Generalities
A few hours after the patients have great anguish of the heart, great dejection, but greater difficulty in breathing; they complain in a mournful voice, roll their eyes, and when asked by bystanders where they suffer, they either do not reply or point out the affected region by placing the hand upon the chest, as if the heart were affected more than all else. The symptoms observed after the bite of a tarantula are not constant and common to each person, neither are they all produced by each tarantula, but they vary according to the variety of the tarantula, the temperament of the diseased person, and greater or less summer heat. It has been observed that Tarentula in the more northern region of Apulia are fiercer; the bitten people suffer severe symptoms; especially they are charmed by various colors, green, blue etc., but rarely by dark colors. And if approached by people dressed in a strong color, which is unpleasant to them, they must retire; for at sight of the annoying color they are immediately seized with anguish of heart and renewal of the symptoms. Different symptoms are produced by different varieties of Tarentula. The tarantula subagency causes slight pain, followed by itching, sharp pain in the abdomen and diarrhoea. The tarantula stellate causes more severe pain and itching, stupor, heaviness and pain in the head, trembling of the whole body, etc. The tarantula uvea causes, besides the above symptoms, swelling, great pain in the bitten part, spasm, chill, cold perspiration over the whole body, aphonia, inclination to vomit, tension of the trunk and chest, distension of the abdomen, etc. There are numerous and incredible symptoms of tarantula, many of which seem dependent on a depraved imagination; it will not be far from the truth if we report that after the intense severity of the symptoms apparent on the first days has declined, there is a peculiar melancholy, a bending forward of the neck, until either by dancing, or music, or by change of age the poisonous characteristics are eliminated from the blood and nervous fluids, which fortune is rarely attained, for having once been bitten, it is certainly evident that they cannot be restored to health. Many symptoms confirm this assertion of the nature of the depraved fancy; for many have sought the sepulchre and lonely places, and even extended themselves upon the bier. Desperate, they court dissolution. Maidens and wives, otherwise virtuous, the restraints of modesty being loosed, sigh deeply, howl, make indecent gestures, expose their sexual organs, are fond of pensile movements, etc., some at length twist about in their own garments, and take excessive delight in such movements. Others like to strike with whips on the buttocks, heels, feet, back, etc. Others have a great desire to run. Also strange fancies in regard to colors are observed; for people bitten by Tarentula are charmed by some colors, and on the contrary, greatly repelled by others, and according to the degree of the perverted fancy in turn, refreshed and made miserable by various colors. Stretched upon the ground and seemed as if he was just going to expire.
When he heard the music he began to move accordingly, got up as quick as lightning, and seemed as if he had been awakened by some frightful vision, and stared wildly about, still moving every joint of his body. As I had not yet learned the whole tune, I left off playing; in an instant he fell down and cried very loud; his face, legs, arms, and every other part of his body were distorted; he scraped the earth with his hands, and was in such contortions, that clearly indicated him to be in miserable agonies. On hearing the music again, he rose up as he did before, and danced as fast as any man could do; his dancing was very wild; he kept a perfect time in the dance, but had neither rule nor manner, only jumping and running to and fro, and making very comical postures, something like the Chinese dances seen on stage, and otherwise, everything that he did was very wild. He immediately felt intense pain in the bitten spot, and fell to the ground with coldness of the body; with bristling of the hair, pain in the chest, tension of the trunk, the legs very weak, he sighed, complained, said that he was suffocating, wished to cry out, but could not. The next morning he was taken by his neighbors to the town where music was called in; he immediately began to dance, he was bathed in perspiration, was sleepless for a week, drank pure wine; did not evacuate the bowels for four days, desired nothing, wished to be bathed in water, liked a red color, pursuing with the greatest hatred anything blue, which he tore to pieces and trampled under foot. At night he held his heels in his hands to scratch them, in which manner he was able to get a little sleep; he ate little or nothing but dancing for almost a week, he was cured by the perspiration and music. The tarantula being killed, he returned home, but on the way suddenly fell to the ground, as if struck by apoplexy, followed by shortness of breath, blackness of the face, hands, and other extremities, etc. The patient revived as he heard music, began to sigh, moved first his feet, then his hands and the rest of his body, and soon after, on being raised to his feet, danced vigorously, with sighs so deep as almost to frighten the bystanders. He rolled upon the ground, and kicked vigorously.
In two hours from the beginning of the music he had entirely lost the blackness of the face and hands; the dance was repeated for three days, according to the custom, he was entirely restored by the perspiration thus induced. Each year, about the time of the bite, pain reappeared in the affected part with all the above symptoms, in less intensity, however; and unless he anticipated the assailing paroxysm with music and dancing, he was suddenly seized with the same symptoms, whence, when thus attacked about the time of the bite, he was carried from the field by his companions and restored by a little music. Weakness of legs, obscuration of sight, vertigo, cramps in the stomach, going upwards, without vomiting, coldness, cannot get warm, with an earthy gray, or bluish hue of the face. Malaise, vertigo, stupor, violent cramps in the stomach, causing gagging without vomiting, coldness and livid face; sweat in the root of the hair; fever, with a furious delirium. Malaise, vertigo, cramps in the stomach, painful coldness, earthy paleness of the face; fever and intense heat afterwards, with dryness and sensitiveness of the skin. General symptoms due to scrofula. General and local dropsy. A tendency to rachitis in scrofulous constitutions.
Rachitism due to syphilis. Diseases of the bones, in general.
General, and almost sudden oedema; feels oppressed and suffocated; anxiety; the teeth are clenched; nervous symptoms.
Weakened constitution by frequent uterine losses; hysteric symptoms; hepatic spots on the neck, and sometimes on the cheeks.
Retraction of one or more muscles. Retraction of the muscles.
General muscular atrophy. Retraction of the muscles; the mouth and eyes are distorted, with a general sensation as if the body was smaller and atrophied. Half of the body seems as if atrophied, with retraction of the muscles; the head and back are drawn strongly towards the hip. Tension and rigidity of the muscles of the entire trunk; inability to move the head, the arms, and even the upper half of the body. The muscles seemed shortened. Attack of paralysis, characterized by a general formication, which begins at 8 P.M., with a strong pain in the occiput, followed by numbness of the trunk and limbs, to such a degree as to completely loose all movements. Natrum mur. was given as an antidote; immediately after, general agitation, fear of losing the reason, which also happens; biting and scratching himself with rage. Phosph. ac. was given, and this state ceased.
Feels thirsty afterward, yawning, rigors, and shaking, with headache. General twitching, especially violent in the arms, alternating with opisthotonos. Trembling of the body; all the limbs are agitated. Her whole body was shaken by a spasm of such violence that two strong men could hardly hold her. Convulsive trembling of half of the body. Convulsions and subsultus in all his limbs; the penis erect, and the abdominal muscles in such a state of contraction and rigidity that they might have aptly compared to a piece of leather. Convulsions, resulting from compression on the spinal column, involuntary stools.
Convulsions, caused by pressure on the spine, paralysis, complete retention of the urine and faeces. Convulsions, caused by pressure on the spinal column, with involuntary stool.
Convulsions, resulting from compression of the spinal column; complete retention of fecal matters and urine. Extraordinary contortions and movements of the head and hands. Convulsive spasms, rolling on the ground, teeth clenched; it seems as if breathing was interrupted; a rattling, hoarse sound from the throat. Spasms in general. Spasms, starts, general trembling, a bluish tinge of the skin (not cyanosis), gooseflesh, coldness, and screams. St. Vitus’s dance. Great weakness and prostration, with general lowness of spirits, lassitude, and pains in the hip- joints, wrists, and finger-joints. Could hardly be moved from side to side, on account of the great weakness, uninterrupted constriction of the chest and anguish of the heart. Malaise, constant thirst, craving for raw articles. Music produces malaise, ennui, and restlessness, with contraction of the fingers, and necessity of moving them. Universal languor.
Born in 1837in Westminster, Vermont. . He was an orthodox doctor who converted to homeopathy
Dr. Allen compiled the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica over the course of 10 years.
In 1881 Allen published A Critical Revision of the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica.