American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

inflammation of any organ from traumatic causes—severe injury to the
parts, this remedy must be given.
In the muscular soreness, pain, and general physical discomfort that
follows confinement, especially after difficult labor, this agent used both
externally and internally will produce immediate benefits. Internally
from fifteen to thirty drops in four ounces of water, a teaspoonful every
hour will quickly relieve the muscular soreness or extreme lameness
from the severe protracted muscular strain. Externally one part to five of
warm water may be applied on compresses over the lame parts, and as
soon as soreness of the breasts occur it may be applied over the breasts
for a time.
Therapy—In small doses, arnica causes increased perspiration,
increased secretion of urine, and an accelerated pulse. Its tonic
influence upon the nervous system, and directly upon the heart and
circulatory organs, make it a useful remedy indeed. In adynamic fevers,
we have so few remedies possessing sedative properties, which do not
depress, that each should be studied in this line, and arnica is especially
available. It must be given in small doses frequently repeated, in the line
of its indications. The indications for bryonia, rhus tox, or belladonna, or
perhaps cactus, may be present at the same time.
Arnica is selected for internal use when there has been a severe injury,
with fever, or in surgical fever, where there has been shock and general
prostration. In all cases after severe cutting operations, where there has
been destruction of muscular tissue, soreness follows and pain, which is
ameliorated to an excellent advantage by the internal use of small doses
of arnica.
In low fevers, where the nervous system is greatly at fault, it not only
controls the temperature, but increases the nerve-power, overcoming
depression and debility, especially in severe, protracted fevers where the
exhaustion results from loss of nerve force and where there is marked
depression; if there be excessive night sweat, colloquative diarrhea,
incontinence of urine or feces, feeble respiratory power where difficulty
of breathing keeps the patient awake. It may be given in conjunction with
other specifically indicated remedies to excellent advantage, where there
is low muttering delirium, where the tongue is dry and where the mouth
and throat seem to be clogged with foul, stringy mucus.
When there are typhoid conditions present, with inflammation of the
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 50