Materia Medica
Strychninum
Alkaloid of Nux Vomica
Tetanic convulsions with opisthotonos. The muscles relax between paroxysms; worse slightest touch, sound, odor. Influences more directly the spinal cord and is less appropriate in viscera derangements than Nux. T'ctauus. Explosive nervousness. The pains and sen- sations come suddenly and return at interzals. The 3x hypodermically, 10 m. in shock.
Head
Restless. Over-irritability. Full and burst- ing headache, with heat in eyes. Vertigo, with roaring in ears. Jerking of head forwards. Scalp sore. Itch- ing of scalp and nape.
Eyes
Hot, painful. protruding, staring. Pupils diated. Sparks before eyes. Spasmodic contraction of Cular muscles; twitching and trembling of lids.
Ears
Hearing very acute; burning, itching, and roaring in ears.
Face
Pale, anxious. livid. Jaws stiffened; lower jaw spasniodically closed.
Throat
Dry, contracted; feeling of a lump. Deglutition impossible. Burning a!ong and spasms of cesophagus. Violent itching in roof of mouth.
Stomach
Constant retching. Violent vomiting. Nausea of pregnancy.
Abdomen
Sharp pain in abdominal muscles, griping pain in bowels.
Rectum
Faces discharged involuntarily during Very obstinate constipation. spasms. 711
Female
Desire for coitus. [Canth.; Camph.; Fl. ac.; Lach.; Phos.: Plat.] Any touch on body excites a voluptuous sensation.
Respiratory
Spasm of muscles about larynx. Fx- cessive dyspncea. Sharp, contractive pains in muscles of chest. Persistennt cough, recurring after influenza.
Back
Riyidity of cervical muscles. Sharp pain in nape and down spine. Back stiff; violent jerks in spinal column. Icy sensation down spine.
Extremities
Limbs stiff. Rheumatism with stiff joints. I'iolent jerking, twitching, and trembling. Violent tetanic convulsions and opisthotonos; spasms provoked by slightest touch and attempt to move. Vio- lent shocks in the muscles. ( Cramp-like pains.
Skin
itching of whole body, especially nose. Icy sensation down the spine.
Fever
Cold chills down spine. Perspiration in a stream down head and chest. Lower extremities cold.
Modalities
Worse, morning; touch ; noise ; mot1on ; after meals. Better, lying on back.
Relationships
Compare: Eucalyptus (neutralizes ill effects of Strychnin). Strych. ars. (Psoriasis; chronic diarrhcea with paralytic symptoms; compen- satory hypertrophy y of heart with beginning fatty de- generation; marked dyspnoea when lying down; cedema of lower extremities, urine scanty, high specific gravity, heavily loaded with I glucose. Diabetes. 6x trit.). Strych. ct Ferr. cit. (chlorotic and paralytic conditions; dyspepsia, with vomiting of ingesta; 2x and 3x trit.); Strych. valerin. (exhaustion of brain-power; women of high nervous erethism: 2x trit.). Compare: Cicuta; Arnica (tetanus).
Dose
Third to thirtieth potency. For non- homceopathic use, to produce its direct physiological effects in paralysis the dose will range from one-fiftieth to one-twentieth 6f a grain, repeated three times a day. Under twelve years of age, one-fiftieth to one two- hundredth of a grain. Strych., hypodermically. is cap- able of arresting progressive muscular atrophy. and is a certain stimulant to the respiratory centers, and is useful in embarrassed breathing, in the course of pneu- monia especially. Dose, one one-hundredth to one- sixtieth grain every three hours.