Epigea Repens

NAT. ORD., Ericaceae.



COMMON NAMES, Trailing Arbutus. Ground Laurel. Gravel Root.



PREPARATION.--The fresh leaves are pounded to a pulp and macerated in

two parts by weight of alcohol.



(In the subjoined paper by Dr. E. M. Hale, North

American Journal of Homoeopathy, 1869, the old

doctrine of signatures seems to crop out again.)



The Grave Root has long had some reputation in urinary difficulties,

and even in calculous affections. The common appellation of "Gravel

root" shows that the popular belief points in the direction of its use.



I have never tested its virtues but in one instance, and its effects

seemed to be so decided and curative that I deem the case worthy of

publication.



A young man, aged twenty-three, applied for treatment of a long array of

symptoms, some of which seemed to indicate enlargement of the

prostate, and others a vesical catarrh.



The quantity of urine was nearly normal.



The quality was decidedly abnormal. It contained a large amount of

mucus, the phosphates, some blood, and a little pus. It was dark red,

colored blue litmus paper red (showing its acid condition).



The pain was similar to a vesical tenesmus, a pain in the region of the

neck of the bladder and prostate gland. Pressure in the perineum was

painful.



He had been under the most atrocious allopathic treatment; had been

drugged with copaiva, spts. nitric.-dulc., turpentine, tincture muriate

of iron, and other diuretics in enormous doses.



I commenced the treatment with Sulphur 30th, three doses a day for a

week.



By this time he had eliminated the drug-poisons from his system, and the

real symptoms of the malady began to appear uncomplicated. The blood and

pus disappeared from the urine, there was less mucus, and the urine was

of a lighter color.



A red, sandy sediment, however, remained. This sediment was not "gritty"

under the finger, at least no such sensation was perceptible.



Second prescription: Lycopodium 30th and 6th, the former in the

morning, the latter in evening, for a week. No improvement except a

slight diminution of the sediment.



No medicine was given for four days, at which time there appeared

dysuria, pain in the region of the prostate, mucous sediment, and

itching at the orifice of the urethra.



While undecided as to the next prescription, I happened to take up a

vial of tincture Epigea repens, which I had prepared from the fresh

plant, while on a visit to Mackinaw six months before. Knowing the high

estimate placed on this plant, by the people, in the treatment of gravel

I resolved to test its virtues. Ten drops of the mother tincture were

prescribed, to be taken every four hours.



Two days afterwards my patient brought me several small brownish

particles, having the appearance of fine sand. When crushed and pressed

between the fingers they had a decidedly gritty feel. Under the

microscope they had the appearance of rough coarse sand. The discharge

of calculi kept up for nearly a week, under the use of the Epigea, and

then ceased, and with it all the symptoms of irritation of the bladder.



It is just possible that the discharge of gravel may have been a

coincidence. It is equally possible that the Lycopodium acted

curatively; but I am inclined to believe their disintegration and

expulsion was caused or aided by the use of the last medicine.



Further observations are needed to place the curative powers of this

plant on a certain basis.