Sambucus Nigra samb.

Boger's Synoptic Key — Materia Medica

C. M. Boger · Boger's Synoptic Key — Materia Medica · A Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica, 1915 — the Materia Medica half

Region

Respiratory organs. Respiration. Kidneys. Skin.

Worse

Dry, cold air. Cold drinks, while heated. Head low.

Better

Pressure over a sharp edge. Motion. Wrapping up.

General

Sweats or gets short of breath; with many symptoms. Nephritis. Dropsy.

Particulars

Fretful. Half open eyes. Snuffles. Bluish, puffy face; < coughing. SUDDEN SUFFOCATION, or strangling cough, on falling to sleep or waking him after midnight; with violent sweat; < fright. Whistling breathing. Spasm of glottis. Screeching voice. Croup. Icy cold feet. Dry, burning heat during sleep, but copious sweating on waking; < cough. Debilitating sweats; at night.

Related

Related: Bell. Brom.

Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica

H. C. Allen · Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica · homeoint.org / Medi-T HTML text; edition not stated by the mirror (first edition 1898, Allen d. 1909)

Keynote

Adapted to diseases of scrofulous children, which affect the air passages specially. Persons formerly robust and fleshy, suddenly become emaciated (Iod., Tub.). Bad effects of violent mental emotions; anxiety, grief, or excessive sexual indulgence (Phos. ac., Kali p.). Oedmatous swelling in various parts of the body, especially in legs, instep and feet. Dry coryza of infants (sniffles); nose dry and completely obstructed, preventing breathing and nursing (Am. c., Nux). Dyspnoea: child awakens suddenly nearly suffocated, face livid, blue, sits up in bed; turns blue, gasps for breath, which it finally gets; attack passes off but is again repeated; child inspires but cannot expire (Chlorine, Meph.); sleeps into the attack (Lach.). Compare: Aurum drac. in Miller's asthma. Attacks of suffocation as in last stage of croup. Cough: suffocative, with crying children; worse about midnight; hollow, deep whooping, with spasm of chest; with regular inhalations but sighing exhalations. Cough deep, dry, precedes the fever paroxysm. Fever: dry heat while he sleeps; on falling asleep; after lying down; without thirst, dreads uncovering (must be covered in every stage, Nux). Profuse sweat over entire body during waking hours; on going to sleep, dry heat returns (sweats as soon as he closes his eyes to sleep, Cinch., Con.).

Relations

Compare: Cinch., Chlor., Ipec., Meph., Sulph. Relieves ailments from abuse of Arsenicum. Compare: Aurum drac. in Miller's asthma. Follows well: after, Opium, in bad effects of fright.

Aggravation

During rest; after eating fruit.

Amelioration

Sitting up in bed. Motion; most of the pains occur during rest and disappear during motion (Rhus).

Key-Notes to the Materia Medica

Henry N. Guernsey · Key-Notes to the Materia Medica · homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML text (Guernsey d. 1885; public domain)

General

We are often led to this remedy, when we find a great deal of perspiration, occurring with any other trouble, which may last all the time, or it may come and go in paroxysms; it is sometimes found in phthisis; perspiration with disinclination to undress or be uncovered; heat with inclination to be covered.

Asthma with suffocative attacks of breathing; patient may be well enough while awake, but sleeps into the trouble; loud respiration with no mucous rattle. Babies with sniffles, and can't breathe well through the nose. Asthma miliary.

Worse

From uncovering; while lying down; while resting.

Better

From moving; on rising; while walking; from wrapping up warmly.

Remedies following

Arsen., Bellad., Conium., Nux vom., Phosphor., Rhus tox., Sepia.

Antidotes

Arsen., Camphor.

Seven Hundred Red Line Symptoms from Materia Medica

J. W. Hutchison · Seven Hundred Red Line Symptoms from Materia Medica · rewritten from Hering's and other materia medicas

Red line symptom

Suffocative attacks after midnight, the child wakens suddenly, sits up in bed, turns blue and gasps for breath.

Homœopathic Materia Medica

William Boericke · Homœopathic Materia Medica · 9th edition

Common name

Elder

General

Acts especially on the respiratory organs. Dry coryza of infants, snuffles, œdematous swellings. Profuse sweat accompanies many affections.

Mind

Sees images when shutting eyes. Constant fretfulness. Very easily frightened. Fright followed by suffocative attacks.

Face

Turns blue with cough. Red, burning spots on cheeks. Heat and perspiration of face.

Abdomen

Colic, with nausea and flatulence; frequent watery, slimy stools.

Urine

Profuse urine with dry heat of skin. Frequent micturition, with scanty urine. Acute nephritis; dropsical symptoms, with vomiting.

Respiratory

Chest oppressed with pressure in stomach, and nausea Hoarseness with tenacious mucus in larynx. Paroxysmal, suffocative cough, coming on about midnight, with crying and dyspnœa. Spasmodic croup. Dry coryza. Sniffles of infants; nose dry and obstructed. Loose choking cough. When nursing child must let go of nipple, nose blocked up, cannot breathe. Child awakes suddenly, nearly suffocating, sits up, turns blue. Cannot expire (Meph). Millar's asthma.

Extremities

Hands turn blue. Œdematous swelling in legs, insteps, and feet. Feet icy cold. Debilitating night-sweats (Salvia; Acet ac).

Fever

Dry heat while sleeping. Dreads uncovering. Profuse sweat over entire body during waking hours. Dry, deep cough precedes the fever paroxysm.

Skin

Dry heat of skin during sleep. Bloated and swollen; general dropsy; profuse sweat on waking.

Modalities

Worse, sleep, during rest, after eating fruit. Better, sitting up in bed, motion.

Relationship

Compare: Ipec; Meph; Opium; Sambucus Canadensis (great value in dropsies; large doses required-fluid extract, 1/4 to 1 teaspoonful three times daily).

Antidotes: Ars; Camph.

Dose

Tincture, to sixth potency.

Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics

E. B. Nash · Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics · homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML text (Nash d. 1917; public domain)

Leaders

Is a prime remedy for "snuffles " in small children. It is of the dry variety, completely obstructing the nose, child must breathe through the mouth. It is also one of the best remedies for asthma millari. The attacks come on suddenly in the night; child turns blue, gasps for breath and seems as if almost dying. Then it goes to sleep and wakens with another attack again and again. I once relieved a very bad case of chronic asthma in an old lady having similar attacks of suffocation with the 200th of this remedy. The relief was followed, or rather accompanied, by a profuse flow of urine which carried off a large amount of dropsical effusion in her legs and abdomen. She has remained much better of all her symptoms since and is now very old. One very peculiar characteristic which should never be forgotten is "dry heat " while asleep and "profuse sweet when awake." No other remedy has it, and it has been confirmed many times. Conium has "sweats as soon as he closes his eyes to sleep." Thuja has sweats on uncovered parts. (Belladonna on covered.) Pulsatilla, one sided sweats and many of our best characteristics are found under the so-called fever symptoms, including chill, heat and sweat, and as we are apt to have one or the other, or all of these three conditions in most diseases, it is well, to have a ready understanding of them. It will save much time sometimes in hunting after the simillimum.

Text Book of Materia Medica

Adolph Lippe · Text Book of Materia Medica · homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML text (Lippe d. 1888; public domain)

Mind and Disposition

Periodical delirium, with visions and hallucinations. Very easily frightened ; trembling, anxiety and restlessness. Fright followed by suffocative attacks, with bluish, bloated face.

Head

Tension in the head ; when moving it sensation as if it were filled with water. Sudden jerks through the head. The head is bent backwards.

Face

Face bloated, dark blue. Heat and perspiration in the face. Red, burning spots on the cheeks ; great heat of the face ; circumscribed redness of the face. Numb tension, as from swelling in the cheeks and on the nose.

Mouth

Tearing and stinging in the teeth, with the sensation of swelling of the cheeks. Dryness of the throat and mouth, with thirstlessness.

Stomach and Abdomen

Vomiting, first of food, later of bile. Colic pain, with discharge of much flatulence, from taking cold. Painful pressure in the abdomen, with nausea, when leaning against a hard edge.

Urinary Organs

Frequent urging to urinate, with profuse discharge of urine.

Respiratory Organs

Breathing through the nose impeded, with dry coryza, especially in infants. Quick, wheezing, crowing breathing. Suffocative attacks when waking after midnight out of a slumber, with half-open eyes and mouth, with bloated blue hands and face, and heat without thirst. Oppression of the chest, with pressure in the stomach, and nausea. Nightly suffocative attacks, with great restlessness ; shedding of tears and throwing about of the arms. Hoarseness, with much tough mucus in the larynx. Inflammation of the larynx and trachea ; croup ; accumulation of mucus in the larynx. Attacks of suffocative cough in children, with crying. Hooping-cough ; suffocative, hollow, deep (hooping) cough, caused by a spasm in the chest, with expectoration only during the day of small quantities of tough mucus. The cough is worse at or soon after midnight, during rest, when lying in bed, or with the head low, from dry cold air.

Extremities

Upper. Paralytic heaviness in the elbow-joint. Trembling of the hands when writing. Stitches in the wrists. Dark-blue bloatedness of the forearms and hands. Lower. Sharp, deep stitches in the tibia. Œdematous swelling of the feet, extending to the legs. Sensation of coldness, numbness and deadness in the middle of the (right) tibia. Icy-cold feet, with warmth of the body.

Generalities

Dropsical swellings of the body. General trembling, with anxiety and ebullitions of blood.

Sleep

Sleepiness without sleep. Frequent awakening, as in a fright, with anxiety, trembling, dyspnœa, as if he would suffocate. Slumber with the eyes and mouth half-open. During the sleep dry heat, after awakening profuse perspiration.

Fever

Pulse generally small and very quick, at times intermitting. Chilliness over the whole body, with tingling here and there. Chill, with very cold hands and feet. Dry heat over the whole body as soon as one falls asleep after lying down, with aversion to be uncovered, and without thirst. Burning heat in the face, with very cold feet. Profuse perspiration day and night, but only when awake ; first breaking out in the face. Very debilitating perspiration. Night-sweats, except on the head, increasing towards morning. Continued perspiration while awake, changing into dry heat as soon as one goes to sleep. Intermittent fever; chills over the whole body, with cold hands and feet ; followed by intolerable dry heat, without any thirst, accompanied by dread of being uncovered, afterwards copious sweat, without any thirst ; the sweat even continues during the apyrexia. Bloatedness and dark-red swelling, with tension after contusions.

Conditions

Most ailments appear while the body is at rest, and are relieved by motion. Sitting up in bed gives relief.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica

John Henry Clarke · A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · 1st edition (1900-02, three volumes); homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML digitization

General

Sambucus nigra (Linn.). Elder. N. O. Caprifoliaceæ. Tincture of fresh leaves and flowers.

Clinical

Angina pectoris. Asthma. Chest, oppression of . Coryza, dry. Cough. Croup . Emaciation. Headaches, catarrhal. Hoarseness. Hydrocele. Ileus. Laryngismus. Perspirations . Phthisis. Scurf. "Snuffles." Starting . Whooping-cough.

Characteristics

The leaves of Samb. n . have an unpleasant odour when bruised, which is supposed to be offensive to most insects, and a decoction of them is sometimes used by gardeners to keep off caterpillars from delicate plants. By village herbalists the inner bark as well as the leaves are employed for making an ointment, and the flowers serve for fomentations, or are made into a medicinal tea; while the berries are the principal ingredient in Elderberry wine ( Treas. of Bot .). If sheep that have the rot can get at the bark and young leaves they will soon cure themselves (Green). Millspaugh says of Samb. canad . that a decoction or ointment of the flowers and leaves was used as an application to large wounds "to prevent deleterious consequences from flies." He also says that the bark contains Viburnic acid , which is identical with Valerianic acid . This no doubt accounts for the odour, and suggests a relationship in action between Sambucus, Valerian , and the Viburnums . "Spasm" will be found common to all. In Samb . the spasm affects mainly the respiratory system ─ larynx, chest, and nasal passages. Samb. n . was proved by Hahnemann, and appears in M. M. P . One of the chief notes of the remedy is œdema: dropsical swellings in various parts of the body, especially legs, instep, and feet. This œdema, when it affects the nose, may give rise to obstruction, as in the "snuffles" of infants with dry coryza, preventing breathing and nursing. When it occurs lower down in the tract it causes dyspnœa: the child awakens suddenly nearly suffocated, face livid, blue, sits up in bed; turns blue, gasps for breath, which it finally gets; attack passes off but is again repeated; child inspires but cannot expire; sleeps into the attack. The breathing is rattling. Croup, whooping-cough, asthma, may all manifest this group of symptoms. Nash once relieved with the 200th a very bad case of asthma, having attacks of suffocation of the above kind. The patient was an old lady. The relief was accompanied by a profuse flow of urine, which carried off a large amount of dropsical effusion in her legs and abdomen. ─ It was mentioned above that the croupy attack "passes off but is again repeated." This tendency of attacks to recur is another note of the remedy. Another grand characteristic is: Profuse sweat during waking hours; dry heat when asleep. This feature marks Samb . as the remedy in some phthisical cases and many febrile conditions. Other fever peculiarities are: Deep, dry cough precedes the fever paroxysm; fever without thirst; dreads uncovering. The Sensations of Samb . are: As if head were filled with water. Skull as if stretched. As if suffocating. The symptoms are > by pressure and being tightly bound. Leaning against a hard edge = painful pressure in abdomen with nausea. Contusions = dark red swelling. Rest < . < Lying down; in bed; on left side. Head low < ; must sit up to regain breath. Motion < generally. Motion of head = tension and dizziness. Sleep < . < About midnight; after midnight; 2 to 3 a.m. (roused with sense of stoppage of air tubes). < Uncovering. < Dry, cold air. < Cold drink while overheated. < From fright or mental emotion. Fright = suffocative attack. Samb . is suited to diseases of scrofulous children which affect the air passages especially; to persons previously robust and fleshy suddenly become emaciated. Effects of mental emotion, anxiety, grief, excessive sexual indulgence.

Relations

(Samb. c. may be regarded as practically identical with Samb. n.) Antidoted by: Ars., Camph. Antidote to: Ars. (relieves ailments from abuse of Arsen.). Compatible: Bell., Con., Nux, Pho., Rhus, Sep. Follows well: Op. (effects of fright). Compare: In Millar's asthma, Ar. dracont. Dyspnœa; inspires, cannot expire, Chlorum, Meph. Sleeps into the attack, Lach. Peculiarities of sweating, Chi. and Con. (sweats as soon as he closes his eyes to sleep ─ opp. of Samb.), Thuj. (sweats on uncovered parts), Puls. (one-sided sweats). Dreads uncovering, Nux (must be covered in every stage). Fat people emaciate suddenly, Iod., Tub. Effects of excessive sexual indulgence, Pho. ac., K. ph. Tenacious mucus in larynx, K. bi. Sleepy but cannot sleep, Bell. Effects of cold drink when over-heated, Bels. (Bels. = acne; Samb. = phthisis). Effects of dry cold, Aco. Snuffles, Am. c., Nux. Plants containing Valerianic or Viburnic acid, Valer., Vib. o., Vib. t.

Causation

Fright. Grief. Anxiety. Injury (hydrocele). Excessive sexual indulgence.

Mind

Great tendency to take fright (trembling, anxiety, and restlessness). ─ Fright followed by suffocative attacks, with bluish, bloated face. ─ Peevishness (constant fretfulness), during which everything makes a disagreeable impression. ─ Periodical delirium, with frightful visions (and hallucinations).

Head

Dizziness and confusion in the head, esp. during movement; on rising. ─ Headache as from intoxication. ─ Tension in head during movement as if it contained water. ─ Pressure and expansion in head. ─ Pressive, tearing headaches in forehead and temples. ─ Sudden shocks in the brain. ─ Sudden jerks through head. ─ Digging pain in vertex. ─ Tearing stitch through l. half of occiput, frequently returning and lasting a long time, with a dull sensation in the intervals. ─ The head is bent backwards. ─ Erysipelas l. side of head, ear much swollen. ─ Scurf on head with intolerable itching. ─ Skull feels as if stretched.

Eyes

Pupils at first contracted, then greatly dilated.

Ears

Sharp stitches in (r.) inner ear with cramp pain in it. ─ Itching creeping in ears and in throat.

Nose

Sensation of numbness in nose, with itching on bridge. ─ Sanguineous congestion in nose, with sensation of heaviness in point of nose. ─ Obstruction of nose, with accumulation of thick and viscid mucus in nostrils. ─ Snuffles of children. ─ Dry coryza of children. ─ Child starts up suddenly as if suffocating.

Face

Face bluish (or dark blue) and bloated or pale and earthy. ─ Circumscribed redness on cheeks. ─ Sensation of numbness and tension in cheeks, as from being swollen. ─ Red, burning spots on cheeks and nose. ─ Gnawing pressure in bones of upper jaw. ─ Great heat of face. ─ Heat and perspiration in face.

Teeth

Odontalgia with tearing and lancinations in all the teeth, and with a sensation as if cheeks were swollen.

Mouth

Dryness of the mouth and throat, with thirstlessness.

Throat

Itching tingling in throat.

Appetite

Thirst without relishing the drinks.

Stomach

Vomiting in morning, first of milk (or food), that has been taken, and of mucus, afterwards of bile. ─ Pressure in stomach. ─ Acute lancinations under the stomach, < by pressing upon it.

Abdomen

Pinchings (colic pain) in abdomen as from a chill, with (much flatulence and) expulsion of flatus. ─ Shootings in the l. side of hypogastrium. ─ Pain in abdomen as from a bruise. ─ Spasmodic tearings, shootings, and pinchings in abdominal muscles. ─ Pressive pain in abdomen, with nausea, when resting it against a hard (edge or) body.

Anus

(Irritable anus with piles. ─ R. T. C.)

Urinary Organs

Frequent want to urinate, with copious emission, also at night. ─ Deposits a heavy sediment. ─ Urine of deep yellow. ─ Emission of urine in too small a stream.

Male Sexual Organs

Swelling of scrotum.

Female Sexual Organs

Catamenia too profuse, like metrorrhagia.

Respiratory Organs

Hoarseness from accumulation of viscid mucus in larynx. ─ Inflammation of larynx and trachea; croup; accumulation of mucus in larynx. ─ Whooping-cough; suffocative, hollow, deep cough caused by a spasm in chest, with expectoration only during the day of small quantities of tough mucus. ─ The cough is < at or soon after midnight, during rest, when lying in bed, or with the head low, from dry, cold air. ─ Deep, hoarse, hollow cough, with agitation and thirst. ─ Continued cough with abundant expectoration of a salt taste, or of sweetish mucus. ─ Attack of suffocating cough, with cries, in children. ─ Cough with cries, as from a pain in the gullet. ─ Wheezing and quick respiration. ─ Obstructed respiration when lying down. ─ Spasmodic paroxysm of suffocation at night, with tears, great agitation, and tossing of the hands (when waking after midnight out of a slumber, with half-open eyes and mouth, with bloated blue hands and face, and heat without thirst). ─ Great difficulty in breathing. ─ Quick, wheezing, crowing breathing.

Chest

Oppression at the chest, with lancinations in (l.) side (below nipple); or with aching under sternum. ─ Pressure on sternum, with a counter-pressure from spine to sternum. ─ Oppression of chest, with pressure in stomach, nausea, and weakness. ─ Pressive pain in chest. ─ Sudden sensation of contraction in sides of chest.

Heart

Orgasm in whole body. ─ Occasional omission of heart-beat. ─ Angina pectoris where pressure proceeds from spine in individuals formerly fat and robust, now emaciated from mental emotions, sexual excesses, or seminal losses. ─ Pulse generally very frequent and small; sometimes slow, full, sometimes intermitting.

Neck and Back

Pressive heaviness in nape. ─ Deep, incisive lancinations in muscles of neck. ─ Sweat on throat and neck with children. ─ Pains in loins with drawing pressure. ─ Incisive blows in loins. ─ Aching in middle of spine during repose and movement. ─ Lancinations in scapulæ.

Limbs

Hands and feet bloated and blue.

Upper Limbs

Drawing in forearms and bones of hands. ─ Dark blue bloatedness of the forearms and hands. ─ Paralytic heaviness in elbow-joint. ─ Lancinations in wrists. ─ Trembling of hands (when writing). ─ Tearings in joints of fingers.

Lower Limbs

Spasmodic drawings and shootings in thighs. ─ Tension in tendons of ham as if they were too short. ─ Acute (deep) lancinations in tibia. ─ Sensation of coldness, numbness, and deadness in the middle of (r.) tibia. ─ Œdematous swelling of feet as far as knees. ─ Tearing in legs and ankles. ─ Icy-cold feet with warmth of the body.

Generalities

We are often led to this remedy when we find a great deal of perspiration, occurring with any other trouble, which may last all the time, or it may come and go in paroxysms; it is sometimes found in phthisis; perspiration with disinclination to undress or be uncovered; heat with inclination to be covered (H. N. G.). ─ Asthma with suffocative attacks of breathing; patient may be well enough while awake, but sleeps into the trouble; loud respiration with no mucous rattle. ─ Babies with snuffles; can't breathe well through nose. ─ Asthma Millari (H. N. G.). ─ Symptoms < uncovering; while lying down; while resting. ─ > From moving; on rising; while walking; from wrapping up warmly. ─ General ebullition of blood in evening after lying down, with sensation of trembling. ─ Sudden drawing over whole surface of body, frequently recurring when seated. ─ The majority of the symptoms manifest themselves during repose and are dispersed by movement. ─ Dropsical swelling of whole body. ─ Great emaciation.

Skin

Bloatedness and dark red swelling, with tension after contusions. ─ Œdema; anasarca. ─ Blotches on face. ─ Red spots on cheeks here and there with burning sensation. ─ Tingling itching of skin. ─ Sudden painful drawing in all points over surface while sitting.

Sleep

Disposition to sleep without being able to sleep. ─ During sleep dry heat, after awakening profuse perspiration. ─ (Sleeps with arms above head.). ─ Frequent waking with a start, with anguish, trembling, and obstructed respiration, amounting almost to suffocation. ─ Incomplete sleep, with mouth and eyes half open. ─ Lascivious dreams.

Fever

Shuddering, with shivering, icy coldness of hands and feet, and pricking tingling in skin. ─ Shivering and shaking before going to sleep. ─ Insupportable heat without thirst, with dread to be uncovered. ─ Fever with excessive perspiration, esp. at night. ─ Profuse perspiration day and night, but only when awake; first breaking out in the face. ─ Very debilitating perspiration. ─ Night-sweats, except on head, < towards morning. ─ Continued perspiration while awake, changing into dry heat as soon as one goes to sleep. ─ Intermittent fever: chills over whole body, with cold hands and feet; followed by intolerably dry heat, without any thirst, accompanied by dread of being uncovered, afterwards copious sweat, without any thirst; the sweat even continues during the apyrexia. ─ Pulse generally small and very quick, at times intermitting.

The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica

Constantine Hering · The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica · 1879–91

Mind

Seeing images when shutting eyes.
Delirium without fever.
Anxiety : with vomiting ; with sweat.
Very easily frightened ; trembling, anxiety, restlessness.
Fright followed by suffocative attacks, with bluish bloated face.
Constant fretfulness.

Sensorium

Dizziness, cloudiness of head.

Inner head

Dizziness, with tension in head when moving it, sensation as if it were filled with water.
Sudden jerks through head.
Pressive pain on temporal bones.
Catarrhal headaches, especially of children.

Outer head

The head is bent backward.
Erysipelas all over left side of head, ear much swollen, confined to bed, could not move.
Scurfs on head with intolerable itching.
Skull feels as if stretched.

Sight and eyes

Child could not open eyes, could not bear light, awoke from sleep screaming.
Eyes and mouth half open in sleep. θ Asthma Millari.

Hearing and ears

Great swelling, heat, redness and lump just under right ear, in neck, accompanied by a very sharp pain.

Smell and nose

Child starts up suddenly as if suffocating. θ Asthma Millaria.
Sniffles of children.
Breathing through nose impeded, with dry coryza, especially in nursing infants.
Dry coryza of infants ; nose dry and completely obstructed, preventing breathing and nursing ; constant sniffles.
Stoppage of nose with thick tenacious mucus.

Upper face

Face : pale, bluish or red ; pale, collapsed, covered with cold sweat ; appears much older and yellow ; bloated, dark blue ; red-spotted.
Burning heat : and redness of face ; with icy-cold feet.
On waking, face breaks out in a profuse sweat, which gradually extends over body.
Red, burning spots on cheeks ; great heat of face ; circumscribed redness of face.
Numb tension as from swelling in cheeks and on nose.

Teeth and gums

Tearing and stinging in teeth, with sensation of swelling of cheek.

Palate and throat

Dryness of throat and mouth, with thirstlessness.

Appetite, thirst. desires, aversions

Thirst, but drink is not palatable.

Eating and drinking

Worse after eating fruit.

Hiccough, belching, nausea and vomiting

Everything makes him feel sick.
Vomiting first of food, later of bile.

Abdomen and loins

Distended abdomen, with pressure and griping in stomach and umbilical region.
Painful pressure in abdomen, with nausea when leaning against a hard edge.
Great soreness in abdomen.
Griping in abdomen, with emission of flatus as after taking cold.
Ileus.

Stools and rectum

Stools : frequent, watery ; thin, slimy, with much wind, followed by urging ; pressure in stomach and navel ; abdomen large.

Urinary organs

Nephritis.
Frequent urging to urinate, with profuse discharge of urine.

Female sexual organs

Menses too profuse ; menorrhagia.

Pregnancy. parturition. lactation

Mamma red and swollen.
Milk diminished.

Voice and larynx. trachea and bronchia

Hoarseness caused by much tenacious, glutinous mucus in larynx.
Voice sounds hollow.
Hoarseness, rawness in throat and oppression of chest. θ Influenza.
Woke at night with agonizing fits, spasms of glottis, with agony and fear of suffocation ; springing up in bed and struggling for breath. θ Asthma
Millari.
Spasm of glottis ; breathing is of a wheezing, crowing character, < after midnight and from lying with head low. θ Croup.
Spasms of larynx occurring frequently during course of acute laryngitis.
An infant nine months old has laryngeal spasms several times in day and night ; awakes from sleep with suffocation ; is able to inspire but not expire ; becomes livid in face, gasps in great anguish, and very slowly recovers its
breath ; had two attacks of this kind in previous night, at 8 P. M. and 11 P. M. θ Laryngismus.
Sudden disappearance of coryza ; on following night very rough, hollow, croupy cough ; agitated sleep ; following morning fits of hollow, deep cough ; whistling respiration ; constant crying ; burning head ; crying or coughing, as if throat were
painful. θ Croup.
Sopor ; snoring and whistling, with mouth open and head bent back ; starts up, strikes about, is nearly suffocated ; becomes blue in face, then cough with rattling breathing ; threatening suffocation and paralysis of lungs. θ Croup.
Much dry heat with restlessness ; sudden awaking in fright at night, from 9 P. M. until 2 A. M., grasping its throat ; shortly after, perspiration on face, head and neck, going off with sleep ; during paroxysms of hoarse, suffocating cough child had purple nails and
lips ; scanty, tough expectoration, yet tracheal sound was somewhat loose. θ Croup.
In dangerous cases with excessive weakness, old-looking features and threatening paralysis pulmonum. θ Croup.

Respiration

Breathing : anxious, loud ; quick, wheezing, crowing.
Oppression of chest, with pressure in stomach and nausea.
Nightly suffocative attacks, with great restlessness ; shedding of tears and throwing about of arms.
Suffocating attacks after midnight.
Child suddenly awakes, nearly suffocated, sits up in bed, turns blue, gasps for breath, which it finally gets ; spell passes off ; it lies down again, and is aroused sooner or later in the same manner. θ Asthma
Millari.
Drowsiness, breathes with mouth open and with a snoring whistling sound, head bent backward, suddenly springs up, tossing arms about, face becoming blue, suffocation seems inevitable when cough recurs, then with rattling breathing child sinks back
exhausted ; threatened paralysis of lungs.
Violent asthmatic attack, respiration rapid and whistling ; occasional short but labored coughs ; high degree of dyspnœa ; constantly pointing to middle of chest ; had been suffering twenty-four hours, with intermissions of two or three hours, the free intervals
becoming gradually shorter with each attack (which lasted usually from ten to fifteen minutes) ; threatened suffocation with marked blueness of lips.
Roused about 2 or 3 A. M. with sense of stoppage of air tubes as by phlegm.
Asthma thymicum ; suppressed perspiration ; attack comes on suddenly ; awakes from a kind of lethargy with eyes and mouth open ; raises himself in bed with great anxiety and dyspnœa ; respiration oppressed, with wheezing in chest ; head and hands
puffed and bloated, with dry heat all over body ; no thirst ; small, irregular and intermittent pulse ; no cough ; paroxysms occur principally from midnight until 4 A. M. ; difficulty of inspiration but not of expiration.
Attacks of suffocation, resembling last stage of croup.

Cough

Cough : hollow, dry, at night ; deep and dry before chill ; with regular inhalations, but sighing exhalations ; suffocative hollow, deep, whooping, caused by spasm of chest, expectoration of small quantities of tough mucus, only during
day ; suffocative with crying children ; < about midnight, during rest, lying in bed, or with head low, from dry, cold air.
After suppression of a fluent coryza ; rough, hollow, deep, croupy cough ; restlessness ; frequent desire to nurse ; whistling respiration ; cries with every cough, as if throat were painful, head hot.
Whooping-cough ; suffocative, hollow, deep cough, caused by a spasm in chest, with expectoration only during day of small quantities of tough mucus.
Dry, hacking cough during chill and heat. θ Ague.
Sputa : very yellow, as if colored by bile ; taste saltish.

Inner chest and lungs

Oppression and pressure beneath sternum and pressure in pit of stomach and epigastric region, with nausea and sense of weakness.
Oppression and stitches in left side of chest below nipple.
After catching cold the previous Winter, catarrhal affection of chest ; violent hollow, dry cough with hoarseness and accumulation of much tough mucus in larynx, < during night ; oppression of chest with stitches in left side when lying upon that side ; internal heat
without thirst ; profuse debilitating sweats ; great nervousness ; great sleepiness, but sleep is restless and he wakes often, when feeling of anxiety prevents him from falling asleep again ; face pale, sunken, with circumscribed burning redness of cheeks ; pressure
in stomach after eating, particularly after milk, frequently with vomiting first of food, then bile ; urine watery, increased in quantity ; great emaciation ; is fond of warmth ; feels > when moving about a little than when absolutely at rest ; frequent
inclination to take a deep inspiration, which he can do without difficulty ; dry, burning heat during sleep at once going over into profuse sweat on awaking and continuing until he falls asleep again when the heat returns.
After a cold drink while overheated, fever and severe cough and expectoration ; the following condition finally developing ; pressing pain on chest ; constant cough day and night with profuse expectoration of offensive, sweet-tasting mucus ;
face pale, earthy-colored ; great emaciation ; pulse rapid, weak ; burning heat in palms of hands ; great thirst in afternoon ; profuse sweats at night ; complete loss of appetite. θ Phthisis.
Constant severe cough, with profuse salty-tasting expectoration ; great debility and emaciation ; constantly increasing oppression of chest ; œdematous swelling of legs, extending up above knees ; as the cure progresses profuse urination and severe itching of skin
and finally exfoliation of epidermis set in. θ Phthisis.
Phthisis : hectic flush, night sweats, choking cough, afternoon fevers ; wakes up after midnight with feeling of sudden suffocation, without being able to call for help ; night sweats only when wide awake, passing over into a dry heat as
soon as he falls asleep. θ Phthisis.

Heart, pulse and circulation

Orgasm in whole body.
Occasional omission of heart-beat.
Angina pectoris where pressure proceeds from spine ; in individuals formerly fat and robust and now emaciated on account of mental emotions, sexual indulgence or excessive seminal losses ; paroxysms generally come on at midnight, or in middle of night
and wake patient up, compelling him to sit up or get up before he can get any relief or summon assistance ; in many cases the patient can give no account of what is the matter or how it came on, only sit up in bed and moan and cry, with hand over heart.
Pulse generally very frequent and small ; sometimes slow and full, sometimes intermitting.

Outer chest

Pressure upon sternum, with a counterpressure from spine to sternum.
Compression of chest violent, trembling from pain.

Neck and back

Sweat on throat and neck ; with children.

Upper limbs

Paralytic heaviness in elbow joint.
Trembling of hands when writing.
Stitches in wrist.
Dark-blue bloatedness of forearms and hands.
Muscles between little finger and next very sore.

Lower limbs

Sharp, deep stitches in tibia.
Œdematous swelling of feet, extending to legs.
Sensation of coldness, numbness and deadness in middle of right tibia.
Icy-cold feet : with warmth of body ; with hot face.

Limbs in general

Hands and feet bloated, blue.

Rest. position. motion

Rest : cough <.
Lying down : dry heat after falling asleep.
Lying in bed : cough <.
Lying on left side : stitches in chest.
Head low : spasms of glottis < ; cough <.
Must sit up in bed to regain breath.
Motion : of head, tension and dizziness.
Writing : trembling of hands.

Nerves

Great weakness.
General trembling, with anxiety and ebullitions of blood.
Great tendency to start ; starts at things to which he is accustomed.

Sleep

Sleepiness.
Drowsiness with inability to sleep.
Frequent awaking, as in a fright, with anxiety, trembling, dyspnœa, as if he would suffocate.
Slumber with eyes and mouth half open.
During sleep, dry heat ; after waking profuse sweat.

Time

At 2 or 3 A. M. : roused with sense of stoppage of air tubes.
During day : expectoration of tough mucus.
Afternoon : great thirst ; fevers.
Night : spasms of glottis ; dry cough ; profuse sweat.
From 7 P. M. to 1 A. M. : profuse sweat without thirst.
About midnight : cough <.
After midnight : spasms of glottis < ; suffocative attacks.

Temperature and weather

Shunning uncovering during heat.
From dry, cold air : cough <.
After a cold drink while overheated : phthisis.

Fever

Chill running over whole body, with crawling sensation here and there.
Hands and feet icy cold ; rest of body warm.
Shaking chills before going to bed. θ Ague.
Spasmodic deep, dry cough ; may occur after chill if absent in prodroma.
Dry heat : while he sleeps ; on falling asleep after lying down ; without thirst, dreads uncovering.
Hot body with cold hands and feet during sleep ; on awaking face breaks out into a profuse sweat which extends over body and continues more or less during waking hours ; on going to sleep again dry heat returns.
Sensation of burning heat in face, with moderate warmth of body and icy-cold feet, without thirst.
Burning heat, dread of uncovering.
Hectic flush.
Profuse sweat without thirst, while awake from 7 P. M. to 1 A. M. ; drops stood upon face, and there was also perspiration all over, but after sleep he was more hot than sweaty but without thirst.
General sweat except on head.
Continued perspiration while awake, changing into dry heat as soon as one goes to sleep.
Profuse non-debilitating sweat day and night.
Debilitating perspirations which often retard convalescence after delivery.
Night sweats except on head, increasing toward morning.
Profuse debilitating night sweats. θ Phthisis. θ Ague.
Night sweats in phthisis ; sweats come even when awake.
Profuse weakening sweats, day and night, last through apyrexia.
Prodroma : cough deep, dry, racking, for half an hour ; nausea and thirst.
Irregular paroxysms occurring every other day (quinine had no effect), cough deep and dry for half an hour, with nausea and thirst ; chill for half an hour, without cough, nausea thirst ; slight fever with moist skin ; profuse sweat at
night, not debilitating ; apyrexia complete. θ Ague.
Chills and fever, type quotidian ; paroxysms commenced at 3 P. M., with hard dry cough from lower part of chest, racking and shaking whole body and producing a pain over whole head which is > by pressure or having head tightly bound up ;
no expectoration with cough ; great thirst for large quantities of water very often ; longing for acids ; chills, severe and shaking, lasting for half an hour ; lips and nails look blue ; nausea and vomiting, < by drinking, substance vomited having a bitter-sour
taste ; bitter-sour taste in mouth during paroxysm ; tongue coated white ; skin cool, pulse 90 ; slight moisture on surface ; chills running down back ; back and limbs ache, particularly during chill, and < when they come in contact with bed ; cough,
headache and thirst continued ; fever, great heat with stupor and prostration ; thirst and cough continue, but no headache ; pains in back and limbs ; great difficulty in speaking ; with heat, a profuse perspiration ; delirium ; is distressed because of
some one whom she imagines is in bed with her and oppresses her respiration as if she had to breathe for two ; continual talking ; sense of suffocation, with a quivering or fluttering at heart ; great distress in region of heart, whence the cough seems to proceed ;
hearing painfully acute ; great depression of spirits with anxious, vexed, desponding thoughts and weeping ; moaning and weeping during sleep ; at night a drenching sweat, smelling sour fetid, staining yellow, not debilitating ; ineffectual desire to urinate, passing
water about once in twenty-four hours, a small quantity of very turbid loam-colored urine ; patient suffered for years from chronic dysentery which was cured at same time. θ Ague.
Dry heat while asleep, profuse sweat while awake, then dry heat again when he sleeps ; the profuse sweat is rarely debilitating and never in proportion to its profuseness ; always without thirst.
No thirst during heat or sweat.
Shunning uncovering during heat ; visions when shutting eyes. θ Typhus.

Attacks, periodicity

Several times in day and night : laryngeal spasms.
Nightly : suffocative attacks.
From 9 until 2 P. M. : sudden awaking in fright.
From midnight until 4 A. M. : suffocative attacks.
Once in twenty-four hours : passes water.
Every other day : paroxysm of ague.

Locality and direction

Right : swelling, heat, redness and lumps just under the ear.
Left : erysipelas of whole side of head ; stitches in side of chest below nipple.
As if head were filled with water ; skull as if stretched ; as if suffocating.
Pain : over whole head ; in back and limbs.
Great distress : in region of heart.
Sharp pain : under right ear.
Tearing : in teeth.
Stitches : in left side of chest below nipple ; in wrist ; in tibia.
Stinging : in teeth.
Griping : in stomach and umbilical region ; in abdomen.
Pressive pain : in temporal bones.
Pressing pain : on chest.
Jerks : through head.
Soreness : in abdomen.
Burning heat : in palms of hands.
Rawness : in throat.
Oppression : of chest, beneath sternum ; in left side of chest below nipple.
Heat : of face.
Pressure : in stomach ; in abdomen beneath sternum and pit of stomach and epigastric region ; upon sternum ; from spine to sternum.
Tension : in head, in cheeks and nose.
Dryness : of mouth and throat.
Itching : of scurfs on head.
Numbness : in middle of tibia.
Deadness : in middle of tibia.
Coldness : in middle of tibia ; of feet.

Tissues

Œdematous swellings in various parts of body, especially in instep, legs and feet.
Œdema ; anasarca ; general dropsy.
Increased secretion of skin and of respiratory mucous membrane.

Touch. passive motion. injuries

Leaning against hard edge ; painful pressure in abdomen with nausea.
Pressure : > pain in head.
Tightly bound : > pain in head.
After contusions, tension in dark-red swelling.

Skin

Bloatedness and dark-red swelling, with tension after contusions.

Relations

Antidoted by : Arsen., Camphor .
Compatible : Bellad., Conium, Nux vom., Phosphor., Rhus tox., Sepia .
Compare : Cinchon., Ipecac., Sulphur .

The Therapeutics of Fevers

H. C. Allen · The Therapeutics of Fevers · 1902 Library of Congress printing (Allen d. 1909; public domain)

Characteristic

Adapted to diseases of scrofulous children: of the air passages especially.

Persons formerly robust and fleshy suddenly become emaciated (Iod., Tub.).

Bad effects of violent mental emotions; anxiety, grief, or excessive sexual indulgence (Phos. ac., Kali p.).

Œdematous swellings in various parts of the body, especially in legs, instep, and feet.

Dry coryza of infants; nose dry and completely obstructed, preventing breathing and nursing; snuffles (Am. c., Nux).

Dyspnœa; child awakens suddenly, nearly suffocated, face livid, blue, sits up in bed; turns blue, gasps for breath, which it finally gets; attack passes off, but is again repeated; child inspires, but cannot expire (Chlor., Meph.); sleeps into the attack (Lach.—compare, Arum drac.).

Attacks of suffocation as in last stage of croup.

Cough: suffocative, with crying children; worse about midnight; hollow, deep, whooping, with spasm of chest; with regular inhalations, but sighing exhalations.

Aggravation

During rest; midnight; after eating fruit.

Amelioration

Sitting up in bed. Motion: most of the pains occur during rest and disappear during motion (Rhus).

Follows well: after Opium in fright. Antidotes abuse of Arsenic.

Type

Irregular.

Time

3, 4, 5 and 6 P. M. Afternoon and evening.

Prodrome

Cough, deep and dry, for half an hour, with nausea and thirst (dry, teasing, fatiguing cough, Rhus). Sweat (Carbo v., Nux).

Chill

Without thirst. Coldness creeps over the whole body, especially hands and feet, which are cold to touch. Shaking chill creeping over whole body, though face was warm. Hands and feet icy cold; the rest of body warm as usual. Chill lasts half an hour. Spasmodic, deep, dry cough from lower part of chest, without expectoration; may occur during chill if absent in prodrome. Rarely occurs both before and during chill (see Rhus).

Heat

Without thirst; dread of uncovering. Sensation of burning heat in the face, with warmth of body and icy coldness of the feet, without thirst. Dry heat on falling asleep. Intolerable dry heat all over the body, with dread of uncovering; thinks he would take cold or have an attack of colic if uncovered (Hep.). Dry heat while he sleeps.

Sweat

Profuse sweat breaks out on the face, without thirst, while awake, from 7 P. M. to 1 A. M.; stood in drops upon the face, and extends over the entire body during waking hours; on going to sleep again the dry heat returns (sweat when he sleeps, stops when he wakes, Thuja). Profuse non-debilitating sweat, day and night, with relief of all symptoms (Nat.).

Apyrexia

Profuse sweat continues during this stage; may become weakening from its profuseness alone, which is out of all proportion to the chill and heat.

Analysis

Cough deep, dry, precedes the fever paroxysm.

Fever: dry heat while he sleeps; on falling asleep; after lying down; without thirst; dreads uncovering (must be covered in every stage, Nux).

Profuse sweat over entire body during waking hours; on going to sleep, dry heat returns (sweats as soon as he closes his eyes to sleep, Cinch., Con.).

Sambucus is almost the only remedy which has dry heat while asleep, profuse sweat while awake, then dry heat again when he sleeps. (Sweat on waking from a sound sleep, Rum.) The profuse sweat is rarely debilitating, and never in proportion to its profuseness; always without thhirst. Cinch. has profuse debilitating sweat with great thirst; the reverse of Sambucus. Deep, dry, racking cough before the chill, for half an hour, with nausea and thirst, is characteristic (Rhus has dry, teasing cough, like Rumex crispus, before and during chill).

Clinical

CASE I.—Irregular paroxysm occurring every other day. Quinine had no effect. Cough deep and dry for half an hour, with nausea and thirst.

Chill for half an hour, without cough, nausea or thirst; slight fever with moist skin; profuse sweat at night not debilitating. Apyrexia complete.

Prescribed for the profuse sweat at night, not debilitating, Sambucus, a drop dose of the tincture, which resulted in a perfect cure, no other attack occurring.—DUNHAM.

CASE II.—Mrs. H——. Chills and fever; type quotidian. Paroxysm commenced at 3 P. M., with hard dry cough, from lower part of the chest, racking and shaking the whole body, and producing a pain over the whole head, which is relieved by pressure or having the head tightly bound up.

No expectoration with the cough. Great thirst for large quantities of water very often. Longing for acids.

Chill—Severe and shaking, continuing for half an hour. Lips and nails blue. Nausea and vomiting, aggravated by drinking, the substance vomited having a bitter, sour taste. Bitter, sour taste in the mouth during the par- oxysm. Tongue coated white, chills running down the back. Back and limbs ache, particularly during the chill, and worse when they come in con- tact with the bed. Cough, headache and thirst continued.

Heat.—Great, with stupor and prostration. Thirst and cough continue, but no headache. Pains in the back and limbs. Great difficulty in speak- ing. With the heat a profuse perspiration.

Delirium.—Is distressed because she imagines some one in bed with her.

This oppresses her respiration, as she has to breathe for two. Continual talking. Sense of suffocation, with a fluttering at the heart. Great distress in the region of the heart, whence the cough seems to proceed. Moaning and weeping during sleep.

Sweat.—At night a drenching sweat, smelling sour-fetid, staining yellow, not debilitating. Ineffectual desire to urinate, passing water once in twenty- four hours, a small quantity of turbid, loam-colored urine.

Attempts to cover the totality of the symptoms with any one remedy, re- sulted in the conviction that it was impossible. Eup., Bry., Ipec., Ars.,

Cal., and Sabad., were successively given without benefit. Dr. Dunham now suggests that the "hard, dry cough before the chill," "the half-hour chill," and the "profuse, non-debilitating sweat at night," reminded him of a case he had cured with Sambucus. The cough and sweat, however, seemed the characteristics in this case, and Sambucus 1000 was given. To my surprise and gratification I found the entire train of symptoms removed, till the seventh day, the cough returning, was removed by a repetition of the remedy.—SWAN.