Materia Medica by John Henry Clarke

Materia Medica by
John Henry Clarke

Materia Medica by John Henry Clarke

The Materia Medica by John Henry Clarke was written in 1902. You can read the full book here.

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Colchicinum.

Alkaloid of Colchicum autumnale. C7 H23 NO6. Trituration.

Clinical.-Diarrhoea. Fever. Intestinal catarrh. Prostration. Sleeplessness. Spasms.

Characteristics.-This alkaloid has been proved and the symptoms are sufficiently distinctive, though I am not aware of any clinical experience with it. The symptoms point strongly to its use in that form of intestinal catarrh characterised by the appearance of shreddy membranes; and the symptom, "convulsive jerkings of right hand," should prove a valuable indication, if not a keynote.

Relations.-Compare: Ars., Caust., Colch.

SYMPTOMS.

3. Eyes.-Pupils widely dilated.

6. Face.-Tearing pains in face.

9. Throat.-Increased secretion of saliva.

11. Stomach.-On rising from bed, at night, nausea suddenly increased, and was followed by vomiting of undigested food, and afterwards of a bitter greenish fluid; the vomiting was repeated early in the morning.-Vomiting of blood for nine or ten days.-Pains and excessive sensitiveness in epigastrium.

12. Abdomen.-Distension and sensitiveness.-Frequent rumbling.

13. Stool and Anus.-Urging, causing him to leave his bed, followed by copious pasty evacuation, with excessive tenesmus; this was repeated three times within a short period.-Stools accompanied with tenesmus and consisting of a thin fluid with numerous flakes looking like the cooked white of egg in pieces from two to four inches long.-Stools thin, yellowish green, slimy, accompanied by pain.-Liquid stools.

14. Urinary Organs.-Urine turbid, depositing a copious white sediment.

19. Heart.-Pulse during the first two hours sank about eleven beats.

22. Upper Limbs.-Convulsive jerkings of r. hand.

24. Generalities.-Very great exhaustion on second day, increasing to feverish excitement lasting two days.

26. Sleep.-Slight somnolency and collapse.-Awakened from sleep soon after midnight by uneasy dreams.

27. Fever.-Chill about noon on first day, followed by violent heat lasting several hours, with increased thirst, very rapid pulse, confusion of the head, uneasiness and sleeplessness.