Long-leaved Water Hemlock: Cowbane.
Introduction:
HAHNEMANN gives “symptoms, which can only be regarded as a commencement of a thorough proving of the peculiar effects of this powerful plant, in altering the human health.” He says, “further and more complete provings will show that it is useful in rare cases where no other remedy is homoeopathically suited, and particularly in chronic cases. “Traditional medicine has never made any internal use of Cicuta; for when Cicuta was prescribed, as it was very often some years ago, it was actually Conium maculatum that was meant by that name. “The juice of the fresh root (for it has little action when dried) is so powerful that ordinary practitioners did not dare to give it internally in their accustomed big doses, and consequently had to do without it and its curative power. “Homoeopathy alone knows how to employ with advantage this powerfully remedial juice in the decillion-fold dilution (30th).” GUERNSEY says, “Think of this remedy for convulsions which are excessively violent-whether epileptic, cataleptic, clonic or tonic; eclampsia.” NASH. “Another remedy characterized by its excessively VIOLENT convulsions. The patient is thrown into all sorts of odd shapes and violent contortions, but one of the most invariable is the bending of head, neck and spine backwards, opisthotonos. It is on this account that it was tried for cerebrospinal meningitis. Dr. Baker, of Moravia, N.Y., cured, during an epidemic of this dreadful disease, sixty cases of all degrees of malignancy without the loss of single cases. He thinks it is as near a specific for this disease as can be.” Also a good remedy for the effects of concussion of brain or spine, if spasms are in the train of chronic effects, and Arnica does not relieve. In the affections for which Cicuta is useful the actions of the patient are as violent as the spasms; moans and howls, makes gesticulations and odd motions, great agitation, etc. Also wonderful for skin affections, “pustules which run together, forming thick yellow scabs on face, head and other parts of the body. I once had a case of eczema capitis in a young woman-it was of long standing-which covered the whole scalp, solid, like a cap. I gave her Cicuta 200h and cured her completely in a very short time.”.
BLACK LETTER SYMPTOMS
(Hahnemann, Allen, and Hering.) Absence of thought, difficulty of recollecting himself, deprivation of the senses. Anxiety: violently affected by sad stories. Moaning, whining and howling. Tranquillity of mind; he was extremely satisfied with his position and with himself, and very cheerful (curative secondary effect). Likes childish toys: jumps from bed in a happy, childish state. Very violent in all his actions. Anxious thoughts of the future: feels sad. Anxiety: excessively affected by sad stories. Mistrust and shunning of men: despises others. Vertigo: staggering. Pressive, stupefying headache, externally on the forehead, more when at rest. Concussion of brain and chronic effects therefrom, especially spasms. Head bent backwards with convulsions. Violent shocks through head, arms and legs, which cause them to jerk suddenly: head hot. Pupils first contracted, then very dilated. Dilated and insensible. Convergent strabismus in children, if periodic or spasmodic, or caused by convulsions-blow or fall. Convulsions of facial muscles; distortions either horrible or ridiculous. Lockjaw. After swallowing a sharp piece of bone, or other injuries to oesophagus the throat closes, and there is danger of suffocation. Inability to swallow. Hiccough. Burning pressure in stomach, and abdomen Throbbing in pit of the stomach, which is swollen as large as a fist. Sudden shock in pit of stomach which causes opisthotonos. Distension and painfulness of abdomen. Colic with convulsions and vomiting. Frequent call to urinate. Trembling palpitation of heart. Feels as if heart stopped beating; sometimes faint feeling therewith. Tension or cramp in muscles of neck: if he turns head, cannot easily turn it back again. Pain in nape, spasmodic drawing of head backwards, with tremor of hand. The back bent backwards like an arch. Painful sensation on inner surface of scapulae. Complete powerlessness of limbs, after spasmodic jerks. Frequent involuntary jerking and stitches in arms and fingers. A red vesicle on right scapula, very painful when touched. General convulsions. Epilepsy. Frightful epilepsy. Frightful distortion of the limbs and whole body. Convulsions with wonderful distortion of limbs; head turned backwards, back bent as in opisthotonos. Frightful convulsions. (Epileptic fits, with swelling of stomach, as from violent spasm of the diaphragm.) Hiccough: screaming: redness of face: trismus. Loss of consciousness, and distortion of limbs. Tonic spasm renewed from slightest touch: opening door; loud talking. An elevated eruption over whole face (and on both hands, as big as peas) which causes a burning pain when touched* *Hahnemann says, “I have cured chronic pustular, confluent eruption on the face with only a burning pain, with one or two doses of a small portion of a drop of the juice, but did not venture to administer a second dose under three or four weeks, if the first was not sufficient.” Vivid dreams about events of day. Vivid unremembered dreams. Frequent waking out of sleep, in which he perspired all over, but from which he felt strengthened. They all wish to come near the warm stove.
ITALIC SYMPTOMS; QUEER SYMPTOMS
Aberration of mind, singing, performing most grotesque dancing steps, shouting. Represented to himself as dangerous everything that would happen to him. Feels as if he were in a strange place. (Opium-Compare. Bry.) He did not think he was living in ordinary conditions: everything appeared strange and almost frightful. Depreciation and contempt of mankind: fled from his fellows: was disgusted with their follies. Want of trust in people and anthropophobia: suspicious. Or,-he felt like a child of seven or eight years old, objects were very dear and attractive to him, as toys are to a child. Keeps staring: at the same place; cannot help doing so. Has not full command of her senses if she compels herself forcibly, by turning away her head, to cease having her eyes directed on the object, she loses consciousness, and all becomes black before eyes. Staring look. Stares with unaltered look at one and the same place. Suddenly consciousness returns and she remembers nothing of what has occurred. Vertigo. Objects seem to move in a circle:- to move hither and thither, though they retain their right shape. Must seat herself more firmly, because she sees nothing firm or steady about her; thinks she is herself unsteady. Imagines she is swaying: everything swings backwards and forwards like a pendulum. When she has to stand still, she wishes she could lay hold of something: objects seems to come near, and then recede again from her. Falls to the ground: falls and rolls about. Neck feels stiff and muscles too short. Most violent tonic spasms, so that neither the curved limbs could be straightened, nor the straight limbs curved. Head retracted or bent forward and stiff. Heart seems to stop. Jerking of head. As if throat had grown together. Walks with feet turned inward, swings feet with each step, describing the arc of a circle. Thumbs turned inward during epilepsy. In epilepsy, spasm renewed from slightest touch or jar. (Nux, Strych., Bell.) On waking, brain feels loose and shaking. Useful after concussion of brain: after wounding oesophagus, where there is spasm that prevents swallowing. [Although the epileptic and other convulsions are very violent, yet many of the symptoms suggest petit mal.] “Acts particularly on the nervous system: a cerebro-spinal irritant, producing tetanus, epileptic and epileptiform convulsions, trismus and local tonic and clonic spasms in general.” KENT says, “This remedy is of most extreme interest because of its convulsive tendency. It puts the whole nervous system into such a state of increased irritability that pressure on a part causes convulsions. “Convulsions extend from centre to circumference. The convulsions spread from above downwards, and thus it is the opposite of Cuprum. The convulsions of Cup. spread from the extremities to the centre: the little convulsions, cramps, are first felt in fingers, then hands, later in chest and whole body. In Cicuta the little convulsions of head, eyes and throat spread down the back with violent contortions. “Read the mental symptoms: at times knows no one, but when touched and spoken to answers correctly. Suddenly consciousness returns and he remembers nothing of what has occurred. Imagines himself a young child: everything is confused and strange. Voices-places-strange. After cataleptic state feels like a child and acts like one: plays with toys. Memory a blank for hours or days, with or without convulsions. (Nat. mur.) Nux mosch. is another remedy that has such a complete blank when going about, doing things. “Wants to eat coal-raw potatoes. “Between the convulsions the patient is mild, gentle, placid, yielding, reverse of Nux and Strych. Nux has convulsions all over the body, worse for touch and draught, blueness: BUT, between the convulsions the patient is very irritable. “Complaints brought on from injuries to skull, blows on the head. Mind and head symptoms after injuries. Cerebro-spinal meningitis. Has cured epithelioma of lips. After swallowing a fishbone, etc., a spasm comes on. After Cicuta the spasm will cease and it can be taken out. “Barber’s itch: troubles from shaving.” One wonders why one has not made more use of Cicuta, after one of the amazing experiences of a lifetime. One has recently reproduced it, as “Effects of the Remedy”, in the CORRESPONDENCE COURSE FOR DOCTORS. Cicuta IN EPILEPSY AND MENTAL DEFICIENCY OF TWENTY YEARS’ STANDING It was many years ago: Charlotte E., an epileptic idiot, 23 years old. First seen in 1909. History-At 32 years old had a fall on head. In bed four months, “unconscious and blind”. On recovery, a pustular rash all over head, cured with ointments. Epileptic fits ever since, with enuresis. Whole body violently convulsed. Sleeps after the fits, sometimes all day. May have 20-30 fits in one night. May go 14 days without fits, then fits every night for a week. Very intelligent before the fall (at 32 years old). Just like a baby now, at 23. Cannot wash or dress herself, but can feed herself now. If asked whether she wants food, says “No,”-then eats it, if set before her. Can never be left alone. For the (a) violence of the convulsions- (b) the pustular rash- and for (c) “after-effects of blows on the head”, she got Cicuta 200, one dose. The effect was amazing; it was a revelation! Three weeks later, the report was- Much better. Fewer fits, and less violent. No struggling. Much more intelligent. Remembers things now! Remembers, as she has not done since babyhood. Washed and dressed herself to-day for the first time in her life. No medicine. In five weeks- Better. Goes upstairs to fetch things for her mother. Fits? “Nothing near so bad. Only six fits since here” used to have 20-30 in a night! Actually talks about things. Dressed herself to come up to Hospital. Understands and remembers. Mother says, “It doesn’t seem true that she can talk to them, and say sensible things,” as she does now. Some festery spots have come out on her face. The girl talks to me. Tells me that “she likes to go and see the girls doing needlework”. Shows me the pennies that they have given her. Mother says, “She couldn’t trust her to do anything for herself; can now!” No medicine. In two months- Very much better. Only two slight fits. Memory improving. Enjoys coming up here. She positively asked her mother not to forget her hospital card! Helps herself at meals now. Cuts bread. Again, spots on face. No medicine. In three months- Still rapid improvement in intelligence. Remembers that she had forgotten to bring me flowers. Two slight fits. No medicine. In five months- No fits at all. Can make beds, and do cleaning. Sews on buttons. No medicine. In six months- Has been ill with a bad cold; doctor called it pleurisy; and one severe fit. Cicuta 200, one dose (for the second time in six months.) In seven months- Am told that this medicine (like the first) produced an aggravation. She was dreadful for two days, and took no notice of anyone. Much better since. Does housework. Loves needlework. No medicine. In eight months- No fit, till she burnt her hand. She was taking a kettle off the fire with paper for a kettle-holder. It flared up and burnt her hand. She screamed with the pain. Three fits, not severe, the next day. She is very useful in the house. Talks to me a lot to-day. No medicine. In eleven months- “Getting on tremendously.” Does needlework. Goes out and buys vegetables. One slight attack. Cicuta 200, one dose, for the third time. In twelve months- One slight attack. No medicine. In fourteen months- Better than ever before. No fits at all. Tells me a long yarn about her sister. Originates conversations. After wringing the clothes, and hanging them up to dry, said, “Now I am dead tired. I’m going to bed. Mother doesn’t want me to, but my nerves are going like that, and I’m dead tired!” No medicine. In seventeen months- Understands that her Sunday School teacher is dead. Said, “She’s gone, and we shall not see her any more.” Never mentioned her again. No medicine. In nineteen months- Mother wrote up, “Ill, and ten fits.” Sent Cicuta 200, one dose. Two years later- Several rather bad fits. Cicuta 200, one dose. Three years later- Had been ill with ‘flu; ten bad fits one night. Otherwise well. Washes up. Cleans the doorstep. Goes shopping. Cicuta 200, one dose. Then for some six months-No fits. After four years- Mother says, “She speaks in proverbs now! She said, ‘What is it, Mother, when your nose itches like this?'” No medicine. In five years- Mends her clothes. Does all the mangling and hangs the clothes out. Remembers where she has put things. Has been since, at very long intervals. It was a pleasing and illuminating case. Excitement or sickness may bring on an attack. But a girl of 23, with less than the mentality of a baby, unable to say when she wanted food, let alone to wash or dress herself, was quickly transformed into a useful and fairly intelligent member of society by a very few single doses of Cicuta, in the 200 potency. One thinks of Cicuta for extreme violence of convulsions: but, as said, it has all the symptoms of petit mal: and one might have made use of Cicuta here, and saved oneself a lot of trouble: for really these petit mal cases are often more difficult than the major attacks. Looking up that old wonderful case the other day, led to the prescription of Cicuta in another equally difficult and seemingly hopeless case. It was this. A thin slip of a “girl”, nearly 40 years old. Practically an epileptic idiot since fall at 12 years old, which rendered her unconscious. Had had a previous fall as a baby, which left a “dent on the top of her head”. (Has queer shaped skull, with a deep dent, wide, running back from vertex.) Makes extraordinary noises before some of the fits, or falls without noise: enuresis in fits. She had very frequent major attacks, minor attacks also, “silent fits”. Skin troubles also. Her symptoms suggested Sulphur, which gave a terrible aggravation, then she improved to a point. But still a great number of fits: and also shrieking fits. Better and worse, without really much change, till January 29th, 1937. Cicuta 30, one dose. In a month the report is “Ever so much better: two weeks since the last fit-her longest period without. A different creature: now takes interest in everything. Takes interest in her clothes now. Looks better. Has put on weight.” Why did she not get Cicuta before? The Cyclopaedia of Drug Pathogenesy gives cases of poisoning by Cicuta. Here is one. A healthy man of 20 ate of the root, and was soon ill. He went out and was soon afterwards found stretched on the ground, and as if dying. Face congested: eyes protruded; foamed at mouth; scarcely breathed. Soon a violent epileptic attack occurred, during which all the limbs in succession were horribly contorted, the breathing interrupted. He never recovered consciousness and soon died. Another:- a child of 6 soon complained of pain in precordia and fell to the ground and passed urine with great force. He looked fearfully ill; all his senses left him; he shut his mouth strongly that it could not be opened, ground his teeth. Eyes much distorted, blood gushed from his ears and a large swelling formed about the precordial region. Hiccough: attempts to vomit. He threw his limbs about and contorted them, the head was often thrown back and the whole back bent in the form of a bow. The convulsions ceased and he cried to his mother for help, but they returned with renewed intensity, he could not be roused by calling to him: and in half an hour he died. And so on with other cases. In one case of proving given, among a host of symptoms, the stool had this peculiarity, that without premonitory symptoms they suddenly came on with urging so severe that they could hardly be kept back, with bruised pain in sacrum and general weakness. Then, almost every hour a stool of black carrion- smelling mucus in large quantity, with straining. When walking, suddenly a peculiar feeling as if the heart stopped etc., etc.