Eupatorium perfoliatum
Boneset, agueweed, thoroughwort, sweating plant. · Plant · Asteraceae
When unwell, people for whom this remedy is best suited may moan with pain and feel that they are going out of their minds. They tend to feel anxious and restless, wishing that they could keep still. They may have a sensation as though their bones are broken.
Eupatorium per. is usually given for influenza or malarial fever accompanied by pain in the limbs. Fever typically starts as a chill, then generates heat, sweating, and a strong thirst, accompanied by pains in the bones and great restlessness. Further symptoms that may be treated include vomiting of bile, and headaches that feel worse during the sweating phase.
Key symptoms
- Known as Bone-set; intense bone pains accompanying febrile and malarial disease
- Severe, general bone pains as if bones would break
- Marked periodicity in complaints
- Vomiting of bile preceded by thirst; great thirst during chill
- Chill begins in the back; aching in back before and during chill
- Occipital pain after lying down with sense of weight
- Soreness of eyeballs; throbbing headache
- Cachexia from old chronic bilious intermittents
Worse (aggravation)
Better (amelioration)
Thoroughwort
Known as "Bone-set", from the prompt manner in which it relieves pain in limbs and muscles that accompanies some forms of febrile disease, like malaria and influenza. Eupatorium acts principally upon the gastro-hepatic organs and bronchial mucous membrane. It is a boon in miasmatic districts, along rivers, marshes, etc, and in all conditions where there is a great deal of bone-pain. Cachexia from old chronic, bilious intermittents. Worn-out constitutions from inebriety. Sluggishness of all organs and functions. Bone-pains, general and severe. Soreness. Marked periodicity (Ars; China; Cedron).
Head
Throbbing pain. Pressure as if a cap of lead pressed over the whole skull. Vertigo; sensation of falling to left. Vomiting of bile. Top and back of head with pain and soreness of eyeballs. Periodical headache, every third and seventh day. Occipital pain after lying down, with sense of weight.
Mouth
Cracks in corners of mouth, yellow coated tongue, thirst.
Stomach
Tongue yellow. Taste bitter. Hepatic region sore. Great thirst. Vomiting and purging of bile, of green liquid several quarts at a time. Vomiting preceded by thirst. Hiccough (Sulph ac; Hydrocy ac). Avoids tight clothing.
Stool
Frequent, green watery. Cramps. Constipated, with sore liver.
Respiratory
Coryza, with sneezing. Hoarseness and cough, with soreness in chest; must support it. Influenza, with great soreness of muscles and bones. Chronic loose cough, chest sore; worse at night. Cough relieved by getting on hands and knees.
Fever
Perspiration relieves all symptoms except headache. Chill between 7 and 9 am, preceded by thirst with great soreness and aching of bones. Nausea, vomiting of bile at close of chill or hot stage; throbbing headache. Knows chill is coming on because he cannot drink enough.
Extremities
Aching pain in back. Aching in bones of extremities with soreness of flesh. Aching in arms and wrists. Swelling of left great toe. Gouty soreness and inflamed nodosities of joints, associated with headache. Dropsical swelling.
Modalities
Worse, periodically. Better, by conversation, by getting on hands and knees.
Relationship
Compare: Bryon; Sepia; Natr mur; Chelidon. Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (bilious fever; insatiable thirst; bitter vomiting at close of chill; also constipation of children).
Dose
Tincture, to third attenuation.
History
Every time I take up one of these old domestic remedies I am astonished at the extended discoveries of medical properties in the household as seen in their domestic use.
All through the Eastern States, in the rural districts, among the first old -settlers, Boneset-tea was a medicine for colds. For every cold in the head, or running of the nose, every bone-ache or high fever, or headache from cold, the good old housewife had her Boneset-tea ready. Sure enough it did such things, and the provings sustain its use. The proving shows that Boneset produces upon healthy people symptoms like the colds the old farmers used to suffer from.
Eupatorium perfoliatum. Boneset. Thoroughwort. N. O. Compositæ. Tincture of whole plant.
Clinical
Anus, herpes of. Back, pain in. Bilious fever. Bones, pains in. Cough. Dengue. Diarrhœa. Fractures. Gout. Hiccough. Hoarseness. Indigestion. Influenza. Intermittent fever. Jaundice. Liver, soreness of. Measles. Mouth, cracks of. Ophthalmia. Relapsing fever. Remittent fever. Rheumatism. Ringworm. Spotted fever. Syphilitic pains. Thirst. Wounds.
Characteristics
Eupat. perfol. is an old-world remedy, having been recommended by Dioscorides for ill-conditioned ulcers, dysentery, stings of reptiles, chronic fevers, obstructed liver. The leading characteristic for its homœopathic use is the distressing bone-pains it causes, such as are found in connection with malarial fevers and influenza. Soreness will be found running throughout the proving: headache with soreness internally, parietal protuberances sore; with pain and soreness in eyeballs; cough with extreme soreness down trachea, soreness of chest, aching …
Boneset. (Compositae.)
Adapted to diseases of old people; worn-out constitutions, especially from inebriety; cachexia, from prolonged or frequent attacks of bilious or intermittent fevers. Bruised feeling, as if broken, all over the body (Arn., Bellis, Pyr.). Bone pains affecting back, head, chest, limbs, especially the wrists, as if dislocated. The more general and severe, the better adapted (compare, Bry., Mer.). Painful soreness of eyeballs; coryza, aching in every bone; great prostration in epidemic influenza (Lac. c.). Pains come quickly and go quickly and go away quickly (Bell., Mag. p., Eup. pur.). Vertigo; sensation as if falling to the left (cannot turn the head to the left for fear of alling, Col.). Cough: chronic; loose with hectic; chest sore, must support it with hands (Bry., Nat. c.); < at night; following measles or suppressed intermittents. Fever: chill to 9 a. m. one day, at noon the next day; bitter vomiting at close of chill; drinking hastens chill and causes vomiting; bone pains, …
Sight and Eyes
Soreness of the eyeballs.
Nose
Coryza with sneezing; aching in every bone.
Stomach
Vomiting of bile at the close of the hot stage (intermittent).
Stomach
Thirst a long time before the chill, continues during chill and heat, absent during sweat.
Stomach
Intense thirst, but drinking cold water causes shuddering and vomiting of bile.
Respiratory Organs
Cough with soreness, hold chest with his hands.
Respiratory Organs
Cough decreased by getting on hands and knees.
Extremities
Intense soreness and aching in limbs as if bruised or beaten; wrists pain as if broken or dislocated.
Chill, Fever, and Sweat
Time of chill, 7 to 9 a. m.
-
Intense soreness and aching in the limbs, as if bruised or beaten.
-
With chill more shivering than degree of coldness warrants; thirst several hours before the chill, which continues during the chill and heat.
Phatak's chapter on Eupatorium perfoliatum is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
