Spider Poisons.
Introduction
FROM scanty and rather scattered data we have tried to picture Tarentula cubensis – the rotten specimen of the Cuban tarentula, which is such a marvellous remedy in a number of septic conditions;but we do not seem to have attacked the better known Tarentula of our Materia Medica. It is a very interesting and very unique remedy, suggested in most difficult conditions – nervous and mental especially; and like all the other drugs of Homoeopathy, priceless where it fits.
Tarentula suggests violence and torment. Without specific power to damage parts or organs after the manner of many of our remedies, it can violently torment both body and mind in a manner utterly subversive to decency and behaviour as regards the unhappy victim, and perplexing and alarming to friends and attendants. Tarentula, therefore, becomes a powerful remedy in spasms, and in hysteria with its “protean manifestations”, as Clarke puts it.
After this spider bite, the victim sings and dances, with extravagant behaviour and complete loss of control, and is only to be cured, and cured again and again in its annual recurrence of symptoms, by music and dancing – so we are told.
And not only is this drug amazingly sensitive to music, but it can be even physically affected by colour: “an unpleasant colour may cause anguish of heart”.
Tarentula has the sudden changes of mood of Crocus, but its gaiety and laughter turn to sudden spitefulness; to a paroxysm of insanity, in which she will strike herself and others, tear and rend and destroy. Sudden violent, or sly destructive movements are absolutely characteristic, and unique to this drug – so far as our knowledge goes. And then the patient may be sorry and apologize: “Couldn’t help it!”
She “feigns sick” as the Repertory has it; feigns paroxysms; feigns fainting and insensibility; yet looks furtively round to see that she is being observed, and to note the effect she is producing. Incredible quickness: jumps out of bed and smashes something before she can be prevented.
Tormented, again, with frightful restlessness: especially of arms and legs.
Then, Fear: indefinite fears; fears of something going to happen; of danger from something that does not exist; sees terrible things that are not there.
The urinary symptoms suggest Cantharis. The skin, its septic troubles – abscess, anthrax, etc., remind one of Tarent. cub.
Many of our most consulted Materia Medicas have shirked Tarentula; but CLARKE has much that is interesting to say about the drug.
To condense, he says, inter alia “Tarantism” is a dancing mania, set up in persons bitten by the Tarentula, or who imagine themselves bitten. The cure is music and dancing. And he gives striking cases of such cures, which bring out the cardinal features of Tarentula: Dark red, or purplish swelling of skin and tissue. Choreic movements; restlessness; apparent imminent choking: relief by music, which first excites, then relieves; periodicity – return of symptoms annually on the date of the bite.
The restlessness is particularly noticed in lower extremities, with desire to cry; must keep moving, though walking aggravates all the symptoms. Many of the mental symptoms, “which almost exhaust the protean range of hysteria,” were in connection with sexual disorders.
NASH says, This spider poison has like other spider poisons very positive nervous symptoms. It acts on uterus and ovaries, and on the female sexual organs generally. “In cases of hyperaesthesia or congestion of these organs, which set up a general hysterical condition, states simulating spinal neurasthenia, sensitive and painful back, excessive restlessness, and impressibility to excitements, music especially. Twitching or jerking of muscles in conjunction with other troubles, should always call to mind this remedy.” “This remedy is not as thoroughly understood as it should be.”
FARRINGTON says: The bitten part becomes swollen and discoloured, lymphatic glands enlarged. By conveyance of the poison to the neck, the cellular tissue there is affected, giving rise to a swelling of a dark red or purplish hue. Choking seems eminent, when epistaxis appears, with dark clots, and relieves the symptoms. Evidence of cerebral congestion is given by the violently throbbing carotid arteries; but with all this there is a pale, earthy hue to the face. Nervous symptoms are present in all the spider poisons, but Tarentula applies, more than other members of the group, to hysteria. Music starts her acting like one crazy; when there are no observers she has no hysterical attacks. As soon as attention is directed to her, she begins to twitch.
Has a reputation for cancer of tongue, etc., and for “fibrous tumours, abdominal, with discharge of pale blood from uterus”.
Desire to eat with intense thirst: constant desire for large quantities of cold water. Or loss of appetite.
Desire for raw articles.
Disgust for bread, for roasted meats.
Inextinguishable thirst.
Muscular contractions of epigastrium.
Many of the digestive symptoms are peculiar, because of the sympathetic pains, neuralgic or congestive, which accompany them, or arise, on sides of head, face, ears, teeth, malar bones.
BLACK LETTER SYMPTOM
HYSTERIA.
NOTEWORTHY, DIAGNOSTIC, OR ITALICIZED SYMPTOMS
Great excitement caused by music; one hour after it, general and copious perspiration.
paroxysms of insanity; strikes head, pulls hair; complains; threatens, scratches herself; restlessness; her clothes annoy her; restless legs; threatening words of destruction and death; comes out of attack with severe headache; eyes wide and staring.
See small figures hovering before her eyes.
Hysteria with bitter belchings.
They sing, dance, cry; extreme gaiety.
Ludicrous and lascivious hysteria; had to be restrained by force.
Visions of monsters, animals, frighten him; of different things not present, faces, insects, ghosts.
Feigned paroxysms; feigns fainting and insensibility; looks sideways to observe the effect on those around her.
Taciturn, irritable; desire to strike himself and others.
Extreme disposition to laugh and joke.
Laughs, runs, dances, gesticulates; sings till hoarse and exhausted.
Sadness, grief, moral depression are not only the almost constant symptoms of the sting, but are present, in a striking manner, during different provings of the medicine.
Fear which could not be stopped; tried to find a cause and leaves others to think there is one; really there was none.
Constant fear that something would happen to prevent my finishing a thing; would start and hastily change my position, through fear that something would fall on me; walking, would stop and throw head to one side, through fear of striking against some imaginary object suspended a few inches above my head.
Great desire to be alone, with fear of being alone.
Changeable mood; from gaiety to sadness; from fixed ideas to uneasiness of mind.
Does not understand questions; does not know the persons she sees every day; cannot say her prayers.
Fits of nervous laughter; desire to joke, play, laugh.
Extreme gaiety.
Great excitement caused by music; later general copious sweat.
Sudden fox-like destructive efforts, requiring utmost vigilance to prevent damage; followed by laughter and apologies.
Threatening words of destruction and death.
Suddenly sprang away from attendants, swept ornaments from mantelpiece; said she was sorry but could not help it.
Very mischievous and destructive, amusing and cheerful.
Attacks of hystero-mania daily about the same hour; first quarrelsome and despondent, suddenly a state of great exhaltation, hits and abuses everyone, destroys whatever she can lay hold of, tears her clothes, laughs and sings; mocks aged people with their age; if restrained becomes violent; attacks end in a comatose sleep.
Jumps from bed, destroying whatever she could get hold of; so quickly that she could not be prevented.
Headache as if a quantity of cold water were poured on head and body.
Intense headache, as if thousands of needles were pricking brain.
Pain in occiput, as if struck by a hammer, extends to temples.
Burning, scorching heat in occiput.
Pain in right maxillary nerve, with tickling sensation in stomach.
It seems as if a living body were moving or tingling in the stomach, with tendency to ascend to throat.
Diabetes – constant craving for raw articles. Disgust for meat; polyuria.
Involuntary micturition when coughing, laughing, making any effort.
Precordial anxiety, tumultuous beating of heart.
Pain, shooting pain in heart and arteries of left chest, extending to left arm; the contact with dress is very painful.
Tumours about the vertebral column.
Strange fancies in regard to colours.
Anguish of heart if they see an unpleasant colour.
Angina pectoris.
Precordial anxiety; tumultuous beating of heart; trembling and thumping, as if from a fright.
Precordial anguish; movement of heart not felt. Constant want of air. Heart ceases to beat and patient fears to die.
Right pupil much dilated, left contracted. Loss of visions in right eye, till dilated pupil contracted.
