Datura stramonium. Thorn-apple. Jamestown-weed. Stink-weed. (Grows in vicinity of cultivation on rank soil where refuse is deposited in all parts of the world.) N.O. Solanaceae. Tincture of fresh plant in flower and fruit.
Clinical
Anasarca (after scarlatina). *Aphasia. Apoplexy. Burns. Catalepsy. Chordee. *Chorea. *Delirium tremens. Diaphragmitis. Ecstasy. Enuresis. *Epilepsy. *Erotomania. *Eyes, *affections of. Headache, from sun. Hiccough. *Hydrophobia. Hysteria. Lochia, offensive. Locomotor ataxy. *Mania. Meningitis. Nymphomania. Oesophagus, spasm of. Scarlatina. *Stammering. *Starting. Strabismus. Sunstroke. Tetanus. *Thirst. *Tremors. Trismus. Typhus.
Characteristics
The first to use *Stramonium in medicine, according to Teste, was Stoerck, who was one of Hahnemann’s predecessors. Stoerck first tried it in mental alienation, *because it was supposed to produce “a marked and persistent disorder of the mental faculties.” Hahnemann proved it, and introduced it into the homoeopathic materia medica. In his introduction to the remedy he points out that, though it produces many uncomfortable symptoms, it does not in its primary effects cause actual *pain. Hahnemann attached a good deal of importance of this. *”Stramonium,” he says, “allays some spasmodic movements, and restores suppressed excretions in several cases in which absence of pain is a prominent symptom.” In addition to the absence of pain there is with *Stramonium (and in many mental cases) an extreme muscular mobility. This mobility affects muscles of expression and muscles of locomotion. The movements of *Stramonium are generally gyratory and graceful when they occur in the arms. The forms of mania specially mentioned by Teste as calling for *Stramonium are: Nymphomania of lying-in women. Certain forms of religious monomania, in exaggerated and ridiculous scruple of conscience. Fixed notion that some unpardonable sin has been committed (which the patient is nevertheless unable to remember), that he is possessed of the devil. Hallucinations. The delirium of *Stramonium is for the most part terrifying. It corresponds exactly to many cases of delirium tremens. Visions of animals enter largely into it. In a case of severe pleuro-pneumonia of right side, supervening on scarlatina, the patient, a young man, said he saw a large black dog about the room. This led me to give *Stramonium, which rapidly altered the whole case for the better, including the pneumonia, and resolved a situation of no little anxiety. *Stramonium is also called for in congestions without actual inflammation, but with high mental exaltation and furious delirium and little or no fever, without pain but with some coma. J. Emmons Briggs (*New Eng. M. Gaz., xxx. 151) relates this case of poisoning: Briggs had an urgent call to see James M., 4, in “convulsions.” He found him lying on the bed in a state of wild delirium, requiring the constant combined efforts of two people to keep him in bed. Face exceedingly flushed, expression becoming in rapid alternation pleasant and anxious. Pupils widely dilated, iris scarcely visible, giving the eye a very brilliant appearance. Marked convergent strabismus, skin hot and dry, resembling scarlatina eruption. Abdomen tense. The most alarming symptom was rapidly recurring convulsions with twitching of the arms and lower limbs. Thirty or forty of these spasms occurred in rapid succession, followed by a moment during which the countenance brightened and seemed at rest, only to be followed in an instant by a series of clonic contractions. Grasping at imaginary objects before the eyes, when expression frequently became anxious, as if the patient was trying to ward off imaginary foes. At times the mind was very active, and the patient talked rapidly and incoherently. Between the spasms laughter and crying frequently occurred. The boy, it transpired, had been chewing a Thorn-apple. When he came home he seemed rather dazed, and vomited. He then threw himself on the sofa and slept very soundly till he awoke in the convulsions. The boy recovered under *Kali bro. in five-grain doses, though it was with great difficulty that he was made to swallow. This difficulty of swallowing is a marked feature of *Stramonium, and with the intense thirst, delirium, and hallucinations completes the picture of many cases of hydrophobia. Another symptom indicating it here is ” worse by bright light, mirror or surface of water.” S.A.Jones (quoted A.H., xxii. 410) relates the case of a little girl with brain symptoms for whom he had prescribed a remedy. The report was brought late at night that the patient was much worse. “She vomits,” said the father, “if she even raises her head from the pillow.” The vomit was *green. Jones found this under *Stramonium by aid of the Cypher Repertory. He gave *Stramonium, and the next morning the case was entirely changed for the better. Acting on this analogue, Jones also cured a “vomiting of green stuff always induced by bright light.” On the other hand, the *Stramonium patient is dependent on light and company, cannot walk in the dark (hence it is indicated in locomotor ataxy), and going through railway tunnels without a light in the carriage may cause fainting. Some of the head movements of *Stramonium are characteristic: Continually jerks head up from pillow, head bent back, boring head into pillow. The twitchings of single muscles and the squint mark *Stramonium as the remedy for many cases of chorea. I find it correspond to about an equal proportion with *Agaricus, and when there is fright in the causation *Stramonium will almost certainly avail. *Stramonium has a relation to the hip-joints, and *Stramonium has cured both coxalgia and morbus coxae (left). This is accompanied by very severe pain, and is one exception to the “painlessness” of *Stramonium affections. The effect of *Stramonium on the secretions is to suppress them, and this makes *Stramonium an excellent remedy in many cases of illness due to suppressed secretions menses, lochia, sweat, eruptions. *Stramonium causes high fever with rashes, some scarlet, like scarlatina, petechiae, spots on the arms like flea-bites, vesications, and it corresponds also to burns and scalds. *Stramonium 30 caused the face of a boy to whom I gave it to swell and come out in blotches soon after commencing the remedy. (I have seen *Dulcamara 30 produce *furfuraceous rash on the face in the same way.) In a case of mine *Stramonium relieved an extensive eczematous eruption which came on after a fright. As a result of suppressions convulsions occur. These may be general, or they may be partial or choreic. The convulsant, spasmodic properties of *Stramonium are shown in the respiratory sphere in constriction of the chest, asthmatic symptoms, and cough of the whooping-cough type. The common practice of smoking Stramonium leaves for asthma is roughly homoeopathic. *Peculiar Sensations of Stramonium are: As if spinning or weaving. As if objects were smaller than they really are. As if dizzy. As if he had no limbs. As if drunk. Head as if drawn backward. Starts as if a shock of electricity had been passed through her body. As if eyes were forced out. As of sparks of fire rushing from stomach to eyes. Eyelids as if swollen, or as if oppressed with sleep, as of wind rushing out of ears. As if sawing cheek-bone, as if a hole were there and the brain were touched. As if nose were shifted. As if pins and needles were in forehead. As if he was seeking something. As if bones were sawed through. As if front teeth would fall out. Teeth as if pressed together. Moving fingers as if searching for something. Cries as if from sight of hideous objects. As if lips would grow together. Inner mouth as if raw. Soft palate as if drawn down. As of boiling water in throat. As if a ball were wedged in throat. As if falling. As if he would vomit. As if navel were to be torn out. Abdomen as if puffed up. As if abdomen were expanded to extremest degree. As if urine could not be passed on account of narrowness of urethra. As if a cylindrical body were being passed through urethra. As if he had not power to close neck of bladder. As if very tall. As if something turned round in chest. Limbs feel as if gone to sleep. As if parts of limbs were completely separated from body. Hands and feet as if loose in joints. As if cold water were poured down back. *Stramonium is an ill smelling plant, and the discharges and secretions it causes are often foul and even cadaveric in odour. *Stramonium is *Suited to: Ailments of young, plethoric persons, especially of children (chorea, mania, fever, delirium). The symptoms are: worse By touch, by pressure. Motion worse, removing head from pillow causes vomiting of bile, walking causes involuntary micturition, walking in dark causes vertigo. worse After motion (vomiting of bile, palpitation, pain in back, shoulder, and abdomen). While sitting: involuntary micturition, cough causes lower limbs to be jerked up. Lying better pulsating heat of vertex, in evening causes prosopalgia in left cheek, causes cutting pain in sternum. Lying on side worse vertigo. Warmth better. Wind cold worse. Worse evening and night. Worse In dark. Better In light. Better in company. Worse looking at shining objects, water, & c. Worse sun. Great desire for acids, citric acid better.
