Gelsemium

Gelsemium, which belongs to the same order of plants as Nux vomica and

Curare, 1s not only one of the most important additions to the materia medica for whose

introduction we are mainly indebted to Hale, but it is also in the first rank of importance among

the vegetable polychrests. A drug is of importance in homceopathy not so much by reason of the

great number of the symptoms it causes, as by possessing a number of well-marked and clearly

characterised symptoms which correspond to symptoms constantly met with in every-day

practice. It was this which at once gave Gelsem. a place among the polychrests of homceopathy.

Like its botanical relatives, Ge/sem. is a great paralyser. It produces a general state of paresis,

mental and bodily. The mind is sluggish; the whole muscular system is relaxed; the limbs feel so

heavy he can hardly move them. This condition exists in the cases of typhoid that call for it; the

lassitude is expressed by the patient; with Mur. ac. there is the lassitude, but the patient does not

express it. The same paretic condition is shown in the eyelids, causing ptosis; in the eye muscles,

causing diplopia; in the cesophagus, causing loss of swallowing power; in the anus, which

remains open; in diarrhoea from depressing emotions or bad news; in relaxation of the genital

organs. Functional paralyses of all descriptions. This is shown again in some features of the

headaches. They are accompanied by blurring of the sight, and relieved by a copious discharge

of watery urine from a paretic condition of the kidneys. Conversely there may be a desire to

urinate during the night, and if the call is not immediately responded to a violent headache

supervenes. Post-diphtheritic paralysis; debility after pollutions; great prostration from irritability

of seminal vesicles. The mental prostration is typified in "funk," as before an examination, stage-

fright, effects of anger, grief, bad news, and is accompanied by drooping eyelids. Alcoholic

stimulants relieve all complaints where Gels. is useful. Hysterical dysphagia or aphonia, after

emotions. Measles and eruptive disorders, with drowsy state, stiff used face, and even

• ▸convulsions.
• ▸Convulsions are no less marked in Gels.
• ▸than paralyses.
• ▸Erskine White (H.
• ▸W.
• ▸,

xxxii. 501) cured an infant born in convulsions three weeks after its mother had been terribly

frightened by seeing her little brother nearly burnt to death. The only guiding symptom was "the

child's chin guivered incessantly." In thirty seconds after the dose the quivering ceased; in three

minutes the convulsions were at an end. White had to ride twelve miles over mountains to reach

the patient after receiving the summons, so the convulsions must have lasted a considerable time.

Tremor is a keynote of the remedy. Gels. is adapted to children and young people; to persons of a

nervous, hysterical temperament; to irritable, sensitive, excitable people. The following provings

• ▸related by Dr.
• ▸George Logan, of Ottawa (Med.
• ▸Adv.
• ▸, xxiii.
• ▸125) show the power Gels.
• ▸has over

the mental sphere. The subject of the first was Mrs. Logan, who describes her experience thus:-

"A few moments after taking the medicine there is an extreme feeling of restlessness—not able to

be still for a second, keep turning and twisting all the time. This is succeeded by intense pain

over the right eye, always the right; it seems as if my forehead would come right over my eyes

and close them; my eyes feel as if they were turning into my head, roll up all the time. Then a

strong inclination to commit suicide. Want to throw myself from a height; invariably think of

going to the window and dashing myself down—feel as if it would be a relief. This is succeeded

by an inclination to weep, and I generally have a good cry, but before I cry and while the feeling

lasts of wishing to throw myself from a height, I clench my hands, and nervous rigors or

sensations run all over my body down to my fingers and toes; it seems as if I would lose my

senses. Then a great dread of being alone seizes me, and I am afraid of what may happen; think I

may lose all self-control. The pain still continues over the right eye, and often the back part of

my head seems to have a spot about four inches square that is turning to ice. These feelings are

followed by a strong inclination to talk or write, very great exhilaration, and a better opinion of

my mental capacity—indeed it seems as if my memory was better, that I can recall almost

anything I ever read; nearly always repeat long passages of something to myself that I have read

years before. It appears to me that I can remember almost anything I love to recall. Now this is

my invariable experience whenever I take Gelsemium—no matter whether in the 3rd or 1,000th

potency—and I have been in the habit of using it for twenty years. I am writing this under the

influence of the drug. I could not give the symptoms so accurately at any other time. As I am

getting over the effects of the drug I have to urinate every few minutes. While suffering I like to

have people in the room—have a perfect horror of being alone. I find Cinchona an antidote for

most of the symptoms, but it leaves me much exhausted, thoroughly tired, and with a wish to be

quiet."

• ▸Dr.
• ▸Logan adds that he first gave the patient Gels.
• ▸2 for insomnia and headache.
• ▸It produced the

symptom "wishing to throw herself from a height" so markedly that he was alarmed lest she

should carry it out. A year or two after, wishing to give the remedy again, he gave two pellets of

the 30th—with the same result. He next prescribed the 1,000th, and the result of that was the

proving now related. Here is the second case in Dr. Logan's words:—

• ▸"TI gave Mr.
• ▸Dorion, since Dr.
• ▸Dorion, of St.
• ▸Paul, five or six, drops of Gelsemium 1st for some

ailment the nature of which I fail now to remember. Within a few hours after taking the

Gelsemium I was sent for to see Mr. Dorion, who, I was told, was 'insane.' He was brandishing a

sword in a threatening manner, and frightening all the occupants of the house. On my arrival at

his room I found him in the position of 'shouldering arms' with his sword. I playfully admired his

military appearance, and thus secured the dangerous weapon, very much to the relief of his

fellow-boarders. It then occurred to me that the symptoms were produced by Gel/semium, and

placing him in charge of one of the boarders, I returned to my office in order to procure the

antidote, of which I was unaware at the time. I gave Cinchona 30 each half-hour, which, in the

• ▸course of two or three hours brought him all right again.
• ▸" J.
• ▸H.
• ▸Nankivell drank two ounces of

tincture of Ge/sem. instead of a glass of sherry. He walked a few feet with assistance and in

another minute his legs were paralysed. He dragged himself to the bedside with his arms, but

they were unable to help him to bed, into which he had to be lifted. As long as he lay quiet there

was no trouble, but on the least exertion there were excessive tremors. Vomiting occurred during

• ▸the next twenty-four hours.
• ▸Temperature rose to 101.
• ▸5° F.
• ▸Heart's action very violent and

intermittent (possibly an aggravation of existing disease). All the muscles of the eyes were

affected, but of voluntary muscles those of the right side suffered most. Prolonged conversation

involved paralysis of upper lip. There was somnolence; absence of mental excitement; and good

appetite. The effects passed away in the order of occurrence, from below upwards; but after the

arms had recovered, vision was not perfect for twenty-four hours. A patient of mine once took a

drachm of the tincture for a headache. On going out he could not tell which side of the street he

• ▸was on.
• ▸He was near St.
• ▸Paul's Cathedral and saw two cathedrals instead of one.
• ▸The following

• ▸case of poisoning was recorded by Dr.
• ▸Edward Jepson (Brit.
• ▸Med.
• ▸Jour.
• ▸, Sept.
• ▸19, 1891, p.
• ▸644).

Although Gels. was given with other drugs, and on the last occasion with one of its antidotes

(quinine), which probably saved the patient's life, the symptoms are unmistakably those of

Gels.:-

"About two months ago Miss W., aged about forty, an inmate of my house, was seized with very

severe neuralgia about both temples. I gave her tincture of Gelsemium 10 minims, with a bismuth

mixture to be taken every two or three hours. After taking this for about a day and obtaining no

relief—but rather she grew worse, being, as is described, 'nearly mad with pain'—I gave her the

full dose of the tincture of Gelsemium, according to Squire's Companion of the Pharmacopeia,

1882, and Whitla's Materia Medica, third edition, namely, 20 minims in a quinine mixture. This

was taken every three hours, but with only moderate relief, three or four doses having been taken

during the night. At about eight o'clock the following morning Miss W. was able to speak pretty

well, and said she thought she was better. At about nine o'clock she was speechless and in the

greatest distress of mind and body; there was total loss of power in the tongue; it could not be

protruded, she could not articulate, and with very great difficulty could she swallow the brandy

and water we forced upon her. There was alteration in vision; she could not distinguish us

clearly, and the pupils were widely dilated. She had uncertain power over the muscles of the

hand and arm, so that she could not write her name. All this time she was perfectly conscious,

and nodded her head in answer to questions. She was greatly alarmed as to herself, and, as she

informed us afterwards, she thought she was about to have a fit. Not knowing of any special

antidote for Ge/semium, and seeing that there was no time to lose if we wanted to avert any

increase of the paralysis, it fortunately came into my mind to give her a subcutaneous injection

of Strychnine, using 1 minim of the liquor Strychnine, or 1-120th part of a grain. Ten minutes

after this the change for the better was most marked; there was return of power in the tongue and

• ▸in the hands, and an improvement in the vision.
• ▸.
• ▸.
• ▸.
• ▸| again injected a minim of the Strychnine,

and with further improvement in the condition of the patient. After this she took food and

stimulants, and all paralysis disappeared. The vision was not perfectly restored for some hours,

the pupils being less dilated. She had some return of the neuralgia, and was very weak for a few

days, but eventually she quite recovered, and has had altogether better health since this event

• ▸than she had prior to it.
• ▸" Ge/sem.
• ▸in the attenuations is a great neuralgic remedy.
• ▸I have cured

among other cases one of neuralgia of the anterior crural nerve. The paralysis of the tongue

recalls another condition, trembling of the tongue, which is one indication for Gels. in typhoid, in

which it is a leading remedy. The tongue is only thinly coated, and has not the dark streak of the

• ▸Bapt.
• ▸tongue.
• ▸The Gels.
• ▸face is flushed crimson, but not quite as besotted as that of Bapt.
• ▸There

is excessive weakness and trembling, but the consciousness is not so clouded. In coryza and hay

fever Gels. has an important place. Early morning sneezing and streaming colds are a strong

indication. The characteristic headache of Gels. begins in the occiput and spreads over the whole

head, settling down over eyes. Dizziness and dim vision, and dizziness rising up from occiput

and spreading over whole head, with depression, from heat of summer. Headache with stiff neck,

< in morning; > urinating; preceded by blur before eyes, drowsiness with headache, difficulty in

keeping eyes open, dull headache over eyes to vertex and occiput, with irregular action of eye-

muscles. Neurotic symptoms in cigar-makers, impotence, palpitation. Many symptoms occur in

• ▸connection with the sexual organs, male and female.
• ▸[J.
• ▸H.
• ▸Allen (H.
• ▸P.
• ▸, xiii.
• ▸244) cured a case of

hydrosalpingitis, of gonorrhceal origin, with Gels. 1m. The symptoms were: Feeling of fulness

and heaviness in uterine region, cramp-like pains during menses, sharp pains moving from uterus

to back and hips. A languid aching in back and hips a day or so before menses; great weakness

and loss of power in lower extremities; very little pain after menses began. Lump in throat which

she cannot swallow. After menses, pains in back of head and spine. Pains running up back of

neck, with a feeling of tightness in the brain; irritable, easily angered. Fever in afternoon,

twitching of muscles. Menses last eight days; for first three days appear natural, but afterwards

very light-coloured, like serum. The tumour, which was in the left side of abdomen, disappeared

in three months, improvement having set in from the first.] Dysmenia; epileptiform convulsions

at menstrual period; rigid os in labour; chill, beginning in hands; or feet; and running up back.

There is < both before, during, and after menses. Itching of skin; eruption like measles.

Sensations of lightness: of head, of body. Sensation as if the head were enlarged; as if there were

a tape round the head; as if the skin were contracted in the middle of the forehead; sensation

from throat up into left nostril like a stream of scalding water; sensation as if a lump were in

cesophagus; load in stomach as if stomach were quite gone; as if the uterus were squeezed by a

hand; as if he would die; as if the blood ceased to circulate as if the heart would stop unless he

kept moving; as if a knife were thrust through from occiput to forehead; as if eyes were jumping

out of head; as if a lump were in throat which could not be swallowed. The stools of Gelsem.,

whether loose or constipated, are mostly yellow, like the flower. The colour comes out also in

the colour of the tongue, and bilious symptoms generally. Wants to lie down and rest. Wants to

be held, that he may not shake. Motion < most symptoms; > muscular pains; > heart. Rising from

seat = pain in heart. Shaking head > heaviness of head. Lifting arms = trembling of hands.

• ▸Playing piano = tired sensation in arms.
• ▸(J.
• ▸G.
• ▸Blackley pointed out the suitability of Gels.
• ▸to

writer's cramp and professional paralyses. I have relieved with it cases of Dupuytren's

contraction.) Great distress and apprehensive feeling at approach of a thunderstorm. Heat of sun

or summer <. Hot applications > pain back of head. Must be covered in all stages of the

paroxysm. Complaints from sudden change from hot or dry to damp air. Catarrh occurring in

warm, moist, relaxing weather. < Damp weather; cold, damp atmosphere; > cold, open air; <

from fog. Cold drinks are vomited immediately; warm or spirituous drinks can partially be

swallowed. "> From stimulants" is a very general characteristic.

• ▸Depressing emotions.
• ▸Fright.
• ▸Anger.
• ▸Bad news.
• ▸Sun.
• ▸Heat.
• ▸Damp weather, warm or

• ▸cold.
• ▸Thunderstorms.
• ▸Alcohol.
• ▸Self-abuse.

• ▸Desire to be quiet, to be left alone.
• ▸Dullness, languor, listless.
• ▸"Discernings are lethargied.
• ▸" Apathy regarding his illness.
• ▸Absolute lack of fear.
• ▸Delirious on falling to sleep.
• ▸Emotional excitement, fear, etc, lead to bodily ailments.
• ▸Bad effects from fright, fear, exciting news.
• ▸Stage fright.
• ▸Child starts and grasps the nurse, and screams as if afraid of falling (Bor).

Great irritability, does not wish to be spoken to.—Irritable, sensitive; desires to be let

alone.—Incapacity to think or fix the attention.—Vivacity, carelessness, followed by depression of

spirits —Unconnected ideas; cannot follow an idea for any length of time; if he attempts to think

consecutively he is attacked by a painful vacant feeling of the mind.—Loss of memory, with

• ▸headache.
• ▸—Unconsciousness.
• ▸—Delirium in sleep; half-waking, with incoherent talk.
• ▸—Acts as if

crazy, brandishes a sword in a threatening manner.—Stupor, cannot open the eyes.—Dulness of

the mental faculties Sensation of intoxication, with diarrhoea.—Cataleptic immobility, with

dilated pupils, closed eyes, but conscious.—Confusion; when attempting to move, the muscles

refuse to obey the will; head giddy.—Strong inclination to suicide —Want to throw myself from a

height. Invariably think of going to the window. This is succeeded by an inclination to weep, and

I generally have a good cry, and while the desire to throw myself from a height lasts, I clench my

hands and nervous rigors run all over my body down to fingers and toes. It seems as if I should

lose my senses.—Dread of being alone; afraid of what may happen; think I may lose self-control.

These feelings are followed by a strong inclination to talk or write, increased sense of mental

capacity and memory.—Every exciting news causes diarrhoea; bad effects from fright and

fear—Cowardice.

Hyperesthesia.—Excessive irritability of mind and body.—Paralytic

affections, muscles weak and will not obey the will.—Complete relaxation and prostration of the

whole muscular system, with entire motor paralysis.—Trembling and weakness; listless and

languid; easily fatigued Rheumatic pains (wandering) in the bones and joints

(night)—Spasmodic contractive pains.—Sensation as if bruised.—Neuralgia; acute, sudden,

darting pains; shooting, tearing along the tracks of the nerves; esp. if aggravated by changes in

the weather.—Congestions, arterial or venous, with sluggish circulation.

Vertigo, spreading from occiput. Heaviness of head; band-feeling around and

• ▸occipital headache.
• ▸Dull, heavy ache, with heaviness of eyelids; bruised sensation; better, compression and lying with head high.
• ▸Pain in temple, extending into ear and wing of nose, chin.
• ▸Headache, with muscular soreness of neck and shoulders.
• ▸Headache preceded by blindness; better, profuse urination.
• ▸Scalp sore to touch.
• ▸Delirious on falling asleep.
• ▸Wants to have head raised on pillow.

Staggering as if intoxicated when trying to move; < from smoking.—Lightheaded and

dizzy; < by sudden movement of the head, and walking.—Giddiness as if intoxicated, as if he

should fall down.—Dizziness and blurred vision.—Giddiness with loss of sight, chilliness,

accelerated pulse, dulness of vision, double vision.—Sensation of falling in children; child starts,

grasps nurse or crib and screams out from fear of falling.—Intense pain over r. eye, as if forehead

would come right over eyes and close them.—Sick headache, principally r. temple, beginning in

the morning and increasing during day; < from motion and light; > after lying down; > by sleep

or vomiting.—Neuralgic headache, beginning in upper cervical spine; vertebra prominens

sensitive; numbness of occipital region; pains extend over head, causing a bursting pain in

forehead and eyeballs; < at 10 a.m., when lying; with nausea, vomiting, cold sweat, cold

feet.—Cerebro-spinal meningitis, stage of congestion; severe chill; dilated pupils; congestion of

spine and brain.—Fulness in the head, with heat in the face and chilliness.—Great heaviness of the

head, relieved by profuse micturition—Pressure on vertex, so great as to extend into shoulders;

head feels very heavy.—Pain as from a tape around the head.—Dull pain in the back part of the

head after breakfast, worse when moving and stooping.—Back part of head seems to have a spot

four inches square that is turning to ice.—Sensation as if the brain were bruised.—With the

headache giddiness, faintness, pain in the neck, pulsation of the carotid arteries, pain in the limbs

great drowsiness, sneezing, double vision, loss of sight—Sensation of contraction of the skin in

the middle of the forehead.—Itching on the head (face, neck, shoulders), preventing sleep.

• ▸Ptosis; eyelids heavy; patient can hardly open them.
• ▸Double vision.
• ▸Disturbed muscular apparatus.
• ▸Corrects blurring and discomfort in eyes even after accurately adjusted glasses.
• ▸Vision blurred, smoky (Cycl; Phos).
• ▸Dim-sighted; pupils dilated and insensible to light.
• ▸Orbital neuralgia, with contraction and twitching of muscles.
• ▸Bruised pain back of the orbits.
• ▸One pupil dilated, the other contracted.
• ▸Deep inflammations, with haziness of vitreous.
• ▸Serous inflammations.
• ▸Albuminuric retinitis.
• ▸Detached retina, glaucoma and descemetitis.
• ▸Hysterical amblyopia.

Eyes feel bruised.—Y ellow colour of the eyes.—Drooping of the eyelids; they are

heavy; can hardly open them or keep them open.—Fulness and congestion of the eyelids;

paralysis of the eyelids —Double vision controllable by the strength of the will, or when looking

sideways, not when looking straight forward.—Eyeballs oscillate laterally when using

them.—Double vision, cannot tell which side of the street he is on—Diplopia and dim vision

during pregnancy—Amaurosis from masturbation.—Smoky appearance before the eyes, with

pain above them.—Detached retina —Dimness of sight, and vertigo.—Cannot see anything

• ▸(complete blindness).
• ▸—Sudden blindness.
• ▸—Pupils dilated.
• ▸—Aversion to light; more to candle-

light.—Thirst for light —Confusion of sight; blindness; astigmatism.

Sudden loss of hearing for a short time; rushing and roaring in ears.—Catarrhal

deafness, with pain from throat into middle ear—(Deafness and loss of speech from

quinine.).—Earache from cold.

• ▸Sneezing; fullness at root of nose.
• ▸Dryness of nasal fossae.
• ▸Swelling of turbinates.
• ▸Watery, excoriating discharge.
• ▸Acute coryza, with dull headache and fever.

Sneezing followed by tingling and fulness in the nose.—Early morning sneezing;

streaming of water from nose.—Sneezing with fluent coryza; profuse watery discharge excoriates

the nostrils.—Sensation of fulness at root of nose extending to neck and clavicles.

• ▸Hot heavy, flushed, besotted-looking (Bapt; Op).
• ▸Neuralgia of face.
• ▸Dusky hue of face, with vertigo and dim vision.
• ▸Facial muscles contracted, especially around the mouth.
• ▸Chin quivers.
• ▸Lower jaw dropped.

Heavy, dull expression of the countenance.—Heavy, besotted expression; flushed and

hot to the touch.—Heat of the face with fulness in head and cold feet—Lips dry, hot, and

coated.—Paralysis of upper lips after prolonged conversation.—Yellow colour of the

• ▸face.
• ▸—Paleness and nausea.
• ▸—Erythema of the face and neck.
• ▸—The muscles of the face seem to be

contracted, esp. around the mouth, making it difficult to speak.—Orbital neuralgia in distinct

paroxysms, with contractions and twitching of the muscles on the affected side —Stiffness of the

• ▸jaws, the jaws are locked.
• ▸—Lower jaw dropped.
• ▸—Chin quivers incessantly.
• ▸—Lower jaw began

wagging sideways; had no control over it.

Putrid taste and breath. Tongue numb, thick, coated, yellowish, tremble, paralyzed.

Saliva coloured yellow as from blood.—The tongue is coated yellowish-white with

fetid breath.—Putrid taste and fetid breath—Sticky, feverish feeling in the mouth.—Lips dry;

coated with dark mucus.—Thick coating of the tongue (during the chill) —Tongue red, raw,

painful, dry, inflamed in the middle-—Numbness of the tongue; feels so thick he can hardly

speak; partial paralysis.

Dryness and burning in throat.—Dry roughness in throat when coughing. —Dryness

of throat with hoarseness.—Sensation of heat and constriction in throat.—Burning in the mouth

extending to throat and stomach.—Spasmodic sensations and cramp-like pains in

gullet.—Sensation as if a foreign body were lodged in the throat.—Difficult deglutition (paralytic

dysphagia).—Swallowing causes shooting into the ear—Diphtheria; local tingling of the parts

during the fever; incipient paralysis.

• ▸Difficult swallowing, especially of warm food.
• ▸Itching and tickling in soft palate and naso-pharynx.
• ▸Pain in sterno-cleido-mastoid, back of parotid.
• ▸Tonsils swollen.
• ▸Throat feels rough, burning.
• ▸Post-diphtheritic paralysis.
• ▸Tonsillitis; shooting pain into ear.
• ▸Feeling of a lump in throat that cannot be swallowed.
• ▸Aphonia.
• ▸Swallowing causes pain in ear (Hep; Nux).
• ▸Difficult swallowing.
• ▸Pain from throat to ear.

As a rule, the Gelsemium patient has no thirst. Hiccough; worse in the evening. Sensation of emptiness and weakness at the pit of the stomach, or of an oppression, like a heavy load.

Thirst (during the perspiration).—Increased appetite, easily satisfied with small

• ▸quantities of food.
• ▸—Sour eructations.
• ▸—Nausea (with giddiness and headache).
• ▸—Sensation of

emptiness in the stomach.—Feeling of emptiness and weakness in the stomach and

bowels.—Oppression and fulness in stomach; < from pressure of clothing.—Burning in the

stomach extending to the mouth.

Gnawing pain in the transverse colon.—Sudden spasmodic pains in upper part of

abdomen, compelling him to cry, leaving a sensation of contraction.—Sensation of soreness in

• ▸abdominal walls.
• ▸—Tenderness in r.
• ▸iliac region during typhus.
• ▸—Rumbling in abdomen with

discharge of wind above and below.—Periodic colic with diarrhoea (yellow discharges setting in

in the evening.).—Acute catarrhal enteritis during damp weather.

• ▸Diarrhoea from emotional excitement, fright, bad news (Phos ac).
• ▸Stool painless or involuntary.
• ▸Cream-colored (Calc), tea-green.
• ▸Partial paralysis of rectum and sphincter.

Frequent discharge of flatus.—The soft stool is passed with difficulty as if

the sphincter ani resisted the passage by contraction. —Paralysis of the sphincter ani, with

disposition to prolapsus ani.—Stools loose, colour of tea, dark yellow.—Stools yellow; feecal;

bilious; cream-coloured; clay-coloured; green.—Diarrhcea with intermittent fever.—Diarrhoea

after sudden emotions, grief, fright, bad news; anticipation of any unusual ordeal.

Frequent micturition (relieving the headache).—Copious discharge of

clear, limpid urine, relieving the headache.—Incontinence from paralysis of the sphincter; in

nervous children—Tenesmus of the bladder.—Irritable neck of bladder (in hysterical women),

calling for constant urination.

• ▸Profuse, clear, watery, with chilliness and tremulousness.
• ▸Dysuria.
• ▸Partial paralysis of bladder; flow intermittent (Clematis).
• ▸Retention.

• ▸Rigid os (Bell).
• ▸Vaginismus.
• ▸False labor-pains; pains pass up back.
• ▸Dysmenorrhoea, with scanty flow; menses retarded.
• ▸Pain extends to back and hips.
• ▸Aphonia and sore throat during menses.
• ▸Sensation as if uterus were squeezed (Cham; Nux v; Ustilago).

Sensation of heaviness in the uterus.—Sensation as if uterus

squeezed by a band.—Suppressed menstruation with convulsions (every evening).—Metrorrhagia;

almost continuous flow without any pain; after ague suppressed by quinine.—Severe, sharp,

labour-like pains extending to back and hips.—Dizziness and headache with

amenorrhocea.—Ailments from masturbation with depression and languor.—Rigidity of the neck of

the uterus —Spasmodic or neuralgic dysmenorrhoea.—Vaginismus.—Leucorrheea; white; in

• ▸gushes; with backache.
• ▸—Spasmodic labour-pains.
• ▸—False labour-pains; rigid os.
• ▸—Premature

labour (abortion) (after fright).—During pregnancy, violent pains in the uterus, headache,

drowsiness, double vision, obscuration of sight, giddiness, pulsation of the carotid arteries, small,

slow pulse.—Cramps in the abdomen and legs during pregnancy; diplopia; drowsiness; loss of

muscular power; convulsions.—Inefficient labour-pains or none at all; os widely dilated;

complete atony.

• ▸Spermatorrhoea, without erections.
• ▸Genitals cold and relaxed (Phos ac).
• ▸Scrotum continually sweating.
• ▸Gonorrhoea, first stage; discharge scanty; tendency to corrode; little pain, but much heat; smarting at meatus.

Genitals cold and relaxed.—Involuntary emission of semen without

an erection; also during stool.—Excitable sexual desire (spermatorrhoea).—Sexual power

exhausted, slightest caress causes an emission.—Painful redness at the urethra.—_(Secondary

gonorrhcea. )

• ▸Slowness of breathing, with great prostration.
• ▸Oppression about chest.
• ▸Dry cough, with sore chest and fluent coryza.
• ▸Spasm of the glottis.
• ▸Aphonia; acute bronchitis, respiration quickened, spasmodic affections of lungs and diaphragm.

Voice weak.—Paralysis of the glottis with difficult

deglutition.—Spasm of the glottis, in evening, threatening suffocation.—Roughness of the throat,

• ▸raw, as if ulcerated in the larynx.
• ▸—Bronchitis.
• ▸—Hoarseness with dryness of the throat.
• ▸—Burning

in the larynx, descending into the trachea.—Dry cough with soreness of the chest and fluent

coryza.—Breathing frequent.

• ▸A feeling as if it were necessary to keep in motion, or else heart's action would cease.
• ▸Slow pulse (Dig; Kalm; Apoc; Can).
• ▸Palpitation; pulse soft, weak, full and flowing.
• ▸Pulse slow when quiet, but greatly accelerated on motion.
• ▸Weak, slow pulse of old age.

Heaviness in middle of chest (afternoon).—Sensation of constriction in the lower

thorax.—Extreme and alarming difficulty of breathing; extreme restlessness from threatened

suffocation.—Stitches in the chest in region of heart.—Paralysis of the lungs.

Irregular beating of the heart; palpitation.—Feeling as if the heart would

stop beating if she did not move about.—Stitches in the region of the heart.—Pain in the heart

when rising from a seat.—Pulse frequent, soft, weak, almost imperceptible.

• ▸Dull, heavy pain.
• ▸Complete relaxation of the whole muscular system.
• ▸Languor; muscles feel bruised.
• ▸Every little exertion causes fatigue.
• ▸Pain in neck, especially upper sterno-cleido muscles.
• ▸Dull aching in lumbar and sacral region, passing upward.
• ▸Pain in muscles of back, hips, and lower extremities, mostly deep-seated.

Pulsation of the carotid arteries (during pregnancy).—The muscles of the

• ▸neck feel bruised.
• ▸—Sensation of constriction in r.
• ▸side of neck.
• ▸—Pains in the neck and under 1.

shoulder-blade.—Pains in neck like those of cerebro-spinal congestion.—Myalgic pains in the

neck, mostly in upper part of the sterno-cleido muscles, back of the parotid glands.—Pains from

the spine to the head and shoulders.—Congestion of spine; prostration; languor; muscles feel

bruised, and do not obey the will—Dull aching in lumbar and sacral regions; cannot walk,

muscles will not obey —Locomotor ataxia.—Paraplegia.

In the shoulders pain during the night—Arms weak, numb.—Sensation as if

• ▸r.
• ▸elbow were sprained.
• ▸—Pain in elbow (I1.
• ▸) from draught of air (at night).
• ▸—Cramps in forearm on

• ▸attempting to write.
• ▸—Pain as if sprained in the r.
• ▸wrist.
• ▸—Trembling of the hands when lifting

• ▸them up.
• ▸—Coldness of the wrists and hands.
• ▸—Hot dry hands, esp.
• ▸the palms of the

hands.—Spasmodic contraction of fingers—Dupuytren's contraction.

Unsteady gait.—Fatigue after slight exercise.—Loss of voluntary

motion.—Violent lancinating pain in the thigh —Obstinate sciatica; pains < at rest and particularly

when beginning to walk; burning pains, < at night, compelling her to lie awake; pain in sole of

foot when walking. —Deep-seated muscular pains in legs > by motion.—Anterior crural

• ▸neuralgia.
• ▸—Paroxysmal; shooting pains.
• ▸—Violent lancinating pain in thigh.
• ▸—Thighs sore to touch

as a boil; pains all > when in a sweat.—Rheumatic pains during the night in the knees.—Sudden

dislocation or slipping of the knee-pan (during breakfast).—The calves of the legs feel bruised,

pain at night—Cold feet—Spasmodic contraction of the toes.

• ▸Loss of power of muscular control.
• ▸Cramp in muscles of forearm.
• ▸Professional neuroses.
• ▸Writer's cramp.
• ▸Excessive trembling and weakness of all limbs.
• ▸Hysteric convulsions.
• ▸Fatigue after slight exercise.

• ▸Hot, dry, itching, measle-like eruption.
• ▸Erysipelas.
• ▸Measles, catarrhal symptoms; aids in bringing out eruption.
• ▸Retrocedent, with livid spots.
• ▸Scarlet fever with stupor and flushed face.

Papulous eruptions resembling measles, esp. on the face.—Itching on the head, face,

neck, and shoulders.—Skin hot and dry.

• ▸Cannot get fully to sleep.
• ▸Delirious on falling asleep.
• ▸Insomnia from exhaustion; from uncontrollable thinking; tobacco.
• ▸Yawning.
• ▸Sleepless from nervous irritation (Coffea).

Sleepiness and long-continued sleep.—As soon as he goes to sleep he is

delirious.—Y awning.—Languid and drowsy, but cannot compose the mind for

sleep.—Sleeplessness from nervous irritation.—Cannot go to sleep on account of violent itching

on the head, face, neck, and shoulders.—Restless sleep; unpleasant dreams.—He wakens from

sleep with headache or colic.—Night-terrors, from nose being stopped.—Dreamed of dying, and

felt his eyes sinking into their sockets.

• ▸Wants to be held, because he shakes so.
• ▸Pulse slow, full, soft, compressible.
• ▸Chilliness up and down back.
• ▸Heat and sweat stages, long and exhausting.
• ▸Dumb-ague, with much muscular soreness, great prostration, and violent headache.
• ▸Nervous chills.
• ▸Bilious remittent fever, with stupor, dizziness, faintness; thirstless, prostrated.
• ▸Chill, without thirst, along spine; wave-like, extending upward from sacrum to occiput.

Pulse slow, accelerated by motion.—Limbs cold with oppressed breathing. —Cold

hands and feet.—In the evening, when entering a warm room, thirst, pain in the back and loins

and in the lower part of the thighs —Chilliness in upper part of body and back.—Chilliness every

• ▸day at same hour.
• ▸—Chilliness esp.
• ▸in the morning.
• ▸—Chilliness, languid aching in back and limbs,

sense of fatigue, every afternoon, 4 to 5 o'clock.—Nervous chill, the skin is warm; wants to be

held that he may not shake so much.—Chill with cold hands, feet, and headache.—Chills begin in

the hands; chills running up the back, hands and feet cold.—Chilliness esp. along spine —Chill

with weak pulse.—Coldness of the feet as if they were in cold water, with heat in the head and

face, and headache.—Chill followed by heat and later by perspiration.—Heat principally on the

head and face.—Typhoid fever when so-called nervous symptoms predominate.—In eruptive and

other fevers less restlessness than in Acon.; less violence and suddenness of aggravation than

• ▸Bell.
• ▸; languid asthenic fever.
• ▸—Profuse perspiration relieving the pains.
• ▸—Perspires freely from

slight exertion. —Intermittent fevers.—Children's remittent fever—Cerebro-spinal

meningitis.—Measles. )

• ▸Amaurosis.
• ▸Anterior crural neuralgia.
• ▸Aphonia.
• ▸Astigmatism.
• ▸Bilious fever.
• ▸Brain,

• ▸affections of.
• ▸Cerebro-spinal meningitis.
• ▸Choroiditis.
• ▸Colds.
• ▸Constipation.
• ▸Convulsions.

• ▸Deafness.
• ▸Dengue fever.
• ▸Diarrhoea.
• ▸Diphtheria Dupuytren's contraction.
• ▸Dysentery.
• ▸Dysmenia.

• ▸Emotions, effects of.
• ▸Epilepsy.
• ▸Eyes, affections of Fever.
• ▸Fright.
• ▸Gonorrhoea.
• ▸Hay-fever.

• ▸Headache.
• ▸Heat, effects of.
• ▸Heart, diseases of.
• ▸Hydro-salpingitis.
• ▸Hysteria.
• ▸Influenza.

• ▸Intermittent fever.
• ▸Jaundice.
• ▸Labour.
• ▸Liver, affections of.
• ▸Locomotor ataxia.
• ▸Mania.
• ▸Measles.

• ▸Meningitis.
• ▸Menstruation, painful; suppressed.
• ▸Metrorrhagia.
• ▸Myalgia.
• ▸Neuralgia.
• ▸Nystagmus.

• ▸(sophagus, stricture of.
• ▸Paralysis.
• ▸Paralysis agitans.
• ▸Paraplegia.
• ▸Pregnancy, albuminuria of.

• ▸Ptosis.
• ▸Puerperal convulsions.
• ▸Remittent fever.
• ▸Retina, detachment of.
• ▸Rheumatism.
• ▸Sexual

• ▸excess, effects of.
• ▸Sleep, disordered.
• ▸Spasms.
• ▸Sun-headache.
• ▸Sunstroke.
• ▸Teething.
• ▸Tic-

• ▸douloureux.
• ▸Tobacco, effects of.
• ▸Tongue, affections of.
• ▸Toothache.
• ▸Tremors.
• ▸Uterus, affections

• ▸of.
• ▸Vertigo.
• ▸Voice, loss of.
• ▸Writer's cramp.

• ▸Antidoted by: Atrop.
• ▸, Chi.
• ▸, Coff.
• ▸, Dig.
• ▸, Nux.
• ▸mos.
• ▸In cases of poisoning, artificial

respiration and faradisation of respiratory muscles. Foy found Nitro-glycerine a perfect antidote

• ▸in one case.
• ▸Jephson antidoted his case with Strychnine.
• ▸/t Antidotes: Mag.
• ▸phos.
• ▸It antagonises:

• ▸Atrop.
• ▸, Op.
• ▸Compatible: Bap.
• ▸(in typhoid, influenza); Ipec.
• ▸(in dumb ague).
• ▸Compare: Bell.

• ▸(labour); Caulo.
• ▸, Caust.
• ▸(complaints of women); Coccul.
• ▸, Con.
• ▸, Curare (paralysis); Fer.
• ▸phos.

• ▸(fever); Phos.
• ▸(effect of thunderstorms); Ol.
• ▸an.
• ▸, Verat.
• ▸(headache): Borax (sense of falling).
• ▸Bry.

(typhoid; dreads movement, Gels. because he is so weak, Bry. because movement < pains);

Hyper. (< from fog).

Compare: Ignatia (gastric affections of cigarmakers); Baptisa; Ipecac; Acon; Bell; Cimicif; Magnes phos (Gelsem contains some Magnes phos). Culex--(vertigo on blowing the nose with fullness of the ears).

Antidotes: China; Coffea; Dig. Alcoholic stimulants relieve all complaints where Gelsem is useful.

Tincture, to thirtieth attenuation; first to third most often used.

If you will observe the weather conditions in sharp climates, such

as Minnesoui, Massachusetts and Canada, you will find that the cold

spells are very intense and that people, when exposed, come down with

complaints very rapidly and violently, 'fhat is the w^ay the Bell, and

Aeon, cases come on, hut Geisemium coinplainis do not come from*

such causes nor appear that w^ay. Its complaints are more insidious

and come on with a degree of slowness. A Gels, cold develops its

symptoms several days after the exposure, while the Aeon, cold comes

on a few hours after exposure. The Aconite child exposed during the

day in dry, cold weather will have croup before midnight. But in

the South diseases are very slow. Like the people themselves, their

organs are very slow, and their reaction is slow. Their colds are not

taken from the violent cold, but from getting overheated. Hence,

they take colds and fevers of a low, malarial type ; they have congestive headaches and congestive complaints that do not come on suddenly. When we think of the climate, and consider the people, and

the pace of remedies, we see that Gels, is a remedy for warm climates,

while Aeon, is a remedy for colder climates. Certain acute complaints in the North will be like Aconite, while similar complaints wiU

have symptoms in the warmer climate like Gels. The colds and fevers

476 GELSEMIUM

of the mild winters will be more likely to run to this medicine, whereas

the colds and fevers of a violent winter will be more likely to run to

Bell and Aeon, It is true that Aeon, has complaints in hot weather,

fevers and dysentery of hot weather, but they are different from the

complaints of winter.

Gels, has been used mostly in acute troubles. In lingering acute

troubles and in those resembling the chronic it is very useful, but in

chronic miasms it is not the remedy. It is only a short-acting remedy,

though slow in its beginning. In this it is like Bryonia, Bry. complaints come on slowly, and hence it is suitable for fevers coming on

in the southern climates, but it also has sudden violent complaints,

though not to the extent we find in Bell.

The complaints of Gels, arc largely congestive. Cerebral hypera;mia, determination of blood to the brain and to the spinal cord. The

extremities become cold and the head and back become liot. The

symptoms are manifested largely through the brain and spinal cord.

In connection with brain affections there arc convulsions of the extremities, crampings of the lingers and toes and of the muscles of the

back. Coldness of the fingers and toes ; sometimes the extremities

are icy cold to the knees, while the head is hot and the face purple.

During the congestion the face is purple and mottled. The eyes are

engorged, the pupils dilated (sometimes contracted), the eyes are in

a state of marked congestion with lachrymation and twitching. The

patient feels dazed and talks as if he were delirious ; incoherent,

stupid, forgetful. It is like this in intermittent fever that gradually

develops towards a congestive chill. Great coldness running up the

• ▸back from the lower part of the spine to the back of the head.
• ▸Shuddering.
• ▸as if ice were rubbed up the back.
• ▸The pains also extend up

the back. With the coldness of the extremities, the very dark red

countenance, the dazed condition of the mind, the glassy eyes and dilated

pupils, we have the neck drawn back and rigidity of the muscles of

the back of the neck, so that the neck cannot be straightened, and there

are violent pains up the back and coldness in the spine. This state

would remind one of crebro-spinal meningitis. Pain in the base of

the brain and in the back of the neck. With all states there is a very

hot skin and a high temperature, with coldness of the extremities.

Sometimes the troubles arc ushered in with a violent chill. This is a

very important remedy to study when such symptoms are present in

intermittents and in a few days the tongue begins to coat, nausea

comes on, ending in vomiting of bile, and insted of there being an

intermission a continued fever extends from one paroxysm into

another, with a higher temperature in the afternoon. The chill practically subsides, leaving a state which has the appearance of typhoid,

with dry tongue, not much thirst and marked head symptoms, dazed

in mind. If this continues many days ‘ delirium and all the features

of typhoid will come on and the fever will change its type altogether

from the intermittent to the continued. In congestive chill with high

temperature occurring in the afternoon, the chill part of it subsiding

and the fever becoming continued. Gels, is a useful remedy. It is

also a very important remedy in afternoon fevers without chill in

infants and in children. You will find in malarial districts that it is

a common thing for the infants to have remittent attacks, while the

adults are having intermittents. It is only occasionally that you will

see a child or infant shake with a distinct chill, but they often go into

a remittent fever, an afternoon fever which will subside along towards

morning, to be followed the next afternoon by fever. With Gels, the

child will lie as still as in Bry, but there is more congestion to the head ;

there is the dark red face and duskiness like Bry,

Running through the febrile complaints, in the spinal meningitis,

in congestion of the brain, in intermittents or remittents that change

to a continued fever, and even in a cold w'hen the patient is sneezing

and has hot face and red eyes, there is one grand feature, viz., a feeling of great weight and tiredness in the entire body and limbs. The

head cannot be lifted from the pillow, so tired and so heavy is it, and

there is such a great weight in the limbs. The Bry. patient lies quietly

because if he moves the pains are worse. He has an aversion tomotion, Itecause he is conscious that it would cause an increase of

sulfering. J

The heart is feeble and the pulseTs feeble, soft and irregular. There

is palpitation during the febrile state. Palpitation, with weakness and

irregularity of the pulse. There is a .sense of weakness and goneness

in the region of the heart, and this weakness and goneness often

extend into the stomach, involving the whole lower part of the left

side of the chest and across the stomach, creating a sensation of

hunger, like Ignatia and Sepia, There is a hysterical clement running

through Gels, and it has the ]icrvous hunger, or gnawing.

There are cardiac nervous affections like Digitalis, Cactus and

Sepia, Sepia is not known to be as great a heart remedy as Cactus,

but it has cured many cases of heart troubles. Sepia has cured endocarditis, and a remedy that will take hold in endocarditis and root if

out must be a deep acting remedy. He feels that if he ceases to move

the heart will cease to beat.

The headaches are of the congc.stive type. The most violent pain

is in the occiput, and it is felt sometimes as a hammering. Every

pulsation is felt like the blow^ of a hammer in the base of the skull.

These headaches are so violent that the patient can not stand up, but

will lie perfectly exhausted, as if paralyzed from the pain. There is

an occipital headache that compels walking or rolling the head. There

is commonly relief from lying in bed, bolstered up by pillows, with

the head perfectly quiet. The face is flushed and dusky and the patient is dazed. After the headache progresses a while, the whole head

seems to enter into a state of congestion, there is one grand pain, too

dreadful to describe, and the patient loses his ability to tell symptoms

and appears dazed ; lies bolstered up in bed, eyes glassy, pupils dilated,

face mottled, and extremities cold. Gels, has also headaches of a

neuralgic character in the temples and over the eyes, with nausea and

aggravation from vomiting. The headache is relieved by passing a

copious quantity of urine ; that is, the urine which has probably been

scanty becomes free and then the headache subsides.

There is much nervous excitcmcn^ Complaints from fear, from

embarrassment, from shock that is attended with fear, from sudden

surprises that are attended with fright, A soldier going into battle

has an involuntary stool , involuntary discharges from fright and surprises accompanying fright. On becoming suddenly overwhelmed by

some surprise he becomes faint, weak and exhausted, he becomes

tired in all the limbs and unable to resist opposing circumstances. His

heart palpitates. This is similar to Arg, nit, /Irg. nit, has the peculiar condition that when dressing for an opera a sudden attack of diarrhoea comes on, causing more or less sudden exhaustion, and she must

go several times before she can finish dressing. They who are to

appear before an audience arc detained because of a sudden attack of

diarrhoea. A lady has an attack of diarrhoea when about lo meet

friends over whom she expects to become excited at the meeting. The

anticipation brings on the diarrhoea. Such a state is Arg, nii. These

medicines are so closely related to each other that there are times

when they will appear to do the work of cacli other.

Then we have paralytic affections of the sphincters, and so with the

febrile conditions there is involuntary loss of stool and urine. There

is also paralytic weakness of the extremities and of the hands. With

paralytic states there is aching along the spine and in the muscles of

the back ; drawing, cramping in the muscles of the back and aching

under the left shoulder blade.

There are many disturbances of vision ; double vision, dimness of

vision, appearance of a gauze before the eyes ; confusion of vision

and blindness. These symptoms come on before going into attacks,

in connection with chill, at the coming on of sick headaches and congestive headaches.

All sorts of objects are seen ; the field of vision appears full of

black spots, or full of smoke or little waves of various colors. It is

useful in inflammation of all the tissues of the eye and of the eyelids.

The eyeballs oscillate laterally when using them. Drooping of the

eyelids or ptosis is a marked feature and is in its paralytic nature.

The muvscles are relaxed, they do not hold the lids up. The lids close

when he is looking steadily ; they simply fall down over the eyes.

The patient in general is thirstless, and it is the exception that there

is much thirst. It has a profuse, exhaustive sweat and is aggravated

from motion, or rather motion seems to be impossible. It seems tliai

he is unable to move, that he is too weak to move, and this runs

through all complaints. At times it is a remedy for coryza, wirli

sneezing and running of water from the nose, with coldness in the

extremities, and the trouble will go down into the throat and produce

sore throat, with redness, tumefaction, enlargement of the tonsils, hot

head and congested face. With this, as with the other febrile conditions, there is heaviness of the extremities. The red face, the heaviness of the extremities and sore throat that has come on gradually, a

little worse from day to day, until it has become a severe throat, will

lead you to Gels., especially if there is paralytic weakness all over,

and as the throat trouble progresses the food and drink come back

through the nose. This is due to a paralysis of the muscles of deglutition. The tongue also becomes paralyzed and docs not perform

its work in an orderly way. There arc times when the paralytic weakness is not sufficiently marked to account for things seen, but there is

an incoordination of muscles and he is awkward. He undertakes to

take hold of an article and takes hold of something else. When he

does grasp his hands feel weak. He is awkward and clumsy and the

muscles do this and that and something not ordered to do. The

trembling incoordination and paresfs are especially noticed during

high excitement and afterwards, and these states occur with the febrile

condition and remain sometimes after. Useful in paralytic cases tlial

begin with fevers. Tearing is felt in the nerves all over the body and

seems to be due to an inflammatory condition. It has cured sciatica,

with tearing pains, associated with great weakness of the limbs. Loss

of sensation is sometimes found ; numbness of the end of the nose,

of the ears, of the tongue, of the fingers, of the hands and feet, numbness, here and there, of the skin.

In the male, the sexual organs arc in the same condition as the

patient in general. The semen dribbles away ; there is imporency, no

ability to perform the sexual act ; the sexual organs arc relaxed.

The sleep is greatly disturbed. He cannot go to sleep ; every excitement keeps him awake. During marked febrile conditions he has

a profound sleep or coma. When he is not in this comatose sleep

during congestion he is in a state of nervous excitement in which he

lies awake thinking, and yet thinks of nothing in particular, because

his mind will not work in an orderly way.

The symptoms of Gels, may be present in inflammation of any organ,

uterus or ovaries, stomach, the lungs and of the rectum. It has con*

Trembling in all the limbs.—Deep-seated, dull aching in the muscles of the limbs

and in the joints.—Neuralgic and rheumatic pains in the extremities.