Gratiola officinalis. Hedge Hyssop. “The Herb of Grace.” *N. O. Scrophulariacae (grows in moist places). Tincture of fresh plant before flowering.
Clinical
Cholera. Coccygodynia. Constipation. Cramps. Diarrhoea. Dropsy. Eyes, affections of. Gastralgia. Gout. Hemorrhoids. Headache. Hydrocephalus. Hypochondriasis. Hysteria. Mania. Masturbation. Mesenteric glands, affections of. Neuralgia. Nymphomania. Tetanus. Vision, disordered.
Characteristics
*Gratiola is one of the most important members of the great Scrophularian group: *Digit., *Euphras., *Tabac., *Scroph., and should be carefully studied with these. A large proportion of the effects of *Gratiola are expended on the gastro-intestinal tract. It is an inodorous plant, of bitter taste, and very poisonous, causing violent colic, bloody stools, enteritis, jaundice, trembling in extremities, convulsions, cramps, excitement and disordered condition of the sexual powers, and death. Symptoms of a fully developed, rapid attack of Asiatic cholera are produced. On the other hand, the mind is strongly affected. Peevishness, ill-humor, irresolute, hysterical, cerebral affections without fever. It is useful in mental troubles from overweening pride. Teste considers *Gratiola the *Chamom. of chronic diseases. There is worse during and after eating: vertigo during and after a meal. Hunger after a meal with feeling of emptiness. The diarrhoea is yellowish, gushing, watery, as though rushing from a hydrant. There is also vomiting of yellowish fluid. Summer diarrhoea from excessive drinking of water whether cold or hot. Soreness, burning or irritation of anus follows the stools. Two excellent cures with *Gratiola have been recorded by ***C. W. Sonnenschmidt (*H. R., xi. 547). (1) Mrs. C., 53, attacked in June with diarrhoea, yellow, watery, frothy stools gushing out with force. Severe cutting pains in abdomen, rumbling of flatulence. Occasional nausea and vomiting. *Coloc. and *Ipecac. failed to relieve, then on close inquiry it was elicited that “a cold feeling in the abdomen ” had been a feature throughout. *Gratiola *off. 3, cured promptly. (2) A three-weeks’ old infant was attacked with diarrhoea and colic. There were two or three passages in quick succession, and then an interval of an hour or two. Passages green or yellow watery, *frothy, expelled suddenly, nausea, vomiting, severe pain *before stools, relieved after, for a short time. *Chamomilla, *Coloc., *Veratrum failed and *Gratiola rapidly cured. It also removed in this case “redness around anus, and on the side an abrasion of half an inch in extent, which caused some oozing of blood.” ***E. E. Case (*Medorrhinum *Adv., xxix. 343) cured a woman, et. 50, of hemorrhoids with the following symptoms: (1) Constipation, difficult stools. (2) External piles from any exertion and after stool. (3) Biting, stinging tension in tumours. (4) During stool, a sensation as if the rectal membrane was torn. (5) After stool, all the nerve of the pelvis seem in a high state of tension, the flesh on the perineum feels as if torn from the bone. (Compare “Wrenching pain in coccyx.”) Sleepless before midnight, peevish, melancholy. *Gratiola 200 cured. Cooper has used it with great success in a case of gouty acidity with great constipation, and in the constipation of cancer. He regards it as “the vegetable antacid.” It is said to have formed the basis for a once famous nostrum for gout, “Eau Medicinale.” Indications are: Constant sinking but cannot eat, bitter taste. The affection of the solar plexus is very marked, cramps beginning at pit of stomach, and pains radiating therefrom, anxiety, gnawing, empty feeling, rolling about in epigastric region. Urine is diminished, reddish, turbid. Buvier, says Teste, saw four cases of nymphomania in females to whom herb-doctors had given injections of a decoction of freshly gathered *Gratiola. Burnett considers it specific in female masturbation and nymphomania. A number of pains are experienced in the coccyx. Chilly, shuddering on entering a warm room. Heat ascending to face, with redness and increased external warmth. Constant vaporous exhalation from body. Sensations: as if brain contracted, as if head grew smaller, as if brain would fall forward, as if sand in eyes, as if throat contracted, as if a stone rolling from side to side in stomach. The left side is more affected than the right. The head and eye symptoms are of the first importance. Rush of blood to head with vanishing of sight I consider a keynote. With *Gratiola 30. I cured this symptom in a patient: “Sometimes everything seems to assume a yellowish tint, and occasionally, when I have been taking notes, a rush of blood to my head seems to shut the book from my sight and for the moment I have been unable to follow the speaker by writing although I could by thought.” Motion worse, rest better. Better In open air, worse in warm room (some headaches, and vertigo have the opposite modality). Coffee causes neuralgia.
Relations
*Antidoted by: Causticum, Belladonna, Euphorb., Nux v. *It antidotes: Iodium. *Compare: Apis, Belladonna, Helleborus, Chamomilla, Nux v., Elat., Podophyllum Hunger after meals with feeling of emptiness, Lauro., Calcarea, Cascarilla., Chi., Cin., (emptiness after *stool, Petrol.), vanishing of sight and headache, Gelsemium, botanical, Digitalis, Tabacum, Euphr., Scroph.
Causation
Abuse of coffee.
SYMPTOMS.
Mind
Serious, taciturn, absorbed in reverie. Self-concentration. Irresolute, want of perseverance. Ill-humor, tired of life, apprehensive of the future, hysteria, hypochondriasis. Loquacity and gaiety.
Head
Whirling vertigo on shutting the eyes. Vertigo when reading, and when seated, as if the head were waving backwards and forwards. Headache, with nausea and drowsiness. Intoxicated feeling during and after a meal. Rush of blood to the head and feeling as if intoxicated in whole brain. Violent rush of blood to head, with throbbing in forehead amounting to vertigo, with blackness before the eyes, worse by motion, especially riding, increasing even to loss of consciousness, only disappearing after several hours’ sleep. Pressive headache, especially in the forehead and occiput. Lancinating and pulsative headache. Sensation of heaviness in the forehead, as if the brain would fall forward, with stoppage of the nose. Sensation as if the head were shrinking from contraction of the brain. Sudden attack, sudden vibration in the head, which suspends the senses of sight and hearing. The headache is worse when rising from a seat, during movement, and while walking in the open air. The head is very sensitive to cold. Heat in the head, on raising the head. Tightness in the forehead with wrinkles in the skin.
Eyes
Itching, quivering, and sensation of weakness in eyelids. Itching of eyelashes. The eyes feel dry and as if sand were in them. Burning pain and pressure on the eyes. Eyes watery and weak when reading. Mist before eyes, when reading or writing. Myopia on reading. Sees distant objects better than near ones. While writing, or looking at light objects, sight suddenly vanishes, better by closing eyes, but constantly returns. All objects seem white on opening the eyes, even green trees and turf.
Ears
Tearing and shootings in ears. Itching of the ears.
Nose
Frequent sneezings, with shootings in left side of the chest and of the hypochondria. Stoppage of the nose. Smarting-itching in left nostril. Pressure at upper part of nose.
Face
Burning heat and redness of the face. Tingling-burning in malar bones. Sensation of tension in the face, it feels swollen. Swelling of upper lip (every morning, with stinging). Tearing on one side of face. Painful crack in left side of chin.
Teeth
Nocturnal tearing or piercing in the molars. Sensation of cold in the teeth.
Mouth
Accumulation of much saliva in the mouth. Accumulation of clear water in the mouth. Mouth bitter or clammy. Tongue rough, covered with mucus. Fetid breath in the morning after waking.
Throat
Pressure in throat, as form thick mucus. Accumulation of mucus in throat. Pain in throat obliging one to swallow constantly, the swallowing is difficult, as if the throat were contracted, worse during empty deglutition. Stinging in throat (left side). Tingling, roughness, and scraping in throat. Phlegm in throat, with inability to throw it off.
Appetite
Gnawing, as from hunger after eating. Constant sinking at epigastrium, but cannot eat. Hunger, sometimes with loathing and horror of all food. Increased thirst.
Stomach
Bitter or sweetish risings. Ineffectual efforts to eructate, with pressure from stomach to throat, which suspends respiration. Empty or cold feeling in stomach. Hiccough. Regurgitation of bitter water. Constant nausea, with retching. Nausea, with cold in the abdomen. Vomiting, with stoppage of the nose. Bilious vomiting, or vomiting of acid or bitter substances. Uneasiness, and sensation of fullness in stomach. Pressure on the stomach after a meal, with nausea. Searching and digging in the stomach, with inclination to vomit. Pressure on the epigastrium after a meal, as from a stone, which moves back and forth. The sufferings of the stomach and of the epigastrium are often accompanied by nausea, or ineffectual efforts at eructation. Paroxysms of inclination to vomit, better by eructations. Rolling about in epigastrium.
