HOMŒOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA by William BOERICKE, M.D. Presented by Médi-T   HELLEBORUS NIGER Snow-rose (HELLEBORUS)

Produces a condition of sensorial depression. Sees, hears, tastes imperfectly, and general muscular weakness, which may go on to complete paralysis, accompanied by dropsical effusions. Hence, a remedy in low states of vitality and serious disease. Characteristic aggravation from 4 to 8 pm (Lycop). Sinking sensation. State of effusion in hydrocephalus. Mania of a melancholy type.

Mind.--Slow in answering. Thoughtless; staring. Involuntary sighing. Complete unconsciousness. Picks lips and clothes.

Head.--Forehead wrinkled in folds. Cold sweat. Stupefying headache. Rolls head day and night; moaning, sudden screams. Bores head into pillow; beats it with hands. Dull pain in occiput, with sensation of water swashing inside. Headache culminates in vomiting.

Eyes.--Eyeballs turn upwards; squinting, vacant look. Pupils dilated. Eyes wide open, sunken. Night-blindness.

Nose.--Dirty, dry nostrils. Rubs nose. Smell diminished. Nose pointed.

Face.--Pale, sunken. Cold sweat. Wrinkled. Neuralgia on left side; parts so tender he cannot chew.

Mouth.--Horrible smell from mouth. Lips dry and cracked. Tongue red and dry. Falling of lower jaw. Meaningless picking of lips. Grinding of teeth. Chewing motion. Greedily swallows cold water, though unconscious. Child nurses greedily, with disgust for food. Ptyalism, with sore corners of mouth.

Abdomen.--Gurgling, as if bowels were full of water. Swollen, painful to touch.

Stool.--Jelly-like, white mucus; involuntary.

Urine.--Suppressed; scanty, dark; coffee-grounds sediment. Frequent urging. Child cannot urinate. Bladder overdistended.

Respiratory.--Frequent sighing. Respiration irregular. Chest constricted; gasps for breath. Hydrothorax (Merc sulph).

Extremities.--Automatic motion of one arm and leg. Limbs heavy and painful. Stretching of limbs. Thumb drawn into palm (Cupr). Vesicular eruption between fingers and toes.

Sleep.--Sudden screams in sleep. Soporous sleep. Cri encephalique. Cannot be fully aroused.

Skin.--Pale, dropsical, itching. Livid spots on skin. Sudden, watery, swelling of skin. Falling off of hair and nails. Angio-neurotic œdema.

Modalities.--Worse, from evening until morning, from uncovering.

Relationship.--(Hellebor fætidus, or, Polymnia-Bear's foot--Acts especially on spleen (Ceanothus); also rectum and sciatic nerve. Splenic pains extend to scapula, neck and head, worse left side and evening; chronic ague cake; hypertrophied uterus; glandular enlargements; hair and nails falling off; skin peeling). Hellebor orientalis (salivation).

Antidote: Camphor; Cinch.

Compare: Threatening effusion; Tuberc; Apis; Zinc; Opium; Cinch; Cicuta; Iodoform.

Dose.--Tincture, to third potency.