by E. A. Farrington — A Clinical Materia Medica
The Tarentula Cubensis, the hairy spider, causes a perfect picture of carbuncle even to the sloughing. It may be used effectually when there are great prostration and diarrhoea with intermitting fever of evening exacerbation. In relieving the atrocious pains accompanying this condition, it acts almost like magic. It should therefore be compared with Lachesis, Anthracinum, and Silicea.
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Tarentula cubensis appears in 7 of the 21 classic books on Similia. Each was written to do a different job — here is what each adds on this remedy, with the opening of its entry.
“Cuban Spider A toxæmic medicine, septic conditions. Diphtheria . Adapted to the most severe types of inflammation and pain, early and persistent prostration. Various forms of malignant suppuration. Purplish hue and burning, stinging pains. Bubo. It is the remedy for pain of death; soothes the last struggles. Pruritus…”
“BLUISH, purple, livid, etc.”
“Cellular tissue. Cold drinks. Exertion. Spasmodic difficulty of breathing. Shattering cough; pertussis. Slow incubation, then rapid onset, with alarming prostration, atrocious burning or sharp stinging pains, board like HARDNESS OF PART and copious sweat. Intense diphtheritic fever. Malignancy. Sepsis. Carbuncle…”
“Mygale Cubensis. Arana peluda. Cuban Tarantula. N. O. Araneideæ. Tincture of whole spider. Carbuncle / Chorea / Intermittents "The Mygale Cubensis, which may be called the Cuban Tarentula, also found in South Carolina and Texas, is a larger spider, of a dark brown colour, less poisonous, and covered with more hairs…”
“Common name: cuban spider; large, dark-brown and hairy spider of cuba. This remedy is indicated in septic conditions, with great prostration (Ars., Bapt., Kali-P., Lach., Pyrog.) (Bl.). The affected parts are of a purplish colour (Apis, Lach.) and there are burning, stinging pains (Apis, Ars., Nit-Ac.) (Bl.). The…”
“Or the hairy spider. It is one of the most efficacious remedies for boils, abscesses, felons, or swellings of any kind, where the tissues put on a bluish color, and there are intense burning pains. We used to think we had two great remedies in Arsenicum and Anthracinum for these swellings; but Tarentula Cubensis is…”
Kent's Repertory lists Tarentula cubensis in 27 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in EXTREMITIES (8), SKIN (6), ABDOMEN (4), BACK (4), CHEST (2).
