Comocladia dentata. Guao (Cuba). *N.O. Anacardiacae. Tincture of leaves and bark.
Clinical
Antrum of Highmore, affections of. Breasts, affections of. Ears, affections of. Eczema. Erysipelas. Eyes, affections of. Herpes. Leprosy. Neuralgia. Skin, malignant inflammations of. Toothache. Ulcers. Zona.
Characteristics
*Comocladia Shows its botanical affinity with the Rhus family by the virulence of its effects on the skin, the slightest contact, and, at times, even walking in the neighborhood of the growing tree, being sufficient to cause violent inflammation. The trunk and branches of the tree contain a milky fluid, turning black on exposure to sunlight, discolouring the skin, linen, etc.(Compare the “Marking Nut” Anacardium.) The plant causes tormenting itching, swelling, redness, vesication, ulceration. Hale quotes from Navarro cures of ulcers: “Sloughing ulcer of right breast.” “Indolent ulcer, lower third right leg.” deep, discharging sanious fetid pus. “Inflammation of left leg and foot, with enormous swelling and fever.” A cough, with pain under left breast going through to left scapula, has several times been cured with *Comocl. The eye symptoms are peculiar: pain in right eye, sensation as if it were larger than left, and more protruded. There are also rheumatic pains, and, as with *Rhus, these and the symptoms in general are better by motion and worse by rest. In contradistinction to *Rhus, heat worse and open air better most of the symptoms. Most symptoms are worse at night as with *Rhus. Pressure better.
Relations.
*Compare: Anacardium, Rhus, Euphorb. (red stripes on skin), Apis (eye symptoms worse near stove).
SYMPTOMS.
Head
Giddiness on rising from bed, everything looks dark, better motion, worse heat. Severe pain at intervals from posterior portion of eyeballs to occipital protuberance, worse near warm stove, when stooping, better in open air. Corrosive itching with shooting pains, better by movement.
Eyes
Eyes protrude, feel sore, feel heavy, as if pressed out from above. Eyeballs feel worse on moving them. Right eye painful, feels much larger and more protruded than left (3 or 4 P.M.). Eyes worse near warm stove. Sees a red ring round flame of lamp.
Ears
Heat and fullness in interior of right ear. Left ear all cracked, and desquamating a substance like powered starch.
Face
Burning, extreme swelling, heat and itching of face. Aching first in left and then in right maxillary joint on entering a warm room. Aching in base of right antrum of Highmore, afterwards in left, sense of heat and fullness, sensation as of a pimple on right antrum. Lower lip blistered and swollen. Sensation as if the skin was puckered or drawn up from the face and about the nose, causing slight giddiness.
Mouth
Sensation as if a tooth were being drawn out of its socket, putting the nerve on the stretch. Pains in teeth better by pressure. When toothache stops, head feels large. Second right molar carious, pain commences in it 4.30 to 5 P.M., at times shoots down in line with larynx, leaving sore track, pain worse in bed, better by external warmth and pressure. Gums of lower jaw inflamed. Tongue coated dirty yellow. Mouth dry.
Stomach
Some eructations two hours after eating. Pressure and heaviness in region of stomach.
Stool
Severe flatulent pain in abdomen preceding and during a diarrhoeic stool, followed by a feeling of weakness and perspiration on face and neck.
Male Sexual Organs.
Intense itching on lower part of penis, also on inner side of prepuce. Continued tingling, itching of scrotum during night.
Respiratory Organs and Chest
Spasmodic dry cough at night, with tickling in throat, and constant dull pains under left nipple, extending through to left scapula. Cannot draw a long breath on account of sharp pain at center of thorax on left side. Soreness in left lung. Sharp pain in left breast, about one inch above nipple, and leaves a burning sensation, it goes to right side and down right arm. Sloughing ulcer on right breast.
Neck and Back.
On moving head, sense of fullness, rigidity and lameness of muscles of neck. Rheumatic pains and stitches in back, stitches leave a burning.
Upper Limbs
Sharp pains through right shoulder to scapula. Painful burning on arms. Crampy sensation in muscles of right upper arm. Numb, tensive pain in forearm and rheumatic stiffness of shoulders and elbow-joints. Drawing aching in forearm. Drawing cramping in fingers. Vesicular eruption on arms and hands.
Lower Limbs
Intermittent, pressing-outward pain in left sacroiliac synchondrosis, sensitive to pressure, better by walking, but feels lame and sore. Pulsating pain in neck of right femur and in right thigh. Severe pains in both knees, pressing down to feet on inside of legs. Drawing in right knee extending into anterior muscles of thigh. Drawing, cramping in hollow of right foot, passing along outer border of gastrocnemius to knee, then in tibia, where it becomes a numb aching, then in tarsus as if foot would cramp. Inflammation of leg and foot with violent fever, swelling increased enormously when pain subsided, skin became white and covered with thin scales, which cracked and discharged a sanious fluid. Vesicular eruption changing to pustules and ulcers. Herpes on legs.
Skin
Tormenting itching and burning over whole body. Red all over like scarlet fever. Red stripes on skin. Enormous swelling, vesicles, desquamation, ulcers. Malignant erysipelas, herpes, zona, leprosy.
Sleep
Dreamy, refreshing sleep with pleasant dreams, almost clairvoyant.
