Mirza Tahir Ahmad - James Tyler Kent - William Boericke - John Henry Clarke
The name Abrotanum brings to one’s mind the subject of transfer of a disease from one organ to another.
In English, this process is known as metastasis.It means that the disease shifts from one part of the body to another. For instance, in the case of mumps, the parotid glands (situated below the ear) swell, and when the disease becomes suppressed at this place, it transfers itself to the reproductive organs.
There are many reasons for it being suppressed, for example it could be due to the use of antibiotics, or through local application of poultices. Sometimes it could be due to sudden exposure to cold in high fever. Among all medicines used in the migrating type of ailments, Abrotanum is one of the most salient ones.
Sometimes, by the suppression of diarrhoea, the patient experiences sudden severe pain in the joints and at other times, the heart may be affected. Similarly, sudden cessation of menstruation may result in mental or other ailments.
We shall continue talking about the migration of a disease from one place to another in the context of different remedies so that one may be able to understand well, the indication and usage of remedies for shifting the illness back to where it started.
Rheumatism - Epistaxis - Blood in Urine
If a patient suffers from gout or Rheumatism, yet at the same time experiences restlessness as if the blood through the heart seems to be scraping the heart, and also he has Nosebleed (Epistaxis) or blood in the urine, then he is very likely to get cured by the use of Abrotanum.
Diarrhoea - Joint Pain - Pleurisy
The basic nature of the Abrotanum patient is that loose frequent stools (diarrhoea) give him relief by excreting the harmful products that would have otherwise involved the joints. In such a patient, Abrotanum will also gradually cure diarrhoea as well as joint pains. If the joint pains are suppressed by using some remedies, or by local heat application and the patient contracts pleurisy instead of diarrhoea, then it becomes imperative for the Homoeopath to retrace the course of sickness back to its origin. If the joint pains had preceded the development of Pleurisy (inflammation of the outer lining of the lung which causes pain on deep breathing and much more so on coughing), then surely the remedy in this case would be Abrotanum. Abrotanum will cure the pleurisy but may initially cause the recurrence of joint pains, which will eventually be cured by continued use of Abrotanum, Insha Allah.
Marasmus
Abrotanum is also very useful in the generalised wasting disease of the children (marasmus) when its basic features are also present. For the treatment of marasmus in children, Aethusa, Natrum Mur and Calcarea Carb are also well known remedies. In Calcaria Carb, the wasting affects the legs, while in Abrotanum it starts at the legs but extends to the upper body. This symptom alone is sufficient to suggest that Abrotanum is the remedy to be given in potency 30, three times a day. This could bring complete cure, by the Grace of God.
Joint Pain - Diarrhoea - Piles - Backache
If the joint pains get better but the heart becomes affected, one should not ignore Abrotanum in addition to the other remedies for the heart.
Sometimes on the sudden cessation of diarrhoea, joint pains and bleeding piles develop, Abrotanum would still be the right choice. Such a patient feels excessive cold. His symptoms aggravate in cold and humid weather. He often complains of backache worsening at night. The backache of Abrotanum always worsens at night irrespective of any specific time, but the backache of Kali Carb is specific for late night or very early morning hours around 3-4 am. In such a patient, if we find the core symptom of ‘amelioration by onset of diarrhoea’, then the back pain will also be cured by Abrotanum. The general improvement of symptoms with the onset of diarrhoea is also present in Natrum Sulph and Zinc, but to make proper diagnosis, their salient features should also be present in a patient.
Abrotanum pains are sometimes of cutting or piercing nature, which can involve the ovaries, in addition to the joints. A patient having pains at the ovaries and the joints and backache, aggravated at night, the symptoms subsiding with the onset of diarrhoea, will also immensely benefit from Abrotanum as the cure for her infertility.
Potency 30
by Mirza Tahir Ahmad
ABROTANUM
Introduction: This a very valuable remedy should be more frequently used. It is indicated in such conditions as are cured by Bryonia and Rhus tox., but its symptoms mark out its own individual cases.
Rheumatic conditions with heart irritation; epistaxis; bloody urine; anxiety and trembling, when there has been a history of diarrhoea. A suddenly checked diarrhoea will be followed by violent cardiac symptoms; it is much like Ledum, Aurum and Kalmia.
In marasmus of children it is a very useful remedy and not unfrequently indicated. The emaciation begins in the lower limbs and gradually spreads upward, so that the face is the last affected; that is the opposite of Lycopodium, Natrum mur. and Psorinum.
Chest: It has cured pleurisy after Bryonia, which seemed indicated, had failed. A woman lying in bed with dyspnoea, anxiety, cold sweat and pain in the heart was surrounded by friends to see her die.
It was learned that she had suffered for many months with a rheumatism in one knee, that she had used crutches to get about the house, and that she had recently been speedily cured (?) by a strong liniment only a few days before this attack. Abrot. restored her to health promptly.
It has caused and cured burning ulcerative pains in the stomach with suspicious vomiting.
Metastasis is a marked feature in Abrot. The changing of one so called disease into another always calls attention to Abrotanum. Inflammation of the parotid (mumps) changing to tests or mammae is generally cured by Carbo v. or Pulsatilla, but Abrot, has cured when these remedies have failed.
Suppression: A suddenly checked diarrhea followed by piles and acute rheumatism, with bleedings, as mentioned above, is further argument in favor of this idea.
The Abrot. patient is sensitive to cold air and cold damp weather. He suffers much from backaches, and his symptoms are worse during the night.
In boys it cures hydrocele.
In infants it cures bleeding from the navel.
By James Tyler Kent
ABROTANUM SOUTHERNWOOD
A very useful remedy in marasmus, especially of lower extremities only, yet with good appetite. Metastasis. Rheumatism following checked diarrhœa. Ill effects of suppressed conditions especially in gouty subjects. Tuberculous peritonitis. Exudative pleurisy and other exudative processes. After operation upon the chest for hydrothorax or empyæmia, a pressing sensation remains. Aggravation of hæmorrhoids when rheumatism improves. Nosebleed and hydrocele in boys.
Great weakness after influenza (Kali phos).
Mind.--Cross, irritable, anxious, depressed.
Face.--Wrinkled, cold, dry, pale. Blue rings around dull-looking eyes. Comedones, with emaciation. Nosebleed. Angioma of the face.
Stomach.--Slimy taste. Appetite good, but emaciation progresses. Food passes undigested. Pain in stomach; worse at night; cutting, gnawing pain. Stomach feels as if swimming in water; feels cold. Gnawing hunger and whining. Indigestion, with vomiting of large quantities of offensive fluid.
Abdomen.--Hard lumps in abdomen. Distended. Alternate diarrhœa and constipation. Hæmorrhoids; frequent urging; bloody stools; worse as rheumatic pains abate. Ascarides. Oozing from umbilicus. Sensation as if bowels were sinking down.
Respiratory.--Raw feeling. Impeded respiration. Dry cough following diarrhœa. Pain across chest; severe in region of heart.
Back.--Neck so weak cannot hold head up. Back lame, weak, and painful. Pain in lumbar region extending along spermatic cord. Pain in sacrum, with hæmorrhoids.
Extremities.--Pain in shoulders, arms, wrists, and ankles. Pricking and coldness in fingers and feet. Legs greatly emaciated. Joints stiff and lame. Painful contraction of limbs (Amm mur).
Skin.--Eruptions come out on face; are suppressed, and the skin becomes purplish. Skin flabby and loose. Furuncles. Falling out of hair. Itching chilblains.
Modalities.--Worse, cold air, checked secretions. Better, motion.
Relationship.--Compare: Scrophularia; Bryonia; Stellaria; Benzoic acid, in gout. Iodine, Natr mur in marasmus.
Dose.--Third to thirtieth potency.
by William Boericke
ABROTANUM
Artemisia abrotanum. Lady's Love. Southernwood. (Southern Europe.) N. O. Compositæ. Tincture of fresh leaves and stems.
Clinical.─Boils. Chilblains. Epilepsy. Gout. Hæmorrhoids. Hectic fever. Hydrocele. Indigestion. Lienteria. Marasmus. Myelitis, chronic. Nose-bleed. Paralysis. Rheumatism. Umbilicus, oozing from. Worms.
Characteristics.─The most prominent symptom of Abrot. is the wasting it causes, most marked in lower extremities. It has also an intense indigestion and morbid appetite. There are burning, gnawing, constricting pains, and sometimes vomiting of offensive matters. A peculiar sensation is as if the stomach were hanging or swimming its water. After a checked diarrhœa, rheumatism may ensue. Another great characteristic of Abrot. is metastasis; metastatic rheumatism. Metastasis of rheumatism from joints to heart; to spine. There is a sudden aching pain in back > by motion. Symptoms are < at night and in cold air. The face is wrinkled, pale, old-looking; feels cold; blue rings round eyes. It is suited to affections of newborn children, and especially little boys; hydrocele; epistaxis; emaciation. Oozing of blood and moisture from navel of newborn. I have cured with it indigestion with vomiting of large quantities of offensive fluid in a middle-aged woman.
Relations.─Compare: Absinth., Cham., Cina, Gnaphal., and other Compositæ; Nux and Agar. (chilblains); Bry., Bar. c. Follows well: Acon. and Bry. (pleurisy); Hep. (boils).
SYMPTOMS
1. Mind.─Great anxiety and depression.─Child cross, depressed, very peevish.─Feels she would like to do something cruel; no humanity.─Thinking difficult.─Feels as if brain softening.─Excited, loquacious, like shouting, good-humoured, happy (secondary, after ceasing the drug).
2. Head.─Cannot hold the head up.─The l. brain seems esp. weak, easily tired by conversation or mental effort.─Sensation as of creeping chills along the convolutions of the brain, accompanied by prickling sensation.─Scalp sore, esp. l. side; itching.
3. Eyes.─Blue rings around dull-looking eyes.
5. Nose.─Nose dry.─Nose-bleed with boys.
6. Face.─Face wrinkled, as if old.─Comedones, with emaciation.
8. Mouth.─Slimy taste; acid.
10. Appetite.─Gnawing hunger, craves bread boiled in milk.─Ravenous appetite, and all the while emaciating.─Gastralgia with loss of appetite.
11. Stomach.─Sensation as if stomach were hanging or swimming in water, with coldness.─Pains cutting, gnawing, burning; < at night.
12. Abdomen.─Great distension of abdomen.─Weak, sinking feeling in bowels.─Hard lumps in different parts of abdomen.
13. Stool and Anus.─Food passes undigested.─Rheumatism after suddenly checked diarrhœa.─Alternate diarrhœa and constipation.─Protruding piles, with burning, from touch or when pressing.─Piles appeared, and became worse as rheumatic pains abated, with frequent inclination to stool, hardly anything but blood being passed.─Destroys worms, esp. ascarides.
15. Male Sexual Organs.─Hydrocele of children.
16. Female Sexual Organs.─Darting pain in left ovary.─Twitching in both ovarian regions, seems to extend to back.─Blood and moisture oozing from navel of newborn.
17. Respiratory Organs.─Cold air causes a raw feeling in respiratory tract.─In pleurisy when a pressing sensation remains in affected side, impeding free breathing (after Acon. and Bry.).
19. Heart and Pulse.─Pain across chest sharp and severe in region of heart; rheumatism.─Metastasis of rheumatism to heart.─Pulse weak and small.
20. Back.─Pains in sacrum.
21. Limbs.─Inability to move.─Marasmus of lower extremities only.─Soreness and lameness; worse mornings.─Chilblains itch; frost-bitten limbs.─Gout in wrists and ankles.─Inflammatory rheumatism before swelling begins.
24. Generalities.─Weak, sickly feeling when excited, trembling.─Lame and sore all over.─Weak and prostrated after influenza.─Inability to move.─Numbness.
25. Skin.─Flabby; hangs loose; marasmus.─Furunculus; after Hep. s.
26. Sleep.─Restless; frightful dreams.
27. Fever.─High fever (rheumatism).─Hectic fever, with chilliness, very weakening; (marasmus).