Materia Medica

Sambucus nigra – Nash

Sambucus nigra
samb

Is a prime remedy for “SNUFFLES” in small children. It is of the dry variety, completely obstructing the nose, child must breathe through the mouth. It is also one of the best remedies for asthma millari. The attacks come on suddenly in the night; CHILD TURNS BLUE, GASPS FOR BREATH and seems as if almost dying. Then it goes to sleep and wakens with another attack again and again. I once relieved a very bad case of chronic asthma in an old lady having similar attacks of suffocation with the 200th of this remedy. The relief was followed, or rather accompanied, by a profuse flow of urine which carried off a large amount of dropsical effusion in her legs and abdomen. She has remained much better of all her symptoms since and is now VERY old. One very peculiar characteristic which should never be forgotten is “DRY HEAT” while asleep and “PROFUSE SWEAT WHEN AWAKE.” No other remedy has it, and it has been confirmed many times. CONIUM has “sweats as soon as he closes his eyes to sleep.” THUJA has sweats on uncovered parts. (BELLADONNA on covered. ) PULSATILLA, one sided sweats, and many of our best characteristics are found under the so-called fever symptoms, including chill, heat and sweat, and as we are apt to have one or the other, or all of these three conditions in most diseases, it is well to have a ready understanding of them. It will save much time sometimes in hunting after the simillimum.