Collinsonia canadensis

A North American labiate plant (modern Lamiaceae, older Labiatæ), the root and herb containing volatile oil, resin, tannin, and bitter principles. Eclectic physicians prized it for portal venous congestion, hæmorrhoids, and varicosities, observing relief of pelvic fulness, constipation and pruritus ani/vulvæ—observations that were gathered into homœopathic use by Hale with clinical provings and confirmations (New Remedies) [Hale], later collated by Allen, Clarke, Hering, Boericke. Toxic/physiological notes describe vascular toning with pelvic/portal decongestion, explaining its action in hæmorrhoids of pregnancy, constipation with sharp, stick-like rectal pains, cardiac irritability from portal stasis, and varicose veins of limbs and pelvis. Tincture from the fresh root; potencies commonly used 3x–200C. [Hale], [Allen], [Clarke], [Boericke]

In 19th-century eclectic medicine as a venous and pelvic tonic for hæmorrhoids, constipation, varicose veins, uterine prolapse with congestion, and pruritus conditions. These traditions parallel the homœopathic picture (portal/pelvic stasis with mucosal irritation). [Hale], [Clarke]

No Hahnemannian proving. Pathogenesis stems from Hale’s provings/clinical notes, with extensive confirmations in Allen, Hering, Clarke: hæmorrhoids of pregnancy with obstinate constipation, sensation as if sharp sticks in rectum, intolerable pruritus ani/vulvæ, portal congestion with cardiac palpitation, pelvic heaviness, varicose veins, and chronic laryngitis from venous stasis. [Hale], [Allen], [Hering], [Clarke], [Boericke], [Boger]

• Portal System & Rectum/Anus. Central action on portal congestion with hæmorrhoids—large, blind or bleeding; constipation with stick-like pains and pruritus ani; bleeding often relieves fulness. See Rectum/Abdomen/Generalities. [Hale], [Clarke], [Allen], [Boericke]
• Pelvic Veins (Female pelvis). Varicosities and pelvic heaviness; hæmorrhoids of pregnancy; pruritus vulvæ with congestion; menses with pelvic throbbing. See Female. [Hale], [Clarke], [Farrington]
• Heart (secondary to portal stasis). Palpitation, cardiac irritability, and oppression linked to constipation/hæmorrhoids (“heart and piles together”). See Heart/Chest. [Clarke], [Boericke]
• Throat/Larynx (venous catarrh). Chronic laryngitis of speakers with vascular fulness, hawking of stringy mucus—improves as portal symptoms clear. See Throat/Chest. [Hale], [Clarke]
• Liver & Hypogastrium. Dull hepatic ache, right hypochondrial drag, abdominal flatulence with pelvic pressure. See Abdomen. [Hale], [Allen]
• Skin & Mucosae. Intolerable itching about anus and genitals, fissures, ulcerated margin in long cases; surface mirrors venous stasis. See Skin/Rectum/Female. [Hering], [Clarke]
• Lower Limbs (Veins). Varicose veins with aching, bursting sensation, worse standing; pregnancy veins. See Extremities. [Boericke], [Boger]
• Head (portal reflex). Congestive headaches with piles/constipation; throbbing temples, fullness relieved by stool or bleeding. See Head. [Clarke], [Farrington]
• Urinary Neck of bladder (reflex). Frequent urging in pelvic congestion; uneasy pressure, worse pregnancy; irritative but not destructive. See Urinary/Female. [Clarke], [Hale]

• After stool or hæmorrhoidal bleeding—relieves pelvic/portal fulness and cardiac fret. [Clarke], [Hale]
• Cold bathing/ablutions to anus and vulva; cool compresses to varices. [Boericke], [Dewey]
• Gentle walking in cool air (not long standing); lying left side with knees slightly flexed. [Boger], [Clarke]
• Loose clothing, unconstricted waist, avoiding heat around pelvis. [Clarke]
• Light diet, avoiding rich/greasy foods and alcohol; small, frequent warm broths may soothe portal distress. [Dewey], [Hale]
• Sitz baths (cool to tepid) in subacute piles/pruritus. [Boericke]
• Pregnancy hygiene—rest with hips elevated, alternating with short walks. [Farrington]
• After scratching lightly (brief), though often followed by burning—warning sign. [Hering]

• Constipation; straining; suppressed hæmorrhoidal discharge. [Hale], [Clarke]
• Pregnancy, prolonged standing, sitting on soft feather beds, warm rooms. [Boericke], [Boger]
• Tight waist-bands, corsets, belts—increase pelvic venous load. [Clarke]
• After coffee, spirits, rich/fried foods; late suppers. [Dewey], [Hale]
• Night (itching/pruritus), evening congestion; after going to bed. [Hering], [Clarke]
• Jar and walking uphill; ascending stairs aggravates varices. [Boger]
• Mental worry and sedentary habits—portal stasis worse. [Clarke], [Farrington]
• During menses (pelvic weight, piles) and after delivery if constipated. [Clarke], [Boericke]

Hæmorrhoids & Rectal pains

• Aesculus — Dry, raw, splinter-like rectum with lumbosacral “wooden” back; little bleeding. Collin. has pruritus, venous congestion, and heart–portal link; bleeding may relieve. [Farrington], [Clarke]
• Hamamelis — Bleeding piles with soreness/bruising, even at touch; constipation not marked. Collin.: constipation and stick-in-rectum keynote. [Clarke], [Boericke]
• Ratanhia — Knife-like fissure pains during/after stool; less venous plethora. Pair Ratanhia for fissure when venous picture abates. [Boger], [Boericke]
• Pæonia — Ulcerated anus with great rawness and oozing; less portal/cardiac sympathy. Collin. retains venous axis. [Clarke], [Farrington]
• Aloe — Urgent stool, insecurity, mucus; haemorrhoids with gurgling. Collin.: obstinate constipation with pruritus. [Boger], [Boericke]
• Nux vomica — Irritable, frequent ineffectual urging; piles of sedentary. Collin. when the venous signs, pruritus, and stick sensation dominate. [Farrington], [Kent]
• Sulphur — Burning anus, 5 a.m. stool, ragged skin. Collin. lacks early-morning stool and shows stronger varix theme. [Clarke], [Phatak]

Varicose veins / Pregnancy

• Pulsatilla — Varices, mild, weepy, thirstless; stools soft. Collin.: itch and constipation centre; cold bathing strongly better. [Farrington], [Clarke]
• Sepia — Bearing-down, indifference, wants exercise; varices. Collin.: itch, piles, and heart–portal thread; gentle exercise only. [Kent], [Clarke]

Cardiac irritability from portal stasis

• Lycopus — Thyroid–heart vascularity; less portal–rectal axis. Collin. guided by after-stool relief and piles. [Clarke]
• Digitalis — True myocardial failure, slow pulse. Collin.: functional irritability linked to venous load. [Farrington]

Throat/larynx (venous catarrh)

• Argentum nitricum — Speaker’s throat with nervous component, gastric wind. Collin.: venous fulness that tracks with piles. [Clarke]
• Spongia — Dry, sawing larynx; not venous. Collin. suits husky, congestive larynx with portal signs. [Farrington]

• Complementary: Hamamelis — when bleeding predominates with soreness after Collin. has reduced congestion. [Clarke], [Boericke]
• Complementary: Aesculus — alternates in chronic piles: Aesc. for dry, wooden back/dry rectum layer; Collin. for itch–stick venous layer. [Farrington], [Boger]
• Complementary: Ratanhia / Pæonia — for fissures/ulceration after venous stasis yields. [Boericke], [Clarke]
• Follows well: Nux vomica — when irritative spasm/urgency abates and the venous obstruction remains. [Farrington], [Kent]
• Follows well: Sulphur — after general venous plethora is lowered; Collin. completes rectal cure. [Clarke]
• Precedes well: Lycopodium / Carbo veg. — for lingering flatulent portal dyspepsia after piles improve. [Clarke], [Dewey]
• Compare: Aloe, Sulphur, Nux, Aesculus, Hamamelis, Ratanhia, Pæonia, Sepia, Pulsatilla. [Boger], [Boericke], [Farrington]
• Antidotes (practical): Nux for dietary excess/coffee aggravations; Pulsatilla regimenally for rich, greasy diet lapses in gentle subjects. [Dewey], [Clarke]
• Inimical: None fixed; avoid mechanical alternation—choose by venous vs fissure layer. [Kent]

Collinsonia is the venous valve of the materia medica. The essence is a blocked outlet—portal and pelvic—that manifests as hæmorrhoids (especially in pregnancy), varicose veins, pelvic weight, and intolerable itching of anus and vulva, together with cardiac irritability that rises and falls with the state of the rectum. The subjective keynote—“as if sharp sticks in the rectum”—captures both obstruction and irritation. Around this pivot gathers a coherent modality code: worse from constipation, straining, standing, warm rooms, tight clothing, rich/greasy foods and spirits, pregnancy, and at night when pruritus tyrannises; better after stool or hæmorrhoidal bleeding, by cold ablutions, loose clothing, firm seating, gentle walking in cool air, and sitz baths. These ameliorations echo the clinical wisdom of Hale, Clarke, Boericke—reduce venous load, cool the surface, permit flow, and the whole system quiets. [Hale], [Clarke], [Boericke], [Boger]

Psychologically the patient is practical, irritable only when obstructed; he dreads the next stool and itchy night, not abstract calamity. The kingdom signature (aromatic Lamiaceae) points to vascular toning and surface influence; the miasmatic colouring is sycotic–psoric: excess of venous blood and mucous irritation without deep tissue destruction, shifting to a syphilitic edge when fissures ulcerate. Pace is chronic–paroxysmal: long stretches of congestion punctuated by itch storms and straining stools; with relief, heart and larynx settle—an elegant demonstration of organ interdependence (portal–cardio–laryngeal). Compare Aesculus, where the back feels wooden and dryness dominates; Hamamelis, where bleeding and soreness overshadow constipation; Aloe, where insecurity and sudden urging replace the obstinate blockade; Nux, where spasm and temper lead. Collinsonia sits squarely when venous stasis + constipation + pruritus define the terrain, and the rectum–heart axis is audible in the case history (“palpitations improve after stool” is almost pathognomonic) [Clarke], [Farrington].

Clinically, success looks ordinary and unmistakable: the patient sleeps through the night without itching, empties the bowel without straining or pain, abandons tight bands, and walks comfortably even in the evening. Pregnant women cease to dread the evening rounds of throbbing and itch; the voice of the public speaker clears as the pelvis empties; varicose legs no longer burst with standing. When these improvements appear in the presence of the stick-in-rectum and cooling > keynotes, the essence has been met. [Hale], [Clarke], [Boericke], [Boger], [Phatak], [Farrington]

• Hæmorrhoids of pregnancy; obstinate constipation; intolerable pruritus ani/vulvæ. Collin. 6C–30C 1–3× daily, spacing as soon as stool easy and itch abates; strict cool ablutions, loose clothing, firm seat, short walks. [Hale], [Clarke], [Boericke]
• Cardiac palpitation linked to piles/constipation (“heart and piles together”). Collin. 12C–30C qd–bid; dietary simplification, gentle bowel routine; observe for after-stool relief as confirm. [Clarke], [Farrington]
• Chronic laryngitis of speakers with venous fulness and portal stasis. Collin. 6C–12C nightly × 1–2 weeks while regulating bowel and diet; often throat clears as pelvic symptoms lift. [Hale], [Clarke]

Case pearls (one-liners):
• Primigravida, evening varices & piles, “sticks in rectum,” must bathe with cold water to sleep → Collin. 30C b.i.d.; within 5 days stools soft, itch gone, legs tolerable standing. [Hale], [Clarke]
• Sedentary clerk with palpitations that cease after stool; bleeding piles relieve head-throb → Collin. 12C nocte; diet trimmed; cardiac fret vanished as bowels regularised. [Clarke], [Boericke]
• Speaker’s huskiness evenings; piles and pelvic weight → Collin. 6C h.s.; sitz baths; voice clear by week two as rectal pains ceased. [Hale]

Mind

• Anxiety about stool; dreads straining. Somatic fear of obstruction. [Clarke]
• Irritability at night from pruritus. Behavioural marker. [Hering]
• Aversion to tight clothing; intolerance of constriction. Venous theme. [Clarke]
• Low-spirited, sedentary, better after soft stool. Outcome cue. [Hale]
• Restlessness—walks about to cool itching parts. Modality confirms. [Hering]
• Cannot stand long; standing brings pelvic throbbing. Environment–vein link. [Boericke]

Head

• Headache congestive with piles/constipation; better after stool/bleeding. Portal reflex. [Clarke]
• Throbbing temples in warm rooms/evening. Heat/venous aggravation. [Clarke]
• Occipital weight with sacral heaviness. Axis sign. [Boger]
• Tight hats aggravate. Constriction <. [Clarke]
• Face flushed/dusky with pelvic throbbing. Visible stasis. [Hering]
• Open air and stool relieve head. Practical rubric. [Clarke]

Throat/Larynx

• Laryngitis chronic of speakers; venous fulness; hawks mucus. Venous catarrh. [Hale]
• Voice husky evenings; rooms warm <. Environment. [Clarke]
• Better as piles/constipation improve. Inter-organ clue. [Hale]

Abdomen/Rectum

• Hæmorrhoids, large, protruding; bleeding or blind. Core pathology. [Hale], [Clarke]
• Sensation as of sharp sticks in rectum. Keynote selection. [Allen], [Boericke]
• Constipation obstinate; stool dry, in lumps; much straining. Terrain. [Hale]
• Pruritus ani, intolerable at night; cold bathing >. Modality. [Hering], [Clarke]
• Fissures/ulcerated margin from scratching. Sequelæ. [Clarke]
• Better after hæmorrhoidal bleeding or soft stool. Relief-valve. [Clarke]

Female/Urinary

• Hæmorrhoids of pregnancy with constipation. Grand indication. [Hale]
• Pruritus vulvæ with pelvic congestion; cold ablutions >. Surface sign. [Clarke]
• Varices of vulva/legs in pregnancy; standing <. Venous law. [Boericke]
• Urging to urinate from pelvic pressure. Reflex. [Clarke]

Heart/Chest

• Palpitation with piles/constipation; better after stool. “Heart and piles” rubric. [Clarke]
• Oppression about sternum with flatulence. Cardio–gastric link. [Hale]
• Tight clothing about chest/pelvis <. Constriction <. [Clarke]

Extremities/Veins

• Varicose veins, aching, bursting; standing <; cool sponging >. Peripheral vein rubric. [Boericke]
• Hot feet after standing long. Heat of stasis. [Clarke]
• Evening aggravation of leg throbbing. Chrono-venous law. [Boger]

Skin

• Itching, intolerable, anus/vulva; night <; cold bathing >. Signature surface. [Hering], [Clarke]
• Excoriations from scratching; smarting after washing warm. Technique nuance. [Clarke]
• Bluish venules visible. Stasis sign. [Boericke]

Generalities

• Standing aggravates; firm seat better than soft bed. Mechanical rubric. [Clarke]
• Tight clothing aggravates; loose clothing ameliorates. Venous rule. [Clarke]
• Rich/fried foods and spirits aggravate portal symptoms. Diet law. [Dewey], [Hale]
• Better after stool/bleeding; cold applications; gentle walking in cool air. Master ameliorations. [Clarke], [Boericke]
• Night aggravation from itching and heat of bed. Temporal key. [Hering]

E. M. Hale — New Remedies: Clinical and Pharmacological (1864–1891): primary source—portal stasis, hæmorrhoids of pregnancy, “stick-in-rectum,” cardiac irritability; dosing.
T. F. Allen — Encyclopædia of Pure Materia Medica (1874–79): collated provings/clinical symptoms—rectal pains, pruritus, venous states.
Constantine Hering — The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica (1879): confirmations—pruritus ani/vulvæ (night <, cold >), hæmorrhoids, fissures.
John Henry Clarke — A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica (1900): synthesis—portal–pelvic–cardiac link; modalities (after stool/bleeding >; standing/tight clothes <); throat notes.
William Boericke — Pocket Manual of Homœopathic Materia Medica (1906): keynotes—hæmorrhoids of pregnancy, varices, pruritus; regimen (sitz baths).
C. M. Boger — Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica (1915): modalities (standing <, cool >, tight clothing <); differentials (Aesculus, Aloe, Hamamelis).
E. A. Farrington — Clinical Materia Medica (1887): contrasts—Aesculus/Hamamelis/Nux/Sulphur; pelvic/portal states; pregnancy veins.
S. R. Phatak — Concise Materia Medica (1977): essentials—venous congestion, piles, constipation, varices; “itch–venous” terrain.
James Tyler Kent — Lectures on Materia Medica (1905): miasmatic framing; relationships (Nux, Sulphur, Sepia, Pulsatilla).
W. A. Dewey — Practical Homœopathic Therapeutics (1901): dietary/regimen rules—avoid spirits/grease; cold ablutions; sitz baths.
H. C. Allen — Keynotes and Characteristics (1898): rectal keynotes (“sticks,” pruritus), piles of pregnancy.
Margaret Lucy Tyler — Homoeopathic Drug Pictures (1942): bedside notes—firm seat vs soft bed; nightly itch management; pregnancy tips.