I will now differentiate a very few homoeopathic remedies which are absolutely harmless.
(1) Aurum metallicum (30, 100 or 200). This medicinal power was known to the Arabs of old. The sleeplessness cured by this remedy will be found in those persons who are profoundly despondent, with morbid religious phase dominating; these people have thoughts of suicide, which is seldom carried out by such, as they have an actual fear of death. They fear eternal damnation; they think they are lost souls; they have frightful dreams, often sobbing in their sleep. Weak health of girls at puberty, generally with bad breath. Pining boys at puberty (question onanism here). Insomnia following a great grief (compare Ignatia in such cases). There is often a sex-reflex underlying many of these cases.
(2) Chamomilla (12x to 30). In teething disorders destroying sleep with digestive disturbances as well, the 12x often acts better, but if all symptoms agree, dont hesitate to change the strength before changing to another medicine. I would drop down to a 3x strength if I felt certain I had the correct drug, but dont give I felt certain I had the correct drug, but dont give stronger than this 3x, which might aggravate some digestive symptoms. For Chamomilla to be indicated, children cry and scream and are only quiet when carried.
One cheek will be red and the other very pale. Sleeplessness with colic in highly nervous, excitable and irritable subjects whether young or old. Give children plenty of water. Milk does not quench thirst. Miss as meal giving water instead. Digestion is often at fault in these sleepless ones, and this is shown by constantly changing, sputtering and grass green stools. Note well! Dont give baby a “ONE-COWs milk. If such a cow is “bulling” it may cause a host of symptoms, including diarrhoeas and sleeplessness, and it may even bring on convulsions. Let an old doctor, who has raised many children of his own, urge this. I have never seen this point in print.
(3) Actea racemosa (6x, 12x, 30 to 100). This is usually called Cimicifuga rac. in U.S.A. Here is another remedy with very ancient history. It came to us homoeopaths from American Indian folk lore. One name they have for it is “SOUAW ROOT” which speaks for itself. We homoeopaths simply gave it precision by personal volunteer experiments, and we never asked information from dogs, monkeys, rats or frogs, nor even guinea-pigs.
The sleeplessness cured by this remedy is surely of uterine- reflex (squaw-root). Brain irritable; agitation, great depression, with sensations of impending evil; waving or opening and shutting sensations in the brain; all symptoms worse just before, during or after monthly period (read up “monthly” disorders). Hysterical symptoms; faints easily, or feels faint. Is a shivery subject with probable rheumatic base underlying all. It is easy to think that a woman with such a nervous load cannot sleep well, but there is not need to give such a case some “stupor” producing drug which cures nothing at all.
(4) Aconite (30 t0 200). This is a homoeopathic “sleep restorer” when the trouble is due to “mental shock” or worry. I used the 200 strength during the War with results which astonished me. It was a “pedigree medicine” given me by Dr. Barlee, given him by Dr. Gibson Miller, who received same from Dr. J.T. Kent. After my first successes I divided my bottle of Aconite into four, and kept them in separate places, fearing to lose my “pearl without price”.
Symptoms indicating Aconite following some “shock” are that the patient is full of strange and unaccountable “fear”, which the patient will laugh at between attacks. Fears a crowd or meeting people crossing a street, fears death; in short is full of undefinable and unreasonable fears which drive sleep away. There need not be any fever, but simply mental imbalance. This requires Aconite 30x or higher.
(5) Gelsemium (6x, 30 or 100). Here is another “tribal” remedy of very ancient usage, coming down to us from North American Indians, and which we homoeopaths have had the sense and ability to make use of. It is the evergreen yellow jasmine. This type of sleepless and yawning patient cannot get fully to sleep; he dozes off, to become wide-awake with a start. Insomnia from exhaustion and shock. thoughts crowd uncontrollably all night.
If there are observed slight shiverings and tremblings with “goose-flesh” this is all the better indicated. Face is not, heavy looking and flushed. Eyelids heavy; patient can hardly keep eyes open and yet sleep will not come. Desires to be quiet and left alone. This “sleeplessness” can be caused by exciting news, or some unusual call on the life-forces (such as stage fright, public accompanied with urgent diarrhoea this remedy is all the better indicated.
If the patient is an infant it will start out of slumber screaming, and grasping the attendant, as if afraid of falling. In young women the sleeplessness will often be attended with aphonia and eve sore throat at time of menses. Such is a very brief outline of this normal-sleep restorer, which cannot be classed as “dope”.
(6) Hyoscyamus (12x to 30 or higher). This is one of the most dangerous, and in commonest use of all the orthodox medicines given by them to induce “oblivion” or “stupor” (which cannot be regarded as “sleep”). They use the alkaloid of this drug, which is very concentrated, their average dose being, as copied form their standard works, one-eightieth of a grain, down to one thirtieth grain, which is given either by the mouth or hypodermically, several times a day.
To show you the danger in orthodox hands, if one iota too much is given to a “sensitive” patient, it can produce “sexual-mania”, and insane hospitals have many such wrecks. I have personally known such cases following orthodox prescriptions of this alkaloid. Rehberger lists many toxic symptoms against their alkaloid “Hyoscine”, but as he does not mention “sexual-mania”, but as he does not mention “sexual- mania”, apparently they are not aware of this danger brought on by one of their commonest hypnotics (sleep inducers).
In our 12x strength there is but one drop of the fresh plant juice of Hyoscyamus in 1,000,000,000,000 (twelve noughts) drops of dilute alcohol, so it is safe for the weakest patient. The orthodox “alkaloid” is another story.
Homoeopathically it cures sleeplessness of sexual irritation- reflex (womb and ovaries, etc.). This sleeplessness is intense, and generally accompanied with convulsive tendencies; every muscle twitches; patient starts up frightened; picks at bed clothes; plays with finger; reaches our for objects which are not there; very talkative, even with a vein of sexual undercurrent thought, on to much worse.
Foolish thoughts crowd unwanted; is very jealous; is inclined to laugh at every remark of her own, or attendants in extreme cases there is low muttering speech. Very suspicious and quarrelsome. (N.B. If too big a dose has been given in an orthodox prescription a few doses of five drops of Spirits of Camphor given on sugar, will stop over-acute symptoms of a first dose, but Camphor will not cure a chronic Hyoscine injury).
(7) Nux vomica (30 to 100). In choosing a homoeopathic remedy for “sleeplessness”, here as ever, one must by the patient. Drugging a patient into “stupor is not curing, in fact it is adding a drug disease. Broadly speaking Nux vomica is best suited to a cantankerous individual, who is an over-eater and a gross one. Such will have many digestive troubles with aggravations one or two hours after eating, because of the battle-royal going on inside, and little wonder; how can such a person sleep well> It also suits the sleepless ones of sedentary habits, as well as those who think they cant live without a few drinks of alcohol daily, which ends in arresting digestion by pickling the undigested contents of the stomach.
Such may never “show their liquor”. Nux vomica is oftener suited to men of dark, swarthy and heavy fibre. Dr. Gallivardin (father) of Lyon cured hundreds of persons of their desire for alcoholic stimulants with Nux vomica 30, and nothing else. He was celebrated for this, and he gave his detailed knowledge to the profession. Such patients are always troubled with poor sleep.
Nux vomica subjects are nearly always very constipated, with frequent and ineffectual desires for stool. Such will be very drowsy in the evening hours before bed time, with disturbed naps on going to bed, only to be wide awake from 2 to 3 a.m., until it is time to get up, when he could sleep long and late, waking as cross as a bear, and letting the world know it. Such cases demand all food to be very highly spiced, and are always full of gloom. If the diet be adjusted sanely, Nux vomica 30 or higher, will give normal sleep, with a happier family life, ever afterwards, let;s hope.
(8) Pulsatilla (6x, 12x to 30). Having presented some help for irritable males, this is more often of value for unhappy females. This class of sleepless patients is the exact opposite type. The invalid, as a whole picture, must be studied. The constitutional type of nervous digestive sleepless ones to be benefited by Pulsatilla are of a mild, tearful, timid, and yielding disposition, generally of shady hair (blondish), blue eyes, pale of face, with muscles soft and flabby. How different from the Nux vomica type. Both have their digestive troubles which destroy normal sleep, but the Pulsatilla suffers from too much fats, pastries, cakes, and sweet things aggravating symptoms and driving sleep away.
