Myristica sebifera
Virola sebifera · Plant · Myristicaceae
Myristica Sebifera is a powerful antiseptic remedy with a specific affinity for suppurative processes of skin, cellular tissue, periosteum, and joints. It is especially indicated in whitlow (panaritium) and fistulous conditions. Often acting more powerfully than Hepar or Silica, it hastens suppuration and resolution, frequently avoiding the need for surgical intervention.
Key symptoms
- Pain in fingernails with swelling of the phalanges
- Hands stiff as if from prolonged squeezing
- Phlegmonous inflammations and suppurations of skin and cellular tissue
- Specific action in panaritium (whitlow)
- Hastens suppuration and shortens its duration, often avoiding surgery
- Fistulas in ano and suppurative middle ear inflammation
- Coppery taste and burning in throat
- Tongue white and cracked
- Parotitis and carbuncles
Worse (aggravation)
- Pain in hands worse when they touch each other
Better (amelioration)
- Open air (frontal headache)
Brazilian Ucuba
A remedy of great antiseptic powers. Inflammation of skin, cellular tissue and periosteum. Traumatic infections. Parotitis. Fistulas. Carbuncles. Specific action in panaritium. Pain in the finger nails with swelling of the phalanges. Hands are stiff, as if from squeezing something a long time. Coppery taste and burning in throat. Tongue white and cracked. Phlegmonous inflammations. Hastens suppuration and shortens its duration. Often does away with use of the knife. Inflammation of middle ear, suppurative stage. Fistula in ano. Acts more powerfully often than Heper or Silica.
Myristica sebifera. Ucuuba (Brazilian name). N. O. Myristicaceæ. Trituration of red, acrid, very poisonous gum obtained by incising bark.
Clinical
Elephantiasis Arabum. Joints, suppuration of. Suppuration. Ulceration. Whitlow.
Characteristics
Myristica sebifera belongs to the same order as the nutmeg-tree, Nux moschata. Our preparation of the latter is made from the powdered nut. Mure proved and introduced Myr. seb., and in the proving occurs this symptom: "Pain in the finger-nails with swelling of the phalanges." This, apparently, led to its use in whitlow, in which many successes have been reported by Chancerel père and others. Spanish homœopaths have used Myr. seb. extensively. Olivé, of Gros, has reported cures with it of: Scrofulous osteitis; callous ulcers-phlegmonous erysipelas. Cartier (Rev. Hom. Fran., quoted Rev. Hom. Belge, December, 1898, p. 261) gives two experiences of his own with the remedy. (1) A young girl had been three months with her leg in a splint for inflammation of the …
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