Cenchris Contortrix

Ancistrodon contortrix. Copperhead snake of North America. N. O. Ophidians. Solution of venom.

Clinical

Amaurosis / Catarrh / Diarrhœa / Eyes, swelling over / Headache / Heart, affections of / Leucorrhœa / Menorrhagia / Nightmare / Ovary, pain in / Throat, affections of / Vulva, throbbing in; eruption on

Characteristics

Cenchris has the main features of all the serpent poisons: Coma; semi-consciousness; insensibility of cornea; swelling of upper lip; general swelling; paralysis; cold, clammy sweat. Distinctive symptoms are: a marked alternation of moods; and dreamy absent-mindedness. The dreams of Cenchris are very vivid and horrible, cannot be shaken off during waking hours; often lascivious. Swelling above eyes, below brow, like an over-hanging bag of waters. Diarrhœa has been cured having the following characters: "Pain before stool; stool papescent cold but not chilly." Yellow Leucorrhœa; pain in right ovary herpetic eruption on labia. Hard, dry tickling cough, < 3 p.m. Restlessness and sense of suffocation; palpitation; sensation of dying. Must lie with head drawn back, she chokes so. Tight clothing unbearable. Chill or fever beginning in afternoon. Feeling as if whole body were enlarged to bursting; < in region of heart. "Awoke with throbbing in vulva and anus, followed by a dull aching in the sacral region, > by walking about."

< lying down; < afternoon; < evening and all night; < on waking.

Relations

Laches. is nearest, but affects left ovary more than right; Cench. has difficult empty swallowing with easy swallowing of solids and liquids; Lach. can swallow solids but not liquids; Crotal. (lost sense of position and direction); Crocus (alternating moods); Kali c. (swelling of upper lids). Antidoted by: Cham. (internal hæmorrhage); Am. c. (general symptoms). Antidote to: Puls.

1. Mind

Memory lost. Lethargy. Anxiety, feels she will die suddenly. Alternating moods. Dreamy, absent-minded. Took the wrong car without realising where she was going. When riding in the car rode past the place she intended to get off at. Suspicious, thinks her husband is going to put her in an insane asylum; every day, 3 to 8 p.m., for ten days, yet she knew it was a delusion.

2. Head

Hard aching pain, commencing l. frontal eminence, spreading down l. side to teeth, thence to r. frontal eminence, then to teeth r. side.

3. Eyes

Swelling like bags over eyes and under brows. Aching and itching in eyes; dim vision, redness of margins and twitching. L. eye waters; from concussive cough.

5. Nose

Catarrh; scabs; obstruction.

6. Face

Expression bloated, besotted. Face sallow. Burning face. Blue circles round eyes.

9. Throat

Accumulation of mucus; glossy, thick, tough. Difficult empty swallowing, but easy swallowing of solids and liquids. Warm drinks grateful.

11. Stomach

Nausea > by ice; < by water which = vomiting.

12. Abdomen

Intolerance of tight clothing.

13. Stool

Diarrhœa early in morning, on, waking. Stool, gushing, frequent, watery, at first without pain; after several hours, great pain before the motions.

15. Male Sexual Organs

Violent sexual desire.

16. Female Sexual Organs

Increased desire. Yellow leucorrhœa. Pain in r. ovary. Herpetic eruption on labia. Menstrual flow very profuse; light with dark clots.

19. Heart

Feels as if heart were distended, or swelled to fill the whole chest. Strongly conscious of heart. Hard aching and sudden sharp stitching in heart. Throbbing or fluttering under l. scapula. At 3 p.m. sensation of fluttering followed by feeling that heart fell down into abdomen; then pulse became feeble, with heat lasting until after midnight.

17. Respiratory Organs

Hard, dry, tickling cough, < 3 p.m., even causing escape of urine.

27. Fever

Chill or fever beginning in afternoon.