Part 97

(This appeared in No. 284 of the U. S. Med. Investigator signed "---- M. D."):

In March, 1878, I was cutting wood. I cut down a soft maple; the top was well loaded with moss. It attracted my attention; I viewed it closely. I ate a little, about the size of a hickory nut, as I trimmed up my tree. My head began to ache. I cut off one log, and had to go to the house. I could feel the blood press to the brain. My wife worked over me, and I got to sleep. Next morning felt well; never felt better. I did not think of the moss I had eaten. I went on a visit and was gone five days. On my return I went to my tree. The first sight of it reminded me of my headache.

I gathered some of the moss and made a tincture. I soon had a case of headache to try my remedy on; it stopped at once.

In the fall, about September, a load of young folks came to pick cranberries. Two of the young ladies had headache from riding in the hot sun. Both took to the lounge. Now for my remedy. I put one drop of tincture in a goblet of water, gave a teaspoonful; ordered another in fifteen minutes. The second dose stopped the pain.

A young married lady came on a visit to a relative--was having pains in her head. I was sent for; found her wild with pain. She said she had been subject to headache for five years; had got tired of doctoring. Gave her one drop in a cup of water, teaspoonful in twenty minutes; no more pain. I put ten drops in a two-drachm vial of alcohol, directed her to take one drop when she felt her headache coming on. One year after she wrote her friend it had cured headache; sent thanks to me.

I could give many more cases where the pain is over the entire head, or front head, with a feeling as if the temples would burst or the eyes would burst out of their sockets. I have always used the tincture. I have not noticed any other effect from it; would like to see a proving.

VERBENA HASTATA.

NAT. ORD., Verbenaceae.

COMMON NAMES, Blue Vervain, Purvain, Wild Hyssop.

PREPARATION.--One part of the fresh plant, in flower, is macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.

(An extract from a paper by Dr. J. N. White, Queen City, Texas, detailing at length the case of a five-year-old boy, who, after six weeks of whooping cough, developed epileptic symptoms, having as high as twelve spasms in twenty-four hours. After two months of treatment with such remedies as Solanum Car., Sulphonal, Hyoscyamus, Cannabis Ind., Calomel, Zinc, etc., with no results, the case was given Verbena hastata. Another doctor was in consultation and we quote:)

I told my friend (the Doctor) that when he became satisfied with the zinc treatment I wanted to try another eclectic remedy. (The Doctor was an allopath.) He was perfectly willing and I put him on Verbena hastata, 12 minims every four hours, skipping the dose at midnight. After we both took the case we decided, as there were no curative properties in the sulfonal, we would drop it, and not use anything to control the paroxysms, and consequently the boy seemed to get worse to the parents, as he would have several falling spells a day. From the first dose of the Verbena hastata the boy began to improve. He would have contractions of the muscles of the arms and legs and look wild for a minute or more for the first week, but after that he never had another symptom. We kept him on the medicine, as above, for six weeks, and now he takes twelve drops three times a day.

He has not had any symptom in over two months, and all that wild vacant look is gone, and he plays, eats, sleeps, etc., as if he had never been troubled with epilepsy.

VISCUM ALBUM.

NAT. ORD., Loranthaceae.

COMMON NAME, Mistletoe.

PREPARATION.--One part of the fresh leaves and berries is macerated in twice its weight of alcohol.

(The following account of this ancient remedy was published in the Allgemeine Hom. Zeitung, 1886:)

The Grand Universal Panacea of the old Gauls and Germans.--By Dr. v. Gerstel, of Regensburg.--This parasite shrub belongs to the 22d class, Linne, is found on various trees, and was prized above all others as a healing remedy in the Gallic and German antiquity. The Druids--their priests--were at the same time naturalists, metaphysicians, doctors and sorcerers, and to the mistletoe growing on oaks were ascribed, above all other plants, marvelous healing powers. That the oak mistletoe was prized above all those growing on fruit or other trees, as a remedy, may be due to the fact that in ancient times all oaks and oak groves were regarded with a holy veneration, being considered the favorite abodes of the old German deities. The mistletoe growing on oaks was therefore venerated by the ancient Gauls and Germans as the holiest of heaven-sent gifts to mankind. It was applied in all diseases, and without it no religious service could be conducted. From the Germanic mythology we know that as a priest--a Druid--discovered a mistletoe growing on an oak, he at once called up all the brethren of his order of the neighborhood. They doffed the many-colored garments in daily use, and donned flowing white robes as a sign of humility in the presence of the divine plant. The highest in rank approached the tree provided with a golden sickle, bent his knees, and was then lifted by his companions on high until he could reach the plant. This was then cut with the golden sickle and prepared and preserved for sacred and for healing purposes.

If it could be secured six days after the new moon, the most exhalted healing properties were attributed to it, and it was at once made into a potion which, mixed with the blood of steers that had never done any work and which had been immolated beneath the oaks, formed a draught which brought blessings, fruitfulness, health and prosperity to all who could partake of it.

As at that time, and for a long time after, the origin and propagation of the parasitic plant was unknown, it was surrounded with a magic halo, and by virtue of its undoubted healing qualities, especially in gout, rheumatism, nerve pains of various kinds, neuralgias, especially of the rheumatic and gouty variety, as well as of its close affinity with and influence upon the female sexual system, it was accorded the highest rank among all remedies by the Priestesses, the female Druids.

About the year 1857-58, I passed one year in the town of Steger, in upper Austria, as physician to Prince Lamberg; there I became well acquainted with Dr. W. Huber, at the time physician to the Homoeopathic Hospital of the "Sisters of Mercy," and found in him also an antiquary of considerable learning. His researches brought to his notice in what high veneration the mistletoe was held by the ancient Germans and Gauls and its employment as a universal healing remedy. Dr. Huber, who was a man of unusual intelligence and of high scientific acquirements, desired to learn the true sphere of action of this important remedy, and preparing a mother-tincture from the mistletoe--lege artis--he proved the several dilutions on himself and others, men and women, thus truly following the example of Hahnemann and his disciples. I still possess some of this identical tincture as prepared by Dr. Huber, who, I am grieved to say, died suddenly of apoplexy during my sojourn, in the year 1858.

Dr. Huber carefully collated all the symptoms experienced by his provers; he had a great predilection for the mistletoe, which he prescribed in many different ailments. He frequently conversed with me about its healing properties, and often gave it in his hospital and in his private practice. He used it chiefly in the 3d and 6th decimal dilution. According to Dr. Huber, the symptoms of Viscum album are similar to those of Aconite, Bryonia, Pulsatilla, Rhododendron, Rhus and Spigelia, i.e., are in accord with our foremost anti-arthritic and anti-rheumatic remedies. Viscum has symptoms in common with each of these remedies, and is thus particularly useful in gouty and rheumatic complaints, in acute as well as in chronic cases; more particularly in those having tearing pains in no matter what part of the body. It follows well after Aconite in acute rheumatism. It is also very effective in different neuralgias of a gouty or rheumatic origin, as in ischias, prosopalgia, periostitis, and especially in earache, tearing pains in the ears, and otitis. It is a sovereign remedy in rheumatic deafness. As causa excitans of diseases amenable to it may be regarded high winds, i.e., all gouty, rheumatic or other ailments which, similarly to Rhus and Rhododendron, are aggravated by sharp north or northwest winds, such as we have in winter. For this reason Viscum is more often applicable in the colder season than in summer, or at time when gouty or rheumatic affections or pains are usually aggravated. It has also been found beneficial in asthmatic complaints if connected with gout or rheumatism.

The mistletoe moreover stands in a peculiarly close relation to the female sexual system (uterus), and especially to the climacteric period, when women cease to menstruate and chronic or periodical haemorrhages are often met with. Viscum also promotes labor pains similarly to Pulsatilla and Secale, and is especially efficient in effecting the expulsion of the placenta, also in incarcerated placenta.

When the great army of gouty and rheumatic ailments which may befall all parts of the body are taken into consideration, as well as the manifold sufferings originating in the female sexual system, which manifest themselves as menorrhagias as well as amenorrhoea, but more often are caused by congestive states,--when we consider the powerful influence of the mistletoe on these forms of diseases as brought out by the careful homoeopathic provings on the healthy, is it to be marvelled at that the old Gauls and Germans venerated it, by whose mysterious origin they were overawed, as a sovereign remedy for their ailments and sufferings, as a sacred gift presented by the gods of mankind?

(The following clinical case is from Hom. World, 1876, by Dr. Ivatts:)

October 24, 1875.--T. H----, aet. about fifty. Rheumatism for the last six years of ankle, wrists, and knuckle joints, also pains across the lumbar muscles. Extreme distress on motion, with weariness and pain. Great pain in walking. Worse on commencing to move, but after continuing the movement for a time the pain diminishes. No pain when at rest except when warm in bed, when the ankle and wrist joints are occasionally very bad. Patient holds a degree L.R.C.S.I., but has relinquished practice for fifteen years and travelled abroad. Never could get relief from the rheumatism.--Viscum album No. 1, five drops twice a day. November 14.--After taking medicine for ten days the weary feeling gradually diminished, and the muscular motion became free from distress. Has now continued medicine for three weeks, and he says, "I am quite free from rheumatic pains." February 18, 1876.--Saw patient to-day, and he tells me he has continued quite free from the rheumatic pains since November.

(Dr. E. M. Holland wrote as follows concerning the remedy, Medical Summary, 1898:)