Euphrasia officinalis

Free, acrid, watery secretions. Acute catarrhs. Acrid pus. .................... WATERY EYES; swimming in tears; as of a hair before them, wants to wipe them. ABUNDANT, ACRID OR HOT, SMARTING TEARS, with bland coryza; < open air, lying or coughing (Chel.); leaving a varnish-like mark. Photophobia; with spasm of lids. Pressive, cutting eye-pains. Sticky eye- gum. Red, burning-itching tarsi. Violent injection. Conjunctivitis; of measles. Thick yellow or acrid discharge from eyes. Chemosis. Chronic sore eyes. Gushes of fluent coryza. Loose cough. Easy expectoration, in day time only, less on lying down at night; (reverse - Thu.).

SUNLIGHT. WIND. Warmth. Room. Evening.

Open air. Winking. Wiping eyes.

MUCOUS MEMBRANES: EYES. Nose. Chest.

Related: Cepa.

Euphrasia

Eyebright. ScrophularacecB.

Bad effects from falls, contusions or mechanical injuries of external parts (Arn.).

Catarrhal affections of mucous membranes, especially of the eyes and nose.

Profuse acrid lachrymatioDj with profuse, bland coryza (reverse of All. c.).

The eyes water all the time and are agglutinated in the morning; margins of lids red, swollen, burning.

Profuse fluent coryza in morning with violent cough and abundant expectoration, < from exposure to warm south wind.

When attempting to clear the throat of an offensive mucus in the morning, gagging until he vomits the breakfast just eaten (Bry.).

Profuse expectoration of mucus by voluntary hawking, < on rising in morning.

Amenorrhoea, with catarrhal symptoms of eyes and nose; profuse acrid lachrymation.

Menses : painful, regular, flow lasting only one hour ; or late, scanty, short, lasting only one day (Bar.).

Pertussis : excessive lachrymation during cough; cough only in day time (Fer., Nat. m.).

Relations. — Similar: to. Puls, in affections of the eyes; reverse of All. c. in lachrymation and coryza.

Aggravation. — In the evening, in bed, indoors, warmth, moisture ; after exposure to south wind; when touched ( Hep. ) .

Lecture XXXVII — Scrophulariaceae — Digitalis purpurea, Linaria vulgaris, Verbascum, Gratiola, Leptandra virginica and Euphrasia

Euphrasia Officinalis.

Euphrasia is particularly of use to us as a medicine acting on mucous membranes, especially the conjunctiva and the nasal mucous membrane.

It has long been known as a remedy in affections of the eyes. First it produces an inflammation of the eyelids, a blepharitis. The eyelids become reddened and injected, particularly on their inner surface. They become puffed, red or even dark red; ulceration takes place, giving us a discharge which is thick and excoriating. The tears themselves are profuse and excoriate the cheeks. There is marked photophobia; the patient cannot bear sunlight, but even more objectionable to him is artificial light. It has been urged by some physicians that it is "splitting hairs" in attempting to differentiate between aggravation from sunlight and that from artificial light. I cannot see where this objection has any force, for sunlight and artificial light are very different in their compositions.

Belladonna has aggravation from artificial light, and Aconite from sunlight.

In conjunctivitis, Euphrasia is sometimes indicated in scrofulous cases. Little blisters or phlyctenulae form on or near the cornea; the discharges from the eyes are acrid and purulent and a film of mucus seems to collect over the cornea, causing a difficulty in vision. This blurred sight is relieved by wiping the eye or by winking. We find Euphrasia indicated also in conjunctivitis of traumatic origin, when the above symptoms are present. Arnica, which is more of a remedy for bruises, has no application to this acrid discharge or to the formation of these little blisters; so when these form after an injury, Euphrasia is the preferable drug.

Although Euphrasia affects principally the superficial structures of the eye, we find it indicated in rheumatic iritis. If you examine the eye, you find that the iris reacts very tardily to light, and the aqueous humor is cloudy from the admixture of the products of inflammation. The pains are burning, stinging, shooting in character, are worse at night, and are attended with this acrid lachrymation.

Euphrasia is indicated in coryza which is perfectly bland with lachrymation which is excoriating.

If we compare it with its concordant remedies we find, beginning with the eye symptoms, that it is a close ally of Mercurius solubilis. Both remedies have this well-marked blepharitis and conjunctivitis coming from cold. But under Mercurius the discharge is thinner than under Euphrasia; moreover Mercurius has marked aggravation from the heat of the fire, and in damp weather.

Next we find Euphrasia similar to Arsenicum album. Both have the acrid discharge and the formation of phtyctenulae on the cornea, and both are indicated in scrofulous cases. But Arsenicum has more marked burning—burning like fire, especially after midnight. This symptom is frequently though not always relieved by the application of hot water. Nor have we in Euphrasia the marked restlessness we have in Arsenicum.

Another similar drug is Rhus toxicodendron, which has profuse gushing tears, excoriating the check; profuse purulent discharge from the eyes. But the pus is thinner under Rhus than it is under Euphrasia. Rhus more often attacks the right eye; Euphrasia attacks either eye. Rhus has pains in the rheumatic iritis, darting from the eye through to the occiput, with a great deal of restlessness, agony, tossing about at night, and relief from motion and applied heat.

In studying the coryza we are accustomed to associate Euphrasia with Allium cepa. We make this differentiation between the two remedies: Cepa has excoriating coryza and bland lachrymation; Euphrasia, bland coryza and acrid lachrymation.

There is still one other application we may make of Euphrasia, and that is in paralysis of the third pair of nerves, causing ptosis, especially when caused by catching cold, in rheumatic patients. The allies here are Rhus toxicodendron and Causticum, both of which have exactly the same symptom. This gives you very nearly the precise position of Euphrasia in the treatment of catarrh of the eyes and nose.

We may also make use of the drug in the treatment of condylomata. It is useful in broad, flat condylomata of the anus, of course of sycotic origin. Usually there is some oozing of moisture about them.

Manifests itself in inflaming the conjunctival membrane especially, producing profuse lachrymation. Patient is better in open air. Catarrhal affections of mucous membranes especially of eyes and nose. Profuse acrid lachrymation and bland coryza; worse, evening. Hawking up of offensive mucus.

Worse, in evening, indoors, warmth; south winds; from light. Better, from coffee, in dark.

Bursting headache with dazzling of eyes. Catarrhal headache, with profuse discharge from eyes and nose.

Redness and heat of cheeks. Stiffness of upper lip.

Catarrhal conjunctivitis; discharge of acrid matter. The eyes water all the time. Acrid lachrymation; bland coryza (Opposite: Cepa). Discharge thick and excoriating (Mercur thin and acrid). Burning and swelling of the lids. Frequent inclination to blink. Free discharge of acrid matter. Sticky mucus on cornea; must wink to remove it. Pressure in eyes. Little blisters on cornea. Opacities. Rheumatic iritis. Ptosis (Gels; Caust).

Profuse, fluent coryza, with violent cough and abundant expectoration.

Vomiting from hawking mucus. Nausea and bitterness after smoking.

Dysentery. Prolapse ani. Pressure down in anus when sitting. Constipation.

Spasmodic retraction of genitals, with pressure above pubic bone. Condyloma and sycotic excrescences. Prostatitis. Nocturnal irritability of bladder; dribbling urine.

Menses painful; flow lasts only an hour or day; late, scanty, short. Amenorrhœa, with ophthalmia.

Frequent yawning when walking in open air. Profuse, fluent coryza in morning, with much cough and expectoration. Influenza. Gags when clearing the throat in morning. Whooping-cough only in day-time, with profuse lachrymation.

First stage of measles; eye symptoms marked. Consequence of external injuries.

Yawning when walking in open air. Sleepy during day.

Chilly and cold. Sweat mostly on chest, at night during sleep.

Antidotes: Camph; Puls. Compare: Hydrophyllum-Burr -flower––(catarrhal inflammation of eyes; hot lachrymation with itching, swollen lids, dull headache; also for effects of Poison-Oak); Cepa; Ars; Gels; Kali hyd; Sabadilla.

Third to sixth potency.

Euphrasia

Head: Euphrasia is a short acting remedy of great usefulness in acute catarrhal affections with or without fever. Headaches that occur with coryza and eye symptoms, head aches in the evening as if bruised. Stitching pain in the head. Headaches; as if the head would burst with dazzling of the eyes from sunlight. These are catarrhal headaches with profuse watery discharge from the eyes and nose. The eye symptoms of Euphrasia are its most prominent feature.

Catarrh condition of the eyes with copious, acrid, watery discharge with or without coryza. Cutting pain in the eyes extending into the head, pressure in the eyes as if caused by sand. Sensation of dryness, burning, biting in the eyes. Sensation of dust in the eyes. Violent itching of the eyes obliging rubbing and winking, with copious lachrymation. Pupils much contracted and much tumefaction of the mucous membrane with redness and enlarged blood vessels and smarting.

Iritis: from rheumatism or in connection with rheumatic joints. Copious thin or thick discharges. General inflammation of all the tissues of the eyes. Ulceration of the cornea. It has cured Pannus. Pustular inflammation. Opacity of the cornea after injuries of the eye. It is suitable in the most violent acute conjunctivitis. Amblyopia with inflammation of conjunctiva and lids.

Copious lachrymation and burning. The mucous membranes of the lids and eyeballs are injected, red, and vascular. agglutination of the lids in the morning. Copious, acrid lachrymation with fluent discharge from the nose during coryza. Dryness of the lids and the margins of the lids red swollen, and burning. The lids are very sensitive and swollen. The margins of the lids itch and burn.

Suppuration of the margins of the lids. Much swelling of the lids with inflammation. Fine rash about the eyes with puffiness of the lids. Blurred vision. Paralysis of the third nerve. The next most important group of symptoms is in connection with the nose. Sneezing and fluent coryza. The discharge is bland and this occurs with acrid lachrymation. The nasal mucous membrane is swollen.

Profuse, bland, fluent, coryza. After this coryza has existed for a day or two it extends into the larynx with a hard cough. The coryza is worse during the night while lying down. The cough is worse in the daytime and ameliorated by lying down.

The remedy has a rash like measles and it has febrile symptoms; therefore, when these symptoms are duly considered, it will be seen that Euphrasia is similar to the symptoms that occur in measles. It is a wonderful medicine in measles though not so frequently indicated as Pulsatilla, owing to the fact that this combination of symptoms does not often come.

Larynx and cough: Hoarseness in the morning. Irritation in the larynx compelling him to cough, followed by pressure beneath the sternum. Abundant secretion in the larynx causing loose cough with rattling in the chest.

Deep inspiration is difficult. The cough, considered by itself, furnishes a very rare group of symptoms. Cough with copious expectoration along with or following coryza. Difficult respiration ameliorated at night while lying down. Worse in the morning when moving about with copious expectoration. Violent cough from tickling in the larynx. No cough at night causes the remedy to resemble Bry. and Mang. The dyspnoea and cough are ameliorated by lying down. The coryza symptoms, otherwise, are worse at night and from lying down. When these symptoms occur in grippe or influenza, this becomes a very suitable remedy.

The abundance of mucus scraped from the larynx and trachea is often like the ending of bad colds. The expectoration is easy and almost without cough. It comes up without much effort. Pressive pain beneath the sternum showing that the trachea is especially involved in the catarrhal condition. The pain in the eyes is worse in the open air. The coryza is worse in the open air. The cough sometimes comes on in the open air. Windy weather causes fluent coryza. Cold air and windy weather cause lachrymation. He is a chilly patient and cannot get warm in bed.

There is chill, fever, and sweat in this remedy. This chill predominates. The fever occurs mostly during the day with red face and cold hands. The heat descends the body. The perspiration is often confined to the front part of the body. Perspiration during sleep at night. Strange odor sometimes very offensive and most profuse upon the chest. It is especially suitable in catarrhal fever, influenza and measles.

When the symptoms agree, it will make a violent attack of measles turn into a very simple form, making the patient feel better, bring out the eruption, control the fever, and relieve the cough, coryza, and other catarrhal symptoms. Streaming, hot, burning tears with rash, photophobia, running from the nose, intense throbbing headaches, redness of the eyes, photophobia from fever, dry cough during measles.