Demo Description
Aconitum caule simplici; Aconitum vulgare
English: Large blue wolfsbane, Monkshood, Aconite, Helmet flower, Friar's cap.
French: Aconit napel, Napel, Aconit.
German: Napel Sturmhut, Eisenhut, Blauer Sturmhut
Italian: Napello
Spanish: Napelo
Dutch: Monnikskap
Danish: Dreumunke
Swedish: Stormbat
Russian: Borets
Natural order: Ranunculaceae
Family: Jussieu [vegetable substance] - Polyandria trigynia, L.
Mode of preparation: The juice of the fresh herb is prepared and mixed with equal parts of alcohol, yielding the mother tincture.
THE ESSENTIAL HOMEOPATHIC FEATURES
In the beginning years of my practice I used Aconite only for acute inflammatory conditions, like everybody else in the homeopathic world, because of the wrong assumption that Aconite was indicated only in acute, febrile conditions. It was only later that I discovered that it was also very useful for what could be called chronic conditions, especially chronic phobic or anxiety states. Since that time we have been using it at the Center of Homeopathic Medicine in Athens quite frequently for such chronic conditions with very good results.
Actually Hahnemann had made a similar observation when he wrote: "Although aconite, on account of the short duration of its action, might seem to be useful only in acute diseases, yet it is an indispensable accessory remedy in even the most obstinate chronic affections, when the system requires a diminution of the so-called tension of the blood-vessels."
The Reactions of Aconite
There are remedies for which the causative factor is of paramount importance in determining their indication; Aconitum is one of them.
The central theme that runs through Aconitum is an excessive excitability in the nervous and vascular systems. These systems can easily be upset by different stimuli. Modern civilization is rife with innumerable stresses — disappointments, grief from loneliness, loss of a lover, child or parent, fears, frights, failure in work or on examinations, financial insecurities, financial ruin, stresses from the weather, chemical and medical stimuli, enviromental pollution, etc. — which, if sufficiently severe, can shock an individual. An Aconitum case will not develop from all of these stresses, only from some specific ones. Aconite, for instance, is well known for producing inflammatory conditions from sudden exposure to cold, dry winds, but it has become increasingly apparent that there is another stimulus, namely sudden fright, that can also produce an Aconite state.
It is, of course, not necessary to have a history of a sudden fright to prescribe Aconite, but, if such a causation exists in the case under study, then this remedy must be seriously considered. The rest of the symptomatology will, of course, affect the final decision.
During Kent's time Aconite individuals were typically vigorous and plethoric, and he vividly describes them as such. Today's typical Aconitum cases have changed to a great extent. Of course, some of them still fit his description. They are usually sympathetic, vital, and extroverted people, yet, despite the apparent robustness of their appearance, they are exquisitely sensitive to a mental shock.
Aconite individuals will not develop their symptomatology when the shock is caused by financial ruin, an exam failure, a grievous love affair, etc. They have a specific vulnerability to sudden stresses that can create a simultaneous overexcitement of both the circulatory and nervous systems. In simpler terms we can say that an Aconite state may develop if the organism is subjected to the shock of "fright" or of "freezing." "Frightful" shocks obviously affect or stimulate the nervous sytem first and, secondarily, the vascular system, while in "freezing" it is the vascular system that is primarily affected, through vessel contraction, and the nervous system that is secondarily affected or excited.
What is important in both cases is that the systems can easily be overexcited. This actually means that the person who develops a constitutional Aconitum state under such specific stresses must have certain inherent predispositions for weakness of the nervous and vascular systems imprinted in his DNA. Not everyone who undergoes similar types of shocks will develop the same symptomatology, and, therefore, not everyone will need the same remedy.
The Reactions of Aconite
It must be understood that when we speak of an Aconite constitution being exposed to "sudden cold winds,'' we are referring to a sensation of being "extremely chilled;" he feels as if he has come very near death and reacts violently. Conversely, if an Aconitum constitution faces the possibility of dying, the experience is a "chilling death experience" for him. It is interesting here to note and understand the underlying mechanism that evokes an Aconitum state, the sudden mobilization of the vascular system — sudden intense constriction or dilatation — as a result of a strong stimulus.
The weakness of Aconitum lies in the easy mobilization of these systems, their predisposition to tumultuous upheaval. Such vascular systems, as Kent observed, are often encountered in plethoric or vigorous individuals; however, as I previously intimated, today's Aconitum patient is far less likely to possess such vigor. His robustness has been compromised by the hazards of modern civilization: poor diet, environmental pollution, constant use of chemical drugs, etc. As the plethoric Aconitum becomes more and more rare, we see fewer of the Aconitum febrile conditions of old, and instead are increasingly confronted with the mental and emotional disturbances characteristic of the newer Aconitum constitution.
Furthermore, we may, in general, say that whenever there is sudden exposure to cold and, at the same time, an immediate, violent inflammatory reaction in any system or organ, we should think of Aconitum. The poison is deadly, the effect immediate and the result violent — such are the characteristics of Aconitum.
The Fear of Imminent Death
The Aconitum picture seems to especially develop after violent events events in which the patient experiences a fear of imminent death; such as, when someone is threatened with a pistol during a robbery.
Automobile accidents and earthquakes are other types of stresses that can especially provoke an Aconitum state. The 1982 earthquake in Athens provided ample example of this observation. There were many Aconitum cases seen after this earthquake whose fears reached panic proportions; these fears were accompanied by trembling, restlessness and exhaustion from the constant anticipation of another earthquake. Aconitum 30C provided quite a bit of relief for these individuals.
Other situations or types of stresses that can induce an Aconitum stare are: entrapment in an elevator, riding on a train through a dark tunnel and suddenly experiencing an electrical blackout (The mere anticipation of such events may be sufficient stimulus.) Informing a patient prior to major surgery that it may end fatally for him, seeing one's child in a precarious position and sensing that death is near. This last causation is illustrated by the following case report.
"A little girl was accidentally wounded by a pistol. Her mother suffered mental shock, paleness and faintness, especially on attempting to sit up; great concern for the result. Relieved after a dose of Aconite." - J.C. Morgan, M.D.
The important element in all of these situations is the sudden fear that death may come to the individual or to his beloved ones at any moment. Aconitum contains this element strongly in its causation. In febrile states this very same idea overwhelms an Aconitum case. The fever is so severe, so sudden that the patient is convinced that he is not going to survive, that he will die soon.
In the acute state, as mentioned, the fear is that "they will suddenly die at any moment." In chronic states the fear is that death is nearing; it is a fear that death will occur within the next few months (up to a year or so). Only seldom will Aconite predict death at a precise moment; such as, "I am going to die when the clock strikes eight." They are absolutely sure that because of their condition they are not going to live very long. They make preparations for death, such as writing their will, etc. If one does not know that this element belongs to Aconitum pathology, one might think that the patient is just being prudent in making such preparations, but in such cases the driving force is the fear of dying, a fear which is not justified by the pathology of the case. This conviction of imminent death has nothing to do with reality and must be taken as a symptom.
The Mental-Emotional Structure
Let us now review Aconitum as it is seen in the patient of today. Because Aconite cases of today so seldom present with the traditional physical inflammatory reactions of old, it is critically important to understand the remedy's inner mental-emotional structure that its current indications might be better recognized.
The shocks in an Aconitum case penetrate the entire body and mind and send the whole organism into a shudder, into extreme trembling with tremendous restlessness, unrelieved by any change of position, and an agonizing fear of death. Phobias, especially of death, that persist for years can result. It produces a fear that death will come on suddenly, when least expected; this phobic state is not constant, but rather one that comes in fits. The fear is most accurately expressed as a "fear of impending death." We witness this kind of picture today in patients suffering from phobic neuroses. From time to time, with or without small provocations, acute states erupt with the above characteristics.
In the provings Aconitum has produced a sudden tumultuous stimulation of the vascular and nervous systems, bringing about fear, heat, flushing, strong palpitations or arrhythmias and eventually coldness - blueness, small pulse and death. Vertigo and, often, one-sided numbness of the face or body can result. The numbness can be severe or can resemble a tingling state; it may affect the whole body. Aconitum patients will suffer from episodic spells of any or all of the above symptoms; that is, the pathology takes the form of separate crises which last from but a few moments to a few hours.
The attacks are not regular, nor are they constant; they come in fits, in sudden acute crises and can come at any time and as a consequence of any stimulus. The most important point is that in almost all cases we see a tremendous fear of death, which sometimes reaches panic proportions, in addition to the feeling that death is imminent. A Physician attending an Aconitum patient in a crisis may hear the patient saying that he has "come too late," that he will "die soon," this being another expression of the presentiment of death. The books say,
“Predicts the time of death”, and while it is not always expressed in exactly these words, the patient's comments will have the same implication. A similar fear of death during pregnancy or during labor can be seen and is a keynote for this remedy. In chronic conditions the patient will not make such specific predictions; he just has a general presentiment that death will come soon and suddenly. For instance, a woman may fear that she will die before she can bring up her children. This is an almost clairvoyant perception; in fact this remedy often has clairvoyant experiences and in particular clairvoyant dreams.
The Complaining, Reproaching and Wailing
Aconite patients have a disposition to weep; they moan, and complain bitterly, with fears, despair, and loud whining. Here are a few examples: He has a feeling as if something is kicking in his heart and an overwhelming fear arises. In this state he does not want to do anything, and, if forced to do it, he will have the tendency to break the things he is handling. Any kind of outside pressure gives him the impression that he is going to have a brain stroke or heart attack.
In the past she loved her family, children, husband, etc., but now she avoids them because they irritate her and she cannot tolerate any contradiction from them. Anything that the husband does is wrong. She does not know why she is behaving like this, but she cannot avoid it. She tries to suppress her anger, but she feels such rage inside that she wants to kill somebody. Although she loves her husband, she wants to kill him.
The Plethora
Here it should be noted that Aconitum patients have a desire to be the first in whatever they are doing; it is difficult to suppress this inclination. If they do try to suppress it, a boastful attitude usually results. A similar result - appearence of another deeper disturbance - applies when discharges are suppressed. The suppression of anger can also have adverse consequences. Also, if any of their desires are not appeased immediately, they fall to pieces. Great impatience is characteristic of the remedy; time seems to pass too slowly while waiting.
The Anxiety Attacks
Picturing an Aconitum individual with the intense fears, pounding tachycardias, arrhythmias, or other intense symptoms, one might expect to see a plethoric and intensely communicative patient in the consulting room, but this is not the case. When he is not in a crisis situation, he will be calm and quiet. He will appear fairly normal. Even his descriptions of the crises will not be very intense. However when the crisis comes, the violent intensity, panic, and fear surface to an unbelievable degree.
These sudden attacks of anxiety are of such an intensity and so overwhelming that they normally cannot be controlled at all. They are like a storm coming on, a storm which overcomes the psyche and produces a terrible state of panic-stricken fear. But despite their anxiety these patients will still try to control their fears, and if their efforts are successful a kind of internal trembling and shaking occurs sometimes, invisible to others. In this situation, even during the crisis, it is not necessary to see the patient restlessly running around or tossing about - it may be enough to perceive the sense of agony and despair exuding from such patients to prescribe this remedy.
Chronic Aconitum conditions are typified by intense exacerbations interspersed with completely normal intervals. It is as if Aconitum cannot go on having attacks all the time because the attacks are too strong, too terrifying for the patient to survive a constant onslaught.
The anxiety state of Aconitum can be reflected in many symptoms/syndromes. Here are some examples:
Flickering before vision makes him anxious on the street, he thinks he constantly jostles the passers by.
He needs to press his heart and at the same time breathe deeply because he is afraid his heart will explode.
Inconsolable anxiety, sad wailing; peevish and impatient.
Anxiety is transiently ameliorated by drinking cold water; followed by apathy; with cold sweat.
Anxiety as though a great misfortune would happen to him. Increased anxiety, followed by total apathy.
Anxiety which does not allow him to remain in one place, he must constantly walk about.
Anxiety and peevishness,with fine stitches in the side of the chest, then palpitation at the pit of the stomach, and pressive headache. Inconsolable anxiety and piteous howlings, with complaints and reproaches about unimportant matters.
Pitiful anxious complaints, with fears, despair, loud wailing, weeping, and bitter reproaches.
He cannot banish anxious apprehensive thoughts, even in gay company
Suddenly, as he is walking or sitting, a sudden feeling of faintness and intense weakness overtakes him that may last for one or two days.
The Sadness and Indifference
Aconitum can show a completely different picture which is far less known than the anxiety and restlessness. Many homeopaths would never think of Aconitum when they see a person who is very sad or apathetic and indifferent to everything.
In this particular state of mind he whines and howls piteously and weeps without cause. Music is unbearable to him because it makes him sadder. He desires to be left alone, shuns other people, does not want to talk and if someone asks a question he answers only with a yes or no. It is as if he has lost all affection for anybody and he becomes indifferent to his relations, friends and persons he normally loves. He sits buried in thought. He may even think about committing suicide by jumping from a high place or from a train.
This state of mind appears sometimes after a long period with very severe anxiety attacks. It seems to be a kind of reaction, as if he could not endure his panic anxiety any longer and therefore found an escape in a state of emotional indifference or a suicidal mood.
Here it is important to note the polarity that appears quite often in Aconitum cases. Most patients have fear of death and agonising restlessness, but a few will manifest the opposite extreme and actually desire death. Sometimes the two states alternate. A similar opposition can be seen in fevers. In such instances rather than the usual restlessness and fear that accompany high temperatures, we witness indifference, exhaustion and sleepiness or a stupid, groggy feeling.
All of the above symptoms do not necessarily have to be seen in one individual for him to be given Aconitum. Some people will have fear of death, vertigo, fear of fainting, and tachycardia; others may have trembling, arrhythmia, perspiration, unilateral numbness (e.g. numbness of half of the face,) etc.
Another group of patients may experience a type of extreme psychogenic dyspnea, similar to that of Lobelia but more intense, which causes them to inspire deeply, loudly and with great anxiety. We may also see flushes of heat involving parts of the body, especially the head. There are also allergic eruptions surfacing after flushes of heat. The time of aggravation in general is during the night, especially from midnight to 4 A.M. There is generally an aggravation from sudden changes of temperature. Once the chronic state of Aconitum has become established, the acute exacerbations or crises can be precipitated from either sudden dry cold, dry heat, overheating, or warm rooms.
The Sympathetic Element
These patients are very sympathetic. They need company and are usually extroverted, but they do not like consolation. They express their feelings easily. The sympathetic element leads to a state of anxiety about others. They are very concerned about their relatives and friends, and they react exaggeratedly when something happens to someone about whom they care. They erupt emotionally when they hear news of something bad happening to a friend. The reaction is out of proportion to the significance of the event. Because of that element, Aconitum patients do not like to hear bad news. One should not be misled into prescribing Aconitum simply because a patient has such a symptom. The whole picture must be seen to justify the prescription of this remedy — the intense crises with panic, fear of death, tachycardia, perspiration, etc. Prescribing solely on a symptom such as "anxiety about others" is an example of "one-dimensional" prescribing which is not only misleading but erroneous. Even if only one symptom exists upon which to prescribe, it must be viewed in a three-dimensional context if there is to be any hope for success in keynote prescribing. To glean an impression of what is meant by three-dimensional prescribing let us consider the differential diagnosis of one symptom — anxiety about others — and the corresponding remedies:
The Aconitum sympathy is reactive. It consists of an emotional eruption or explosion; such as, " Oh, my God! What shall we do!" Such reaction arises especially when the patient is suddenly faced with a severe health problem or, even worse, an accident concerning one of his relatives. Aconitum is especially afraid of accidents and consequently over-reacts when hearing of one. The anxiety about others is very intense and disproportionate to the reality of the situation. Stoicism is not Aconitum's long suit; his reactions are immediate and exaggerated.
Sulphur will not show such anxiety. He will worry only in special situations. Sulphur is anxious about his children. It is very seldom that he worries about anybody else, being in essence quite self-centered. If his child is late coming home, he starts to worry. He will be unable to sleep, will walk up and down imagining that the child has had an accident or some other mishap. When his son or daughter drives into the driveway, all of his concerns evaporate and he goes back to sleep.
Phosphorus will have a completely different kind of anxiety. He shows great affection and concern for everybody, even recent acquaintances. He becomes especially concerned and attentive if he hears of their having a health problem. His involvement is genuine, his sympathy for them great. Phosphorus does not display the imaginative worry that Sulphur does; he suffers only when he actually encounters a situation in which another person is suffering, and then he empathizes intensely.
A Phosphorus mother has to get up in the night to see whether her little baby is breathing, or is alive. A Phosphorus patient who is confined to the hospital will not be able to tolerate the pain of his roommate; he will persistently ask the nurse to do something to alleviate his pain. The same is true in Causticum, because of the extreme sympathy towards the pain of others that the two remedies have.
Arsenicum is also anxious about others. In this case it is an inner anxiety. The objects of his anxiety are those who are close to him— father, mother, brother, etc. These people provide him with a sense of security; thus, he himself feels threatened when they are not well. It is a self-motivated anxiety for others; he wants them to be well so that they can help him.
Baryta carbonica has a sweet concern about the people who are looking after her. She is very concerned that something may happen to them though she feels completely inadequate in doing anything about the situation. Baryta carbonica will display a lot of silent sympathetic concern which others can feel, but underneath there is a terror that something may happen to the individuals that take care of them or protect them. This is a genuine concern but one arising from a feeling of insecurity, inferiority and helplessness. They fear that they will be left completely unprotected, unable to fend for themselves if something happens to their protector. They resist even thinking of such a possibility.
Cocculus has a passive anxiety about others — a type of anxiety that makes him stay in the hospital the whole night, attending one of his relatives and not sleeping for an instant. His anxiety that this relative may die is so great that he does not allow himself to relax. Cocculus does not think; instead he acts almost instinctively when one of those he loves is in danger. He seems not to feel the tiredness while in the grip of his anxiety for others and their welfare. His anxiety, though, is limited to those he loves.
Causticum has a more general anxiety or rather compassion about others, that is so great that he suffers when he hears or he even reads that others are suffering, or are under a kind of suppression by authorities or injustice. It is enough for him to read in a newspaper or to see in television that people, even in a foreign country, are starving and he is affected so deeply that he has to weep and he gets extremely excited.
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Demo Description
Aloe vera, Barbadensis vel Socotrina, Aloe Soccotrina N.O. Liliaceae Family: Jussieu [vegetable substance] - Hexandria monogynia, L. Mode of preparation: A tincture is made from the fiery red gum of the plant by trituration.
THE ESSENTIAL FEATURES
This is a remedy that primarily affects the digestive system and more especially the end of the large intestines. Its tendency is to produce an engouement of the veins causing fullness throughout the body, but more especially in the liver region, an abdominal, rectal and intestinal fullness. The main pathology in which you will find Aloe to be indicated is spastic or ulcerative colitis.
I have found, however, that the great characteristic of this remedy is a preoccupation that the patient has with his pathology, that is to say with the whole cycle - eating to excreting. Aloe is easily disturbed by the intake of food, its digestion and its expulsion.
If you should have such a case, and treat it for a long time before recognising it, you will find that the patient takes on a hypochondriacal attitude towards his "stool" and the disturbances that accompany it. The patient may complain constantly about being unable to have a normal stool, and though there may be several stools a day he remains unsatified.
Actually Aloe can produce a state where the intestines work intensely, as if inflamed for a few days, where the patient may have several stools a day, and then for a certain period of time there may be total inactivity. Stool is not diarrhoic, but soft, unformed and can come several times in the morning, for several days, and this in a crescendo, e.g. three times the first day, four times the second, five times the fourth etc. This can then be followed by an obstinate constipation for two or three weeks, during which there may be no stool, or very little, passed with great difficulty.
Together with this or a similar situation the patient may feel an uncertainty concerning the rectum. He may often pass some flatus, and accompanying this, or instead of it, a little bit of a soft stool. The patient knows this and tries to control it, but there is excessive flatus in the abdomen and a lot of rumbling and gushing; much gas is evacuated with stool, but he gets little relief and you will tend to prescribe Podo. or Lyc. with little or no effect.
This syndrome seems to annoy the patient tremendously. He may become angry against his disease and almost constantly preoccupied with his stool. Why can't I have a normal stool? Where is this condition going? Am I going to have a normal stool or not? Today I did not have any stool, and so on and so forth. He is so preocccupied with it that he will give you the impression that he is very anxious about his health. If you ask him directly whether he is afraid of having cancer he will deny it but he will accept that this whole situation annoys him tremendously and makes him somewhat anxious.
There seems to be a disturbing feeling originating from the rectum; this may be due to a number of causes, namely: an intense itching deep in the rectum, a sense of fullness as from the presence of stools that cannot come out, deep pain from hemorrhoids, the fact of having mucus in the stool, or some involuntary discharge of stool or mucus. Whatever the cause, the result is always the same: tremendous annoyance that leads the patient to despair, and sometimes leads him to put his finger right into his rectum to relieve the itching or whatever other feeling may be there.
Your final observation will be that "his stool and his rectum" preoccupy his mind so much that he cannot think of anything else; this at least is the impression that he will give you.
A grand keynote of Aloe that can always guide you to this remedy is the lack of control he has over the sphincters of the anus in both acute and chronic conditions. Kent describes this beautifully for the acute state: "Dysenteric and diarrhoic troubles. In the attack of diarrhea there is gushing of thin, yellow, offensive excoriating faeces, which burn like fire, and the anus is sore. He holds the stool with difficulty, does not dare take his mind off the sphincter because as soon as he does so the stool will escape. He cannot let the least quantity of flatus escape, because with it there will be a rush of faeces. With the Aloe diarrhea the abdomen is distended with gas, causing a feeling of fullness and tightness, and he must go often to stool.
Little ones soon after they begin to walk, will drop all over the carpet, involuntarily, little yellow drops of mucus and faeces,..There is a lack of control of the sphincter. This state is not always confined to diarrhea because sometimes children will go around dropping involuntarily little hard, round, marble-like pieces of stool. They do not even know the stool has passed... "
I had a case of chronic spastic colitis with a lot of rumbling and flatus and distension, with little pain in the abdomen and an amelioration in the evening and I prescribed Lycopodium in different potencies with very little effect, then I gave Gambogia and Podophyllum and waited but no effect. I took the case again and again until I learned, out of a direct question, that sometimes the patient would have a little involuntary stool thinking that it was flatus; she confessed further that at least three times during the last few years she had had an involuntary stool during sleep that passed out unnoticed, a complete evacuation. She was too shy to tell me all that from the very beginning, and did not think that it was that important as it happened infrequently. Aloe brought about a relief not only of the spastic colitis but of her mental state as well.
Looking upon the case in this way we notice the great annoyance which the patient suffers from the stool and rectum. The patient becomes irritable and hateful, dissatisfied, discontented and his conduct repels others. The Aloe case may become cross and peevish, without any reason, but especially in cloudy weather. Dissatisfied and angry about himself. In the text it says loathing of life during pain, irritability during pain. All this seems to be connected with the functioning of the digestive cycle.
Sometimes the patient may become particularly angry if somebody expresses a different opinion; he then has to restrain himself not to hit the other person, not to be violent. All this turmoil upsets him enormously however, and he starts having pains in the abdomen, and more distention and more flatulence and more irritability. He knows that by becoming so angry inside he will have to suffer.
Aloe appears to be a rather calm and stoic individual in spite of such inner irritations. To others he looks calm and serene and takes up a rather philosophical attitude. He looks content. Aloe individuals appear to be phlegmatic and indolent. Underneath there is actually a state of indifference. Indeed I have often found a state of resignation from life, an attitude such as: "I know there is no hope. I will die soon, but it does not matter really". A loathing of life is apparent, where it seems as though he were not interested in continuing to live, though the pathology does not at all justify such an attitude. In the books we read: "Tranquility, serenity, reconciled to fate." Further on we read: "predicts the time of death", but this symptom, if you should find it, is only expressed in this way in the acute states.
There is a strong fear on seeing blood which may cause Aloe to faint, also fears of doctors, of hospitals, of being alone and of high places.
Aloe people seem to be rather closed up and do not establish deep relationships.
The Aloe organism is one that goes up and down easily, and has alternating states. For instance he can be excited easily, the face becoming flushed, heated up, the mind racing with thoughts crowding each other, and then a change can take place leading him to a state of lassitude and indifference. The mind can be very active for a certain time, followed by periods of exhaustion and indolence with an aversion to mental work. Mental exertion makes him feel worse.
This kind of functioning of the mind, for instance discontent in the morning followed by contentedness in the evening, is similar to the one we see in rectum: a lot of successive stools and then a period of constipation. In remedies we must try to see patterns rather than symptoms; be aware, however, and make sure you see the real ones and not imaginary ones. Once you understand the pattern you can recognise it with greater ease in a case than a keynote which can often be misleading.
A usual time of aggravation for Aloe is undoubtedly the time after eating. Immediately after eating his mood changes, he wants to be by himself, wants to remain silent, immersed in his own thoughts. Many times he becomes anxious or indifferent. He may have fainting spells, vertigo or headache. A similar condition will appear in case of abnormal or inefficient stool.
What is important for you to remember is that his mood changes once the process of digestion starts and will not stop until it is finished.
Of course this is an exaggeration, but the underlying idea, the pattern, is correct.
It is an organism that labours under the effort of processing food and expelling the waste. It is aggravated with irritability before stool, or if the stool is insufficient, but we do not see the real amelioration after stool characteristic of Natr-s., or Calc-carb. On the contrary we see a general weakness, a faintness after stool, and in severe acute cases Aloe may fall into unconsciousness during stool.
The time of amelioration of this remedy is in the evening, the anxiety, the irritability, the discontent, the sadness are all better in the evening.
Generalities
Suitable for obese people with sedentary habits, of a lymphatic or hypochondriacal temperament. Phlegmatic, indolent.
We must stress also the portal congestion, the portal stasis and the propensity of this remedy to manifest haemorrhoids which protrude like "a bunch of grapes".
Weakness with perspiration; entering a warm room; after vomiting; from sour food. Fainting after diarrhea, also after stool. Desire for cold air. Sensation of congestion and fullness all over the surface of the body. There is orgasm of blood with anxiety and restlessness. Sensation of a plug internally.
Aggravations: There is a general aggravation from heat; after eating; from oysters; in warm season; in a warm room; in the morning at 5 or 6 a.m. Aggravation of colitis symptoms with beans and peas.
Amelioration in cool open air, with cold applications, passing flatus, after tea. Needs stimulants
Aloe has a reputation for clearing a case after a lot of medication. I have not been able to understand this reputation or to justify it.
Vertigo – Head
There is a peculiar vertigo as if elevated higher than he actually is, as if he is sitting in a very high chair, which is felt mostly after meals.
Vertigo while reading; after fright; from stooping; rising from a seat; after congestion; from sun; from suppression of menses; from concussion.
A child during teething turns suddenly red and falls unconscious.
Head congestion due to venous stasis. He has to sit up. The head feels hot and he wants something cool on it.
Burning headache as of brain agitated by boiling water.
Hyperemia of the head during stool. Pain in the head before stool. Headache from insufficient stool.
Dull headache across the forehead with heaviness in eyes and nausea.
Headaches are aggravated by heat and ameliorated from cold applications.
Headaches before and after menses, ceases during menses.
Sensation as if air is passing through the head. Sensation as if the head is enlarged.
Pain in the temples extending to eyes.
A great peculiarity of this remedy is the alternation of symptoms of the head with different other symptoms.
Head symptoms alternating with abdominal or uterine symptoms or with backpain, lumbago. Headache alternating with hemorrhoids. Dandruff.
Eye
Congestion of eyes. Lacrimation.
Closes the eyes partially from pain in the forehead.
Twitching of eyelids during day time, more of the left. Pain deep in the orbits.
Flickering before the eyes. Colours before the eyes; yellow rings moving in front of the eyes.
Dim vision while writing. Scotoma.
Ear
There is a peculiar sensitivity towards sounds, mostly musical, which can make her tremble. She hates it (in hysteria).
On pressing the teeth together a sensation of numbness behind the ears.
Tearing pain in left and then in right ear.
Noises and pain in ear while chewing. Cracking noise while moving the jaw.
Nose
Coldness of the tip of nose.
Redness of nose in the cold open air while the rest of the face is not red. Bleeding after waking.
Dryness of the nose.
Burning pain during coryza.
Face
Heat of the face during excitement and during headache.
Lips dry and cracked. Dry and scaly, continuously licks them with the tongue.
Lips red, cracked and bleeding.
Mouth
Yellow white discoloration of tongue.
Sensation of coldness of the left side of the tongue.
Sore spots inside cheeks. Difficult to protrude the tongue, causes pain. Yellow ulcers in the mouth and tongue.
Taste like ink or iron in the mouth. Metallic taste.
Tongue and mouth dry.
Accumulation of saliva in the mouth.
Sensation as if the palate was swollen.
Throat
Thick lumps of jelly like mucus in the throat which come out easily early after rising.
Rough, as if burnt.
Pain in the throat as if soft palate and uvula were swollen.
Stomach
In the stomach in general we observe an immediate association between the appetite and eating and the functions of digestion. There is definitely an inbalance which appears in different ways like :
Increased appetite in the evening, also in the morning after stool.
While having diarrhea the appetite is increased.
After eating there is pulsation and sexual irritation.
Hungry after stool. Empty feeling in stomach after stool. Indigestion.
The stomach is disordered from beer and from wrong diet.
Desires juicy things, fruits, especially apples; salty things. Aversion to meat or desire for meat.
Thirsty during eating. Thirsty after supper.
Bitter eructations and pains after drinking water. Pains after breakfast.
Eructations ameliorate a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
Sour things disagree with him, cause indigestion and a general feeling of weakness.
Pain in the pit of stomach from a mis-step.
Hematemesis.
The stomach pains are worse from jar and motion and usually extend upwards towards the chest and throat.
Vomiting of thick mucus on going to stool, or after drinking water.
Distension of epigastrium and both hypochondria.
Fullness in epigastrium with great desire for stimulants.
Abdomen
In the abdomen we see a lot of characteristic symptoms as this is the area of special action of this remedy. The fullness, the distension, the dragging down sensations prevail.
There is fullness due to portal stasis, irritation of the mucous membranes of the intestines with a lot of mucous discharge and weakness of the muscular structure especially of the sphincters of the anus.
The abdomen feels full and bloated with gurglings before stool. There is heaviness in lower abdomen with dragging down sensation. Prolapse of rectum.
Distress and a kind of anxiety felt in the abdomen before stool.
The pains in abdomen tend to extend to different directions. It is one of very few remedies that have this tendency.
Pain in the hypochondria extends to the chest. Pain extends from the inguinal region down to the legs and knee.
Pressing pain from the sides extends to the navel.
Pain from the umbilucus or the lower abdomen extends downwards, to the anus. The peculiar thing is that this pain will appear immediately after the stool or in the effort to have an unsatisfactory stool. The pain is better lying on abdomen or bending forwards.
Dull pain, uneasiness, tension in the liver region, worse when standing, has to bend forwards.
Discharge of flatus relieves pain in the abdomen. Sensation of pulsation during night in bed.
Constant rumbling in abdomen, with a feeling as if they must have a stool, but no evacuation following (in cases of severe gastroenteritis).
Rectum
Sense of insecurity in the rectum, he is not sure whether stool or flatus will pass.
Stool escapes with the flatus or even during urination. It seems that the least pressure on the sphincters will make them give in. Before stool, much rumbling in the bowels, accompanied by the escape of large volume of wind.
Involuntary stool during sleep, after eating, during urination, on walking. The stool is formed and can also be hard.
Stool passes unnoticed in little children.
Has to rush to the toilet otherwise feels that he will loose stool
Sensation of paralysis in the rectum.
Sensation of a plug between the pubis and the coccyx with urging to stool.
Bowel motion every time he moves around.
Anus feels weak, mucus oozes out, soils the underpants and irritates the patient tremendously.
Hemorrhoids that protrude like a bunch of grapes.
Diarrhea: after eating unripe fruits, oysters; from been overheated; before menses; from vexation
Diarrhea early in the morning about 5 or 6 am, driving him out of bed.
The diarrhea is better when lying on his abdomen and worse when standing and worse walking
Diarrhea alternates with constipation.
Constipation of old people. Constant desire without effect. Can pass a stool only when urinating.
Intolerant itching in rectum, ameliorated by cold bathing, has to stick in his finger to ameliorate the distress.
Stool burning excoriates rectum
Pain in the rectum extends to abdomen.
Burning pain in the rectum after flatus. The burning is ameliorated by cold bathing.
Cutting pain after stool.
Pulsation in rectum while sitting.
Sudden urging for stool on passing flatus; after eating; on rising; while standing; all symptoms pointing out again the basic weakness of the rectum.
- Stool: cream colored,
- Stool: first hard and then soft
- Stool: hot, burning excoriating the rectum
- Stool: lumpy and liquid
- Stool: sputtering
- Stool: watery, bloody, yellowish-greenish.
Urinary Organs
Involuntary urination in the aged, bearing down sensation and enlargement of the prostate gland. Dribbling with enlarged prostate.
On passing urine feels that stool will escape.
Frequent urging with burning during urination.
Urination retarded, must wait for urine to start.
Sediment bran-like, granular.
Urine copious, offensive, putrid.
Male – genitalia
In the male we see either impotency with coldness of the scrotum and indifference, no desire at all, or easy excitement especially after the urethra has been stimulated with urination or involuntary emissions.
Penis shrunk, atrophied, testicles cold. Impotency. There is neither desire nor erections. They can be easily disappointed from their own performance in sex, they feel they cannot satisfy the partner, which makes them lose their desire and potency. In general the libido is not strong. Erections in children.
Involuntary emissions during sleep at night, in the morning and during siesta, followed by sexual excitement and erections.
Sexual irritability, erections without desire after eating. Sexual excitement after urinating.
Seminal emissions from slight fright, from noises.
Affections of the prostate gland.
Female – genitalia
The desire for sex is less than normal and the pleasure is local.
Fullness and heaviness felt in the uterus, feeling of congestion worse when standing.
Labour-like pains extending to the rectum or to thighs.
Menses early and profuse. Menses can easily be suppressed if she takes a cold bath, even washing herself locally the menses may stop.
Leucorrhea of bloody mucus preceded by abdominal colic.
Cold feet during menses.
Chest
Hoarseness of voice on waking in the morning.
Tightness of chest, congestion. Bronchitis.
Cough which is better on lying on abdomen and worse standing.
Cough worse in the act of rising from a sitting position.
Winter cough with tickling.
Respiration difficult, impeded because of stitches on the left side of the chest.
Pain in chest from rising after stooping. Pain on the sides of chest on bending forwards.
Pain in the heart extending to back. Pain on deep inspiration.
Back
Pain in lumbar region alternating with headaches or hemorrhoids.
Pain in back on beginning of menses.
Pain from lumbar region extending to rectum.
Pain in sacral region worse sitting and better moving about.
Extremities
Coldness and numbness of the extremities are very prominent symptoms in this remedy.
Cold hands alternating with cold feet. Cold hands with hot feet. Warm feet with coldness of the rest of the body.
Pains of the extremities of all kinds. Pains as if bruised, dislocated.
Drawing pains in the joints.
Soles painful walking on a hard surface.
Feet burning during fever, uncovers them.
Sleep
Sleep is easily disturbed by joyful news, from coldness of hands or feet, after midnight until 5 a.m.
Wakes early at 5 or 6 a.m. with urging to stool.
Sleeplessness from itching of the anus
Dreams amorous; of stool, excrements, that he is soiling himself; of becoming insane. Dreams of monsters.
Fever
Heat in spots.
Succession of stages, heat and then sweat and then heat again.
Skin
Eruptions mostly in winter.
Spots that once scratched become painful and sensitive. Heat of the surface of the body.
CLINICAL
Affection of anus. Constipation alternating with diarrhea. Gastroenteritis. Cholera. Dysentery. Hemorrhoids. Proctitis. Prolapsus uteri, anus. Affections of prostate. Lumbago. Pain in sacrum.
CAUSATION
Sedentary habits.
RELATIONSHIPS
It is related to: Aescullus, Podoph., Sepia It is complementary to: Sulphur Remedies that follow well: Kali bichromicum, Sepia, Sulphur and Sulphurosum acidum
ANTIDOTES
It is antidoted by: Sulphur, Mustard, Camphor, Lycopodium and Nux vomica.
DOSAGE
From 3x to the CM.
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Demo Description
Anacarduium orientale
Semecarpus anacardium
English: Marking-nut tree, Malacca bean
French: Anacarde, Anacardien, Anacarde a feuilles longues, Feve de Malac
German: Elephantenlaus, Malakka-nuss, Elephantem Laeusebaum, Anakardiem baum
Italian: Anacardos
Spanish: Anacard
Dutch: Anacardienboom, Hartjes
Bengal: Belaluhi
Natural order: Terebinthinaceae.
Family Jussieu [vegetable substance] - Pentandria digynia, L.
The name is derived from two Greek words, “ana” - without, and “cardium” - a heart, because the pulp of the fruit, instead of having the seed enclosed, has the nut growing out at the end of it. There was a discrepancy as to whether Anacardium was the nut of the Semecarpus anacardium, or the Marking-nut Tree, or the seed of the Avicenna tomentosa, or Malacca bean, but as Hahnemann described the nut, it leaves no doubt that he was talking about the Semecarpus anacardium.
THE ESSENTIAL FEATURES
The concept of inner conflict or of mental schism is central to Anacardium. There is a rather specific dimension to the conflict; that is, it focuses on the desire of the individual to prove himself to others of importance to him and to the world. The conflict arises because, despite this determined will to prove himself, the person suffers from a profound inferiority complex.
The Inner Conflict
Anacardium is reluctant to admit his feelings of inadequacy, and he attempts to subjugate his lack of confidence with his will to succeed. The stress provoked by this effort creates an extremely painful conflict, a conflict resulting in great suffering for the affected individual. For example, a man is treated somewhat badly by his superior at work. He suffers hurt feelings as a consequence and begins to feel ill at ease while on the job. As the conflict with the superior continues, it eventually assumes the character of an internal conflict in which the employee feels torn between quitting his job and remaining in order to prove his worth. While his rational mind dictates that he leave, another part implores him, "No. You must not leave. You will stay, suffer if need be, and prove that your superior is wrong. You are really capable, really good. You can prove yourself!" Such a conflict can persist for a very long time with dire consequences for the health of the individual.
Another characteristic example: a husband is at times prone to criticize his wife; he treats her a bit badly or unjustly. This maltreatment is magnified enormously within an Anacardium individual. She readily adopts deep feelings of inferiority, but at the same time she decides to prove herself. She embarks upon a program of self-improvement. She begins attending seminars, studying, etc. However, to the Anacardium patient, her husband will continue to seem to constantly belittle her. Subsequently she is disheartened and an inner conflict arises. She tells herself, "I must leave him. I must separate from him and get a divorce. I'm going mad; this situation is intolerable." But at the same time she cannot leave; she continues to want to prove herself, to eradicate her sense of inadequacy. She continues in this conflicted state without any peace of mind until she finally has a nervous breakdown, goes into a depressed state, and eventually wants to commit suicide by shooting herself or jumping from a high place.
The Feeling of Inferiority/The Lack of Self-Confidence
Together with the feeling of inferiority, there is a great lack of self-confidence. This is expressed in different ways. A student knows that he has studied his subject well and that he knows it, yet the thought comes that he will fail in his examinations. The anxiety that develops is so great that he actually fails his examinations. His mind is blocked and there is almost a hysterical reaction with flushes of heat, an upset stomach, heaviness in the whole head, etc. He knows that he is worthy, and, after speaking with his teachers or parents, for a moment he is further persuaded that he is worthy, but after a while the thoughts return and torment him. A feeling of cowardice develops.
In another example one may see a doctor, a microbiologist, who has a responsible post in a hospital and in whom everybody places a lot of trust, yet every morning on going to the hospital he has the thought that he is not capable of this position, that he will make a mistake and that he will be ridiculed by his colleagues. He goes to the hospital expecting that at any moment he will make a mistake, and, when in this state, his mental clarity sometimes does suffer lapses, causing him to make mistakes, thus confirming and strengthening his belief. Eventually his life becomes unbearable; he withdraws from others, broods, becomes morose and depressed. The interesting thing is that he may say that he logically knows that he is capable and that he knows his subject well, but thoughts centering on his lack of self-confidence persist and overwhelm him.
The student of homeopathy has to understand that in the above case the pathology is so deep and painful for the individual that everything else is of minor importance. It is the intensity of this symptom and this symptom alone that will lead us to prescribe Anacardium, ignoring all other symptoms. In such cases one may see no aggression or cruelty; the organism is occupied solely with this pathology on a very deep level.
The lack of self-confidence can be expressed in different ways in different stages of the pathology of Anacardium when this is not the main symptom. These patients will not say, "I have a lack of self-confidence," but will provide statements which are indicative of an underlying insecurity or inferiority complex. Some such expressions might be:
Very timid; she felt that everyone was looking at her when she walked in the street.
"I cannot express myself."
She feels secure in her own home, but when alone in her room, she fears that someone will enter and kill her. She fears cars in the street.
He does not want to communicate with new acquaintances, having an inimical attitude towards everyone.
As stated previously, Anacardium is the most prominent remedy for lack of self-confidence, the other major remedy being Baryta carbonica. Here it is important to comment that the symptom which is depicted with the highest degree in the Repertory does not always have to be depicted to such a degree in the individual. In both of these remedies an inferiority complex will be apparent; on comparison, however, they are completely different. Baryta carbonica will manifest an inferiority complex from the very beginning of life, childhood, to the end of life. Baryta carbonica does not want to become a grown-up with responsibilities; she feels that it is too much for her and wants to remain protected, like a child. She feels that she cannot undertake and accomplish anything. Baryta carbonica very frequently corresponds to those elderly people who simultaneously lose their mental powers and their self-confidence. Baryta carbonica is also very soft, timid, and very irresolute. Anacardium also has great irresolution, but these people are not soft; they are hard people. There is a hardness inside them which prevents their yielding to their suffering, prevents their giving in to the urge to escape a conflict-ridden situation. They will tell of tremendous suffering; e.g., that their husband hits them or curses at them, etc., but they will endure it with the intention of proving themselves. Their inferiority complex prevents them from seeking a better situation, from establishing a new relationship, new job, etc.. Anacardium persons want to prove themselves. One can see a somewhat similar dynamic when observing Anacardium persons arguing. They are prone to foolishly prolong a losing argument despite their obviously weak, uninformed position. This kernel of hardness expands with time to affect the entire organism. These people become increasingly hard in order to cope with their life circumstances. To others they appear strong, uncompromising, unyielding and hard. Eventually the hardness can reach the point of cruelty.
The Misanthropic Tendency
When in this weak state in which they completely lack confidence, they have no feelings of love or warmth. They feel isolated and unprotected and may need somebody to be with them all the time for support, yet at the same time they have an aversion to being with people, especially strangers: aversion to company. Anacardium individuals can become real misanthropes, with a fear of associating with others. Eventually they will reach a stage of paranoia where they suspect everybody and feel that they are being followed, pursued by others who want to do them harm.
The Hardness and Cruelty
Anacardium is also one of the first remedies to consider for cruelty. These people can be extremely cruel to both people and animals. They are capable of torturing animals and can be indifferent to the torture of humans; they may even enjoy seeing others suffer violence. It is as if they are devoid of all ethical feelings of morality. Of course, there is a spectrum of degrees of hardness in Anacardium that ranges all the way up to people who are capable of inflicting torture; not all Anacardium patients manifest cruelty, but the element of hardness is quite common.
Most of these people possess a deep feeling of inferiority and inadequacy that they are unable to escape. Such a sense of inferiority may be appeased by the feeling of power that can be bestowed upon one by an authority; for this reason, one might expect that many of the cruel and sadistic interrogators working for repressive political regimes may be sick people needing Anacardium as their constitutional remedy. Working in such a capacity, their urge to subjugate others and to torture can be fully satisfied. They are deprived people without morals, but with malice, who suddenly find an outlet to express their maliciousness. It is a perverted state. It is intriguing that during the interview these people do not appear capable of cruelty; they seem soft and nice. One might even be inclined to confuse them with Staphysagria during the first interview. However, when they are given authority by another, the cruelty can emerge. Again, the violence of Anacardium dwells in the interior of these people; externally they appear quite placid. Sometimes the hardness gives way to a complete lack of self-confidence, and a person who was considered strong, hard or even cruel completely loses these characteristics and becomes a "little nothing," with no confidence at all and a desire for encouragement and approval at all times.
The Double Will
There are stages in the development of the Anacardium image. All of the symptomatology of this remedy is not apparent from the outset. For instance, the familiar personified double wills of Anacardium - an angel sitting on his right shoulder telling the patient to do one thing and a demon on the other telling him to do exactly the opposite - arise only in the late stages of pathology, especially with the begining of schizophrenia. It is an hallucination. This familiar theme, expressed in the above manner, which appears in the texts will not be encountered in the vast majority of Anacardium patients. The conflict will instead more often manifest itself in different ways and to varying degrees with such expressions as:
"I hate my sister and I love her at the same time." "I am two persons; one criticizes people and the other justifies them." "There is a conflict inside me between the love I have and the feelings of hate that were left inside me after a certain period in my life." She fears that she might hurt herself or others, something that she does not want. "I have become wild. I cannot tolerate anything. I swear badly over trite things, or say very bitter things that hurt others quite deeply." In a quarrel she had with her brother she wanted to harm him. She grasped a knife to throw at him, but at the same time she grabbed the knife she was thinking, " I will harm him and I will undergo the consequences. I shall hurt him and punish myself afterwards." "I feel as if my mind is separated from my body." Disposition to laugh at serious things while he may remain serious when he should laugh. He laughed during his father's funeral; he makes jokes when everybody else may be in tears from a scene in the street or cinema.
All these examples portray, to varying degress, the same idea, the idea of a schism or a strong internal conflict.
Anxiety about the Future
In the first stages of the development of pathology, the suffering provokes an anxiety about the future. They experience a constant sense of insecurity. They anticipate that small problems are going to expand into major ones. This anxiety, suffering and fatigue generated by perpetual inner conflict lead to an eventual compromise of mental vitality. They start suspecting that everything will go wrong and become suspicious of everything around them.
Memory
Memory loss is another characteristic of Anacardium. Initially the effect on memory is forgetfulness. They will be unable to recall what they have read. The mind is rendered empty from the effort made in trying to prove themselves. It resembles a form of mental paralysis.
There is one specific arena of life which is especially prone to evoke the Anacardium picture - school, especially around the time of examinations. A student, who has perhaps suffered the indignity of having been criticized by his teacher, will be determined to prove himself by excelling at his examinations. In the midst of his studying he will be overcome by a sudden profound loss of confidence. He will then feel unable to take the examination. His mind has become a blank; he is unable to remember what he has studied. There are other remedies that can similarly correspond to pre-examination difficulties and which, by way of contrast, we will briefly describe. Again, that which distinguishes Anacardium is the urge to be first - to prove oneself - in the face of perceived criticism; e.g., "My teachers do not acknowledge my abilities."
Gelsemium will present an entirely different picture. Those requiring Gelsemium will experience intense fear at the thought of appearing for an examination; a feeling of paralysis and trembling often accompanies this anticipatory fear. Unlike Anacardium, they encounter no difficulty while studying; they have the stamina to study, and they do not suffer a similar memory loss. With Gelsemium the focal point of their difficulty is imagining themselves before the examiner, especially for an oral examination; that image paralyzes them with fear. They will say, "No, I cannot do it. It is better that I do not go. I give up." Gelsemium will want to give up; they are softer, far less determined than Anacardium. The fear in Gelsemium is an expression of cowardliness.
The case of a man, a student of economics in England, illustrates the Gelsemium dilemma. He was the son of a very rich man. When initially seen, he was almost at the point of quitting school. He was quite lazy and was unable to pass his examinations because he could not muster the initiative to study. He spent his time living a carefree life, drivng expensive cars, entertaining girlfriends, etc. He felt that he could not concentrate, that his mind wandered. He wanted to succeed in school, wanted to study, but he was just too lazy. One dose of Sulphur greatly affected him. He was subsequently able to study and passed one examination after another... until he arrived at the final stage of his school program. The school was quite difficult, very demanding. The professor of his final course had already failed him three times. He became afraid of this teacher. He phoned his parents, telling them, "I have studied the subject completely. I know it very well, but I am not going to take the examination. I cannot. " The parents phoned me asking what they could do. This was quite a different situation from before; there was no longer the laziness of Sulphur, but a lack of courage to appear in front of the teacher. A repetition of Sulphur, here, would do more harm than good. This was a Gelsemium situation. [The practicioner has to be aware of such subtle differences if he wishes to prescribe correctly.] I recommended that he take a dose of Gelsemium 1M the day before the examination. He did so, appeared for the examination and did very well.
Picric acid will also be frequently indicated for pre-examination difficulties. The causation in Picric acid is overexertion and fatigue of the mind. These are people who have studied very diligently for a long time and who, as a consequence, have overexerted themselves. They do not experience the conflict of Anacardium nor the cowardliness of Gelsemium, but rather predominantly suffer from a tiredness of the mind. They may say, "I am so tired. I feel as if I have been thinking for ages." The feeling of mental fatigue is unrelenting and will induce them to want to quit and forego the exam. In this state even five minutes of studying will be exhausting.
One must exercise caution in discriminating between these remedies for they may all complain that they are exhausted. Therefore, one must look at the case deeply in order to ascertain the underlying reality. In the Anacardium case there will most probably be an underlying conflict, a strong desire to succeed, and a subsequent sudden loss of memory. Later, as the case advances into the next stage of development, peevishness, irritability, and violence may appear. The pathology develops progressively; it originates predominantly as anxiety and insecurity; later the aspects of the inferiority complex, of cruelty and the double will become more prominent.
In the second stage of development the memory deteriorates even further. Their memory loss may become so extensive that they begin to fear the loss of their sanity. This is not a fear of insanity as such, but rather, because of their profound decline in memory, a fear that their health is going to take an ominous turn for the worse, that something very bad is going to happen. They suddenly realize that they are unable to remember anything, even from one minute to the next. Some will describe it as if "someone or something is holding my brain," not allowing it to work. The mind becomes feeble; he feels as if he is in a dream and does not have a direct perception of reality. The mind feels sluggish and dull. It is a state bordering on imbecility.
It is important again to emphasize that loss of memory is a very important characteristic of Anacardium, and, as stated, this memory loss is precipitated by the suffering produced by the anxieties and insecurities. A businessman whose business has been doing quite well suddenly begins to encounter one problem after another. He becomes anxious and subsequently notes that he can no longer remember anything. He has to make lists of things to remember. This symptom evolution can occur within a span of six months to a year in a person only thirty years of age. There is forgetfulness in the morning, especially on waking.
The Irritability and Violence
The irritability of Anacardium arises as these people begin to lose control of themselves. The constant suffering generated by their inner conflict, their struggle with their sense of inferiority, gradually erodes their control, allowing irritability and violence to surface. They may break all the things around them in a quarrel if they cannot harm the person involved. The irritability and the feeling of inferiority are connected; for instance, these people are liable to misinterpret someone else's behavior as an intended slight against them and react to it with irritation. Someone enters a room with flowers, for example, and the Anacardium woman is likely to respond, "Oh, you're bringing flowers for your daughter." In fact, the flowers may be for her, but her first reaction is to assume that the gesture is intended as an offense. Her feelings of inferiority do not allow her to accept that someone is willing to care for her, or be nice to her, or show her love and affection.
At this stage in the pathological development of Anacardium these people have no belief in love; they believe in brutal force. Anacardium patients who are quite introverted and capable of introspection will describe themselves in the following manner, "I have lost my control. I really want to do harm. I don't care about anything any more." They will report these symptoms as if they are not natural, integral aspects of themselves, but as something apart. The more assertive Anacardium patients are unable to take the least offense without rapidly flying into a temper. One of the initial expressions of their irritability is a great tendency to swear. This tendency may take place in a person who never before even thought of swearing. For instance, it may happen that after a shock a headache develops, and with it there arises this peculiar tendency.
Anacardium is one of the main remedies for those who have an irresistible desire to curse (Nitric acid, Hyoscyamus, Nux vomica). Subsequently, if the disturbance is left to develop, an increasing aggressive urge may appear, evoking more hostile actions; teenagers, for instance, may become juvenile delinquents, committing mischievous, malicious acts such as slashing tires, hitting people with chains, etc. They may join marauding gangs of hooligans. Some Anacardium patients may say that they experience violent thoughts only (e.g., shooting or stabbing people), without ever reaching the point of actually commiting violence.
Initially the natural feelings of tenderness, love, and sympathy diminish, leaving behind a dullness, blankness and hardness of emotions and thoughts. This torpor of the emotions occurs as a consequence of the suffering previously described, and this emotional void allows for the emergence of cruelty. After constant shocks, disappointments and hardships, they become insensitive, their emotions stilled, and they find that their stagnant emotions can only be, in a sense, revived by performing cruel actions. Their cruelty can almost be a source of joyfulness for them. The lack of emotional liveliness, the hardness represents significant pathology. It can be likened to a hard tumor - a tumor of the emotional body.
Some may see a similarity between the emotional inertia of Anacardium and that of Sepia. Sepia, however, will never enjoy doing harm. They will say, "I have no emotions, and I don't care." Sometimes they may become so irritable that they hit their children, but as soon as they do so they will suffer remorse and feel emotionally exhausted. This state is quite different from that of Anacardium. Another similarity is that in Anacardium, once the emotions have become blunted and hardened, there is a lowering of sexual interest which can develop into an aversion to sex.
Cruel Anacardium people who harbor malicious feelings toward the world can eventually develop paranoia. They will begin to believe that everyone is their enemy, that they are pursued by enemies. They are afraid of everybody, even those who may approach to hug them, and become suspicious of everything. As they progress further, they may enter a delusional state in which they feel as if they are living in a dream. Reality and dreams intermingle as their confusion increases. It is at this point that they will say, "I have an angel on the right who says to do the correct thing and a demon on the left who says to do the wrong thing. Someone is telling me to do one thing, and someone else is telling me to do the opposite." This delusion is characteristic of a patient who is approaching the final stage of Anacardium. As we have noted, not all Anacardium patients will express such a division in this way nor in the way it is expressed in the texts, but there is a similar idea underlying their symptomatology. The irresolution, the hesitation, and the lack of confidence are manifestations of that theme. The constant second guessing about a course of action, the questioning of one's capabilities, etc. creates a split that progressively enlarges until a schizophrenic condition may develop. Finally there is the appearance of fixed ideas involving the belief that they are double, that they have a demonic half. They see devils and angels, etc., the main idea being that of a schism.
The Religious Aspect
On examining the lives of most Anacardium patients one would not be inclined to identify them as religious people. On the contrary, they are people who believe in human power. As the pathology progresses, however, there is a tendency to develop a religious turn of mind. This attitude, though, is not one that is motivated by a true religious spirit. These are people who have engaged in much cruelty, who did not care about others; they have lived a life of hardness and eventually reach a point where they ask themselves, "Have I done right or wrong?" They become afraid of God and of angels; they fear the consequences of their past actions and become preoccupied with their salvation. Thus, we can see how these people, who had previously exhibited cruelty, hardness and violence as part of their sickness, now take on a religious bent. It is pathology, not spiritual maturity.
There may be some tendency to confuse Anacardium with Lycopodium. There are several distinguishing points. Lycopodium will not want to assume responsibility; they will try to shun it. Even their family can become a burden, and they will contemplate deserting them. Anacardium, on the other hand, will attempt to undertake responsibilities to an extreme degree in an effort to prove themselves. These two attitudes are wholly dissimilar. Lycopodium persons are not cruel; they are cowardly. They have anxiety about their health and anxiety about seeing blood. Anacardium could well enjoy seeing blood. Blood and violence stimulate them; their stilled emotions are aroused by violence. Otherwise, in the later stages, they are incapable of the more usual forms of emotional arousal. They have experienced a lot of suffering, and, as a consequence, their emotions have become blunted. This scenario is unlike Lycopodium. Lycopodium people are selfish; they like to enjoy themselves. They are often among those who, when attending seminars, conferences, and the like, will show no restraint. They will be eager to establish a licentious relationship with any woman to whom they are attracted. Their pleasure is a priority. This is an aspect of Lycopodium that serves to illustrate the significant differences between the two remedies.
An important point to emphasize in the recognition of Anacardium patients is that in any given patient there is usually a preponderance of one of the following pathological states - either the inferiority complex, the cruelty or the double will. Patients should exhibit evidence of at least one of these qualities to justify the prescription of Anacardium on the basis of psychological symptoms alone.
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Demo Description
Apium virus. Honey-bee poison.
N.O.Insecta
Tinctures are made of the whole bee or of dilutions of the poison with alcohol.
Apis is a large remedy that has been but partially understood and little used, mainly because of a lack of appreciation of the inner nature of the remedy. Kent probably felt similarly when he said in his lecture on Apis: "We must be able to see in the general beginning of provings the disease which they resemble, for we do not always see the remedy in the advanced state. We see the disease in a state of progress and must be able to see it in the beginning. As was the disease in the beginning so was the remedy in the beginning. Things that have similar beginnings may have similar endings."
It is the subtle changes in the behavior of people in the beginning of illness that most of the time foretell and determine patho/ogica/ changes in the end. To be able to code these subtle changes is the main objective of this materia medica.
To understand the inner pathology and the idiosyncracies of this most interesting remedy we have to look upon the effect that the bee sting has on the human organism and its side-effects: a sudden edematous swelling which is hot, burning and stinging, and which forces the person to shriek because of its suddeness and intensity. Few people stung by the bee will not give a shout of pain. Sometimes the effect can reach the proportions of a severe generalized allergic reaction in a very short time and can be so serious as to endanger the life of the person who is sensitive to its poison. There is an obvious aggravation from heat and touch. We know all too well how bees do not like to be touched or interfered with, and how they cannot stand the heat well.
The entire pathology of this remedy is built primarily around these external manifestations, as well as some other characteristics of the bee yet to be discussed. If we keep this picture in mind and try to understand its analogous action upon the rest of the human body, then we will be able to recognize the action of the remedy from its beginnings right through to its different advanced pathological states.
The edema of Apis, characterised by burning and stinging, will naturally be aggravated by heat and touch. You cannot aproach the bee, and the Apis person definitely does not like to be touched. The Apis patient does not want to be touched in painful areas, whether physical or psychological. Additionally, the heat of a room, or the radiant heat of a fire, or a warm bath with its hot vapors not only can aggravate pre-existing pathology, but can also provoke it. The aggravation from touch is quite a strong feature of this remedy. For instance, in cases involving an inflammation in the abdominal area, touching the abdomen is likely to provoke stiffening and tightening of the abdominal muscles.
Whether acting upon the skin or the mucous or serous membranes, Apis' tendency is to create edema, effusions, retention of water within the tissues. Water appears to be entrapped in certain parts and cannot be eliminated via natural avenues. This pronounced tendency may lead to general anasarca. "The face is greatly swollen at times, the eyelids look like water bags, the uvula hangs down like a water bag (emphasis mine), the abdominal walls are of great thickness and pit upon pressure, and the mucous membranes in any part look as if they would discharge water if they were punctured," writes Kent.
This being said, it is understandable that this remedy should have no desire to drink water. It is one of the most thirstless remedies of the materia medica because there is retention of water in the tissues; any more water would simply aggravate the situation. However, in cases involving dehydration resulting from the pathology, such as cholera infantum, typhus, diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, even abscesses, etc., we may see the opposite - insatiable thirst. When there is retention of water in the organism, there is a notable thirstlessness, but where we find loss of fluids due to the pathology, we may see excessive thirst.
The edema or the effusions of this remedy are not minor, accidental events, but the main pathognomonic manifestation of its pathology. As mentioned, this remedy has a great preference for collecting and retaining water in certain areas. Acting upon cellular tissues like the eyes, face, throat, uvula, ovaries, etc., it causes edema. Acting upon the membranes covering the heart, the brain, or the lungs, it causes effusion. Kent writes: "The outer part of man is his skin and mucous membranes. When we are dealing with man from centre to circumference, we think of the innermost as the brain and heart and internal organs that are vital, while their coatings and coverings are external. Apis affects the things that are external, it affects the envelopes, the coverings (emphasis mine). You notice how frequently it affects the skin and the tissues near the skin, and it also affects the envelopes, the coverings of organs; for example the pericardium. It establishes serous inflammations with effusion thus we see that the coverings are especially affected by Apis, viz., the skin, the mucous membranes and the coverings of organs."
Such observations are all too important when studying a remedy, but again we should not adhere to such ideas in a superficial way. For example, in a singular action upon the kidneys, Apis forbids the passage of water, causing a generalised anasarca. Can we say that this is something external?
The edemata or swellings usually manifest themselves with great rapidity and intensity. In such cases we see a very rapid effect upon the lower extremities. As an example, you may have a case of severe enterocolitis which is not doing well. On visiting the patient the morning after your first visit you are told that he has passed very little urine. You note the patient's swollen lower legs, which can be twice their usual size, and then you watch in amazement as the swelling moves upward toward the thighs by the hour. This will most probably be a case of Apis.
An analogy may be drawn between the retention of water in these patients and the way strong emotions are retained, creating an "excitable" state. Apis individuals possess intense emotions which are not easily expressed. They are people of passion and intensity, especially in the sexual sphere, but they feel awkward if they express these feelings. For this reason, they keep their emotions hidden, and the pressure of these pent-up emotions can create an extreme sexual fervor which cannot find deep release, thereby resulting in nymphomania in some cases.
It is interesting to note the inclination of the bee to find "nectar" and to impulsively "attach" itself to that sweetness, while at the same time reacting aggressively in case of interference with its activities. It attacks with a blind passion both the nectar and the intruder who tries to approach or touch it. Here there is a very interesting similarity with the personality of Apis - they cannot detach themselves from the "honey" once they have found it.
This is not a question of immorality, but rather of passion. A woman will start an extramarital affair with the idea of stopping it as soon as possible, but she becomes caught and cannot give it up. It is too appealing to her sexually even though she continues to respect her husband and does not want to break up her marriage. She actually can enjoy both her husband and her lover. This story may seem quite common, especially in Mediterranean countries, but it is the result of pathology in Apis individuals.
These people become so involved in sexual play and enjoy it to such an extent that they will become lewd. One must understand that they reach such states because of an inability to express their emotions and erotic needs in a natural and comfortable manner.
Another striking similarity with the honey bee is that the bee is constantly busy, constantly working; it labors in pursuit of the "nectar" as if it were a great pleasure to do so. It is significant perhaps that we prescribe this remedy mainly for two mental conditions: one is a form of "busy insanity", in which the patient is constantly busy doing things, and the other is an erotic insanity! Such analogies may not seem "scientific," but they help to understand and to remember the essential features of the remedy.
Erotic insanity and sexual mania, especially in women, both form part of the mental pathology of this remedy. Manic-depressive states consisting of eroticism during the manic state and complete apathy during the depressive state could need this remedy. Ailments from sexual excesses is an Apis characteristic. The husband of an Apis patient might be heard to say, "The woman is terrible in bed." By this he means that she is very active and lewd, that there is an almost violent frenzy in her sexual behavior; she needs constant stimulation and never seems to be satisfied. It is a state similar to Cantharis ; indeed, Apis will actually antidote the effect of Cantharis upon the genitourinary organs. These two remedies antidote each other if the seat of trouble is the genitourinary area.
The above description should not give the student the mistaken impression that all Apis women are "nymphomaniacs," but only that they usually have an increased sexual appetite which can sometimes reach such extremes.
In this remedy we may see nymphomania or sexual mania in women coexisting with, alternating with, or stimulated by cystitis. Another interesting characteristic of Apis in women is the easy development of cysts in the ovaries, or enlargement of the ovary, especially on the right side. The cyst can be enormous and can develop in a considerably short time. When you have a case of an ovarian cyst in a sexually frustrated woman which has developed in a short time, is enormous in size, and is soft, as if full of serum, then most probably you have a case of Apis.
You should remember here that the development of the cysts is proportionate to the frustration of the woman's sexual demands. I have seen enormous cysts of this kind disappear in a very short time under a high potency of Apis in women who had been subject to "relationship" stress involving sexual frustration for a long time.
In Apis we see also a strong tendency to jealousy, which is to be expected in such sexually driven women. Ailments originating from jealousy may be seen.
It is interesting to observe that a person suffering emotionally because of some frustration connected with love may often have a weakened heart; such a person could develop a heart complication, pericarditis for instance, as a result of a common cold which has progressed to bronchitis. It seems that once the organism's resistance is lowered, the organ that has been chronically compromised is more liable to break down. Although this theory may seem a gross simplification of the complicated and highly sophisticated biological processes which take place in the human organism, you will nevertheless often perceive such a connection in your cases if you look deeply into the real, dynamic causation of each case. Such perception requires that we evaluate each case on a level far deeper than that of gross pathology.
Just as the heart may be impaired by romantic frustration in Apis, the reproductive organs and the kidneys may suffer as a result of sexual frustration.
The fact that Apis is a jealous remedy could lead to confusion with Lachesis, especially in light of other general characteristics common to both remedies - an aggravation from heat and touch, and an amelioration from cold. Yet the jealousy of Apis is different from that of Lachesis. The jealousy of Lachesis is much more insane and unfounded than that of Apis. Lachesis is tormented due to its suspicion; Apis does not suffer so. The Apis jealousy usually arises for the following reasons: these are sexually passionate people whose intense sexual behavior can approximate, if not parallel, that of the sexually maniacal, yet they are clumsy in expressing their feelings and emotions. This combination of clumsiness and sexual ardor leaves them feeling constantly insecure about their partner. Apis women, for instance, are constantly apprehensive that they may lose their husband to another woman, that he will have sexual experiences with other women of an intensity similar to that which they share within the marriage. They have great difficulty in discussing such concerns however.
They will observe certain signs in their partner, flirtatious behavior for instance, and they will not say anything; however, the poison of jealousy will begin to consume them. Eventually, after many such "signs," their suspicious nature, which had previously remained dormant, will explode in a fit of jealousy. In their rage they will say things which hurt the other person deeply, and regret it later. They sense their own awkwardness, their lack of smoothness and admire how others can express themselves so easily, smoothly and calmly, even in matters like jealousy. After several such explosions, their sexual desire becomes suppressed, and the pathological process which eventuates in an ovarian tumor or cyst begins. It is as if the sexual energy, unable to gain expression, acts destructively.
At this stage they try to laugh and to look happy, even though they feel unhappy and miserable. In our texts it says, "Simulates hilarity while he feels wretched." This is a great keynote for this remedy. They do not want to show their misery, and, even more, they try to give the opposite impression - they pretend to be happy. In our texts we read, "exaggerated joy." It is a peculiar state bordering on hysteria or mental imbalance. Also, "laughing at misfortunes," another characteristic mentioned in the literature, has to be understood as an unbalanced expression of the emotions. They probably feel so awkward at being touched by misfortune that they burst out laughing instead of crying. There is definitely an hysterical element in Apis which makes these patients laugh over serious matters, sometimes with a silly or stupid expression on their face. They do understand that this behavior makes them look ridiculous, but they cannot help themselves.
It is not that they do not complain; indeed, they will often express dissatisfaction and find fault with everything and everybody. But at other times they will try to conceal their misery by maintaining a joyful fagade, especially if they are amorously interested in somebody.
One has to see the clumsiness and awkwardness of Apis to believe it. Regardless of how careful they may try to be, they will knock over two or three glasses when reaching across the table for the salt While walking on a perfectly level street, they will somehow manage to suddenly trip and fall to the ground. If you ask them what happened, why they fell so suddenly and easily, they will not answer; they themselves do not know. They feel awkward; they are awkward. They will knock over both the bedside table and chair before reaching their bed at night, even though that same table and chair have been in that location for a very long time.
They seem to walk in a manner suggesting that they are rushing to get something quickly, without consideration of the surrounding topography.
This clumsiness is the exact opposite of the famous ability of the bee to orientate itself and locate objects spatially. Many Apis patients seem to have lost this faculty, especially when they are in a hurry. They give the impression of being internally busy or preoccupied; it is as if they are absentminded and an awareness of the location of external objects does not register in their minds. Kent goes so far as to say that this disturbance in coordination is the result of a faulty nervous system.
When they try to express their own emotions, they exhibit a similar clumsiness. They are "bumpy" with their expressions, finding it difficult to discuss their emotions in a smooth way. A natural and easy manner of self-expression is denied them, even though they harbor strong emotions. They prefer to contain their emotions, and if they do express them, they do so "jerkily."
Apis individuals are closed, not because it is their nature to be so, but because they do not know how to express themselves. It is this state that makes them often feel irritable, discouraged and weepy. They feel like crying all the time. Kent writes, "The symptoms themselves are great sadness, constant tearfulness without any cause, weeping night and day; cannot sleep from tantalizing thoughts and worrying about everything...; extreme irritability, borrowing troubles about everything. Absolutely joyless. No ability to apply things that would make her happy or joyful.." They try to hide their misery, but at night they will stay awake with depressing thoughts. Eventually, they arrive at a point where they are ready to cry with the least provocation. They may also react aggressively and quarrel for even insignificant reasons.
The state described above can arise after suffering a love disappointment, a grief, or as a result of some other cause for unhappiness. A woman hearing, for instance, that she cannot have a child because her ovaries are full of cysts might go straight into such a state.
These persons try to be kind, to behave in an obliging, even cordial manner. It is only when they are irritated that they will rage, their tongue becoming like the sting of the bee. Then they will suddenly explode and say things that can really hurt another person. They may lose control and want to break things, to strike objects around them or themselves - "knocking his head on the walls or against things."
Apis, however, is the only remedy in the materia medica that suffers so much after the rage has passed. After such an explosive release of uncontrolled emotion, they feel ill for quite sometime. Women erupt in red patches around their face or external throat and may suffer headaches, etc.; men might develop a fear of having a heart attack or a brain stroke. The rage seems to induce a surge of blood to the head, hence the subconscious fear.
Another fear of Apis that I have seen once, but very strongly, is a fear of birds; in her case it was so severe that she said, "I would prefer to have a snake near me than a bird."
This remedy, like Natrum muriaticum, has ailments from grief, also ailments from the over-excitement of emotions, such as rage or fury, fright, jealousy; bad news and mental stress are other causations. It is a remedy that is very much affected by the state of the emotions. For example, a characteristic symptom of Apis is: "After severe mental shock paralysed on the whole right side." There is also a possibility that one side of the body will display twitching or intense motor activity while the other side remains motionless, as if paralyzed.
Apis is considered complementary to Natrum muriaticums, and the two remedies will complement each other in either sequence. While Natrum muriaticum may remove many of the results of grief in a patient, certain bodily symptoms may develop which point to Apis and which will be deeply and lastingly cured by this remedy. The two remedies also share similarities, among them: awkwardness, hysteria, a closed personality, and an impassioned self-abandonment in sexual relations; however, Natrum muriaticum is always more romantic and refined, whereas Apis is more coarse and more earthy sexually. Apis is very passionate and deals with others roughly, especially on the emotional and sexual levels. Natrum muriaticum, on the other hand, is a much more refined and sensitive individual, one who cares very much about hurting others and strives not to do so. Both are not overtly sexual in the beginning of a relationship, but once they have established a rapport with their partner, they can behave quite lewdly. Apis women, in particular, do not have the ability to make contact easily with members of the opposite sex and can, therefore, suppress themselves for a long time, but once they have established a relationship, they let themselves go.
From the description of Apis provided so far, the reader will have understood that Apis is an explosive remedy in many respects. We see the same explosiveness, the same suddenness, the same rapidity in the development of the diseases for which it is indicated. There may be a sudden, explosive effusion on the meninges, for instance, and the sudden pressure can make the child shriek with pain. Apis is well known for that symptom, which used to be referred to as a brain cry, a symptom which has been known to appear mostly in inflammation of the meninges or in conditions characterized by increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure on the brain. The pain in Apis comes suddenly and so piercingly that it forces the person to shriek. The shriek or the cry seems to come from the deepest recesses of the organism, causing a chill in the listener. Shrieking in children during sleep, during dentition or after vaccination for polio are symptoms of Apis. Apis is indicated in cases of hydrocephalus manifesting this same kind of shrieking.
In heart conditions such as pericarditis we see the same intensity and the same suddenness, the same intense effusion.
"In those intensely violent and rapid cases of diphtheria in which the whole throat fills right up with edematous swelling, the uvula hanging down like a transparent sac filled with water, and the patient is in imminent danger of death by suffocation from actual closure of throat and larynx, there is no remedy like Apis," writes Nash. But Kent gives another hint - "Apis cures diphtheria, especially when there is a high grade of inflammation and the membrane is scanty or comes slowly or insidiously ... the parts are edematous and the soft palate is puffed like a water bag, and the uvula hangs down with a semi-transparent appearance like a bag of water. All around the throat and mouth there is an edematous condition looking as if it would flow water if pricked." Such vivid descriptions should remain fixed in the memory of the student because it is the impression of a condition that will give the clue to the correct remedy.
We will also observe intense excitement reaching states of delirium in a very short time in cases of congestion or inflammation in the brain; e.g., meningitis or meningoencephalitis; excitement in hydrocephalus. The delirium becomes most prominent at night during sleep and is at its worst after midnight; loquacious delirium; "sexual delirium." There is all this activity at night, but the next morning she is depressed, apathetic, and totally uncommunicative. The midnight aggravation is a characteristic of the remedy.
In similar conditions we observe hallucinations: that he has died or is dying, that someone is in bed with him, that people are beside him, that she is pregnant, that the tongue is made of wood.
And then we see, especially during low types of fevers, a tiredness, weakness, and total apathy that can reach complete unconsciousness. They are not aware of anything going on around them. They seem not to perceive what is being said to them. When pricked with a pin, no sign of feeling is given; when water is put into his mouth, no attempt at swallowing is made. There is no evidence of seeing, hearing or feeling.
There is an interesting keynote in the mental sphere which we see in certain cases: a sense that life is ebbing away with a resignation to dying. They feel they will be dying soon, with the next breath or in a few minutes, and they appear not to resist, as if they do not have the energy to resist. This sensation most probably results from difficult respiration; they seem to have to draw breath to garner enough strength to even pronounce a word. It is not a fear of dying, but rather a presentiment, a foretaste of death - a feeling they are now "going," and they are resigned to this fact. It will sometimes look as if they desire to die, as if their defences have suddenly been completely relinquished.
In chronic mental conditions we see delirium during the menses or delirium with menstrual difficulties. In such cases it is likely that the female hormones are unbalanced due to frustration, again, of the sexual demands.
Allergic conditions that come suddenly, unexpectedly, and with violence and which cover the entire body are seen in Apis. Even anaphylactic shock is possible. In this respect the French dentist, Jean Meuris, writes: "The treatment of anaphylactic shock: the worst kind of shock is the kind that occurs suddenly. The patient suffocates (edema of the glottis), while red spots appear on the throat and face which burn and sting and are worse by warmth. That is the picture of Apis, a remedy which we have always been able to rely on. Placing a few globules of Apis 15 (or 200 Korsakov) on the patient's tongue brings the shock to an immediate halt, and the symptoms usually disappear in the time that it takes for the globules to dissolve."
Apis will also meet cases of allergic conjuctivitis in which the eyes become red and inflamed within a few hours, and the eyelids, as well as the tissues around the eyes, become so edematous that they almost cover the whole eye. The swelling can be such as to obstruct vision.
Apis will be indicated in cases in which the kidneys suddenly fail and from one day to the next an enormous edema develops in the lower limbs. One can almost see the increase in the swelling from one hour to the next. This picture may be seen in severe complications of serious acute diseases or in chronic conditions, such as ulcerative colitis in the advanced stages.
What is outstanding in the general features of this remedy is the aggravation from heat of any kind, for instance in a warm room, more so if there is warm air blowing at him or heat from an open fire and even worse in a hot bath, or in a sauna. Typical Apis patients will never enter a sauna, not even a moderately warm bath, as it will make them suffocate and feel dizzy - they may develop headaches, congestion in head, red rash of the skin etc. "In brain troubles", writes Kent, " if you put an Apis patient with congestion of the brain in a warm bath he will go into convulsions ... If a baby needs Apis in congestion of the brain the fits become worse by bathing in hot water."
The patient wants the windows open to cool the room even if he has chills. It is one of the characteristics of this remedy that they feel that they cannot breathe, that they will suffocate in a warm room. He will uncover himself even when suffering from chills as heat makes him feel uncomfortable. Cold bathing ameliorates allergic conditions of the skin. Here we may point to the sophisticated system of uentilation operated by bees to survive in the heat of the summer.
Another general symptom is the aggravation from touch. Apis is extremely sensitive to touch, similarly to Lachesis, and indeed Lachesis will often be given first in such cases. This aggravation is apparent not only in the skin conditions where we may have allergic exanthemata, nodular swellings, erysipelas etc, but also in cases of inflammation of the intestines, enteritis, cholera infantum, ulcerative colitis or common diarrhea where the patient cannot stand any touching on the abdomen. In ovarian cysts where there is inflammation or in uterine problems we see the same sensitivity. Even the hair is sensitive to touch.
The complaints of Apis appear with violence and rapidity and can become quite serious in a short time.
The right side is primarily affected; ailments start on the right side spreading from there to the left. But one should never be discouraged from prescribing Apis for a cyst on the left side, once the other characteristics of the remedy are there. In the beginning of my practice, I missed several such cases because I thought I should adhere with absolute faith to the books. Later on I prescribed Apis with success for cysts or enlarged ovary on the left side.
Lying down aggravates many of the complaints of Apis while there is an amelioration from sitting. General prostration, lassitude with trembling.
Apis can be an important remedy for the bad effects and consequences of acute eruptions and exanthema that have been suppressed or never properly developed. Thereby many different ailments and diseases may occur; restlessness, delirium, convulsions, meningitis, hydrocephalus, inflammation of the throat, dyspnoea, asthmatic respiration, diarrhea, nephritis, edema with scant urine, cysts of all kinds etc.
Special attention should be paid to the ability of Apis to develop all kinds of cysts, which are usually enormous in size and develop with extreme rapidity. Apis should also be thought of in cystic tumors.
Head/Vertigo
In the head, as may be expected, we have a lot of congestions, fullness, confusion felt as vertigo. Headache with vertigo. Head confused and dizzy with constant pressive pain above and around the eyes. Confused vertigo, very violent at times, worse when sitting, extreme when lying with eyes closed. The whole brain feels tired, as if asleep and crawling.
Congestion of head much worse in a warm room and better in open air. Most of the head ailments are worse from warm room, warm bathing etc. and better in open air and from cold applications. Congestion of head before menses, the congestion grows in inverse proportion to the flow of menses. Head feels as if too full, as if there is too much blood in it. Great rush of blood to the head. Head feels too large, swollen, causing her to look into the glass involuntarily.
Head feels big and confused, bewildered. The headaches are mostly of a pressive character, as if pressure is exercised from within. Sometimes this becomes much stronger and then we have bursting headaches. Many kinds of headaches, the dull, pressive pain and the throbbing in the head for instance, are ameliorated by pressure with the hands. A known time aggravation for the headaches is 10 a.m. lasting until the evening or around 6 P.M.
Headache worse reading, increased in a warm room. Forgetful during headache.
Bores head into pillows, rolling the head from side to side or the head is drawn back rigidly in serious forms of brain affections. During diarrhea, while the weakness increases the headache diminishes.
Eye
Conjunctivitis, trachoma and in general most of the severe inflammations of the eye and its deeper tissues will be covered by this remedy. Enormous swellings around the eyes in allergic conditions or conjunctivitis or kidney problems will call this remedy to mind initially. The eyelids could be red and edematous and enormously swollen. The swellings are always impressive and sometimes can entirely close the eyes. Burning and stinging pains. Sensitive to bright light. Kent gives a vivid description. - "Inflammations that are erysipelatous in character, that leave thickening of the mucous membrane and lids and white spots over the eyes, opacities. Inflammation with opacities very extensive or in patches. When the inflammatory condition is active it is attended with edema of the lids, such as you would expect to see after a bee sting. The swelling of the mucous membranes of the lids is so enormous that they roll out, looking like pieces of raw beef. The fluid will run out on cheeks in great abundance."
On close examination of the eyes and immediate surrounding, you will seldom fail to recognise a case of Apis, whatever the pathology from which they are suffering may be. Most of the time there will be the characteristic swelling around the eyes and more prominently the affection of the right eye.
The inflammations will be relieved by cold applications, and aggravated by radiating heat and bright light. Inflammations with severe shooting pains.
Keratitis with pains shooting through eyes, with swollen lids and conjuctiva. Keratitis with hot burning lachrymation gushing out on opening the eyes. Severe inflammations with dreadful shooting pains. t gives you the impression that it is ;yes. Either the whole face may be eruptions or lupus) or around the soft palate is puffed like a water bag, and the uvula hangs down with a semi-transparent appearence like a bag of water. All around the throat and mouth there is an edematous condition looking as if it will flow water if pricked."
Sometimes during a severe cold with sore throat, a pharyngitis, the uvula will be so inflamed and elongated that on empty swallowing it will be caught by the contraction of the esophagus and pulled down. In such cases the uvula is very long, hanging from a thin stem and at the end there is a kind of an edematus swelling while the whole pharynx is inflamed and painfully burning.
In such severe inflammations there is an aggravation from warmth, especially warm air blowing from a radiator and at the same time there is some relief from drinking something cold. The relief is not tremendous - because the inflammation is usually severe - but it is definitely there.
Aversion to warm drinks. Mouth, throat and pharynx bright red, glossy as if varnished. Tenacious mucus in throat, very troublesome. Constricting feeling in throat with the sensation, as if a foreign body was lodged in it, worse from tight clothes. Splinter-like pain on swallowing or stinging pain. Tonsils are so swollen they impede swallowing. Deep ulcers. Dryness without thirst; burning in the throat extending to stomach. Vascular goitre, cysts of the thyroid gland especially in combination with ovarian diseases.
Stomach
Thirstless when there is retention of water in the body, thirsty when there is loss of fluids. Thirstless in ascites, in kidney insufficiency, in cerebrospinal meningitis, in hydrothorax etc. Violent thirst, would like to drink all the time (during typhus, or in severe diarrhea).
When thirsty would like some vinegar in the water otherwise the water seems tasteless. Gastritis or duodenal ulcer with burning heat in the stomach rising up to esophagus. Pain in epigastrium, cannot bear to be touched, even the bed sheet is intolerable. Desire for salads, especially celery and sometimes a strong desire for fat of meat. Desires to drink milk which ameliorates the pains and the burning.
Appetite and sleep totally lost in manic depressive states, especially during the state of mania (for four weeks). Eructations taste like food, increased after drinking water. Desire to vomit. Vomiting of everything he has eaten and mucus. Vomiting of bile after the stomach has been emptied. Vomiting and retching with great anxiety. Distress felt in stomach region. Extreme pain and tenderness in region of stomach with vomiting. Nausea followed by yellow and bitter vomiting. 2 a word of caution here concerning the expression "especially when" which I often use myself: this is not the only condition under which the remedy is indicated, but it is the most unique, the most characteristic for that remedy.
Abdomen
The abdominal walls are very tender and sore, they feel almost bruised not only in all kinds of inflammations of the intestines, or the peritoneum but also in ascites, very tensed or tight and sensitive to even light pressure or touch.
Soreness of the bowels when sneezing or pressing upon them. Burning and stinging pains are characteristic of this remedy. The abdomen feels full, bloated and is evidently enlarged. Ascites; peritonitis. Abdomen full, swollen and tender, with swollen feet and scanty secretion of urine is a typical picture for this remedy.
Violent burning pain under the short ribs, worse on left side. Violent pains in the abdomen aggravated in a horizontal position and relieved when sitting up. Violent pains across the lower abdomen with bitter vomiting and diarrhea.
In severe acute diarrhea an uneasy feeling like restlessness or distress is felt deep in the abdomen; it gives them great anxiety, they cannot tell whether this restlessness is purely psychological or whether the intestines are really moving. I have seen a similar symptom in Calcarea carbonica. Internal trembling with anxiety. Restlessness of intestines; pain in abdomen with a feverish trembling feeling.
Rectum
This remedy has diarrheas with vomiting making it a good remedy for cholera infantum or for severe cases of gastroenteritis. Sensation of an electric shock in the rectum followed by urging to stool. Sensation of rawness in the anus with diarrhea. The stool is acrid excoriating the anus. Watery diarrhea. Stool yellowish, greenish, watery. Diarrhea before menses. During climacteric women have chronic diarrhea with passage of blood and mucus. Painless diarrhea which ameliorates chest complaints. Every day six to eight diarrheic stool which smell like carrion (a decomposing animal). Diarrheic stool in children that is mixed with mucus and blood making it look like "tomato sauce". Anus protrudes and seems to remain open, "stools occur with every motion of the body as if the anus were constantly open" (in ascites). Colourless water oozes from rectum. Loose stool in the morning. Many affections like inflammation of ovaries, meningitis, prostatic affections etc are often accompanied not by diarrhea but by: difficult stool; constipation; hard stool, retention of stool, prolonged periods of constipation alternating with diarrheas.
Chronic constipation. Constipation or hard, regular stools, during menses.
Urinary organs
Apis has a profound effect upon the genito-urinary organs. Its main action is the retention or suppression of urine. The urine is scanty, coming in drops. Much straining but only a few drops are passed. Must press a long time before urine starts (prostatitis); dribbling a little hot urine. Urine scanty in heart diseases. The whole urinary tract is irritated; burning, smarting, soreness, constriction of urethra; agony in voiding urine; uneasy feeling in cords. Urine suppressed. Kent writes: -"Infants go a long time without passing urine, screeching and carrying the hand to the head, crying out in sleep, kicking off the covers. Very often a dose of Apis will be found useful". Frequent urination in cases of cystitis. Constant urge to pass water but only a little urine is voided every time (in inflammation of the ovaries.) The urination is sometimes profuse (prolapse of uterus). Excessive proteinuria, "half of the bulk of the urine is albumin." With proteinuria the urine is scanty and fetid.
Proteinuria during pregnancy. Frequent but scanty emission of milky urine (hydrocephalus, meningitis). Urine dark, like coffee; urine of a greenish hue (pleurisy). Urine contains uriniferous tubes and epithelium (in acute or chronic nephritis). Nephritis that develops as a sequel of acute disease. Involuntary urination in old people. Stinging stitching pains in kidneys extending to ureters.
Tenderness and soreness in region of kidneys worse on pressure or when stooping.
Male – genitalia
The sexual desire is increased with frequent and long-lasting erections. Sexual passion increased to the level of mania. There is violent sexual excitement without any cause, when studying, when driving, when sitting alone in the room.
Swelling of testicles, fullness felt mostly on right testicle. Dropsy of scrotum and prepuce. Hydrocele. Erysipelatous inflammation and swelling of scrotum, of penis.
Affections of prostate gland, hypertrophy of prostate with agonising pains during urination. Walks up and down the room with the pains. Condylomata of penis, burning.
Female – genitalia
The female organs seem to be affected by an excess hormonal functioning, so the desire for sexual intercourse is tremendously increased. The ovaries become engorged, hardened, particularly the right one. Great heaviness in the ovarian area, cases of cysts or tumors in that region or a feeling of drawing downwards in the area of the ovary with burning pain that extends down the thigh. Worse stooping. Cystic tumors that appear first on the right ovary and then on the left.
Patients dislike touching this area, and will avoid doing so. Pains in ovaries from continence or after coitus. Tightness in ovarian region, worse on raising the arms.
The uterus swells up. There is hypertrophy of uterus, a sensation of fullness, weight with downward pressing and stinging pains in uterus. Cysts, tumors, indurations, enlargement of ovaries more on the right side. Prolapse of uterus with tenderness in the area. Menses suppressed at puberty. Menses too scanty, lasting but one or two days. During menses great sleepiness with dullness of mind and cold feet. Leucorrhea profuse; acrid; green. Habitual abortion during the early months 2-4th. Apis should be prescribed with caution for pregnant woman with acute complaints such as fever or the common cold, and the low potencies should not be repeated too often or for several days. However, Apis can, and should, be given during the abortion process if the symptoms agree. Sharp stinging pains in the ovarian region during abortion. Metrorrhagia with profuse flow of blood with heaviness in abdomen, faintness, great uneasiness and restlessness. The Apis woman is likely to encounter many problems in bearing children, because due to these constitutional complaints she will either have great difficulty in conceiving, or may lose the child (abort) in the early months of pregnancy.
Chest
Respiration - Apis has difficulties with respiration in general but these difficulties vary in the diverse pathological conditions.
For instance the breathing will be difficult when we have dropsy or ascites: here we see shortness of breath, oppressed breathing which is worse in a heated room, worse lying, worse at night in bed, must sit up, cannot bend forward or backwards as the respiration becomes laboured, lying flat in bed is impossible, has fear of suffocation and will stay sitting up for days. Here the difficulty in breathing is part of the whole picture of dropsy, or hydrothorax, as if the lungs were pressurised and have no room to function, but the lungs per se do not show pathology.
The difficulty in respiration is only part of a much greater picture that looks grave but not because of lung disease.
The case is much more dramatic when Apis is indicated in real severe cases of laryngitis with edema or in asthmatic cases. During the crisis they lose their color, face becomes dark, blue, the lips become blue, the situation looks desperate, they cannot breathe at all, they are unable to speak, can speak only in a whisper, they have to loosen the collar around the throat, it appears as if the larynx is constricted and cannot stand even the slightest pressure, around the throat, they have to force the air in and out. They need to have somebody constantly fanning them otherwise they feel they will die. Much like Carbo vegetabilis they need to go and stand at the open window (if they can walk), they need fresh cool air which seems to ameliorate the situation a little.
Heat of the room is entirely intolerable, the temperature has to be quite low and the windows open. They cannot lie down with the head low, they always sleep with the head high or sitting up but if the crisis comes during sleep, which happens especially after midnight, they will have to sit up in bed in order to be able to draw a breath. There is restlessness and agony.
There is another pathological situation which can be called a nervous or functional dyspnea. You can see it in meningitis, or in acute high fever diseases that are not necessarily focussed on the lungs. When the fever is high even in the stage of chills, the breathing is very difficult, feeble, interrupted panting, they feel that they are going to die soon, that they cannot survive because they cannot breathe, but the physician cannot find any underlying pathology to explain the situation, only the high fever. A woman has an inflammation of the ovaries with fever and the respiration is affected in the way we described.
This is exactly what we call "strange, rare and peculiar" in the remedies. What we call the "keynotes".
Apis cannot stand the external heat or the rising of the inner temperature of the body, as in fever; he cannot breathe in the heat.
Is it then a coincidence that bees have to ventilate themselves constantly even in quite moderate temperatures? How is it that the tongue of Lachesis when protruded fay the patient acts exactly like the tongue of the snake? How coincidental are these phenomena or how much do they point to another hidden reality ?
Many times we have been asked to explain the action of the remedies, to understand the why's and wherefore's, the underlying causes, the correspondences, and when we see these phenomena and point them out as a matter of interest and research we are accused of being "meta-physicians," even by so-called homeopathic-physicians, as if the logical mind could perceive and explain everything, and pretend in the name of science to be able to understand the totality where we only know a small part of a whole. Actually we still know very little on matters of health and disease, because for many decades we have been following the wrong path in investigation and research. Today tremendous amounts of money are spent on a heart transplanted in an old man, but with the same money homeopathy could have saved thousands of heart patients from arriving at a stage where they need a transplant. But in these matters I would like to refer the reader to my book "A New Model for Health and Disease."
Cough
Whooping cough, croupy cough, dry with gagging. Cough that starts at night and continues until the early hours of the morning, worse at midnight. Violent cough with dyspnea and blue face. Farrington writes :"In pleuritis with exudation Apis is one of the best remedies we have to bring about absorption of the fluid. Apis and Sulphurwill cure the majority of these cases." Expectoration of profuse, frothy mucus. Expectoration sweetish. Sensation of soreness of the chest as if bruised. Stitches in chest, sticking pain in right side of chest. Shooting pains from front to back. Erysipelas on the mammae.
Heart
The heart has its share of symptoms in this remedy as well. There is effusion into the pericardium. Hydropericardium. The pulse is accelerated. The heart is audible, with every contraction of the heart the whole body shakes.
Cardiac distress, great anguish, restlessness, feels as if each breath will be the last. Palpitation of heart from scanty secretion of urine.
Insufficiency of mitral valves. Organic heart disease. When the case is gone to exhaustion the pulse is feeble, imperceptible, indistinct.
Back
Stiffness of the back and neck. Stiches on right side of neck worse moving the head towards this direction. Swelling in the back of the neck in gouty patients.
Pulsating pain in cervical region extending to left shoulder. Burning pressing pain in coccygeal region worse from any attempt to sit down.
Back feels bruised. Bearing down in small of back as if menses would come on.
Coldness, chilliness of back but does not want warmth locally. Great weakness of whole back.
Extremities
There is definitely a tendency to paralysis in the extremities not only with affections of the spinal cord, after apoplexy or thrombosis, but also with diseases like arthritis, rheumatism, and especially with strong emotions or mental shock. "Whole nervous system under a paralysing influence in scarlatina." "After excessive grief the whole right side paralysed". The extremities become heavy, stiff, powerless.
One side paralysed the other twitching, or convulsing. Partial paralysis of right side with numbness. Left arm almost paralysed due to severe cervical syndrome with burning pains from cervical region extending to the arm worse in the morning on waking. Upper extremities perfectly powerless, cannot take hold of anything, has to be fed (in spinal disease). Edema of feet and legs in a man affected with chronic rheumatism and partial paralysis. Sticking pains in right forearm with a paralysed feeling. Rheumatic pains in shoulder joints extending to back of neck. Electric-like pains go through the extremities. Lower extremities swell, become edematous mostly from disfunction of the kidneys or heart. Edema of hands. Drawing pain in arms extending to ends of fingers. Sensation of numbness in fingers especially tips, about root of nails. Swelling of ankles. Sensation in feet and toes as if too large, heavy, swollen and stiff; especially in the evening or at night when taking off the shoes. The swelling makes the leg look transparent, waxy. Panaritium with burning, stinging and throbbing.
Sleep
It is very interesting to look at the dreams of Apis and compare them both with the symptomatology and with the action of bees: dreams of travelling long distances; dreams of flying far in the air; dreams that he made journeys in great leaps through the air; plagues himself in dreams all night, with a flying apparatus, tries to arrange the wings which, however, will not work. (!)
The suppressed anger is also of interest: dreams of many people who are quarrelling; one of them, who becomes nearly beside himself, he leads from the room by the arm, whereby he is calmed. Dreams with vexatious care about about various kinds of business. Dreams of a tormenting, active kind, full of care and toil (remember the "busy insanity"). And finally the aggravation from heat which terrifies her: dreams of a great, hot stove; was obliged to walk over a hot floor. Great desire to sleep amounting to the most extreme sleepiness. Great inclination to sleep but inability to do so from great nervous restlessness. Sleepiness during menses. Very sleepy early in the evening.
Fever
Fever or chills are more prominent in the aftemoon from 3 p.m. to 4 or 5p.m. Even during chill the patient feels worse if the room is overheated especially by radiated heat and better uncovered.
Excitement during fever. Motion brings on shiverings; shiverings followed by heat.
During fever or when the fever drops patient goes to deep sleep. Dry skin with high fever. Thirstless during fever; thirsty during chills. During the time fever is high it is usually accompanied by a strong headache. Heat of one part with coldness of the other. Sweat is absent or breaks out only in spells, but soon dries off again.
Skin
Skin dry, hot, better bathing in cold water, cold applications. Has a transparent waxy appearance. Erysipelas, carbuncles, ulcers, bites from insects, edematous swellings, all with stinging, burning pains. The patient will not let you touch these areas, she will scream, so sensitive and raw does it feel. Urticaria and nettle rash, with edematous swelling of the skin, burning, stinging, intolerable itching at night, which is ameliorated by cold water. Urticaria caused by warmth, physical exertion, fever, perspiration or allergy; can occur with many diseases. Body covered with large, elevated, white areas.
Inflammation, enlargement and cysts of the ovaries. Abortion in early months. Proteinuria during pregnancy. Kidney diseases, dropsy, hematuria, anasarca. Hydrocele. Retention or suppression of urine. Angina, laryngitis, pleuritis with exudation, diphtheria. All kinds of ophthalmia, (severe conjunctivitis, trachoma, allergic conditions etc.) Hay fever. Asthma. Anaphylactic shock. Hydrothorax. Headaches, congestion of head. Heart diseases, pericarditis. Hydrocephalus, meningitis, meningo-encephalitis. Dysentry, gastro-enteritis, cholera infantum. Allergic conditions, urticaria, lupus erythematodus. Delay in the appearence of skin eruption resulting in internal troubles. Suppressed eruptions.
Complementary: Natrium muriaticum. The "chronic," Apis.; also Baryta carbonica, if lymphatics are involved. Inimical: Rhus.
Compare: Apium w'rus (auto-toxaemia, with pus products); Zincum; Cantharis; Vespa; Lachesis.
From the lowest to the highest.
"A lad aged about twelve years has been afflicted for several months with ascites and hydrothorax. He has been treated for some three months by allopathic physicians first for dysentery, followed by ascites, and afterwards for several months by a homeopathic physician. No permanent benefit resulted from either mode of medication, and the symptoms finally became so urgent that I was called in consultation, and tapping was at once resorted to in order to save the patient from imminent danger.
Appropriate homeopathic remedies were again prescribed, but without arresting the onward course of the malady. The patient commenced to ill up again with great rapidity. The secretion of the urine was nearly suspended, the skin was dry and hot, pulse rapid and weak, respiration short and difficult, great tenderness of the abdomen, dryness of the mouth and throat, thirst, excessive restlessness and anxiety, short irritating cough and an almost entire inability to sleep.
At this stage of the case, a strolling Indian woman -one of the few survivors of the Narragansett tribe, suggested to the family the use of a honey bee every night and morning. She enclosed the bees in a covered tin pail, and placed them in a heated oven until they were killed, and then after powdering them, administered one in syrup every night and morning. After the lapse of about 24 hours the skin became less hot and softer, the respiration less difficult and more free, the pulse slower and more developed, and there was a decided increase in the quantity of urine. From this time the symptoms continued steadily to improve, the dropsical effusion diminished day by day, until at the expiration of a few weeks the patient was entirely cured. " Dr.E.E MARCY and others : Elements of a new materia medica p.4422.
Observation: no comments
2. A number of years ago I was called in Watkins Glen N.Y. in consultation in a very bad case of diphtheria. One had already died in the family and four laid dead in the place that day. Over forty cases had died in the place and there was an exodus going on for fear. Her attending physician, a noble, white haired old man, and withal a good and able man, said when I looked up to him and remarked I was rather young to counsel him; "Doctor, I am on my knees to anybody, for every case has died that has been attacked". The patient was two rooms away from us, but I could hear her difficult breathing even then. Apis was comparatively a new remedy then for that disease, but as I looked in to her throat I saw Apis in a moment, and a few questions confirmed it. I told the doctor what I thought and asked him if he had tried it. He said "No, he had not thought of it, but it was a powerful blood poison; try it." It cured the case, and not one case that took this remedy from the beginning and persistently, died. It was the remedy for the genus epidemicus." Dr. Nash. Both the above cases are quoted in Tyler's "Homeopathic drug pictures" under Apis.
Observation: The case is interesting because it stresses the effect of Apis in diphtheria, but it does not give us enough information, or new information, on Apis. The comment that "no one died that took this remedy from the beginning and persistantly" has to be taken with caution and not to be tried in this spirit. The catch words here are "from the beginning and persistently" implying that they have seen some deaths but attributed them to the fact they were not taking the remedy from the beginnng. And what does the doctor mean by "the beginning"?
3. This is a most instructive case that every student should read.
B.H. aged nine years, very scrofulous by inheritance from both parents. (Patient had a fair skin and was always pale; blue eyes; red hair.)
Had lost in his sixth year the use of his legs, but, after a tedious course of treatment, had regained their use, so that he could walk with considerable ease. We found the child with a high fever, sore throat and scarlet rash. Aconite was indicated and was given. He was very ill but did passably well until the fourth day, when the eruption commenced to disappear, and at the same time, alarming changes took place. The fever became continuous; the countenance bore an expression of stupor, increased by the drooping of the lower jaw; the nose looked pinched; the teeth were covered with dirty, sticky, slimy discharge of foul matter from the secretion. It seemed as if the vital forces had completely surrendered themselves to the poison, which evidently penetrated the whole system. At first Cupr-met. was given with the view of bringing out the disappearing eruption. The patient growing worse Apis 2 was prescribed without producing any change; the symptoms remained the same; the tongue became sore, cracked and bleeding; the discharge from the nose became very irritating; the bowels became hard and were tender to touch; diarrhea set in. Remedies were changed as seemed best, the patient apparently sinking, edema of the feet and limbs then set in with painful and scanty emissions of urine. At that time Arsenic 30 was given, but without producing any effect, when we concluded to give Apis 30 until the patient got better or died. This was strictly followed out during the six weeks of sickness following. He was on the verge of death for weeks. General dropsy developed itself; suffocation threatened one day to end his life, from effusion in the thorax; hydrocephalus had all but declared itself on the next; the glands of his neck swelled; his ears discharged ; his face was bloated so he could not see ; at last the abdominal dropsy became so threatening that 1 proposed tapping as a last resort to save his life, the parents objecting. At this time we changed to the second attenuation of Apis; the change was followed by excellent effects upon the kidneys. Within forty eight hours enormous quantities of urine were passed, relieving the patient very much. Under the action of Apis, for it alone was given, alternating weekly the lower triturations with the higher dilutions of the drug the one symptom after the other disappeared. Occasional aggravations showed themselves but on the whole the little fellow gained ground inch by inch. All during the succeeding summer, he was more or less of an invalid, but by the first of Oct., his father brought him to the office having walked the entire distance from his home, and looking fresher and healthier than he had for many years. The cure was permanent; and he seemed ever after in perfect health. Dr.C.J.Hampel and H.R.Arndt.
Observation: there are several points of great interest in this case.
a. The expression "Aconite was indicated" is rather unfortunate, as Aconite was not indicated at that moment. The prescription helped in a negative way to speed up the evolution of the disease.
b. The correct prescription was not apparent from the beginning due to the fact that there were not enough symptoms or the case was not taken in a complete manner.
c. After Aconite, instead of looking for the totality, Cuprum was given on etiological reasons, for they thought that the Aconite suppressed the eruption.
d. One of the main points of interest is that as the case evolved it pointed clearly now to Apis, but the remedy was tried in very low potency.
e. As various other wrong remedies were tried, instead of becoming confused the case tended more and more to point to the picture of Apis. That was the reason why the doctors decided correctly not only to retry Apis but to stick to it. - Once you have a clear picture the remedy must act.
f. Here we have a peculiar observation: While the doctors do not report any significant change with the higher potency yet they stick to it for several weeks. I think that in this point the report is not true. They must have observed certain slight changes in the general state of the patient that gave them hope. A change of remedy at this stage would have meant death for the child.
g. Now comes the most interesting observation: While the low potency showed no result at all in the beginning, and in spite of the fact that it was definitely indicated, after the repetition it showed an apparent effect. The question is: was it the effect of the lower potency that brought the change, or was it time for the high potency to show its effect? I believe in the first supposition. The organism having been sensitised and strengthened by the high potency, it reacts now to the stimulation of the lower.
Can we infer from this that the organism sometimes is "saturated" with a repetition of a high potency and stops reacting to it, while an even higher or lower potency may further stimulate it? The case shows that the answer here is in the affirmative. The lower potency is preferable in this case due to the heavy pathology. It is also most interesting to note the fact that in order to start a reaction we need a certain vibrational frequency which is provided here by the 30th potency. Perhaps the range which could have provided an initial reaction was between 12c and 200c. Higher than 200 would have been inactive.
h. Another interesting point is that after an acute has been treated with a remedy that seems to be the constitutional remedy of the patient the whole organism is rejuvenated and finds itself in a better state than before the acute.
i. This case due to its severity shows clearly what happens if we lose courage and, under the pressure of the gravity of the case, start prescribing one remedy after the other instead of sitting back, watching and studying the case well before going ahead and prescribing.
This case exemplifies also the thorough knowledge and expertise that is required in our science and tells of the many difficulties and the different angles that we have to deal with in treating patients with homeopathy.
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Demo Description
ARNICA MONTANA:Doronicum plantaginis folio alternum,
Doronicum oppositifolium,
Doronicum Austriacum quartum
Ptarmica montana
English: Mountain arnica, Leopard's bane, German Leopard's bane, Mountain tobacco.
French: Amique des montagnes, Arnique, Arnica, Tabac des Vosges, Betoine des Montagnes.
German: Amika, Wohi-verleih, Woverley, Fallkraut, Luzianskraut.
Italian: Arnica
Dutch: Amika, Val-kruid, Groot Luciaen-kruid
Swedish: Fibler
Spanish: Arnica, Tobaco de Montana
Natural order: Corymbiferae, Compositae, Senecionidae.
Family: Jussieu [vegetable substance] Syngenesia polygamia superflua. L.
Mode of preparation: We use the roots, flowers and leaves. Before using the flowers we should clean them of the eggs [musca arnicae] of a peculiar parasitic insect which infests this plant, called Arnica, a species of Staphylinus. We prepare the powder of the root by making three attenuations by trituration or dissolve it in twenty parts of alcohol to make the tincture. Arnica is a perennial plant; we gather the fresh plant when it flowers in July and August and use it to make a tincture. For the fresh plant, we express the juice of the whole plant and then mix it with equal parts of alcohol to make the tincture. We must be careful not to expose the root of this plant too long in air because it loses a portion of its strength, but powdered root may be kept for long periods in well stopped bottles.
The main theme of Arnica symptomatology revolves around a deep traumatic experience upon the physical or emotional or mental body. A traumatic experience of the human organism resulting from injuries, falls, blows, concussions, fright, fear, financial loss, etc.
The experience leaves the person with a tremendous fear of coming into physical contact with anything which is hard or penetrating. The whole of the symptomatology develops around this basic fear: Do not touch me, do not come too close to me, physically or emotionally and most of all do not penetrate me, physically or metaphorically. The traumatic experience in Arnica is such that the person is left with a feeling of having been wounded deeply, and of the affected parts being so sensitive after the wounding that the idea of somebody touching them is unbearable.
They can become and act almost paranoically in this respect. From this experience a defensive attitude develops that is then quite understandable.
The symptomatology develops in different stages or degrees. We see in the first stages of pathology an aggressive reaction, where the tendency of the individual is to "attack" in order subconsciously to prevent a "too close contact". The patient is easily irritated, aggressive, quarrelsome. He will appear to be fighting with everybody and everything, very opinionated, obstinate and sometimes irrascible and irrational.
The irritability and anger lead to cursing, after which the Arnica patient becomes really furious. He is contradictory, nothing pleases him; he wants certain things and later on pushes them away. In this stage Arnica may also become capricious, not knowing what he wants, unable to tolerate anything which is disagreable and shouts unreasonably. We shall have difficulty in differentiating this case from Nux-v., Angust. or from Cina.
Arnica does not accept anybody's authority (Caust.) and thinks that he knows better than anybody else (Sulph. or Ars.). He boasts and brags frequently (Plat). He is dicatorial, (Lyc) domineering, dogmatic, despotic and talks with an air of being superior or in command. Similar to Platina.
The above is a provocative, aggressive attitude that we see in these first stages of Arnica's defensive state. Yet later on in its pathology we will see a completely different picture, a state of passiveness, extreme touchiness (Angustura) and sensitivity. In this passive stage we see that the patient becomes morose, taciturn, wants to be left alone, does not want to talk to anybody. He becomes irritated if he has to give an answer, he seems to want to avoid human contact (much like Natr-mur). If somebody tries to console or pacify him, he will react aggressively. It seems that there is an analogy between the sensitivity of his psyche which cannot withstand the closeness of a contact and the pain felt by his physical body on being touched. Even the idea that somebody may come too close to him is painful. Arnica does not wish to talk to, or to be approached by others on account of this mental, emotional or physical soreness. He may take a walk in the open air and live with his phantasies, and once back from such a walk, he will want to continue to live with the emotions he had on the walk, without talking to anybody: he wishes only to be silent.
Arnica cases are people who may appear to be social, but are so only on a superficial level. They are "loners", doubtless due to their fear that others may hurt their feelings on coming into close contact with them. They may be compared to wounded animals that want to hide and stay away from any contact. They develop an aversion to sympathy or compassion.
An important point that has to be understood in their symptomatology is that they feel "bruised" all-over and therefore even the thought that something or somebody can touch or even worse penetrate their "bruised" bodies is absolutely unbearable. That is why Arnica is the main remedy when women have an insane fear of being raped. This fear is so great that they think about it all the time, the thought that they may be raped brings on a shudder, they cannot even bear to hear the mere word "rape". The problem is that they cannot tolerate to have anything penetrating their body.
Women can reach such an extreme state that the logistics of using tampons during menses, the act of insertion into the vagina, take on the proportions of a whole operation. They will sit in a particular position and try for "hours" to insert a tampon so that they may not be hurt. It is mostly the abhorrance of the idea of penetration that causes the problem rather than actual pain. During the sexual act the Arnica woman may be so fearful during the time of insertion that the man may be put off by the overexaggerated reactions. So strong is the fear of penetration that women can abstain completely from sexual intercourse, not from lack of interest but from fear of penetration. The idea of something foreign entering their body is intolerable.
There seems to be a tightness of the vaginal muscles; the walls of the vagina feel extremely sensitive and actually painful to the slightest touch. It may appear also, after many years of abstinance from any sexual contact, that the walls of the vagina are "sticking together". The woman has the impression that the vaginal walls are so tight that they have stuck together.
These examples are indicative of the peculiar sensitivities of Arnica. In view of these facts it is now easy to understand the different symptoms as they appear in the repertory such as: "Fear of others approaching him, lest he be touched. Has fear, apprehension, dread of being struck by those coming towards him, etc". The idea of causation because of a "blunt" shock runs through the remedy and affects the mental condition as well. The symptomatology of Arnica will develop after a mental shock such as fright, anger, fury, loss of fortune, overexertion etc. It is my opinion that, in the near future, we will see proof of the existence of areas in the human brain concerned with the "instinctual mental defences" of humans. These would open and close automatically once fear or shock are over. In our contemporary society however, once these areas are triggered by a fright (mental shock), they remain in a state of permanent "excitability", that is to say, open. The person thus suffers chronically as though there were a repetition of the frightful experience every day. Why this should happen is not a question that we are in a position to answer today in detail. I have given some suggestions on this point in my book "A New Model of Health". The fact remains that, in today's world, people suffer far more frequently and easily from mental symptomatology than was the case in the past. As the mental pathology travels deeper, we get severe anxiety states that originate from such shocks or overexertions. There is fear and anxiety that could be called hypochondriacal. In the Arnica anxiety states it seems that fear goes quickly into the subconscious mind and emerges every night during sleep in the form of a crisis, often several times a night. The symptomatology is similar to that of Aconite, Argentum nitricum or Lachesis and you will have to make a differential diagnosis. There is a tremendous fear of imminent death during the night, on waking up from sleep, which is triggered by a feeling that something is wrong with the heart. These states appear especially after an accident. There is a kind of cardiac distress, an anguish that originates from the heart region, a feeling that the heart will give in suddenly and he will die instantly. The idea of dying instantly is characteristic of Arnica.
Kent describes the state beautifully: "Horrors in the night. He frequently rouses up in the night, grasps at the heart, has the appearence of great horror, fears that some dreadful thing will happen. A sudden fear of death comes on at this time, he grasps at the heart, and thinks he is going to die suddenly. He is full of dreadful anguish, but finally comes to himself, lies down and goes off in to a sleep of terror, jumps up again with the fear of sudden death and says: "Send for the doctor at once". The fear of death is very much exaggerated if he is alone.
From such an experience his whole organism is affected, there is a horror that overtakes the patient and there are congestions that affect mostly the upper part of the spine.
He becomes forgetful, absent minded, cannot concentrate, loses all interest in his work, reads something and forgets immediately what he has just read, does not remember if he has just turned off the gas and goes back to check it etc.. Oversensitive, cannot bear pain. Restless because of pain and soreness.
Then we have a mental picture of Arnica which is characteristic during high fever, in serious diseases like typhus, malaria, scarlet fever, when the eruption does not appear, or in brain damage from extravasation of blood due to a concussion, or in subarachnoid haemorrhages, in apoplexy etc.
In such instances there is a profound prostration followed by delirium and finally stupor, unconsciousness and coma. Stupor with involuntary discharges of stool and urine.
During such states the Arnica case may see delusions, imaginations, or hallucinations. He may imagine the following: high walls and buildings falling upon him; that he is about to be arrested; that he visits a churchyard; that he is holding a council; that he is seeing a mutilated corpse, black images and phantoms. He dwells upon seeing these images and phantoms; he sees black forms of spectres, ghosts and spirits when dreaming; has fantastic visions.
Arnica will have constant muttering in brain damage (Lach.) and delirium like delirium tremens. Arnica cases may also have delusions that they are well while in a severe precarious condition, close to death. They may look at the doctor and say "I do not need you, I am well", refusing to take the medicine.
Eventually the Arnica case may go into a semi-comatose state, from which, though he can be aroused and answers correctly if he is asked a question, as soon as he finishes the sentence or even before finishing it, he falls back into a stupor. This is a grand characteristic of Arnica and the remedy will definitely be indicated if the pathology is similar to the ones described above. If he becomes unconscious he will lie there as if he were dead.
In the aftermath of a brain haemorrhage, and after the severe symptoms have subsided, we may observe an indifference, an apathy. Has dullness, sluggishness, difficulty of thinking and comprehending, torpor after dreams. He is in a state where he does not take notice of his surroundings, in a dreamy state. Talks loudly in his sleep. Makes loud speeches in his sleep.
Arnica will prove to be a very helpful remedy for alcoholism as it contains the peculiarities of it in its symptomatology. It is important for the student of Homeopathy to understand that the symptomatology that is described above for the different stages of pathology occurs predominantly, though not exclusively, in the particular stage described here. Similar or identical symptomatology occurring in the acute conditions can appear in the chronic conditions as well, and vice-versa. What the student is required to perceive is the remedy's underlying trend and its characteristics
Arnica children are capricious, sensitive to pain, with a tendency to shriek every time their mother touches their hands or legs. They shout in their sleep with a weeping, tearful mood, especially after eating, or after coughing. In their fevers they look like Belladona with hot heads and cold bodies. Child cries before whooping cough attack. Angry and irritable from coughing. Shrieking, screaming, shouting aggravate their cough.
As we said in the beginning this remedy will be indicated primarily when there is an injury that has resulted from a blow upon the organism with a blunt instrument. If the result of such a blow is a bruised, sore feeling all over the body then the remedy is Arnica. But if the same kind of feeling has resulted from another cause like the overexertion of an organ, or a strain, or an acute disease, Arnica could still be prescribed with success.
If the injury has resulted in lysis of the continuation of the tissues and blood flows freely Arnica is not indicated any more.
You have to have the significant characteristic where a part or the whole body is bruised, as if it had been beaten badly and is black all over.
Arnica produces a restless state due to the soreness, to the bruised feeling, that is much like Rhus-tox.
Kent again describes the restlessness with his characteristic vivacity: "If you watch an Arnica patient in order to get the external manifestations of his state, you will see him turning and moving. You will at once ask yourself why he is restless and if you compare remedies in your mind, you will say, He is like Rhus-tox, he stays in a place for a little while and then he moves. No matter if he is only semi-conscious, you will see him make a little turn, part way over, and then a little further over, and so on, until he is over on the other side.. Then he commences again, and will shift a little and a little, and so he turns from side to side. The question is why does he move so, why is he restless? It is an important matter to solve.
We notice the awful anxiety of the Arsenicum patient that keeps him moving all the time. We notice the painful uneasiness felt all over the body with the Rhus-tox patient so he cannot keep still.
The Arnica patient is so sore that he can lie on one part only a little while, and then he must get off that part or to the other side. So if we ask him,"why do you move so?" he will tell us that the bed feels hard. That is one way of telling that the body is sore The soreness increases the longer he lies, and becomes so great that he is forced to move. With Rhus- tox the uneasiness passes off after moving, and with Arnica the soreness passes off if he gets to a new place."
We may find the symptom of lameness, soreness, of feeling bruised and the feeling that the bed is hard, full of bumps, in any chronic disease requiring Arnica but especially in rheumatic or arthritic conditions.
Aggravation of pains in the evening and night in bed, from movement and from noise. Aggravation from lying on a hard bed. Damp cold aggravates Amelioration when lying with head in a low position.
Clonic convulsions from commotion of the brain; Clonic convulsions after drugs; Clonic convulsions from head injuries. Trembling alternating with convulsive movements of limbs. Traumatic clonic convulsions that have tetanic rigidity. Twitchings as fro
