Hamamelis Virginiana

I have chosen the single word Hec/a in preference to Hecl¢ lava, as being

simpler and more convenient. The ash and scori¢ of this volcano contain Silica, Alumina, Lime,

Magnesia, with some Oxide of Iron. When travelling in Iceland, Garth Wilkinson noticed that

the sheep in the vicinity of Hecla had immense exostoses on the jaws. Another effect noticed was

the drying up of the milk both in sheep and cows. The finer ash which fell on pastures at a

distance, was the most deleterious; the gross ash near the mountain was inert. In cows, post-

mortem examination showed the intestines filled with ashes, hardened to a mass, and stomach

coated over with a pitch-black membrane spotted with brown, and difficult to remove by

washing; the jaw teeth were covered with a shining metallic crust. Several young horses died

from lumps on the jaw-bones, so large as to cause dislocation. Sheep, when slaughtered, were

found to be of bluish hue internally, and the intestines were friable. In many cases worms from

two to three inches long, with pale grey bodies and brown heads, and a little thicker than a horse-

hair, were found in the bronchia. In sheep the osseous and dental systems were much affected.

The head-bones, and especially the jaw-bones, swelled and became so friable that when boiled

they fell to pieces. The thigh, and especially the shin bones, swelled and bulged. The jaws were

sometimes covered with large swellings, which spread and were looser of texture and darker in

colour than the bone; these could be separated from the bone without injuring it; but in some

fatal cases a hole going down to the marrow was discovered under the swelling. Garth Wilkinson

adds to the above that he has used Hec/a with excellent effect in toothache, gum abscess,

swellings about the jaws and in difficult dentition. Clinical experience has shown the power of

Hecla to arrest many forms of bone disease, including osteo-sarcoma, scrofulous and syphilitic

osteitis and exostoses. The swellings amenable to it are painful and sensitive to touch; < from

touch and pressure. The glands are affected almost as much as the bones: "induration and

infiltration of cervical glands, studding neck like a row of pearls." The right side has been more

predominantly affected. The subjoined schema is compiled mainly from cured symptoms.

Forgetful—No desire to study or work.—Depressed in mind; also after emissions, with

regretful mind.—Irritable.

Takes cold easily from every exposure; but esp. to warm, moist air; subject to

• ▸varicose veins.
• ▸—Venous constitutions.
• ▸—Prickling stinging: in veins, muscles, skin.
• ▸—Phlebitis;

prickling pains.

• ▸Wants "the respect due to me" shown.
• ▸Feeling as of a bolt from temple to temple.
• ▸Fullness, followed by epistaxis.
• ▸Numbness over frontal bone.

Painful weakness; sore pain in eyes; bloodshot appearance; inflamed vessels greatly injected. Hastens absorption of intraocular haemorrhage. Eyes feel forced out.

Eyes feel weak, but are less inflamed; painful weakness of the eyes.—Feeling as if both

eyes would be forced out of head, > by pressing them with the fingers, but < a few moments

afterwards.—Sore pain in eyes; eyes painful under slight pressure —Swelling of eyeballs and lids,

with bloodshot appearance of r. eye.—Eyes inflamed; vessels greatly injected; caused by a

foreign substance, as melted sugar; after operations; intense soreness.

• ▸Deafness in r.
• ▸ear, passes off by noon.
• ▸—Bleeding at r.
• ▸ear, also nose-bleed, which clears

her head, relieving her.—Buzzing, ringing in ears.

Bleeding from nose profuse; flow passive, non-coagulable, with tightness in bridge of nose. Bad odor from nose.

Facial neuralgia or headache dependent on irritation of dental nerves or carious

tooth —Polypoid growth commencing in antrum of Highmore, deforming face, forcing eyeball

upward and everting lid, obstructing nostrils; extending downward into mouth, impeding

breathing and mastication; epistaxis; headache.

Metallic taste; tongue coated white.—Scalding sensation on tongue.—Blisters on

sides of tongue; canker spots near the tip.

Toothache, esp. if teeth are very sensitive to pressure; with swelling about

jaws.—Neuralgia, from carious tooth; in cavity from which tooth has been extracted.—Abscess;

or enlargement of bone remaining after tooth extraction.—R. cuspid of upper jaw very sensitive

to slight pressure on crown; swelling and indurated tumour as large as a pea under r. ala nasi,

very sensitive to touch; conjunctivitis of r. eye.—Difficult dentition in scrofulous and rachitic

children.

Severe stinging in uvula, as if it would break, when he coughs.—Dryness of the lips

and fauces; tonsils and fauces congested, veins enlarged, varicose; must drink large quantities of

• ▸water to assist deglutition.
• ▸—Sore throat < r.
• ▸side, r.
• ▸tonsil more swollen; reddened.
• ▸—Sore throat in

those predisposed to fulness of the veins, < in warm, moist air.—Hawks considerably.

Mucous membrane distended and bluish; varicosis of throat.

• ▸Tongue feels burnt.
• ▸Thirst.
• ▸Blisters on side.
• ▸Haematemesis of black blood.
• ▸Throbbing and pain in stomach.

No appetite for breakfast; considerable thirst, > by small quantities of

• ▸water.
• ▸—Appetite good.
• ▸—Very thirsty; in afternoon and evening; throat dry.
• ▸—Averse to water,

makes him sick to think of it—Pork nauseates.

After eating: nausea, must keep quiet; eructations; hiccough.—Eructations after a

meal, taste of the food.—Nausea, eructations and violent hiccough after pork, followed by

burning in stomach and cesophagus; later, cramp pains in stomach and chest.—Nausea, vertigo,

must lie still to prevent vomiting.—Nausea, headache in frontal bone on awaking.—Nausea and

inclination to vomit after a meal.—Hzematemesis, blood black; sensation of trembling in stomach,

or fulness and gurgling in abdomen; feverish by spells; weak, cold, quick pulse, profuse

sweat.—Heaviness at back of stomach; pain back of stomach, along the spinal column.—Violent

throbbing in stomach.—Cramp in stomach after eating.

Cramps in stomach and transverse colon two hours after a hearty

• ▸dinner.
• ▸—Flatulence.
• ▸—Burning in the epigastrium and umbilicus.
• ▸—Pain all round lower abdomen.

• ▸Anus feels sore and raw.
• ▸Haemorrhoids, bleeding profusely, with soreness.
• ▸Dysentery.
• ▸Pulsation in rectum.

Stools: costive; hard, coated with mucus.—Dysentery when the amount of

blood is unusually large; dark, small clots, or patches through the mucus.—Large quantities of a

tar-like blood (typhoid).—Piles: bleeding profusely; with burning soreness, fulness and weight;

back as if it would break; urging to stool.—Itching at the anus.

Increased desire to urinate.—Urine clear copious.—Scanty high-coloured

urine.—Hzematuria; passive congestion of the kidneys; dull pain in renal region.—Irritation of the

urethra, followed by a discharge and ardor urine.

Haematuria, with increased desire.

• ▸Ovarian congestion and neuralgia; feel very sore.
• ▸Vicarious menstruation.
• ▸Uterine haemorrhage, bearing-down pain in back.
• ▸Menses dark, profuse, with soreness in abdomen. Metrorrhagia, occurring midway between menstrual periods.
• ▸Intermenstrual pain (Jas.
• ▸W.
• ▸Ward).
• ▸Vagina very tender.
• ▸Profuse leucorrhoea.
• ▸Vulva itches.
• ▸Milk-leg, haemorrhoids, and sore nipples, after confinement.
• ▸Metrorrhagia; passive flow.
• ▸Vaginismus, ovaritis, soreness over whole abdomen.
• ▸Phlegmasia alba.

• ▸Pain in spermatic cord, running into testes.
• ▸Varicocele.
• ▸Pain in testicles.
• ▸Orchitis.
• ▸Testicles enlarged, hot, and painful.
• ▸Epididymitis.

Emissions at night, without being aware of it; headache, depression

of mind.—Erections; great desire for an embrace.—Severe neuralgic pains in testicles suddenly

shifting to bowels, causing nausea and faintness.—Pain running down the spermatic cords into

the testes.—Profuse cold sweat on scrotum; capillary stasis —Orchitis, intense soreness and

swelling. —Varicocele.

Haemoptysis; tickling cough. Chest feels sore and constricted.

Hoarse on arising; awoke hoarse.—When lying, felt a smothering

sensation.—Tickling cough, taste of blood on awaking.—Dry cough, severe stinging in the uvula,

as if it would break.—Expectoration thick, yellowish or greenish grey, tasting putrid.

Palpitation.—Pricking pain in region of heart and superficial veins of both

arms.

Sore pain down cervical vertebrae. Severe pain in lumbar and hypogastric region, extending down legs.

Induration and infiltration of cervical glands, studding neck like a row of pearls.

Sore pain down the cervical vertebree.—Dull pain, constantly under angle

• ▸of 1.
• ▸scapula.
• ▸—(Rheumatism of scapula.
• ▸).
• ▸—Tearing pains across small of back.
• ▸with fulness of

joints of legs —Small of back feels as if it would break.

Bruised feeling in upper arms and shoulder, < from motion.—Dreadful

• ▸aching rheumatic pain at top of 1.
• ▸shoulder, and under r.
• ▸scapula and r.
• ▸side of chest under arms;

< during day and at rest; entirely absent during night—Stiffness in arms and

• ▸shoulders.
• ▸—Tenderness of r.
• ▸biceps, < by pressure.
• ▸—Stiffness of elbow-joint—Rheumatic pain,

• ▸constant aching in |.
• ▸arm.
• ▸—Lancinating in 1.
• ▸wrist-joint.
• ▸—Violent pain in back of r.
• ▸hand to

shoulder-joint—Hands chapped—Thumb nail becomes sore, pus discharges after a slight knock.

Hip disease.—Exostoses of tibia; severe continuous pain incapitating from

work.

• ▸Tired feeling in arms and legs.
• ▸Very sore muscles and joints.
• ▸Varicose veins.
• ▸Chilliness in back and hips, extending down legs.
• ▸Neuralgia of internal saphenous nerve.

• ▸Bluish chilblains.
• ▸Phlebitis.
• ▸Purpura.
• ▸Varicose veins and ulcers; very sore.
• ▸Burns.
• ▸Ecchymosis.
• ▸Traumatic inflammations (Arnica).

Chilblains always bluish —Varicose veins and ulcers, with stinging or

pricking. —Bruised soreness.—Purpura.

Restlessness at night.—Uneasy, restless morning sleep.—Emissions of semen during

sleep.

Chilly on going to bed; dreaded an attack of fever.—Cold creeps in the open air,

chills run up the legs, head stopped up, dull pain over orbit —Chilliness over back and hips,

extending down the extremities.—Fever at night; hands hot, burning in the eyelids on closing

them.—Sweats freely at night, after lying down.—Pulse accelerated; full.

Hecla.

Heclé lava. The finer ash from Mount Hecla, falling in distant localities. Trituration.

• ▸Antrum of Highmore, tumour of.
• ▸Bones, affections of.
• ▸Breast, tumours of.
• ▸Dentition,

• ▸difficult.
• ▸Exostoses.
• ▸Glands, affections of.
• ▸Jaws, tumours on.
• ▸Milk, deficient.
• ▸Neuralgia.
• ▸Osteitis

• ▸deformans.
• ▸Osteomalachia.
• ▸Osteosarcoma.
• ▸Periostitis.
• ▸Rickets.
• ▸Syphilis.
• ▸Teeth, caries of.

• ▸Toothache.
• ▸Tumours.
• ▸White swelling.
• ▸Whitlow.

• ▸Compare: Conchiol.
• ▸, Silic.
• ▸, Calc.
• ▸, Slag, Phos.
• ▸, Stilling.
• ▸, Sulph.
• ▸, Kali iod, Amphisb.
• ▸,

Symphyt., Ruta.

Compare in haemorrhoids: Calc fluor; Aloe; Mur ac in varicose veins. Mangifera indica.

Compare: Arnica; Calend; Trillium; Bellis; Sulph ac; Pulsatilla.

Antidote: Arnica.

Complementary: Ferrum.

Tincture, to sixth attenuation. Distilled extract locally.

Tired feeling in arms and legs.—Great lassitude and weariness of the limbs and

elsewhere.—Rheumatism, with great soreness of the muscles.