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Materia Medica by John Henry Clarke

Materia Medica by
John Henry Clarke
Materia Medica by John Henry Clarke
The Materia Medica by John Henry Clarke was written in 1902. You can read the full book here.
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Sepia.

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Sepia officinalis. Cuttle Fish. N. O. Cephalopoda. Trituration of dried liquid contained in the ink-bag. [I have found a preparation made from the fresh ink-bag, given to me by Dr. Swallow, of Ningpo, in every way superior to the official preparation, which I now rarely use. The provings and recorded cures were, however, made with the dried ink preparations.]

Clinical.-Alcohol, effects of. Amenorrhoea. Anus, pressure of. Apoplexy. Appetite, depraved. Ascarides. Baldness. Bladder, irritable. Cancer. Change of life. Chloasma. Chorea. Condylomata. Cystitis. Dandriff. Dysmenorrhoea. Dyspepsia. Eczema. Epistaxis. Eyes, affections of. Face, yellow. Freckles. Gleet. Gonorrhoea. Gravel. Herpes; circinatus. Hysteria. Irritation. Jaundice. Leucorrhoea. Liver-spots. Liver, torpid. Menstruation, disordered. Mind, affections of. Nails, pains under. Neuralgia. Nose, inflamed; swollen. Ozaena. Phimosis. Pityriasis versicolor. Pleurisy. Pregnancy, disorders of; vomiting of. Pruritus. Psoriasis. Ptosis. Pylorus, induration of. Quinsy. Rectum, cancer of; fissure of. Ringworm. Sacrum, pain in. Sciatica. Seborrhoea. Smell, sense of, too acute; disordered. Spermatorrhoea. Stye. Toothache. Urine, incontinence of. Uterus, bearing down in. Varicose veins. Warts. Whooping-cough.

Characteristics.-The present use of Sepia in medicine is due to Hahnemann. Some among the ancient physicians (Dioscorides, Plinius, and Marcellus, says Teste) used either the flesh, the eggs, or even the only bone which constitutes the skeleton of this animal, for "leucorrhoea, gonorrhoea, catarrh of the bladder, gravel, spasms of the bladder, baldness, freckles and certain kinds of tetters "-which is sufficiently remarkable in the light of the provings. Sep. is one of the remedies of the Chronic Diseases, and was proved by Goullon, von Gersdorff, Gross, Hartlaub, and Wahle. Sep. is predominantly, but by no means exclusively, a woman's remedy. It affects the generative organs of both sexes, and a large number of the symptoms occurring in other organs have some relation thereto. Teste describes the type to where Sep. is suited as follows: Young people of both sexes, or, rather, persons between pubescence and the critical period of life; of delicate constitutions, with pure white skins, or skins having a rosy tinge; blonde or red hair; nervous or lymphatico-nervous temperaments; exceedingly excitable and anxious for emotions; and, lastly, particularly such as are disposed to sexual excitement, or have been exhausted by sexual excesses. Hering gives these types: (1) Persons of dark hair, rigid fibre, but mild and easy disposition. (2) Women during pregnancy, in childbed and while nursing. (3) Children who take cold readily when the weather changes. (4) Scrofulous persons. (5) Men who have been addicted to drinking and sexual excesses. (6) Pot-bellied mothers, yellow saddle across nose, irritable, faint from least exertion, leuco-phlegmatic constitutions. Bähr gives: "Sanguine, excitable temperaments inclined to congestions." Farrington adds that the Sep. patient is sensitive to all impressions, and that the dark hair is not by any means a necessity. He gives a more complete description: Puffed, flabby persons (less frequently emaciated) with yellow or dirty yellow brown blotched skin; inclined to sweat, especially about genitals, axillae, and back; hot flushes; headache in morning; awaken stiff and tired; subject to disease of sexual organs; the general attitude is never one of strength and healthful ease, but of lax connective tissue, languor, easily produced paresis. Sep. acts on the vital forces as well as on organic tissues. The sphincters are weakened and all non-striated muscles. Sep. disturbs the circulation, causing flushes and other irregularities-throbbings all over; hands hot and feet cold, or vice versâ. The flushes run upward and end in sweat with faint, weak feeling. Epistaxis may occur either from a blow, from being in a warm room, or from suppressed menses. The upward direction of the Sep. symptoms is one of its keynotes. The pains of the head shoot upward; and so do the pains in anus, rectum, and vagina. Also coldness as well as the flushes travels from below up. On the other hand night-sweat proceeds from above downward. The head pains proceed from within out. Sep. is one of the remedies which have the "ball" sensation in inner parts. There is vertigo with sensation of something "rolling round" in the head. There is sensation of a ball in inner parts generally; but the most notable one is sensation of a ball in rectum. It may be described as an apple or a potato, and it is not relieved by stool. I have cured both constipation and diarrhoea when that symptom was present. The upward stitches in rectum and vagina, when present, are equally good indications for Sep. in cases of haemorrhoids, prolapse of rectum, and for prolapse or induration of uterus and cervix. As with Murex the chief incidence of Sep. is on the female sexual organs, though with Sep. the menses are generally scanty, as with Murex they are the reverse. Sep. causes engorgement of the uterus going on to induration. There is either prolapse or retroversion. Yellowish green leucorrhoea somewhat offensive. The bearing-down pains of Sep. are of great intensity. They are felt in abdomen and back; and sometimes even seem to interfere with breathing. The bearing down is < standing or walking. The bearing down extends into thighs. There is a constant sense of pressing into vagina, which compels the patient to cross the limbs to prevent prolapse. Connected with the uterine symptoms are: hysteria, erethism, palpitation, orgasm of blood, faintness. The sensation of "goneness" and emptiness, which is one of the characteristics of Sep., is sometimes connected with the pelvic bearing down. The empty sensation is felt in the epigastrium and throughout the abdomen. It is analogous to the great relaxing effect of Sep. on connective tissues. This sinking is common in pregnancy; and Sep. corresponds to many of the troublesome affections of the pregnant state, as-"morning sickness, vomiting of food and bile in morning; of milky fluid; strains so that blood comes up." "The thought of food sickens her; with sense of great weight in anus." Tendency to abortion is met by Sep.; Hering is reported to have said: "All women prone to abortion should take Sep. and Zinc." But Sep. meets many cases of dyspepsia not originating in uterine disorders. It has cured dyspepsia from injury by overlifting. Portal stasis is part of the Sep. action. There is fulness, soreness, and stitches in liver region; as well as stitches in left hypochondrium. The whole urinary tract is irritated, and catarrh of bladder and urethra may be, set up. There is frequent strong urging to urinate. Stitches along the urethra. The relaxed sphincters of Sep. favour enuresis, and the type which it cures is well defined: "The bed is wet almost as soon as the child goes to sleep, always during the first sleep." It meets the enuresis of light-complexioned boys and onanists. In cases of irritable bladder, although the desire is urgent, the discharge of urine may be difficult, and the patient may have to wait a long time. Gonorrhoea after the acute stage has subsided. Gleet and gonorrhoeal warts have been cured with it. Hering gives, "condylomata completely surrounding head of penis." I have cured a crop of small velvety warts completely encircling the mouth of the prepuce. Thuja had failed in the case. In reference to warts, I cured with Sep. 3x trit. a large horn-like wart on the abdomen of a woman. It was as large as a crown-piece but shaped like a bean, and raised a quarter of an inch from the surface. The skin symptoms of Sep. are among its most characteristic features. The skin is delicate, the least injury tends to ulceration. Itching which often changes to burning when scratched. Soreness of skin, humid places on bends of knees. Chloasma. Painful eruption on tip of nose. Herpetic eruption on lips and about mouth. Ringworm-like eruptions every spring on different parts of body. Ringworm on face. Herpes circinatus. Roundness and yellowness of the spots. The nettle-rash of Sep. appears ongoing into open air. It is > in warm room. The itching of Sep. may be desperate, especially when it affects the genitals and anus. The action of Sep. on connective tissues is again exemplified in the selection of the finger-joints as a seat of ulceration. The sweat is pungent in odour, offensive in axillae and soles of feet, causing soreness. The skin and the eyes are near akin, and Sep. causes all kinds of inflammation of eyes and lids, with impaired vision, black spots, green halo, fiery redness. The eye-symptoms are < by rubbing; < pressing lids together; < morning and evening; > bathing in cold water. Sep. is a chilly remedy from lack of vital heat, "chills, so easily"; this is especially the case in chronic diseases. Sep. is often required in chronic nasal catarrh. Nash had a case in which the discharge was thick, bland, and copious. Puls. relieved the catarrh but increased the menstrual flow too much. Sep. cured both. Sep. is also useful where colds inflame the tonsils and tend to cause suppuration. The characteristic sensations in the throat are: Dryness; pressure as if neck-cloth too tight; plug sensation; stinging; stitching pains on swallowing; contraction of throat without swallowing; sensation of plug when swallowing with feeling of constriction. There are some peculiarities about the mental state of Sep. which must be borne in mind: (1) Anxiety: with fear, flushes of heat over face and head; about real or imaginary evils; towards evening. (2) Great sadness and weeping; dread of being alone, of men, of meeting friends; with uterine troubles. (3) Indifferent: even to one's family one's occupation; to one's nearest and dearest. (4) Greedy, miserly. (5) Indolent. The Sep. patient weeps when asked about her symptoms. She is very sensitive, and must not be found fault with. Faints easily" is a note of the Sep. weakness: after getting wet from extremes of heat and cold; riding in a carriage; kneeling at church. Lorbacher (quoted H. M., xxxi. 142) refers to three important indications for Sep. not generally known: (1) Prodromal symptoms of apoplexy; (2) whooping-cough that drag., on interminably; (3) hypostatic pleuritis. The symptoms of Sep. corresponding to the first are: Stiffness of back of neck; staggering vertigo (< exercising in open air); anxiousness and a feeling of fear of severe sickness; intermitting heart beats; torpor and sleepiness. Lorbacher gives this case: A thick-set farmer, 50, inclined to hypochondriasis, troubled from time to time with piles, without being an habitual drinker was addicted to "nips," Gradually abdominal prominence developed; stiffness of neck; vertigo; occasional throbbing headache; slight transient loss of consciousness; anxiety; fear of apoplexy; piles less pronounced and less frequently troublesome than usual. Venesection, performed several times, only partially relieved. Abstinence from alcohol had no decided influence. Sep. 12x was given, four drops twice daily at first, then every other day, and later at increasing intervals. In two months the symptoms were reduced, and gradually passed away. The man lived eight years after this, and had no apoplexy, though he did not give up his "nips." Sep. is indicated in whooping-cough when it has lasted eight weeks or longer, and the paroxysms, though reduced in number and virulence, do not disappear, and occur especially before midnight. The patients are reduced in strength, dyspeptic, irritable, tearful, easily angered or apathetic. Kunkel reports (quoted H. M., xxix. 670) this case of pulmonary affection: A boy, 14, had been under treatment five weeks for cough and hoarseness. Hoarseness < evening; during the day cough with purulent sputa. Slept well but dreamed when he lay on left side. Emaciated. Phos. 10x produced little change. It was now ascertained that there was remarkable tightness of the chest on breathing, with inclination to take a deep breath; this was > in open air, on motion, while at work; < while in the house and at rest. Though the weather was bad he had constant desire to be out of doors. Sep. 10x made a rapid cure. Boenninghausen recommended Sep. in cases of cough, either with or without expectoration, with bloody, blood-streaked, purulent, yellow greenish or stinking sputa, and especially in consumption. Nash mentions a case of cholera infantum which he cured with Sep. on the indication "always < after taking milk." In moisture oozing from the anus he compares it with Ant. c., which has the first place. Sep., says Bähr (i. 359), "affords considerable help in a certain condition of the system which we have so far only noticed in females. After the exacerbation of a chronic gastric catarrh has lasted a few days with intolerable burning pains, the renal region, more particularly the left side, becomes painful, a violent burning pain is felt in this region, and a quantity of saturated, highly-coloured urine is discharged, which deposits copious quantities of urates, or else a clear urine with copious sandy sediment, coated with uric acid. After the discharge the pains generally abate, and only return if the stomach has not been restored to its normal condition." Peculiar Sensations of Sep. are: As if every object were in motion. As if suspended in air. Vertigo as if intoxicated. As if brain crushed. As if head would burst. As if waves of pain rolling up and beating against frontal bone. As if something rolling around in head, with vertigo. Stitches as from needles in head. As if roots of hair were sore; as if cut short near roots. As if eyes would fall out. As of a weight over eyes. As if eyes were gone and a cool wind blew out of sockets. Eyes as if bruised. As if a grain of sand in eye. As if lids too heavy to open. Eyes as if balls of fire. As if lids too tight and did not cover eyeballs. Hollow molar tooth as if swollen and elongated. Gums, as if burned; as if beginning to suppurate. Tongue and cavity of mouth as if scalded. As of plug in throat. Throat as if raw. As if something twisting in stomach and rising to throat. As if viscera turning inside out. As if stomach sore internally. As if something remained lodged in stomach. As if stomach were being scraped. As if a strap as wide as her hand drawn tightly round her waist. Liver as if bursting. As if everything in abdomen turning around. As of a load in abdomen. As if intestines were drawn into a lump. As of something adherent in abdomen. As of something alive in abdomen. Weight or ball in anus. As if bladder full and contents would fall out over pubes. As if drops came out of bladder. As if bladder and urinary organs would be pressed out. As of everything would issue through vulva. As if everything would fall out of uterus. Uterus as if clutched. As if vulva enlarged. As if something heavy would force itself from vagina. As from a weight in sides. As if ribs were broken and sharp points were sticking in flesh. As if cough came from stomach and abdomen. Chest as if hollow; as if sore. Throat as if filled with phlegm. As if breasts were enlarged. As if heart stood still. Back as if she could not turn or raise herself, or as if she had been in a wrong position, almost as if parts had gone to sleep. Sudden pain in back as if struck by a hammer. Pain in back as from subcutaneous ulceration. As if something were going to break in back. As if limbs would refuse to act. As if shoulder dislocated. Feet as if asleep. Right hip-joint as if bruised. Lower limbs as if beaten. As of a mouse running in lower limbs. As if bones of legs were decaying. As if she could feel every muscle and fibre of her right side from shoulder to feet. As of a ball in inner parts. As of an icy hand between scapulae. As if she would suffocate. As if feet stood in cold water up to ankles. As of hot water poured over one. "Stiffness" is a prominent feature of Sep.: stiffness of limbs < after sleep; stiffness of uterine region. A peculiar symptom of Sep. is: "Involuntary jerking of head backward and forward, especially forenoons when sitting." This may occur in hysteria. Open fontanelles in children is an indication for Sep. The symptoms are < by touch (except pain in back, which is > by touch). Pressure >. (Pressing eyelids together . Loosening clothes >. Rubbing; and scratching by rest and motion. < Moving arms. Lying on side, and on right side >. Lying on left side Warmth of bed or hot applications. Cough < in church. < During and immediately after eating. Milk, fat food, acids when walking).-Cramp in thighs when walking.-Tearing lancinations, or shocks in thighs and tibia, so as to extort cries.-Furunculi on thigh and in hams.-Drawing and tearing shootings in knees, hams, and heels.-Painful swelling of knees.-Synovitis of knee-joints in housemaids (R. T. C.).-Stiffness in joints of knee and ankle.-Cramps in Calves, sometimes at night.-Restlessness of legs every evening (with formication in them).-Itching pimples on legs and instep.-Drawing pain in legs and great toes.-Shootings in tibia and instep.-Sensation in legs, as if a mouse were running over them.-Jerking in feet when sleeping.-Ulcers on instep.-Stiffness in heels and joints of feet, as from contraction.-Pricking and burning sensation of feet.-Tingling and numbness in soles of feet.-Profuse, or else suppressed (offensive) perspiration of feet (causing soreness between toes).-Stinging in the heels.-Tension in tendo-Achillis.-Ulcers on heel, arising from corrosive vesicles.-Indolent ulcers on joints and tips of toes.-Corns on feet, with shooting pain.-Deformity of toenails.

24. Generalities.-[Affections in general appearing in l. side; r. upper and r. lower extremities; eyelids internal ear; hearing very sensitive; region of liver; inner lower belly l. shoulder-blade; back and small of back; axilla; axillary glands, esp. where there are darting pains through them; upper and lower extremities and joints; r. lumbar region, with a violent pressing or bearing-down pain; nails turn yellow.-Dark hair; pale face; exanthema on face, lips, nose, forehead.-Bleeding from inner parts.-Spasms: clonic; tonic; cataleptic; great restlessness of the body; great aversion to washing.-Debility in general or of particular parts.-Sensations: of a ball in inner parts; pain as if part would burst, were pressed or pushed asunder; cramping or drawing pains in inner or outer parts; sensations of emptiness or hollowness in any part, esp. when accompanied by a fainting sensation; jerking in the muscles or elsewhere, as they may be felt in the head when talking, &c.; knocking, throbbing, or pulsation in inner parts; pressing as of a heavy load; vibration like dull tingling or buzzing in the body.-< In early morning; forenoon; evening, particularly before falling asleep; on waking; stooping; during inspiration; while in company; while coughing; after coitus; after eating; from exertion of the mind; during fever; female complaints generally; from loss of fluids; masturbation; music; milk; fat pork; during and after perspiration; during pregnancy; riding in a car; from riding on horseback, in a swing, &c.; from sexual excesses; during first hours of sleep; in snow air; from stretching the affected part; while nursing a child; from water and washing; from getting wet; females having leucorrhoea; during confinement esp.-> From drawing up the limb; moving; exertion of body; drinking cold water; in solitude; when walking quickly.-H. N. G.].-Shooting and pricking pains in the limbs, and other parts of the body.-Burning pains in different parts of the body.-Pains, which are > by external heat.-Pains, by fits, with shuddering.-Wrenching pain, esp. on exerting the parts affected, and also at night, in heat of bed.-Rheumatic pains, with swelling of the parts affected, perspiration easily excited, chilliness or shivering, alternately with heat.-Great disturbance, caused by vexation.-Easy benumbing of the limbs (arms and legs) esp. after manual labour.-Stiffness and want of flexibility in the joints.-Easy dislocation and spraining of the limbs.-Tendency to strain the back.-Commotions and jerks in the limbs night and day.-Jerking in the muscles.-Fits of uneasiness, and of hysterical spasms.-Swelling and suppuration of the glands.-Renewal or < of several sufferings, during and immediately after a meal.-The symptoms disappear during violent exercise, except when taken on horseback, and are < during repose, also in the evening, at night, in the heat of the bed (and in the forenoon).-Painful sensibility of the whole body.-Violent ebullition of blood, even at night, with pulsation throughout the body.-Great swelling of body, with shortness of breath, without thirst.-Heaviness, and physical indolence.-Paroxysms of weakness, and hysterical or other forms of syncope.-Fainting fits.-Lassitude, with trembling.-Want of energy, sometimes only on waking.-The patient is soon fatigued, when walking in the open air.-Great tendency to take cold, and sensibility to cold air, esp. in a north wind.-Feverish shivering, syncope, and afterwards coryza, after getting wet.

25. Skin.-Skin yellow, like jaundice; chapping of the skin, or cracks may extend deeply into the tissues, and this is < by washing in water; exanthema in general, particularly when it is disposed to crack.-Ulceration of the exanthema; bed sores; brown sphacelus.-Tetters in general.-Ulcers suppurating; pus too copious; swollen; with proud flesh.-Salt rheum.-Excessive sensibility of the skin.-Soreness of skin and humid places in bends of joints.-Itching in different parts (face, arms, hands, back, hips, abdomen and genitals) which changes to a burning sensation.-Itching and eruption of pimples in the joints.-Excoriation, esp. in the joints.-Dry and itching eruptions, like scabies.-Dry itch; bad effects where itch has been suppressed by Merc. or Sul.-Brown, or vinous, or else reddish, and herpetic spots on skin.-Annular desquamation (annular herpes).-Moist, scabious herpes, with itching and burning sensation.-Boils and blood-boils.-Engorged glands.-Scirrhous indurations.-Eruptions of vesicles, like pemphigus.-Itching, stinging, lancinating, burning, or sometimes indolent ulcers (knuckles, finger-joints, tips of fingers, joints and tip of toes).-Corns, with shooting pain.-Deformity of nails.-Hepatic spots.-Warts: on neck with horny excrescences in centre; small, itching, flat on hands and face; large hard seed warts; dark colour and painless; (large horny wart on abdomen).

26. Sleep.-Strong disposition to sleep during day, and early in evening.-Attacks of coma, returning in a tertian type.-Falling asleep late; complaints preventing sleep; sleeping late in the morning; waking frequently during the night; very sleepy in the morning; sleeplessness before midnight; sleepiness without sleep.-Awakens at 3 a.m. and cannot go to sleep again.-Sleeplessness from over-excitement.-Early waking, and lying awake for a long time.-Frequent waking, without apparent cause.-Agitated sleep, with violent ebullition of blood, continued tossing, fantastic, anxious, frightful dreams, and frequent starts (screaming), with fright.-The sleeper fancies himself called by name.-Unrefreshing sleep; sensation in morning, as from insufficient sleep.-Lascivious dreams.-Talking, cries, and jerking of limbs, during sleep.-Nightly delirium.-Wanderings, anguish, feverish heat, and agitation in the body, toothache, colic, cough, and many other sufferings at night.

27. Fever.-Pulse full and quick during night and then intermitting; during day slow.-Pulse accelerated by motion and being angry.-Pulsation in all the blood-vessels.-Shuddering (chilliness) during pains.-Coldness of single parts.-Want of vital heat.-Frequent shivering, esp. when out of doors in evening, and from every movement.-Flushes of heat at intervals during day, esp. afternoon and evening, while sitting or in open air, generally with thirst or redness of face.-Paroxysm of heat (transient), esp. when seated, and walking in open air, also when angry, or engaged in important conversation.-Paroxysm of heat (and of shivering) with thirst.-During chill more thirst than during heat.-Continued heat, with redness of face and violent thirst.-Fever, with thirst, during shivering, pains in the limbs, icy coldness of the hands and feet, and deadness of the fingers.-Perspiration in general; perspires too easily; single parts perspire too easily; perspiration with anxiety; with restlessness; sour-smelling or offensive.-Internal chilliness with external heat.-Perspiration while seated.-Profuse perspiration on the slightest movement (more after than during exercise).-Perspiration only on upper part of body.-Nocturnal perspiration, sometimes cold (on breast, back, and thighs).-Perspiration in morning, sometimes of an acid smell.-Intermittent fever, followed by violent heat and inability to collect one's senses; this is followed by profuse perspiration.