Sarracenia purpurea

In Sarracenia we have a favourite remedy as it is regarded as a sort of panacea for all cases of small-pox.
It ought to be a subject of special interest to the Indian homoeopaths.

Numerous cures with Sarracenia, have been cited by doctors from many climes.

It behooves us, Indian homoeopaths, to give it a special proving and announce to the world its real curative value of expose it as an ephemeral remedy of no great importance.

It is a native of Novascotia and Southern parts of Canada.

It generally grows in boggy and damp place and is commonly called the Pitcher Plant or the Chief Plant.
We are indebted to the Red Indians for our knowledge of this remedy, who used it often and it is said with great success in epidemics of small-pox.

Surgeon Major C.G. Logie gave the following as his experience with Sarracenia in small-pox.

"Four of the cases in my hospital have seen severe confluent cases; they have, throughout the disease, all been perfectly sensible, have had excellent appetite, been free from pain, and have never felt weak.

The effects of this medicine, which I have carefully watched, seemed to arrest the development of the pustules, killing, as it were, the virus from within, thereby changing the character of the disease and doing away with the cause of pitting, and thus avoiding the necessity of gutta-percha and India rubber applications, or opening of the pustules.

In my opinion, all anticipation of disfigurement from pitting may now be calmed if this medicine is given from the commencement of the disease.

Dr. Manual Miracas of Spain, who gave it an extensive proving in an epidemic of variola in Barcelona also expressed the following opinion : "I had occasion to try the Sarracenia homoeopathically prepared.
This remedy, which I have used in low dilution, has invariably given me the finest results.
I have noticed, from my first experiment with the remedy, that it acts with the same efficacy and promptitude in patients differing in age, sex and temperament.
In Barcelona, as well as in Sans Sarria, Gracia, Bodalona, etc., many persons owe their safety to this precious remedy, and have escaped the indelible cicatrices which variola so often leaves upon the face."

Dr. Taylor, an English physician used this remedy very extensively with equal success.
Out of many cases reported by him we shall cite only one – "The first case was a little girl, six years of age.
She was seen on the third day of eruption of primary small-pox, and immediately began to take the decoction, four ounces per diem, in divided doses, and in less than twenty-four hours the mother reported her "better ever since she began to take the medicine."

The eruptions were very extensive; pustules large, and in some places confluent.

The case advanced apparently without interruption until the seventh day, when the pustules began to shrivel, and on the eleventh day the desiccated scales had nearly all fallen off; no pitting; patient convalescent.
Every succeeding case was treated in the same manner, and with the same success.

Dr. Bilden another homoeopathist used Sarracenia in 58 cases that came under his treatment; out of which 4 only proved fatal.

This remedy has been advocated as a great prophylactic.
Hence it should be classed with Malandrinum and Variolinum.
Dr. Cigliano had drawn the following conclusion from his numerous experiments as to how Sarracenia works in a case of small-pox : –

1. Soon after giving the remedy the temperature increases a little but finally diminishes in direct proportion to the fever; usually in a few hours.
2. Sarracenia shows its influence at every stage of the disease.
   In the prodromal stage it breaks up the fever and the disease. [Page 659. ]
3. In the stage of eruption the temperature oscillates between 37° and 39°C.
   The whole disease is over by the ninth day, without any suppurative fever.
4. The pulse always diminishes about ten beats a minute.
   It does not always coincide with the abatement of temperature.
5. The variolous papulae become vesicular.
6. The vesicles never pass in perfect pustules, but dry up, assuming a semispherical form, and in consequence of it the suppurative stage does not set in, and no depression will be found.
7. The contents of the vesicles are always serious, or at most seropurulent.
8. Sarracenia not only develops a curative power, but it is also a preventative against the variolous infection, diminishing greatly the individual disposition of catching the disease.
   Now that we have seen so much and heard so much about Sarracenia, it is our duty to give it a thorough proving and either confirm or denounce it at its proper valuation.
   We are placed by Providence in a country where it is possible for us to test its virtue.