Nux vomica

Nux vomica

Poison Nut. Loganiaceae.

Adapted to thin, irritable, careful, zealous persons with dark hair and bilious or sanguine temperament. Disposed to be quarrelsome, spiteful, malicious; nervous and melancholic.

Debauchers of a thin, irritable, nervous disposition; prone to indigestion and haemorrhoids (persons with light hair, blue eyes. Lob.).

“Nux is chiefly successful with persons of an ardent character; of an irritable, impatient temperament, disposed to anger, spite or deception.” — Hahnemann.

Anxiety with irritability and inclination to commit suicide, but is afraid to die.

Hypochondriac : literary, studious persons, who are too much at home, suffer from want of exercise, with gastric, abdominal complaints and costiveness; especially in drunkards.

Oversensitive; to external impressions; to noise, odors, light or music (Nux m. ) ; trifling ailments are unbearable (Cham.) ; every harmless word offends (Ign.).

Persons who are very particular, careful, but inclined to become easily excited or angered; irascible and tenacious.

Bad effects of : coffee, tobacco, alcoholic stimulants ; highly spiced or seasoned food; over-eating (Ant. c.) ; long-continued over-mental exertion ; sedentery habits : loss of sleep (Coc., Colch., Nit. ac. ) ; aromatic or patent medicines; sitting on cold stones, especially in warm weather.

One of the best remedies with which to commence treatment of cases that have been drugged by mix-

■N tures, bitters, vegetable pills, nostrums or quack remedies, especially aromatic or ‘diot medicines,” but only if symptoms correspond.

Convulsions, with consciousness ( Strych. ) ; < anger, emotion, touch, moving.

Pains are tingling, sticking, hard, aching, worse from motion and contact.

Tendency to faint (Nux m., Sulph.) ; from odors; in morning; after eating; after every labor pain.

Cannot keep from falling asleep in the evening while sitting or reading hours before bedtime, and awakes at 3 or 4 a. m. ; falls into a dreamy sleep at daybreak from which he is hard to arouse, and then feels tired and weak (reverse of. Puls.).

Catarrh: snuffles of infants (Am. c., Samb.) ; coryza, dry at night, fluent by day; < in warm room, > in cold air; from sitting in cold places, on stone steps.

Eructations : sour, bitter ; nausea and vomiting every morning with depression of spirits; after eating.

Nausea: constant; after eating; in morning; from smoking; and feels “If I could only vomit I would be so much better.’’

Stomach : pressure an hour or two after eating as from a stone (immediately after, Kali bi., Nux m.) ; pyrosis, tightness, must loosen clothing; cannot use the mind for two or three hours after a meal ; sleepy after dinner; from anxiety, worry, brandy, coffee, drugs, night watching, high living, etc.

Constipation; with frequent unsuccessful desire, passing small quantities of faeces (in upper abdomen, Ign., Ver. ) ; sensation as if not finished.

Frequent desire for stool; anxious, ineffectual, > for a time after stool; in morning after rising; after mental exertion (inactive, no desire, Bry., Op., Sulph.).

Alternate constipation and diarrhoea (Sulph., Ver.), in persons who have taken purgatives all their lives.

Menses: too early, profuse, lasts too long; or keeping on several days longer, with complaints at onset and remaining after ; every two weeks ; irregular, never at right time ; stopping and starting again ( Sulph. ) ; during and after, < of old symptoms.

Labor pains : violent, spasmodic ; cause urging to stool or to urinate; < in back; prefers a warm room.

Strangulated hernia, especially umbilical.

Backache : must sit up to turn over in bed ; lumbago; from sexual weakness, from masturbation.

Repugnance to cold or to cold air; chilly, on least movement; from being uncovered; must be covered in every stage of fever— chill, heat or sweat.

Fever: great heat, whole body burning hot (Acon.), face red and hot (Bell.), yet patient cannot move or uncover without being chilly.

diseases.

Inimical : to. Zinc. ; must not be used before or after.

Follows well: after, Ars., Ipec., Phos., Sep., Sulph.

Is followed well: by, Bry., Puls., Sulph.

Nux should be given on retiring or, what is better, several hours before going to bed; it acts best during repose of mind and body.

Aggravation. — Morning ; waking at 4 a. m. ; mental exertion; after eating or over-eating; touch, noise, anger, spices, narcotics, dry weather; in cold air.

Amelioration. — In evening, while at rest; lying down, and in damp, wet weather (Caust.).