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| Hamamelis virginiana |
Ham.
We recognize that flattery is poison, but its perfume intoxicates us.
[C.V. de La Grange]
Signs
Hamamelis virginiana. Witch Hazel. N.O. Hamamelidaceae.
CLASSIFICATION The Hamamelidaceae or Witch Hazel and Sweet Gum family consists of some 23 genera and some 100 species, which are placed in five subfamilies. It is a medium-sized family of trees and shrubs of very discontinuous distribution in the subtropical and temperate regions of both hemispheres. Many of the genera are represented by a single species [monotypic]. Several members of the Hamamelidaceae are shade-tolerant and winter-flowering, circumstances which commend them to the gardener.
ECONOMIC USES “Liquidambar styraciflua [the American sweet gum or red gum] gives a useful heavy close-grained heartwood for furniture making and a white sapwood. A fragrant gum [storax] used in perfumery, as an expectorant, inhalant and as a fumigant in treatment of skin diseases is derived from Liquidambar styraciflua and L. orientalis [western Asia]. Liquidambar species, the largest in the family, are frequently grown for their ornamental autumnal foliage. Altingia excelsa [rasamala] yields a heavy timber, and a fragrant gum used in perfumery. Hamamelis [witch hazel] provides several species and varieties of ornamental shrubs. Hamamelis virginiana yields the widely used astringent and soothing lotion for cuts and bruises. Water diviners favour witch hazel twigs for their dowsers. Corylopsis, Fothergilla, Loropetalum and Parrotia are shrubs also cultivated for ornaments.”1
GENUS Hamamelis is a genus of 5 or 6 species of deciduous shrubs and small trees with simple alternate leaves and clusters of small, spider-like, fragrant flowers that bear four, typically yellow, narrow petals. Most Hamamelis achieve brilliant foliage displays in autumn, when the leaves turn orange, scarlet and yellow before falling.
WITCH HAZEL Hamamelis virginiana is a shrub indigenous to damp woodland throughout eastern and central North America. It grows 8-15 feet tall and has a spread of 7-14 feet. It bears fragrant, golden flowers in late autumn and early winter, after the leaves have fallen. The seed capsules mature in the following season at which time they burst open and scatter their seeds with such great force that they sometimes travel as far as 15 metres from the plant. This species dislikes dry limy soils but will succeed in a calcareous soil if it is moist. A slow growing shrub, it takes about 6 years to flower from seed. The Witch Hazel should not be confused with the Hazel, which is a tree [Corylus] of the birch family.
NAME The name Hamamelis comes from a Greek name for an unidentified pear-shaped fruit, possibly the medlar. It derives from hama, together with, and mela, fruit, flowers and fruit being borne at the same time. The link with witches in its common name may be connected with the peculiar ‘magical’ seed dispersal of the plant: their expulsion takes place with such force that it suggests witchcraft. For this reason it is also called ‘Snapping Hazel’. Another explanation is the use of the twigs by the early settlers in Virginia [in about 1700] for water divining and for discovering precious metals. The shrub has, perhaps, no association with witches or their work other than the name given it in English. Associated with witches in England was the hazel, the leaves of which resemble those of Hamamelis.
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| Hamamelis virginiana |
CONSTITUENTS Tannins [8-10%]; flavonoids; bitter principle; volatile oil. “Witch hazel contains large quantities of tannins. These have a drying, astringent effect, causing the tightening up of proteins in the skin and across the surface of abrasions. This creates a protective covering that increases resistance to inflammation and promotes healing of broken skin. It also appears to help damaged blood vessels beneath the skin. It is thought that this effect may be due to the flavonoids as well as to the tannins. When witch hazel is distilled it retains its astringency, suggesting that astringent agents other than tannins are present.”2
MEDICINE Hamamelis has astringent, antihaemorrhagic, and anti-inflammatory properties. In the 19th century North American Indians used Hamamelis extract, obtained by boiling the stems and twigs, for the treatment of haemorrhages, bruises, cuts, scratches, external inflammations and sore eyes.
PROVINGS •• [1] Preston – self-experimentation, 1851; method: 10 drops of tincture, and 1 drop of 3rd dil., with short-lasting effects.
•• [2] Burt – self-experimentation, 1864-65; method: 8 doses of half a dram of 10th dil. over a period of 11 days; took also 10-50 drops of fluid extract.
•• [3] McGeorge – 6 [male] provers, 1867; method: tincture, 3rd, 6th, 10th, 12th and 200th dils.
•• [4] Iszard – 3 ‘provers’ [Iszard, his son of 13, and his daughter of 11], 1873; method: 1-5 drops of tincture.
•• [5] Chandler – 6 provers [3 males, 3 females], 1872; method: repeated doses of 3rd dil.; also single doses, or once a week, of 200th dil.
•• [6] Burritt – 2 provers [1 male, 1 female]; method: tincture and [1 drop of] 15th dil.
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| Hamamelis flowering |
Hamamelis was introduced into homoeopathy by Hering in 1850. “Hamamelis,” says Hering, “was suggested to me by a consumptive at the point of death, who controlled his haemorrhages with a quack medicine, which he himself had introduced, and which made him rich, but which he kept a secret. A substance which can stop haemorrhages from a lung almost gone, must be a good remedy, I thought. The consumptive had a daughter who impressed me. She revealed to me the formula. Her father had planted acres with the witch hazel, had built a distillery by which to extract the sap from the bush during the month of February, when it is strongest, just before the flowering season, when all plants are strongest in sap. If it had not been for the daughter, I would not have had any time for a man who discovered a healing remedy and guarded its secret for material gain.”3 This man was Mr. Pond, the manufacturer of a popular preparation at the time known as ‘Pond’s Extract.’ Hering was Pond’s family physician and after discerning for himself whether Hamamelis possessed any of the virtues attributed to it by Mr. Pond, he recommended it for “chronic effects from mechanical injuries,” “painful and bleeding haemorrhoids,” and “severe pleuritic stitches supervening on tubercular phthisis.” Hering considered Hamamelis to be a “union of Aconite and Arnica.”4
[1] Heywood, Flowering Plants of the World. [2] Chevallier, Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. [3] Knerr, Life of Hering. [4] Hale, New Remedies, Vol. 2.
Affinity
VEINS [rectum; genitals; limbs; throat]. Liver. Abdominal and chest walls.
Modalities
Worse: Injury. Bruises. Pressure. Air [open; cold; warm humid]. Jar. Motion. Riding in a carriage. Night.
Better: Rest. Lying quiet.
Main symptoms
M Veneration.
• “I afterwards gave a lady, for pain in the hypogastric region, 1 drop of Hamamelis 15. The same pain was felt across the back, the same suffering of the joints, and the same distress of head as in my own case, with a feeling as if a bolt was passed from temple to temple through the head and tightly screwed. This was accompanied by a feeling that she ought to be reverenced by all around her, and have great respect paid to her opinions. This condition continued for about 1 hour. This lady had no knowledge of what she took or of what might be expected from the action of the remedy.” [Hughes] [my italics]
M Contemplation.
• “No desire to work; likes to sit and think, or muse, while awake.” [Allen]
• “Wants to do nothing but smoke and be alone, although smoking seems to aggravate all symptoms.” [Hughes]
M Perception slow or quick.
• “Quick perception of anything out of shape or disproportional.” [Allen]
G Pre-eminently, almost exclusively, a remedy for HAEMORRHAGES.
HAEMORRHAGES from INJURY: epistaxis from a blow, [long-lasting] bleeding after extraction of teeth, etc..
Or: Internal haemorrhages.
G BRUISED SORENESS of the affected parts.
G Painful fulness.
• “Immediately after the sensation of heat was felt a tearing pain across the small of the back was experienced, and a painful fulness of the joints of the legs as if they would burst, which soon extended to all the joints of the body; at the same time a painful fulness of the brain was felt, especially at the top, with a desire to hear lofty sublime conversation, attended with perfect indisposition to talk myself.” [Hughes] [my italics]
G Great THIRST [from dryness of throat].
[4 provers experienced thirst; 1 prover had no thirst during entire proving; 1 prover had an aversion to water, to such an extent that thinking of it made him sick.]
G SORE pain externally.
G PRESSING pain internally.
G < TOUCH. G Distension of VEINS: varices, haemorrhoids, varicocele. • “Venous constitution: feels braced up in winter, and goes down in the Spring.” [Mathur] G VICARIOUS menstruation, esp. epistaxis. P Black eye, after injury to eye. First Arn.; if vision remains lessened: Ham. P Colds from exposure to warm moist weather. P EPISTAXIS. And Tight feeling in bridge of nose. And Dull frontal headache. • “Epistaxis, either active or passive, LONG-LASTING.” [Lippe] P Haemorrhage from piles followed by prostration out of all proportion to the amount of blood lost. P Varices of the lower extremities; one of the main remedies for PHLEBITIS. CONGESTION so severe that varices break open and start bleeding. Varices during pregnancy: hard, knotty, swollen, painful, inflamed, sensitive. Rubrics Mind Desire to hear sublime conversation [1/1]. Sensitive to disorder [1/1]. Forgetful, of words, while speaking [1]. Indifference, to business affairs [1]. Expects her opinions to be respected [1/1]. Feels that she ought to be revered by all around her [1*]. Inclination to sit and muse [1]. Head Sensation of numbness, forehead [1]. Pain, > epistaxis [1], > mental exertion [1], > reading [1], > talking [1].
Eye
Sensation as if eyes would melt away [1/1]. Pain, pressing, > pressure [2]. Sensation of protrusion [1].
Ear
Pain, > pressure [1], extending to fingertips [1/1].
Nose
Epistaxis, with purpura haemorrhagica [2].
Mouth
Profuse bleeding of gums after tooth extraction [2]. Taste, like sulphur [2]. Varicose veins on tongue [2].
Throat
Dryness, drinking does not > [1*], < inspiration [1]. External throat Pain, right sternomastoid muscle, < motion [1*]. Stomach Eructations, with sneezing [1]. Hiccough, after pork [1/1]. Pain, cramping, after pork [1]. Vomiting, after plums [1/1]. Bladder Retention of urine, during menses [1]. Urging to urinate, water, when pouring out liquid [1/1]. Female Menses, copious, daytime [1], cease while lying [1]. Metrorrhagia, continuous but slow flow [1]; from fibroids [2]; gushing [2]; between menses [2]; from riding [2]. Dreams Of bat flying in room [1/1]. Generals Weather, during rain < [1]; during thunderstorm < [1]; warm wet weather < [1]; warm wet weather > [1].
* Repertory additions [Hughes].
Food
Aversion: [1]: Water.
Desire: [1]: Pickles.
Worse: [1]: Fat; milk; plums; pork.