FAGOPYRUM AESCULENTUM


FAGOPYRUM AESCULENTUM. Fagopyrum, the common buckwheat, is a neglected remedy, despite the fact that it has been rather extensively proven. Its pathogenesis occupies twenty-four pages in Allen’s Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica. An instructive paper on Fagopyrum was read before the American Institute in 1873, by D.C. Perkins of Rockland, Maine, and reprinted in Anshutz’s New, Old and Forgotten Remedies.


Fagopyrum, the common buckwheat, is a neglected remedy, despite the fact that it has been rather extensively proven. Its pathogenesis occupies twenty-four pages in Allen’s Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica. An instructive paper on Fagopyrum was read before the American Institute in 1873, by D.C. Perkins of Rockland, Maine, and reprinted in Anshutz’s New, Old and Forgotten Remedies.

He says that there is no other remedy which possesses a more marked individuality and which more fully fills a place by itself. It is safe to say that not one in ten of those who practice the healing art has ever used it or is familiar with its pathogenesis. A study of the provings confirms Dr. Perkin’s appraisal of this remedy.

Generals. Burning, stinging, soreness, rawness, dryness, itching. Pulsating, fullness and pressive, bursting sensation outwards (head, eyes, face).

Aching, burning, shooting pains (limbs, face, head).

Sensation of heat, general or in local areas (hands, feet, throat, etc.).

Offensive discharges (auxillary sweat, foot sweat, stools).

Pulsation (carotids, head, hands).

Aggravations: evening (most symptoms); from heat (general itching); touching something cold (pains in hands); getting cold (pains in limbs); pressure (abdomen, liver); pressure of clothing (chest, abdomen, liver); rapid motion (most symptoms).

Ameliorations: eating (gone, empty sensation in the epigastrium, cloudiness of mind, headache, nausea, stomach symptoms, abdominal pain, pain in shoulders, etc.); gentle motion, walking in the cool, open air (pains in shoulders, limbs, etc.); cold applications (headache, etc., pruritis vulvae).

Mind: bright, active; dull, confused; inability to read or study; melancholy; irritability; aversion to mental labor; impaired memory; inability to concentrate.

Head: rush of blood to the head, vertex, occiput, forehead, behind the eyes as if pushed out; always of a bursting character; in the occiput extending down the spine; from the left eye to the occiput; burning heat; itching of the scalp. Sensations of heaviness.

Eyes: itching, smarting, swelling, dryness, redness, lachrymation. Soreness of the eyeballs, worse on moving.

Ears: burning, inflamed itching as in frost-bite.

Nose: redness, swelling. Coryza, fluent, with burning, tickling in the nose, followed by sneezing; dryness and the formation of crusts in the nose.

Mouth: sensation of dryness, yet the mouth is moist. Tongue red with cracked edges. Lips cracked and dry.

Throat: bright red; dryness, burning, rawness; tonsils red and swollen; soreness and swelling of the hard palate; elongated uvula.

Stomach: persistent morning nausea, better from eating; empty, gone feeling; canine hungers soon after eating; no appetite but as soon as he begins to eat, it becomes excessive; thirst for large quantities of cold water; watery eructations which often rise up to the throat and are so hot and acrid that they almost strangle him.

Abdomen: soreness and great flatulent distension; must loosen the clothing; tenderness in the right hypochondrium, worse lying on the right side; stitches in the liver from within outwards. Profuse, noisy, fluid or pappy stools with a foul odor, followed by tenesmus which may last for ten minutes.

Sexual Organs, Male: profuse offensive sweat.

Sexual Organs, Female: bruised, dull or burning in the right ovary; stitches in the nipple extending from before backwards.

Scanty, yellowish leucorrhoea flowing more when at rest.

Chest: heaviness; dull aching or stitching pains relieved by gentle walking; deep pulsating; uneasy feeling in the heart better from loosening the clothing; violent throbbing and palpitation; oppression of the chest; very rapid pulse.

Extremities: stinging, burning, shooting pains; soreness, stiffness or aching; numbness after remaining in one position, relieved by walking; visible pulsation of the back of the hand; pains from the hip to the lumbar region and often down the legs to the feet; weakness of the lower limbs; heat of the lower limbs, or burning of the feet in bed at night. Hot, sweaty hands; left hand cold. right hot.

Skin: sore, red blotches; eruption like flea bites which multiply on scratching; violent itching, worse from warmth; burning after scratching. Hands burn even though they feel cool to the touch.

Moist palms. Abortive boils which may reach a large size.

Fever: sensation of heat all over, especially after retiring, with restlessness; flushes of heat with slightly moist skin.

I have given only a brief sketch of the pathogenesis of this remarkable remedy, endeavoring to include all the most peculiar symptoms. In many ways it resembles a number of remedies that are better known. I have always thought that it was most similar to Sulphur, though Perkins fails to include it in the list of fifteen or more which, to him, were its nearest analogues. The empty, gone feeling is more like that of Sepia, as is the amelioration of nausea from eating.

In other respects, the two remedies vary greatly, especially as to an important modality that of the effect of motion. The Sepia patient is relieved by vigorous exercise, while the one calling for Fagopyrum is relieved by gentle movement. However, when a remedy appears to be indicated but does no t exactly fit the case. one or more of the unusual singulars recorded above may lead to a study of Fagopyrum, as for instance, sensation as if the eyes would be pushed out pain in the left eye extending to the occiput, one hand cold, the other hot, sensation of dryness in the mouth when saliva is not wanting or headache extending down the back.

I have chosen the following illustrative case, not only because it is one of the few I have cured with Fagopyrum, but also because some of my patient’s symptoms will not be found under this remedy, and may prove to be valuable clinical additions to its pathogenesis:.

Mr. H.H.S., aet. 64, has been well all his life up to several week ago. He states, “Had ten days of torture at the Mayos with no benefit”.

Frequent attacks of ophthalmia, worse in the left eye and in the morning. Swelling and redness of the eye-lids. Sensation of dryness. Eye-balls feel sore, especially on looking around. Stars or pinwheels in the field of vision. Nyctalopia.

Always catching cold; coryza, watery, slightly acrid with sensation of dryness in the nasal passages. Sneezing in a warm room. Often descending to the chest. Cough with white, tough sputum.

Sensation of dryness in the mouth but saliva is not wanting.

Dull pains in the region of the heart; stitching pains in different parts of the chest. Pulse rapid, full. Palpitation worse lying on the right side.

Pulsating in one or the other temple, in the occiput or vertex.

Ravenous appetite. Empty, gone feeling in the epigastrium. Not much thirst. Acrid, watery eructations.

Great flatulence and distension of the abdomen.

Dull pains in the region of the liver. X-ray reveals no gall-stone.

Dull pain in the left lumbar region.

Cold feet; coldness of legs and feet frequently waking him at night; or, burning of the legs as though hot water coursed through the arteries. Burning of the feet at night in bed. Numbness of the hands, legs or feet, especially the toes.

Crawling like insects on the skin of the legs.

Hot flushes or extreme heat all over the body, often after sleeping for an hour or two or lying on the left side. Must uncover and then he becomes chilly.

April 6, 1947-Worse from cold and cold air. Rx Fagopyrum 30., 9 doses.

May 22, 1947-Better in every way; feet are now warm. Rx Sac. lac.

June 5, 1947-Not so well; heart too fast. Rx Fagopyrum 30., 9 doses.

July 31, 1947-Heart much better. Rx. Sac lac.

October 27, 1947-Hot flushes at night after sleeping on the left side preceded by troublesome dreams. Night-blindness. Rx Fagopyrum 30., 9 doses.

December 2, 1947-Practically no palpitation or cold feet. Remarkably few colds. Ex Sac. lac.

January 29, 1948-Slight recurring signs of coryza. Rx. Fagopyrum 30., 9 doses.

March 16, 1948-Better in every way; no colds “this winter.” Circulation of legs normal. Rx Sac. lac.

June 10, 1948-Caught cold but it did not go to the chest. Rx Sac. lac.

October 14, 1948-Sweats when covered too much. Palpitation worse. Rx Fagopyrum 30., 9 doses.

November 16, 1948-Good reaction form the remedy; palpitation better at once. Eyes much better at once. Eyes much better. No night-blindness. Rx Sac. lac.

December 30, 1948-Palpitation. Cold feet in bed. Rx Fagopyrum 30., 9 doses.

September 20, 1949-Has been quite well till a month ago. Left eye inflamed; night-blindness. Rx Fagopyrum 30., 9 doses.

November 3, 1949-Immediate results especially as to heart and eye symptoms. Has been free from colds for a year and a half. Rx. Sac. lac.

June 13, 1950-Three months ago, attack like gall stones. X- ray negative.

June 24, 1950-Palpitation lying on the right side. Numbness much better. Rx Sac lac.

July 13, 1950-Improving. Rx Sac. lac.

August 8, 1950-“Never felt better.” Rx Sac lac. October 10, 1950-Palpitation after meals. Stitching in left side of chest. Rx Fagopyrum 10M.

February I, 1951-Chest pains gone. One slight attack of bronchitis. Flatulence worse for a few days. Less hungry but tenderness from clothing and some gnawing in the stomach. Rx Sac. lac.

Harvey Farrington
FARRINGTON, HARVEY, Chicago, Illinois, was born June 12, 1872, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, son of Ernest Albert and Elizabeth Aitken Farrington. In 1881 he entered the Academy of the New Church, Philadelphia, and continued there until 1893, when he graduated with the degree of B. A. He then took up the study of medicine at the Hahnemann College of Philadelphia and graduated in 1896 with the M. D. degree. He took post-graduate studies at the Post-Graduate School of Homœopathics, Philadelphia, Pa., and received the degree of H. M. After one year of dispensary work he began practice in Philadelphia, but in 1900 removed to Chicago and has continued there since. He was professor of materia medica in the Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago, and was formerly the same at Dunham Medical College of Chicago. He was a member of the Illinois Homœopathic Association and of the alumni association of Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia.