Tarentula cubensis

by E. B. Nash — Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics

Historical reference for practitioners and students. The statements below reflect the named author’s homeopathic teaching and do not establish treatment effectiveness. This text is not medical advice and must not replace appropriate diagnosis or care.

Or the hairy spider. It is one of the most efficacious remedies for boils, abscesses, felons, or swellings of any kind, where the tissues put on a bluish color, and there are intense burning pains. We used to think we had two great remedies in Arsenicum and Anthracinum for these swellings; but Tarentula Cubensis is simply wonderful. I have seen felons which had kept patients awake night after night walking the floor in agony from the terrible pains so relieved in a very short time that they could sleep in perfect comfort until the swellings spontaneously discharged, and progressed to a rapid cure. This remedy should receive a thorough proving. It is a gem.

Tarentula cubensis across the other classic books

Tarentula cubensis appears in 8 of the 27 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.

Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Cuban Spider A toxæmic medicine, septic conditions. Diphtheria . Adapted to the most severe types of inflammation and pain, early and persistent prostration. Various forms of malignant suppuration. Purplish hue and burning, stinging pains. Bubo. It is the remedy for pain of death; soothes the last struggles. Pruritus…”
Boger (GA) — Which general headings this remedy belongs under — the analytical scaffolding.
“BLUISH, purple, livid, etc.”
Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“Cellular tissue. Cold drinks. Exertion. Spasmodic difficulty of breathing. Shattering cough; pertussis. Slow incubation, then rapid onset, with alarming prostration, atrocious burning or sharp stinging pains, board like HARDNESS OF PART and copious sweat. Intense diphtheritic fever. Malignancy. Sepsis. Carbuncle…”
Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“Mygale Cubensis. Arana peluda. Cuban Tarantula. N. O. Araneideæ. Tincture of whole spider. Carbuncle / Chorea / Intermittents "The Mygale Cubensis, which may be called the Cuban Tarentula, also found in South Carolina and Texas, is a larger spider, of a dark brown colour, less poisonous, and covered with more hairs…”
Farrington — The differential diagnosis — remedy families narrowed through direct clinical comparison.
“The Tarentula Cubensis, the hairy spider, causes a perfect picture of carbuncle even to the sloughing. It may be used effectually when there are great prostration and diarrhoea with intermitting fever of evening exacerbation. In relieving the atrocious pains accompanying this condition, it acts almost like magic. It…”
Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common name: cuban spider; large, dark-brown and hairy spider of cuba. This remedy is indicated in septic conditions, with great prostration (Ars., Bapt., Kali-P., Lach., Pyrog.) (Bl.). The affected parts are of a purplish colour (Apis, Lach.) and there are burning, stinging pains (Apis, Ars., Nit-Ac.) (Bl.). The…”
Tyler — The whole picture — temperament and leading symptoms drawn as one portrait.
“Tarentula cubensis is a remedy that has stared and beckoned for many years: because it was one of the 144 precious “cm” s, “grafts from his pocket case”, sent to us by Dr. NASH, after his visit to this country. If so high in the estimation of such a prescriber as to have a place in his pocket case, and to be one of…”

Tarentula cubensis in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Tarentula cubensis in 27 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in EXTREMITIES (8), SKIN (6), ABDOMEN (4), BACK (4), CHEST (2).

EXTREMITIES - FELON (Onychia,Paronychia,Panaritium,etc.)beginning in nail - malignant with burning
GENERALITIES - ABSCESSES - burning
SKIN - ERUPTIONS - carbuncle - burning
FEVER - SEPTIC fever
EXTREMITIES - FELON (Onychia,Paronychia,Panaritium,etc.)beginning in nail - panaritium
EXTREMITIES - ERUPTION - Leg - excoriations
ABDOMEN - BUBO - burning,with
BACK - ABSCESS - Cervical region
BACK - ABSCESS
SKIN - ERUPTIONS - pustules - malignant
SKIN - ERUPTIONS - carbuncle
GENERALITIES - ABSCESSES
SKIN - ERYSIPELAS
EXTREMITIES - ERUPTION - exuding - thin water
BACK - ERUPTIONS - boils - Shoulders between
EXTREMITIES - OOZING,from oedematous legs
EXTREMITIES - WATER sensation as if cold water were running from clavicle down to toes along a narrow line - Legoozing from the legs
ABDOMEN - PAIN - burning - Inguinal region - glands
EXTREMITIES - CARBUNCLES
EXTREMITIES - ERUPTION - Leg - moist

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