Staphisagria.

This is prepared from the seeds of stavesacre. The medicinal action, if carefully administered, is as reliable as any of the specific preparations. In a general sense, it acts upon the prostate gland. It is not curative in the entire range of disease of this organ, but for certain conditions it is very reliable.

In prostatorrhea its influence is not as marked as in chronic cases of spermatorrhea. In chronic gleet, I have been enabled to do more in the complete cure of the cases with this remedy than with any other single remedy, having succeeded nicely even in very protracted cases.

It is not ordinarily advised in the acute stages of inflammation of the prostate, but in cases of subacute or chronic enlargement with chronic irritation it is useful, especially if combined with saw-palmetto. I have certainly found these two remedies to work very nicely together.

In urinary irritation, common to old men with prostatic enlargement, with frequent desire to urinate, it overcomes the desire and its subsequent tenesmus, producing a sensation of restored tone. This result will occur if there is any inflammation of the bladder, provided it be combined with thuja or with chimaphila.

There is a class of these stubborn conditions that will yield to a combination of these three remedies, with perhaps the addition of gelsemium or cimicifuga, if the nerves are involved, and will induce results most highly satisfactory.

I would like to have reports of the use of this remedy in the treatment of irritability of the vesiculae seminales and of the prostate ducts not uncommon between the ages of forty-five and fifty.

Ellingwood's Therapeutist, Vol. 2, 1908, was edited by Finley Ellingwood M.D.