I have at divers times called attention through our medical journals to the valuable therapeutic properties of Passiflora, its chief virtues being sedative, to the nervous system, and one point in particular relative to its physiological properties is the absence of any narcotic properties. Recently I have treated one of the most violent cases of spasmodic asthma I have ever encountered. In connection with the cases is the patient had syphilis six years ago and was treated by an Allopath who administered Mercury in doses sufficient to keep the patient under a slight ptyalism for a few weeks, then potass. Iodide in liberal doses continued several weeks until the peculiar toxic effect of the drug was manifested on the system in general and on the mucous membranse in particular.
The particularly notable features of the case were extreme difficulty of breathing, the dyspnoea being agonizing; the patient was unable to speak only in a whisper and in broken sentences; severe palpitation of the heart, low blood pressure, heart sound, weak and a suffused blowing over the apex, skin changed to a leaden hue. Conjunctiva suffused and of a dusky red. I selected Passiflora at once as my remedy, the dose being thirty drops every thirty minutes till the urgent symptoms were relieved. Abatement of the hard breathig and dyspnoea was brought about in four hours. The patient had not slept several nights, but soon after the first abatement of thee harassing symptoms he fell into a sound and refreshing sleep which lasted several hours. On awaking he found himself very much better. The medicament was kept up, the ddoses now being reduced to twenty drops and the intervals extended to two hours. On the third day the case was practically cured.
I used Passiflora last summer and fall in several cases of typhoid fever, the salient symptoms being muttering delirium and picking the bed clothes. The nervous system seemed to be overwhelmed by the poison. These patients had not slept for several nights, a conditions I was confident if longer continued would certainly put an end to their existence. I had obtained excellent results from Passiflora in restlessness and sleeplessness in fevers before, so I pinned my faith on Passiflora in these cases.
The medicament was administered in thirty drop doses, repeated every two hours. I found these patients soon came under the soothing influence of the medicament, as was manifested by diminution of restlessness, and after an hour or two sleep came on, lasting two to three hours. Another very valuable property of this medicament is its sedative influence on excited respiratory centers. In all these cases, before taking Passiflora, thee breathing was short, shallow, and much more frequent than could be accounted for, when the pulse was only 112 to 120; the breathing in one case was forty-five per minute. This symptom was removed by Passiflora.
A few weeks ago I was consulted by a lady who was suffering excruciating pain from ovarian congestion and neuralgia. I gave her passiflora in teaspoonful doses, repeated ever two hours. The third dose removed every vestige of pain.
I used the medicament in a case of severe dysmenorrhoea, with the same result.
A friend consulted me about a case of pelvic pain, uterine neuralgia, heavy weight in pelvis, backache, all along the loins painful and feeling of heavy bearing down. I advised Passiflora in large doses repeated every two hours. The result was as satisfactory as patient and doctor could desire.
Passiflora is the woman’s medicament; it is the child’s medicament. It is one of our very best remedies in convulsions of children. It is certainly a valuable nervine in fevers and inflammations. I believe it will be found a valuable remedy in cholera. It has proven very serviceable in cholera morbus and cramp colic.
I have much more to write about the excellent therapeutic properties and uses of Passiflora incarnata, and will send the excellent times another article after awhile. I have used in all my cases the saturated tincture made from the roots, vine, leaves and flowers. The root is dug when the fruit is about forming; the strength is pound for pound of drug and alcohol. Mr. John B. Daniel, wholesale druggist, of this city, No.30 Wall street, makes it by the barrel, and has and immense sale for it at one dollar per pint. I learned recently that a drug house in a northern city bought five gallons of Mr. Daniel’s saturated tincture of Passiflora, and is now selling it at a profit of 150 per cent. I believe the medicament will come into general use in a short time. Northern and western eclectics, in particular, are beginning to use it largely. In a short time a very valuable literature will be published on the therapeutics of this valuable medicament.- Dr. J. Adolphus, in Chicago Medical Times.
