Belladonna

Belladonna

Deadly Nightshade. Solanaceae.

Adapted to bilious, lymphatic, plethoric constitutions; persons who are lively and entertaining when well, but violent and often delirious when sick.

Women and children with light hair and blue eyes, fine complexion, delicate skin ; sensitive, nervous, threatened with convulsions; tuberculous patients.

Great liability to take cold; sensitive to drafts of air, especially when uncovering the head; from having the hair cut; tonsils become inflamed after riding in a cold wind (Acon., Hep., Rhus — takes cold from exposure of feet. Con., Cup., Sil.).

Quick sensation and motion; eyes snap and move quickly; pains come suddenly, last indefinitely and cease suddenly (Mag. p. ).

Pains usually in short attacks; cause redness of face and eyes ; fulness of head and throbbing of carotids.

Imagines he sees ghosts, hideous faces, and various insects (Stram. ) ; black animals, dogs, wolves.

Fear of imaginary things, wants to run away from them ; hallucinations.

Violent delirium; disposition to bite, spit, strike and tear things; breaks into fits of laughter and gnashes the teeth; wants to bite and strike the attendants (Stram.) ; tries to escape (Hell.).

Head hot and painful; face flushed; eyes wild, staring, pupils dilated; pulse full and bounding, globular, like buckshot striking the finger; mucous membrane of mouth dry; stool tardy and urine suppressed; sleepy; but cannot sleep (Cham., Op.).

Convulsions during teething, with fever (without fever, Mag. p. ) ; come on suddenly, head hot, feet cold.

Rush of blood to head and face ( Amyl., Glon. Mel.).

Headache, congestive, with red face, throbbing of brain and carotids (Mel.); < from slight noise, jar, motion, light, lying down, least exertion; > pressure, tight bandaging, wrapping up, during menses.

Boring the head into the pillow (Apis, Hell., Pod.;.

Vertigo when stooping, or when rising after stooping (Bry. ) ; on every change of position.

Abdomen tender, distended < by least jar, even of the bed; obliged to walk with great care for fear of a jar.

Pain in r. ileo-coecal region, < by slightest touch, even of the bed-cover.

The transverse colon protrudes like a pad.

Skin: of a uniform, smooth, shining, scarlet redness; dry, hot, burning; imparts a burning sensation to examining hand ; the true Sydenham scarlet fever, where eruption is perfectly smooth and truly scarlet.

Pressing downwards as if the contents of abdomen would issue from the vulva; > standing and sitting erect; worse mornings (Lib, Mur., Sep.).

Belladonna is the acute of Calcarea, which is often required to complete a cure.

Similar: to. Acon., Bry., Cic., Gels., Glon., Hyos., Mel., Op., Stram.

Aggravation. — From touch, motion, noise, draught of air, looking at bright, shining objects (Lys., Stram.) ; after 3 p. m. ; night, after midnight; while drinking; uncovering the head ; summer sun ; lying down.

Amelioration. — Rest; standing or sitting erect; warm room.