Verbascum Thapsus

Vesicaria is a "genus of Cruciferce, natives of the Northern Hemisphere,

distinguished by the globose or ovoid inflated pouch, with hemispherical valves and numerous

seeds (generally four to six) in each cell. They are herbs, sometimes shrubby at the base, with

oblong or linear entire or repand leaves, and terminal racemes of yellow flowers" (Treas. of

• ▸Bot.
• ▸).
• ▸George R.
• ▸Shafer (Chic.
• ▸Med.
• ▸Times, quoted H.
• ▸News, xxx.
• ▸117) says Ves.
• ▸com.
• ▸is an old

remedy much used in some parts of Germany for all forms of urinary and kidney difficulties; for

gravel; for gonorrhoea, both in the male and female. Shafer's indication for the remedy is "a

smarting, burning sensation along the course of the urethra and bladder, with frequent desire to

void urine, often accompanied with strangury." The conditions he has found particularly

amenable to Vesic. are: Nephralgia; acute cystitis; irritable bladder, following acute cystitis:

• ▸chronic cystitis.
• ▸He mentions these cases: (/) T.
• ▸S.
• ▸, 67, suffering from nephralgia, for which he

had received Morphia injections in former attacks. Vesic. @, in 15-drop doses every fifteen

• ▸minutes, gave marked relief in two hours, which in six hours was complete.
• ▸(2) S.
• ▸B.
• ▸, 57, cystitis

from cold; high fever, sweating, burning pain on voiding urine, which was drop by drop. Vesic.

@, in 10-drop doses. cured in two days. (3) Lady, 39, pain in back, brick-dust sediment in urine;

• ▸hands and feet swelling so she could hardly close her hands or walk.
• ▸Vesic.
• ▸© cured.
• ▸(4) Man, 65,

irritable bladder, had to rise twenty to thirty times in the night. Vesic. O, in 20-drop doses,

• ▸relieved quickly and cured in six weeks.
• ▸(5) C.
• ▸M.
• ▸, 89, chronic cystitis, passing large quantities

of muco-pus. The bladder was at first washed out with Boric acid solution, then Vesic. @, 20

drops every two hours, were given. Improvement followed, and in two hours the Boric acid

• ▸washing was stopped and Vesic.
• ▸given every four hours.
• ▸This finally cured.
• ▸(6) Gonorrhoea with

smarting and burning on micturition and thick creamy discharge. Vesic. @, a drachm every four

hours, soon cured. (7) Gonorrhcea, female, after being treated for two weeks with injections, was

• ▸cured in seven days with Vesic.
• ▸@ in drachm doses.
• ▸Cowperthwaite (H.
• ▸M.
• ▸, July, 1900, 477) has

succeeded in causing albumen to disappear from the urine even in cases of actual Bright's

• ▸disease.
• ▸He adds that "it is necessary to use only the imported [7.
• ▸e.
• ▸, European] tincture, 15 drops

• ▸every four hours.
• ▸" (There are several Vesicarias native to North America.
• ▸) A.
• ▸L.
• ▸Davison (H.

• ▸News, Dec.
• ▸, 1892, 568) treated Mrs.
• ▸P.
• ▸for general dropsy of a year's standing; was in ureemic

spasms when first seen; the kidneys having ceased to secrete urine. Vesic. @ was prescribed, 15

drops in a teaspoonful of water every hour till urine was freely secreted, then three times a day.

The second day the kidneys were pouring out urine, and watery stools were passed. In a week all

• ▸dropsy had disappeared.
• ▸Bancroft (ibid.
• ▸, 557) treated Mrs.
• ▸T.
• ▸for irritable kidneys and bladder

with polyuria. After a time the urine became bloody, with occasional thin clots; previously there

had been for some months a thick, yellow sediment. Vesic. @, 6 drops four times a day and later

15 drops three times a day, taken persistently, effected a cure. Halbert (Clinique, xx. 107) reports

the case of Mr. H., a young man whose occupation involved much outdoor exercise, and who

contracted a chill and had lumbago in consequence. Under an "orificial" surgeon his rectum was

operated on and the sphincter stretched. Thereafter he had fever, rigors, and acute prostatitis.

Micturition was painful and difficult, and soon hematuria ensued. The pain and nervous

exhaustion were so extreme that he was put into hospital, and for a time only relieved by

injections of Morphia. The urine contained albumen, blood-clots, much pus. Urine was only

passed by means of the catheter, and defecation was extremely painful. Vesic. 1x was given

hourly, and great relief followed. The painful tenesmus was alleviated, and he was soon able to

pass urine without the catheter. In three weeks he was able to go home.

Apathy.—Moroseness, ill-humour, and irascibility Excessive gaiety, with

• ▸laughter.
• ▸—Mental excitement, with voluptuous images.
• ▸—Weakness of memory.
• ▸—Distraction.
• ▸—A

great concourse of ideas, and liveliness of imagination.

Dulness and confusion in the head.—Vertigo: when pressing one (1.) cheek while

supporting the head; sudden, as from pressure on whole head.—Headache, with a forcing

outwards at forehead.—Pressive, stupefying headache, principally in forehead; or semilateral, and

mostly when passing from a warm into a cold temperature (and vice versd).—Heaviness of head,

with dull pain.—Pinching in temples.—Deep, stupefying stitches in brain (pressing, slow stitch

from behind forward through |. hemisphere of brain).—Stupefying shooting in temples (in r.

temple when eating; < from pressure; extending into upper teeth of r. side).—Resonance in head,

when walking.

Pains in eyes, as from contraction of the sockets, with burning in eyes.—Sight

confused, as if directed through a veil.

Otalgia, with a sense of obstruction. Deafness. Dry, scaly condition of meatus (use locally).

Tearing in ears, sometimes when eating, with lancinations.—Sensation as if ear were

• ▸drawn inwards.
• ▸—Deafness as from stoppage of ear.
• ▸—Sensation of a stoppage of ears (first 1.
• ▸, then

• ▸r.
• ▸, also of nose and larynx) when reading aloud; hearing unaffected—Numbness in |.
• ▸ear.
• ▸—Oil of

• ▸Mullein (Verb.
• ▸ol.
• ▸) relieves earache at once.
• ▸—Verb.
• ▸is said to meet many cases of deafness (R.
• ▸T.

Ci.

Sensation of stoppage of larynx and ears.—Profuse coryza from frontal sinuses, with

hot, burning, profuse lachrymation.

• ▸6, 7.
• ▸Face and Teeth.
• ▸—Facial neuralgia (esp.
• ▸caused and < by a change of temperature),

generally with stupefying, pressive or tensive pains, principally in cheek-bones, and commencing

from maxillary joint, < by clenching teeth, and by external pressure.—Violent pressure in |. malar

• ▸bone and zygoma.
• ▸—Stitches in |.
• ▸zygomatic arch.
• ▸—Shootings in the cheek-bones, with dull

pressure.—Violent tension in integuments of chin, masseters, and throat——Toothache, with

tearing pain in the molars.—Pinching pressing pain on lower side of jaw.

Neuralgia affecting zygoma, temporo maxillary joint, and ear (Menyanth), particularly of left side, with lachrymation, coryza, and sensation as if parts were crushed with tongs. Talking, sneezing, and change of temperature aggravate the pains; also, pressing teeth together. Pains seem to come in flashes, excited by least movement, occurring periodically at same hour in morning and afternoon each day.

Copious accumulation of salt saliva in the mouth.—Root of tongue brown, without

bad taste, in morning and during forenoon.—Tongue of a brownish yellow colour, loaded with

viscid mucus in morning and after dinner.

Very severe pain in throat on swallowing.

• ▸10.
• ▸Appetite——Mawkish taste, with fetid breath.
• ▸—Hunger, without relish for food.
• ▸—Insatiable

thirst.

Regurgitation of insipid serum.—Empty, or else bitter risings, with

• ▸nausea.
• ▸—Frequent hiccough.
• ▸—Aching of stomach.
• ▸—Sensation of emptiness at pit of stomach,

which disappears with a rumbling below I. ribs.

Pain extends deep down, causing contraction of sphincter ani.

Cuttings and shootings in 1. hypochondrium.—Incessant gurgling and rumbling

beneath |. ribs.—Inflation of the abdomen, violent and painful pressure on navel, as by a stone, <

by bending double.—Spasmodic constriction of the hypogastrium, towards the umbilical

region.—Pains in abdomen, which extend deeply downwards, with want to evacuate, and

spasmodic contraction of anus.—Pinchings and gripings in abdomen.—Shootings in abdomen,

principally in umbilical region, sometimes tearing and tending downwards.—Sensation as if

intestines had adhered to umbilical region, and were torn away.

Many movements a day, with twisting about navel. Haemorrhoids, with obstructed, hardened stool. Inflamed and painful piles.

Fearful diarrhoea; griping; much pain as if pierced with a lance through

inside of |. ankle-joint; pain in both cheekbones and above eyebrows; menses came on early this

time, and she has coughed a good deal.—Suppressed evacuations.—Feces hard, like sheep-dung,

and expelled with effort—(Itching heemorrhoids.—Pruritus ani.)

Frequent want to urinate, with profuse emission (afterwards

scanty).—Enuresis nocturna; (obstinate, with seminal emissions.—Cushing).

• ▸Constant dribbling.
• ▸Enuresis.
• ▸Burning urination.
• ▸Increase with pressure in bladder.

• ▸Hoarse; voice deep, harsh; sounds like a trumpet; "basso profundo".
• ▸Cough; worse at night.
• ▸Asthma.
• ▸Soreness in pharynx, cough during sleep.

Sensation of obstruction in the larynx and nose, with hoarseness

when reading aloud; deep voice.—Catarrh, with hoarseness and stuffed chest—Cough esp. in

evening, and at night, when sleeping, generally rough and dry, or hollow and dull.—Dry, hoarse

cough < at night.—Frequent attacks of deep, hollow, hoarse cough, with sound like a trumpet,

caused by tickling in larynx and chest.—The cough is lessened as soon as the patient succeeds in

taking a breath.

Shooting in chest, sometimes with oppression and obstructed respiration.—Tension

in chest, with lancinations in region of heart, in evening, after lying down.—Stitches in the

chest.—Red nodosity near xiphoid cartilage, painful when pressed upon.

Lancinations in the back and shoulder-blades.—Sharp intermittent stitches in 1.

• ▸scapula.
• ▸—Fine persistent stitch in last dorsal vertebra.
• ▸—Between r.
• ▸loin and spine deep, knife-like

stitches quite intense in intestines.—Backache < from pressure.

Tearing pain in the shoulder, back of hand, and elbow.—Spasmodic pressure

in forearm, hand, and thumb.—Tearing shootings in hand and fingers —Tensive pain in

wrist.—Wrenching pain in joint of hand.—Stitches like a sprain (or paralysis), where carpal bone

of thumb articulates with radius.—Paralytic pain in joints of fingers.

Excessive heaviness and lassitude in legs and feet, esp. when going up

stairs.—Cramp-like pain in muscles of r. thigh, while walking in open air—Spasmodic pressure in

thighs, legs, and soles —Cramp-like pressure in sole of r. foot, while standing, disappears when

• ▸walking.
• ▸—Trembling of knees.
• ▸—Dull lancinations in patella, bones of feet, and toes.
• ▸—Violent,

intermittent, dull sticking in metatarsal bones of great and adjacent toes of |. foot during

rest.—Tearing along, legs.

24. Generalities—General indolence, and disposition to sleep, after rising in the

morning.—Stretching and frequent yawning.—Hemorrhoids; affections of the inner navel region;

obstruction from induration of stool.—Darting pains in inner parts; want of perspiration —< When

sitting; from change of temperature.—> On rising from a sitting posture.—Stinging pains in the

limbs.—Benumbing sensation with almost all the pain.—Tearings, sometimes lancinating, in

different parts (going downwards).—Tottering when walking.

• ▸Cramp-like pain in soles, right foot, and knee.
• ▸Lower extremities feel heavy.
• ▸Thumb feels numb.
• ▸Neuralgic pain in left ankle.
• ▸Stiffness and soreness of joints of lower extremities.

Strong disposition to sleep after a meal.—Disturbed sleep, at night, with

• ▸tossing.
• ▸—Short sleep at night, lasting only till 4 a.
• ▸m.
• ▸, with anxious, frightful dreams of wars and

dead bodies.

Internal coldness of whole body, of hands and feet, perceptible also

externally.—Shuddering, esp. on one side of body, as if it were bathed in cold water.

Verbena Hastata.

• ▸Verbena hastata.
• ▸Ironweed.
• ▸N.
• ▸O.
• ▸Verbenacé.
• ▸Tincture of entire fresh plant.

• ▸Albuminuria.
• ▸Cystitis.
• ▸Dropsy.
• ▸Gleet.
• ▸Gonorrhoea.
• ▸Gravel.
• ▸Heematuria.
• ▸Nephralgia.

Prostatitis.

• ▸Compatible: Cact.
• ▸, Thlasp.
• ▸b.
• ▸p.
• ▸Compare: Botan.
• ▸, Thlasp.
• ▸b.
• ▸p.
• ▸In Gravel, Coc.
• ▸c.
• ▸,

• ▸Urt.
• ▸ur.
• ▸, Thlasp.
• ▸b.
• ▸p.
• ▸Heematuria, Chi.
• ▸s.
• ▸, Fic.
• ▸r.
• ▸Phos.
• ▸Prostatic affections, Hydrang.
• ▸, Solid.
• ▸,

• ▸Sabal.
• ▸Cystitis, Chimaph.
• ▸u.
• ▸[Shafer gave Cact.
• ▸and Thlasp.
• ▸b.
• ▸p.
• ▸in a case of dropsy from heart

• ▸disease in a lady, 48.
• ▸These gave little relief.
• ▸He then gave Vesic.
• ▸in combination with the others.

There was marked relief in twenty-four hours, and in ten days the dropsy had disappeared. |

Compare: Rhus arom; Caust; Platin; Sphingurus (pain in zygoma).

• ▸Mullein oil, (locally, for earache and dry, scaly condition of meatus.
• ▸Also for teasing cough at night or lying down.
• ▸Internally, tincture and lower potencies).
• ▸Enuresis, five-drop doses night and morning.