Verbascum thapsus. Great Mullein. N. O. ScrophulariaceƦ. Tincture of fresh plant at the commencement of flowering. [“Mullein Oil” is prepared by placing the crushed yellow blossoms in a bottle, which is corked and allowed to stand in the sun (Cushing); or by steeping the blossoms in oil and keeping in a warm place till the oil has absorbed them (Gerarde)].
Clinical.āAnus, itching of. Colic. Constipation.Ā Cough. Deafness. Enuresis.Ā HƦmorrhoids. Neuralgia. Prosopalgia.Ā Urine, incontinence of.
Characteristics.ā“The thick woolly leaves ofĀ V. thapsus, the Great Mullein, have a mucilaginous, bitterish taste, and a decoction of them is employed in domestic practice in catarrhs and diarrhÅa. They are also used as emollient applications to hard tumours and in pulmonary complaints in cattle-hence one of its popular names is Bullock’s Lung-wort. It is also called Adam’s flannel, from its flannel-like leaves” (Treas. of Bot.). Hahnemann provedĀ Verbascum, and his proving confirms many of the old uses. It produced neuralgic pains of very great intensity, pressing and lancinating, and especially in the facial bones, navel, and limbs, and a peculiar cough. “Cough, deep, hollow, hoarse, in sound like a trumpet,” is Nash’s description. He has cured many cases and always used it low. It is more especially a night cough. It occurs in children during their sleep. Some years ago Mullein was brought forward as a popular specific for phthisis, the leaves being boiled in milk, which was then strained and given Warm. Among its traditional uses Gerarde mentions it as a remedy for piles, and I do not know a better application for itching hƦmorrhoids or pruritus ani than an ointment made of the Ć tincture in the proportion of one drachm to the one ounce of Cetacean ointment. I generally direct it to be applied at bedtime. Gerarde says that the oil of the yellow flowers is also curative in piles. The flowers contain “a yellow volatile oil, and fatty acid, free malic and phosphoric acids, and their -ate salts of lime, a yellow resinous colouring matter, and the general plant constituents including an uncrystallisable sugar” (Millspaugh). Cushing prepared from the flowers an “oil” (1) by putting the blossoms in a bottle and laying the bottle in the sun; and later (2) by expression. This “Mullein Oil” has found many uses, and especially for instilling in the ears in cases of deafness, or earache; in cases of enuresis nocturna (Cushing had good success with the 3x), and painful micturition. The provings brought out some very marked symptoms in the ears, especially the left ear (Verb. is predominently left-sided). W. B. McCoy (Hom. News, xxviii. 36) gives several illustrations. According to himĀ Verb. (i.e., the “oil”) has a “soothing effect on the entire nervous system, in many cases acting, as a soporific.” In summer diarrhÅa he gives one to four drops in two ounces of warm water, a teaspoonful every hour. In enuresis or dribbling of urine one-drop doses in warm water three or four times a day. Among his cases were those of two boys who had become deaf from getting water in their ears when swimming. They were cured by having three drops of the oil instilled “in each ear alternately night and morning.” O. S. Laws cured a youth, of 16, of enuresis with fifteen drops of the oil three times a day (N. Y. Med. Times, xxiv. 318). The oil plainly acts on the indications of the proving, and may be regarded as an alternative preparation to the official tincture. It might be calledĀ Verbasci oleum. E. E. Case reports a case of neuralgia cured byĀ Verb. (Med. Adv., quotedĀ A. H., xxvii. 234): A widow, 36, black-haired, had been for a long time overworked, sewing, and her life made miserable by neuralgia. The symptoms were: Tearing, stitching pain above left ear, downward and inward; outer ear numb; dulness of hearing left side; heavy pressure in vertex. Shivers run up back and left side with the pain. Irritable and despondent.Ā Verb. 1m, one powder taken in four doses at three-hour intervals, cured. Among theĀ SensationsĀ are: As if everything would press out at forehead. As if left ramus of jaw were pressed against upper jaw. As if temples were pinched and Crushed. As if ears were stopped up. As if nose and larynx were stopped up. As if something had fallen before ear. As if one were violently pressing on left malar bone. As of a crushing with tongs. Pressure as from a stone on umbilicus. As from needles from umbilical region to back. As if intestines were adherent to wall of abdomen and were being torn away. As of a twist around navel. As if a weight were hanging on lower extremities. As if cold water were poured over side of body from shoulder to thigh. “Salt water collects in mouth” is a guiding symptom. The symptoms areĀ <Ā By touch; by pressure. RestĀ =Ā sticking in left metatarsal bones. LyingĀ =Ā tension across chest, stitches in region of heart. SittingĀ =Ā pains; sitting upĀ >. MotionĀ >Ā some pains;Ā <Ā prosopalgia. StoopingĀ <; (>Ā pressure in forehead). WalkingĀ <.Ā <Ā Night; no sleep after 4 a.m.Ā <Ā Draught of air; exposure to cold; change from cold to warm andĀ vice versĆ¢. Attacks appear at 9 a.m., reach their height at noon, gradually diminish till 4. Many pains are intermittent.
Relations.āCompare:Ā In neuralgia, Plat. (pressure); Stan. (gradually increasing and decreasing). Deep cough, Coral., Dros., Spo., Sul. Sheep-dung stools, Mg. mur. Cough from tickling in chest, Ver.
SYMPTOMS.
1. Mind.āApathy.āMoroseness, ill-humour, and irascibility.āExcessive gaiety, with laughter.āMental excitement, with voluptuous images.āWeakness of memory.āDistraction.āA great concourse of ideas, and liveliness of imagination.
2. Head.āDulness and confusion in the head.āVertigo: when pressing one (l.) cheek while supporting the head; sudden, as from pressure on whole head.āHeadache, with a forcing outwards at forehead.āPressive, stupefying headache, principally in forehead; or semilateral, and mostly when passing from a warm into a cold temperature (andĀ vice versĆ¢).āHeaviness of head, with dull pain.āPinching in temples.āDeep, stupefying stitches in brain (pressing, slow stitch from behind forward through l. hemisphere of brain).āStupefying shooting in temples (in r. temple when eating;Ā <Ā from pressure; extending into upper teeth of r. side).āResonance in head, when walking.
3. Eyes.āPains in eyes, as from contraction of the sockets, with burning in eyes.āSight confused, as if directed through a veil.
4. Ears.āTearing in ears, sometimes when eating, with lancinations.āSensation as if ear were drawn inwards.āDeafness as from stoppage of ear.āSensation of a stoppage of ears (first l., then r., also of nose and larynx) when reading aloud; hearing unaffected.āNumbness in l. ear.āOil of Mullein (Verb. ol.) relieves earache at once.āVerb. is said to meet many cases of deafness (R. T. C.).
5. Nose.āSensation of stoppage of larynx and ears.āProfuse coryza from frontal sinuses, with hot, burning, profuse lachrymation.
6, 7. Face and Teeth.āFacial neuralgia (esp. caused andĀ <Ā by a change of temperature), generally with stupefying, pressive or tensive pains, principally in cheek-bones, and commencing from maxillary joint,Ā <Ā by clenching teeth, and by external pressure.āViolent pressure in l. malar bone and zygoma.āStitches in l. zygomatic arch.āShootings in the cheek-bones, with dull pressure.āViolent tension in integuments of chin, masseters, and throat.āToothache, with tearing pain in the molars.āPinching pressing pain on lower side of jaw.
8. Mouth.āCopious accumulation of salt saliva in the mouth.āRoot of tongue brown, without bad taste, in morning and during forenoon.āTongue of a brownish yellow colour, loaded with viscid mucus in morning and after dinner.
9. Throat.āVery severe pain in throat on swallowing.
10. Appetite.āMawkish taste, with fetid breath.āHunger, without relish for food.āInsatiable thirst.
11. Stomach.āRegurgitation of insipid serum.āEmpty, or else bitter risings, with nausea.āFrequent hiccough.āAching of stomach.āSensation of emptiness at pit of stomach, which disappears with a rumbling below l. ribs.
12. Abdomen.āCuttings and shootings in l. hypochondrium.āIncessant gurgling and rumbling beneath l. ribs.āInflation of the abdomen, violent and painful pressure on navel, as by a stone,Ā <Ā by bending double.āSpasmodic constriction of the hypogastrium, towards the umbilical region.āPains in abdomen, which extend deeply downwards, with want to evacuate, and spasmodic contraction of anus.āPinchings and gripings in abdomen.āShootings in abdomen, principally in umbilical region, sometimes tearing and tending downwards.āSensation as if intestines had adhered to umbilical region, and were torn away.
13. Stool and Anus.āFearful diarrhÅa; griping; much pain as if pierced with a lance through inside of l. ankle-joint; pain in both cheekbones and above eyebrows; menses came on early this time, and she has coughed a good deal.āSuppressed evacuations.āFƦces hard, like sheep-dung, and expelled with effort.ā(Itching hƦmorrhoids.āPruritus ani.)
14. Urinary Organs.āFrequent want to urinate, with profuse emission (afterwards scanty).āEnuresis nocturna; (obstinate, with seminal emissions.āCushing).
15. Male Sexual Organs.āPollutions without lewd dreams.
17. Respiratory Organs.āSensation of obstruction in the larynx and nose, with hoarseness when reading aloud; deep voice.āCatarrh, with hoarseness and stuffed chest.āCough esp. in evening, and at night, when sleeping, generally rough and dry, or hollow and dull.āDry, hoarse coughĀ <Ā at night.āFrequent attacks of deep, hollow, hoarse cough, with sound like a trumpet, caused by tickling in larynx and chest.āThe cough is lessened as soon as the patient succeeds in taking a breath.
18. Chest.āShooting in chest, sometimes with oppression and obstructed respiration.āTension in chest, with lancinations in region of heart, in evening, after lying down.āStitches in the chest.āRed nodosity near xiphoid cartilage, painful when pressed upon.
20. Back.āLancinations in the back and shoulder-blades.āSharp intermittent stitches in l. scapula.āFine persistent stitch in last dorsal vertebra.āBetween r. loin and spine deep, knife-like stitches quite intense in intestines.āBackacheĀ <Ā from pressure.
21. Limbs.āStitching in the limbs.
22. Upper Limbs.āTearing pain in the shoulder, back of hand, and elbow.āSpasmodic pressure in forearm, hand, and thumb.āTearing shootings in hand and fingers.āTensive pain in wrist.āWrenching pain in joint of hand.āStitches like a sprain (or paralysis), where carpal bone of thumb articulates with radius.āParalytic pain in joints of fingers.
23. Lower Limbs.āExcessive heaviness and lassitude in legs and feet, esp. when going up stairs.āCramp-like pain in muscles of r. thigh, while walking in open air.āSpasmodic pressure in thighs, legs, and soles.āCramp-like pressure in sole of r. foot, while standing, disappears when walking.āTrembling of knees.āDull lancinations in patella, bones of feet, and toes.āViolent, intermittent, dull sticking in metatarsal bones of great and adjacent toes of l. foot during rest.āTearing along, legs.
24. Generalities.āGeneral indolence, and disposition to sleep, after rising in the morning.āStretching and frequent yawning.āHƦmorrhoids; affections of the inner navel region; obstruction from induration of stool.āDarting pains in inner parts; want of perspiration.ā<Ā When sitting; from change of temperature.ā>Ā On rising from a sitting posture.āStinging pains in the limbs.āBenumbing sensation with almost all the pain.āTearings, sometimes lancinating, in different parts (going downwards).āTottering when walking.
26. Sleep.āStrong disposition to sleep after a meal.āDisturbed sleep, at night, with tossing.āShort sleep at night, lasting only till 4 a.m., with anxious, frightful dreams of wars and dead bodies.
27. Fever.āInternal coldness of whole body, of hands and feet, perceptible also externally.āShuddering, esp. on one side of body, as if it were bathed in cold water.