Rhododendron chrysanthum. Siberian Rhododendron. Yellow Snow rose. *N. O. Ericaceae. Tincture of fresh leaves.
Clinical
Amenorrhoea. Asthenopia. *Bone, pains in. Bunions. Chorea. Ciliary neuralgia. Coryza. Delirium. Diarrhoea. Diphtheritic paralysis. Earache. Epistaxis. Eyes, affections of. Fever. Flatulence, incarcerated. Gums, itching of. *Hydrocele. Lienteria. *Lumbago. *Memory, weak. *Neuralgia. Nightmare. Ovary, cyst of. *Rheumatism. Spleen, pain in. Sprains. *Stiff-neck. Testes, affections of. Tinnitus. Toothache. Vagina, cysts in. Wrists, pains in.
Characteristics
The golden-flowered *Rhododendron is not much known in general medicine, but the *Treasury of Botany says of it that “it is
narcotic in its properties and is used medicinally. ‘ Growing among the fogs and storms of the Siberian mountains, its provings (by Seidel, Wahle, Herzog, Helbig, and other) show that it produces sensitiveness to storms and weather changes, and this gives the grand keynote of its use in medicine. *Rhododendron disturbs all parts of the economy, producing delirium, fever, headache, neuralgias (earache, toothache), rheumatism, and inflammations, but the chief determining characteristic is that the symptoms come on or are worse on the approach of a storm, during a storm, or in wet weather. Sensitiveness to electric changes. It is *suited to nervous persons who dread a storm, and are particularly afraid of thunder, worse before the storm, affections which come on in the spring and autumn, the seasons of change. This is the chief modality, and will be found in some degree present in a large number of cases requiring *Rhododendron But *Rhododendron has other characteristics. Among these is loss of memory: Words are omitted while writing, sudden disappearance of thought, forgets what he is talking about, has to think awhile before he can recall it. Vertigo and confusion, “brain feels as if surrounded by fog. ‘ The narcotic reputation of *Rhododendron is borne out in the provings, for it produced actual intoxication, and also made the provers extraordinarily sensitive to the action of wine. Vertigo occurs whilst lying in bed, and is better by moving about. An intense degree of tinnitus aurium was caused by it, and this, associated with the vertigo, gives *Rhododendron a place in Meniere’s disease. A *Peculiar Symptom is: “Loud sounds re-echo long in ears. ‘ Like the other Ericaceae, *Rhododendron has a strong effect on the kidneys, producing increased urine, with offensive smell, clear, brown red, or of greenish tinge, and, whatever colour it may be, of offensive smell. This offensive smell reappears in the axillary sweat. But the general sweat may be aromatic in odour and not unpleasant. “Formication with sweat’ is characteristic. *Rhododendron sets up diarrhoea, and also a paralytic condition of the rectum, so that an effort is required to expel a soft stool. Pains in rectum extend to genitals, and the male generative organs experience the most intense action of the drug. The scrotum shrinks, testes are retracted, or else they swell (especially at night), and are the seat of a bruised pain, as if they had been crushed violently. These pains are worse by touch, worse sitting, better moving about. They may be so violent as to arrest breathing. The menses are too early and too profuse, the menses are always accompanied by fever and headache. Menses reappear soon after they have ceased. In one prover *Rhododendron restored the menses after six months’ absence. It has cured cysts in the vagina, and has caused the rupture of an ovarian cyst. Chorea of left leg, arm, and face, worse on approach of a storm, has been cured by it. The paralysing effect of *Rhododendron was exemplified by the poisoning of a flock of sheep from eating the leaves. A number of them died immediately after the administration of stimulants, and the autopsy showed that cause of death was paralysis of the swallowing muscles (***T. C. Collings, quoted *H. W., xxix. 158). Cooper cites a parallel case of death from post diphtheritic paralysis affecting the throat muscles, occurring a few minutes after drinking tea. In both instances the fluid entered the trachea instead of the gullet and caused suffocation. Both sides are affected by *Rhododendron Symptoms frequently alternate: left and right nostril, burning in uterus and pains in limbs, chilliness and heat. Pains go from within outward. H. S. Budd (*H.R., xv. 300) relates the case of Mrs. X., 44, married ten years, three children. Neuralgia for three years. Attacks occur usually on Friday or Saturday and last till Monday or Tuesday, but are induced any time by high winds, damp weather, or an approaching storm. *Ammonol, Phenacetin, Antikamnia, had all failed, and *Passif. only partly relieved, sometimes enabling
patient to get sleep. The pain was worse after hard work, during any movement, in very cold weather, from hot applications. Intense soreness all over right half of head. cannot rest on pillow or endure even lightest hairpins when pain is worst. worse At night. *Intensely nervous and hysterical at being *touched, even by accident. During pain increased activity of kidneys, ceasing when pain ceases. Pain greatest in right lower jaw. Sometimes better for an hour by chewing gum or eating. Afraid of thunder. Omits words when writing. *Rhododendron 16X every hour was given on May 12th. Each dose caused immediate worse. Next morning pains stopped suddenly and did not return. On June 7th there was a premonitory twinge, and a powder of *Rhododendron 1M was given, after which there was complete immunity. E. V. Moffat (quoted *Am. H., xxiii. 268) treated a girl, 10, for neuralgia, which had existed for several years. The patient was of marked gouty heredity, and had been treated by leading old-school doctors in New York. She was well during the summer, but suffered intensely during winter. Pains general and shifting, sometimes intercostal, sometimes sciatic, in bad weather never absent. The last form was prostrating headache, incapacitating her for school work. The eyes were normal. *While the sun shone she was comfortable. If it stormed or threatened she was miserable. If she had a headache on a stormy day and the sun came out, in ten minutes she was relieved, and it returned at once if snow or rain came on. A cold day, especially if damp, was almost as bad as a storm. *Rhododendron, O in repeated and increasing doses, cured in three weeks. Colour, spirits, strength returned, and she no longer minded the weather or missed her school. *Peculiar Sensations are: Brain as if in a fog. Scalp as if bruised. As if a worm in ear. As if water rushing into ear. As if throat lined with mucus. As from tension under short ribs. Testicle as if violently contused or crushed. As if a fist pressed forcibly against stomach. As if blood ceased to circulate in arms. As if arms asleep. As if feet and legs asleep. As if heavy weights hanging to feet. As of subcutaneous ulceration. Undulating sensation arising from abdomen. Warm undulations in heart. Bruised pains. pains flying about. Crawling sensations. A *Peculiar Symptom in the eyes is: One pupil dilated, the other contracted. There is a splenic stitch on walking fast. The incarcerated flatus is felt in the hypochondria and small of the back. It is not at all unusual to meet this symptom, “Flatus felt in the back, ‘ in cases of flatulent indigestion. “Increased warmth of hands even in cold weather’ is another peculiar symptoms. The symptoms are worse by touch (toothache, testicles, chest this sensitiveness is general). Rest worse, motion (*especially commencing motion) better. (Walking causes stitches in spleen, motion worse pain in ears, and prosopalgia). Rheumatic pain in shoulder on which he rests, goes off on turning. worse Sitting. better Rising. worse Standing. worse When writing. worse Wind, east wind, rough weather, wet, cold weather, getting wet. worse Before a storm (ciliary neuralgia, pains through eye from head, toothache, diarrhoea, dysentery, pain in deltoids, paroxysmal chorea). better Warmth. better Wrapping up. (But heat in bed worse formication of anus, and toothache.) Dry heat better. worse Change. worse Thunder. Toothache better while and after eating and from warmth. Pain in left side better by eating. Drinking cold water causes pressure at stomach. worse Drinking wine, easily intoxicated. Belching better. General sweat better. worse Night, morning in bed and on rising.
Relations
*Antidoted by: Bryonia, Camph., Clem., Rhus. *Compare: Arbut., Kalm., Ledum, Uva ursi, and other Ericaceae. worse Wet weather, worse weather changes, worse rest, better motion, Rhus (Rhus affects periosteum more than Rhododendron, Rhododendron better *commencing motion, Rhus worse). During thunderstorm, Natrum carb., Phosphorus, Pso., Silicea worse From wine, Zn. Heat in heart, Croc., Lachn. Opium Orchitis become chronic, indurated testicle, Clem., Pulsatilla (Rhododendron has tendency to atrophy, and crushed feeling in testes). Orchitis, crushed sensation, Aurum, Chamomilla Wandering rheumatism worse in wet and stormy weather, right side neuralgia, Kalm. Fibrous deposits in great toe, Colchicum, Ledum (Ledum has better by cold). worse In stormy, wet weather, Dulcamara, Natrum sulph., Nux moschata (Rhododendron most *before the storm). Diarrhoea from fruit, Rhe. better Wrapping up head, Silicea Sensation of subcutaneous ulceration, Pul., Ranunculus bulbosus Bruised pains, Arnica, Conium One pupil contracted the other dilated, Cad. s., Phys. Hydrocele, Bryonia Intoxication, Querc. Sounds re-echo, Causticum, Pho., Ph. ac., Sarsaparilla
