Botanic Remedies 131 



able and less dangerous; for large doses of an active 

 preparation of cimicifuga are dangerous. In my 

 judgment, the influence exerted upon the nervous 

 system by large doses of cimicifuga is too irregular 

 to be of any reliable clinical value. 



Moderate doses (1 to 5 minims fl.) have a slight 

 effect upon the nervous system, thought to be 

 sedative and antispasmodic. The drug has a repu- 

 tation in the treatment of chorea. I have thoroughly 

 investigated the matter, having taken a number of 

 typical cases off from all other medication and 

 placing them upon cimicifuga alone. Chorea occur- 

 ring about the age of puberty was benefited, some 

 cases very markedly; other cases of chorea were 

 only transiently influenced, if at all. My conclu- 

 sion was that the effect upon the generative organs, 

 more particularly in girls, was such as to relieve 

 choreic seizures dependent upon irregularities of 

 uterine and ovarian function. There are three times 

 as many cases in girls as in boys; and, later in life, 

 it occurs as a complication of pregnancy. So, to 

 my mind, the cases of chorea in young people, not 

 occasioned by endocarditis or rheumatic infection, 

 are benefited by cimicifuga because it influences the 

 generative organs, and not from any effect upon 

 the nervous system as such. Much the same must 

 be said as regards the action of cimicifuga in hysteria 

 cases due to uterine reflexes are benefited; others 

 are not benefited. 



As regards the effect on the heart: cimicifuga does 

 not take the place of digitalis; but I do believe that 

 it rests an irritable heart muscle. The irritable heart 

 muscle of endocarditis, and sometimes of fatty heart, 

 may be steadied and relaxed by this drug. It co- 



