This medicine presents but few symptoms of constipation, but they are very characteristic. In the Chronic Diseases we find; Constipation with ineffectual desire for stool; hard stool which occurs only every two days. After stool, palpitation of the heart.
[In Raue, we find : Frequent urging without stool, or there is only a small quantity expelled at a time; chilliness during stool; the flow of urine suddenly stops and continues after a short intermission; dizziness when turning in bed.]
The hemlock, says Espanet, is very useful for hypochondriacs and scrofulous persons with gastric and abdominal complaints with slowness of digestion, irritative constipation or diarrhoea, asthenia and flatulency.
[Hempel and Arndt : In constipation, when arising from spasmodic rigidity of the fibre.]
Case 11
X -, age 40 years, consulted me in March, 1873. He was then suffering from an extreme state of nervous excitation and depression. He was unable to prevent a continual desire for suicide; he no longer dared to ride on the railroad nor approach an open window. Some ten years which was cured by travelling and diverting the mind. All this extreme anxiety turned to his business affairs which he thought was threatened with immediate ruin. He could not give any reason for this unfortunate idea, for his business was in a most prosperous condition. He told me later that his natural disposition was lively and that his family relations left nothing to be desired. An exanthematous eruption had been suppressed upon him a few months before and for which purgative had been liberally used. He had noticed that since then there has always been some obstruction although the evacuations were regular. It was necessary for him to make violent efforts for ten to twelve minutes before going to stool. He felt tired and exhausted several hours after stool. A microscopic examination of the urine made immediately after stool explained fully this condition. I learned also that the intestines had been affected during the former attack, but that their normal activity had been restored along with the improvement in the general health.
The remedy was plain. I cauterized at first the prostatic portion of the urethra. This had an excellent effect, in that patient urinated only at intervals of several hours; a condition which I have always found to be favorable. I prescribed finally, Conium mac. and Nux vomica in the tinctures. At the end of a month, the patient was completely cured and came to express his gratitude. – Dr. Epps.
[We translate this case because it is quoted by Dr. Bernard; but we believe that the credit of the cure belongs entirely to the Nux vomica.]