Abrotanum

Numb, weak, tremulous and paretic. Can't hold up head. Exudations, into pleura, joints, from navel, etc. True metastases; receding gout, etc. Alternations; piles with rheumatism (Coll. Sabi.). Rheumatism, after diarrhœa. Emaciation; ascending; of legs. .................... Cross, irritable children. Pale hollow eyed, old face. Distended veins; on forehead. Nosebleed; of youths. Vomits much offensive fluid. Stomach floats in water (Buf.). Bloated abdomen. Pains in left ovary. Nightly backache. Weak joints; can't hold up head. Face cold, dry and wrinkled. Cold, prickling, numb fingers and toes. Flabby skin. Protruding piles; burn on touch.

Cold air. Wet. Checked secretions. Night. Fogs.

Loose stool (Nat-s. Zin.). Motion.

Nerves. Nutrition. Veins.

Related: Chin. Led.

Abrotanum

Southernwood. Compositce.

Alternate constipation and diarrhoea; lienteria.

Alarasmus of children with marked emaciation, especially of legs (Iod., Sanic., Tub.); the skin is flabby and hangs loose in folds (of neck, Nat. m., Sanic.).

In marasmus head weak, cannot hold it up. (^th.).

Marasmus of lower extremities only.

Ravenous hunger; losing flesh while eating well (Iod., Nat. m., Sanic., Tub.).

Painful contractions of the limbs from cramps or following colic.

Rheumatism : for the excessive pain before the swelling commences ; from suddenly-checked diarrhoea or other secretions ; alternates with haemorrhoids, with dysentery.

Gout; joints stiff, swollen, with pricking sensation; wrists and ankle-joints painful and inflamed.

Very lame and sore all over.

Itching chilblains (Agar.).

Great weakness and prostration and a kind of hectic fever with children; unable to stand.

Child is ill-natured, irritable, cross and despondent; violent, inhuman, would like to do something cruel.

Face old, pale, wrinkled (Op.).

Relationship. — After Hepar in furuncle; after Acon, and Bry. in pleurisy, when a pressing sensation remains in affected side impeding respiration.

Lecture XXII — Compositae — Arnica montana, Artemisia vulgaris, Absinthium, Millefolium, Taraxacum, Eupatorium perfoliatum, Artemisia abrotanum

Artemisia Abrotanum.

Artemisia abrotanum, or Southernwood, has an intensely bitter taste, is suited to cases of suddenly appearing spinal inflammation and to chronic myelitis. There are sudden aching pains in the back which are relieved by motion ; numbness and paralysis. It is especially called for in rheumatic patients with lameness and stiffness of the joints. It is useful in patients of the class who are suffering from the effects of suppressed conditions. There is a strong tendency to metastasis. Thus rheumatism, either spontaneously or from meddlesome local treatment, leaves the extremities and goes to the heart. After the extirpation of haemorrhoids or the checking of diarrhoea, gastric symptoms supervene.

Abrotanum is one of the remedies which is applicable in the metastasis of mumps to the testicle or mammary gland, and should be studied along with Pulsatilla, Carbo vegetabilis and perhaps Arsenicum. We also find it indicated in marasmus occurring in weak children who are emaciated, wrinkled, pale, with blue rings around the eyes, gnawing hunger and bloated abdomen. You may distinguish it from other drugs that have like symptoms, especially by the fact that the emaciation is first noticed in the lower extremities.

Cross, irritable, anxious, depressed.

A very useful remedy in marasmus, especially of lower extremities only, yet with good appetite. Metastasis. Rheumatism following checked diarrhœa. Ill effects of suppressed conditions especially in gouty subjects. Tuberculous peritonitis. Exudative pleurisy and other exudative processes. After operation upon the chest for hydrothorax or empyæmia, a pressing sensation remains. Aggravation

of hæmorrhoids when rheumatism improves. Nosebleed and hydrocele in boys. Great weakness after influenza (Kali phos).

Worse, cold air, checked secretions. Better, motion.

Wrinkled, cold, dry, pale. Blue rings around dull-looking eyes. Comedones, with emaciation. Nosebleed. Angioma of the face.

Slimy taste. Appetite good, but emaciation progresses. Food passes undigested. Pain in stomach; worse at night; cutting, gnawing pain. Stomach feels as if swimming in water; feels cold. Gnawing hunger and whining. Indigestion, with vomiting of large quantities of offensive fluid.

Hard lumps in abdomen. Distended. Alternate diarrhœa and constipation. Hæmorrhoids; frequent urging; bloody stools; worse as rheumatic pains abate. Ascarides. Oozing from umbilicus. Sensation as if bowels were sinking down.

Raw feeling. Impeded respiration. Dry cough following diarrhœa. Pain across chest; severe in region of heart.

Neck so weak cannot hold head up. Back lame, weak, and painful. Pain in lumbar region extending along spermatic cord. Pain in sacrum, with hæmorrhoids.

Pain in shoulders, arms, wrists, and ankles. Pricking and coldness in fingers and feet. Legs greatly emaciated. Joints stiff and lame. Painful contraction of limbs (Amm mur).

Eruptions come out on face; are suppressed, and the skin becomes purplish. Skin flabby and loose. Furuncles. Falling out of hair. Itching chilblains.

Compare: Scrophularia; Bryonia; Stellaria; Benzoic acid, in gout. Iodine, Natr mur in marasmus.

Third to thirtieth potency.

Abrotanum

Introduction:This a very valuable remedy should be more frequently used. It is indicated in such conditions as are cured by Bryonia and Rhus tox., but its symptoms mark out its own individual cases.

Rheumatic conditions with heart irritation; epistaxis; bloody urine; anxiety and trembling, when there has been a history of diarrhoea. A suddenly checked diarrhoea will be followed by violent cardiac symptoms; it is much like Ledum, Aurum and Kalmia.

Marasmus: In marasmus of children it is a very useful remedy and not unfrequently indicated. The emaciation begins in the lower limbs and gradually spreads upward, so that the face is the last affected; that is the opposite of Lycopodium, Natrum mur. and Psorinum.

Chest: It has cured pleurisy after Bryonia, which seemed indicated, had failed. A woman lying in bed with dyspnoea, anxiety, cold sweat and pain in the heart was surrounded by friends to see her die.

It was learned that she had suffered for many months with a rheumatism in one knee, that she had used crutches to get about the house, and that she had recently been speedily cured (?) by a strong liniment only a few days before this attack. Abrot. restored her to health promptly. It has caused and cured burning ulcerative pains in the stomach with suspicious vomiting.

Metastasis: Metastasis is a marked feature in Abrot. The changing of one so called disease into another always calls attention to Abrotanum. Inflammation of the parotid (mumps) changing to tests or mammae is generally cured by Carbo v. or Pulsatilla, but Abrot, has cured when these remedies have failed.

Suppression: A suddenly checked diarrhea followed by piles and acute rheumatism, with bleedings, as mentioned above, is further argument in favor of this idea.

The Abrot. patient is sensitive to cold air and cold damp weather. He suffers much from backaches, and his symptoms are worse during the night. In boys it cures hydrocele.

In infants it cures bleeding from the navel.