Hyoscyamus Niger - Nash

▲   GENERAL

General

High-grade delirium, similar to that of Stramonium ^Stramonium and Belladonna ^Belladonna; alternating with low-grade, delirium, with stupor, equal to that of Opium. Face pale.

Grasping at flocks, picking the bed clothes and subsultus tendinum.

Persistent cough, worse lying down, relieved on sitting up, especially in elderly people.

Dementia senilis; fears imaginary things, being poisoned, etc.; sees persons and things that are not present; foolish laughter.

General twitching of all the muscles of the body; in spasms or convulsions.

The mania often takes on the lascivious form. The patient uncovers and exposes himself, sings and talks amorously.

Fears being poisoned; Suspicious and jealous.

Constant staring at surrounding objects, self-forgetful (fevers). Pupils dilated; insensible; small objects seem very large. Sordes on teeth; grating the teeth. Alternates well with Rhus Tox ^{Rhus tox}. (fevers).

Hyoscyamus is as delirious as Belladonna ^Belladonna, but the high grade of delirium alternates with the low. With Belladonna ^Belladonna the violent form predominates, while the quiet or stupid form is the exception. With Hyoscyamus it is just the other way. The stupid muttering form predominates, with occasional outbreaks of the violent form. The face of the Belladonna ^Belladonna patient is red, that of Hyoscyamus pale and sunken. The Hyoscyamus patient is weak and the weakness increases. His violent outbreaks of delirium cannot keep up long on account of weakness. This is not so much so with either Belladonna ^Belladonna or Stramonium ^Stramonium. The Hyoscyamus patients may begin with the violent form or outbreaks of delirium, but they grow more mild and less frequent, and the low or stupid form increases until there is total unconsciousness; so much so that it sometimes becomes difficult to choose between it and Opium.

picks the bed clothes, indistinctly muttering, or not saying a word for hours. The teeth are covered with sordes; the lower jaw drops. stools and urine pass involuntarily.

Hyoscyamus is not only a great remedy in the acute affections of which we have written, but it is also one of the most useful in chronic manias. If acute delirium passes on into the settled form, called mania, Hyoscyamus Niger is still one of our chief reliances. It is much oftener of use here than Belladonna ^Belladonna. Again, if the mania comes on after an acute disease it is still one of our leading remedies. In these forms of mania there are certain very marked symptoms calling for its use, such as, the patient is very suspicious; will not take the medicine because he thinks you are trying to poison him, or thinks some plot is being laid against him. He is jealous of others, or the first cause of the attack is jealousy. Again, the mania often takes on the lascivious form.

The patient uncovers and exposes himself, sings and talks amorously. Hyoscyamus leads all the remedies for this form of mania.

The patient, like the one in acute delirium of Hyoscyamus Niger, is liable to alternate between the mild and violent manifestations; at one time so mild and timorous as to hide away from every one, and again so violent that she will attack, beat, fight. scratch, and try to injure anyone within reach.

The Hyoscyamus maniac is generally weak, and so Hyoscyamus Niger is found particularly adapted to mania consequent upon the infirmities of age. Of course it is useful in all ages if indicated by the symptoms.

The nervous manifestations of Hyoscyamus Niger are not confined to the cerebral symptoms; but seem to involve the whole system.