The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica

Absinthium absin.

Hering, 1879–91 (1879)In every bookSave

General

Wormwood. Compositæ.
A bitter herb, a native of Europe, and cultivated in gardens, much used in France for a liqueur , the effects of which are very injurious.
Most symptoms toxicological from French authorities. The only provings, Gybtchell, in Medical Investigator .

Mind

After recovering from epileptic spasms no recollection of taking the poison, nor the cause of his doing so.
Brutality, mental dulness, insanity.
The mania from the liqueur is worse than that from alcohol.
Soothed, as if going into a beautiful dream.
Great terror ; terrifying hallucinations.

Sensorium

Stupefaction, alternately with dangerous violence.
Drunkenness.
Vertigo, dizzy on rising.
Insensibility (with convulsions).

Inner head

Causes congestion of head, medulla and spine.
Headache.

Outer head

Wants to lie with the head low.
(OBS :) Baldness and chronic tinea.

Sight and eyes

Dim-sightedness.
Pain in eyes.
Eyelids swollen ; eyes red and suffused with tears.
Eyes itch.
Lids heavy.

Hearing and ears

Otorrhœa. θ Especially after hemicrania.

Upper face

Foolish look.
Makes facial grimaces. θ Epileptiform convulsions.
Ebullitions of blood in face.

Lower face

Jaws firmly fixed.

Taste, speech, tongue

Bites his tongue. θ Epileptiform convulsions.
Tongue thick, protruding, can scarcely talk.
Trembling of tongue.
Complains that tongue is paralysed.

Inner mouth

Foams at mouth. θ Epileptiform convulsions.

Palate and throat

Scalded feeling in throat.
Throat inflamed.

Hiccough, belching, nausea and vomiting

Eructations.
Nausea and vomiting in morning.
Nausea, apparently in region of gall-bladder.

Scrobiculum and stomach

Food lies heavy ; stomach feels cold and oppressed ; thinks it would not absorb much.

Hypochondria

Liver feels swollen. θ Autumnal fever.
(OBS :) Liver and stomach diseases.
Pain in spleen ; it feels swollen. θ Autumnal fever.

Abdomen and loins

Bloated : around waist and in abdomen, as after ague ; with flatus.

Stools and rectum

Constipation.
Destroys worms.
Hemorrhoids.

Urinary organs

Constant desire to urinate.
Urine deep orange, having a strong, horse-like smell.

Male sexual organs

Spermatorrhœa with relaxed parts.

Female sexual organs

Pains in uterus.
Darting pain in right ovary.
Promotes menses.

Cough

Cough with liver complaint.

Heart, pulse and circulation

Tremor of heart, felt toward back.
Heart thumps ; can be heard in scapular region.

Neck and back

Pain in sacrum.

Upper limbs

Pain in shoulders.
Trembling of hands.

Lower limbs

Horses kick with hind legs toward belly. θ Ascarides.

Limbs in general

Throws about limbs. θ Epileptiform convulsions.
Pains in limbs.
Limbs swell.

Rest. position. motion

Rising : causes vertigo.
Wants to lie with head low.
Bends backwards : in spasms.

Nerves

Trembling precedes epileptic attack.
Epileptiform convulsions : loses consciousness, falls, bites his tongue, foams at mouth, features distorted ; throws his limbs about ; weak afterwards.
Excited, opisthotonos, grinding teeth ; followed by stupor.

Sleep

Restless at night, with disturbing dreams.

Time

Morning : nausea and vomiting.
Night : restlessness, with disturbing dreams.

Fever

Chill, heat, then sweat ; thirst in all stages ; sleeps during heat.
Obstinate autumnal fevers, with swollen liver and spleen.

Attacks, periodicity

Attacks antepone.
Alternate : stupefaction and violence.

Locality and direction

Right : darting pain in ovary.

Sensations

Nausea apparently in region of gall-bladder ; tremor of heart.
Pain : in eyes ; in spleen ; in uterus ; in sacrum ; in shoulders ; in limbs.
Darting : in right ovary.
Scalded feeling : in throat.
Swollen feeling : in liver ; in spleen.
Heaviness : of lids.
Oppression : in stomach.
Itching : of eyes.
Cold feeling : in stomach.

Tissues

Causes hyperemia of brain, medulla and spine, more intense when combined with alcohol.
Occasionally stomach, more frequently endocardium and pericardium show small ecchymoses.
Paralysis of inner organs.

Touch. passive motion. injuries

Injuries
Bruises and consequent inflammation.

Skin

Jaundiced skin.

Stage of life, constitution

Especially younger patients. θ Chlorosis.

Relations

Collateral relations : Art. vulg., Abrot .
Similar to : Alcohol, Bellad. Chamom., Hyosc., Stramon .
Is said to cure poisoning by mushrooms.
Secondary effects of absinthe are much worse than those from abuse of alcohol, opium or tobacco.