Rumex crispus. Curled Dock. Yellow Dock. *N.O. Polygonaceae. Tincture of fresh root.
Clinical
Abortion. Aphonia. Asthma. *Borborygmi. *Bronchitis. Catarrh. Corns. Coryza. *Cough. *Diarrhoea. Dyspepsia. Epistaxis. Feet, tender. Gastralgia. Heart, pain in, affections of. Indigestion. *Irritation. *Lichen. Mouth, ulceration of. Phimosis. Phthisis. Prurigo. Rheumatism. Throat, sore, ulcerated. Trachea, affections of. Urticaria.
Characteristics
The “Yellow Dock” or “Curled Dock” is a common British weed, introduced and growing wild in North America, where the provings were made. The common Dock of our fields and roadsides, *Rumex obtusifolia, has a reputation among children as the best antidote to the nettle’s sting, a reputation which is very well deserved, as I can testify. *Rumex crispus, according to Joslin, quoted by Hale, was used by allopaths internally and externally for the cure of itch. This points to one of the leading actions of *Rx.c. as developed in the provings. Among the constituents and salts of *Rx.c. are *Sulphur and *Calcarea ph. (Hale), and *Sul., *Calcarea, and *Pho. are strongly represented in its action. *Rx.c. again, is a close ally of *Rheum, and has analogous purgative and other properties. The provings were made by Houghton, Joslin, H.M.Paine, Bayard, Rhees, &c., both with the tincture and with attenuations, and its characteristics were well defined. A keynote of many *Rx.c. cases is sensitiveness to cold air. The cough and skin symptoms are worse by uncovering or exposure to air. Guernsey thus describes the cough of *Rx.c.: “Cough caused by an incessant tickling in throat-pit, which tickling runs down to the bifurcation of the bronchial tubes, touching the throat brings on the cough, by covering up all the body and head with the bed-clothes there is no cough.” Correspondingly this symptom of Paine’s has led to many cures of skin cases: *”While undressing, and for some time after, considerable itching of surface of lower limbs” where *exposure to air is again the exciting cause. The characteristic diarrhoea of *Rx.c. occurs in the early morning, driving the patient out of bed, it comes on after catarrh, and is often associated with the characteristic cough of the remedy. The *Rx-c. cough causes expulsion of urine, and it may even cause expulsion of the foetus in pregnant women. P. P. Wells relates this case (Hale): Mrs. X. had had eight miscarriages in the early months, each miscarriage being attended with a dry, shaking, spasmodic cough in paroxysms of great violence, which was regarded as the cause of the abortions. At the beginning of the ninth pregnancy she came under homoeopathic treatment. The cough came on Very dry, harsh, loud, shaking, worse at night, preventing sleep, excited instantly by pressure on the trachea. *Rx.c. 30 promptly relieved. Wells also cured with *Rx.c. 200 (Lehrman’s preparation) the following in a man: Cough beginning with tickling behind top of sternum, sometimes in paroxysms lasting for five to ten minutes. Trachea sore to external pressure, feels excoriated through its whole extent, as also do the fauces. Cough is excited by pressure on throat-pit, violent with scanty difficult expectoration, shakes head as if it would fly to pieces and chest so that he feels he might raise blood any minute. Paroxysms exhaust him, headache during cough. Joslin pointed out the *left chest had more verified symptoms than any other region. Further Conditions of *Rx.c. are worse lying on left side, better lying on right side. worse At 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. Another Condition of the cough is that it is induced or worse by any *irregularity of respiration, such as a little deeper breath than usual or a little more rapid. Cough when eating. Joslin reports a number of cases of gastric derangement cured with *Rx.c. (1) A young lady had shootings from pit of stomach into chest in various directions, sharp pains in left chest, dull aching in forehead and slight nausea. One dose of 30th removed all her symptoms and restored her appetite. (2) A lady, 50, had had for three weeks pain in pit of stomach, aching in left chest, flatulence, eructations, pains and distension in stomach after meals. *Rx.c. 200, one dose, cured in two or three hours. (3) Young lady had sensation of *fulness and pressure in pit of stomach extending up towards throat, carried down on swallowing and rising again to throat. *Rx.c. 200 cured. (4) A gentleman not used to tea took a cup, very weak, of the black kind, then followed aching in pit of stomach and aching above it in chest, and especially on each side of lower end of sternum. *Rx.c. 30 cured in a few minutes. The flatulence and rumbling of *Rx.c. are well marked, and I have found it the best general remedy for the painless but annoying borborygmi frequently complained of by women. The left side is more markedly affected than the right. The circulation is much disturbed, violent palpitations of the heart and throbbing throughout the whole body being noted. Carleton Smith points out (*H.P. x. 275) that in a case of cough cured by Cardoza with *Rx.c. the characteristic was “cough only during the day, not at all at night.” This gives *Rx. c. a place beside *Ferrum and *Mang. Smith has cured with *Rx.c. many cases of indigestion in which this symptom was present: “Lump in throat, not better by hawking or swallowing, it descends on deglutition, but immediately returns.” *Peculiar Sensations are: Eyes pain as if from dryness. Tongue as if burned. Lump in throat, it descends on deglutition, but immediately returns. Hard substance in pit of stomach. Bunch in throat or behind sternum. Pressure of a stick in rectum. As if urine could not long be retained. As if she could not get another breath. As if air did not penetrate chest. As if a feather swaying to and fro in bronchi. As if head would fly to pieces (with cough). As if he might raise blood any minute. As if cough did not reach low enough to raise phlegm. As if heart suddenly stopped. Sternum feels sprained. Raw feeling under clavicles. Hands cold when coughing. The symptoms are worse by touch pressure, riding. worse By cold, better by warmth. worse Change: warm to cold or cold to warm, changing rooms. worse Lying down (pain in pit of stomach better lying perfectly quiet). worse Lying on left side, burning in left side. better Lying right side. worse Talking. worse Deep inspiration, or irregularity of breathing. worse Walking. worse Evening and night, and morning on waking, 3.30 and 11 p.m., 2 to 5 a.m. worse When eating and after meals. better Discharge of offensive flatus.
Relations
*Antidoted by: Camph., Belladonna, Hyoscyamus, Conium, Lachesis, Pho. *Compare: Hard, dry, tickling cough, worse reading, worse touching larynx, Cin. Asthma of consumptives worse 2 a.m., Meph., Sticta. Pains in left lung worse moving, cough from change of temperature, Bryonia (Bryonia more when change is to warm air, Rx.c. more when to cold). Tickling cough from suprasternal fossa excited by speaking, Silicea Morning diarrhoea hurrying patient out of bed, Sul. Annoying, tickling cough on lying down, Hyoscyamus, Conium Urticaria, morning diarrhoea, Apis (opposite Conditions). Dry cough from tickling in suprasternal fossa worse least cool air or deep inspiration, Belladonna Effects of tea, Thuja Stitching pains in chest, pulsations over whole body, Kali.ca. Tough mucus, Kali.bi. Cough when eating, Calcarea Burnt sensation in tongue, Ranunculusb. Stick in rectum, Aesculush. Cough worse changing air, Spon, Pho. worse Lying left side, Pho., Pul. Raw sensation in larynx and trachea when coughing, Causticum Spurting of urine with cough, Causticum, Pul., Scil. Early morning diarrhoea, Aloe., Nat.s., Podophyllum, Sul. Skin symptoms worse uncovering, Hepar, Nat.s., Oleand. Cough starting in throat pit (Belladonna more in fauces, Pho. more in bronchi). Incessant cough and botan., Rx.ac. Diarrhoea and botan., Rhe. Botan., Fago., Polyg., Lapath. Cough only during day, Ferrum, Mang.
Mind
Low-spirited: with serious expression of face, with suicidal mood. Irritable, disinclined to mental exertion. Indifference to surroundings. Stagnation of ideas, lassitude, and uneasiness.
Head
Headache after waking in morning, preceded by a disagreeable dream. Dull (and bruised) pains: on right side, in occiput, in forehead with bruised feeling, worse on motion. Darting pain or sharp piercing in left side of head. Catarrhal headache with great irritation of larynx and trachea, clavicular pain and soreness behind sternum. Bruised sensation on waking, continued till noon, disappeared suddenly after dinner. Headache worse in open air. Pungent drawing in left occiput with a similar pain in left nostril and feeling as if coryza would ensue.
Eyes
Pain in eyes as from dryness, lids inflamed, worse evening. Sore feeling in eyes without inflammation. Deep-seated pain in right eye. Sharp, shooting pain in (and over) left eye.
Ears
Ringing in ears. Itching deep in ears. Pain, throbbing, stopped sensation in ears.
