There is a general desire for stimulants in Nux vomica (9); the cocktail in the morning, so that he may be enabled to start the day, the appetizer before and the liberal use of condiments and hot sauces of all kinds with the meals, anything in fact that will irritate the poor stomach and force it to contract on its contents.
It is my most frequently used remedy in atonic dyspepsia (178), with slow and imperfect digestion, fulness in the stomach belching, etc., along with the peculiarity of the remedy, that the distress, fulness and eructations come on immediately after eating (177).
It is to be thought of in indigestion with sour and putrid taste and feeling as if the stomach knotted up, or as if the food lay like a stone in the stomach (179), but the distress is noticed right after they have finished eating or on leaving the table (177).
It is of value in the nausea and vomiting the morning sickness of pregnancy 9153), for gastralgia or cardialgia, worse the least nourishment, the stomach seeming to contract painfully upon its content; also for gastralgia, worse from light and better from hard pressure (175), and transiently better from vomiting.
It is a remedy to always have in mind for gastritis or dyspepsia when caused by the habitual use of drugs, alcohol (176) and strong coffee and for nausea and vomiting or effort to vomit especially in the morning and due to previous abuse of the stomach in the way of a sinful use of food.
The call by the system for NUx Vom serves as an illustration that all forms of wickedness are not to be punished exclusively in the next world.
Headaches is very apt to accompany the gastric conditions calling for this remedy and the headache, vertigo and vomiting are usually relieved after the patient has partaken of some stimulant, alcohol or coffee.
Nux vomica is to be thought of in colic from indigestion, with distention and pressure upward causing shortness of breath, and downwards causing desire for stool. This desire for stool, the feeling as if one could have a movement of the bowels if it was attended to at once, is, as we will find, a characteristic of the remedy in many conditions.
It is useful in jaundice (122), resulting from fits of anger or too high living, for engorgement and other affections of the liver in persons who habitually use alcoholic liquors (176), especially if subject to constipation and haemorrhoids.
There are numerous pathogenetic symptoms having reference to hernia (114), such as “weakness in ring as if a hernia would form” and “pain in ring as if a hernia would become incarcerated.” that have led to the use of Nux vom in strangulated and other hernia. Allen says, “numerous cases of apparently irreducible hernia have been reported as cured by this drug, which seems to relax the unnatural condition of the irritated muscle; in more recent hernias a complete cure is made by Nux. vom., by restoring tone to the relaxed muscles which have permitted the hernia to protrude; this is especially true in infants who have hernia from extreme constipation or from crying, with colic and indigestion, especially if they are very cross.”
The diarrhoea calling for Nux vomica besides having a morning aggravation, would consist of frequent and small movements, associated with backache and a constant feeling as if there were more to be evacuated. It is useful in dysentery, with the above symptoms, along with severe tenesmus (61), discharge of bloody mucus, nausea and vomiting, the whole unpleasantness set up, perhaps, by the use of drugs.
In constipation it is a remedy that is very frequently called for especially for those of sedentary habits and who suffer from itching (159) or very painful haemorrhoids (86), as well as for people of intemperate habits, which includes not only those who eat or drink immoderately, but also the habitual user of cathartics (34).
We have already said that one of the physiological actions of Nux vomica on the spinal cord is to cause incoherent contractions of muscular fibres; this is very noticeable on the intestinal tract where we have inharmonious peristaltic action of the bowels, which instead of acting, as is usual, from above downward. throughout its entire length, acts only on a portion in this manner, while lower down no action at all seems to be going on, and still lower the peristaltic action is reversed, or acting from below upward.
On account of this lack of harmony, we have frequent inclination to stool, but the attempt to have a movement is ineffectual or unsatisfactory (34). This inclination is felt in the abdomen, it continues while at stool so that they strain and make every effort to obtain a complete result, and it continues after leaving the closet, so that they are apt to hurry back, feeling that they were discouraged too soon and that this time they will surely be successful.
(Anacardium has also an inclination to stool that is ineffectual; here the urging is felt more in the rectum and in addition the urging leaves while at stool.)
On the bladder Nux vomica is of value in a number of conditions, in general, characterized by frequent unsuccessful efforts to empty it. There is an extremely irritable condition, or a neuralgia of the neck of the bladder (22), with strangury (194) or frequent and painful efforts to urinate and discharge of only a few drops of burning urine, or we have a retention of urine with spasmodic closure of the neck of the bladder or paralysis of the bladder, as after childbirth (155), with or without dribbling of urine (22).
It is of value in renal colic of the r. side (124), the pain extending to the genitals (125), with frequent and ineffectual efforts to have stool and to urinate; and in haematuria (85) due to alcohol or drugs, or from suppression of the haemorrhoidal flow or of the menses.
The menses under Nux. vom are apt to be irregular, never appearing at the right time, usually too early, they may be too scanty (135) and of too short duration, or they may be too profuse (135) and prolonged (135). It is to be thought of in dysmenorrhoea, with intense pain, crossness, pain in the sacrum as if the back would break, and especially with a constant desire to evacuate the bowels or bladder.
It is of use in recent prolapsus of the uterus (203) resulting from strain or from lifting, and associated with the bladder and bowel condition (203) so characteristic of the remedy, and it is frequently indicated during labor when the pains in the back run down the thighs or when the os is rigid (154) and will not dilate, but especially is it to be thought of when associated with the constant desire for stool.
Nux vomica has a dry, irritable cough from midnight to daybreak or coming on towards morning, or violent cough before rising (40), relieved by warm drinks (40) and sometimes accompanied by involuntary micturition (52). There is a reflex cough, worse mental effort, or cough associated with indigestion (42) and worse after eating (41).
It is to be thought of in asthma (19), worse towards morning (21) and after eating heartily.
We have palpitation (111) on lying down after dinner and various troubles about the heart due to portal obstruction, and it may prove of value for angina pectoris (107) after the excessive use of alcohol or tobacco.
Nux vomica may prove useful in stiff neck from cold (174), shock or fright, with morning aggravation. It is to be remembered in lumbago, with sensitiveness to cold and the gastric symptoms of the remedy, and aggravation in bed; the longer he lies the worse he gets; associated with this we have the peculiar symptom, which Hering places in the highest rank, “must sit up to turn in bed.”
We can accept the excuse of a doctor when he says “I am familiar with the symptom but have forgotten the remedy,” because we hope the same charity will be shown to us when we need it; but I do not know what should be done where one knows not only the symptom but also the remedy having it, yet refuses to use it. A young fellow came to me one day in the dispensary clinic with a lumbago having as a prominent symptom an ability to turn over in bed without first sitting up. I did not believe then that it was a legitimate pathogenetic symptom, but I do now, for in spite of all that I gave him, there was no cure or even relief obtained until Nux vomica was prescribed.
It is a remedy having formication (82) along the spine and it is useful in spinal irritation (171), with loss of power in the extremities, which go to sleep easily (71), and associated with numbness (146).
It is of value in various paralyses, resulting from apoplexy (18), in high livers, and partial paralysis, with vertigo and nausea, especially in drunkards. It is also of value in partial paralysis of the lower extremities, from over-exertion or from being soaked, inside or outside (149), the legs cold and bluish.
It is useful for acne of the face (14), the result of thoughtless eating or drinking, the skin being red and blotchy.
In intermittent fever Nux vom, is frequently called for, with, as characteristic indications, morning paroxysm which anticipates and blueness of the finger-nails (121). The chill, which may be preceded by headache or facial neuralgia (104), begins in the morning, 6-7 A.M. or 11 A.M.; it is first noticed in the back (121), limbs or whole body, and is accompanied by yawning, aching and blueness of the fingers-nails and hands. The patient wants to be covered during the chill, but cannot get warm; there is no thirst during this stage.
