Cicuta Virosa

Cicuta v. is one of the most active of the poisonous Umbellifere. Its chief

influence is excited on the medulla oblongata, the gastro-intestinal tract, and the skin. Twitching

and spasmodic jerks are a keynote of Cicuta. "Bending the head backward" is very characteristic.

The remedy has cured many cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis, the opisthotonos being the

leading indication. Violence is a leading feature: violent spasms; moans and howls; great

agitation; makes gesticulations; odd motions; strange desires, as to eat coal. "Head turned or

twisted to one side" is no less indicative of the drug in convulsions of children or adults. (See

cases referred to below.) It corresponds to falls and the effects of concussions. Utter prostration

follows the convulsive attacks; sudden rigidity, then jerks and violent distortions; then

prostration. "jerking of the left arm all day" is a very characteristic symptom. Tremor when

• ▸touched.
• ▸Trembling palpitation.
• ▸Convergent strabismus; from fall or blow.
• ▸Soporous sleep,

weeps on being roused, distorts facial muscles and stares vacantly. Pupils dilated. Shocks from

• ▸head down body.
• ▸Face bluish.
• ▸Froths at mouth.
• ▸Jaws locked.
• ▸Bites tongue.
• ▸Hiccough.
• ▸Hungry

immediately after a meal. Tearing, jerking in coccyx. Cicuta has a marked action on the skin:

eruption of pustules which run together with yellowish honey-coloured scabs, especially about

mouth, and matting the whiskers. Nash cured eczema capitis in a young woman with Cic.

v.—whole scalp was covered as with a solid cap. Epithelioma, growths covered with honey-

• ▸coloured scabs.
• ▸Suited to old people and children.
• ▸Teste places Cicuta in the Sulphur group.
• ▸He

regards it as antipsoric, and considers that as its eruptions are mostly found in the head and face,

so its symptoms, when repercussion of skin eruptions occur, are chiefly felt in the brain. Bovista

• ▸and 4’thusa are like Cic.
• ▸v.
• ▸in this.
• ▸Teste mentions the case of a lady of fifty-eight who ceased to

menstruate at thirty in consequence of a fright, and who was "of robust constitution, irritable,

• ▸nervous, and excessively fanciful and odd.
• ▸" She had a chronic swelling of the left ovary.
• ▸Cic.
• ▸v.

had a remarkably quieting effect for several weeks, and during that time the swelling diminished

considerably. The patient had to leave Paris, so the treatment could not be followed up. The two

following cases illustrate the action of Cicuta in a striking way. The first, a case of acute

• ▸meningitis, is quoted from N.
• ▸A.
• ▸J.
• ▸H.
• ▸by Amer.
• ▸Hom.
• ▸of January 1, 1898: Dr.
• ▸H.
• ▸von Musits

• ▸treated J.
• ▸N.
• ▸R.
• ▸, et.
• ▸43; male; married; a user of alcohol and tobacco; bookkeeper.
• ▸After the

intense summer heat, these symptoms developed: Convulsion; distortion of limbs; head turned

• ▸backward.
• ▸Trismus.
• ▸Froth from mouth.
• ▸Biting of the tongue.
• ▸Oppression of breathing.
• ▸Entire loss

of consciousness and of power of swallowing. Convulsions, followed by complete exhaustion.

• ▸Stupor.
• ▸Swelling of face.
• ▸Inability to move the tongue.
• ▸The whole body seems to be of enormous

size. The patient had three attacks of convulsions during twenty-four hours, followed by the

• ▸swelling of the tongue and body.
• ▸Extreme trembling of the hands.
• ▸Articulation difficult.
• ▸Next day

profuse watery diarrhoea stools < by any noise, sudden entrance of any person into the room or

loud talking. > By rest and in a dark room. Several times previously he had had symptoms of

nervous exhaustion. His brother, a physician, died the previous spring from paresis in

consequence of excessive use of alcohol and drugging. After two doses of Cicuta vir. 200 there

were no more convulsions and the patient was perfectly cured in two weeks. There was no

• ▸relapse.
• ▸The next case, one of cholera, is quoted from the Indian Hom.
• ▸Rev.
• ▸by Amer.
• ▸Hom.
• ▸,

December 15, 1896. Banerjee records the case: "A lad, aged five years, had an attack of cholera

three days before my visit. Had been treated by a homeeopath from beginning of attack. The

patient was suffering from convulsions, when I first saw him on the fourth day. The convulsive

fits were very severe since the third day of the attack of cholera. The symptoms were: eyes half

turned, head drawn toward the left side, and the hands and feet of the same side were contracted.

• ▸He was given Bell.
• ▸, Hyos.
• ▸, Cina, and Bryonia without effect.
• ▸Cicuta virosa was then given.
• ▸The

first dose mitigated the severity of the fits, the second dose put the child to sleep, and thus he was

saved from imminent death." The chief Conditions are: < From concussions, especially of brain

and spine; from turning the head; from slightest touch (renews the spasms); from cold. > From

warmth. Immediately after eating: bellyache and sleepiness. Immediately after commencing to

eat: feels satisfied. Soon after a meal-great hunger.

• ▸Delirium, with singing, dancing and funny gestures.
• ▸Everything appears strange and terrible.
• ▸Confounds present with the past; feels like a child.
• ▸Stupid feeling.
• ▸Melancholy, with indifference.
• ▸Mistrustful.
• ▸Epilepsy; moaning and whining.
• ▸Vivid dreams.

Strange desires, as desire to eat coal, &c.—Anxiety, and great tendency to be deeply

affected by mournful stories —Groans, complaints, and howling.—Discontent and ill-

• ▸humour.
• ▸—Suspicion and mistrust, with misanthropy.
• ▸—Disposition to be frightened.
• ▸—Mania, with

dancing, laughing, and ridiculous gestures; with heat of the body and longing for wine.—Forgets

• ▸his own name.
• ▸—Dementia.
• ▸—Giddiness and absence of mind.
• ▸—He confounds the present with the

past.—He thinks himself a young child.—Want of confidence in and dread of man, retires into

solitude.

Pains, as from excoriation, or from a bruise, on various parts —Trembling of

the limbs.—Shocks, as from electric sparks, in the head, the arms, and the legs.—General

convulsions, and fits of epilepsy, sometimes with cries, paleness or yellow colour of the face,

pressing together of the jaws, numbness and distortion of the limbs, suspension of respiration,

and foam at the mouth.—After the fit, the body remains insensible, and, as it were, dead.—State

of insensibility and immobility, with loss of consciousness and of strength —Attacks of

catalepsy, with relaxation of all the muscles, and absence of respiration.—Tetanus.—Drawing

• ▸pains in the limbs.
• ▸—Affections of the r.
• ▸side of the back.
• ▸—Spasms during parturition; children

have convulsions from worms.—Strictures after inflammation, sometimes after gonorrhcea.

• ▸Head turned or twisted to one side. Cerebro-spinal meningitis. Cervical muscles contracted.
• ▸Vertigo, with gastralgia, and muscular spasms.
• ▸Sudden, violent shocks through head.
• ▸Stares persistently at objects.
• ▸Convulsions from concussion of brain.
• ▸Thick, yellow scabs on head.
• ▸Head symptoms relieved by emission of flatus.

Vertigo, and staggering, to the extent of falling.—Giddiness, with falling

forward.—Whirling vertigo on rising in the bed, with obscuration of sight.—Feeling as of

intoxication.—Headache above the orbits —Congestion of the brain with vomiting and

purging.—Attacks of semi-lateral cephalalgia, with nausea——Semi-lateral headache, as from

congestion to the head; relieved when sitting erect—Heaviness of the head with

dizziness.—Compression from both sides of the head.—Stupefying pressure on the

forehead.—Diminution of pain in the head on rising, and on passing flatus.—A ffections of the

brain, from concussion of the brain.—Headache, as from commotion of the brain.—Feeling of

looseness of the brain, as if it were shaken in walking; early in the morning; disappearing when

thinking of the pain intensely.—Severe headache in occiput, like a dull pressure; as with

coryza.—Suppurating eruptions on the scalp, with burning pain.—Startings and spasmodic shocks

in the head, with drawing backward of the head.—Staring at an object, the head inclines forward;

is frequently bent back again, with twitching, trembling, and tension in the neck while moving

it.—Jerking and twitching of head.

• ▸When reading, letters disappear.
• ▸Pupils dilated, insensible strabismus.
• ▸Objects recede, approach, and seem double.
• ▸Eyes stare.
• ▸Pupils get behind upper lids as head inclines.
• ▸Effects of exposure to snow.
• ▸Spasmodic affections of eyes and its appendages.
• ▸Strabismus; periodic, spasmodic after a fall or a blow.

Burning pain in the eyes.—Pupils either much contracted or dilated.—Suspension of the

sight, with vertigo, on walking.—Look fixed, sometimes from a sort of absence of

mind.—Wavering of all objects before the sight. —Iris-like circles round candle-—Mobility of the

characters on reading; the letters turn, and are surrounded with a coloured areola, the same as

round the light.—Diplopia, or obscuration of the eyes, sometimes alternately with hardness of

hearing.—The objects appear double and black.—Luminous and coloured circle around all

• ▸objects.
• ▸—Photophobia.
• ▸—Nocturnal agglutination of the eyelids.
• ▸—Twitching of the orbicularis

muscle.

Difficult hearing. Sudden detonations especially on swallowing. Haemorrhage from ears.

Sensation of excoriation, and pain, as of contusion, behind the ears.—Purulent eruption

before, behind, and on the ears.—Discharge of blood from the ears.—Hearing indistinct,

sometimes alternating with obscuration of the eyes Detonation in r. ear when swallowing.

Pains as of excoriation and of a bruise, in the (r.) ala nasi—Scabs in the

nostrils.—Yellowish discharge from the nose.—Obstruction of the nose, with abundant secretion

of mucus.—Frequent sneezing, without coryza.

Pustules which run together forming thick, yellow scabs on face and head, corners of mouth and chin, with burning pain. Red face. Trismus; disposition to grind teeth.

Pallor and coldness of the face, with coldness of the hands——Cheeks pale, with eyes

sunk, and surrounded by a livid circle.—Redness and swelling of the face and of the

neck.—Eruption on the face, confluent, purulent, and of a deep red colour, with lenticular

pimples on the forehead.—Burning scabs, with yellowish serum, on the upper lip, cheeks, and

chin.—Thick, honey-coloured scurf on the chin, upper lip, and lower portion of the cheeks (milk

crust), burning soreness and oozing, accompanied with swelling of the sub-maxillary glands, and

insatiable appetite.—Painful ulcer on the lips —Painful swelling of the sub-maxillary

glands.—Trismus.—Disposition to grind the teeth.

Foam before and in the mouth—Whitish pustules, painful on being touched, and

ulcers on the edge of the tongue Swelling of the tongue; white, painful, burning ulcers on the

edges of the tongue.—Speech embarrassed, with convulsive movements of the head (from before

backwards) and of the arms at every word that is uttered.

Throat dry.—Inability to swallow; the throat is, as it were, closed, and feels bruised

when touched externally (with eructations).—Stricture of cesophagus.—Strangling on attempting

to swallow.—Constriction after being hurt by swallowing a splinter of bone.

10. Appetite-—Want of appetite, caused by a sensation of dryness in the mouth.—Satiety, and

aching in the stomach, after the first mouthful.—Great inclination to eat coal.—Continual hunger

and appetite, even shortly after a meal—Burning thirst, esp. during the cramps.—A fter a meal,

colic, cuttings, pressure on the epigastrium, and drowsiness.

• ▸Dry.
• ▸Feels as if grown together.
• ▸Spasms of oesophagus; cannot swallow.
• ▸Effects on oesophagus from swallowing sharp piece of bone.

• ▸Thirst; burning pressure; hiccough.
• ▸Throbbing in pit of stomach, which has become raised to size of fist.
• ▸Desire for unnatural things, like coal (Alum; Calc).
• ▸Indigestion, with insensibility, frothing at mouth.

Violent and noisy hiccough; with crying.—Bitter and yellowish regurgitation on

stooping, and followed by a burning sensation in the throat Nausea in the morning and during a

meal, sometimes with headache —Vomiting of blood —Vomiting, alternately with tonic spasms

in the muscles of the chest, and convulsive movements of the eyes; (the vomiting does not

relieve the lock-jaw).—Burning pressure on the stomach and abdomen.—Pulsative pains in the

epigastrium, which is much inflated Oppression and anxiety in the epigastric region.—Swelling

and throbbing in the pit of the stomach.

• ▸Flatulence with anxiety and crossness.
• ▸Rumbling in.
• ▸Distended and painful.
• ▸Colic with convulsions.

Colic, with convulsions (in children from worms).—Cuttings, immediately after

a meal, with drowsiness.—Pinchings and borborygmi in the abdomen.—Accumulation of flatus,

with anguish and ill-humour.—Distension and painfulness of the abdomen.—Pain, as from

ulceration in the groins.

Diarrhoea in morning, with irresistible desire to urinate. Itching in rectum.

Constipation.—Liquid and too frequent evacuations.—Itching in the

rectum, with burning pain after friction.

Retention of urine —Frequent micturition; the urine is propelled with

great force —Involuntary urination as from paralysis of the bladder.

Menses delayed; spasmodic symptoms.—Tearing and drawing in

coccyx during menses.—(Painful tumours of mamme.)

Testes drawn up.—Sore drawing pain in urethra as far as glans,

obliging one to urinate.—Stitches in fossa navicularis with nightly emissions.—Pollutions without

lascivious dreams.—Strictures (spasmodic) sometimes after gonorrhoea.

Chest feels tight; can hardly breathe. Tonic spasm in pectoral muscles. Heat in chest.

Hoarseness.—Difficult respiration, and want of breath.—Cough with

copious expectoration.

Tightness in the chest; she is scarcely able to breathe all day.—Pressure on the chest,

as from a weight, with difficulty of respiration.—Sensation in chest and throat as though

something the size of a fist were lodged there.—Tonic spasms in the muscles of the chest,

alternately with vomiting.—Heat in the chest —Pain, as from a bruise, and from excoriation, in

the lower extremity of the sternum.—Burning pain in the nipples ——Burning in the chest.

Trembling palpitation of heart—Feels as if heart stopped beating; and sometimes

faint feeling therewith.

• ▸Spasms and cramps in muscles of nape of neck, and spasmodic drawing backward of head.
• ▸Curved limbs cannot be straightened nor straight ones bent.
• ▸Back bent backward like an arch.
• ▸Jerking, tearing in coccyx, especially during menses.

Tension, as from a wound, in the muscles of the neck, on bending the head

• ▸back.
• ▸—Swelling of the neck.
• ▸—Tonic spasms of the cervical muscles.
• ▸—Neuralgia of neck with

tendency to draw head backwards and dull occipital headache. —Tearing jerking in

coccyx.—Coccygodynia coming on for first time during catamenia, after parturition —Spasmodic

bending backwards of the back, like an arch.—Tension above the shoulder-blades.—Pain of

ulceration in the shoulder-blades.

Pain, as from a bruise, or of excoriation, in the joints of the shoulder, and in

• ▸the forearms.
• ▸—Sensation of heaviness and want of strength in the arms.
• ▸—Jerking in the |.
• ▸arm all

day.—Startings and convulsive movements (involuntary) in the arms and in the

fingers.—Deadness of the fingers.—The veins on the hands are enlarged.

Involuntary starting of the lower limbs, jerks and twitches. —Painful stiffness

of the legs —Trembling of the legs.—Yielding of the feet, when walking; they turn inwards.

• ▸Eczema; no itching, exudation forms into a hard, lemon-colored crust.
• ▸Suppressed eruption causes brain disease.
• ▸Elevated eruptions, as large as peas.
• ▸Chronic impetigo.

Burning itching over the whole body.—Purulent eruptions, with yellowish and burning

scabs.—Lenticular pimples, of a deep red colour.—Long-lasting purulent eruptions, confluent,

forming thick yellow crusts, with burning pain.

Sleeplessness and nocturnal sweat.—Half-sleep, with restless movements and

confused dreams.—Frequent waking, with profuse sweat, which, however, alleviates.—Vivid

dreams of the events of the day.—Vivid dreams which cannot be recollected.

Pulse weak, slow, trembling.—Shivering, and perpetual desire to be near the

fire—The chilliness begins in the chest and extends down the legs and into the arms.—Coldness

in the thighs, and in the arms, with fixedness of look.—Heat only internally.—Perspiration at

night (in the morning hours), principally on the abdomen.—Worm fever with colic and

convulsions.

• ▸Bladder, paralysis of.
• ▸Cancer.
• ▸Catalepsy.
• ▸Cerebro-spinal meningitis.
• ▸Coccygodynia.

• ▸Concussions.
• ▸Convulsions.
• ▸Eczema.
• ▸Epilepsy.
• ▸Epithelioma.
• ▸Eyes, inflammation of.
• ▸Face,

• ▸eruption on.
• ▸Hiccough.
• ▸Hysteria.
• ▸Impetigo.
• ▸Meningitis.
• ▸Myelitis.
• ▸Numbness.
• ▸@sophagus, stricture

• ▸of.
• ▸Paralysis.
• ▸Psoriasis.
• ▸Puerperal convulsions.
• ▸Screaming.
• ▸Strabismus.
• ▸Stuttering.
• ▸Tetanus.

Trismus. Waking, weeping on. Worm complaints.

• ▸Antidoted by: Arn.
• ▸, Op.
• ▸for massive doses, Tobacco.
• ▸Antidote to: Opium.

• ▸Compatible after: Lach; after Ars.
• ▸and Con.
• ▸(cancer of lip); Cupr.
• ▸(aphasia ill chorea).
• ▸Compare:

• ▸Con.
• ▸, Athus, Enanth.
• ▸croc.
• ▸; Hyperic.
• ▸(spinal concussion); Hyo.
• ▸(twitchings); Helleb; Hydrocy.

ac. (body thrown back, cramps in neck); Nux and Strychnia (tetanus; but with Nux there is not

the utter prostration and great oppression of breathing of Cic., nor the loss of consciousness; Nux

is less epileptiform and has more excitability).

Antidotes: Opium; Arn.

• ▸Compare: Cicuta Maculata-Water Hemlock--(Effects very similar; the most prominent symptoms being; Falls unconscious, tetanic or clonic convulsions.
• ▸Body covered with sweat.
• ▸Consider in epilepsy and tetanus.
• ▸Tincture and lower potencies).
• ▸Hydrocy acid; Con; Oenanth; Strychnia; Bellad.

Sixth to two hundredth attenuation.

With severe pains in the bowels come convulsive movements and

convulsions. If the stomach is disordered or chilled, or if he has fear

or other mental conditions, convtdsions come on. He is extremely

sensitive to touch, and touch and drafts bring on (onvulsions. The

convulsions spread from above downwards, and thus it is ilic opposite

of Cupr. The convulsions of Cnpr. spread from tlic extremities to

the centre ; i. c., the little convulsions, merely cramps, arc first felt in

the fingers and then in the hands ami later in the chest and wliole

body. In Cicuta the little convulsions of the head, eyes and throat

spread down the back to the extremities with violent contortions. The

convulsions of Stcale sometimes begin in the face.

At times he knows no one, but when touched and spoken to he

answers correctly. Suddenly consciousness returns and he remembers

nothing of what has occurred. He confuses the present with the past.

He imagines himself a young child. Everything is confused and

strange. He docs not know where he is. The faces of old friends

look strange ; he looks at them and wonders if they are the same perwsons he used to know. His house and familar places look strange.

Voices sound strange. The senses of sight and smell and all the other

special senses arc disturbed and confused. He is confused as to himself, his age and circumstances. A woman on coming out of the

cataleptic attacks often takes on childish behavior. A man thinks that

he is a child and acts like one ; silly laughter, playing with toys, and

other acts of childish behavior. He feels as if he were in a strange

place, and this causes fear. Thinks of the future with anxiety.

Mental torpor ; loss of ideas and sensation extending over a certain

• ▸period.
• ▸Memory a blank for hours or days with or without convulsions.
• ▸Convulsions generally take the place of the ecstatic or cataleptic condition.
• ▸Natr.
• ▸m.
• ▸is somewhat similar to the mental condition of this remedy, as the Natr, m, patient goes about doing all her

household work and other functions and next day knows nothing about

it. Nux mos\ is another remedy that has such a complete blank when

going about doing things, a complete abstraction of mind.

This patient has strange desires ; desires to cat coal and many other

strange articles, because he is unable to distinguish between things

edible and things unfit to be eaten ; cats coal and raw potatoes. Wants

to be alone ; dislike to society. Singing, shouting, dancing ; likes

toys, jumps about like a child. Lies in bed lamenting and w^ailing.

Great agitation ; child gra.sps at one’s clothing in a frightened manner.

This is likely to occur before the convulsion, great horror in the

countenance, yet he has no recollection of the horror when he comes

out of the convulsion. That state of anxiety and fear comes after

the attack has begun, though the convulsions have not yet conic on.

Between the convulsions the patient is mild, gentle, placid and yielding, which distinguishes it from Strych, and Nux v, convulsions. The

Nux convulsions are all over the body and are worse from touch and

draft, blueness and purple color of the body, but between the convulsions the patient is very irritable. Of course, when they go out of

one convulsion into another you cannot see this, but when out of

the convulsion the Nux patient is very irritable. Thei Cicuta patient, out

of the convulsion, is full of sadness, anxiety, and darkness, borrows

trouble from the future, is affected by sad stories, is pessimistic. He

is afraid of society, afraid of company, and wants to be alone. He is

suspicious and shuns people ; despises others ; over-estimation of himself. In this it approximates Plat, but there is no further resemblance

between the two remedies. Full of fear ; fright will bring on convulsions, like Op.j, Ign,, and Aeon.

Full of vertigo. The whole sensoriiim is violently excited. Things

turn around in a circle. Vertigo on walking, glassy eyes, etc. Complaints brought on from injuries to the skull, from blows on the head.

Many times there is no trouble in the region of the injury ; there may

be compression and yet all the pains be in distant parts ; drawing oi’

the muscles and cramps. Concussion of tlic brain and chronic injuries

therefrom, especially spasms. Semi-lateral headaches forcing the

• ▸patient to sit still erect.
• ▸Headache as if the brain were loose on w^alking.
• ▸When thinking of the exact nature of the pain it ceased.
• ▸It has

cured ccrebro-spinal meningitis when there were convulsions and the

convulsions were aggravated from touch, with fever and even spotted

mottled skin. Mind and head symptoms after injuries. On going

into a ccrebro-spinal meningitis the patient sits in a chair talking as if

nothing were wrong, when, quick as a flash, he passes into another

state in which he knows no one ; he falls over limp, he is put to bed,

and though he answers questions he remains in a semi-conscious state,

knowing no one. This may change into a spasm. The head is bent

back in spasms ; jerking back of the head ; spasms begin in the head

and go downward. Violent shocks in the head, arms and legs. Head

hot and extremities cold, like BelL in its convulsions. Sweat on the

scalp w^hen sleeping. Child rolls head from side to side. Hot head.

Convulvsive action about the eyes : pupils dilated and insensible ;

patient lies fixed in one place, with starting, fixed, glassy, upturned

eyes, like Cupr. Strabismus may lie the only spasm the child is subject to from ccicbral irritation. Every time the child is friglncncd

it has strabismus ; when touched or when it has cold, or after a fall

hitting the head, or coming periodically, it has strabismus.

The nose is sensitive to touch. Touch and jarring bring on complaints, and hence it was so useful in, and was the first remedy for,

the result of injuries and irritability and over-sensibility.

It has troubles from shaving : it is useful in such eruptions as come

in the whiskers ; barber's itch : a solid crop of eruptions all over the

face wherever the whiskers grow. Eruptions on the cheek like eczema.

Swelling of the submaxillary glands. Erysipelatous eruptions. It is

closely related to Conium about the lips and lids, in that a small amount

of pressure causes induration. It has cured epithelioma of the lips.

The throat troubles are mostly spasmodic. After swallowing a

fish bone or stick which lodges in the throat a spasm comes on. After

Cicuta the spasms will cease and it can be taken out. It is useful in

cases of injury, accompanied with violent choking, so that be cannot

allow an examination to be made.

Cold sensation in the chest. Spasms of the chest. Feels as if the

37 ^>

Great weakness in arms and legs after slight exertion —Trembling in

limbs.—Spasmodic contortions and fearful jerking of limbs.