Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

Analysis of the dates when the AEs were first reported and their descriptions should
throw light on the pharmacovigilance processes over time. We need then to
compare the AEs of our six marker drugs found before 1960 with those known today
to discover whether the true ADRs were discovered, presuming that those known
today give an accurate picture of the real ADRs. The earliest writers mention only
symptoms and it isn’t until the 1850-60s that in the UK the physicians started
physical examinations beyond taking the pulse and looking at the urine (Newman,
1958). The French were earlier and a manual of pathology was written in 1827
outlining a full physical examination (Martinet, 1827).
Many of the more advanced examinations required instruments: thermometers
(1709), stethoscope (1819) sphygmomanometer (1902), etc. (see page 66)
which were only developed after the 18th century. The patho-physiological
mechanisms had to wait until laboratory investigations were sufficiently advanced.
Chapter 9. Hellebore
ndications: mania, chronic gout, paralysis, dropsy without fever, joint diseases,
I
epilepsy, leprosy, incipient tympanitis, stomach affections, sciatica, quartan
fevers, chronic coughs, tetanus, gripings of the bowels (Pliny), asthma (Gesner)
pneumonia, fevers, chronic and hemicranial headache, melancholy, inflammation
of the liver, chronic jaundice, odd affections of the trachea (Hahnemann, 1810),
diuretic, warts, skin disease, drains black bile, eases toothache and improves the
eyesight. It also was used for killing mice (Lev & Amar, 2008). By the beginning of
the 18 th century it was falling into disuse.
Table 4. Adverse reactions to Hellebore
Abbreviations: V=Viride, A=Album, N=Niger. H=Hahnemann’s provings
Salivation H A V AVN
Vertigo 1791, H VN A A X
Stupor H AV N
Thirst 873A, H A N N