In conditions of resistive melancholia and negativism where the patient resists everything done for her, with no interest in anything, offensive breath, etc., it is often productive of beneficial results. The most disagreeable of maniacs with “pure cussedness,” difficult to manage, apposed to everything, is the **Nux vomica patient. Hypochondriasis in the sedentary is met well by the remedy.
**Lycopodium has a torpor of the mind; the patient is melancholic and hypochondriacal, dependent mostly on digestive and hepatic troubles.
The **Nux patient is oversensitive; every harmless word offends and every little noise frightens. They are anxious and “besides themselves.”.
Cannabis Indica. [Cann-i]
This remedy produces marvellous kaleidoscopic visions and illusions as to time and space; a minute seems thousands of years, and a thing a short distance off seems yards away. He imagines he is swelling and his body is becoming large, that he hears numberless bells ringing; a multitude of images crowd the brain and he feels as if he were somebody else. Voices come from a great distance and seem to enchant him.
Lachesis. [Lach]
The snake poisons all have poisoned minds. With **Lachesis there is great loquacity, the patient jumping from one subject to another; jealous, fear of being poisoned and refuses both medicine and food. Has to think how words are spelled. Muttering delirium, with dropping of the lower jaw and illusions, such as imagining that he is under some superhuman control or that he is dead. Melancholia at change of life. Delusion that he is persecuted, worse after sleeping Neurasthenia.
Agaricus. [Agar]
A menacing frenzy causing patient to assail himself and other. Incoherent talking, delusions of power and personal importance; a tremulousness is often present which terrifies the patient. Mania complicated by chorea.
Platinum. [Plat]
The proud, egotistical mental state of this remedy is too well known for comment. The patient has illusions, everything is inferior to her in body and mind, and she looks down on everybody with contempt. Objects look smaller or strange, there is indifference, everything seems too narrow. There is a great dread of death which seems near. It is a useful remedy in hysterical mania, where things seem horrible, and all serious thoughts are displeasing.
**Palladium. Music excites, constantly getting slighted, is easily offended and scolds continually.
Women with tendency to nymphomania and excitement of the genitalia indicate well **Platinum.
Baptisia. [Bapt]
This remedy is seldom used in mental affections, its field being confined to typhoid conditions, where it is indicated by a wandering of the mind; he is restless and disturbed; he cannot sleep, and he thinks he is double and scattered about, and he must move to get his pieces together again. These are the mental characteristics of **Baptisia, and together with the weakness and other symptoms of typhoid indicate it in that disease. In dangerous forms of melancholia with stupor assuming a typhoid condition there is no better remedy.
Chamomilla. [Cham]
This remedy is of great use in diseases of the mind where there is over-sensitiveness and a snappish irritability. Children and adults also, that are especially sensitive to pain, snappish, short and cannot be civil, consequence of anger.
**Staphisagria. Trouble from anger, pride and envy.
**Colocynth. Colic from anger.
**Bryonia. Gastro-enteric symptoms from anger, apathetic, irritable, obstinate and passionate.
Arsenicum. [Ars]
Useful for the depressed delirious, fear of death, fear of being alone, with strong suicidal tendencies. See ghosts and vermin, crawling on bed. It relieves the tendency in the insane to the mutilation of the body, picking at the skin until sore, chewing finger nails, etc. Exhaustive insanity and acute delirious mania with typhoid symptoms and rapid exhaustion. Acute melancholia and especially melancholia agitata come within the province of **Arsenicum. Restlessness, thirst, physical exhaustion and midnight aggravation.
**Silicea. With this remedy there is an erethism combined with the exhaustion.
Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College. Member of American Institute of Homeopathy. In addition to his editoral work he authored or collaborated on: Boericke and Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies, Essentials of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Essentials of Homeopathic Therapeutics and Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics.