Hyoscyamus niger

REMEDIES FOR PNEUMO-TYPHUS, PHOSPHORUS, HYOSCYAMUS, RHUS TOX. AND SULPHUR

In regard to Hyoscyamus in these cases, I have learned to regard it very highly. I cannot see that it makes any difference whether we are treating a case of typhoid-pneumonia or pneumo-typhus if we have the symptomatic indications present. Typhus simply means, literally, smoke, stupefaction, that is all, and in either of these diseases Hyoscyamus smokes, or stupefies more than Phosphorus or Rhus toxicodendron, and that is one indication for its preference in such cases. Otherwise we will try to give the indications for Hyoscyamus more fully when we treat Belladonna and Stramonium, the other two of the trio of delirious remedies.

CEREBRAL TYPHUS AND ITS REMEDIES

Hyoscyamus, oftener indicated in true typhoid than either of the three, has, aside from the wild delirium—

Entire loss of consciousness, and of the functions of the organs of sense.

The delirium continues while awake; sees persons who are not and have not been present, muttering, with picking of the bed clothes; staring at surrounding objects; reaching into the empty air for them.

Comprehends slowly, if at all, and stares at the physician.

Tongue red, dry, brown, cracked or paralyzed; puts it out slowly if requested, and forgets to draw it back, or cannot put it out at all.

Sordes on teeth and cadaverous smell from the mouth.

Urine retained, suppressed or involuntary.

Paralysis of sphincter ani and vesica; stools and urine unnoticed (Arnica).

Twitching of muscles, subsultus tendinum.

Sleeplessness with staring eyes; or constant sleep with muttering.

Roseola spots on chest and abdomen.

This is a picture of Hyoscyamus, and whatever the general remedy may be during the course of the fever it is here indispensable.

ALTERNATION

Hahnemann alternated Bryonia and Rhus tox. in a certain epidemic, not giving one one hour and the other the next, as is the manner of bunglers, but when indicated by the symptoms from day to day using the one remedy alone until the effects were visible. I shall have, further on, occasion to relate two cases in which I was obliged to do the same.

I mention this here because I wish to say (without the possibility of being charged with the heresy of alternation or rotation of remedies) that I have observed cases in which such alternation of Hyoscyamus and Rhus tox. was, I believe, entirely in accord with our law of cure, and, again, that the cases that are best covered by Rhus tox. in their generality are just the ones in which Hyoscyamus is most likely to be needed by way of interpolation.

I have already spoken of this remedy in its bearing upon pneumo-typhus, where it is invaluable. I do not think that with these symptoms so plainly given, we need give Belladonna or Stramonium by mistake.