BY DR. M. EIDHERR, VIENNA.

(Translated from the Allgemeine Homoeopathische Zeitung.)

BY M. J. RHEES, M. D., MOUNT HOLLY, N. J.

1. HISTORY. In a historical relation Cyclamen (Sex. Syst. Class 5 -Pentandria; Ord. 1-monogynia. Nat. ord; Primalaceae, Juss.), offers but little that is interesting, until the time of Hahnemann. The statements of former physicians, with few exceptions, were made without any scientific investigations, and were either invented, or derived from obscure sources; therefore the results at the sick bed did not correspond to the anticipations; and partly from being decried as dangerous, partly from being considered weak and uncertain in action, the plant lapsed gradually into oblivion, until Hahnemann and some of his disciples established the efficiency of this remedy by their physiological provings, and introduced it into homoeopathic practice. Unfortunately, when Cyclamen appeared in the Materia Medicas of Hahnemann and Noack and Trincks, one range of its medical virtues remained undiscovered, owing to the circumstance that it had been proved only on the male sex. To disclose this, was reserved for the Physiological Prover's Union of Vienna. This society, by means of indefatigable provings on both sexes, (those on females, however, being separated from the rest), established the intimate relation of this medicine, to the female sexual organs, which has been abundantly confirmed by subsequent clinical experience.

2. PHYSIOLOGICAL PROVINGS. (a.) By Hahnemann and his disciples. When we read the physiological provings of Hahnemann in the fifth volume of his Pure Materia Medica, pages 40-60, we find the following significations: a sudden stupefaction, vertigo and dull-pressing headache; obscuration of the sight, dilation of the pupils; drawing pains in the nape of the neck, and in the teeth; nausea, eructations, loathing and aversion to food, and hiccough soon after eating; stinging, griping pains in the abdomen; sensation of general discomfort; flatulence and desire to urinate. Oppression of the chest, pressing pain in the chest, stinging and drawing in the back; laming pressure, drawing and stinging in the extremities; weakness, itching, peevishness, sleepiness, lassitude, sleep disturbed and interrupted by bad dreams, chilliness of the whole body alternating with heat, loss of thirst, disinclination to labor or to speak, excessive sadness, melancholy; occasionally joyful feeling and lively fancy.

b. ) The Vienna proving, (see Zeitschr. des Vereins der hom. Aerzte OEestereichs, 2 Bd., S. 445-488.) gives a similar result to that of Hahnemann, but it exceeds the latter in number of symptoms, and in the addition of those which belong to the female sexual organs, viz. Menstruation more profuse Repeated appearance of the menses. Too early appearance of the menses. Menstruation attended by severe abdominal pains. Reappearance of long suppressed menses. (Curative effect). Menstruation increased in quantity, black and lumpy, and attended by labor-like pains.

3. CLINICAL EXPERIENCE. In the perusal of the foregoing symptoms, the powerful influence of this drug on the female organism becomes evident in a remarkable degree, and we are reminded of the similarity of the symptoms to those morbid processes which are commonly described as disturbance of the menses, chlorosis, etc. In fact, the most of the above symptoms are to be found in one and the same patient. and though some may be wanting in one case, we find them more distinctly marked in another.

I saw Cyclamen applied 34 times altogether; 18 times in the homoeopathic hospital in the Leopoldstadt, and 16 times in prescriptions for the poor, made by me at the dispensary connected with that institution, which I attended twice a week. and in private practice. The forms of disease in which it was applied were chlorosis-four cases; suppressed or scanty menstruation-nine cases; other diseases attended by vertigo or headache, in which scanty menstruation was also present- eighteen cases; double vision-two cases, and strabismus-one case. The fact that double vision was caused in three cases, twice by the use of the 15th dec. att., and once by the 3d dec. att., was interesting. In the last case, Cyclamen 15, removed the symptom.

Cyclamen has proved very efficacious with blond, leucophlegmatic subjects in whom, besides retarded, suppressed or scanty menstruation, or complete chlorosis, the following symptoms existed: disinclination for any kind of labor; fatigue from slight causes; yawning; continual sleepiness: snoring, deep sleep or sleep disturbed by anxious dreams; chilliness over the whole body which no amount of covering will relieve; vertigo; sensation as if the brain wabbled about while walking; stupefaction and fullness of the head; periodical congestion of blood to the head, with paleness of the face; stinging pain in the forehead and temples; glimmering before the eyes; attacks of faintness with cloudiness or obscuration of sight; occasional diplopia; roaring in the ears: frequent nausea; inclination to vomit or actual vomiting of ingested food or only of watery liquid; aversion to ordinary food and desire for uneatable things; frequent recurring colic-like pains; frequent urination or fruitless desire to urinate; ill-humour; disposition to weep; fear of death or an illusion of being deserted or persecuted by every one.

Cyclamen has been administered in the following forms of disease.

DYSMENORRHEA AND AMENORRHOEA. Josephine K.- A blond, 24 years of age, with pale delicate skin, pale lips. and pale gums, has menstruated normally, since her 19th year. Two years before I saw her, she got very wet during an excursion into the country with her mistress: the menses which had just commenced, ceased the same night and did not reappear for ten months. In the 11th month after the nominal use of many domestic remedies, they reappeared with frightful gripings and labor-like pains, which continued through the whole day and night. The two subsequent days during which the menses continued, she was free from pain. Since that time, they have continued to appear with intervals of from two to four months, attended by the same disorders. But as they appeared more violently than ever this time, and had already continued three days, she sought relief in the institution.

Condition on the fifth of December, 1858. Feeble but otherwise quite normal state of body; pale, delicate skin, which allows the veins to show through it; pale lips and pale gums; eyelids slightly edematous. Both lungs attenuated at the apex, but presenting nothing else of a morbid nature: the heart normal, its action accelerated; pulse 92, strong and bounding, yet slightly compressible; the rest of the organs offer no sensible alteration. The patient complains of pressing pain in the forehead; vertigo frequently accompanied by syncope; chilliness over the whole body; very restless sleep interrupted by frightful dreams; continual loathing of meat, longing for sardines, and frequent vomiting in the morning, The labor-like, contracting pains proceed from the small of the back and extend on both sides of the abdomen to the hypogastrium, and occur in periodical attacks of from one to two and even five minutes, during which time, no blood is discharged. The blood which is discharged after these labor-like contracting pains, is more watery.-Pulsatilla.

December 6th. Menstruation has entirely ceased, but the pain in the abdomen, and also the headache and vertigo still continue.

December 8th. The pains in the abdomen, have lost their labor-like character, and have left a sensation of soreness; the headache and vertigo still continue. Cyclamen¹⁵ *[Cyclamen was always given in the 15th dec. att. when the degree of attenuation is not specified.]

December 9th. The vertigo and headache are still present but are less severe.

December 11th, Both have disappeared; but in exchange for them, on awaking in the night, she saw fiery flames dancing before the eyes, and in the morning she saw the patients double; it seemed to her as if two patients, exactly alike, were lying in each bed, the body of one being half covered by the body of the other. Cyclamen was discontinued.

On the 13th of December, she had recovered her normal vision, and was able to leave the Institution on the 16th of December.

Two weeks afterward she came to me in the promenade, and begged me for some of the last medicine, (Cyclamen) which did her so much good; as, from the gradual return of the premonitory symptoms, viz: great lassitude, stupefaction of the head, melancholy, etc., she anticipated the appearance of the menses, and feared a repetition of the previous difficulties. In March of the present year, she returned to me, afflicted with a pulmonary catarrh, and she informed me that her menses were then present, and had been so for three days, that they had commenced with very moderate disorder in the abdomen, and that she had had no great reason to complain of headache or vertigo; since that time the menses have appeared regularly without special disorder, and she feels as sprightly as ever.

Anna F-, twenty years of age, blond, has menstruated since her 16th year; in her 17th and 18th years she was afflicted with Chlorosis; since that time, the menses have appeared regularly every month, but in moderate quantity. and they have continued only one or two days. She suffers frequently in the intervals with vertigo, and pressing pain in the forehead and temples, which is always relieved by a foot bath of ashes. The appetite is moderate; thirst very small at present; sleep increased; frequent sadness; bowels regular.

Condition on the twelfth of May, 1858. Development good, skin and lips pale, longs free, palpitation of the heart. Pulse 92. Abdomen normal. Slow in speech and movement; she is ill-humoured, and has a constant desire to sleep.- Pulsatilla.

May 17th. Little change in the state of health. The headache and vertigo continue with equal severity, bat the desire to sleep and the gloomy disposition are somewhat diminished.-Cyclamen 3d dec. att.

May 19th. The headache and vertigo have entirely disappeared, and the mind is somewhat more serene.

May 20th. Dimness of sight, and glimmering before the eyes. Discontinue the medicine.

May 22d. Unclouded vision; the patient left the Institution with a cheerful mind.

In the remaining seven cases of menstrual irregularities, Cyclamen proved itself surprisingly efficacious against the attending headache, and vertigo. In one case, diplopia, and in two cases glimmering before the eyes occurred; in the remaining four cases, the sense of sight suffered no change. *[In all three of the cases in which deranged vision occurred, the 3d dec. att. had been used; the remaining four cases received Cyclamen 15th dec. att.]

CHLOROSIS. Catharine O — , 28 years of age, blond, has never been sick heretofore. Ten months since, her menses ceased, having previously always been regular and tolerably copious. At first she supposed herself to be in an interesting situation, for which reason she took nothing with the design of causing a return of the menses; but as she found herself disappointed in her expectations after 4 or 5 months, and the suppression began to be accompanied by weakness, heaviness in the limbs, and palpitation of the heart after continued motion or going up stairs, she used several herbs which were recommended, without effect.

Condition on the 28th of April, 1858. Moderately strong constitution, no elevation of temperature, the skin as well as the mucous membranes are pale and bloodless, the lungs exhibit nothing abnormal; rushing sound in the carotids; the action of the heart is weak, its sounds clear, pulse 72. Stinging between the shoulders; vertigo, with griping pain about the umbilicus; no thirst, appetite diminished; sleep increased, bowels sluggish. Continual disquietude of conscience as if she had inflicted a great injury on some one; inclination to weep. Pulsatilla.

May 5th. No alteration; the vertigo is still severe. — Cyclamen.

May 7th. But little vertigo. The eyes seem as if covered with a veil. The medicine was discontinued.

May 8th. The sensation as if the eyes were covered with a veil, has disappeared.

Pulsatilla*[Pulsatilla was given instead of repeating Cyclamen, because that confidence was not yet placed in the action of Cyclamen, which was subsequently induced by a knowledge of the symptoms of vision it produces; it was necessary to return to Cyclamen bemuse the vertigo reappeared and did not yield to Pulsatilla.] was again administered for some time, and subsequently Cyclamen was repeated, and this time it caused no disorder of vision, and on the 25th of May, the patient left the Institution, cured.

A sprightly Jewess, 16 years of age, menstruated for the first time in June, 1858; the menses appeared twice, regularly, were then delayed 6 or 8 weeks, and have been entirely suppressed since the last of December. The patient lost her former cheerfulness, sought solitude and was offended by every trifle, she performed her usual duties with reluctance, could not be induced to take a walk in the open air, and slept uncommonly late in the morning.

On the 14th of March, 1859, I was requested to visit her, and found this formerly blooming girl, now pale, with swollen eyelids, lips and gums very pale and the action of the heart impetuous; the collective organs were normal. She complained especially of great lassitude, so that it was necessary for her to rest frequently in going up to the third story; frequent palpitations of the heart without sufficient cause, timid anxiety and a sensation as if every room were too small; yet she could not be induced to go into the open air. She refuses all amusement, and even the small circle of her acquaintance, as well as song and dance, annoy her; she feels well only when she is entirely alone and weeping. She frequently suffers in the forenoon with a pressing pain in the forehead and vertigo; her appetite is moderate and bowels sluggish. I prescribed Cyclamen.

Several weeks elapsed without any essential improvement in the case, except that the headache and vertigo appeared at longer intervals and less violently, and the patient was rather more cheerful. On the 19th of April the menses reappeared, and on their appearance the headache and vertigo were entirely relieved. The appearance of the patient had considerably improved, her appetite was reinstated and she had recovered her former sprightliness. On the 15th of May the menses appeared again and continued five days tolerably copious. Since that time she has felt quite well. (Day before yesterday, i.e., on the 12th of June, I learned through her mother that her menses returned on the 10th of this month, as she was about to take a swimming lesson, and they will undoubtedly cease at the natural time).

Typhus. Ernestine S — , was taken ill of Typhus on the 10th of January, 1858; she recovered from it regularly. During the convalescence, furuncles were developed on different parts of the body and gradually disappeared. On the 19th of February she was attacked with violent vertigo; on the 21st of February she received Cyclamen 3d dec. att.; on the following day menstruation*[Menstruation in this case had always been regular as to time and quantity, previous to the attack of Typhus; it is true, it did not appear in January, but that must be ascribed to the disease, as I have frequently observed a suppression of the menses during the continuance of Typhus; the medicine, therefore, was not given in this case for the suppression of menses, but for the vertigo; and from the fact that the menses appeared on the next day after the administration of Cyclamen, I will not ascribe this effect to the medicine, but to the return of the physiological function of the womb in consequence of the increase of physical strength.] commenced; the vertigo was still present but the medicine was discontinued. On the 24th of February, menstruation ceased; but in consequence of the vertigo still being present, Cyclamen 3rd dec. att. was again administered. On the 25th of February, the vertigo was removed, but was replaced by indistinct and double vision with slight inversion of the left eyeball. Cyclamen was discontinued. On the 26th of February the diplopia continued. On the 27th of February, objects appear single but indistinct, as if seen through a veil. On the 1st of March she left the Institution in the best state of health.

CATARRHUS PULMONALIS. Josephine O — , 33 years old, suffered with a pulmonary catarrh from the 12th to the 19th of April, 1858. On the 20th she was attacked with violent vertigo, and pressing pain in the temples. — Cyclamen. On the 21st the vertigo was less severe, and on the 23d she left the Institution, cured.

Margaret G. — , 18 years old, menstruates very sparingly; was taken sick on the 14th of July, 1858, of acute pulmonary catarrh. On the 24th she complained of a violent vertigo; the pulse was quiet, the catarrh had disappeared. — Cyclamen 3rd dec. att. On the 25th she still had vertigo; on the 26th she was free from it; she had no derangement of vision.

HEMICRANIA. Theresa F. — , 37 years old, menstruates scantily and irregularly (menstruation is frequently suppressed for 2 and 3 months). For the last 4 years she has suffered with an excessively violent headache which occupies the whole of the right side of the head and face, occurs at intervals of from 8 to 14 days, and continues each time from 12 to 36 hours; it is most violent at the time of the menses. Five days before her admission to the institution she was attacked again, and this time it did not leave her, except for short intervals of from half an hour to an hour.

Condition on the 2d of August, 1858. Emaciated individual; skin as well as lips, gums and mucous membranes pale; temperature not elevated; skin dry and cool. Pulse normal, the rest of the organs healthy. The right eye was closed by a violent spasm in the lid, and when it was forcibly opened, a stream of hot tears gushed out, but it was otherwise normal. — Ignatia. Until the 8th her condition was unchanged, In the evening I gave her Atropine, 4th dec. trit. On the 9th the dose was repeated, and on the 11th she was free from headache. — No medicine. On the 16th she again had headache, vertigo and diplopia as soon as she undertook to read. Cyclamen 3rd dec. att. On the 17th the above symptoms were moderated, but a glimmering before the eyes had set in. On the 18th all the symptoms had disappeared except the glimmering; the medicine was discontinued, and on the 21st she left the Institution, cured.

She afterwards came several times to the dispensary to seek relief from her headache, which was now more seldom and less intense than formerly. Having the disorder of her menses in view, I always gave Cyclamen. Three weeks ago she returned, suffering with catarrh of the bowels, and I learned this occasion, that her menses now appear every month, and continue tolerably copious for 4 or 5 days, and that her headache has not returned since February of this year(1859)

Maria G — , 27 years old, is a wetnurse, and weaned her nursing on the day of her admission to the institution. Three days previously, she was seized with a violent stinging pain in the temporal region which extended over the vertex and tormented her incessantly. It prevents sleep and destroys the appetite. Her bowels are always sluggish.

Condition on the 9th of January, 1858. Strong, well developed individual with moist skin, red face, slightly coated tongue, exuberant breasts, pulse 52 per minute, visible pulsation of the temporal arteries; no other obvious symptoms. Belladonna. On the 11th the headache was diminished, but her head was very dizzy. Until the 19th she had periodically recurring headache. — Apis. On the 20th the headache was absent the whole day, but the vertigo continued. The medicine was discontinued. On. the 23rd the headache returned. Apis 6th dec. att. On the 24th no headache. — No medicine, On the 27th Cyclamen was given for the continual vertigo. On the 28th no change was yet observable. — Cyclamen 3rd dec. att. By the 30th the vertigo had disappeared entirely, but the patient complained of weakness of sight to such a degree, that she did not trust herself to walk alone. — Cyclamen was discontinued. On the 4th of February she left the Institution, cured.

STRABISMUS. In February, 1859, a woman brought her boy, aged two years and a half, to the Dispensary and begged to know if I could give him nothing for this “hateful squinting,” as she expressed it, as she would on no account allow the child to be operated on. On a closer inquiry in relation to the origin of this evil, it appeared that six months previously the boy had fallen from a table and soon afterwards was attacked with convulsions, which were subsequently twice repeated; five weeks after the last convulsions, the mother first observed that the child squinted I gave him Arnica until the end of March. The convulsions did not return, but the Strabismus was not relieved. I then administered Cyclamen for 14 days without perceiving any effect. The woman did not return, for which I was very sorry, as the result of my trouble thereby escaped me. Ten days ago, I met with her in the street, and asked why she had not come back with her child, and she answered that, “By the time the child had taken all his portion of pills, the squinting had entirely disappeared, and therefore, there was no necessity for me to return.” Although this answer showed so little gratitude, I was rejoiced to find the curative action of Cyclamen again confirmed.

Dr. WURMB had related some time previously in one of the meetings of our Society, that he had cured a coachman of Strabismus with Cyclamen.

RHEUMATISMUS ACUTUS. A young woman is at present in the Institution who has suffered for three months with complete suppression of the menses, in consequence of extensive rheumatism. In the course of her present sickness she had a violent pressing pain in the forehead with vertigo. Dr. WURMB prescribed Cyclamen, which caused both to disappear entirely the next day.

The remaining cases which I have observed, have all been pale subjects who were inclining to Chlorosis, and whose symptoms resembled pretty closely those above described; I will therefore omit them lest I become too prolix. I believe it to be my duty, however, to make this one observation: that, in similar diseases, we should never give a low dilution of Cyclamen if we would avoid the physiological action which it exerts on the sense of sight. I saw this effect follow the use of the 15th dec. att. only twice; whereas it almost always resulted from the 3rd dec. att.

Theresa P — , 30 years old, a thick-set, strongly built woman. Until 10 years ago she had never been sick, but at that time she was attacked with a violent, itching eruption over the whole body, which was diagnosed as the itch, although she was not able to attribute it to contagion. It was dispersed with Sulphur ointment. After the disappearance of the eruption, her sight continually diminished, so that after a few months she could not walk at all without a guide, and this condition continues to the present day. She can only see the outlines of large objects in a strong light and they look as if enveloped in a fog. She cannot distinguish any object in the rooms. Nothing could be discovered on a close examination of the eyes except very large pupils. The menses have never yet appeared; she complains at intervals of three or four weeks of orgasm of the blood, headache, pressing vertigo, heaviness, frequent trembling of the lower limbs and urging towards the genitals. She has complained for several months of an itching in the skin of the whole body, which becomes particularly intolerable at the periods above mentioned, although nothing is visible on the skin. As she had heard from an acquaintance that she had been cured of a similar complaint at our Dispensary, she also came in September, 1858, and desired a remedy for her troublesome disease. She was soon cured also, by 6 globules of Sulphur, 3 times a day. In the beginning of December, she came again and requested me to relieve her of a headache which was at that time very troublesome. I recollected her previous statement, that she suffered with periodical orgasm of the blood, etc., and as I saw in these symptoms the effort of nature to establish the menses, the thought struck me that there might be present, an Atresia vaginae: but the examination of the genitalia revealed nothing abnormal. I gave Cyclamen, 3 globules*[In the Dispensary, the globules are generally medicated with the 3rd dec. att.] every two hours; on the 4th day the headache and vertigo had considerably diminished; continue Cyclamen. Eight days afterward, she told me that the headache and vertigo had entirely ceased, but she now sees fiery balls dancing about before her eyes; I ordered her to go to my residence (which was much more convenient for her) and gave her Cyclamen 15th dec. att 3 times a day. On the 27th of December she came again to obtain another portion. The fiery balls dancing before the eyes, had ceased to trouble her. On the 2nd of January, 1859, she came while I was absent (having been called to a princely house in Moravia), and left word for me that an important change had occurred in her. On her subsequent appearance on the 14th of January, she joyfully related to me that her menses had commenced on the 2nd of January with violent gripings in the abdomen, and had continued for 4 days, and also that she suffered no more with headache and vertigo.

As she still visits me frequently I have opportunities to learn that her menses come on regularly every month and continue 4 or 5 days, tolerably copious.

[In conclusion the translator desires to call attention to the fact, that by the captions of some of the above cases, Dr. EIDHERR would seem to refer the cure of Acute. Rheumatism, Pulmonary Catarrh and Typhus, to Cyclamen; whereas it was given for, and cured, headache and vertigo occurring in patients who were convalescing from those diseases. This may throw some light on the manner in which the “Clinical Observations,” in Jahr's Manual, have been swelled to such prodigious and pernicious proportions. He would also state that he has found the 15th cent. att. of Cyclamen quite efficacious in relieving disorders, similar to those above described.]