American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

temperature of 101 1/2 degrees. I diagnosed acute pancreatitis. The
patient was certainly near death. The persistent use of bryonia relieved
every condition in a satisfactory manner, causing me to conclude that
the diagnosis was correct, and that we had prevented the formation of pus
by the prompt use of this remedy. When these indications pointing to the
pancreas are present in diabetes, this remedy should be given.
Dr. Jones says that bryonia is the remedy for inflammation of the
mammary glands when those glands are of stony hardness, pale, hot,
painful and sore, when they must be supported. He says that it is a
remedy for headache when it is of a bursting character, as if the head
would split, worse on movement or on stooping over, relieved by lying
still. He has found where a patient suffers from nose bleed at the time of
menstruation, that bryonia, given in small doses, will restore the normal
condition.
I am so confident of the action of this remedy in cough, especially in
children, that with many patients suffering from no other trouble but a
dry, hacking, persistent cough with or without some irritation and
soreness, I am apt to give bryonia as the first remedy, or I combine it with
any other simple, directly-indicated remedy.
Auxiliary measures should be adopted as the character of the case
suggests.
In peritonitis with quick, sharp pains, flushed face and anxious
countenance, bryonia is indicated. This agent, in mild cases, will subdue
all the inflammatory processes and control the pain satisfactorily without
opium
During the early stages of any inflammation in which bryonia seems to be
indicated, aconite will facilitate its action and assist in the control of the
processes, but bryonia can be continued to most excellent advantage
when the results of inflammation are extreme, and weakness and
prostration are present, when aconite might have a depressing effect and
be contra-indicated.
In acute pericarditis and endocarditis the specific indications for this
agent are often present, and its influence is prompt. It will be of great
service if there is effusion with evidences of decreasing power of the
heart.
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 86