PULSATILLA NIGRICANS

We find the original provings of Pulsatilla in Hahnemann's Materia Medica Pura. see, also, Dunham's Materia Medica.

Its common name is the Wind flower.

Pulsatilla acts prominently on all mucous membranes, producing a catarrhal condition ; upon synovial membranes, producing arthritic and rheumatic conditions. It is a great venous remedy, and in its action on the female generative system it is paramount. It is a great polychrest, and its characteristics are marked, enabling its use in all forms of disease.

Characteristics of the drug
Tearfulness ; mild, gentle, yielding disposition. Changeableness and fickleness of symptoms.
Aggravation in the evening, after eating and during rest.
Relief from motion and in the cool, open air.
Paleness of face and chilliness, even with a sensation of heat.
All discharges are bland in character, and yellow or yellowish green.
Thirstlessness.
"Too late, too late, coryza in late stages, indigestion two hours late after eating, menses never on time, too late, nothing is on time."

Pulsatilla patient better from motion and in the open air, because the sluggishness of the venous circulation is relieved by exercise and by cold, which causes the vessels to contract and the blood to circulate more rapidly.

Mental condition
A changeable disposition, first mild, tearful and yielding, and then irritable, peevish and fitful.

Natrum muriaticum has this mild, tearful disposition, but consolation aggravates, while the Pulsatilla patient seeks consolation.

It is an antidote to the abuse of iron, and holds the same relation to that substance that Nux vomica does to drastic medicines.

After abuse of iron and quinine, the system is relaxed, the patient feels worn out and she suffers from uterine and menstrual derangements. It will probably be the first remedy to use if the case comes from allopathic hands.

Varicose veins
Blue, distended veins, with soreness and stinging pains. Hamamelis is the better remedy for the soreness.

Pulsatilla in cold in the head and catarrh
In the later stages, when the cold is ripe, the discharge is thick, muco-purulent, yellow, and not excoriating ; the blandness of the discharge is characteristic.

When we have these same symptoms, but in addition violent sneezing,  the remedy would be Cyclamen.

Characteristic discharges of Pulsatilla from the eyes and ears
Yellowish-green, bland discharges are characteristic of the drug and indicate it in ophthalmias and otorrhœas. Recurrence of successive crops of styes due to gastric derangement accompanied by acne or in women with amenorrhœa.

Earache
Sharp, tearing and pulsating pains, which are worse at night ; earache in children.

In nervous children who cannot tolerate pain, where one cheek is red and the other pale Chamomilla should be given instead.

Characteristic stomach symptoms
Tongue coated thickly white, dry mouth, no thirst, weak digestion, fullness after eating and a sensation as if the stomach were ulcerated ; there is a distress which comes on about two hours after eating, with a great deal of flatulence, which tends to shift about. If these symptoms are caused by eating cakes, fat, rich and greasy food, then it is more strongly indicated. An important symptom of Pulsatilla is, "all food tastes as if saturated with salt".

Remedies which have indigestion from eating fatty food
Ipecac, Thuja and Carbo vegetabilis.

Abies nigra has as its great characteristic symptom, a sensation of a lump in the stomach like a hard boiled egg.