Pod.
grows throughout the United States in damp, shady places in woods, has leaves five to
nine-lobed, large white nodding flowers, yellowish fruits, egg-shaped, not unlike a small
lemon, hence the plant is sometimes called Wild Lemon. It flowers in May and June, and the
fruit ripens in October. Indian tribes use the root to expel worms, and drop the juice of
the root into the ear to cure deafness. "All the tribes are fond of the fruit,"
says Rafinesque, quoted by Hale, who gives a full account of the medicine. The botanic and
eclectic practitioners adopted the remedy and used it as the "vegetable mercury."
The first homœopathic proving was made by Williamson. An unintentional proving recorded by
E. V. Rose (H. W., xxv. 246) brings out the chief
characteristics of Pod., and shows that its reputation
as a "vegetable mercury is not undeserved: Mr. J., 26, took at 11 a.m. gr. x of Pod. 1x to "stir up his liver." At 6 p.m. was taken
with an indescribable sick feeling all over, and a persistent dry, rough feeling in pharynx
and œsophagus, extending along right Eustachian tube, with dull, aching pain in right ear;
feeling as though a ball or lump in upper œsophagus. At 8 p.m. dull and stupefying
headache, chiefly frontal, < lying down. Fulness in
stomach, belching of gas, sour eructations; marked salivation and offensive odour from
mouth. Sleep disturbed, full of confused dreams; rolled and tossed about, bed felt too hard;
and a feeling as though head and shoulders were lying too low. At 3 a.m. call to stool,
which was profuse, watery, dark green. Calls frequent. Before
stool: peculiar weak, dull, griping pain below umbilicus; fulness in rectum. During stool: weak feeling in stomach. After
stool: tenesmus and faint feeling. These symptoms passed off in two or three days, the
diarrhœa being followed by constipation, which was quickly removed by Nux. These symptoms are nearly all proved characteristics of Pod.: The early morning <;
the profuse stools, faint, gone sensation; fulness and
tenesmus in rectum. Pod. is an irritant wherever
applied. Externally on the skin it produces a rawness like intertrigo. The dust of the
powdered root getting into the eyes sets up intense inflammation, ulceration, and leucoma.
These effects have proved leading indications for its internal use in eye affections. The
fulness and tenderness of the rectum noted in Ross's case went on to actual prolapse in the
provings. I have many times cured with Pod. 6 prolapsus
ani in children. With Pod. 1x Mr. Knox Shaw relieved
"continual urging and straining" in a case of rectal cancer too far gone for
operation. The genital organs were involved with the rectum in the tendency to prolapse.
"Symptoms of prolapsus uteri with pain in sacrum; with muco-gelatinous stools";
"sensation at stool as if the genital organs would fall out" are keynotes of the
provings which have led to many cures. Pains in the ovaries, especially the right, extending
down the anterior and inner side of thighs. In the pregnant and puerperal state Pod. is frequently indicated: in the vomiting of pregnancy;
swelling of labia; severe after-pains with strong bearing-down sensation; hæmorrhoids and
prolapsus recti after confinement. A peculiar symptom of pregnancy indicating Pod. is: "Can lie comfortably only on stomach (early
months)." The irritation of Pod. is shown in the
brain, but it is then generally reflected even from the abdominal viscera (cholera infantum)
or the teeth (dentition). There is moaning and whining during sleep; the head is thrown back
and rolls from side to side; the child grates its teeth. "Great desire to press gums or
teeth together" is a keynote. The salivation, foul breath, and moist, tooth-indented
tongue of Merc. are reproduced in the Pod. provings, and so also is the congested, sensitive liver,
with excess or absence of bile. These, combined with the feverishness and proneness to
sweat, make Pod. one of the important antidotes to Merc. Fevers of many kinds are met by Pod.─remittent,
chiefly bilious remittent, intermittent. Delirium is not rare, and is apt to be loquacious.
Moaning and whining during sleep. Much drowsiness and desire to stretch. Alternating conditions are noted: Diarrhœa alternating with
constipation; headache alternating with diarrhœa; headache in winter, diarrhœa in summer;
inflammation of scrotum or of the eyes; not of both.
Some Concomitants are important: Pains in sacrum, in
lumbar region with rectal and uterine symptoms; cramps in calves with stools. The stools may
be painless, or may be preceded, accompanied, and followed by colic, tenesmus and other
symptoms. The concomitance of diarrhœa with other affections points to Pod. Loquacity during chill and heat is a keynote in fevers. Nash
cured an obstinate case of intermittent through this symptom: Chills violent, followed by
intense fever with great loquacity; when the fever was past patient fell asleep, and on
waking remembered nothing of his loquacious delirium. "Burning tongue" is another
leading symptom. A case is related by W. A. Burr (Critique,
quoted Hom. News, xxviii. 87) of a young man who had for
some weeks a burning sensation along left edge of tongue, occasionally shooting to tip, or
through to opposite edge. He had been in poor health, "bilious," for years. With
catarrh of stomach, duodenum, and bile ducts extreme discomfort followed even the blandest
foods. Pod. 3x improved in two days, and the tongue was
well in a week. L. M. Barnes (Hom. News, xxix. 45)
reports these cases: (1) A lady for four months after
miscarriage had much ovarian pain, < at night. She
was sleepless, nervous, restless. Much bearing down in abdomen and back. She was a large,
stout woman, with a pendulous abdomen. Pod. cured after Puls. and Act. r. had only
partially relieved. (2) A stout woman, 60, complained of
burning, aching, cutting pain in rectum. Was obliged to be on her feet all day. Nervous,
cross, irritable. Pod. cured. Pod.
is suited to bilious temperaments, especially after
mercurialisation. Peculiar sensations are: As if
strabismus would occur. Pain in head as from ice on occipital protuberance. As if tongue,
throat, and palate had been burned. As if a thousand live things moving about in abdomen, or
of fish turning over. As if everything would drop through pelvis. As if heart ascending to
throat. Ball in upper œsophagus. Notable symptoms are:
Thirst for large quantities of cold water. Intense desire to press the gums together. Viscid
mucus in mouth, coating teeth. Diarrhœa whilst being bathed or washed; of dirty water
soaking through napkin; with gagging. Patient is constantly shaking and rubbing region of
liver with his hands. Great loquacity during chill and heat. Pod.
is predominantly right sided─right throat; hypochondrium; ovary.
Guernsey mentions that it is often called for in complaints of pregnant and parturient
women, with sensation as if intestines were falling down. He mentions also
"whooping-cough with costiveness and loss of appetite." The symptoms are < by touch (spot on right hypochondrium); > by pressure. >
Rubbing (inclination to rub liver region with hand). >
Lying down; lying on abdomen; stretching in bed. Pain in left leg <
by straightening out the limb. < Motion; walking;
ascending stairs; exertion. < Morning, especially
early morning, 2 to 4 a.m. Some symptoms < night. < Open air; while washing. External heat > pain in bowels. Heat of stove does not > chilliness, but wrapping warmly in bed does >. Hot weather, summer, <
diarrhœa. < After eating and drinking; after acid
fruit and milk. < By swallowing. < Before, during, and after stool.