LILIUM


Homeopathic remedy Lilium from A Manual of Homeopathic Therapeutics by Edwin A. Neatby, comprising the characteristic symptoms of homeopathic remedies from clinical indications, published in 1927….


      Lilium tigrinum. Tiger lily. N.O. Liliaceae.

INTRODUCTION

      THE pathogenesis and therapeutic properties of lilium will be considered together. This remedy is used only on homoeopathic principles, and not, even so, as extensively as its therapeutic powers would justify. If has been fairly well proved, an unusually large proportion of the provers being women. It is probably this which has led to its being considered a woman’s (or gynaecological) medicine and has therefore led to the undue limitation of its employment.

The early writers on the drug regarded the “uterine condition” as the centre from which the rest of the symptoms, subjective and objective, radiated. It is more likely that they own a common (undetermined) cause or causes. Kent (“Materia Medica,” p. 656)in his introductory generalization puts in first- he writes,”Lilium is especially suited to hysterical women who suffer from uterine…cardiac…and nervous manifestations,”thereby permitting the inference that the rest of the symptoms are subsidiary to, if not dependent upon, the female sexual disturbances. It would probably upon be more correct to put the “nervous manifestations” first in importance and the uterine last for the reasons that the mental temperamental states are those which furnish chief indications for lilium as a remedy, and given these indications it may be as useful in men as in women.

The subjects for whom it is chiefly useful are neurasthenics-in women about the menopause and in men at a later age. The nervo-mental equilibrium is unstable-possibly due to disturbed endocrine balance.

Such persons, men and women, are likely to be irritable-a term too wide to be very valuable in the diagnosis of the remedy. They are hypercritical, noticing the slightest departure from accuracy of statement or quotation, from correctness of deportment or from duty or what is expected of others; a strong effort is needed to repress caustic comment, undue blame, or “Snappy” retort. There is lack of control of words and thoughts and sometimes a distinct blunting of the mental powers. Such persons are the selves by no means free from mistakes in writing or in speaking or from lapses of memory, such as those for which they blame others memory, such as those for which they blame others. They are at times heavy and listless and liable to sit brooding over their past or over present difficulties, real or imaginary, which they feel themselves totally unable to face. They may be resentful, if not actually violent, if disturbed- disposed to curse or strike those offending in this way. This brooding may be of a melancholic nature, frequently religious in character, the patient entertaining fanciful or extreme notions, or despairing of final salvation, though having led an upright life. Not only are these patients annoyed or aggravated behaving their brooding disturbed (as already stated) but this is so much the case that attempts even at sympathy or consolation aggravate.

The patient may be one whose emotions are easily acted upon chiefly through some mental or moral impressions, and here the sexual element may come in- may obtrude- for such patient so not necessarily encourage sexual thoughts and feelings. The physical results of such emotion or excitement may be tremors, flushes. and in particular, palpitation or irregular cardiac action-beats being missed or imperceptible at the radial pulse, and followed by violent systoles to make up.

If a sexual factor is conspicuous it is usually00 that of excessive excitement and pre-occupations, chiefly in women. The reproductive organs in men though less frequently affected, do not altogether escape. In one case in a medical man, the proving brought on sexual excitement which has been dormant for many years. The excitement may lead to an orgasm, beyond the control of the sufferer in the daytime, or at night during sleep.

In men the lilium neurasthenia usually comes late in life, when the influence of the sex glands is waning. In women t is said that nymphomania of a lilium type may develop. In both sexes the lilium syndrome may follow excesses of one kind and another, either sexual or of a physical or mental kind die to worry, mental of a physical or mental kind, due to worry, mental strain, irregularity of hours and high pressure generally.

In women most of these mental symptoms are worse before or during the menstrual period or at the menopause.

Some cases of vaginismus occurring before the menopause are accompanied by sexual neurasthenia, due perhaps to the impossibility of normal intercourse furnishing an outlet for the nerve impulses which should culminate in the natural orgasm. Lilium will be useful in such cases, both for the vaginismus ( if still existing) and the neurasthenia if the rest of the symptoms indicate it.

The heavy, listless phase may alternate with or be replaced by over-activity, physical or mental, sometimes, t is said, encouraged with the object of repressing thoughts or banishing memories. It causes a feeling of hurry and pressure, but the patient may become unable to it and unable to concentrate, to follow a train of thought or to recall a name or idea-the effort must be abandoned.

Headache is not unnaturally associated with these symptoms, it may be a tearing frontal headache over the eyes, but is mainly occipital or extending from the nape to the vertex, a tingling feeling with giddiness. There may be a hot pain extending to the right malar bone. The headaches are worse about 5 a.m., and may be unilateral especially on the left side. It is sometimes “described” as “indescribable” (!)-a feeling of confusion as if the patient would “go crazy”. Indeed, fears are noticeable in the lilium case, of being alone, of losing her reason, of having a mortal disease or of some other calamity, or of being eternally lost. These fears or obsessions may be accompanied by severe depression and weeping or by indifference.

Next in indication value are some general symptoms: (a) Many symptoms (physical) are left-sided; (b) there is aversion from hot rooms, with benefit to mental and most bodily symptoms from a walk in the open air; (c) aggravation from crowded rooms, meetings, theatres or churches, especially in the case of headache and dyspnoea; (d)the pains occur in small spots and shift about (puls.); (e) the type of patient is plethoric, stout and nervous, especially women at the menopause or during pregnancy and the puerperium.

Circulatory System.-This sphere ranks next in importance. Palpitations form emotion has been noted. Flushes., tremors, pulsation (throbbing) all over the body (or any part of it); faint feeling; embarrassed, anxious feeling in the cardiac region with shortness of breath may be present. Or severe pain about the heart, as if it were grasped tightly or “in a vice”; or alternately grasped and realized. This pain may wake the patient suddenly at night, and is worse when lying down, bending forward or stooping. This would probably be accompanied by general cold sweat and rapid irregular pulse. In cases of angina pectoris and tachycardia lilium should be studied. A sensation of weight on the left side of the chest would assist in the choice of the remedy, particularly if aggravated by lying down especially on the right side. The local conditions-abdominal and pelvic-are likely to be accompanied by cardiac weakness and irritability such as have just been referred to. Some of the chest oppression and tightness may be a nervous sensation, relieved by deep breathing or sighing.

Digestive System.-The appetite is excessive, and the patient who requires lilium is likely to have a craving for meat. Thirst may form the first feature in one of the spells of depression and mental hebetude. Gastrointestinal cutting pains coming on in paroxysms, apparently due to flatulence and relieved by passing it, or much flatulent distension without the pain may occur. Burning in the rectum and smarting in the anus and up the rectum are associated with a bearing-down or straining feeling which is brought on or made worse by standing.

Constipation is the usual state of the bowels, in neurasthenics requiring lilium. Two other states, however, may occur, morning diarrhoea and dysentery. The former is characteristic of sulphur, aloes, lilium and rumex. It is a very urgent early morning diarrhoea, forcing the patient to hurry out of bed, when he has difficulty in restraining the action. The stool is dark, offensive or bilious and is preceded by griping and pressure in the rectum.

Headache may be present at the same time, with a hollow, empty sensation in the stomach and bowels, and burning of the hands and feet. If any cardiac crisis be present the hands and feet may be cold and clammy, but apart from such a crisis they are hot and burning at night, and the patient seeks a cool place in the bed for them, as if the case where sulphur is indicated.

The dysenteric condition is less common and less well known, but it is vouched for by Kent from repeated experiences. It is said to resemble that of merc. corr., with griping, violent straining, the passage of small amounts of mucus and blood and followed by burning in the rectum.

Edwin Awdas Neatby
Edwin Awdas Neatby 1858 – 1933 MD was an orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy to become a physician at the London Homeopathic Hospital, Consulting Physician at the Buchanan Homeopathic Hospital St. Leonard’s on Sea, Consulting Surgeon at the Leaf Hospital Eastbourne, President of the British Homeopathic Society.

Edwin Awdas Neatby founded the Missionary School of Homeopathy and the London Homeopathic Hospital in 1903, and run by the British Homeopathic Association. He died in East Grinstead, Sussex, on the 1st December 1933. Edwin Awdas Neatby wrote The place of operation in the treatment of uterine fibroids, Modern developments in medicine, Pleural effusions in children, Manual of Homoeo Therapeutics,