Galium aparine
Goose Grass, Cleavers
This plant is common to Europe and America, growing in cultivated grounds, moist thickets, and along banks of rivers, and flower- ing from June till September. Its roots consist of a few hair like fibres, of a reddish color. In the green state some of these plants have an unpleasant odor, others rather the contrary; all are inodorous when dried. It has been used to filter milk from hair and dirt after milking the cow. The straw was used to prepare a bed for childbirth; it is said that the 'straw' in the crib of Jesus was Galium aparine, hence its name Our Lady's Bedstraw. This habbit may be taken from the deer, often giving birth to their young on a bed of Galium.
'A deer medicine for the nerves' (Wood; The book for herbal wisdom)
Most of the text comes from this book and its quotes from Hale.
Galium has had no proving, but it is a popular remedy for cancer given internally and used externally, and also for scrofulous swellings (around ears, under the chin, on the occiput and in the neck) and ulcers. It favours the production of healthy granulations on the ulcerated surface of cancers. Cystic mammae.
Hale introduced it in homeopathy. He gave it children with painful dysuria when the child cried and screamed at every attempt to urinate. Also for old men with irritable bladder from prostatic disease. It is further used as a diuretic and as a solvent for gravel and stone; it heals inflammations of the whole urinary tract when there is burning pain. Also in strangurie from uterine disease, hemorrhoids or irritable bladder. Gonorrhoea and syphilis seem to react well. Bedstraw is said to be specific to prevent miscarriage. Indians use Galium for bringing out the rash of measles.
Tired feet after long walks or after running long distances in messengers (9th century).
It has cured a case of a hard nodulated tumour of the tongue diagnosed to be cancer (very tender to touch and with pain that pre- vented the woman to eat and sleep), and a case of psoriasis of the hand (left) has been reported cured.
Substantial doses were given in each case; the use of Galium may give constant chilliness; and in the later poultices of the herb were used as well.
'A deer medicine for the nerves' because Wood uses it preferably for fine-boned, delicate and elegant people, who are build and nervy like deer. He sees the following pattern: people irritated by little things rather then by big problems. Patients having injuries of head, spine and nerves, rolling their neck to remove stiffness. And these patients often have eruptions or edema around the eye- lids. Other indications: epilepsy, spasms, nervous complaints in irritable persons. They may be annoyed, bored and displeased. Materia medica: Makes mistakes in calculating and writing. Optimism in spite of weakness. Nodosities and cancer of the tongue, encephaloma, epithelioma, scirrhus and cancerous ulcers. Thrush with urinary disorders.
Galium aparine and the silverseries. Again we see a nervy and refined personality with intellectual aspirations (calculating and writing). And optimism and weakness have been discussed for the family.
DD
Bariums: Galium aparinum has a high content of Barium.