Veratrum viride

weakness, staggering, etc. Markedly uneasy. Trembling here and there during sleep, as if on the verge of convulsions. Muscle prostration. General pulsation. Erratic motions. Spasms; with twitchings, shrieks or opisthotonos; before or after menses; as a prodrome. Eclampsia. Uræmia. Burnings; in places; tongue, pharynx, gullet; of skin, which is cold; with prickling. Lies with head low. .................... Loquacity. Mania; puerperal. Delirium, with wild staring eyes and restless hands. Carphology. Head, thrown back; nodding or rolling motions; throbs on raising up; aches on vertex and between eyes. Pains up occiput, with dim vision and dilated pupils. Vision, of red spots; purple, on closing eyes. Deafness, < quick motion. LIVID, TURGID FACE, BUT BECOMES FAINT ON SITTING UP. Apoplexy. Heat stroke. Tension across malar bones. Chewing motions. Red or dry streak down center of tongue. Foul breath. Nausea, with vomiting and purging. Vomiting; violent, without nausea. Hiccough. Œsophagitis. Stomach seems to press against spine. Gastritis. Abdomen aches; cutting at navel. Slow, heavy breathing; as of a weight on chest. Dyspnœa. Violent cough from very start. Pneumonia. Dull, burning ache at heart. Aching neck and shoulders. Vesicles on hands. Cramps in feet, dorsæ, soles, etc. Dreams of water. Full, large, soft pulse or slow, with strong or violent heart beat. Hyperpyrexia or rapidly oscillating temperature; with sweat. Sepsis. Burning in chest. Clothes feel damp. Cold, clammy sweat. Cerebro-spinal fever.

RAISING UP. Motion. Cold. Lying on back. Puerperal states.

Rubbing. Lying with head low. Eating. SUDDEN VIOLENT CONGESTION; cerebellar or thoracic; with nausea and vomiting,

Vaso-motors: MEDULLA. Occiput. CHEST. Stomach. Heart. Capillaries.

Related: Aco. Gel.

Veratrum viride

Green Hellebore. Melanthaceae.

For full-blooded, plethoric persons.

Congestion, especially to base of brain, chest, spine and stomach.

Violent pains attending inflammation.

Acute rheumatism, high fever, full, hard, rapid pulse, severe pains in joints and musdes (Bry., Salyc. ac. ) ; scanty, red urine.

Child trembles, jerks, threatened with convulsions; continual jerking or nodding of the head.

Nervous or sick headache; congestion from suppressed menses; intense, almost apoplectic, with violent nausea and vomiting.

Congestive apoplexy, hot head, bloodshot eyes, thick speech, slow fidl pulse, hard as iron.

Convulsions : dim vision ; basilar meningitis ; head retracted; child on verge of spasms.

Cerebro spinal diseases ; with spasms, dilated pupils, tetanic convulsions, opisthotonos ; cold clammy perspiration.

Sunstroke, head full, throbbing of arteries, sensitive to sound; double or partial vision (Gels., Glon.).

Tongue: white or yellow with red streak down the middle; dry, moist, white or yellow coating, or no coating on either side; feels scalded (Sang.).

Pulse : suddenly increases and gradually decreases below normal; slow, soft, weak; irregular, intermittent (Dig., Tab.).

Veratrum viride should not be given simply to “bring down the pulse,” or “control the heart’s action,” but like any other remedy for the totality of the symptoms.

Lecture XXIV — Melanthaceae — Colchicum, Veratrum album, Veratrum viride and Sabadilla

Veratrum Viride.

Although the name of this drug is similar to that just considered, you must not reason thereby that it produces the same symptoms. Veratrum viride produces congestion of the base of the brain and of the upper portion of the spinal cord. It thus interferes with the function of the pneumogastric nerves. At first it seems to produce engorgement of the lungs, just such as we witness in the beginning of pneumonia. This is associated with a high degree of arterial excitement. If these symptoms go on unchecked, we have dizziness and faintness on attempting to sit up, nausea, cold sweat and orthopnoea, and in fact every symptom of paralysis of the heart from over-exertion of that organ. Thus you will see that Veratrum viride comes in as an invaluable remedy in those violent congestions which precede pneumonia. It may even abort the whole disease.

Veratrum viride also produces oesophagitis, in which disease it may be indicated even when the disorder has arisen from traumatic causes. It is called for by the difficulty of swallowing and the fiery burning pains in the oesophagus.

In chorea it is also indicated, when in addition to the choreic twitching, there is violent congestion of the nerve-centres. Given in a low potency it relieves the congestion, and therefore the nervous disturbances.

We may depend on Veratrum viride even in puerperal convulsions. The cerebral congestion is profound. The patient lies in a condition like that of apoplexy. Between the convulsions she is not conscious, but lies in a deep sleep. The face is red, the eyes are injected and there is violent convulsive twitching. The pulse is full and bounding. In some cases Gelsemium helps when there is a dull, drowsy state of mind, but here the pulse, though full, is soft and flowing.

Quarrelsome and delirious.

White American Hellebore Paroxysms of auricular fibrillation. Induces fall of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Congestions, especially to lungs, base of brain, with nausea and vomiting. Twitchings and convulsions. Especially adapted to full-blooded, plethoric persons. Great prostration. Rheumatism of heart. Bloated, livid face.

Furious delirium. Effects of sunstroke. Œsophagitis. (Farrington). Verat vir, will raise the opsonic index against the diploccus pneumonia, 70 to 109 per cent. Congestive stage and early manifestations of hepatization in pneumonia. Zigzag temperature. Clinically, it is known that such diseases as Tiegel's contracture, Thompson's Disease, athetosis and pseudo-hypertrophic muscular paralysis present a symptomatology quite like that produced by Veratrum vir upon muscular tissue (A. E. Hinsdale, M. D).

Congestion intense, almost apoplectic. Hot head, bloodshot eyes. Bloated, livid face. Hippocratic face. Head retracted, pupils dilated, double vision. Meningitis. Pain from nape of neck; cannot hold head up. Sunstroke; head full, throbbing arteries (Bell; Glon; Usnea). Face flushed. Convulsive twitching of facial muscles (Agaricus). Vertigo with nausea.

White or yellow, with red streak down the middle. Feels scalded. Increased saliva.

Thirsty. Nausea and vomiting. Smallest quantity of food or drink immediately rejected. Constrictive pain; increased by warm drinks. Hiccough; excessive and painful, with spasms of œsophagus. Burning in stomach and œsophagus.

Pain above pelvis, with soreness.

Scanty with cloudy sediment.

Rigid os (Bell; Gels). Puerperal fever. Suppressed menstruation, with congestion to head (Bell). Menstrual colic before the appearance of the discharge with strangury.

Congestion of lungs. Difficult breathing. Sensation of a heavy load on chest. Pneumonia, with faint feeling in stomach and violent congestion. Croup. Menstrual colic before the appearance of the discharge with strangury.

Pulse slow, soft, weak, irregular, intermittent. Rapid pulse, low tension (Tabac; Dig). Constant, dull, burning pain in region of heart. Valvular diseases. Beating of pulses throughout body, especially in right thigh.

Aching pain in back of neck and shoulders. Severe pain in joints and muscles. Violent electric-like shocks in limbs. Convulsive twitchings. Acute rheumatism. Fever.

Erysipelas, with cerebral symptoms. Erythema. Itching in various parts. Hot sweating.

Hyperthermy in the evening and hypothermy in the morning. Suppurative fevers with great variation of temperature.

Compare: Gels; Bapt; Bell; Acon; Ferr phos. Antidotes Strychnin- fluid extract, 20-40 drops.

First to sixth potency.