Hydrastis is a slow,
deep acting remedy, required in many trophic disturbances. where there is emaciation,
catarrhal conditions and ulceration, even malignant ulceration. Defective assimilation.
When it is noticed that the stomach is the center of most of the symptom
complex. The desires and aversions often give the key to a very complex totality of
symptoms. In this remedy the sinking empty hunger with loathing of food is striking,
strange, rare, and therefore Peculiar. It is characteristic because it is a general of the
remedy, and is predicated of the patient. Great weakness prevails at all times.
Catarrhal symptoms with thick, viscid, ropy, yellow mucus, sometimes
white, from any mucous membrane, with or without ulceration. Deep eating spreading ulcers
upon the skin or mucous membrane, with thick, viscid, yellow pus. Induration in glands, in
base of ulcers. False granulations that bleed much and easily, on the slightest touch.
This remedy has been very useful in the treatment of malignant ulcers. In
such ulcers it is often a great comfort to the patient, even when it does not cure, as it
removes the offensiveness, modifies the pain and restrains the destructiveness.
The burning so commonly found in such ulcers is a strong symptom of Hydrastis. When the weakness and emaciation have progressed together for months and
years in chronic stomach disease, fainting comes on, and this is also found in Hydrastis. In chronic cases, when the tissues have suffered and not the mind.
The astonishing absence of mental symptoms except the general
discouragement incidental to long suffering and weakness is striking. If it were carefully
proved, most likely the mental loves and hates would come out. The symptoms are better
during rest. Small wounds bleed and suppurate.
The headaches are only such as generally belong to stomach disorders, and
prolonged nasal catarrh. They are not distinctive. It has cured eczema with thick crusts.
The eyes and face jaundiced. Ulceration of the cornea. Thick, yellow,
viscid, mucous discharge. Chronic inflammation of lids. Inflammation, thickening, redness of
margins of lids.
Otorrhoea with thick, viscid, purulent discharge. Copious mucous
discharge. Catarrh of the Eustachian tubes with many noises in ears. Ears red, swollen,
covered with scales; fissured behind where connected with head.
The nose is obstructed with stringy, yellow or white mucus. The air feels
cold in the nose, and the membrane is raw and ulcerated. Ropy mucus is drawn from posterior
nares into the throat. Rawness in both nares with constant urging to blow the nose. Coryza
with discharge, scanty in room and profuse in open air. Bloody, purulent discharge from
nose. Thick, white, or yellow mucous discharge. Large crusts constantly form in the nose.
The face is sickly, shrunken, pale, waxy, cachectic, jaundiced. It is of
great service in epithelioma of face, nose or lip.
The tongue is yellow, large, flabby and spongy. Feels as if burnt.
Ulceration of mouth, gums, tongue; spreading and burning. Aphthae in children and nursing
mothers. Excessive secretions of ropy mucus; golden yellow. Excoriation of mouth. In old
mercurial cases.
Catarrhal sore throat of long standing, granulated and ulcerated
excoriated and burning. Thick, viscid, yellow mucus that can be drawn out in ropes.
No appetite; no thirst; loathing of food. Nearly all foods disorder the
stomach. Spitting up the food by the mouthful (like Phos. and Ferr.). Vomits all food. Retains only water and
milk. Eructations, sour, putrid, of food eaten.
Empty, faint feeling in stomach with loathing of food and obstinate
constipation with no desire for stool,
is a combination that must generally have Hydrastis. Pulsation in the stomach. Ulceration of the stomach
with burning. For suspicious lump in region of pylorus. Weight in stomach after eating. The
stomach seems to be only an ordinary sack; digestion is slow, and tedious. Fullness after
eating, lasting a long time. The empty, sinking feeling is not ameliorated after eating.
Sour vomiting. Chronic gastric catarrh. Slow digestion.
This must be a useful liver remedy, for the following reasons: The skin
is jaundiced; the stool is light, even white, showing the absence of bile, and there is
distress in the region of the liver. In chronic derangement of the liver. Liver enlarged,
hard and nodular.
Cramping pains. Colic, Flatulence and distended abdomen. It has cured
many of the usual conditions that generally attend bad digestion and torpid liver.
Intestinal catarrh and ulceration. Sharp pain in region of spleen.
It has cured obstinate piles, ulceration and fissures of anus. Relaxation
and prolapsus of anus. Chronic diarrhoea with yellow, thin faeces, even watery. Inflammation
of anus. Stools, bileless, white, soft, acrid, greenish, much viscid mucus. Hard, nodular
stools. Most obstinate constipation; no desire for stool for days.
Paresis of the rectum. It cures constipation, when the stomach symptoms
agree. In old cases when enemas no longer act, when the faeces remain high up, or do not
come down into rectum to excite desire, this remedy has been of great service. In
constipation or diarrhoea with "goneness" in stomach, trembling in the abdomen and
palpitation.
Urine scanty or suppressed. Chronic catarrh of bladder with much viscid
mucus in urine, causing difficulty in flow of urine.
Catarrh of the urethra. Chronic gonorrhoea when the discharge remains
yellow in spite of time. Copious, painless discharge. Relaxed scrotum and testes. Offensive
sweat of genitals.
Thick, yellow, viscid leucorrhoea, sometimes white,
sometimes offensive. Excoriation of vagina. Soreness in vagina during coition. Bleeding
after coition. Uterine haemorrhage. Menses copious. Relaxed, dragging feeling in pelvis.
Intense itching of vulva. Epithelioma of mamma.
Most obstinate catarrh of larynx, trachea and bronchial tubes, with
copious, thick, ropy mucus and ulceration. Rawness in air passages. Catarrh of chest in old
people.
The cough, is dry, hard; from tickling in larynx. Rawness in chest.
Rattling cough. Thick, yellow, viscid, sometimes white, expectoration in old people, or when
very chronic.
Palpitation from slowly progressing weakness. Weakness and stiffness in
back in lumbar region, must walk about before he can straighten up the back. Must use the
arms to rise from a seat.
Rheumatic pains in upper limbs. Weakness and rheumatic pains in lower
limbs. Ulcers on legs and about ankles, with stinging, burning pains; high, hard edges;
painful at night in warm bed; sensitive to touch. Oedema of feet.
Warmth and washing aggravate ulcers and eruptions. The skin, excoriates
easily. Urticaria over body, aggravated at night. Fissures about mouth and anus.
