Lobelia Purpurascens

• ▸The first mention of this plant was made by Erskine C.
• ▸White (H.
• ▸W.
• ▸, xxxii.

• ▸502) under the name Lobelia rubra, corrected later by F.
• ▸Kopp (H.
• ▸W.
• ▸, xxxiii.
• ▸328) and E.
• ▸C.

• ▸White himself (H.
• ▸W.
• ▸, xxxiii.
• ▸510) to Lob.
• ▸purpurascens.
• ▸Kopp describes the plant thus: "Stems

angular, procumbent. Leaves ovate, green on surface, and either purple or purple and green

underneath, somewhat serrulated, rather firm, usually from half to one inch long; pedicles

axillary, much shorter than the leaves, reflexed after flowering. Flowers white above, purpled

beneath, delicately scented, most dicecious, corolla four or five lines long, the lower lobes

oblong, obtuse, the two upper ones shorter and narrower, more acute and incurved. Capsule

narrower, ovoid, fully three lines long; seeds rather large, often flattened." It grows profusely in

the Australian bush, preferably in moist places, and most profusely, says Kopp, where snakes

• ▸most abound.
• ▸White adds that it prefers loose sandy soils.
• ▸This is interesting since James S.
• ▸Bray,

quoted by White and Kopp, observed that the iguana after a fight with a snake, whenever it

happened to be bitten, ate this Lobelia. On the other hand, Bray once found a number of sheep

dead, and from their appearance he at first thought they had been bitten by snakes; but on

examining their stomachs he found the leaves and stalks of Lob. Purp., and he came to the

conclusion that this was the cause of their death. White gives a short pathogenesis in which

symptoms like the effects of snake-poison are prominent. His symptoms, together with those of

• ▸Kopp, who crushed with his teeth and swallowed a leaf (H.
• ▸W.
• ▸, xxxiv.
• ▸306), will be found

• ▸arranged in the Schema.
• ▸They bear a strong family resemblance to those of Lob.
• ▸inflata.
• ▸White

gives a clinical experience of his own which is important: "This plant, if only touched carelessly

with the teeth, produces overwhelming giddiness. I had noticed that the sickening stupor and

headache it produces exactly resembled those of La Grippe, before I knew the name of the plant.

My headache disappeared like magic under Lob. purp. O, and I used to notice that all chest

symptoms were avoided under its sway. La Grippe breaks out in wet weather. This plant, with its

tiny gem-like white blossoms, always carpets the earth after each rain throughout the year."

Other general characteristics of Lob. purp. White gives as follows: Intense prostration, vital and

nervous. Deadly chill without shivering, but overpowering the system. Paralysis of lungs and

resultant poisoning with carbonic acid gas; vomiting and coma. Acts very like Bapz¢. in low

typhoid conditions, and seems to neutralise the poison of influenza. Growing on sandy soil it

contains much flint, and like Secal., Staph., and the common carrot, agrees especially well with

patients who are deficient in silica, and who are nervous, liable to boils, of a hasty disposition,

perspire profusely, and whose teeth are always decaying. Symptoms are < by movement; < in

damp weather.

Confused and depressed. Headache with nausea, vertigo; especially between eyebrows. Cannot keep eyes open; spasmodic closure of lids.

Vertigo accompanied with nausea and stupor.—Overwhelming drowsiness (exactly as

produced by snake-venom), sickening, dizzy headache, esp. just between eyebrows.—Dull and

distressing pain in head, with fulness in base of occiput and forehead; pain < by shaking head

and any motion.—Confused feeling in head.

Impossible to keep open. Drowsy.

Eyes weak; on closing them an apparent soreness.—Impossible to keep eyes open,

almost spasmodic closing of (upper) lids.

Dryness and fulness of nose.

• ▸7.
• ▸Teeth.
• ▸_(Suited to persons whose teeth decay early from lack of Silica.
• ▸)

Superficial respiration; heart and lungs feel paralyzed; respiration slow. Heart beats sound to him like boom of a drum.

Tightness of chest with great oppression and labouring breathing.—Sensation as if

lungs paralysed; superficial breathing.—Breathing slow, almost ceases.

Distressed feeling in region of heart.—Heart paralysed; beat almost imperceptible.

Great weakness of lower extremities; knees appear to collapse under weight

of body.

24. Generalities—Exhaustion and dejection—General debility with loss of appetite and great

languor.—The symptoms come on with great rapidity, within five minutes of taking the

drug.—Low typhoid condition.

Deadly chill without shivering, but overpowering the system.—General feeling of

• ▸feverishness.
• ▸—Profuse perspiration.
• ▸—(Typhoid fever.
• ▸—Influenza.
• ▸)

• ▸Heart, paralysis of.
• ▸Influenza; headache of.
• ▸Lichen tropicus.
• ▸Lungs, paralysis of.

• ▸Snake-bites.
• ▸Tongue, paralysis of.
• ▸Typhoid fever.
• ▸Vertigo.

• ▸Compare: Lob.
• ▸inf.
• ▸, Tabac.
• ▸, Lach.
• ▸and other snake-poisons.
• ▸Bapt.
• ▸(influenza,

typhoid); Secal., Staph. (teeth).

Compare: Baptisa; Lobelia cardinalis (debility, especially of lower extremities; oppressed breathing, pleurisy, sticking pain in chest on taking a long breath. Pain in left lung, intermitting pricking during the day).

Third potency.