NUX-VOMICA


Therapeutic symptoms of homeopathic remedy Nux Vomica, described by E.B. Nash in his book, Leaders in Homeopathic Therapeutics, published in 1898….


For very particular, careful, zealous persons, inclined to get excited or angry, spiteful, malicious disposition, mental workers or those having sedentary occupations.

Over sensitiveness, easily offended; very little noise frightens, cannot bear the least even suitable medicine; faints easily from odors, etc.

Twitchings, spasms, convulsions, worse slightest touch.

Chilliness, even during high fever; least uncovering brings on chilliness. very red face.

Persons addicted to stimulants, narcotics, patent medicines, nostrums, debauches etc.

Frequent and ineffectual desire for stool or passes little at a time., amelioration after stool.

Modalities: aggravation uncovering, mental work, after eating, cold air, dry weather, stimulants, 9 A.M.; amelioration wet weather, warm room, on covering, after stool.

*SPASM (from simple twitchings to the clonic form); sensitiveness, nervous and chilliness are three general characteristics of this remedy.

Anxiety with irritability and inclination to commit suicide, but is afraid to die.

Sleepy in the evening, hours before bedtime; lies awake for an hour or two, at 3 or 4 A.M., then wants to sleep late in morning.

Awakens tired and weak and generally worse, with many complaints.

Stomach: pressure an Hour or Two after eating as from a stone (immediately after(KALI-B., NUX-M.)

Convulsions with consciousness(STRYCH.,); worse anger, emotion, touch, moving, alternate constipation and diarrhoea.(Ant-crud.).

Menses: Too early, profuse and long lasting, with worse of all other complaints during continuance.

NUX-VOMICA acts best when given at night, during repose of mind and body; Sulph. in the morning.

Among the symptoms called characteristic, as given by Constantine Hering, are these:

“After aromatics in food or as medicine, particularly ginger, pepper etc., and after almost any kind of so called “hot “medicines (Goullon). “Also, “will also benefit persons who have been drugged by mixtures, bitters, herbs and so called vegetable pills, etc. —(B).

This is putting it in too wholesale a fashion. It would be true if said that Nux-Vomica will often benefit such cases. The fact is that it will benefit those cases in which the use of such drugs, aromatics, pills, etc. has brought about a condition that simulates the symptoms produced in the provings of Nux-Vomica, or in cases to which it is homoeopathic and no others. Another fact is that these things often Do produce such a condition, and that is one reason why so many physicians are almost invariably prescribing Nux-Vomica the first thing, in cases coming from allopathic hands, without even examining the case. But it is unscientific. We have a law of cure and there are cases in which the Nux-Vomica condition is Not present but another more similar remedy must be given. It does not alter the case to say, “Well, I did not know what had been given, “for Nux-Vomica will neither antidote the effects of the drug poison nor cure the disease condition unless it is homoeopathically indicated, especially given in the dynamic form.

Here are two more of Hering ‘s card symptoms, in which are given the temperaments that are most susceptible to the action of Nux:

“Over-sensitiveness, every harmless word offends, every little noise frightens, anxious and beside themselves, they cannot bear the least even suitable medicines—(B). ” And, “For very particular, careful, zealous persons, inclined to get excited and angry, or of a spiteful, malicious disposition.”

This is a graphic picture of what is called the “nervous temperament, “and practice corroborates the truth of the value of these temperamatic indications for this remedy; but there are a number of remedies that have as markedly this so called nervous temperament, such as CHAMOMILLA, iGNATIA, STAPHISAGRIA, and others.

So no physician would be justified in prescribing NUX-VOMICA on temperament alone, be the indication ever so clear. The WHOLE case must come in. There seems to be another kind of condition belonging to this nervous group of Nux-Vomica that has not so much of excitability in it. “Hypochondriasis, with studious men, sitting too much at home, with abdominal complaints and costiveness.

“Now if you take a second look at these cases, you will find that a very little irritation will arouse this kind of their hypochondriac gloom and make them angry or irritable similar to the first condition, so that on the whole the first proves to be the predominant one.

If the gloomy or hypochondriac condition of mind persists, we will more likely have to look to such remedies as AURUM, NAT.- MUR., etc., to find the true simillimum. These nervous symptoms of mind and body are wonderful leaders to the selection of the right remedy.

FREQUENT and ineffectual desire to DEFECATE or passing but small quantities of faeces at each attempt.”

This symptom is pure gold. There are a few other remedies that have it, but none so positively and persistently.

It is the Guiding Symptom in the constipation to which NUX- VOMICA is homoeopathic, and in my experience will then, and then only, cure.

Carol Dunham wrote over twenty five years ago on this symptom. He said, in effect–while NUX-VOMICA or BRYONIA are equal remedies for constipation there was never any reason for confounding them, or alternating them, as they were so different. The NUX-VOMICA constipation was caused by irregular peristaltic action of the intestines, hence the frequent ineffectual desire; but the BRYONIA constipation was caused by lack of secretion in the intestines. There was with BRYONIA absolutely no desire, and the stools were dry and hard as if burnt.

And the above symptom is found not in constipation alone. It is always present in dysentery. The stools, though very frequently consisting of slimy mucus and blood, are very small and very unsatisfactory. Dr. P. P.Wells pointed out the very reliable additional symptom for NUX-VOMICA in dysentery that the pains were very greatly relieved for a short time after every stool. This is not so with MERCURY, but the pain and tenesmus continue AFTER the stool, as it is sometimes well expressed as “a never get done feeling”. But it makes little difference whether the patient is afflicted with constipation, dysentery, diarrhoea or other diseases, if we have this frequent ineffectual desire for stool present we always think of NUX-VOMICA. first, and give it unless other symptoms contraindicate it.

*”Catamenia a few days before time, and rather too copious, or keeping on several days longer with complaints at the onset, which remain until after it is over.”

This is also an oft verified symptom of NUX-VOMICA.

Of course there are many other remedies for too early or too copious menstruation. CALCAREA OSTREARUM is one of them, but the temperament of the calcarea patient is not at all like NUX-VOMICA. I have found that patients that required NUX-V., for this condition could hardly ever take PULSATILLA for anything. For instance, if the patients had green, bland, thick discharge and you gave them PULSATILLA it would often bring down on too early and profuse menstruation. In such cases I had to give SEPIA which would act like a charm on the catarrh and not worse the menses.

These cases calling for Nux Vomica often occur in young girls or women at the climacteric. we often have the characteristic rectal troubles also present. (LILIUM TIG). The pains are pressing down and extend to the rectum and sometimes also to the neck of bladder. Inefficient LABOR PAINS, extending to the rectum, with desire for stool or frequent urination, are quickly relieved, and become efficient, after the administration of a dose of NUX VOMICA 200.

If, in addition, your menorrhagic patient is costive, has gastric troubles, and especially if generally worse in the morning we have an almost sure remedy in NUX VOMICA.

Feels worse in the morning. soon after awaking(LACH, and NAT.- M.) also after mental exertion(NAT.-C, vertigo; CALC., SIL., occipital); after eating(ANAC., reverse)and in cold air (PULS., rev.)”If Boenninghausen had never done anything but given us his incomparable chapter on worse and better, this alone would have immortalized him.

It seems to me, after profiting them in a practice of over thirty years, it is impossible to over estimate them.

But some one will say perhaps–there are twenty-eight remedies in Allen’s BOENNINGHAUSEN in large caps, that are worse in the morning. That does not seem like coming very close to the choice of the remedy.

But when we look at those that are worse in the evening we find thirty eight remedies, and only eight of them occurring under BOTH morning and evening, and these eight are worse not GENERALLY, but rather in some ESPECIALLY symptoms. For instance, in RHUS the loose cough is worse in the morning, the tight dry one in the evening.

So you see we are quiet on the way to making a choice after all. But now take all the aggravations of NUX VOMICA as regards time, mind, gastric (symptoms), temperature etc., where can you find the combination so prominently under any remedy? Of course those physicians who are not able to appreciate anything but pathological symptoms have not much use for these modalities. But one thing is certain, they cannot do as good homoeopathic work without as with them.

E.B.Nash
Dr. E.B. Nash 1838- 1917, was considered one of our finest homeopaths and teachers. He was Prof. of Materia Medica at the N.Y. Homoeopathic Medical College and President of International Hahnemannian Assoc. His book Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics is a classic. This article is from: :The Medical Advance - A monthly magazine of homoeopathic medicine - edited and published by H.C. Allen, M. D.