Plant
Cactus Grandiflorus
Night-blooming Cereus
Repertory abbreviation: Cact.
Acts on circular muscular fibers, hence constrictions. It is the heart and arteries especially that at once re- spond to the influence of Cactus, producing very char- acteristic constrictions, as of an iron band. This sen- sation is found in various places, cesophagus, bladder, etc. The mental symptoms produced correspond to those foud when there are heart affections, sadness, and melancholy. HIamorrhagc, constrictions, period- icity, and spasmodic pains. Whole body feels as if aged, each wire being twisted tighter. Atheromatous arteries and weak heart. Congestions; irregular dis- tribution of
Mind
Melancholy, taciturn, sad, ill-humored. Fear of death. Screams with pain.
Head
Headache if obliged to pass dinner hour. [Ars.; Lach.; Iyc.] Sensation as of a weight on ver- tc.x. Right-sided pulsating pain. . Congestive head- aches, periodical, threatening apoplexy.1 Blood-vessels to the head distended. Feels as if head were com- pressed in a vise. Pulsation in ears. Dim sight. Right- sided prosopalgia, constricting pains, returns at same hour daily. [Cedron.]
Nose
Profuse bleeding from nose. Fluent coryza.
Throat
Constriction of esophagus. Dryness of tongue, as if burnt; needs much liquid to get food down. Suffocative constriction at throat, with full, throbbing carotids in angina pectoris.
Stomach
Constriction, pulsation, or heaviness in Vomiting of blood.
Stool
Hard, black stools. Diarrhcea in morning. Hemorrhoids swollen and painful. Sensation of great weight in anus. Hamorrhage from bowels in malarial fevers and with. heart symptoms. Urine. -- Constriction of neck of bladder, causing re- tention of urine. Hamorrhage from bladder. Clots of blood in urethra. Constant urination.
Female
Constriction in uterine region and ovaries. Dysmcnorrhra; pulsating'pain in uterus and ovaries. Vaginismus. Menses early, dark, pitch-like. [Cocc.; Mag. c.]; cease on lying down, with heart symptoms.
Chest
Oppressed breathing as from a weight on Constriction in chest, as if bound, hindering rcs- piration. Inflammation of diaphragm. Heart-constric- tion, as from an iron band. Angina pectoris. Palpita- tion; pain shooting dowi left arm. 1 Haemoptysis, with convulsive, spasmodic cough. Diaphragmitis, with great difficulty of breathing.
Heart
Erdocarditis witn mitral inusuficiency to- gethicr with violent and rapid action. Acts best in the mcipiency of cardiac incompetence. Heart weakness of arteriosclerosis. Violent palpitation; worse lying on left side, at approach of menses. Angina pectoris; with suffocation, cold sweat, and ever-present iron-band feel- ing. Pain in apex, shooting down left arm. Palpitation, with vertigo, dyspncea, flatulence. Constriction; very acute pains and stitches in heart; pulse feeble, irregular. Endocardial murmurs, excessive impulse, increased precordial dullness, enlarged ventricle.
Extremities
Edema of hands and feet. Hands soft; feet enlarged. Numbness of left arm. Icy-cold hands. Restless legs.
Sleep
Sleepless on account of pulsation in different parts of body. Frightful dreams.
Fever
Fever every day at same hour. Coldness in back and icy-cold hands. Intermittent; paroxysms about midday (ll A.M.) incomplete in their stages, accompanied by hamorrhages. Coldness predominates ; cold sweat, with great anguish.
Modalities
Worse, lying on left side; walking, go- ing upstairs, 1l A. M. and 11 p. M. Better, open air.
Relationships
Antidotes: Acon.; Camph.; China. Compare: Digital.; Spigel.; Convallar.; Kalmia; Najo; Magnol.
Dose
Tincture, to third attenuation. Higher in mer ous palpitation.