Tarentula hispana appears in 10 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.
“Tarantula; Cuban and Spanish. (Araneideae) Adapted to highly nervous organisms, especially choleric affections where whole body, or right arm and left leg are affected (left arm and right leg, Agar.). Constant movement of the legs, arms, trunk, with inability to do anything; twitching and jerking of muscles…”
- Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“Lycosa Tarentula. Animal kingdom. Class , Myriopoda. Order , Araneideæ. Common name , Tarantula. Preparation , Tincture of the living spiders. Authorities. ( 1 to 8 , from Georgius Baglivi, Dissertatio de Anat. Morsu et Effectibus Tarantulæ, Romæ, 1695, Antwerp, 1715, cap. 6).”
- Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Spanish Spider Remarkable nervous phenomena; hysteria with chlorosis; chorea , dysmenorrhœa, spinal irritability. Bladder tenesmus. Constriction sensations. Formication; Extreme restlessness ; must keep in constant motion even though walking aggravates. Hysterical epilepsy. Intense sexual excitement. Sudden alteration…”
- Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“NERVES. HEART. Spine. RESPIRATION. Generative sphere. Right side. TOUCH. Cold. Noise. Damp. Periodically: Same hour. Yearly. After menses. Evening. Relaxation: Rubbing. Sweating. Smoking. Open air. Music. Riding horseback. In the sun. VIOLENCE; sudden. Restless, fidgety, hurried; in incessant motion, but walking <…”
- Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“Lycosa tarentula. Tarantula. N. O. Araneideæ. Tincture of the living spiders. Angina pectoris / Callosities / Chorea / Coccygodynia / Cornea, opacity of / Cystitis / Depression of spirits / Diphtheria / Dysmenorrhœa / Epistaxis / Erotomania / Fibroma / Headache / Hiccough / Hysteria / Intermittents / Kleptomania /…”
- Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Spanish Tarantula. Araneideæ. The male and female Tarentulæ used in the provings were collected by Dr. Mariano de la Paz Grælls, at the royal residence of Pardo, Spain, in the month of July, during which time the poison is stronger ; dilutions used 3, 6, 12 and 200 ; the medicine was prepared from the live spider, all…”
- Kent — The mental and general picture — who the patient is, before what the remedy cures.
“Tarentula Hispanica This terrible poison should never be used except in attenuations. Mind and nervous : The nervous manifestations of this remedy are almost indescribable and too numerous to mention. Anxiety and restlessness are words that prevail through all the conditions in it. It is much like Ars. The anxiety is…”
- Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common names: lycosa tarantula: spanish spider: a large, hairy and venomous, tropical spider, of south america). This spider poison has, like other spider poisons, very positive nervous symptoms (N.). It acts upon the uterus and ovaries, and upon the female sexual organs generally (N.). Especially indicated in choreic…”
- Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.
“This spider poison has like other spider poisons very positive nervous symptoms. It acts upon the uterus and ovaries, and upon the female sexual organs generally. “In cases of hyperesthesia or congestion of these organs, which set up a general hysterical condition, states simulating spinal neurasthenia, sensitive and…”
