Digitoxinum
Digitoxin · Plant · Plantaginaceae
Digitoxinum suits profound cardiac depression with very slow intermittent pulse, extreme prostration, and persistent yellow vision. The patient is helpless and bedridden for days, unable to walk without support. Nausea is constant and distressing, worsened by all drinks including plain water.
Key symptoms
- Faintness, nausea, and vertigo beginning one hour after dose
- Excessive nausea preventing sleep, not relieved for long even by vomiting
- Vomiting of dark greenish masses of mucus giving instant but brief relief
- Pulse falling to 42 with intermission after every two beats
- Limbs refusing service despite greatest exertion of will
- Sight became weak; faces of friends indistinguishable
- All objects, especially bright ones, appeared in a slightly yellow light
- Yellow vision persisting for eight days
Worse (aggravation)
- Drinking champagne, aerated waters, or ordinary water worsens nausea
Digitoxine. "Crystallised Digitaline" (of Nativelle). (Neither a glucoside, nor an alkaloid) C31 H33 O7. (The most active principle of Digitalis). Trituration.
Clinical
Phlegmon. Suppuration. Vision, disordered Vomiting.
Characteristics
Digitoxin has been proved by Kopfe, who took a single dose of 2 millegrammes at 10 a.m. It began to take effect in an hour-faintness, nausea, and slight vertigo, which increased till he was obliged to hurry home at 1 o'clock to avoid vomiting in the street. But he was too weak to walk, and had to take a carriage. He went to bed immediately and remained in bed three days and part of the fourth. The pulse had remained regular and at the usual rate, 80 to 84, but at 2 o'clock was 58 and intermitting. Excessive nausea was constant and prevented sleep at night. Vomiting of dark greenish masses of mucus gave instant relief, which, however, only lasted a short time. The pulse went down to 42, intermitting after every two beats, the heart-beats and intermission being plainly felt in …
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