(Water Hemlock)
The action on the nervous system, producing spasmodic affections, viz., hiccough, trismus, tetanus, and convulsions, give the pathological picture calling especially for this remedy, whenever this is further characterized, by the more individual symptoms of the drug. Among these, are the BENDING OF THE HEAD, NECK, AND SPINE BACKWARDS, and the general action of the patient is VIOLENT, with frightful distortions. Violent, strange desires. Sensation of internal chill. Moaning and howling. Does absurd things. Marked action on the skin.
Mind
Delirium, with singing, dancing and funny gestures. Everything appears strange and terrible. Confounds present with the past; feels like a child. Stupid feeling. Melancholy, with indifference. Mistrustful. Epilepsy; moaning and whining. Vivid dreams.
Head
HEAD TURNED OR TWISTED TO ONE SIDE. CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS. CERVICAL MUSCLES CONTRACTED. Vertigo, with gastralgia, and muscular spasms. Sudden, violent shocks through head. Stares persistently at objects. CONVULSIONS from concussion of brain. Thick, yellow scabs on head. Head symptoms relieved by emission of flatus.
Eyes
When reading, letters disappear. PUPILS DILATED, INSENSIBLE STRABISMUS. Objects recede, approach, and seem double. Eyes stare. Pupils get behind upper lids as head inclines. Effects of exposure to snow. Spasmodic affections of eyes and its appendages. Strabismus; periodic, spasmodic after a fall or a blow.
Ears
Difficult hearing. Sudden detonations especially on swallowing. HAEMORRHAGE FROM EARS.
Face
Pustules which run together forming thick, yellow scabs on face and head, corners of mouth and chin, with burning pain. RED FACE. Trismus; disposition to grind teeth.
Throat
Dry. Feels as if grown together. Spasms of oesophagus; cannot swallow. Effects on oesophagus from swallowing sharp piece of bone.
Stomach
Thirst; burning pressure; HICCOUGH. Throbbing in pit of stomach, which has become raised to size of fist. Desire for unnatural things, LIKE COAL. (ALUM.; CALC.) Indigestion, with insensibility, frothing at mouth.
Abdomen
Flatulence with anxiety and crossness. Rumbling in. Distended and painful. Colic, with convulsions.
Rectum
Diarrhoea in morning, with irresistible desire to urinate. Itching in rectum.
Respiratory
Chest feels tight; can hardly breathe. Tonic spasm in pectoral muscles. Heat in chest.
Back and Extremities
Spasms and cramps in muscles of nape of neck, and spasmodic drawing backward of head. Curved limbs cannot be straightened nor straight ones bent. BACK BENT HICKWARD LIKE AN ARCH. Jerking, tearing in coccyx, especially during menses.
Skin
Eczema; no itching; exudation forms into a HARD,
LEMON-COLORED CRUAT. Suppressed eruption causes brain disease. Elevated eruptions, as large as peas. Chronic impetigo.
Modalities
WORSE, from touch, draughts, concussion, tobacco smoke.
Relationship
Antidotes: OPIUM; ARN.
Compare: CIEUTA MACULATA-Water Hemlock-(Effects very similar; the most prominent symptoms being: Falls unconscious, tetanic or clonic convulsions. Body covered with sweat. Consider in epilepsy and tetanus. Tincture and lower potencies.) HYDROCY. ACID; CON.; (ENANTH.; STRYCHNIA; BELLAD.
Dose
Sixth to two hundredth attenuation.