigelia)

Discharge of prostatic fluid from the urethra.

Sexual Organs.- (Spigelia)

Erections, with voluptuous fancies, but without sexual desire.

Itching stitch in right testicle and penis, from behind forward.

Back.- (Spigelia)

Bruised feeling in the spine, even during rest.

Respiratory Organs.- (Spigelia)

Constriction in chest, with anxiety and difficult breathing.

Stitches in the chest ; worse from the least movement, or when
breathing. (

Bry.,
Kali c.)

Dyspnoea and suffocating attacks when moving in bed, or raising the
arms ; must lie on right side, or with head high.

Heart and Pulse.- (Spigelia)

Palpitation

(Cact., Calc. c.), violent, visible, and audible (Glon., Kali nit., Thuja, Verat. alb.) ; when bending forward on sitting
down after rising from bed in the morning ; from deep inspiration, or holding the
breath ; with
anxious oppression of the chest. (Acon., Sulph., Verat. alb.)

Stitches in the heart (Arn., Ascl. t., Cact.,

Bry., Kali c.) ; sometimes synchronous with
the pulse.

Nervous palpitation, with intermittent pulse.

Pulse weak, irregular, trembling.

Limbs.- (Spigelia)

Trembling of the upper limbs.

Drawing, tearing pains in limbs and joints. (Bry., Led.)

The limbs are affected mostly when walking.

Generalities.- (Spigelia)

Body painfully sensitive to touch or jarring.

Great weakness, especially mornings.

Sleep.- (Spigelia)

Restless sleep, with frequent waking.

Confused dreams, which cause him to awaken wearied, and which he
cannot remember.

Fever.- (Spigelia)

Chilliness from the slightest motion.

Chilliness every morning on rising.

Clammy sweat on the hands.

Aggravation.- (Spigelia)

From motion ; noise ; inspiration ; touch ; turning the eyes.

Therapeutic Range.- (Spigelia)

Especially useful in neuralgia of the fifth pair of nerves, and in
rheumatic and neuralgic affections of the heart ; organic heart
disease ; rheumatic ophthalmia ; vermicular affections.

Compare.- (Spigelia)

Acon

., Bell.,
Bry., Calc. c., Cimic., Cina,
Digit., Kali
c., Laur., Lyc., Merc., Phos., Puls., Rhus tox., Sep., Sulph., Zinc.

After Acon. (endocarditis), then Spig. follows well.

After Spig. come Ars., Digit., Kali carb., (heart symptoms),
Cimic., Zinc.

Antidotes.- (Spigelia)

Aur., Coccul., Camph.,

Puls.

Spigelia Antidote.- (Spigelia)

Merc.