Aconitum napellus

Aconitum napellus

Monkshood. Ranunculaceae.

Is generally indicated in acute or recent cases occurring in young persons, especially girls of a full, plethoric habit who lead a sedentary life; persons easily affected by atmospheric changes ; dark hair and eyes, rigid muscular fibre.

Complaints caused by exposure to dry cold air, dry north or west winds, or exposure to draughts of cold air while in a perspiration; bad effects of checked perspiration.

Great fear and anxiety of mind, with great nervous excitability ; afraid to go out, to go into a crowd where there is any excitement or many people; to cross the street,

The countenance is expressive of fear; the life is rendered miserable by fear; is sure his disease will prove fatal; predicts the day he will die; fear of death during pregnancy.

Restless, anxious, does everything in great haste; must change position often; everything startles him.

Pains : are intolerable, they drive him crazy ; he becomes very restless; at night.

Hahnemann says : “Whenever Aconite is chosen homoeopathically, you must, above all, observe the ■ moral symptoms, and be careful that it closely resem- \ hies them : the anguish of mind and body ; the rest- ! lessness; the disquiet not to be allayed.” '

This mental anxiety, worry, fear accompanies the most trivial ailment.

Music is unbearable, makes her sad (Sab. — during menses, Nat. c.).

On rising from a recumbent position the red face becomes deathly pale, or he becomes faint or giddy and falls, and he fears to rise again ; often accompanied by vanishing of sight and unconsciousness.

Amenorrhoea in plethoric young girls ; after fright, to prevent suppression of menses.

For the congestive stage of inflammations before localization takes place.

Fever: skin dry and hot; face red, or pale and red alternately; burning thirst for large quantities of cold water; intense nervous restlessness., tossing about in agony ; becomes intolerable towards evening and on going to sleep.

Convulsions: of teething children; heat, jerks and twitches of single muscles; child gnaws its fist, frets and screams; skin hot and dry; high fever.

Cough, croup: dry, hoarse, suffocating; loud, rough, croaking; hard, ringing, whistling; on expiration (Caust. — on inhalation, Spong. ) ;from dry, cold winds or drafts of air.

Aconite should never be given simply to control the fever, never alternated with other drugs for that purpose. If it be a case requiring Aconite no other drug is needed ; Aconite will cure the case.

Unless indicated by the exciting cause, is nearly always injurious in first stages of typhoid fever.

Aggravation. — Evening and night, pains are insupportable; in a warm room; when rising from bed; lying on affected side (Hep., Nux m.).

Amelioration. — In the open air (Alum., Mag. c.. Puls., Sab.).

sleeplessness, intolerance of pain; to Arnica in traumatism ; to Sulphur in all cases. Rarely indicated in fevers which bring out eruptions.

Aconite is the acute of Sulphur, and both precedes and follows it in acute inflammatory conditions.