Ledum Palustre

In the preface to his proving of Ledum Hahnemann says it "is suitable for the

most part only for chronic maladies in which there is a predominance of coldness and deficiency

of animal heat." Teste, who is one of the chief clinical authorities on Ledum, mentions that it is

native to damp regions of the North of Europe, and that no animal except the goat eats it, on

account of the strong resinous smell of its leaves, which "keeps off lice and prevents flour from

getting mouldy." In Sweden a decoction of Ledum is used for freeing, oxen and pigs from lice.

Linneus says that this same decoction, if taken internally, has cured "violent headaches and a

species of angina." The leaves of Ledum are also used in Sweden in beer to increase its

intoxicating power; and also in tanning. Led. is an example of a common article of diet being at

the same time a very powerful medicine. Mérat and de Lens say Led. cures itch and scald-head,

which Teste explains by its parasiticide action. This anti-parasitic action led Teste to think of

Led. as a remedy for bites and punctured wounds, especially as certain symptoms of the proving

seemed to agree with it. The success which has attended this use of Led. in mosquito-bites, stings

of bees and wasps, rat-bites, needle-pricks resulting in whitlows, confirms the observation.

"Redness, swelling and throbbing in point of index finger, from prick of a needle:" Led. aborted

• ▸a felon in a few days (W.
• ▸P.
• ▸Wesselheceft).
• ▸Teste relates a case of punctured wound: A young lady

fell with an embroidery needle in her hand, and the hand was pierced through and through. The

wound was serious. There was no hemorrhage, but Teste noticed the intense cold which

• ▸accompanies and characterises Ledum fever.
• ▸Within a week Led.
• ▸cured the patient.
• ▸Yingling

• ▸records (H.
• ▸P.
• ▸, x.
• ▸400) a parallel case: A.
• ▸J.
• ▸M.
• ▸, 38, drove a rusty spike through his left foot near

the arch of the instep, glancing to the inside of the foot without passing through the bone. This

• ▸was at 5 p.
• ▸m.
• ▸At 8 p.
• ▸m.
• ▸this report was brought to Yingling: A few moments after accident the

patient felt stiffening pains in the foot, running up the leg, and rapidly increasing in severity.

Great chilliness with chattering of teeth followed. Lower jaw became somewhat stiff; general

shivering; neck felt stiff; "can't endure it much longer." Led. 3x was sent, and rapid improvement

took place from the first dose. A compress of Calend. 3x was also applied, an attack of tetanus

• ▸being evidently aborted.
• ▸Led.
• ▸occupies the second place in Teste's Arn.
• ▸group, in which are also

• ▸Crot.
• ▸t.
• ▸, Fer.
• ▸magn.
• ▸, Rhus, Spig.
• ▸The sphere of Led.
• ▸is frequently identical with that of Arn.
• ▸,

according to Teste; but Led. has a special action on the capillary system in parts where cellular

tissue is wanting, and where a dry, resisting texture is present, as in the fingers and toes. "It is,

perhaps for this reason that it acts better on the small than on the large joints;" hence its

appropriateness in gout. The characteristic skin affection of Led. is thus described by Teste: Not

so much a boil, as with Avn., as a sort of bluish or violet-coloured tuberosities, especially on the

forehead, and an eczematous eruption, with a tingling itching, that spreads over the whole body,

penetrating into the mouth, probably also into the air-passages, and occasions a spasmodic

cough, which is sometimes very violent and might be mistaken for whooping-cough. The same

phenomenon takes place with Rhus and Croton. "In a gouty subject I have seen cough precede by

two days the breaking out of vesicles on the skin, which could not fail to suggest the use of

Ledum. These vesicles, which had probably existed on the bronchial membrane, before showing

themselves in the face, on the shoulders, &c., became quite apparent on the tongue, where they

might be traced to its root." The Led. eczema is frequently concentrated on one leg, less

• ▸frequently on both at once.
• ▸[Ingalls (Amer.
• ▸Hom.
• ▸, xxv.
• ▸210) commends a light paste of Ledum

(equal parts of Led @., alcohol, and water) as an application for carbuncles, giving Led. 1x

• ▸internally at the same time.
• ▸] Dr.
• ▸R.
• ▸Hilbert, a German physician, has obtained very satisfactory

results from the use of an infusion of the leaves of Ledum palustre as an expectorant in

bronchitis. He states that the feeling of pain along the trachea, which is characteristic of the early

stages of acute bronchitis, disappears after a few doses of the remedy. The fever rapidly subsides,

especially in the case of children. In chronic bronchitis the infusion facilitates expectoration and

lessens cough. It is particularly useful in bronchitis with emphysema of the aged, because of its

action in rendering the bronchial secretion less viscid; in these cases, moreover, it lessens

dyspneea, stimulates the circulation, and lessens cyanosis (Cooper). Guernsey points out that Led.

is appropriate to the remote no less than the immediate effects of punctured wounds: e.g., as

when a patient says: "Ten years ago I stepped on a nail, and ever since then have had a pain

• ▸running up to the thigh.
• ▸" The pains of Led.
• ▸shoot upward (of Kalm.
• ▸downward).
• ▸A, very notable

condition of Led. is < from warmth. This is at times so great that the patient can only get relief to

his rheumatism by sitting with his feet and legs in cold water. Warmth of the bed is intolerable;

he must get up and walk about. An octogenarian had rheumatism of left arm, chiefly elbow and

wrist, coming on in the night or early morning. There was no more sleep for him unless he rose

• ▸and took a cold bath, after which he could sleep.
• ▸I cured him with Led.
• ▸30.
• ▸As with Merc.
• ▸the

symptoms are < at night; but with Merc. there is "sweat without >," and the characteristic tongue

• ▸and offensive mouth.
• ▸The eye-symptoms of Led.
• ▸are marked, and Nash says Led.
• ▸200 is

unequalled as a remedy for "black-eye" from a blow; if there is pain in the eyeball itself Symphyt.

• ▸will be necessary.
• ▸Ecchymoses of conjunctiva.
• ▸Slight injuries cause ecchymoses.
• ▸Inflammation

of ear, with deafness from getting cold (as having hair cut). The hemorrhages of Led. are bright

red and gushing; uterine; respiratory. Hemoptysis alternating with attacks of rheumatism. (Raue

puts it "coxalgia alternating with hemoptysis." Stens cured a young man who had violent stitch

pain in right hip, followed by hemoptysis, this in turn followed by rheumatism of hands, with

Led. 200 when the case was apparently on the point of sinking into rapid phthisis.) Suffering

parts waste. Discolouration remains long in contused parts. Many cases of whooping-cough have

• ▸been cured with Led.
• ▸Lembke (quoted by Hoyne, H.
• ▸W.
• ▸, xiv.
• ▸66) gives these indications: Before

the paroxysms: Arrest of breathing. During: Epistaxis, shattered feeling in head and chest, rapid

respiration. After: Staggering; spasmodic contraction of diaphragm; sobbing respiration. <

• ▸Evening.
• ▸The pains are sticking, tearing, throbbing.
• ▸Pricking, biting sensations.
• ▸Sensation of

torpor of integuments, especially after suppressed discharge from ears, eyes, and nose. Sensation

as if something was gnawing in temples, occiput, and ears. As if eyeball would be forced out. As

if sand in eyes. Noises in ear as from ringing of bell, or from a wind-storm; as if ear was

obstructed by cotton. Itching as from lice on chest; as of lump in throat. As of boiling in hip-

• ▸joint.
• ▸As if muscles of thigh in wrong position.
• ▸As if knee beaten.
• ▸Pain in ankle as from sprain;

limbs as if beaten and bruised. Hot, tense, hard swellings. "Ledum has often been given to horses

• ▸when they go lame and draw up their legs.
• ▸The pains move upward" (Hering).
• ▸E.
• ▸Carleton (Med.

• ▸Adv.
• ▸, xxv.
• ▸293) completed the cure of a case of primary syphilis, in which Aur.
• ▸had done good,

where these symptoms appeared: Feet held to the earth as by a magnet when attempting to move;

when moving felt as if pricked with needles, the pain rising gradually from feet to head; every

joint and muscle of body and limbs stiff and sore; sour night-sweats; great emaciation with loss

• ▸of appetite.
• ▸Led.
• ▸200, in water, cured completely and speedily.
• ▸Suited to: Pale delicate persons.

Complaints of persons who always feel cold and chilly. Rheumatic, gouty diathesis; constitutions

abused by alcohol. Sanguine temperament (Teste). There is < from moving, especially moving

joints; while walking; when stepping, > from rest. Symptoms are < evening and night, and before

• ▸midnight.
• ▸< From taking wine.
• ▸< By covering; > by application of ice-water.
• ▸< By warmth; ("the

limb is cold, can't get warm; and gets < when it does become warm in bed").

• ▸Alcohol, abuse of.
• ▸Hair-cutting.
• ▸Suppressed discharges.
• ▸Wounds: Bruises; Bites;

Punctured wounds; Stings.

Anxiety.—Timidity.—Tendency to anger and rage —Vehement angry mood;

• ▸vehemence.
• ▸—Dissatisfied; hates his fellow-beings.
• ▸—Desire for solitude.
• ▸—Imperturbable

• ▸gravity.
• ▸—Morose and peevish humour.
• ▸—Misanthropy.
• ▸—Dementia.

Arthritic, pressive, and acute pulling pains, or pains merely pressive in limbs,

< by heat of bed in evening (till midnight)—Numbness and sensation of torpor in several of the

extremities.—Tearing or shooting, pulsative and paralytic pains in joints, < by movement.—The

pains in the joints are the only ones which are < by movement.—Gouty nodosities in

joints.—Hard, hot, tense swellings, with tearing pains.—Dropsical swellings of some parts, or of

skin of whole body.—Emaciation of affected parts —Pains change location suddenly.—Coldness

and want of vital heat —Heat of the bed is insupportable, and occasions heat and burning in

limbs; wants to uncover.—Sufferings are <, or come on, after getting warm in bed, compelling

the patient to get out of bed, which affords them relief—Leucorrhcea.—For complaints of people

who are cold all the time, in bed, in the house, &c.; they always feel cold and chilly.—Pale

delicate persons.—Affections of external forehead; heel; under part of heel; ball under the toes.

Vertigo when walking, with tendency to fall to one side. Distress when head is covered. Nosebleed (Mellilot; Bry).

Intoxication.—Stupefying dizziness, sufficient to occasion falling backwards or

forwards, < by stooping or being in open air.—Vertigo, head inclines backward.—Raging,

pulsating headache.—Pressing headache when head is covered.—A misstep causes the sensation

of concussion of the brain.—Head bewildered, with painful shaking of brain, on making a false

• ▸step.
• ▸—Stupefying headache.
• ▸—Pressive headache, as if whole brain were weighed down.
• ▸—Tearing

in head and eyes, which are inflamed, with fever in evening. —Violent throbbing pains in

head.—Inability to bear any covering on head.—Itching, as if lice were crawling over scalp, and

forehead.—Integuments of head easily affected by cold.—Pimples and boils on the forehead (as in

drunkards).—Blood-boils on the forehead.

• ▸Aching in eyes.
• ▸Extravasation of blood in lids, conjunctiva, aqueous or vitreous.
• ▸Contused wounds.
• ▸Cataract with gout.

Itching in the internal canthi of the eyes —Aching in eyes, esp. in evening, sometimes

with burning.—Inflammation of eyes, with agglutination and tearing pains.—Violent suppuration

of eyes, with discharge of fetid pus.—The tears are acrid, and make the lower lids and cheeks

sore.—Burning lachrymation of eyes.—Pupils dilated Confusion of sight, with sparkling before

eyes.

Noise in ears.—Tinkling in ears—Roaring in ears as from wind.—Ringing and whizzing

in ears.—Hardness of hearing (r. ear) as from obstruction of the ears.

• ▸Nose.
• ▸—The nose is painful when touched.
• ▸—Violent burning in nose.
• ▸—Bleeding in nose.
• ▸—The

blood is pale.

Red pimples on forehead and cheeks; stinging when touched. Crusty eruption around nose and mouth.

Paleness of face —Face bloated, at one time red, at another pale.—Redness and tuberous

eruptions on face and forehead, like those of drunkards, with shooting pain when touched.—Dry

and furfuraceous tetters on face, with burning in open air.—Pimples and furunculi on

forehead.—Violent and tearing pains in face at night, alternating with shootings in one of the

teeth, and terminating in shuddering, followed by deep sleep.—Engorgement of the gland below

the chin.

Dry, retching with eructation. Musty taste with catarrhal affection.

Stinging in forepart of tongue.—Exhalation of a fetid smell from mouth.—Mouldy or

bitter taste in the mouth.—Buccal hemorrhage.

Sore throat, with shooting pain during and after deglutition—Sensation as if there

were a plug in the throat, with shootings on swallowing.

Violent thirst for cold water.—Want of appetite and speedy satiety.—Contractive

pain in sternum when eating quickly.—Nausea, with inclination to vomit, on

expectorating.—Water-brash, with cramp-like pains in abdomen.

Pain in abdomen as if intestines were bruised.—Sensation of fulness in upper

part of the abdomen.—Colic as if diarrhoea would set in, from umbilicus to anus (with cold

• ▸feet).
• ▸—Ascites —Drawing pain in abdomen.
• ▸—Gripings in abdomen, in evening.
• ▸Dysenteric belly-

ache.—Frequent discharge of flatus.

Anal fissures. Haemorrhoidal pain.

Constipation.—Diarrhcea, during which the feeces are mixed with mucus

and blood.—Blind smarting piles.

Burning in urethra after urinating —Stream of urine frequently stops

during its flow.—Frequent want to urinate, with scanty emission.—Diminished secretion of

urine.—Frequent and copious emission of urine —Swelling of urethra.

Violent and prolonged erections.—Pollutions of sanguineous or

serous semen.—Inflammation of the glans.—Inflammatory swelling of penis; the urethra is almost

closed.—Increased sexual desire.

• ▸Burning in nose.
• ▸Cough, with bloody expectoration.
• ▸Dyspnoea; chest feels constricted.
• ▸Suffocative arrest of breathing.
• ▸Pain along trachea.
• ▸Bronchitis with emphysema of aged.
• ▸Oppressive constriction of chest.
• ▸Tickling in larynx; spasmodic cough.
• ▸Haemoptysis, alternating with rheumatism.
• ▸Chest hurts when touched.
• ▸Whooping-cough; spasmodic, double inspiration with sobbing.

Tickling in larynx.—Cough, preceded by suffocating suspension of

respiration (and opisthotonos).—Fatiguing spasmodic cough, which resembles whooping-

cough.—Tiresome cough, chiefly in morning, with yellowish expectoration and irritation in chest,

and palpitation of heart—Cough, with purulent expectoration, esp. in morning or at

night—Greenish expectoration of a fetid smell, during fit of coughing.—Hollow shaking cough,

with expectoration of bright red blood—Hzmoptysis, bright blood.—Phthisis, preceded by

history of neuralgia and rheumatism in head and limbs, with inflammatory tendency (Van den

Berghe).—Tingling of trachea (bronchitis).

Obstructed and painful respiration.—Spasmodic and sobbing respiration (double

inspiration) as after weeping bitterly.—Respiration obstructed when going up stairs.—Constrictive

oppression of chest, < by movement, and walking.—Burning in chest.—Pain in chest on

breathing, as if there were something alive in it—Shootings in chest, esp. on raising or moving

arms.—Eruption on the chest, resembling sheep-rot.—Gnawing itching in chest, with red spots

and miliary eruption.—Pain, as from excoriation under sternum.

Pushing or pressing inward at |. edge of sternum; palpitation; also in haemorrhage.

Painful stiffness in back and loins after sitting —Tearing from loins to

occiput, esp. in evening.—Violent cramp-like pain above hips, with suspended respiration in

evening.

Tearing and pressive pulling in arms.—Lancinating pains in shoulder, on

raising or moving arms.—Aching pain in joints of shoulder, and of elbow, < by

movement.—Rheumatism in r. elbow-joint due to urate deposit, on periosteum

apparently.—Rheumatic pain in the joints of the arm.—Eruption, like sheep-rot, on

• ▸arms.
• ▸—Tearing pains in hands and fingers.
• ▸—Fine stinging in hands.
• ▸—Boring pain in first joint of

• ▸thumb.
• ▸—Arthritic nodosities in joints of hands and fingers.
• ▸—Perspiration on palms.
• ▸—Itching,

miliary eruption on wrist.—Trembling of hands on moving them, or on grasping

anything.—Panaritium.

Rheumatic, paralytic pain in the coxo-femoral joint —Pressure in the region

• ▸of r.
• ▸hip-joint, < during motion.
• ▸—Rheumatic pains in hip, knee, and foot-joints.
• ▸—Contusive pain,

and pain as from excoriation in periosteum of femur, and in knees.—Pressure on I. thigh,

posteriorly; as if the muscles were not in their right places, like pains of dislocation, in every

position, but esp. violent when walking or when touched.—Tensive stiffness of the knee, which

cracks and yields in walking.—Cramp-like tension in the knees, calves, and heels—Weakness

and trembling of knees (and hands) when seated or walking.—Hard and tight swelling of knee,

with shootings and nocturnal aching and tearing pains, and hardness of whole leg.—Swelling of

leg, above and below knee, with heat and drawing shooting pain.—Legs red and swollen with

shooting pains in instep and ankles, and prickly pains up leg. —Pressure above 1. inner ankle, < by

movement.—Very severe gnawing itching on dorsum of both feet; always < after scratching; only

allayed after he had scratched the feet quite raw; much < by heat of bed.—Obstinate swelling of

feet; with intolerable pain in ankle-joint on treading. —Pressure on inner border of 1.

foot—Stiffness of feet.—Pain in soles, when walking, as if they were galled; as if filled with

blood.—Inflammatory or else cedematous swelling of legs and feet.—Incisive pains in toes, while

asleep at night—Swelling of fleshy part of great toe, with pain when treading with it—Fine

tearing in (1.) toes; podagra.

• ▸Gouty pains shoot all through the foot and limb, and in joints, but especially small joints.
• ▸Swollen, hot, pale.
• ▸Throbbing in right shoulder.
• ▸Pressure in shoulder, worse motion.
• ▸Cracking in joints; worse, warmth of bed.
• ▸Gouty nodosities.
• ▸Ball of great to swollen (Bothrops).
• ▸Rheumatism begins in lower limbs and ascends (Kalmia opposite).
• ▸Ankles swollen.
• ▸Soles painful, can hardly step on them (Ant c; Lyc).
• ▸Easy spraining of ankle.

• ▸Acne on forehead, sticking pain therein.
• ▸Eczema (facial).
• ▸Itching of feet and ankles; worse, scratching and warmth of bed.
• ▸Ecchymosis.
• ▸Long discoloration after injuries.
• ▸Carbuncles (Anthracin. Tarant cuben).
• ▸Antidote to Rhus poisoning (Grindel; Cyprip; Anac).

CEdematous swellings, also of skin of whole body.—Hot, tensive, hard swellings, with

tearing pains.—Dryness of the skin and want of perspiration.—Large, rough exanthema on the

face.—Dry exanthema.—Whitlows or felons on fingers of a seamstress are often caused by needle

pricks.—Itching < by scratching.—Itching and gnawing in skin, with burning after having

• ▸scratched.
• ▸—Gnawing itching, as if caused by lice.
• ▸—Miliary eruptions.
• ▸—Eruption, like rot in

sheep, with desquamation.—Bluish spots over body, like petechiz.—Ecchymosis remaining a

long time in bruised parts after pain and inflammation subside.—Dry, furfuraceous tetters, itching

excessively (burning in open air).—Furunculi.

Great inclination to sleep during day, as when intoxicated; a kind of drowsiness with

great wish to lie down.—Nocturnal sleeplessness, with restless tossing, jerking, fantastic visions

and images on closing eyes.—Agitated anxious dreams.—Uneasy dreams, in which he changes

from place to place, and from one subject to another.—Lascivious dreams, with emission of

semen.

Coldness, want of animal heat. Sensation as of cold water over parts; general coldness with heat of face.

Violent shivering and shuddering, with coldness in limbs.—Chilliness with thirst and

sensation as if cold water were poured over the parts.—Morning and forenoon predominating

chilliness with thirst—General coldness, with heat and redness of face.—Heat without thirst more

towards evening.—Perspiration all night, with inclination to uncover oneself.—Night-sweat, of

• ▸putrid or sour smell.
• ▸—Perspiration causes itching.
• ▸—Intermittent fever.
• ▸—Chilliness without

subsequent heat, accompanied by thirst, esp. desire for cold water.—Heat all over without thirst;

on waking up, body covered with perspiration, accompanied by itching of whole

body.—Intermittent fevers with malignant rheumatic pains.—Heat in hands and feet in

evening.—Fever in evening, with pain in head and eyes.—Sensation of great heat, alternating with

sweats.—Perspiration easily excited by walking, esp. on forehead, and sometimes of a sour smell.

• ▸Ascites.
• ▸Asthma.
• ▸Bites.
• ▸Black-eye.
• ▸Boils.
• ▸Bruises.
• ▸Deafness.
• ▸Ear, inflammation of.

• ▸Eczema.
• ▸Erythema nodosum.
• ▸Face, pimples on.
• ▸Feet, pains in; tender.
• ▸Gout.
• ▸Heemoptysis.

• ▸Hands, pains in.
• ▸Intoxication.
• ▸Joints, affections of, cracking in.
• ▸Méniére's disease.
• ▸Pediculosis.

• ▸Priapism.
• ▸Prickly heat.
• ▸Punctured wounds.
• ▸Rheumatism.
• ▸Skin, eruptions on.
• ▸Stings.
• ▸Tetanus.

• ▸Tinnitus.
• ▸Tuberculosis.
• ▸Varicella.
• ▸Whitlow.
• ▸Wounds.

Antidoted by: Camph. (according to Teste Rhus is the best antidote). /t antidotes:

Effects of alcohol; Apis, Chi. ("Cinchona bark given for the debility produced by Led. is very

• ▸injurious.
• ▸"—Hahn.
• ▸) Compatible: Aco.
• ▸, Arn.
• ▸, Bell.
• ▸, Bry.
• ▸, Nux v.
• ▸, Puls.
• ▸, Rhus, Sul.
• ▸Compare:

• ▸Kalm.
• ▸(bot.
• ▸; Kalm.
• ▸pains shoot down; Led.
• ▸pains shoot up); Arn.
• ▸(trauma.
• ▸Led.
• ▸follows Arn.

• ▸when it fails to relieve soreness; punctured wounds); Crot.
• ▸t.
• ▸(skin cold); Hamam.
• ▸(traumatic

ecchymosis; black-eye), Ruta (bruises: Ruta, especially of periosteum Symph. of bone; Hyperic.

• ▸of nerve) Apis (nightly itching of feet) Am.
• ▸m.
• ▸, Nat.
• ▸c.
• ▸(blistered heels) Zn.
• ▸, Rhus, Glo.
• ▸, Nux,

• ▸Sel.
• ▸, Fl.
• ▸ac.
• ▸, Ant.
• ▸c.
• ▸, Pul.
• ▸, Bovis.
• ▸, and Sil.
• ▸(< from wine); Sil.
• ▸(chronic rheumatism, extending

from feet upwards; Sil. > covering up, Led, > uncovering); Lyc. > uncovering); Bry.

(rheumatism < motion; Led. more gout of great toe, scanty effusion, tends to harden into

• ▸nodosities; Bry.
• ▸, copious effusion.
• ▸Led.
• ▸hot swelling of hip- and shoulder-joints); Aco.

(hemoptysis of bright red foamy blood) Rhus [gout and rheumatism affecting small joints

• ▸(Rhod.
• ▸also) Led.
• ▸pains travel up; < warmth of bed (Rhus >); motion < (Rhus.
• ▸>)]; Sul.
• ▸(itch);

Staph. (pediculosis); Merc. (bloody semen).

Compare: Ledum antidotes spider poisons. Ruta; Ham; Bellis; Arnica.

Third to thirtieth potency.

Ledum is a remedy for the sui'geon, and is closely associated in

traumatism with Arnica and Hypericum, The sjnmptoms very much

resemble such as follow certain kinds of injury, for instance an injury

6|2

from stepping on tacks, from puncturing with needles, wounds that

bleed scantily but are followed by pain, puffiness and coldness of the

part. Stepping on a nail and it pierces the sole of the foot or the

heel, or he receives such a wound in the palm of the hand from a

splinter, or he runs a splinter under the nail. If, after such punctured

wounds, the part becomes cold and then pale, paralyzed and mottled

think of Ledum. The horse sometimes steps on a nail. If that nail

goes through and strikes the margin of the coffin bone, tetanus will

follow. It is known to be almost sure death. Put Ledum on the

tongue of that horse and there will not be any trouble, for it prevents

such conditions.

When tetanus comes on from punctured wounds in the palms or

soles, or in other parts, think of Hypericum, or when you have a punctured wound to treat, give Ledum at once and you will prevent

tetanus. When the finger nails have been torn, or the nerves in sentient

parts like the ends of the fingers have been torn and lacerated, Hypericum becomes the remedy. For bruising of various parts, and when

the patient feels as if bruised all over, no matter how extensively he

is bruised. Arnica is generally the remedy. It may be said, for punctured wounds study Ledum ; for lacerated wounds of sentient nerves,

study Hypericum; for bruises, study Arnica; for open lacerations and

cuts, study Calendula. The conditions that come from the external,

ought to be remedied to a great extent by external means. A solution

of Calendula is excellent in conditions that come from the external,

and it should be applied externally. When you have lacerated wounds

and cuts with knives or other sharp instruments, apply Calendula,

because the injury is external without internal effects. The symptoms

that arise from internal cause, treat with internal remedies, and symptoms that arise from external cause, when all that there is of the case

is external, treat locally ; in other words, for local causes use local

means, and for internal or dynamic causes, use internal means. Let

internal wrongs be treated by the homoeopathic remedy and external

or local conditions be treated by such soothing dressings as are most

comfortable. Always protect surfaces that are exposed, and raw, and

bleeding with something of a bland and superficial character. Wounds

must be dressed with as simple a means as possible, and there is no

simpler dressing than Calendula, one part to four or six of water.

The tincture will smart too much. Your open wounds will granulate

most beautifully under Calendula, and you will have no constitutional

effects. When the constitutional state is orderly and there is an open

injury let the constitution alone, but put on some soothing application

externally. In doing this there is no law to govern the action of the

physician. Air is an irritant to a raw part and will keep up an imnecessary discharge of pus, even from a perfectly healthy sore.

U!. >

Calendula will keep it protected. The sides of a cut must be drawn

• ▸together, and if it is perfectly tight it will heal itself by first intention.
• ▸If it does not, then you may know there is a constitutional condition that you must ferret out and find the remedy for.
• ▸Local treatment must then be suspended.
• ▸These remedies that I have mentioned,

to a great extent, cover the management of wounds, and it is simple.

Anyone has sense enough to draw together and close up a yawning

wound, and to properly dress it. The muscles that naturally draw a

wound open have to be overcome by stitches or by strappings. They

do not belong to prescribing, they belong 10 the surgeon.

The Ledum patient is very often subject to what may be called constitutional coldness, coldness to touch, coldness in the body and coldness in the extremities with hot head, and again we see the other extreme, where the whole body is overheated, and the head also is in a

state of great heat. There is throbbing and pulsating all over the

body ; the skin is purple or is too highly colored ; he wants the covers

all oflE at night. It is not uncommon to hear a patient, who has a

Ledum headache, say that she wants the head out in the cold air,

wants to put it out of the window, does not want any covering upon

the head ; delights to bathe it with very cold water.

Ledum has a bloated condition of ;he hands, face, and feet ; bloated

and purple from the knees down in certain dropsical conditions. With

this purple, mottled, bloated condition from the knees to the feet the

swelling as big as the skin will allow, and the pain excruciating. The

only relief that patient gets is by sitting, with the feet in a tub of ice

cold water. I remember the first time I ever saw this in a patient.

He was an old syphilitic, whose nasal bones had been eaten out by

syphilis, and his nose was a flabby piece of skin ; it had no stiflening

in it. He was a drunkard, and was extremely abusive to his family

when drunk. He had been for several years unwilling to work, having lost his ambition, and he would sit in the house and allow his wife

to wait upon him. He had practically become a tramp, only he could

not tramp, for tliis dropsical condition had come on and his feet were

so badly swollen and sensitive that he sat in the house day after day.

When I first saw him he had before him a good-sized old-fashioned

wash-tub, and there he sat with the ice water two-thirds up to his

knees and pieces of ice floating around on the top of the water, which

he liked to have coming in contact with the skin. When that ice was

out he would put in more. The wife described his sufferings by saying he '‘suffered agonies something dreadful.” Ledum took his feet

out of the ice water so that he never used it afterwards. It caused

the purpleness to disappear, the bloating went out of his feet, and he

quit drinking. Ledum cured him of his syphilitic trouble, and ho

never had a return of that original state. Pulsatilla and Ledum are

6i4 ledum palustre

the two principal remedies that want the feet in very cold water. But

Ledum suited that man.

Where there are inflamed surfaces the tendency in Ledum is to

bleed, and the blood is black. Ledum patients are full-blooded and

plethoric, of a robust character. Such plethoric patients bleed easily,

have red faces ; they are fleshy, strong and of robust constitution.

Haemorrhages sometimes occur in the chamber of the eye, haemorrhage

of the nose, haemorrhage in cavities, bloody urine.

Old painful ulcers that spread, that are mottled round about, in a

constitution that always wants to be cold. The ulcers are relieved by

cold.

This remedy is of a rheumatic nature, rheumatic and gouty. It is

a gouty medicine, having complaints in persons who suffer from gout,

and have chalk stones in their joints, deposits in the wrists, fingers and

• ▸toes.
• ▸The deposits go from below upwards.
• ▸The gouty joints become suddenly inflamed and are relieved by cold.
• ▸Ledum especially

singles out the knee ; it is suitable in old prolonged cases of inflammation of the knee-joint, of rheumatic knee-joint. You will find such

patients sitting with the joint exposed to the cold, fanning the joint,

or putting evaporating lotions upon the joint, such as chloroform, or

ether, which give relief to the joints while evaporating to dryness.

Rheumatic and gouty extremities with pain and swelling ; pain worse

from motion, worse at night and from warmth of bed ; better from

cold applications with copious pale urine. The pains and swelling go

upwards and the heart becomes affected.

The face I have already described as puffy or bloated like the Lachesis face. It is a besotted face and looks very much like the face of an

old drunkard. Ledum counteracts the effect of whiskey, and takes

away the appetite for whiskey. Ledum is to whiskey what Caladium

is to the smoking habit. You can break patients from the habit of

smoking so that they go to the other extreme, and have an aversion

to it.

It has ei^sipelas, as you might expect. It has a blue, mottled and

puffed and sometimes oedematous appearance. It takes on an acute

character and becomes burning. Phlegmonous erysipelas of any part

of the body, but particularly of the face, or the injured part.

You might naturally suppose that a medicine that has such a gouty

nature in it would have more or less kidney symptoms. '‘Urination

frequent, quantity diminished or increased, stream often stops during

• ▸the flow.
• ▸” “Burning in the urethra after urinating.
• ▸” “Itching redness and discharge of pus.
• ▸” It has red sand in the urine as marked

as Lycopodium, It has great quantities of sandy deposit of various

colors. When the patient is feeling at his best, there are great quantities of sandy deposits passing away. When there is little deposit in

UEDUM PALU8TRE

6iS

the urine, the gouty deposits in the joints become marked, and he does

not feel so well. It has another symptom that was verified by Lippe:

Copious clear, colorless urine, light in specific gravity and from its

being light or deficient of salts in the urine we have an aggravation

of the gouty manifestations. Remember, that the rheumatic tendency

spreads upwards from the lower extremities, from the circumference

to the centre.

“Menstruation too early, too profuse, bright red ; absence of vital

heat.” Great coldness of the body at this time, yet the patient wants

the cold air. Copious menstrual flow. Old gouty subjects, with mottled face with the puffincss that is not cedema, simply a venous stasis,

with copious menstrual flow, with great pain during menstruation.

The uterus is extremely sensitive to touch, and the pelvic organs are

so sensitive that any deep touch becomes painful to the patient, Dysmcnorrhoea in gouty subjects. It turns the constitution into order

and prevents the after-formation of gout. When such cases are very

deep-seated, the uterine troubles will be cured in middle life, and the

gouty appearance will come separately. The better the internal is, in

an incurable disease, the worse the external becomes, and, when tlris

is so the external trouble is essential to health, and so long as the external manifestations arc in the extremities, and the joints are being

increasingly affected, so long the internal is in a state of order. When

the remedy works in that way, do not change it and try to get something that will drive the external hway. So long as the patient is improving. and the external is growing worse, that is the right direction.

Ledum acts in this direction. Its tendency is to make complaints go

away from the centre, for its complaints begin in the circumference

and go towards the centre. It is sometimes impossible to manage a

gouty patient without giving him some sort of explanation. Lycopodiunl also keeps conditions coming to the surface. It will send them

back to their own place in the externals when they have a tendency to

go in. Lycopodium often causes a return of the red sand in the urine.

“Emaciation of suffering parts.” A nerve is injured by a puncture

and a slight infection takes place, so that the wound becomes congested, with a mottled, cedematous appearance, and the part becomes

cold, just such a condition as Ledum will cure. The nerve that supplies that part takes on an ascending neuritis, pains shoot along the

nerve, the muscles that are supplied by that nerve dwindle and the

part withers. We have in Pulsattlla a similar state. “The diseased

limb withers.”

6i6

A ffections of, in general; knee-joint; hip-joints; toe-joints; gouty pain in; when

striking the toes there is a coldness in the parts, and a gouty pain shoots all through the foot and

• ▸limb; cracking of the joints, 7.
• ▸e.
• ▸, on moving them.
• ▸—Heat in hands and feet in evening.
• ▸—Long-

continued warm sweat on hands and feet.