Veratrum album 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.
“While Hellebore. (Melanthaceae.) For children and old people; the extremes of life ; persons who are habitually cold and deficient in vital reaction; young people of a nervous sanguine temperament. Adapted to diseases with rapid sinking of the vital forces; complete prostration; collapse . Cold perspiration on the…”
- Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“Veratrum album, Linn. Natural order , Liliaceæ. Common names , White Hellebore; (G.), Weisse-niesswurz, (Fr.), Le Varaire Blanc. Preparation , Tincture of the root. Authorities. (Nos. 1 to 32 , from Hahnemann, R. A. M. L., 3)”
- Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“White Hellebore A perfect picture of collapse , with extreme coldness, blueness, and weakness , is offered by this drug. Post-operative shock with cold sweat on forehead, pale face, rapid, feeble pulse. Cold perspiration on the forehead , with nearly all complaints. Vomiting, purging, and cramps in extremities . The…”
- Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“NERVES: ABDOMINAL. Heart. Blood-vessels. Vertex. Blood. Respiratory and digestive systems. EXERTION. DRINKING. Cold drinks. Fright. During pain. Wet cold. Hot drinks. Walking about. Covering. Lying. VIOLENT EFFECTS; PROFOUND PROSTRATION, COLD SWEAT ON FOREHEAD, FAINTNESS OR COLLAPSE. SUDDEN, EXCESSIVE EVACUATIONS…”
- Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“White-flowered Veratrum. White Hellebore. N. O. Melanthaceæ (of the Liliaceæ). Tincture of the root-stocks collected (in the Alps and Pyrenees) early in June before flowering. Amenorrhœa / Anæmia / Anasarca / Angina pectoris / Apoplexy / Asthma / Bronchitis / Cholera asiatica / Cholerine / Colic / Collapse /…”
- Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“White Hellebore. Melanthaceæ. The European Hellebore grows in moist meadows in the Alps and Pyrenees, through Russia, Northern China and Japan. The tincture is prepared from the powdered dry root. Introduced by Hahnemann, and proved by himself, Becher, Franz, Fr. Hahnemann, Stapf, Teuthorn, etc., R. A. M. L., vol. 3 …”
- Kent — The mental and general picture — who the patient is, before what the remedy cures.
“You will be astonished at the wonderful coldness running through this remedy. Coldness: Hardly a group of symptoms will arise without this accompanying coldness. Coldness of discharges, coldness of the body. You would also wonder at the remarkable prostration attending the various groups of symptoms, complete…”
- Lippe (KN) — Only the symptoms Lippe considered reliable enough to prescribe on.
“Sudden sinking of strength. Continued great debility and trembling. Numbness and tingling in the extremities. Violent tonic spasms - the soles of the feet and palms of the hand are contracted. Stiffness of the limbs, especially in the forenoon and after walking. Attacks of pain which produce delirium and mania for a…”
- Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.
“Insanity, he wants to out up every thing. Melancholy, depressed, the head hangs down, he sits down thoughtlessly. Great despair and hopelessness of life. Mental anxiety and pangs of conscience, as if he had done something sinful. Restlessness, much occupied. Persevering refusal to talk; if he does he scolds, and the…”
- Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common name: white hellebore. Difficulty of walking; first the right and then the left hip-joint feels paralytic (Hr.). SUDDEN SINKING OF STRENGTH (Ars., Camph., Kali-P., Phos., Sec.). Continued great debility and trembling (Ars., Gels., Hyos., Lach.). Numbness and tingling in the extremities (Acon., Caust., Merc…”
- Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.
“Collapse, with general coldness and cold sweat, especially on forehead; hippocratic face. Mania, with desire to cut and tear things, with lewdness, lascivious talk, religious or amorous. Disposed to silence, but if irritated gets mad. Scolds, calls names and talks of faults of others. Rice water stools, profuse…”
