Guide to Herbal Remedies

During this period, therefore, she should consider that her most trifling actions may exert a great influence on the future physical, and we may add, moral and intellectual condition of a being bound to her by the fondest ties, — a being that has a right to expect from her, as its parent, so far as it lies in her power to give, a sound constitution. Therefore, to realize such an object, it is the duty of the mother to pay all possible attention to her diet, exercise and dress.
Diet — With regard to diet she should observe the greatest simplicity; her food should consist simply of substances of a purely nutritive nature, and everything medicinal or stimulating, such as food prepared with much seasoning, spirituous, vinous and fermented liquors, strong teas and coffee, should for the most part be avoided.
She should also guard against taking too great a quantity of nourishment, as excesses of this kind may give rise to dyspeptic and other troublesome symptoms; which, besides being a source of much suffering to herself, may seriously affect the health of her future offspring.
Exercise — Let us here say, with regard to exercise, that in order to enjoy a good degree of health, it is absolutely indispensable during the term of pregnancy. Passive exercise, such as riding in a carriage, is not only insufficient at all times, but has often been found particularly injurious towards the end of pregnancy; and has been the case of premature or abnormal births.
The most desirable kind of exercise is walking in the open air, such exercise must not, however, interfere with the process of digestion, and is, therefore, most suitable two or three hours after a moderate meal at noon, and during evening; care being taken to avoid the dampness of the night air by returning home early.
Dress — The dress should be strictly suited to the season and not produce the least pressure on any part of the body; even the garters should be worn loosely. Tight lacing is highly injurious; it must be evident to the plainest understanding, that serious injury to the health of both mother and child must often result from a continual and forcible compression of the abdomen while nature is at work in gradually enlarging it for the accommodation and development of the foetus; and the result is, no doubt, that there are many who owe their deformities to the vanity of their mothers.

This term is applied to a discharge of mucus, often whitish, proceeding from the vagina. It is of such common occurrence that many women and sometimes even small children are subject to it. At first the patient notices a slight discharge of whitish matter, which escapes from the vagina drop by drop, and is unaccompanied by any unpleasant sensation. If neglected, as is most generally the case in the beginning, the discharge increases in quantity, and in some cases it becomes excessive.
The quality, too, is changed, and it becomes greenish, yellowish or of a dark brown, almost black color, and gives rise to pains, excoriation, etc., of the parts. The general health also suffers; the appetite fails; the pulse becomes weak; the face pale and bloated; the eyes become dull and heavy, and are surrounded by yellowish circles; vision is impaired; there is constant pain in the back and loins; lowness of spirits; excessive debility, etc.
The exciting causes of leucorrhea are numerous; anything which affects the general health may produce it; sometimes it is owing to the presence of foreign bodies in the vagina; some of the worst cases of the disease, for instance owe their origin to a long continued use of an instrument intended to remedy falling of the womb. Such cases can never be cured until the exciting cause is removed. The disease is sometimes owing to inattention to cleanliness.
In the treatment of this affection much benefit will be derived from syringing the parts frequently with cold water.
Calcarea carbonica is particularly suited to women of a lymphatic constitution, light complexion, and who have copious menstruation which is liable to return too soon; when the discharge is milky, often passes with the urine, and on lifting, and usually comes on, or is worse immediately before menstruation; is often attended by itching and burning; shooting pains through the parts, and falling of the womb. It is also valuable in the corrosive leucorrhoea of young children.
Pulsatilla when the discharge chiefly takes place immediately before, during and after menstruation; when produced by fright, and when occurring in young girls who have not yet menstruated; the discharge being thick, like cream, sometimes corrosive and attended by itching of the parts.
Cocculus if the discharge is mixed with blood during pregnancy; or is like the water in which meat has been washed, attended by colic and flatulency, and taking place principally before and after menstruation.
Natrum muriaticum when the discharge is copious, and consists of transparent, whitish and thick mucus, or is acrid, with yellow color of the face; also when accompanied by headache, disposition to diarrhea, with slimy evacuations and colic.
Sulphur for inveterate cases of leucorrhoea; the discharge sometimes yellowish, burning and corrosive, and preceded by colic; also when it results from repelled eruptions or ulcers.

The period at which menstruation ceases is at about the forty-fifth year of age, though in some instances the “change” takes place several years earlier, and in others again, it may be postponed till the fiftieth year, and even later.
Women of delicate constitution and those who “live high” and whose habits are sedentary, generally experience this change earlier than those of a more robust organization, or those who live temperately and make use of plenty of exercise, especially in the open air.
As the “change of life” approaches, the menses generally become irregular, both as regards the time of their return and the quantity of the discharge. They may either return too soon, or the interval may be much longer than usual. The quantity discharged is at times much smaller than common, and at others again it may be so profuse as to amount to a hemorrhage. Occasionally the flow comes on suddenly and quite unexpectedly, continues for a short time, and then stops without being followed by any of the ordinary symptoms of suppression. Sometimes the menstrual fluid discharged is largely mixed with mucus.
In the majority of women, while this change is in progress, there is more or less disturbance of the general health, giving rise to headache; vertigo; flushes of heat; paleness and debility; nervousness; irregularity in the urinary discharge; the flow being sometimes frequent and the quantity large, at other scanty and high-colored; pain in the back and loins, which extends down the thighs with a creeping sensation; heat in the lower part of the abdomen; occasional swelling of the abdomen; swelling of the extremities; piles and pruritus (violent itching of the privates).
In some instances, however, the menses gradually cease without being attended by any of the unpleasant symptoms enumerated above. Frequently after the complete cessation of menstruation the health becomes better than it had ever been previously.
According to the symptoms select Pulsatilla, Sulphur, Cocculus or Lachesis. A proper attention to diet, exercise, clothing, etc., is very important. The food should be light and digestible, and everything of a stimulating nature carefully avoided. Daily exercise in the open air, either by walking or-riding, and also bathing, will be productive of great advantage. The clothing should be warm and comfortable, and changed to suit the weather.

Belladonna is indicated when there is severe pain in the back, and strong bearing down in the lower part of the abdomen, as if the parts would fall out accompanied with violent congestion of blood to the head, confusion of sight, frightful visions, screaming, redness and bloated appearance of the face and frequent, ineffectual efforts to stool with much straining.
Chamomilla when the pains resemble labor pains, with pressure from the small of the back toward the front of the abdomen and downward; colic, with tenderness of the lower part of the abdomen when touched, and discharge of dark coloured and coagulated blood.
Veratrum for menstrual colic, with nervous headache; nausea and vomiting; coldness of the hands, feet or nose; great weakness; fainting fits and diarrhoea.
Coffea will be beneficial if there is much nervous excitement; colic, with feeling of fulness and pressure in the abdomen, and violent spasms which extend to the chest; delirium; wringing of the hands, grinding of the teeth; violent screaming; difficulty of breathing and groaning; coldness of the whole body, numbness and stiffness.
Cocculus when there are spasms in the abdomen, cramps in the chest; flatulency; nausea and faintness, and pressive colic.
Pulsatilla is serviceable when there is a feeling of heaviness, as if from a stone, in the lower part of the abdomen; violent pressure in the lower part of the abdomen and small of the back, attended with a sensation of drawing and numbness extending down the thighs; the latter sensation is felt more particularly when the patient is in the sitting posture; pressure in the rectum with ineffectual efforts to evacuate; frequent inclination to pass water.
Nux vomica is most useful in relieving writhing pains in the abdomen, accompanied by nausea, or pains in the back and loins, as if dislocated; feeling as if bruised on the bones of the pubis; spasms and pricking in the lower part of the abdomen; paroxysms of pressing and drawing pains, frequent desire to make water, and sensation in the bowels as if they would burst.

When the menstrual discharge is excessive, or continues longer than usual, and is attended by pains in the back, loins and abdomen, which resemble those of labor, it becomes necessary to lessen it and also to prevent its recurrence.
Rest in the horizontal posture is also in most cases imperative.
Ipecacuanha for too great a flow and also in flooding after labor, especially when there is a profuse discharge of bright red blood.
Crocus is one of the most valuable remedies in this complaint, particularly when the discharge is dark colored, clotted and very copious, and the menses have returned too soon.
Platina will be useful in cases in which the menstrual discharge is too great, and consists chiefly of dark-colored blood, and is attended with bearing down pains, sexual and general excitability.
Chamomilla will be beneficial when the discharge is dark colored and clotted, accompanied by griping pains which extend from the small of the back forward towards the abdomen; thirst; coldness of the extremities, and sometimes fainting.
Nux vomica when the menstruation is too copious, and returns before the usual time; when it continues too long, or stops and returns again. It, is particularly adapted to women who make too free use of coffee, wine or other stimulants, all of which articles should be strictly prohibited for several months.
Ignatia is most serviceable in cases in which the discharge continues too long, and is frequently attended by yawning and hysterical symptoms.
Cinchona in cases of great debility in consequence of too copious or too long-continued menstrual discharge. It may be given with advantage, after the discharge has been checked by other remedies, and the patient suffers from weakness only.
Sabina, menstruation too profuse, too early flow by spells, with colic and labor-like pains; pain from back to front, flow increased by motion.
Sulphur given during the intervals two or three times, allowing a week to elapse between the doses will often be beneficial, after the failure of other remedies. Calcarea, administered in the same manner, will frequently be found successful.