Moschus

In New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies (p. 220) is a letter by Delgado Palacios,

of Venezuela, pointing out that the name Dolichos, given to Cowhage or Cow-itch in

homeeopathic literature (see Vol. I.), is not in accordance with latest botanical terminology.

Cowhage is really a Mucuna, Mucuna and Dolichos being separate genera of the Leguminose.

They are so described in the 7reasury of Botany. (Allen gives Linnzus as the authority for the

name Dolichos puriens.) Palacios has used M. urens, with which, he says, modern botanists

consider Cowhage identical; but he does not name his plant M@. Pruriens, an alternative name of

Cowhage, and as he says, further, that M/. urens is a "special plant which grows in the calid

regions of Venezuela," and that the beans are "very difficult to obtain," I think it best to give the

plant a separate notice. This is the more desirable as Palacios uses an entirely different

preparation. In Dolichos (I retain the name for the sake of distinction) the entire pod is used, the

stinging hairs being the most important part of it. Palacios uses the pulverised bean for making

his tincture. His chief use for it is in hemorrhoids and complaints arising from the hemorrhoidal

• ▸diathesis.
• ▸The keynote symptom is burning.
• ▸There may or may not be bleeding.
• ▸Affections of

liver, uterus, bladder, testicles, when accompanied by hemorrhoids, are likely to be cured by M.

urens. He gives one drop daily of the @ tincture, and sometimes makes an ointment of it as well.

He places more reliance in it than in Hamamelis and 4:scul. h. There is no pathogenesis.

• ▸Uncontrollable laughter.
• ▸Scolding.
• ▸Anxiety with palpitation; starting as if frightened.
• ▸Sexual hypochondriasis.

Excitement as from alcohol.—Great absence of mind, sometimes with confused

speech.—Preoccupation, during which the patient talks to himself, and gesticulates, as if bereft of

reason.—Bustling activity, with weakness, so that everything falls from hands.—Fretful

mind.—Cries one moment, uncontrollable laughter the next Complaints and lamentations on

account of excessive sufferings, with inability to indicate the part affected; when questioned,

patient complains still more urgently, but without saying where he suffers——Apprehension of

death, and excessive timidity about dying.—Hypochondriacal anxiety, sometimes with palpitation

of heart—Exceedingly quarrelsome humour and great irascibility, with passion, proceeding even

to fury —Very violent anger, raves and scolds till mouth dry, lips blue, eyes staring, face deathly

pale, and she falls unconscious.—Loss of memory.

Pricking in limbs, sometimes with pain in the part, affected —Cramp-like

pains in limbs.—Trembling and jerking, over whole body.—Weakness, which is felt more during

repose than in movement.—Weakness to the extent of fainting, with nocturnal coldness of skin

generally.—Fainting fits: esp. at night (in bed), in evening, or in open air, followed by headache;

of hysterical persons.—Hypochondriacal complaints, originating in sexual system.—Wrenching

and bruising pain, in side on which patient has been lying.—The sufferings are < when the body

is chilled —Great susceptibility to open air—Pinching, shootings, and itching, which compels

• ▸scratching, in different parts of body.
• ▸—Tetanus.
• ▸—Convulsions with cramps in chest.
• ▸—Hysterical

symptoms, even in men.—[We may think strongly of this remedy in nervous or spasmodic

complaints where the patient feels very cold; in epileptic fits, for instance, where there is rigor or

chilliness, or shuddering, as though the patient were very cold.—In complaints where the smell of

musk affords great relief—Where there is a sense of fulness in the inner parts Sensations: of

coldness of the skin; great sensation of coldness in outer single parts; external chilliness with

internal heat.—Pain where there is a sensation of oppression, or a very severe oppressive

• ▸pain.
• ▸—H.
• ▸N.
• ▸G.
• ▸]

• ▸Compressive pain over root of nose.
• ▸Pressure on top of head.
• ▸Vertigo on least motion; sensation as if falling from a great height.
• ▸Scalp sensitive.
• ▸Sounds in ears as from the report of a cannon.

Vertigo and wavering before eyes, on least movement of head or eyelids.—Vertigo <

stooping, > rising.—Vertigo, even to loss of consciousness, or with fainting.—Vertigo, with

sensation of falling —Vertigo, with nausea and vomiting, want to lie down, and desire for

coffee.—Dizziness, as from intoxication.—Headache, with nausea and vomiting, which compels

• ▸lying down.
• ▸—Heaviness in head.
• ▸—Compressive and stunning headache, esp.
• ▸just above root of

nose; with nausea in evening, > moving head, and in room, > in open air—Cramp-like and

tensive drawing in head, and esp. in occiput, extending nearly to nape of neck; with nausea, < in

evening, when sitting in room, and when becoming cold, > in open air, and when getting

• ▸warm.
• ▸—Congestion in head.
• ▸—Congestion of blood to head, heaviness of head.
• ▸—Aching and

boring pain in occiput, as if a nail were driven into brain; < sitting in a room.

Eyes dull, with pressive pain in canthi—Lachrymation.—Eyes fixed, sparkling, with a

sort of dizziness and absence of mind.—Sudden obscuration of eyes.—Eyes turned upwards, fixed

and glistening.—Pressing, itching and pimples on eyes.—Small red pimples on upper

eyelids. —Itching in canthi.

Eruptions on ears, with burning pain after being scratched.—Crepitation and cracking

• ▸in ears.
• ▸—Roaring before ears.
• ▸—Detonation in (r.
• ▸) ear like report of a cannon, accompanied with

discharge of a few drops of blood.—Singing tinnitus. —(Noise in ears for four years, like a

shrieking steam-engine, stops and changes its character; dates from parturition and occurs at

• ▸menstrual period.
• ▸—R.
• ▸T.
• ▸C.
• ▸).
• ▸—Hardness of hearing.
• ▸—Discharge of cerumen from ears.

Heat in face, sometimes without redness, and with eyes dull.—Heat in one (1.) cheek,

without redness, while the other (r.) is red without heat —Pale face, with

perspiration —Movement of lower jaw, as if he were chewing.—Earthy pale

complexion.—Tension in muscles of face, as if they were too short.

• ▸Desire for black coffee, stimulants.
• ▸Aversion to food.
• ▸Everything tastes flat.
• ▸With stomach symptoms, anxiety in chest.
• ▸Distended.
• ▸Faints when eating.
• ▸Abdomen greatly distended.
• ▸Spasmodic, nervous hiccough (Hydrocy ac; Sulph ac; Ignat; Cajap).

Putrid taste of food.—Great desire for beer or brandy.—Thirst—Aversion to

• ▸food.
• ▸—Faints while eating.
• ▸—Spasmodic hiccough.
• ▸—Violent eructations, sometimes with

nausea.—Sudden attacks of nausea; at sight or thought of food.—Nausea, which mounts from

epigastrium, with retraction of navel, and cramp-like pains.—Violent vomiting, esp. in morning,

and often accompanied by pain in stomach and chest, and distension of epigastrium.—Aching in

stomach.—Sensation of fulness and obstruction in region of stomach and epigastrium, sometimes

with uneasiness, < after a moderate meal.—Smarting, burning sensation of excoriation, in region

of stomach, after a meal.

Hysterical abdominal spasms.—Attacks of painful contraction in umbilical

region, with suspended respiration.—Sensation of tension in abdomen, as if clothes were too

tight, accompanied by an anxiety which neither permits attention to any kind of labour, nor

continuance in one place, but compels constant running from side to side.—Incarceration of

flatus.

Constipation, esp. after taking coffee.—Stools soft, smell

• ▸sweetish.
• ▸—Diarrhcea (involuntary), esp.
• ▸at night, and sometimes during sleep.
• ▸—Diarrhcea, with

violent cuttings.—The loose evacuations are always mixed with feecal matter—Feces of the

colour of sepia.—Urgent and ineffectual want to evacuate.—Stitches in the anus, extending to the

bladder.

Profuse urination. Diabetes.

Menses too early, too profuse, with disposition to faint (Nux m; Veratr). Sexual desire, with intolerable titillation in parts. Drawing and pushing in the direction of the genitals; sensation as if menses appear.

Violent sexual desire.—Menses: too early and too profuse, with

drawing pain; with intolerable titillation in genitals; great disposition to faint.—Desire greatly

excited (in an old woman).—Drawing, and sensation of bearing down towards hypogastrium and

the genital organs during menses.—Dysmenorrheea with fainting.—Bearing down as if menses

would appear.—During pregnancy she complains much, but of nothing in particular.

17, 18. Respiratory Organs and Chest.—A sudden sensation in upper part of larynx as if it

closed upon the breath; as if caused by the vapour of sulphur.—Severe dry cough < morning, pain

under |. breast on coughing —Whooping-cough, last stage, with vertigo and constriction of chest

and trachea.—Difficult respiration, and shortness of breath, with shootings in chest.—Cramp-like

and suffocating constriction in chest, esp. after taking cold (or on going out into cold open air; or

becoming cold).—Hysterical spasms of chest—Cramps in chest, commencing sometimes with an

inclination to cough, and afterwards aggravated so as to create despair.—Pressive pain in chest, to

extent of obstructing respiration —Gnawing in chest with sense of suffocation.—Paralysis of

lungs, loud rattling of mucus; restlessness; syncope.—Shootings in chest and sides, sometimes

with redness and bloatedness of face, dilated pupils, rough and dry tongue, and burning

thirst—The chest is acutely affected, and painful on all sides, with violent and dry

• ▸cough.
• ▸—Painful sensitiveness of chest under arms, esp.
• ▸when pressed.
• ▸—A pressive pain in I.

breast as though the pain would force itself through the nipple-—Angina, tightness of chest,

obliged to breathe forcibly.

• ▸Violent desire; involuntary emissions.
• ▸Impotence, associated with diabetes (Coca).
• ▸Premature senility.
• ▸Nausea and vomiting after coition.

Great increase of sexual desire, sometimes with insupportable

tickling in the parts, or tensive pains in penis.—A small retracted penis in an old man suddenly

attains its former size; an impotent man became natural.—Impotence occasioned by a cold;

preceding diabetes.—Painful involuntary pollutions without erection.—Erection, with burning

pain in urethra.—Erections with desire to urinate-—Nausea and vomiting after coition.

• ▸Tightness of chest, is obliged to take a deeper breath.
• ▸Sudden constriction of larynx and trachea.
• ▸Difficult respiration; chest oppressed; hysterical spasm of chest; asthma.
• ▸Spasm of glottis.
• ▸Impending paralysis of lungs.
• ▸Asthma, with intense anxiety, fear, and smothering sensation.
• ▸Cough ceases, mucus cannot be expectorated.
• ▸Globus hystericus.

Hysterical palpitation. Trembling around heart. Weak pulse and fainting.

Anxious palpitation of heart.—Palpitation; dyspnoea; prostration; nervousness-says,

"I shall die, I know I shall die.".—Sensation of trembling around heart, with constriction in whole

chest.—Prostration followed by threatened collapse.

Violent drawings in nape; unable to turn head.—Pain in muscles of neck as

if torn from upper and lower attachments.—Drawing pain from second cervical vertebra to r.

shoulder.—Drawing pains in spine which extend into hip-joint, and there become so violent that

he cries out.—Violent drawing pain in back, as if tissues drawn tense (as before menses).—Partly

jerking, partly drawing pains in spine.—Acute pressure |. side of sacrum above coccyx, as if

caused by a dull instrument.

Drawing pains along the entire extent of the arm, and esp. in wrists, as from

cramp.—Burning, with sensation of coldness, in last joints of fingers —Swelling of hands, with

shooting pains.—Convulsive movements of hands and fingers.

Restlessness in legs, with paralytic weakness, which compels constant

movement.—Trembling in legs, as after great fatigue, when seated.—Compressive pain in hollows

of knees as though tendons too short.—Paralytic weakness in legs, on sitting down, after

• ▸walking.
• ▸—Sensation of coldness on tibia—Burning pressure on tips of r.
• ▸toes.
• ▸—Jerking pains in

nails of two first toes as if they would suppurate, could not bear anything to touch them, could

only walk barefooted upon the heel.

Great drowsiness during day, with frequent and vehement yawning —Coma.—At

night, inability to lie long in same position; pain in part on which patient has lain, as of a

dislocation, or a bruise.—Vivid dreams, in which the passions are strongly excited—Dreams in

which nothing succeeds.—Sleeplessness during whole night, from excitability of nervous

system.—Sleeplessness of hysterical persons.

Pulse full and accelerated, with ebullitions—Weak pulse, faintings from

anzemia.—Circulation of blood accelerated.—Frequent sensation as of cool air blowing on person,

• ▸esp.
• ▸on the parts which are uncovered.
• ▸—External coldness with internal heat.
• ▸—One cheek is pale

and hot, the other is red and cold.—The one hand is burning hot and pale, the other is cold and

red.—Sensation of coldness, mostly in spine, with drawing pains.—The air seems cold; patient

seeks fireside.—Frequent slight shuddering, commencing at head and spreading over whole

body.—Attacks of burning heat in evening; in bed frequently only on r. side, with restlessness

and inclination to uncover.—Sweat every morning.—Clammy perspiration in morning, smelling

of musk.

Mucuna Urens.

• ▸Mucuna urens.
• ▸Horse-Eye.
• ▸(Hot regions of Venezuela.
• ▸) N.
• ▸O.
• ▸Leguminosz.
• ▸The pulverised

bean is macerated in five times its weight of alcohol.

Antidoted by: Camph. (unconsciousness and coldness), Coff. Antidote to: Therid.

• ▸(headaches).
• ▸Compare: In neuralgic pains and functional diseases from taking cold, Amm.
• ▸, Ign.
• ▸,

• ▸Mag.
• ▸m.
• ▸, Valer.
• ▸One hand cold, the other hot, Chi.
• ▸, Dig.
• ▸, Pul.
• ▸, Ip.
• ▸Nausea at sight of food, Colch.
• ▸,

• ▸Lyc.
• ▸, Phos.
• ▸ac.
• ▸, Saba, Spi.
• ▸(at smell of food, Colch.
• ▸, Eup.
• ▸perfol.
• ▸).
• ▸< After coitus, K.
• ▸ca.
• ▸Pain

before menses > by flow, Lach. (Mosch. has drawing pulling at beginning of menses ceasing

• ▸with flow; Zinc.
• ▸has burning in left ovary ceasing with flow.
• ▸) Hysteria, Plat.
• ▸Scolding, Pallad.

• ▸(but Mosch.
• ▸keeps it up till falls unconscious), Therid.
• ▸Faints easily, Ign.
• ▸Non-reaction from

• ▸irritable weakness, Ambr.
• ▸, Agar.
• ▸, Asaf.
• ▸, Camph.
• ▸, Cast.
• ▸, Chi.
• ▸, Cocc.
• ▸, Coff.
• ▸, Cypr.
• ▸, Scutel.
• ▸,

• ▸Tarent.
• ▸, Val.
• ▸, Zn.
• ▸[Castor.
• ▸has pains > by pressure, Nux m.
• ▸error of perception, drowsy, faints,

• ▸tympany.
• ▸Val.
• ▸nerves irritated, can't keep still, > moving, taste tallowy, slimy.
• ▸Asaf.
• ▸reversed

• ▸peristalsis; rancid eructations.
• ▸Mag.
• ▸m.
• ▸faints at dinner, > eructations; headache > pressure and

wrapping up; palpitation > moving; crumbling stools. |

Compare: Nux mosch; Asaf; Valer; Sumbul; Ign; Castor.

Compatible: Ambra.

Antidotes: Camph; Coff.

First to third potency.

Moschus cures many hysterical girls who have come to adult age

without ever learning what obedience means. They are self-willed,

obstinate and selfish. When they have been encouraged to resort to

crafty cunning, to have every whim gratified from infancy to eighteen

years of age they become fit subjects for Mosch., Asaf., Ignatia and

Valer. They not only have volumes of real and imaginary symptoms,

but they become adepts at producing at will a kaleidoscopic complex

of symptoms, increasing in quantity and intensity until all their own

desires are attained, and the onlooker, be he or she nurse, physician or

bewildered mother, is overw^helmed, dismayed and in retreat. However much they pretend to be honest and truthful their reported sensations are untrustworthy. They have traded upon their sensations

and imagination so long that a direct effort to give a truthful statement is unsuccessful. The most erratic and unexpected neuropathic

phenomena arc always in appearance. The physician cannot measure

these cases by his experience and say what is common and uncommon.

He is compelled to fall back upon the one word that covers a multitude of these manifestations, viz., “Hysteria.” Moschus is often indicated in these constitutions and cures much that is morbid, when its

own peculiar symptoms agree. When one of these girls becomes sick

from taking cold the acute symptoms will be told with a host of her

imaginary sensations. The globus hystericus is generally present,

hyperaesthesia of the skin, quivering of the muscles, wakefulness, palpitation, excitement, fainting ‘and ‘trembling. “Dreadful” pain all

over the body, rush of blood to head, cramps in hands and feet, convulsions of whole body. It is not generally known that the morbid

sensations and functions correspond with the mental state of the individual. When the functions and tissue symptoms arc hysterical or

erratic the mental state will be found to be correspondingly hysterical.

When the peculiar Moschus symptoms of the face is present, viz.: one

cheek red and cold, the other pale and hot, there is certainly some

hysterical perversion in the mind of that patient. Many times it is

possible to suspect morbid mental states by knowing morbid sensations and functions. There is a kind of order in all morbid expressions seen in sick people. Sensitive to cold, and complaints come on

from becoming cold. In addition to numerous hysterical mental

symptoms she has violent fits of anger with rage and scolding until

she is blue in the face and falls in a faint. Dread of death, and talks

• ▸only of death when there is nof serious complaint.
• ▸Anguish and palpitation.
• ▸Peevishness and quaifelsomeness.
• ▸In a constant hurry, and

lets things fall from her hands. Foolish gestures and complaint of

pain. Apprehension, trembling and palpitation. Fear of lying down

lest she die.

Sensation of falling from a height, or as if rapidly turned around.

Vertigo on moving head or eyelids, ameliorated in open air ; with

nausea and vomiting and fainting.

The headaches are ameliorated from becoming warm, and in the

fresh air. Tension in back of head and nape. Aching in head, with

cold feeling. Pressive, stupefying headache, mostly in forehead, with

nausea, aggravated on motion, ameliorated in fresh air. Hysterical

headaches, with copious colorless urine. Constriction as with cord.

Pain as if a nail in occiput, aggravated in room, ameliorated in fresh

air.

Eyes staring. Sudden blindness or dim vision, coming and going.

Eyes turned up, fixed and glistening.

Rushing sounds in ears as from wind, or fluttering as the wing of

a bird. Detonation in ears as from the report of a cannon, with a

few drops of blood. Nervous deafness in paroxysms, or after a mad

fit.

Epistaxis and illusions of smell.

One cheek is red and cool, the other is pale and hot. Heat in the

pale face and dim vision. Tension in face. Pale face with sweat.

Earthy pale face. Moving of lower jaw as if chewing.

Mouth and throat dry and hot ; bitter, putrid taste ; great thirst,

especially in hysterical conditions.

Craves beer or brandy. Aversion to food. The sight of it makes

• ▸her sick.
• ▸Vomiting.
• ▸Pressive, burning pain and distension of stomach.
• ▸Fainting during meals.
• ▸Waterbrash.
• ▸Hysterical hiccoughing.

Nausea when thinking of food. Drawing in at the umbilicus {Plb.).

• ▸Prolonged vomiting of food.
• ▸Fulness in stomach after eating.
• ▸Vomiting blood.
• ▸Stomach easily disordered.

Tympanitic distension of abdomen with sharp pains. No flatus up

or down, yet greatly distended. Cramping pains.

Involuntary stools during sleep. Copious watery stools during

night. Stitching in anus to bladder.

Copious colorless watery urine. Urine passed during the night is

offensive and full of mucus.

In the male, violent sexual excitement. Emissions without erections.

In the female, violent sexual desire. Menses too early and profuse,

with drawing pains ; tingling in genitalia and fainting. Bearing down

sensauon. i i ' I

Erratic nervous phenomena during pregnancy.

Laryngismus stridulus in self-willed girls when they fail to have

their own way. Constriction of larynx as from vapor of sulphur.

Spasms of larynx when becoming cold. Spasmodic croup in nervous

children after punishment.

Dyspnoea and oppression of chest and heart. Spasmodic asthma in

extremely nervous women and children.

Constriction of chest. Spasms of chest and diaphragm, turns blue

in face and foams at mouth on becoming cold. Paralysis of chest,

rattling, cannot expectorate ; fainting.

Palpitation in hysterical girls. Palpitation, oppression of chest,

fainting, excitement, with copious colorless urine. The heart seems

to quiver when the pulse is normal.

Aching in limbs. Restlessness in legs, and tibia cold. One hand

hot and pale, the other cold and red.

Heat in evening in bed, on right side only ; wants to uncover. Perspiration smelling like musk in the morning.

Cold skin, trembling, fainting and palpitation.