Chimaphila. Chimaphila umbellata.

Synonym—Pipsissewa.

CONSTITUENTS—

Chimaphilin, arbutin, ericalin, ursone, tannin, sugar, gum, resin.

PREPARATIONS—

Extractum Chimaphilae Fluidum, Fluid Extract of Chimaphila. Dose, from a half to two drams.

Specific Medicine Chimaphila. Dose, from five to sixty minims.

Syrupus Stillingiae Compositus, Compound Syrup of Stillingia. Dose, from one dram to one ounce.

Physiological Action—Chimaphila is an alterative, stimulating waste, a tonic giving strength to the body, and a diuretic, removing dropsical accumulations. While it aids in restoring the excretory functions to a normal condition, it tends to remove irritation of the urinary tract and kidneys, lesions of the skin and lymphatic glands, and deterioration of the blood, caused by the presence of waste products, the result of defective catabolism.

Therapy—Dr. Fox of New York recommended chimaphila in the treatment of glandular disorders. In 1905 he presented a very interesting piper to the New York Society on the influence of this agent in the treatment of general bubonic inflammation. He believes the remedy to be very valuable in leucorrhea, and diseases where there is an excessive outpour of mucus. He gave it also when the abdomen seemed to be filled with nodules, when there was diarrhea or cholera infantum.

He claimed that it will reduce the mammary glands if taken too long by females, and in males it will reduce the size of the testicles. It does not cause derangement of the stomach nor produce free action of the kidneys.

When the glands are large or inflamed either in the acute or chronic form he believes that this remedy is superior to our other glandular remedies, even to phytolacca. With it he can determine whether an enlarged gland is simple, or whether a tumor is developing. He gives it in bubo, ostitis, and mastitis with excellent results; also when the glands of the skin are affected.

It can be correctly adjusted to the uric acid diathesis, in dropsy, with debility and loss of appetite. Also in cases where there are inflamed and ulcerated cervical glands, enlargement of the parotid glands from retained excrementitious products, dropsy after scarlatina and measles, dropsy with debility from any cause, chronic rheumatism, skin diseases with enlarged cervical glands in scrofulous subjects, hectic fever with night sweats, enlargement of the mesenteric glands, also where there is an inflamed and swollen prostate gland, with discharge of prostatic fluid, urine thick, ropy, with bloody sediment, itching and pain in the urethra and bladder, strangury, chronic gonorrhea, chronic nephritis, urethritis with profuse and purulent discharge, obstinate and ill-conditioned ulcers, in latter stages of typhoid fever with deficient excretion, tumors of the mammae supposed to be cancerous, this agent is used.

In dropsy associated with debility and enlarged glands it should be given freely.

In acute rheumatism a warm infusion should be given till it produces perspiration, while hot fomentations of the same should be applied to the swollen and painful joints.

In obstinate skin diseases in scrofulous subjects, the tincture from the fresh leaves should be applied to the diseased skin and taken internally.

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.