Gambogia

The effects of the baths are thus described by Constantin James: "General

unpleasant sensation. Instead of expanding [as would be expected in a warm bath] the skin is

drawn up upon itself as if by a tight astringent. There is slight dyspnoea; the abdominal walls

draw together; the testicles rise to the inguinal rings. Soon an unusual warmth, accompanied by

shocks and tremors, spreads throughout all the limbs. The pulse becomes hard and vibrating; the

face becomes suffused; there is humming in the ears. It is now time to leave the bath; to stay

• ▸longer is attended with danger.
• ▸.
• ▸.
• ▸.
• ▸After the seventh to the fourteenth bath the thermal influence

tends to concentrate itself entirely on the nervous system. Thus it seems to the patient that an

increase of vitality spreads through his whole being; he feels more active than before; the longest

walks cause hardly any fatigue, and that is promptly repaired by sleep. But this influence is

particularly predominant in the sexual system; it shows itself in phlegmatic patients in an

increase of force and tone, causing the disappearance of involuntary losses of semen. In energetic

or irritable temperaments it will provoke erotic dreams and unwonted excitement, like

cantharides; in such cases the waters are aphrodisiac."

Such is the general description of the effect of the baths. Among individual symptoms noted are:

Diminished secretions. Activity of all the veins; excitement of the circulation. Weakness and

weariness, with dragging sensation in the abdomen, as if it were too heavy. Exhaustion and

inclination to sleep. Takes cold very easily (caused, then cured). Sensation of indescribable

mental and physical comfort runs through all the fibres during the bath. Pulsation in the body,

especially in the arms, with jumping in them. All symptoms < before a storm; or during the

Sirocco. Contractive sensations predominate. Scar tissues and callosities are affected.

Itching and formication in various parts.—Pains, as if bruised.—Tearing in the

• ▸shoulders.
• ▸—Burning sensation in various parts.
• ▸—Burning-stinging pain.
• ▸—Increased heat, with

anxiety.—Gnawing.

Heavy, with inertia, and drowsiness. Itching and burning in eyes; lids stick together, with sneezing.

Vertigo, as if apoplexy impending; rush of blood to head.—Dizzy heaviness, as after a

night's debauch; reeling forward; afterwards pressure in forehead, with nausea.—Dull headache

in morning.

Itching of the inner canthi, with discharge of acrid, corrosive tears after rubbing; > in

open air.—Nightly agglutination of the lids; burning in the morning.—Violent itching of the eyes

in the evening. —Burning of the eyes, > by walking in the open air.—Violent burning of the eyes

and photophobia, in evening or afternoon, > from walking in the open air, but returning in the

morning.

Expression becomes lively.—Colour fresh and clear.—Feeling of swelling in face, esp.

nose.

Slimy saliva.—Dryness and contraction in mouth—Much mucus in mouth and

spitting.

On biting teeth together they feel as if coated with mucus.—The teeth, esp. the carious

ones, become sensitive and painful.

Rising from the stomach in the morning; was obliged to keep it down by

swallowing.—Gastralgia and water-brash, continuing two months.—A feeling of contraction in

stomach.

Feeling of uncertainty in abdomen.—Most violent pain in region of caecum,

almost causing faintness.

Bleeding hemorrhoids.—Feeling of contraction in rectum.—Two violent

• ▸stitches in left side of anus.
• ▸—Diarrhcea, greenish and bloody.
• ▸—Gall-stones passed.
• ▸—Constipation

and moving of flatulence in abdomen, with ineffectual desire in rectum.—Very hard stool.

Passage of stones from kidneys and bladder.—Excessive amount of

watery, cloudy, odourless urine.—Deposit: mealy, white, sand-like; brick-dust; slimy, purulent.

Passage of fibrous, membranous formation from

uterus.—Menstruation suppressed.—Suppressed menstruation reappears.

Scrotum drawn up.—Increased desire.—Desire increased at first,

disappears later, and coitus is not followed by emission.

Pain in the small of the back, as if bruised or as if sprained.—Gnawing in the os

coccygis.

Veins of hands swollen.—Callous spot on palm of right hand becomes

painful.—Feeling as of a splinter in first phalanx of ring-finger.

Pains in |. hip extending to knee, most violent when rising, and making her

scarcely able to walk without support.—Soles painful when stepping on them; a callous spot

becomes painful.

Skin becomes dry and red.—Skin becomes soft and velvety.—Old scars break out

anew, and foreign bodies are thrown out.—Urticaria; hydroa; pustules; erysipelas; itch-like

eruption.

Great drowsiness.—Confused dreams towards morning.—Dreams of sexual

excitement.

Slight creeping chills over back.—Warmth and turgescence increased.—Perspiration

pungent, clammy, staining linen red (staining it yellow in patients).

• ▸Amenorrheea.
• ▸Apoplexy.
• ▸Calculi.
• ▸Callosities.
• ▸Cold, easily taken.
• ▸Constipation.

• ▸Debility.
• ▸Diarrhoea.
• ▸Gout.
• ▸Hemorrhoids.
• ▸Membranous dysmenorrheea.
• ▸Paralysis.
• ▸Rheumatism.

• ▸Scars.
• ▸Sexual weakness.
• ▸Typhlitis.
• ▸Varicose ulcers.

Compare: Croton; Aloes; Pod.

Third to thirtieth potency. Gamboge painted on the chest in lung tuberculosis is considered by Abrams specific and incipient cases are symptomatically cured in several weeks.

• ▸Feeling of coldness at edge of teeth.
• ▸Great irritability of the stomach; burning, smarting, and dryness of the tongue and throat.
• ▸Pain in the stomach after food.
• ▸Tenderness in epigastrium.
• ▸Pain and distention of abdomen from flatulence, after stool.
• ▸Rumbling and rolling.
• ▸Dysentery, with retained scybala, with pain in sacral region.
• ▸Diarrhoea, with sudden and forcible ejection of bilious stools.
• ▸Tenesmus after, with burning at anus.
• ▸Ileo-caecal region sensitive to pressure.
• ▸Profuse, watery diarrhoea in hot weather, particularly old people.
• ▸Pain in coccyx.

Weakness and heaviness in limbs, with a sensation in arms as if compressed with

iron band or forcibly drawn out.—Tightness in limbs.