Euphrasia. Euphrasia officinalis.

Synonym—Eyebright.

PREPARATIONS—

Specific Medicine Euphrasia; dose from one to sixty (drops? minims? -Henriette)

Specific Symptomatology—The sphere of action of this agent is upon irritating and catarrhal disease; first, of the upper portion of the respiratory tract, and afterward of the mucous structures of the throat, and bronchial tubes. It is more immediately beneficial if the discharge is thin and watery-fluent. "Snuffles" in infants demands this remedy.

It is specific to acute disorders of the nasal mucous membranes. It is especially applicable in children's cases, but is curative also in adults. Where there is watery discharge from these membranes, where there is earache, or headache, and especially if the distress be across the eyes, in acute catarrhal affections, it has a direct influence upon the lachrymal apparatus.

Therapy—In cough and hoarseness, where there is a thin bronchial discharge, it is applicable especially to the catarrhal manifestations following measles. It will prevent other sequelae of measles, as catarrhal conjunctivitis, catarrhal deafness, and chronic nasal catarrh. It is indicated where there is abundant secretion of thin acrid mucus, from the eyes and nose, with pain and heat in the frontal sinus.

It is especially indicated in that form of recent colds that spend their force on the mucous surfaces of the nose and throat with fullness of the frontal sinus.

In acute coryza the agent exercises a specific action. It should be given in ten drop doses of the tincture every hour or two. In "snuffles," so called in very young infants, five or ten drops of the tincture may be dropped into a half of a glass of water, and a teaspoonful given every ten, fifteen or thirty minutes. Relief is often immediate. In the coryza of measles it is of much benefit, and the bronchial and pulmonary irritation caused by this disease is ameliorated also by its use.

A reliable indication is a red and watery condition of the eyes—irritation of the lachrymal structures. Any unpleasant after influence of measles upon the eyes is relieved by the use of Euphrasia. Its internal use will benefit many cases of conjunctivitis, especially those of recent origin in children. The specific indications for this agent, plainly suggest its use in certain well marked cases of epidemic influenza. It should be given a careful, thorough trial in this, often most serious disorder.

A writer reports a chronic case of catarrh, in which the patient for many months had seemed to be persistently renewing an acute cold in the head. There was persistent sneezing, a constant inclination to blow the nose, and a profuse watery secretion which, when lying down, continually ran from the posterior nares. Five drops of specific euphrasia every two hours, cured this patient within a couple of weeks. In children the smaller dose is preferable, and a dose of ten drops will cure most of the acute cases. But some of the chronic cases will not be benefited until they are given large, full doses. It is claimed also that it has cured chronic catarrh of the intestinal tract.

It is excellent also as a collyrium in blepharitis, and conjunctivitis, twenty drops in four ounces of water applied freely. It is given internally at the same time. It is a tonic, improves the appetite, and conduces to a general sense of well being.

It is asserted that epilepsy has been successfully cured by giving four ounces of an infusion of this remedy, upon an empty stomach, every night at bed time.

The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, 1919, was written by Finley Ellingwood, M.D.
It was scanned by Michael Moore for the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine.