Club Moss.
Introduction
ONE of Hahnemann’s precious gifts, and one that exhibits and justifies his teachings in regard to potentization.
Of Lycopodium, he writes: “This dust-like powder, which is yellowish, smooth to the touch, is obtained from the ears of a moss, Lycopodium clavatum, which grows in the forests of Russia and Finland” [also in this country-ED]. “Towards the end of Summer, the ears are dried, and afterwards beaten.
“When thrown into a flame, it flashes up, and has been used to cover pills which easily adhere to one another, and to protect sore places in folds against the friction occasioned by walking and otherwise. It floats upon liquids without being dissolved, has neither taste nor smell, and when in its natural crude condition, has almost no effect upon the health of man.
“This drug has wonderful medicinal properties, which can only be disclosed by triturations and succussion.
“A moderate dose acts from forty of fifty days. It may be repeated after the intermediate use of another antipsoric, but a second dose acts less favourably than the first.
It acts with especial benefit., when homoeopathically indicated, after the action of Calcarea shall have passed over.” Kent says: “Though classed among inert substances, and though to be useful only for rolling up allopathic pills, Hahnemann brought it in to use and developed its power by attenuation. It is a monument to Hahnemann. It enters deep into the life. There is nothing about man that Lycopodium does not rouse into tumult. ”
This “unmoistenable powder”-inert, yet flashing brilliantly “when thrown into a flame” has been also used in the manufacture of fireworks, When the spores are crushed, an oily substance is liberated, and it takes two solid hours of triturations with sugar of milk (we are told) to its initial preparations as a remedy at once potent and unique in its properties for good.
To start with, let us reproduce, more or less, one of the those little old Drug Pictures, which boil down to their lowest dimensions what we know and find absolutely essential to the employment of a remedy.
LYC. is one of our most constantly used drugs. It does not always stare you in the face as the patient walks in: but a few questions will generally have you hot on the trail.
Ask early as to time to day. This patient say’s, “worse afternoon, or worse 4 p.m., or worse 4 to 8 p.m.,” and you look to see that he conforms to the Lycopodium type, and enquire further.
Kent says: “Poor little Paul Dombey needed a dose of Lycopodium, but Dombey did not know it, and lost his son.”
In Lycopodium the mind is better developed than the body. Lycopodium is apt to look sickly and wrinkled-skinny, especially in the upper part of the body. The forehead may be frowning or wrinkled, and if it is after early dinner, the cheek’s or nose are apt to be red, to the patient’s great discomfort.
Anticipation is a very useful little rubric. Everybody knows that Gels,.and Argentum nit. have it. But Lycopodium has it too; and Arsenicum and Medorrhinum; and (though fewer people know this) Carbo veg., Phosphorus a., Pb., m Silicea and Thuja. These last have to be hunted in other pars of the repertory. It is well to add them to the rubric.
Years ago one of our very good prescribers made me understand a phase of the Lycopodium mentality. He explained the terrors of anticipation as they affect Lycopodium Lycopodium has to meet his shareholders or his constituents with an important speech, and knows that he will flounder, and hesitate, and forget his points; is obsessed with the idea that he will make a mess of it. The dreaded moment arrives: he gets on to his legs, warms to his work, sails along in blissful self-forgetfulness, to sit down feeling that he has made the speech of his life. It was all joy and fluency; he not only remembered all his points, but made new ones as he went along. But-he will have the same terror next time, unless he gets his stimulus, because he is Lycopodium.
Or again, Lycopodium Wants to be alone-with someone in the next room, because-he FEARS to be alone! His desire for solitude is in italics; his fear, when alone, is in black type. Drugs that have these opposite states in big type are most interesting. (Lachesis has loquacity in the highest type, rapid speech and loquacity;and, also in the highest type, slowness of speech! This is not always realized)
Lycopodium has plenty of FEARS-fear alone, of crowds, of dark, of deaths, of ghosts, of people.
Lycopodium, has all the DYSPEPSIAS you can imagine. It competes with Carbo veg. and China for the distinction of being the most flatulent remedy. Lycopodium will come and tell you that for days together she is distended like a drum, and has to loosen her clothing. After food she is distended and tense, almost to bursting, and cannot bear the pressure and constriction of her clothes. Or, she feels famishing, and after a couple of mouthfuls she is bloated and full, and can eat no more. Or, she may feel absolutely full, and can eat no more. Or, she may feel absolutely full up, yet hungry. For Lycopodium has in black type the easy satiety, and also the opposite in black type, “hunger p.c.” or ” hunger p.c. with full and tense stomach”
The Lycopodium FOOD CRAVINGS are for sweet things-for hot drinks. Lycopodium loves, but is made ill by oysters: Hates coffee and meat.
We all know the RIGHT-SIDEDNESS of lyc., and the direction of symptoms, from right to left. or from above downward.
URINARY symptoms are important. Red sand in the clear urine; urine that is acrid and excoriates thus you may spot a Lycopodium baby by the red sand in the napkin, or by the rash where urine has inflamed the skin; and you may cure its nephritis and dropsy-as one has seen.
Lycopodium is AN INTELLECTUAL, as we said, with self-distrust. And Lycopodium has intellectual sufferings and failures and confusions when ill. Loss of memory. Speaks wrong words and syllables. Makes mistakes in writing-miss-spells-omits words, or letters. May realize that “Z” is the last letter of the alphabet, and be unable to supply its name. To such a length. may this go,. that he may be unable to read-may be able to write what he wishes,. yet unable to read what he has written.
Out doctors tell of great cures with Lycopodium of literary persons unable, after an attack of ‘FLU to get to work again. the intellectual sequelae of ‘flu often call for Lycopodium, while the neurotic ones (to almost insanity) need Scutellaria, and those with long lasting weakness and chilliness, find their rapid help in China.
There is no disease, acute or chronic, where Lycopodium many not be the remedy-in a Lycopodium patient! Toothache about 4 p.m. (one has seen this). Eruptions that wake up horribly at 4 p.m. (this also). Lingering pneumonias, where the temperature is found to rise at 4 p.m. and drop after 8 p.m.,. Diphtheria where the membrane starts on the right side and crosses to the left, the mouth and tongue not crying out for Mercurius Or. post-nasal diphtherias that descend. Lycopodium has also the post-diph. paralysis (its usual great remedy being Gelsemium) Where food and drink regurgitate through the nose. Kidney troubles, as said, where the urine inflames and redeems the skin wherever it touches.
Two useful little rubrics may put you on to Lycopodium Right foot cold, left normal. Burning pain like red-hot coals between scapulae. (Phosphorus has this, and a very few other drugs.) These small rubrics are often very useful, if only to clinch the diagnosis of the remedy.
If you get(<) afternoon. (<) 4 p.m. (<) 4-8 p.m. desires hot drinks. acidity and wind. bloating. with its urinary troubles, you will not go far wrong if you scribble down LYCOPODIUM.
BLACK LETTER SYMPTOMS
(Allen, Hering, with some of Hahnemann’s italics)
MENTALS. Dread of men: of solitude; irritable and melancholy.
Weeps all day, cannot calm herself. Worse 4 to 8 p.m.
Sensitive, irritable; Peevish and cross on waking. Easily excited to anger; cannot bear opposition, and is speedily beside herself.
Ailments from fright anger, mortification or vexation, with reserved displeasure.
Oversensitive to pain. Patient is beside herself. (Chamomilla
Speaks wrong words and syllables. Selects wrong words.
Becomes confused about everyday things.
Great apprehensiveness in the pit of the stomach (Kali carb.)
HEAD. Vertigo in the morning when and after rising from bed, so that he reels back and forth.
Throbbing in brain on leaning head back during the day.
Throbbing headache after every paroxysm of coughing.
With the cough, shattering in temples and in chest.
Pain in temples as if screwed together worse during menses.
Rush of blood to head on waking.
Excessive falling of hair:hair becomes grey too soon.
EYES, distressing pain, as if dry, with nightly agglutination.
Stays on lids, more towards inner canthi.
Ulceration and redness of eyelids.,
Evening light blinds him very much: cannot see anything on the table.
Roaring, humming, rushing, etc., in EARS.
Loss of hearing in connection with otorrhoea.
