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Kent's Lectures on Materia Medica

Abrotanum

অ্যাব্রোটেনাম (abrot)

The patient whose disease jumps from place to place: stop the diarrhea or rub away the rheumatism, and the heart suffers.

Source
Southernwood, Artemisia abrotanum; fresh leaves and young shoots
Kingdom
Plant
Thermal
Sensitive to cold air and cold damp weather; symptoms worse at night
Main spheres
Joints and heart (rheumatism), Nutrition (marasmus), Bowels and rectum, Haemorrhages, Pleura and stomach
Kent's lecture
388 words, about 2 min
The remedy in one minute

Meet the Abrotanum Patient

Kent opens Abrotanum with a plea: this very valuable remedy should be more frequently used. It works in the territory of Bryonia and Rhus tox., yet its own symptoms mark out its cases, and the thread through them all is metastasis. One disease changes into another. A diarrhea is suddenly checked, and anxiety, trembling, nosebleed, bloody urine, piles and acute rheumatism follow. A rheumatic joint is suddenly suppressed, and violent heart symptoms appear. Kent's case says it all: a woman who had used crutches for months with a rheumatic knee was speedily cured, as it seemed, by a strong liniment. A few days later she lay in bed with dyspnoea, anxiety, cold sweat and pain in the heart, her friends gathered to see her die. Abrotanum promptly restored her.

The children waste with marasmus, but the emaciation begins in the legs and climbs upward, leaving the face for last, the reverse of Lycopodium, Natrum mur. and Psorinum. The patient is sensitive to cold air and cold damp weather, suffers much from backaches, and is worse at night. His bowels tell his state: with constipation he is rheumatic, with diarrhea he is at his best, and when the diarrhea slacks up he is full of suffering. Sharp pains dart here and there, especially in ovaries and joints.

Keynotes

What Kent Wants You to Remember

  1. Metastasis: one disease changes into another

    The shifting of one complaint into another always calls attention to this remedy. Mumps going to the testes or mammae has yielded to it after Carbo veg. and Pulsatilla failed.

    Metastasis is a marked feature in Abrot.

    Kent
  2. Checked diarrhea, then anxiety and bleeding

    After a diarrhea is suddenly stopped come anxiety, trembling, epistaxis, bloody urine, piles and acute rheumatism. The history of the checked flux is the clue.

    A suddenly checked diarrhea will be followed by the above symptoms in a case requiring Abrot.

    Kent
  3. Suppressed rheumatism goes to the heart

    When rheumatism of a joint is suddenly suppressed, violent cardiac symptoms follow. Kent likens this to Ledum, Aurum and Kalmia.

    A suddenly suppressed rheumatism of any joint followed by violent cardiac symptoms; it is much like Ledum, Aurum and Kalmia.

    Kent
  4. Marasmus beginning in the legs

    The wasting child thins first in the lower limbs, and the emaciation climbs upward to the face last. This is the opposite of Lycopodium, Natrum mur. and Psorinum.

    The emaciation begins in the lower limbs and gradually spreads upward, so that the face is the last affected

    Kent
  5. Diarrhea is his great relief

    With constipation he is rheumatic; with diarrhea he is at his best. When the diarrhea slacks up he is full of suffering.

    The diarrhea is his great relief, like Natrum sulph. and Zincum.

    Kent
  6. Chilly to cold damp weather, worse night

    He is sensitive to cold air and cold damp weather. He suffers much from backaches, and his symptoms are worse during the night.

    The Abrot. patient is sensitive to cold air and cold damp weather.

    Kent
  7. Pleurisy where Bryonia failed

    Abrotanum covers ground cured by Bryonia and Rhus tox., yet has its own cases. Kent saw it cure pleurisy after the apparently indicated Bryonia failed.

    It has cured pleurisy after Bryonia, which seemed indicated, had failed.

    Kent
  8. Hydrocele in boys, navel bleeding in infants

    Two small but striking uses Kent records for the young. They belong to the same tendency to effusion and bleeding.

    In boys it cures hydrocele. In infants it cures bleeding from the navel.

    Kent
At a glance

The Picture on One Screen

Mind

  • Anxiety after a checked diarrhea
  • Trembling with anxiety
  • Anxiety with dyspnoea and cold sweat

Generals

  • Metastasis: one disease into another
  • Emaciation from lower limbs upward
  • Bleedings: nose, urine, navel
  • Rheumatism with heart irritation
  • Sharp pains here and there
  • Much backache

Worse

  • Cold air
  • Cold damp weather
  • Night
  • Sudden checking of diarrhea
  • Suppression of rheumatism by liniments
  • Constipation: then rheumatic

Better

  • Diarrhea: he is at his best
  • Bowels flowing rather than constipated
  • Diarrhea relieves rheumatic suffering

Desires and aversions

  • Kent gives no food cravings
  • Kent gives no food aversions
  • Thirst not mentioned by Kent

Where it acts

  • Joints and rheumatism
  • Heart
  • Nutrition: marasmus of children
  • Bowels and rectum (piles)
  • Pleura and stomach
  • Testes, mammae and ovaries
Differential

Do Not Confuse It With

Bryonia

Abrotanum covers conditions Bryonia cures, such as rheumatism and pleurisy, and Kent saw it cure pleurisy after Bryonia failed. Its own markers, a checked diarrhea, a suppressed rheumatism or a shifting disease, single it out.

Lycopodium

Both suit wasting, but in the opposite direction. In Abrotanum the emaciation starts in the lower limbs and reaches the face last; Lycopodium, like Natrum mur. and Psorinum, is the opposite.

Pulsatilla

When mumps moves to the testes or mammae, Carbo veg. or Pulsatilla generally cures. Abrotanum has cured such metastasis when these remedies failed.

Natrum Sulph.

Kent groups them, with Zincum, as patients for whom the diarrhea is a great relief. In Abrotanum, when the bowels bind, the rheumatism comes on, and when diarrhea is checked, bleedings and heart symptoms may follow.

Self-test

Test Yourself

Answer in your head first, then tap to check. Come back tomorrow and try again: spaced recall is how keynotes stay.

1What feature does Kent call marked in Abrotanum?

Metastasis: the changing of one disease into another always calls attention to Abrotanum.

2In what direction does the emaciation of Abrotanum marasmus spread?

It begins in the lower limbs and spreads upward, the face being affected last. This is the opposite of Lycopodium, Natrum mur. and Psorinum.

3What follows a suddenly checked diarrhea in an Abrotanum case?

Anxiety and trembling, epistaxis, bloody urine, piles and acute rheumatism with bleedings, and heart irritation.

4Describe Kent's case of the woman surrounded by friends.

After months on crutches with a rheumatic knee, she was quickly relieved by a strong liniment and days later lay with dyspnoea, anxiety, cold sweat and heart pain. Abrotanum promptly restored her.

5How do the bowels relate to the patient's well-being?

With constipation he is rheumatic; with diarrhea he is at his best. When the diarrhea slacks up he is full of suffering.

6What weather and time aggravate the Abrotanum patient?

Cold air and cold damp weather; his symptoms are worse during the night. He also suffers much from backaches.

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica (1905)

Abrotanum by J. T. Kent

Complete and unabridged, with a faithful Bangla translation. Switch on parallel reading to see both languages paragraph by paragraph.

Metastasis and Suppression

This very valuable remedy should be more frequently used. It is indicated in such conditions as are cured by Bryonia and Rhus tox., but its symptoms mark out its own individual cases. Rheumatic conditions with heart irritation; epistaxis; bloody urine; anxiety and trembling, when there has been a history of diarrhea. A suddenly checked diarrhea will be followed by the above symptoms in a case requiring Abrot. A suddenly suppressed rheumatism of any joint followed by violent cardiac symptoms; it is much like Ledum, Aurum and Kalmia.

এই অত্যন্ত মূল্যবান ঔষধটি আরও বেশি ব্যবহার করা উচিত। ব্রায়োনিয়া ও রাস টক্স যেসব অবস্থা আরোগ্য করে, সেসব অবস্থায় এটি নির্দেশিত হয়। তবে এর লক্ষণগুলো এর নিজস্ব, আলাদা রোগীদের চিহ্নিত করে দেয়। হৃদ্‌যন্ত্রের উত্তেজনাসহ বাতের অবস্থা; নাক দিয়ে রক্তপাত; রক্তমিশ্রিত প্রস্রাব; উদ্বেগ ও কাঁপুনি, যখন আগে উদরাময়ের ইতিহাস থাকে। যে রোগীর অ্যাব্রোটেনাম দরকার, তার হঠাৎ থেমে যাওয়া উদরাময়ের পরে ওপরের লক্ষণগুলো দেখা দেবে। যেকোনো অস্থিসন্ধির বাত হঠাৎ চাপা পড়ে, তার পরে হৃদ্‌যন্ত্রের প্রচণ্ড লক্ষণ দেখা দেয়; এ ক্ষেত্রে এটি অনেকটা লেডাম, অরাম ও ক্যালমিয়ার মতো।

In marasmus of children it is a very useful remedy and not unfrequently indicated. The emaciation begins in the lower limbs and gradually spreads upward, so that the face is the last affected; that is the opposite of Lycopodium, Natrum-mur. and Psorinum.

শিশুদের শীর্ণতা রোগে (ম্যারাসমাস) এটি অত্যন্ত উপযোগী ঔষধ, আর প্রায়ই নির্দেশিত হয়। শীর্ণতা শুরু হয় নিম্নাঙ্গে, তারপর ধীরে ধীরে ওপরের দিকে ছড়ায়, ফলে মুখমণ্ডল আক্রান্ত হয় সবার শেষে; এটি লাইকোপোডিয়াম, নেট্রাম মিউর ও সোরিনামের বিপরীত।

It has cured pleurisy after Bryonia, which seemed indicated, had failed. A woman lying in bed with dyspnoea, anxiety, cold sweat and pain in the heart was surrounded by friends to see her die. It was learned that she had suffered for many months with a rheumatism in one knee, that she had used crutches to get about the house, and that she had recently been speedily cured (?) by a strong liniment only a few days before this attack. Abrot. restored her to health promptly.

ব্রায়োনিয়া নির্দেশিত মনে হলেও তা ব্যর্থ হওয়ার পর এই ঔষধ প্লুরিসি আরোগ্য করেছে। একজন মহিলা শ্বাসকষ্ট, উদ্বেগ, ঠান্ডা ঘাম আর হৃদ্‌যন্ত্রে ব্যথা নিয়ে বিছানায় শুয়ে ছিল। তার মৃত্যু দেখার জন্য বন্ধুবান্ধব তাকে ঘিরে ছিল। জানা গেল, বহু মাস ধরে সে এক হাঁটুর বাতে ভুগছিল। ঘরের ভেতরে চলাফেরা করতে তাকে ক্রাচ ব্যবহার করতে হতো। এই আক্রমণের মাত্র কয়েক দিন আগে একটি কড়া মালিশের ঔষধে সে দ্রুত “আরোগ্য” (?) হয়েছিল। অ্যাব্রোটেনাম অবিলম্বে তাকে সুস্থ করে তোলে।

It has caused and cured burning ulcerative pains in the stomach with suspicious vomiting.

পাকস্থলীতে জ্বালাকর, ক্ষতের মতো ব্যথা, সঙ্গে সন্দেহজনক বমি; এই ঔষধ এমন লক্ষণ সৃষ্টিও করেছে, আরোগ্যও করেছে।

Metastasis is a marked feature in Abrot. The changing of one so-called disease into another always calls attention to Abrotanum. Inflammation of the parotid (mumps) changing to testes or mammae is generally cured by Carbo-v. or Pulsatilla, but Abrot. has cured when these remedies have failed.

রোগের স্থানান্তর (মেটাস্টেসিস) অ্যাব্রোটেনামের একটি সুস্পষ্ট বৈশিষ্ট্য। একটি তথাকথিত রোগ যখন আরেকটি রোগে রূপ নেয়, তখন তা সবসময় অ্যাব্রোটেনামের দিকে দৃষ্টি আকর্ষণ করে। প্যারোটিড গ্রন্থির প্রদাহ (মাম্পস) সরে গিয়ে অণ্ডকোষ বা স্তনে চলে গেলে সাধারণত কার্বো ভেজ বা পালসেটিলায় আরোগ্য হয়। কিন্তু এই ঔষধগুলো ব্যর্থ হলে অ্যাব্রোটেনাম আরোগ্য করেছে।

A suddenly checked diarrhea followed by piles and acute rheumatism, with bleedings, as mentioned above, is further argument in favor of this idea.

ওপরে যেমন বলা হয়েছে, হঠাৎ থেমে যাওয়া উদরাময়ের পরে অর্শ ও তীব্র বাত দেখা দেয়, সঙ্গে রক্তপাত; এটি এই ধারণার পক্ষে আরও একটি যুক্তি।

Generals and Particulars

The Abrot. patient is sensitive to cold air and cold damp weather. He suffers much from backaches, and his symptoms are worse during the night.

অ্যাব্রোটেনামের রোগী ঠান্ডা বাতাস আর ঠান্ডা স্যাঁতসেঁতে আবহাওয়ার প্রতি সংবেদনশীল। সে পিঠের ব্যথায় অনেক কষ্ট পায়, আর রাতে তার লক্ষণগুলোর বৃদ্ধি হয়।

In boys it cures hydrocele. In infants it cures bleeding from the navel.

বালকদের ক্ষেত্রে এটি হাইড্রোসিল (অণ্ডকোষে পানি জমা) আরোগ্য করে। ছোট শিশুদের নাভি থেকে রক্তপাতও এটি আরোগ্য করে।

There is either diarrhea or constipation; with the latter he is rheumatic, with the former he is at his best, as when the diarrhea slacks up he is full of suffering. The diarrhea is his great relief, like Natrum sulph. and Zincum.

হয় উদরাময়, নয়তো কোষ্ঠকাঠিন্য থাকে। কোষ্ঠকাঠিন্যের সময় তার বাত দেখা দেয়। উদরাময়ের সময় সে সবচেয়ে ভালো থাকে, কারণ উদরাময় কমে এলেই সে নানা কষ্টে ভরে যায়। নেট্রাম সালফ ও জিঙ্কামের মতো, উদরাময়ই তার বড় উপশম।

Sharp pains here and there, but especially in ovaries and joints.

এখানে-ওখানে তীক্ষ্ণ ব্যথা, তবে বিশেষ করে ডিম্বাশয় ও অস্থিসন্ধিতে।

Original text: James Tyler Kent, Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica (1905), public domain. Section headings, light punctuation fixes, study notes and the Bangla translation: IZ Homeo.

For study by homeopathic physicians and students. This is not advice to take any medicine: in classical homeopathy a remedy is chosen only after a full case. For treatment, book an online consultation. Book Online Consultation

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