Sambucus nigra

as H.C. Allen recorded it in Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of Some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica, 1899

Elder

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Keynotes

Sambucus nigra

Elder. Caprifoliaceae.

Adapted to diseases of scrofulous children, which affect the air passages especially.

Persons formerly robust and fleshy, suddenly become emaciated (Iod.. Tub.).

Bad effects of violent mental emotions ; anxiety, grief, or excessive sexual indulgence (Phos. ac.. Kali p.).

(Edematous swelling in various parts of the body, especially in legs, instep and feet.

Dry coryza of infants (sniffles) ; nose dry and completely obstructed, preventing breathing and nursing (Am. c., Nux).

Dyspnoea : child awakens suddenly nearly suffocated, face livid, blue, sits up in bed ; turns blue, gasps for breath, which it finally gets; attack passes off but is again repeated ; child inspires but cannot expire (Chlorine, Meph.) ; sleeps into the attack (Lach.). Compare: Arum drac. in Miller’s asthma.

Attacks of suffocation as in last stage of croup.

Cough : suffocative, with crying children ; worse about midnight; hollow, deep, whooping, with spasm of chest; with regular inhalations but sighing exhalations.

Cough deep, dry, precedes the fever paroxysm.

Fever: dry heat while he sleeps; on falling asleep; after lying down; without thirst, dreads uncovering (must be covered in every stage, Nux).

Profuse sweat over entire body during waking hours ; on going to sleep, dry heat returns (sweats as soon as he closes his eyes to sleep. Cinch., Con.).

Sulph.

Relieves ailments from abuse of Arsenicum.

Aggravation. — During rest; after eating fruit.

Amelioration. — Sitting up in bed. Motion; most of the pains occur during rest and disappear during motion (Rhus).

Follows well : after. Opium, in bad effects of fright.

What the other books say about Sambucus nigra

The same remedy read by a different author. They disagree, and the disagreements are where the remedy becomes recognisable.

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← Every remedy in Allen's Keynotes

Cite this page. H.C. Allen. Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of Some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica. 3rd edition (1910). Philadelphia: Boericke & Tafel. Sambucus nigra — Keynotes, pp. 249–250. HomeopathyWorld, https://homeopathyworld.in/materia-medica/books/allen/sambucus-nigra. Published 1910: public domain in the US (before 1931) and in India (author died 1909). Replaces B. Jain's 2005 "rearranged and classified" edition (© the publisher), per the owner's decision of 13 Sep 2026. Reproduced as the author wrote it; a historical reference for students and practitioners, not medical advice.