Helleborus Niger

Abdomen

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

Antidote

Antidote: Camphor; Cinch.

Compare

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

Description

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.

Dose

Dose.--Tincture, to third potency.

Extremities

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.

Eyes

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

Face

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

Head

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.

Mind

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

Modalities

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

Mouth

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.

Nose

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

Relationship

Relationship.--(Hellebor fetidus, 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).

Respiratory

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

Skin

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

Sleep

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

Stool

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

Urine

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