“Great heat, whole body burning hot, especially face red and hot, yet the patient cannot move or uncover in the least without feeling chilly. “This condition of feverishness is of common occurrence and yields to NUX VOMICA with a promptness that would delight the heart of a Lippe. It makes no difference what the name of the fever, whether inflammatory, remittent or fever accompanying sore throat, rheumatism, or any other local trouble, if we have these indications, we may confidently give this remedy and will not be often disappointed with the result. It took me years to learn the value of this symptom, because I was a routinist and thought that ACON, BELL, or both in alteration, must be given in all cases where high fever was present. so I have some sympathy for young physicians now, who from false teachings have been led to the same error. But let me say here, for the benefit of all such, that there is a much better way; namely–to closely individualize, which is not always difficult; give the single remedy in the potentized form, giving it time to act, and wait for reaction before repeating.
Of course low potencies will often cure, and that in spite of alternation, over dosing and frequent repetition. But they will often fail, and, in the great majority of cases will not accomplish anything like the satisfactory results of the true simillimum, the single remedy and the minimum dose.
“After eating:(KALI-BI, NUX-M) sour taste pressure in the stomach an hour or two afterward, with hypochondriacal mood, pyrosis tightness about the waist; must loosen clothing (LACH, CALC., and LYCO), confused cannot use mind two or three hours after meal, epigastrium bloated, with pressure as from a stone in the stomach.”
This is a group of symptoms as given in “Guiding Symptoms. “There are so many symptoms given under the digestive organs that it shows that NUX VOMICA has really a very wide range of action in gastric troubles. And there are no really characteristic and peculiar symptoms to mention, unless it be the peculiar worse of stomach symptoms” *an hour or two after eating, “instead of immediately after as is the case with NUX-M and KALI-BI. The pressure as from a stone occurs also under in BRYONIA and PULSATILLA.
More stress may be placed upon the cause of the stomach, liver and abdominal complaints for which NUX VOMICA is the remedy. For instance, coffee alcoholic drinks, debauchery, abuse of drugs business anxiety, sedentary habits, broken rest from long night watching (COCC., CUP., NIT-A., )too high living etc. SO we find that NUX. is adapted to complaints arising from these causes, which is abundantly verified in practice.
One thing is very apt to be present in these cases; namely-the very characteristic rectal symptoms already noticed.
We ought not to leave NUX VOMICA without speaking of its great efficiency in headaches and backaches.
The headaches often occurs in conjunction with gastric, the hepatic, abdominal and haemorrhoidal affections. Here also the modalities, more than the character of the pain, decide the choice. The aggravations are:from mental exertion, chagrin or anger; in open air(opposite PULSATILLA), on awaking in the morning after eating, from abuse of coffee or spirits, sour stomach, in the sunshine, on stooping from light and noise, when moving or opening the eyes (BRYONIA), from coughing high living or highly seasoned food, in, stormy weather, after drugging, from masturbation, from constipation or haemorrhoids.
These headaches may or may not localize in any particular part of the head.
The patient is just as apt to say in one part of the head as another, and will often say, in no particular part, “it feels badly and aches all over.”
The pains in the back are more peculiar. The patient is apt to have backache in bed, and must sit up to turn over; as turning or twisting the body, worse when standing (SULPHUR) (worse when sitting, KOBALT, PULS, RHUS-TOX, ZINC.,) or sitting is especially painful. The pain is mostly located in the lumbar region, though it may be in the dorsa, and is often in connection(like AESCULUS) with haemorrhoids. AESCULUS is especially worse from walking or stooping. Backache caused by masturbation (KOBALT, worse sitting; STAPHISAGRIA, lying at night)finds one of its best remedies in NUX VOMICA. We might here launch out into a description of the general action of NUX. upon the spinal cord, including the motor and sensory centers, etc. but that can all be found in other works. So now we will leave NUX. except as we refer to it in comparison while writing of other remedies. In reviewing of what we have written, we are impressed that some may be led to think that we have narrowed down the sphere of this truly great remedy too much.Let us say here, that it is not our aim in this work to write exhaustively upon any remedy, but to point out a few of the chief virtues and the characteristic symptoms, around which all the rest revolve.
To write exhaustively would be to write a complete Materia- Medica.
In actual practice there are two kinds of cases that come to every physician. One is the case that may be prescribed for with great certainty of success on the symptoms that are styled characteristic and peculiar.(Organon, 153. )The other is where in all the case there are no such symptoms appearing; then there is only one way, viz., to hunt for the remedy that, in its pathogenesis, contains what is called the “*TOUT ENSEMBLE”of the case. The majority of the cases, however, do have, standing out like beacon lights. some characteristic or key note symptoms which guide to the study of the remedy that has the whole case in its pathogenesis.
