Rhus glabra
Plant · Anacardiaceae
Key symptoms
- Profuse sweat during sleep arising from debility
- Dull heavy headache on waking, better by exercise
- Epistaxis — bleeding from left nostril and mouth
- Small sensitive ulcers on the mucous membrane of the mouth
- Fetid flatus; putrescent bowel conditions with tendency to ulceration
- Diarrhoea alternating with constipation
- Dreams of flying through the air (distinctive peculiar symptom)
Worse (aggravation)
- After sleep
- Touch aggravates abdomen and mouth ulcers
- Food or drink aggravates stomach pain
Better (amelioration)
- Movement relieves general symptoms
- Exercise relieves headache
Smooth Sumach
Epistaxis and occipital headache. Fetid flatus. Ulceration of mouth. Dreams of flying through the air (Sticta). Profuse perspiration arising from debility (China). It is claimed that this remedy will so disinfect the bowels that the flatus and stools will be free from odor. It acts well in putrescent conditions with tendency to ulceration.
Mouth
Scurvy; nursing sore mouth (Veronica). Aphthous stomatitis.
Relationship
Said to be antidotal to the action of Mercury, and has been employed in the treatment of secondary syphilis after mercurialization.
Dose
Tincture. Usually locally to soft, spongy gums, aphthæ, pharyngitis, etc. Internally, first potency.
R. carolinensis. R. elegans. R. virginica. Common Smooth Sumach. Pennsylvania Sumach. Upland Sumach. (Rocky or barren soils in North America.) N. O. Anacardiaceæ. Tincture of fresh bark; of root; of berries.
Clinical
Debility. Diarrhœa. Dreams, annoying. Dysentery. Epistaxis. Hæmorrhage. Head-ache. Mouth, ulcers in.
Characteristics
Rhus glabra, R. tryphina, and R. coriaria have acid fruit and astringent bark, which is used in tanning. Rh. g. is a deciduous shrub with stem 2 to 12 feet high, and has terminal flowers, and fruit clothed with acid crimson hairs, like the other non-poisonous Rhoes. The tincture of the bark was proved by Dr. A. V. Marshall on himself with very substantial doses. The symptoms of the Schema are his, and they bear out the traditional uses of the remedy. One of these is, "profuse perspiration arising from debility" (Scudder); and Marshall had "profuse sweat during sleep" and such a degree of debility that he was obliged to leave off the proving. Hale mentions that an infusion of the …
Classical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
