stimulating influence upon the vagus nerve, while Nervine, constituting more than half of the total alkaloids, plays an important part in lowering arterial tension by depressing powerfully the heart and vaso-motor centre. In fevers, in some diseases of the heart, acute and inflammatory rheumatism, and in many other conditions which involve an excited state of the circulation, it is of exceeding great value. Dr. Brown, M. D., informs us:“ As a deobstruent or alterative it far surpasses iodine, and therefore used with great advantage in the treatment of cancer, scrofula, and consumption.”
It is nervine and never narcotic, which property renders it of great value in all painful diseases, or such as are accompanied by spasmodic action, convulsions, morbid irritability and irritative mobility, as in cholera, epilepsy of fits, pneumonia( should never be given in the latter stages of pneumonia as it lowers blood pressure, and is relaxant to the muscles in this already weakened condition), puerperal fever, neuralgia, etc., producing these effects without stupefying and torpefying the system, as opium is known to do.
As an emetic it is slow, but certain and efficient, rousing the liver to action like other emetics, without being cathartic. It is peculiarly adapted as an emetic in whooping cough, croup, asthma, scarlet fever and in all cases where there is much febrile or inflammatory action. Dose: Veratrum is usually given in the form of a tincture, the formula being: dried root 8 – 16 oz., diluted( 83.5 per cent alcohol), macerating for two weeks, then expressed and filtered.
To an adult eight drops are given, which should be repeated every 3 hr., increasing the dose 1 – 2 drops every time until nausea or vomiting, or reduction of the pulse to 65 or 70, ensue, then reducing to half in all cases. Females and young people between fourteen and eighteen should commence with 6 drops and increase as above. For children from two to five years, begin with 2 drops and increase 1 drop only. Below two years of age, 1 drop is sufficient. if taken in so large a dose as to produce vomiting or too much depression, a full dose of morphine or opium, in a little brandy or ginger, is a complete antidote.
In pneumonia, typhoid fever and many other diseases, it must be continued for three to seven days after the symptoms have subsided. Administration of this medicine should be closely watched and when the pulse begins to recede, or if nausea or vomiting occurs, it is a signal of alarm and the administration should be stopped. In typhoid fever, while using the verartrum, quinia is absolutely inadmissible. Homoeopathic Clinical: Tincture of fresh root, gathered in autumn— Amaurosis, Amenorrhoea, Apoplexy, Asthma, Bunions, Caecum( inflammation of), Chilblains, Chorea, Congestion, Convulsions, Diplopia, Diaphragmitis, Dysmenorrhoea, Erysipelas, Headache( nervous; sick), Heart( affections of), Hiccough, Hyperpyrexia, Influenza, Malarial fever, Measles, Meningitic menses( suppressed), Myalgia, Oesophagus( spasm of), Orchitis, Pneumonia, Proctalgia, Puerperal convulsions, Puerperal mania, Sleep( dreamful), Spine( congestion of), Spleen( congested), Sunstroke, Typhoid fever, Uterus( congestion of).