The venom of the Trigonocephalus Lachesis, L. is triturated.
General Action
Like all the serpent-venoms its action is directly upon the blood, destroying its vitality and inducing a great variety of disorders characterized by disintegration of tissue. The nervous phenomena of Lachesis are peculiar and characteristic. Note particularly the universal distress which increases during sleep and wakes the sufferer in agony and fright, also the extreme sensitiveness of affected parts (out of proportion to the severity of the disease).
It is not to be compared with any other substance, except, in a very general way, with the serpent-poisons.
Generalities
Emaciation, with suffering and weakness. Audible beating of carotids and feeling of throbbing in chest and abdomen. Stretching after breakfast. Trembling as from anxiety, without anxiety (Argentum nit., Cimicif., Gelsemium); sensation of faint like T. Jerking; sudden, of whole body when sitting, starting from below. Limbs stiffly outstretched, head bent back, eyes distorted. Fell unconscious to the ground as if struck by lightning, had an involuntary stool and vomited.
Stitches in various parts; S. over whole body, loins, face, (<) night; deep in flesh, extending outward through skin; in neck, back, r. arm, with feeling as if r. arm were asleep and itching of arms, hips and lower limbs. Tearing in flesh, now here, now there, afterwards here and there in body. Sharp pains, (<) forenoon, in temples, jaw and eyes, with sticking from head towards eyes, nose and temples, eyes swollen, (<) afternoon, running of cold water from l. eye and nostril, redness of l. eye, the swelling gradually extended over the whole face so that the eyes were close (Apis), face pale and itching, also head and whole body, (<) afternoon and evening, (>) night.
In evening on lying down alternations of headache, hoarseness, tickling in throat and violent cough, with frequent pains in limbs and other parts. Pain in l. shoulder and in forepart of l. foot, then in l. knee, wrist and shoulder, then in r. limb, arm and teeth; in l. arm and elbow, side and hand, next day in r. side, in neck, elbow, lower extremity and shoulder; in evening when sitting, above l. knee, then below it, extending to foot, then in r. arm and r. ear; here and there when coughing. Pressure on r. eye and on r. side of forehead, then in l. temple, then on r. side of face, as if in an upper tooth, then in l. leg and foot in the evening. Rheumatic pain in l. side, then in r. and frequently alternating, at times from r. to l. and back again, always in different places, in shoulder, arm, wrist, hand, lower limbs, knee, calf, foot and teeth. Bruised feeling all day; in morning after waking; after midday nap, also with pains in loins, between shoulders and in spine; always after sleep, with stiffness.
Drawing, jerking tension in bones of skull and cheeks and lower jaw. Intolerance of slightest touch, it almost puts him into a rage. Longing to get into the open air. Restlessness driving him into the open air. Necessity to do everything very rapidly, he bolts his food and afterwards cannot remain sitting. Inclination to lie down; in morning and forenoon; (<) eating. Indolence after eating. Feeling as if the body were overwhelmed by a disintegrating tendency, with sinking of all forces. Aversion to motion.
Weakness; in morning on rising, (<) arms and feet; in morning in sleep, on waking general sick feeling, vertigo, feeling of lead in occiput, can hardly raise it, sprained feeling in all joints, pressure in small of back and fulness in abdomen; in morning after rising, (<) arms and feet, less exhausted after bad sleep than after good; in morning, (>) lying down, with sadness, disinclination to work, indifference, as after a debauch; in forenoon; in forenoon, with bruised feeling as after a debauch, with mental depression; in evening; in evening on walking; in evening, with sleepiness, but inability to sleep; after breakfast; after supper; when walking at meal-time; from motion; after emissions; after nightly attack of vomiting; (>) eating, (<) back and legs, with heaviness; intermittent, during the day; with bruised feeling, catarrh, cough, sore throat, morning-nausea, rumbling in upper abdomen, etc., as in the spring; sudden, towards evening, with insatiable thirst, dry mouth, pallor, distress, as before violent fever. He would constantly sink down from weakness. Physical and mental weakness, (<) morning; mental and physical W after an ecstasy the day previous; W. every morning in the beginning physical, then inclining him to sleep, afterwards mental.
Faintness during breakfast, with nausea; and vertigo, falling down and vanishing of sight, and during the day frequent attacks as if it would return; when waiting for a meal, with spasmodic yawning; with coldness so that all limbs became stiff and he sank down powerless. Paralyzed lameness in almost all bones, with intermittent pains. Paralyzed feeling, (<) knees, (>) walking; P. feeling, inability to bend feet or close hands, at times only on l. side. Stiffness after sleep, (>) rubbing and stroking by another person. Wine has less effect upon him than usual. (Acids disturb the curative action). Aggravation in afternoon; after every sleep; during rest; a few hours after eating; smoking tobacco; from wine. Amelioration from opening clothes, with faintness; A. from eructations; after coffee; in open air during the pains in abdomen.
Clinical The blood is dark-colored and does not coagulate. It is often indicated in persons of a phlegmatic constitution, with disposition to melancholia and indolence. It is probably most frequently indicated for persons with dark eyes and dark complexions. Phlebitis following pregnancy. Cures of epilepsy have been reported. General dropsy, with blackish offensive urine and dark purplish or bluish skin; especially valuable in the ascites of drunkards. Very valuable in suppurating wounds or in abscesses which threaten to become gangrenous. Valuable in all typhoid types of disease when the indications of the drug permit, especially when there is tendency to loquacity, to offensive discharges or exhalations, and a dry, red tongue. Valuable for the effects of sunstroke, especially if the person is in the habit of using alcoholic stimulants, particularly if the face is dark red and limbs cold. Extreme prostration, with tendency to disorganization of the blood. The complaints of Lachesis are mostly on l. side, nearly always (<) sleep, so that the patient is awakened by distress.
Mind
Lively; and wide awake for along time in the evening. The more cause for fretfulness the greater the inclination for humor, jest and satire. Animation the whole morning. Quiet and firm during vexatious and exciting causes. Excitement, with physical exhaustion; E. in evening, with liveliness in spite of sticking beneath scapulae. Fanciful imaginings during the evening fever. It seems to him during the day that he has dreamed everything that has happened, only somewhat different. Ecstasy as after sublime impressions or excessive joy, with desire to talk and do much. Loquacity; in evening; in evening during the fever; in evening, with animation; in evening, with physical laxity, sleepiness without ability to sleep, he goes from one story to another, mixes and distorts everything, corrects himself, but makes the same mistakes again; with vivid imagination and impatience of tedious things. Longing for amusement, with lively fancies, about which he laughs. Weeping from joy at soothing poetry.
Rage about trifles. Anger. Quarrelsome mood. Impatience, desire for positive answers when it is impracticable. Crazy jealousy towards evening. Irritability; during the fever; in an infant, it cries, will not lie down, then heat, with eructations, vomiting of milk, frequent stools and external heat. Obstinacy. Sadness; in morning. Anxiety. Apprehension when riding in the open air. Easily frightened in evening; easily F. and brain sensitive. Mistrustful. Indifference and forgetfulness; I. in forenoon and disinclination to work. Ennui, with trembling. Dilatory. Inability to perform anything in an orderly manner.
Fond of sitting quietly and meditating. Indolence; and disinclination for study and business; disinclination for his own proper work. Objects to reading long at a time though the subject interests him. Sitting up late work, with great activity. Increased power of originality and increased activity of fancy. Ideas crowd upon him when writing so that he cannot finish the record. Wishes to do a great deal, begins many things. Sudden doubts in afternoon about truths of which hitherto he had been convinced. Confusion as to time. Mistakes in writing. Mistakes in spelling. Loss of ideas. Inability for abstract thought, no persistence. Memory weak; lost, hears and understands nothing said to him. Unconsciousness, with vomiting and purging; U., with weakness and with disappearance of pulse; with irregular motions of limbs, cold, clammy sweat, pulse small, slow, almost imperceptible; (>) when the feet became warm; as before apoplexy.
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.