CRATAEGUS OXYACANTHA [Crat]:

by Pierce W.I.

HAWTHORN BERRIES.

Symptoms
Crataegus, which has been lauded as a heart remedy, had a proving under the direction of Dr. Cowperthwaite, of Chicago, who reported the result to the American Institute of Homoeopathy, in 1900. Fourteen provers took part, one taking repeated doses ranging from 5 to 185 drops of the tincture, and Dr. Cowperthwaite reports that the only action of the drug, common to nearly all the provers, was a purgative one. One of the doctors who assisted in the work and followed up the action of the drug on the provers. reported the “this much-vaunted cardiac remedy, after thorough test physiologically on the healthy, and as a therapeutic measure in a large number of cardiac lesions, has shown such a limited sphere of action as to be entirely superseded by other drugs.” “Therapeutically,” he goes on to say,”Crataegus has no beneficial action in valvular lesions. It is indicated by a slow, low-tension pulse, a general circulatory torpidity, tendency to cutaneous chilliness and blueness of the finger tips, without organic heart lesion” (Dr. G. L. Brown.) Only two of those who took part in the discussion reported as having used it in valvular lesions and both times successfully. I have used the remedy but once, and in the tincture, and after other remedies had failed. It was a case of dilation of the heart, due to chronic interstitial nephritis, and accompanied by great dyspnoea and much cyanosis. It relieved.

null– Adolph Von Lippe

COMMON NAME:
HAWTHORN BERRIES.

Symptoms:
The few provings that have been made show conclusively that its action is directly upon the heart, which, primarily, it excites moderately, but to such a degree that it becomes quite evident that the long-continued use of the drug would result in lowering the tone of the heart and enfeebling its action. Great pallor of the skin, with rush of blood to the head (Bl.). Urine: diminished; contains traces of albumen and an excess of phosphates (Bl.). Giddiness (Cact., Dig., Ferr-P., Kali-P.) (Br.). Apprehensive and despondent (Ars., Aur., Dig., Lach., Nit-Ac.) (C.). Pain in the back of head and neck (Coc-C., Petr., Rhus-T., Sil.) (Br.). Extremities are cold and oedematous (Ars., Carb-V., Phos.) (Bl.). General anasarca (Apis, Blatta., Dig., Merc-Sulph., Nat-S., Phos.) (C.). CARDIAC DILATATION (Ars., Aur., Cact., Dig., Lach., Mur-Ac., Phos.) (B.). Weak and exhausted (Gels., Kali-P., Phos., Sep.) (B.). EXTREME DYSPNOEA ON LEAST EXERTION (Ars., Calc., Coca, Ipec., Lach., Lob., Lyc., Lycps., Nat-M., Spong.) (C.). Irregular respiration (Ail., Ang., Bell., Cupr., Dig., Morph., Op.) (C.). Useful in the beginning of heart mischief after rheumatism (Colch., Kalm., Led., Lyc., Phos.) (Br.). Pain in the region of the heart (Acon., Ars., Aur., Bry., Cact., Dig., Lat-M., Rhus-T., Spig., Verat-V.). (C.). Angina pectoria (Arg-N., Glon., Naja., Tab.) (B.). Palpitation and tachycardia, dependent upon anaemia (Carb-V., Chin., Ferr., Phos., Sep.) (Bl.). Failing compensation (Ars.) (Br.). Pulse irregular and intermittent (Gels., Lach., Nat-M., Phos., Verat.) (C.). Insomnia of aortic patients (Br.). Excessive perspiration (Calc., Camph., Carb-V., Chin., Merc., Nat-M., Sulph., Verat.) (Br.).
AGGRAVATION:
In a warm room; from least exertion; during night; and from rheumatic affections.
AMELIORATION:
From fresh air; from remaining quiet; and from taking rest.
RELATIONSHIP:
Compare: Apis, Ars., Bry., Conva., Dig., Ferr-P., Gels., Ipec., Kali-Ars., Kali-C., Lach., Lat-M., Lyc., Merc-Sulph., Nat-S., Phos., Rhus-T., Stroph., Sulph. and Verat-V.