– Kent J. T.
(Copperhead)
Bulletin No. 24 of National Museum gives check list of North American reptilia Ancistrodon Contortrix. Dr. Albert Gunther, who furnished the article for The Encyclopedia Britannica, calls the “Copperhead” Cenchris-Contortrix, and considers it very similar to the Trigonocephalus family, but smaller in size, generally found near the water-courses, closely related to the Cenchris Piscivarus, which is the water-snake or crater-moccasin.
The cenchris family belongs to the temperate parts of North America, and its venom is of a deadly nature.
PROVERS
No. 1. Mrs. K., 6th potency, one dose only.
No. 2. Dr. Mary S., 6th potency, one dose only.
No. 3. Dr. Eliza M., 6th potency, one dose only.
No. 4. J. A. T., 6th potency, one dose only.
No. 5. Dr. Mary S., 2nd proving. 10m.
No. 6. Dr. Eliza M., 2nd proving, 10m, one dose.
No. 7. Geo W. S., 6th and 30th potencies.
MIND-Loss of memory. Feeling of intoxication. Anxiety with a feeling that she will die suddenly1 (8th day, lasting many days). The horrors of the dreams of the previous night seemed to follow her1 (8th day). She could not banish the horrors of her dreams (9th day). Instantly after lying down at night she was seized with a horrible, sickening anxiety, all over the body, but most at the heart and through the chest, exclaiming, “I shall die! I shall die!” This soon passed into profound sleep, which was not interrupted until morning, but full of horrible dreams. Afternoon and evening thinks her family plotting to place her in an insane asylum (this lasted four afternoons and ended fourteenth day of proving). Suspicious of everybody. melancholy (old symptoms worse). No inclination to attend to her usual duties which are pleasant.3 Angry when disturbed.3 Not able to rest in bed, must walk the floor to ease mind.3 Wants to be alone3 (4 th day). Nervous and irritable3 (14th day). Catch myself staring into space and forget what people are saying to me, or that there is any one in the room2 (4th day). Inability to concentrate mind2 (4th day, 6th and 10m.). Absent-minded2 (two provers, 5th, 6th and 10m.). Dreamy, absent-minded, took wrong car without realizing where was going. Misdirected letters2 (13th day, 6th and 10m.). Very gloomy and discouraged3 (7th day). So absent- minded and stupid that I tremble and shiver, and my teeth chatter for some time before I begin to realize that I feel cold5 (3rd day). Foreboding, gloomy without cause, frequent sighing2 (21 St. day, 6th and 10M.). Crying and very frequent sighing, as if very sad2. (Many days, 6th and 10m.). Lack of determination and snap, have to use all my reserve mental force to make myself get up and go out5 (many days).procrastination, indecision.5 Times passes too slowly, seems to drag along. I am longing to go, yet I cannot tear myself out of my chair and move along. When at last I do pick up enough determination to go, l go very suddenly. 5 Feel hard and uncharitable5 (8th day). Selfish, envious, easily slighted. Transient attacks of anger 6 P.M.5 (9th day, 6 P.M. and 8-30 P.M. 14th day, and 6-30 P.M. 17th day). Longing for the woods so intense I wandered out to the park alone5 (2nd day). Great depression and gloomy foreboding followed by great hilarity5 (9th day). Alternation of opposite moods and desires5 (9th day).
SENSORIUM-Sensation of intoxication in evening3 (2nd day). Sensation of intoxication came on at 4 P.M. lasting 3 hours, feeling as if I would fall; unable to walk in a direct line; go from side to side of pavement 3(2nd day). Same symptoms 4 P.M. (3rd day). (Same symptom 4 P.M. to 7 P.M. 4th day, and came every day for 4 weeks). Vertigo, coming and going, with no inclination to attend to her usual duties that are very pleasant; nervous and tired all the time3 (6th day). Vertigo. Angry when disturbed3 (6th day). Compelled to lie all afternoon. So dizzy3 (9th day) Vertigo very bad from 4 P.M. to 7 P.M.3 (2nd to 10th and 11th days).When riding in the car, she rode by the place she intended to get off at .3 Her mind is all a blank for ten minutes, but people did not observe anything wrong with her appearance. Dreamy feeling2 (6th day). Fainting spells.
INNER HEAD-Sensation of fulness about the head1 ( 18th day). Dull, aching pain in the forehead, which finally extended to the occiput, leaving forehead1 (1St. day). Feeling as if all the blood in the body rushed to head1 (8th day). Violent headache in both temples in forenoon; could not stand any warmth in the room; lips dry and parched1 (13th day )Headache in both temples on rising, passing off after breakfast3 (4th day). Headache in temples; passes off after eating.3 Headache. not defined, with disgust for food3 Aching in the frontal sinuses, nose, and throat, as though she had taken a severe cold, but no discharge of mucus2 (4th day). Dull ache in the occiput2 (4th day). Dull aching in the frontal eminence2 (4th and 8th days). Dull ache in left frontal eminence5 (7th day). Hard, aching pain commenced in left frontal eminence and spread down left side to teeth, then spread to right frontal eminence, then to teeth on right sides (16th day). Hard pain over left eyes 5(9th day). Dull frontal headache during menstruation2 (23rd day). Dull throbbing in vertex2 (18th, l9th and 20th days).
OUTER HEAD-Sore feeling in the scalp after the headache passed away1 (2nd day). Itching of scalp, better by scratching2 (1st and 6th days—6th and 10m.) Transient sensation of prickling in the scalp, like a gentle current of electricity5 (4th day). One large, dry, scabby pimple on scalp, long and narrow, oval shaped5 (12th day).
SIGHT AND EYES—Eyes ache, and there is dimness of vision.3 Lachrymation from left eye; left eyelid red on edges2 (7th day). Twitching in left eyelid2 (17th day). Dull ache in eyes, with sense of weakness5 (16th day). Itching of eyes; begins in left eye and extends to right1 (17th day). Margins of eyelids red, especially at night5 (many days).
HEARING AND EARS–Itching of ears at night3 (an old symptom not had for a year; 5th day). Itching of ears during the day3 (7th day). Dull pain in and around the left ear5 (6th day).
SMELL AND NOSE—Sickening odor in the nose (1st day). Copious flow of mucus, thin and watery.2 Copious flow of mucus. Coryza. Cold nose2 (several days). Cold nose2 (6th day, evening 7 P.M. ). Aching in throat and nose, tickling sensation in nose, as though discharge would flow, but very little discharge when blowing it2 (5th and 6th days). Aching in left side of nose as though in the bones, with dull headache2 (7th day). Sneezing occasionally and eyes filled with water2 (6th and 8th days). Sneezing in morning when waking2 (7th day—6th and 10m.; many days). Sneezing violently on awaking in the morning2 (6th and 8th days). Tingling from left nostril to left eye (lachrymal canal). Slight discharge of water from left eye, sensation of weakness in the eye2 (6th day). Nose burning sensation inside as though full of pepper2 (7th day). Nostrils sore, worse left side2 (7th day). Discharge of yellow mucus, sometimes tinged with blood;2 (7th and 9th days). Discharge of mucus from nose, varying from cream to amber colour, specked with blood2 (8th day). Cannot breathe through the nose2 (8th day–6th and 10m.; many days). Impossible to breathe through the nose2 (9th, 10th, 11th days). Scabs in the nose, lasting many days2 (10th day–6th and 10m.). Dry mucus in nose, cannot breathe through it2 (13th day). Slight tingling in left nostrils 5 (4th day).
FACE–Flushes of heat about the face and head1 (1st day). Bloating of face, as if intoxicated1 (9th day). Bloating above and below eyes1 (9th day). Besotted countenance. Mottled skin; purple, deep, dark red face. Dry parched lips in evening, with fever that began at 3 P.M. 1 (10th day). Swelling above eyes, below brow1 (like Kali c.—12th day). She can see the water bag that fills the upper lid1 (12th day). Baggy swelling under eyes5 (many days). Face pale all through the proving.3 Flushing and burning of face2 ( 1st day). Great burning of the face, worse at night2 (6th and 7th days). Cheeks began to get red and hot about 2 P.M. keep growing hotter and redder until she goes to sleep at 10 P.M. became dark red like erysipelas2 (9th day). Woe-begone expression of face2 (12th day). Burning face, 2 P.M.2 (16th day). Burning begins in left cheek and ear, spreads to right cheek 6:30 P.M. 5 (2nd day). Blue circles under eyes5 (all through the proving). Face sallow.5 Very small red pimples in little clusters, between the eyes and on the upper lip5 (15th day). Same tiny pimples on end of nose5 (16th day). Formication on left cheek. like crawling of a fly, also on septum of nose7 (8th day). LOWER FACE–Lips cracked and hot. Face chapped, dreads washing it2 (18th day—6th and 10m.).
TEETH AND GUMS–Aching through jaws after lying down at night, lasting until after midnight1 ( 12th day). Teeth ache from hot or cold drinks5 (12th day). Teeth feel edgy, can feel that I have teeth5 (l2th day). Dull ache in right upper teeth when eating5 (19th day).
TASTE, SPEECH AND TONGUE–Dry tongue. Bitter taste in mouth on waking in the morning. Taste of copper in the mouth2 (14th day). Dry tongue7 (4th day—30th potency).
MOUTH–Dry mouth in evening.1 Increase of saliva2 (7th and 8th days). Profuse saliva2 (8th day). Profuse saliva, running out of mouth on pillow in sleep7 (4th day—30th potency).
PALATE AND THROAT–Constantly hawking up thick, tough, stringy mucus, difficult to raise1,5 ( 1st day). Throat full of mucus, thick and yellow, slightly tinged with blood from posterior nares, in the morning on waking2 (6th day). During morning, twice discharged glossy, thick mucus from throat, looking like gelatin with bluish tinge, not tough, easily broken up2 (6th day). Sore throat; painful,empty swallowing, but water swallowed without pain. Sore all over throat, after an hour it located on left side in tonsil, and muscles of left side of neck, was gone next morning 1 ( 11th day). Throat feels scraped, warm drinks are grateful2 ( 4th, 22nd, 26th days—6th and 10m.). Right side of throat red and swollen2 (6th and 7th days). Throat full of mucus, yellow with specks of blood in it2 (8th day). Throat feels strained from the exertion of hawking2 (6th day). Slight pricking in the throat on empty swallowing, but no pain on swallowing liquid or solid food2 (6th day). Rawness of the throat with increase of saliva, which she swallows2 (7th day). Throat full of mucus, yellow, with blood vessels plainly outlined on uvula, fauces and pharynx2 (7th day). Right side of throat (pharynx), behind the posterior pillars of fauces, swollen and dark red, with sticking pains2 (7th day). Throat feels sore and full, have to swallow often in order to breathe2 (8th day). Aching in right side of throat2 (8th day). Constantly swallowing2 (9th day). The mucus is difficult to raise, loses her breath, and strangles in trying to raise it2 (9th day). Eustachian tubes filled with mucus2 (9th day). Had to hawk a half hour before I could get the mucus out of the throat so I could go to sleep; mucus thick, tough and yellow2 (9th day). Throat painful on empty swallowing, but not when swallowing solids or liquids2 (11th day).
APPETITE, THIRST, DESIRES AND AVERSIONS—Intense thirst for cold water in the evening. Every evening during proving.1 Intense thirst in evening, with dry mouth.1 Dislike for everything put before her to eat, and finds fault with everything3 (5th day). No appetite for anything at breakfast3 (7th day). Craves salt bacon (7th day). Disgust for food at breakfast3 (9th day). No appetite.7
HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING—Eructations of tasteless gas a short time after eating2 (3rd and 6th days). Vomiting of white gruel-like substance, with mucus and undigested food5 (2nd day). Nausea (>) by ice; water makes sick6 (2nd day).
STOMACH–Transient throbbing in the stomach5 (6th day). Acute cramping sensation in stomach, (>) by belching.
HYPOCHONDRIA—Pain in the attachment of the diaphragm, right side2 (3rd day). Cough felt at the attachments of the diaphragm.3 Aching all round the waist, at the attachments of the diaphragm.2 Felt as though a cord were tied around the hip.2 Pain in the attachment of diaphragm when laughing5 (9th day). Hard ache in the attachment of diaphragm, both sides, () by lying on that side and (