LIVER COMPLAINTS

Bryonia. [Bry]
When there are stitching pains in the right hypochon-
driac region, **Bryonia is the first remedy to be thought of,
though for these pains we have other remedies, such as
**Chelidonium and Kali carbonicum. Under **Bryonia the
liver is swollen, congested and inflamed; the pains in
the hypochondriac region are worse from any motion,
and better from lying on the right side, which lessens the
motion of the parts when
Breathing. It is one of the chief remedies for jaundice
brought on by a fit of anger. **Chamomilla has this symp-
tom, but the **Chamomilla patient gets hot and sweats,
while the **Bryonia patient is apt to be chilly, though he
appears hot. There is a bitter in the mouth and the stools
are hard and dry, or , if loose, papescent and profuse and
associated with a colic. **Berberis has stitching pains from
the liver to the umbilicus. **Chelidonium is distinguished by
the character of the stools. **Bryonia is pre-eminently a
gastro-hepatic remedy, and has pain in right shoulder,
giddiness, skin and eyes slightly yellow. Hughes says it
hardly reaches true hepatitis.

Mercurius. [Merc]

This remedy has much sensitiveness and dull pain in the re-
gion of the liver; the patient cannot lie on the right side.
The liver is enlarged. The skin and conjunctiva are
jaundiced. The stools are either clay-colored from absence
of bile, or yellowish-green bilious stools passed with a
great deal of tenesmus. There is a yellowish white coated
tongue which takes the imprint of the teeth and there is a
foetid breath, loss of appetite and depression of spir-
its. **Leptandra has aching and soreness in the region of
the liver and is especially indicated in the lazy livers of
city men; but is distinguished from **Mercurius in the
stools, which are pitchlike and black, accompanied with no
tenesmus, but rather a griping and the pains of
**Leptandra are dull, aching and burning in the posterior
part of the liver. The character of the diarrhoea will
also distinguish **Mercurius from Magnesia muriatica,
which is useful in the enlarged livers of puny and rachitic
children. **Mercurius is the remedy for jaundice arising
from abuse of quinine when fever is present. It is a splen-
did remedy for "torpid liver." It suits well simple jaundice
in children. Cowperthwaite
believes that, as a rule, **Mercurius dulcis 2X is the most
effective preparation of mercury in catarrhal jaundice.

Podophyllum. [Podo]

The principal use of **Podophyllum is in liver affections.

Primarily, it induces a large flow of bile, and, secondarily,
great torpidity, followed by jaundice. It is indicated in
torpid or chronically congested liver, when diarrhoea is
present. The liver is swollen and sensitive, the face and eyes
are yellow and there is a bad taste in the mouth. The tongue
is coated white or yellow and the bile may form gall stones.
There is a loose watery diarrhoea, or if constipation be
present the stools are clay-colored. It somewhat resembles
**Mercurius; it is sometimes called "vegetable mer-
cury." There are a number of drugs having the symptom
that the tongue takes the imprint of the teeth, namely;
**Mercurius, Podophyllum, Yucca,
Stramonium, Rhus and Arsenic. Another symptom of
**Podophyllum is that the patient constantly rubs the
region of the liver with the hand. Functional torpor of
the portal system and the organs connected there
with indicates **Podophyllum. There is constipation, clay-
colored stool, jaundice and langour.

Chelidonium. [Chel]

The liver symptoms of **Chelidonium are very promin-

ent. There is soreness and stitching pains in the region of
the liver, but the keynote for this drug in hepatic diseases
is a pain under the angle of the right shoulder blade,
which may extend to the chest, stomach, or hypochon-
drium; there is swelling of the liver, chilliness, fever,
jaundice, yellow coated tongue, bitter taste and a craving
for acids and sour things, such as pickles and vinegar. The
stools are profuse, bright yellow and diarrhoea; they may be
clayey in colour. It is remedy to be used in simple bilious-
ness and jaundice, and remedy to be used in simple bili-
ousness and jaundice, and in hepatic congestion or in-
flammation the character of
the stools will distinguish **Bryonia. you succeed Taken
altogether, **Chelidonium is perhaps our greatest liver
remedy; it causes the liver to secrete thinner and more
profuse bile than any remedy; it is a useful remedy to pro-
mote the expulsion of gall stones, and to prevent their
formation. It was Rademacher's great remedy for gall
stones, and Cowperthwaite finds it his best remedy.Hom-
path innovates, you succeed In simple catarrhal jaundice it
is often all sufficient. It affects the left lobe of the liver
much less than does **Carduus marianus.

Digitalis. [Dig]

When jaundice arises from cardiac diseases, **Digitalis

may be the remedy. There is no retention of bile, nor ob-
struction of the ducts, but the jaundice is due to the fact that
the liver does not take from the blood the elements which
go to form bile. There is present drowsiness, bitter taste,
soreness, enlargement and bruised feeling in the region of
the liver. **Sepia has the yellow sallow face with the yel-
low saddle across the nose, with stools of bright yellow or
ashy colour. **Digitalis is useful in the worst forms of
jaundice if the pulse be irregular and intermittent, and if
there be rapid prostration of the strength.

Myrica cerifera. [Myric]

**Myrica is an important liver remedy. There is first

despondency and also jaundice due to imperfect formation
of bile in the liver, and not to any obstruction, comparing
here with **Digitalis. There is dull headache, worse in the
morning, the eyes have a dingy, dirty, yellowish hue, the
tongue is coated yellow. The headache is worse in the
morning. The patient is weak and complains of muscular
soreness and aching in the limbs; there is slow pulse and
dark urine. It is more superficial in action than Digitalis.
The jaundice calling for its use is catarrhal and this is the
form produced by the drug. The throat and nasal organs
are filled with an offensive, tenacious mucus. Dull pain in
right side below the ribs, no appetite, and desire for acids;
unrefreshing sleep.

Nux vomica. [Nux-V]

In liver affections occurring in those who have indulged to

excess in alcoholic liquors, highly seasoned food, quinine,
or in those who have abused themselves with purgatives,
**Nux is the first remedy to be thought of. The liver is
swollen hard and sensitive to the touch and pressure of
clothing is uncomfortable. The first remedy in cirrhosis of
the liver. Colic may be present. Jaundice induced by anger
also calls for **Nux, also jaundice from abuse of quinine, in
the former cases reminding of **Chamomilla , which is an
excellent remedy for biliousness of nervous, irritable wo-
men. In the enlarged liver of drunkards, **Sulphur,
Lachesis, Fluoric acid, Arsenic and Ammonium muriaticum
must also be borne in mind, together
with **Nux. Juglans cinerea causes a jaundice like Nux vom-
ica, with stitching pains about the liver and under the
right scapula, bilious stools and occipital headache. **Nux
must be compared with **China, Pulsatilla in liver affec-
tions from over-eating. **Iris seems to have a solvent ac-
tion upon the bile, it is especially useful in torpid liver
and when gastric disorders result from perversion of hep-
atic and intestinal functions. Jaundice and constipation.
**Aloes has biliousness from torpor of the portal system,
distension of the liver, bitter taste and jaundice.

Lycopodium. [Lyc]

**Lycopodium acts powerfully on the liver. The region of

the liver is sensitive to the touch, and there is a feeling of
tension in it, a feeling as if a cord were tied about the
waist. Cirrhosis. The pains are dull and aching instead of
sharp and lancinating, as under **Chelidonium. Fullness
in the stomach after eating a small quantity. There are no
real icteric symptoms, but there is a peculiar sallow com-
plexion. **Natrum sulphuricum is useful when the patient
has a bad, slimy taste in the mouth and "thinks he is bili-
ous." There is apt to be weight and aching in the liver; he
can lie on that side, but on turning to the left side the liver
seems to pull and draw. **Natrum sulphuricum is the
greatest Schuessler specific for liver affections, and clinic-
ally it has often worked well. Dr. Alfred Pope claims that
**Lycopodium is more useful than any other remedy in
old hepatic congestions. Pain in back and right side from
congestion will often yield to the remedy.

Carduus marianus. [Card-m]

This remedy is indicated in jaundice with dull headache,

bitter taste, white tongue with red edges, nausea and vomit-
ing of a greenish fluid. There is an uncomfortable fullness in
the region of the liver, the stools are bilious and the ur-
ine golden yellow; there is sensitiveness in the epigastrium
and right hypochondrium. Burnett regards a dark brown-
ish patch over the lower part of the sternum as a useful
hint for **Carduus, and in such cases he observes that both
the liver and heart are at fault. The presence of "liver spots
seems to be a special indication for the remedy. Bilious-
ness following la grippe has been cured with Carduus. Hy-
drastis has a bitter taste and chronic torpor of the bowels,
lack of appetite, coated tongue and yellow urine. **Car-
duus resembles **Aloes.
Hale says that it stands between **Aloes and **Hamamelis
in its action on the veins. It has been used in gall stone
colic successfully in the tincture, and it deserves a trial be-
fore restoring to opiates.

Sulphur. [Sulph]
**Sulphur is suitable to chronic affections of the liver; it
increases the flow of bile and there is much pain and sore-
ness in the liver.ountries **Sulphur often completes
the cure commenced by **Nux. Liver complaints from
abuse of mercury
will oftentimes call for **Sulphur. If the stools are colorless
and if much jaundice or ascites be present **Sulphur is con-
tra-indicated. **Lachesis, however, has jaundice, as do all
snake poisons, and is useful in the enlarged livers of
drunkards, with tenderness on pressure and throbbing in
the right side. Jaundice from sexual excesses call for **Cin-
chona. Dr. Thayer, of Boston, recommended **Cinchona
in biliary calculi,and Dr.Williams of Augusta, Me., has had
success with **Ipecac in this connection. Burnett
claims that **Hydrastis is the best remedy in
gall-stone colic. **Berberis vulgaris is also an important
remedy in gall-stone affections.
Phosphorus. [Phos]

**Phosphorus is homoeopathic to fatty degeneration of

the liver, with well marked soreness and jaundice. The
stools are grayish white. Cirrhosis and atrophy may also
call for **Phosphorus. The jaundice is indicative of organic
diseases, and the remedy is a useful one in malignant dis-
eases of the liver. **Phosphorus is homoeopathic to fatty
degeneration of the liver, with well marked soreness and
jaundice. The stools are grayish white. Cirrhosis and at-
rophy may also call for **Phosphorus.Hompath innovates,
you succeed The jaundice is indicative of organic diseases,
and the remedy is a useful one in malignant diseases of
the liver.

**Digitalis has also been recommended in acute yellow at-

rophy.Hompath innovates, you succeed Jaundice accompany-
ing pneumonia may also call for **Phosphorus.

Taraxacum [Tarax]

This is a decided liver remedy, and the indications are a

mapped tongue and a bitter taste in the mouth, chilliness
after eating, pain and soreness in the region of the liver
and bilious diarrhoea.Hompath Classic, 8000 satisfied users
in more than 58 countries **Kali bichromicum also has a
mapped tongue.
 **Yucca filamentosa has a pain going from the upper re-
gion of the liver to the back and a bad taste in the mouth.
The stools are loose and bilious, accompanied with much
flatus. The face is yellow and sallow and the tongue takes
the imprint of the teeth. Another remedy used in bilious
troubles is **Euonymus; it has intense heavy, wearing, oc-
cipital headache, the stools are deficient in bile, and it is
useful in cardiac disturbance from inaction of the liver.
**Euonymus 2X is an admirable remedy in hepatic conges-
tion. Dr. Wm. E. Leonard says: " In the case of torpid livers
with tendency to attacks of biliary colic, it anticipates and
prevents the colic. **Chionanthus has biliousness, sick
headache, coated tongue, nausea and complete anorexia. It
is remedy highly recommended for biliary calculi. Jaundice
and hepatic pain are its indications. It overcomes catarrh,
liquefies the bile, prevents
the formation of calculi and promotes the discharge of
those already formed. Sluggish circulation in the liver
with the long train of symptoms resulting therefrom are
indications.

**Ptelea has sharp pains in right hypochondria, distress in

liver and constipation.