Guajacum officinale, Resin of Lignum Vitae.

Botanical name: 
Please read the introduction to Boericke's tinctures.

Chief action on fibrous tissue, and is especially adapted to the arthritic diathesis, rheumatism, and tonsillitis. Secondary syphilis. Very valuable in acute rheumatism. Free foul secretions. Unclean odor from whole body. Promotes suppuration of abscesses. Sensitiveness and aggravation from local heat. Contraction of limbs, stiffness and immobility. Feeling that he must stretch.
Mind.--Forgetful; thoughtless; staring. Slow to comprehend.
Head.--Gouty and rheumatic pain in head and face, extending to neck. Tearing pain in skull; worse, cold, wet weather. Feels swollen, and blood-vessels distended. Aching in left ear. Pains often end in a stitch, especially in head.
Eyes.--Pupils dilated. Eyelids appear too short. Pimples around eyes.
Throat.--Rheumatic sore throat with weak throat muscles. Throat dry, burns, swollen, stitches toward ear. Acute tonsillitis. Syphilitic sore throat.
Stomach.--Tongue furred. Desire for apples and other fruits. Aversion to milk. Burning in stomach. Constricted epigastric region.
Abdomen.--Intestinal fermentation. Much wind in bowels. Diarrhoea, cholera infantum.
Urinary.--Sharp stitches after urinating. Constant desire.
Respiratory.--Feels suffocated. Dry, tight cough. Fetid breath after coughing. Pleuritic stitches. Chest pains in articulations of ribs, with shortness of breathing till expectoration sets in.
Female.--Ovaritis in rheumatic patients, with irregular menstruation and dysmenorrhoea, and irritable bladder.
Back.--Pain from head to neck. Aching in nape. Stiff neck and sore shoulders. Stitches between scapulae to occiput. Contractive pain between scapulae.
Extremities.--Rheumatic pain in shoulders, arms and hands. Growing pains (Phos ac). Pricking in nates. Sciatica and lumbago. Gouty tearing, with contractions. Immovable stiffness. Ankle pain extending up the leg, causing lameness. Joints swollen, painful, and intolerant of pressure; can bear no heat. Stinging pain in limbs. Arthritic lancinations followed by contraction of limbs. A feeling of heat in the affected limbs.
Modalities.--Worse, from motion, heat, cold wet weather; pressure, touch, from 6 pm to 4 am. Better, external pressure.
Relationship.--Guaiacol (in the treatment of gonorrhoeal epididymitis, 2 parts to 30 vaselin, locally). Antidote: Nux. Follow Sepia. Compare: Merc; Caust; Rhus; Mezer; Rhodod.
Dose.--Tincture, to sixth attenuation.


Boericke's Materia Medica, 1901, was written by William Boericke. Excerpt: The Tinctures.