Lachnanthes tinctoria. Red Root. N. O. Hemodoraceae. Tincture of whole plant.
Clinical
Cough. Diphtheria. Headache. Heart, heat in, pains in. Phthisis. Pneumonia, typhoid. Sore throat. Stiff-neck. Wry-neck.
Characteristics.
*Lachnan. is a herb, growing in sandy swamps near the coast. The root is red and fibrous, leaves sword-shaped, stem hairy, flowers yellow, woolly. It belongs to the same order as *Aletris, and is allied to the Irises. The head, the chest, and the circulation seem most prominently affected by *Lachn. There are headaches of great intensity, right-sided, as if split open with a wedge, with icy coldness of body, crying spells, worse by vomiting. In the chest there are lancinating stitches, in quick succession in right side of chest below mamma. Stitches in heart with anxiety. A peculiar symptom is: Sensation of heat, bubbling and boiling in chest and region of heart, rising to head, giddy, breaks out into perspiration. Trembling of heart. There is also burning of palms and soles and burning under nail of left toe. On the other hand, there is much coldness and chilliness. Continued chilliness. Sensation as if a piece of ice was lying on back between shoulders, then a shock followed by coldness over whole body with gooseflesh. These attacks occur on moving, better after going to bed. Cannot get warm under a feather bed. A hot flat-iron better icy coldness of body. *Lachn. has been largely used in cases of phthisis, often empirically, but sometimes on its indications. Arthur Dalzell reports these cases (*H. W., xxv. 158): (I) Mrs. B., 43, fibroid phthisis of both lungs, collapse of right lower lobe. Great prostration, night-sweats, bowels alternately relaxed and confined, *pain and stiffness in back, bruised all over, dry cough, roughness of throat, heart-sounds weak. Sleep bad owing to cough. *Lachn. O, three drops every four hours. In three days the prostration was diminished, and the cough was much better, night- sweats and bruised feeling gone. From this time an emulsion containing cod-liver oil, liquor pancreaticus, eggs, cream and hypophosphites, and oil of Eucalyptus were given in addition. The case went on to recovery. (2) Mrs. R., 45, in last stage of consumption. Right lung consolidated, left in cavities. Remittent fever. This patient had *circumscribed flush on face, *brilliant eyes, *throat rough, felt bruised all *over. Skin dry, except at night, when she had profuse perspiration. Constant dry cough. Muco-purulent expectoration. *Lachn. O, five drops every three hours, relieved all the symptoms and procured euthanasia, the patient dying quite easily twelve days later. Toothache is worse eating and drinking warm thighs. With fever there is loquacious delirium, brilliant eyes, and circumscribed red cheeks (there is also a blueness about face, blue under eyes, blue lips). During the cold sensation the skin is damp and clammy. The loquacity of *Lachn. is remarkable. Hering says the Indians chew the plant when they meet the white man to give them a flow of language. *Lachn. has been used with success in diphtheria, typhoid fever, typhoid pneumonia. A peculiar symptom is stiffness of the neck, the head being twisted to one (right) side. This occurring in connection with sore throat is a strong indication. There is much dryness of throat, which is worse on waking in the night, with much coughing. *Sensations are: As if head enlarged, as if split open with a wedge, vertex as if enlarged, as if hair standing on end. As if a cloud before eyes, pressing as from dust in eyes. As if some thing had closed ear. Bridge of nose as if pinched (confirmed by ***E. E. Case _ *H.P., xiii. 76). As of something crawling over face. A curious observation is quoted in *Brit. F. of H. (xxxix. I8I), that the white pigs and sheep of Virginia lose their hoofs if they feed on *Lachn., while the *black varieties eat it without inconvenience.
Relations
*Compare: Aletris, the Irises and Veratrums (botan.), heat in heart (Croc., Opium, Rho.), pain in lower right lung (Chelidonium, Kali- ca., Sep Right apex, Arsenicum, Calcarea, left apex, Arsenicum, left base, Oxal-ac., Sul., right middle lobe, Sepia, right chest, Sanguinaria, Phell. aq., Zn.), cold between shoulders (Am-m., _ heat between shoulders, Lycopodium Pho.), loquacity (Lachesis, Hyo,.), brilliant eyes, red cheeks, delirium (Belladonna). *Compare also: Actea r., Aethusa, Agaricus, Can-i. Cicuta, Crotal., Selenium, lo., Gymnoc., Platina, Stramonium
Mind
Restlessness, tosses about (during perspiration). Great loquacity, afterwards stupid and irritable. Ill-humored and sleepy. Great hilarity (evening). Became much excited over a trifle. Loquacious delirium, with brilliant eyes and circumscribed red cheeks ( I to 2 a.m.).
Head
Giddiness in the head, with sensation of heat in chest and around heart, and perspiration. Giddiness with icy coldness of the forehead. Painful tearing in forehead in the open air. Dull headache and pressing in forehead. Tearing in forehead from left to right side. On forehead elevated red pimples. Wrinkles on forehead, with longitudinal ridges from interior corner of eyebrows upward. Head feels heavy. Sensation as if the vertex were enlarged and were driven upward. Tearing in vertex. Headache pressing eyes outward. The head feels enlarged, and as if split open with a wedge from the outside to within, the body is icy cold, she cannot get warm also for a long time under a feather bed, the whole face becomes yellow, she has to whine with the headache, the head burns like fire, with much thirst, during the cold sensation the skin is moist and clammy. Tearing in (right) temple, extending to cheek. Pricking headache (evening), _ Sensation as if the hair were standing on end, worse in the occiput. Scalp very painful to touch.
Eyes
Obscuration of sight, could not see in evening, as if a cloud were before the eyes. Pressing in eyes as from dust, with secretion of white mucus. Secretion of white mucus from eyes (canthi). Twitching of right canthus. Sensation of twitching in upper eyelids, worse when closing them. In morning, violent lachrymation and burning of eyes, with sensation of dryness. The eyes feel heavy, as if they could not be kept open. Eyes dry. Eyes feel cold. The eyebrows and upper eyelids are drawn upwards, looks with fixed eyes. Yellow spots before eyes. Bright, sparkling eyes with delirium.
Ears
Singing in ear when walking in open air. Tearing in ears. Crawling and itching in ears. Itching or tingling in ears, better by boring with the finger, but immediately returning and feeling as if something had closed ear. Almost complete deafness (during fever).
Nose
The nose bleeds profusely, the blood is pale. Bridge of nose feels as if pinched.
Face
Face swollen, with redness and blueness under eyes. Pale, sickly countenance, face and lips bluish, eyes dull, feel thick and cold. Circumscribed redness of face (I a.m. to 8 a.m.), with violent delirium and brilliant eyes. Redness of face, yellow face. Sensation as if something were crawling over face.
Teeth
Pain in all the teeth when eating or drinking warm things. All the teeth feel loose and too long, worse in bed.
Mouth
Saliva of tough mucus. Swelling and tension of the lips. Lips red. Sensation if the mouth were sore and thick.
Throat
Great dryness in throat, especially on awaking during the night, with much coughing. Sore throat, with short cough. When swallowing, itching (in a small spot). Sensation of swelling in pharynx, with stiffness of neck, and head drawn to one side (diphtheria).
Appetite
Aversion to meat. Much thirst.
Stomach
Sensation of qualmishness above navel, when walking in open air.
In pit of stomach, beating as from a pulse, as if a hammer were beating on an ulcerated spot. Fullness in pit of stomach.
Abdomen
Rolling of wind in abdomen, and discharge of flatulency. Sensation of heat through abdomen.
Stool
Frequent stool, passes much wind. Frequent unsuccessful desire to evacuate. Continuous stitch in rectum.
Urinary Organs
Pressure on bladder while urinating.
Male Sexual Organs
Violent burning in left half of the scrotum, drawing toward right side. Tingling and itching of scrotum. Perspiration and itching of scrotum and penis.
Female Sexual Organs
Menses too early, blood viscid, mixed with mucus. During menses, sensation of distension of abdomen, it feels as if it were boiling. Menstrual blood profuse, bright red.
Respiratory Organs
Burning in right side of larynx. Hoarseness (forenoon). Cough dry, as if it came from larynx (with sore throat), expectoration streaked with blood, with severe pain in chest (pneumonia). Sensation of fullness in chest, is compelled to inhale deeply. Stitches in left side of chest. Stitches (like knives) under right breast and under clavicle. Cough worse in bed and after sleeping. Feels hot and oppressed in chest, with gentle perspiration all over.
Heart
Bubbling and boiling in chest and region of heart, it rises to the head and he becomes giddy, he breaks out into a perspiration. Sensation of heat in region of heart. Stitches in heart, with anxiety. Frequent violent pulsations of heart, each beat is double, one hard and full, the other soft and small. Trembling of heart with great debility.
