Colchicum autumnale appears in 12 of the 13 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.
- Allen HC — The keynotes that separate this remedy from its nearest neighbours.
“Meadow Saffron. (Liliaceae) Adapted to the rheumatic, gouty diathesis; persons of robust vigorous constitution; diseases of old people. External impressions, light, noise, strong odors, contact, bad manners, make him almost beside himself (Nux); his sufferings seem intolerable. Ailments: from grief or misdeeds of…”
- Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“Colchicum autumnale, Linn. Natural Order , Liliaceæ. Common name (German), Zeitlose. Preparation , Tincture of bulb dug in spring (Stapf's provings). [According to analyses the bulbs are most active in the fall just after flowering, Schroff, Œst. Zeit. f. p. Heilk., 1856. T. F. A.] Authorities. ( 1 to 46 , from Reil's…”
- Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Meadow Saffron (COLCHICUM) Affects markedly the muscular tissues, periosteum, and synovial membranes of joints. Has specific power of relieving the gouty paroxysms. It seems to be more beneficial in chronic affections of these parts. The parts are red, hot, swollen. Tearing pains; worse, in the evening and at night…”
- Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“DIGESTIVE TRACT. HEART; pericardium. Circulation. Kidneys. Tissues: MUSCLES. Ligaments. Fibrous. Serous. JOINTS; small. MOTION. Touch. Night. Stubbing toes. Vibration. WEATHER: Cold; damp; rooms. Changing. Autumn. Slight exertion. Checked sweat. Stretching. Sundown to sunrise. Warmth. Rest. Doubling up. Sitting. COLD…”
- Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“autumnale. Meadow Saffron. N. O. Melanthaceæ of the Liliaceæ. Tincture of the bulb dug in spring. Appendicitis / Asthma / Cataract / Cholera / Colic / Cough / Cramp / Debility / Diabetes / Diarrhœa / Dropsy / Dysentery / Eye, affections of / Feels, painful / Gout / Heart affections of / Ileus / Intermittent fever /…”
- Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Meadow Saffron. Liliaceæ. The Autumn Crocus, or Meadow Saffron, is found in most parts of temperate Europe, especially near Rome. Colchicum was well known to the ancients, who possessed extensive knowledge of its properties and uses. Alexander of Tralles, in the fifth century, says that although it speedily relieves…”
- Kent — The mental and general picture — who the patient is, before what the remedy cures.
“It is rather singular that traditional medicine used Colchicum so much for gout. In all the old books it was recommended for this malady. The provings corroborate the fact that Colchicum fits into many conditions of gout. Rheumatism: Acute rheumatism and uric acid diathesis; rheumatic complaints in general, with…”
- Lippe (KN) — Only the symptoms Lippe considered reliable enough to prescribe on.
“Tearing in the limbs Tingling in many parts of the body Shocks as from electricity through one-half of the body, with sensation of paralysis. Sensitiveness of the whole body, especially the affected parts, to contact and to motion. Weakness and debility from night study and from loss of sleep. Frequent startings…”
- Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.
“Peevish; dissatisfied with every thing. His sufferings seem intolerable to him. Slight causes, external impressions (bright light, strong smells, contact, bad manners) disturb his temper at once. Great desire for rest and disinclination to every mental exertion; forgetfulness; absence of mind. Giddiness when sitting…”
- Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common name: meadow saffron. Affects markedly the muscular tissue, periosteum and synovial membranes of the joints. Weakness and debility from night study and loss of sleep (Nux-V.). Tearing in the limbs during warm weather, and stinging during cold weather. Tingling in many parts of the body, as if frost-bitten…”
- Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.
“The smell of food cooking nauseates to faintness. Fall dysenteries when the days are warm and nights cold; stools shreddy and bloody, like scrapings. Swellings of joints moving from one place to another; they are often dropsical and pit on pressure; < in extremes of wet and cold, or warm and dry (Kent). This remedy…”
