Gentiana Cruciata.

Kreutz-Enzian. Cross-leaved Gentian. N. O. Gentianaceae. Tincture of root.

Clinical.-Diarrhoea. Dyspepsia. Dysphagia. Hernia. Hoarseness. Stiff-neck. Stomach, affections of. Throat, sore.

Characteristics.-"G. cruciata," says the Treasury of Botany, "has been invested with imaginary virtues, because its leaves grow in the form of a cross; it has been recommended in hydrophobia." Its virtues are not all imaginary, and its reputation as a remedy for hydrophobia is partly justified in the provings. The proving of Gent. cruc. (by Watzke and ten others) developed a number of striking symptoms in the throat and digestive tract. Movings about in stomach and abdomen. Pressure in the stomach as if a stone was in it, with inclination to vomit. All the symptoms of right inguinal hernia occurred in one prover. A peculiar sense of apprehensiveness; faintness; uneasiness. One prover felt as if all the nerves were tense, so that walking was difficult. Creeping over the body as from fleas in the evening. The symptoms are < after eating. > From warm soup; from drinking fresh water; in open air.

Relations.-Compare: Gent. lut.; Lyc. (> from warm drink); Bry., Puls., Ab. n., &c. (pressure in stomach as from a stone); Kal. bi. (tenacious mucus in throat).

SYMPTOMS.

1. Mind.-Weeping mood, with disinclination to talk.-Very peculiar apprehensiveness, and acceleration and difficulty of breathing, swelling of the temporal veins and feeling of pressure in the temporal region; on reading, print seemed indistinct and as if covered with a veil.

2. Head.-Confusion and whirling.-Sensitiveness of whole head and whole brain after dinner, < by violent motion of head.-Swelling of temporal veins and feeling of pressure in temporal region.-Sudden stitch through l. temple.-Distressing tension, and at times transient jerking in region of vertex; tension soon became a very acute constant pressure, < by exerting eyes, or constant thought.

3. Eyes.-Sensation as though eyes were lying deep in orbit; piercing inward sensation in r. eye.-Print indistinct as if covered with a veil.

8. Mouth.-Two aphthous ulcers on margin of lower lip on either side of frenum.-Flow of saliva increased.

9. Throat.-Slight redness and distressing sensation of constriction within the throat, so that swallowing is very difficult; constantly obliged to hawk up tenacious and firmly adherent mucus.-Rawness and scraping, causing frequent hawking; with constriction on swallowing.-Intermittent, deep redness of fauces.-Stitches in tonsils.-Swallowing difficult; with an anxious constrictive sensation; slight redness of fauces.

11. Stomach.-Appetite increased; or lost.-Acid eructations; watery vomiting.-Great nausea, with inclination to lie down.-Vomiting, with some difficulty, a small quantity of mucus of an acid odour, intensely bitter, leaving a scraping and rawness in throat.-Movings about in stomach, and afterwards in abdomen, disappeared on walking.-Sensation in stomach and oesophagus as though he had swallowed a morsel of hot food followed by cold water; lasted the whole day, < by eating; > by drinking fresh water.-Burning; fulness; pressure in stomach.-Pressure in stomach as if a stone were in it, with inclination to vomit.-Sensation of pressing inward in pit of stomach.

12. Abdomen.-Sensitive, griping, sore sensation in umbilical region, < after dinner, > sitting and lying, < standing, walking, and after" smoking, obliging him to bend forward; therewith umbilicus seemed to be drawn inward.-Movings about in intestines with slight headache, followed by copious pasty evacuation.-Distension; fulness; tightness; constriction in abdomen.-Dragging in r. inguinal region with feeling of protrusion, > sitting or lying; on violent sneezing actual protrusion occurred, size of hazel-nut, very sensitive.

13. Stool and Anus.-Constant violent urging, followed by three watery evacuations.-Pasty diarrhoea.-Free pasty stools without the usual itching in anus.

16. Female Sexual Organs.-Menstruation three days earlier than usual, during which there was a headache as if head too full, with feeling of distension in the skull, > during rest and < by motion, preventing sleep for a long time.

17. Respiratory Organs.-Hoarseness; voice gave out in middle of speech.-Frequent attacks of hoarseness and sensitiveness of the throat.

20. Neck and Back.-Drawing and jerking along r. side of neck, extending to shoulder.-Drawing in cervical muscles, extending to ears, < by turning head, an uneasiness so that he could not remain long in one position.-Repeated drawings in cervical muscles.-Tension in lumbar region.

22. Upper Limbs.-Distressing drawing in r. shoulder lasting several minutes.

23. Lower Limbs.-Cramp-like pains in soles of feet.