Common names: Nutmeg; Muskate.
Introduction
Myristica fragrans, Houttuyn (1774). M. moschata, Thunb.; M.
officinalis, Linn.; M. aromatica, Lam.
Natural order: Myristicaceae.
Preparation: Tincture and triturations of the seed deprived of its arillus (mace) and testa.
Mind
Emotional. Insanity. She fell into a delirium, that lasted several hours. After a few;hours, he was attacked with violent vertigo and delirium, so that he made remarkable gestures; then he used improper language;in a loud tone, and could in no way be quieted or made to sleep until he had taken tea and been bled, after which he fell into a profuse perspiration, with deep sleep, from which he woke well. [* From three nuts of M. tomentosa, taken for diarrhoea and tenesmus. *) Delirium with the dysmenorrhoea. Mental derangement. Possesses narcotic properties, causes reeling, delirium, and apoplexy. They became foolish and delirious (in five soldiers). It causes foolishness. Completely distracted in the head, and as if intoxicated (in pregnant woman, from ten pieces of the nuts). Causes intoxication and indolence.
Unusually lively, laughing and bright, in the forenoon. Felt foolishly happy, but could not talk; had no desire to talk (first evening). Everything provokes laughter, quite contrary to habit; this was especially noticeable on going into the open air. He stood still upon the street, made foolish gestures; between the attacks he sank into absence of mind, and on collecting himself everything about him seemed ludicrous. During this he looked foolish and childish, like an idiot. On being brought into the house he became somewhat better (first day). I took a broken nutmeg and put it in my pocket, and in the course of six hours, I had eaten half a one. Soon after I felt a dizziness and an unaccountable derangement of intellect, transient loss of memory, but a perfect consciousness of all that I said or did; I became remarkably loquacious, and seemed to be neither in this world nor the other; I felt;happy and free from any pain; I was truly in an indescribable state; I felt as I supposed one might feel that had;been magnetized; my friends were greatly alarmed, and the;doctor was sent for in great haste; bleeding was proposed, but as I thought I knew at least as much as any one, I was not willing to be bled; after keeping them laughing and crying till about 11 o’clock at night, I retired to bed, without anything having been done for me; I woke in the morning, and was as well as usual, having;never been sick a day in my life. Since this occurred, several cases have come to my knowledge in which persons having eaten nutmegs, were affected in the same way that I had been. Had I eaten a little more, I have no doubt it would have proved fatal, as I learn it has done in other cases. He seemed to himself to be remarkably lively, with constant throngs of joyous fancies, and he managed to see something ludicrous in everything. (* Effects of the inunction of the tincture to the abdomen. *) Great fear of death, at 5.30 P.M. Weeping mood, with burning in the eyes, and lachrymation (first day). Precordial anxiety. Reeling and great anxiety. Violent anxiety (second day).
Extreme ill-humor (first day). Petulant and irritable, when roused. Disposed to be petulant. Variable mood; at one time he wishes to do something, but when he is about to accomplish it changes his mind (first day). At one time mood more earnest, at another more inclined to laugh (first day). Felt perfectly careless; nothing could have offended me (first evening). As soon as she lay down felt a sinking sensation, as though she were going to die, with no fear, however, being perfectly at ease in mind, and free from pain or any suffering; felt happy and unconcerned; sensation was not complete; faculties undisturbed up to this time, save in the expression of her idea; knew all that was transpiring about her, but could not express herself clearly (ideas muddled, tongue thick, with coldness commencing in lower limbs). Indifferent mood (first day). Intellectual. Thought uncontrollable, at 2 P.M. While writing he omitted letters, wrote in different alphabets against his will, and changed form one subject to another (after six hours). (* From the flowers. *) The words he employed to express his sensations remarkable for their merit of being the opposite to what he should have used; on the third day his thoughts hardly submitted themselves to his control, unless by a consciously great effort. Many ridiculous or extravagant acts or expressions, like idiocy, while she seemed perfectly conscious, and at the next moment would appear chagrined at her conduct, and said she could not control her actions; disposition to laugh or jest at everything; stupid look for a moment; changeable humor; one moment laughing, the next crying (after seven hours). He cannot comprehend that he;is reading, does not know what he is reading (first day). Ideas were somewhat confused. Great incoherency on attempting to express her idea (after seven hours). Great confusion of ideas, with strange feeling over the whole system (after four hours). Unfitted fro any work (first day). Loss of memory, at 2 P.M. The preserved nuts, if eaten too frequently, destroy the memory. It causes forgetfulness. When writing, he had scarcely written half of the thoughts in his mind when everything vanished; the other part could be recalled only with difficulty, or frequently not at all; was first obliged to rest; commenced to write anew, but could write only a single word, when he had to stop and collect his thoughts (first day). Dizziness and vanishing of thought, and on forcibly arousing himself, he is first obliged to collect his thoughts. While reading he gradually sinks into absence of mind, which passes into sleep (after three hours). Before he could answer a question he was obliged to wait awhile and collect his thoughts; frequently in spite of everything he was unable to give a suitable answer immediately; a kind of slowness of ideas (after five hours). He staggered when walking, and when reflecting his mind ran upon one idea until all at once he woke from where he was (after five hours). Absence of mind, cannot think; great indifference to everything; scalp very much stretched; he laid down at noon to sleep for half an hour, but slept soundly for four hours; before falling asleep, boring pains in the root of a tooth; on falling asleep, some dull headache on the left side (after six hours). He talks very little; confused images appear before his mind; whenever he wishes to say anything he is first obliged to collect his thoughts (first day). He never accomplishes what he undertakes, but remains standing in one place, absent-minded; he appears quite changed to his companions.
It became difficult to recall to mind things learned shortly before; for many such things the mind seemed paralyzed for many days together. In a state of apparent unconsciousness. Dulness of senses and loss of control; she could have been led anywhere without resistance; loss of power (first evening). Total loss of consciousness, seemingly to her of a half hour’s duration, but really only momentary, at 2 P.M. Senselessness. Senselessness, intoxicated condition, and absence of mind (first day). After about an hour he was seized with drowsiness, that gradually increased to complete stupor and insensibility, and not long afterwards he was found fallen from his chair, lying on the floor of his chamber in the state mentioned; being laid in bed he fell asleep, woke a little from time to time, when he was quite delirious; he thus continued alternately delirious and sleeping or several hours; by degrees these symptoms diminished, so that in about six hours from the time of taking the nutmeg he had pretty well recovered. Although he still complained of headache and was somewhat delirious, he slept naturally, and the next day was quite well. (* From about 2 drachms of the powdered nutmeg.
*) From eating three nutmegs, after a moderate dinner, he is taken with unconquerable desire to sleep; he passes the afternoon in delirious slumber, with pleasant, peaceful dreams; at half past 5 O’clock he went to the theatre, which was at some distance; the way seemed to have no end; he has perfect control over his limbs, but is lost each moment in fanciful images, from which he has to tear himself away, with great energy, in order to continue on his way. Although he was, at times, quite unconscious, his limbs did not fail to do their service; he went straight on, without recognizing the streets that crossed his way; he was most concerned about the time; he feared to come too late, but came to the theatre much earlier than he thought; during the entire play, fancy and reality battled with each other. It surely possesses narcotic and stupefying properties.
She fell into the deepest stupor, was deprived of all motion and sensation. She lay immovable and stupid the whole of the first day, as in coma. State of mind similar to that of the opium- eater, entertaining no apprehension of the result, although aware of the presence of some danger.
Born in 1837in Westminster, Vermont. . He was an orthodox doctor who converted to homeopathy
Dr. Allen compiled the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica over the course of 10 years.
In 1881 Allen published A Critical Revision of the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica.