Petroz and Teste introduced Cedr. into homœopathic practice, having received the seed from
Panama, with an account of its powers of entrusting snake-bite when chewed immediately after
being bitten; and also of its traditional reputation in intermittent fevers. Hellert was
bitten by a coral snake. "During the few seconds which it took him to take the antidote
out of the little bag which he wore suspended round his neck, he was siezed with violent
pains at the heart and throat; but he had scarcely chewed and swallowed a small portion of Cedron, of the size of a small bean, when the pain ceased as by
magic. An oppression and general prostration remained. He chewed another portion of the same
fruit, and applied it to the wound externally, and in another quarter of an hour all he felt
was a slight colic, which disappeared after eating a little. This colic was followed almost
immediately by a copious evacuation of a substance that looked like curdled milk, white,
with a slightly yellowish tint" (Teste). Other cases were reported. The great
characteristic of Cedron is a clock-like periodicity in
the recurrence of the symptoms; accurately periodic neuralgias; intermittent fever
commencing the same hour every day or every other day. In fever there is: Red face in hot
stage; thirst with desire for warm drinks. Profuse perspiration. "Excitement before
chill" is peculiar to Cedr. Fevers of low, marshy
regions in warm seasons and tropical countries. General debility, languor, and fainting.
Malaise. Trembling. Complaints after coition (chorea in women; neuralgia in men).
Epileptiform convulsions during catamenia. Swollen sensations; numbness of whole body.
Adapted to persons of a voluptuous disposition, and of an excitable nervous temperament;
especially to females. < After sleep; lying down;
night; (objects appear red at night, yellow by day); in open air; before a storm; chills in
persons returned from tropical climates. > Standing
erect.
Halbert relates a case of malarial fever in a soldier. Chills and fever
were clock-like in regularity of recurrence. Liver and spleen were much enlarged. Anæmia
was extreme; and there was this additional peculiarity: intermittent gastralgia occurring
with the febrile crises. In conjunction with these conditions there was a manifestation of
choreic symptoms, involving face and shoulders mostly, the twitchings being troublesome in
the interfebrile state; often there were debilitating hysterical spasms; the heart became
irritable and sometimes irregular. After other remedies had failed to make any impression, Cedr. cured in three weeks, the improvement setting in immediately. Rapidity of action appears to be a characteristic as
with Bell. The great predominance of nervous symptoms
will be evident in the symptoms of Cedr., also the
strong sexual excitement it causes. Numbness; enlarged sensation; malaise; sensation as if
paralysed. A large number of symptoms appear on l. side, but r. side of head, face, r.
elbow, and r. deltoid are affected.
