Curare

Curare produces muscular paralysis, probably through its action on the nerve

endings in the muscles, without affecting either the muscle substance or the nerve substance, and

without impairing sensation and consciousness. It is thus in many ways the opposite, in its

action, of Nux vomica, though it is said to have the juice of a Strychnos in its composition. It

causes death by paralysis of the respiratory muscles. Reflex action is diminished or abolished

(opp. Nux), and this is one great indication for its employment in homceopathic practice. A cure

of pseudo-hypertrophic paralysis by the 200th has been recorded. A condition resembling

catalepsy has been induced by it; immobility with fixed gaze on waking. Fetidity characterises

many of the secretions and discharges. Two cases of diabetes in middle-aged men have been

cured by Burkhardt with Cur. 4. It is suited to scrofulous children; producing scrofulous

eruptions on skin, eczema, especially of face and behind ears; also liver-spots, yellow-brown. It

favours the formation of corns. Debility short of paralysis indicates it; debility of the aged, and

nervous debility from loss of fluids. Its relation to hydrophobia and tetanus is probably

antipathic. It causes a sensation as if the brain were full of fluid. Piercing, lancinating pains.

Throbbing pains. Weakness; heaviness; numbness; numbness with tingling. < By movement;

• ▸walking; ascending.
• ▸< Dampness, cold air, cold weather, cold wind, change of weather.
• ▸< 2 a.
• ▸m.

and 2-3 p.m. Many symptoms appear on right side.

Indecision; no longer wishes to think, or act for herself.

Inability to think or study; forgetful; stupid; sleepy; indolent.—Indecision.—Excited,

hurried feeling.—Depressed; desire to be alone.

• ▸Lancinating pains all over head.
• ▸Head drawn backward.
• ▸Falling out of hair.
• ▸Brain feels full of fluid.

Instant giddiness; falling in swoon while standing or walking.—Dizzy when looking at

near objects or at water.—Head confused, great weight in vertex.—Nervous headache;

lancinating, piercing pains all over head compelling to lie down and stretch; head drawn

backward with stiffness of neck; painful oscillation of brain, as if it were full of fluid; neuralgic

pain starting in front and radiating to neck and face; violent blows in region of

cerebellum.—Darting through temples, < r—Headache from base of brain up, < from

mastication.—Headache: despairing of power of thought; < vigorous movement, or

stooping.—Shattered, torn feeling on coughing, side of head must be held.—Sharp sticking over r.

eye extending backwards over |. side of head.—Head beats like a hammer, with vomiting of

bile—Rush of blood to head.

Sharp, stitching pains over right eye. Black spots before vision. Ptosis of right side.

• ▸Heavy eyes lids can hardly be kept open; ptosis (r.
• ▸).
• ▸—Eyes haggard, sunken.
• ▸—Red, hot

• ▸sensitive to light.
• ▸—Feel as if full of sticks.
• ▸—Black spots before vision, esp.
• ▸< from reading.

Noises; unbearable earache. Lancinating pains start from ears; extending down to legs. Swelling of lobes of ear.

Different noises as of whistling, or crying of animals; ringing in r. ear.—Lancinating

pains starting from ears and reaching down legs, compelling to lie down.—Otitis interna, driving

crazy, purulent discharge.

Ozaena. Tubercles on nose; fetid lumps of pus.

• ▸Facial and buccal paralysis.
• ▸Tongue and mouth drawn.
• ▸Red face.
• ▸Tongue and mouth drawn to right.

Paralysis of muscles of expression.—Red face, head beats like a hammer; after fever;

with cough.—Aching r. side of face —Facial and buccal paralysis; in some cases with difficulty of

swallowing.

Tongue and mouth drawn to r.—Tongue coated —On waking tongue yellowish at

base, papillze raised, light pink anteriorly, bitter or bloody taste, yellow-white—Mouth dry.

Thirst and great hunger with fever —Sudden hunger almost to faintness.—Great

• ▸thirst esp.
• ▸evening and night.
• ▸—Craves acids.
• ▸—Aversion to bread.
• ▸—> After first mouthful of

• ▸food.
• ▸—Chill after eating.
• ▸—Hiccough frequent and annoying.
• ▸—Nausea in morning; after

eating. —Vomits green bile all night; so weak can hardly stand.—Empty, gone feeling in

stomach.—Sharp rheumatic pain in pit of stomach, followed by nausea.—Shooting in

stomach.—Pyrosis, pain and distension after eating ever so little.

• ▸Weary ache from throat to 1.
• ▸hip.
• ▸—Bowels feel sore and bruised.
• ▸—Pain in groin

low down with heaviness in limbs while walking.—Neuralgic pain in hypogastrium with pressure

in vagina.

Diarrhcea with constant urging; fetid, thin feeces, excessive pain in

piles.—Extreme watery diarrhcea.

Clear and frequent urine, with digging, crampy pain in kidneys; shooting

in stomach; dry mouth; great thirst, esp. evenings and night; sugar in urine; great emaciation;

(acute diabetes).—Urine copious, urgent; bladder feels distended.

Dysmenorrhoea. Menses too early, during menses, colic, headache, kidney pain. Leucorrhoea, thick, purulent, offensive.

Menses seven days too early, griping in r. ovary, bearing-down,

dragging, tired, in all pelvic organs, severe (causing faintness) in lumbo-sacral spine, running

down thighs, flow scanty, very dark, lasting three days instead of five-—Ulcerations of os uteri

(scirrhus), ichorous, corroding discharge; bearing-down pains in womb; shocks, sharp shooting

stitches, quivering.—Ulcerations, smarting in vulva and thighs; shooting and digging pains in

womb.—Indolence, night sweats, repugnance to sexual intercourse (vaginitis).—During menses:

colic, headache, pains in kidneys, malaise, hypochondriasis.—Leucorrheea, thick, purulent,

offensive, in clots.

• ▸Threatened paralysis of respiration on falling asleep.
• ▸Short breath.
• ▸Short dry cough; provokes vomiting, followed by fainting.
• ▸Chest sore to pressure. Very distressing dyspnoea.

Dyspneea, stitching pains r. side—Dyspncea from weakness of motor

• ▸nerves as in phthisis or emphysema.
• ▸—Paralysis of respiration.
• ▸—Dyspnoea < ascending.
• ▸—Short,

hacking cough, always dry, with soreness of chest walls, < damp weather, or laughing;

spasmodic, shakes whole body, = vomiting, is often followed by vomiting; = headache, red

face.—Cough always troublesome in morning.—Cough < breathing cold air; laughing; moving;

• ▸eating.
• ▸—Burning heat in throat with sensation of distension.
• ▸—Severe pains in lungs, esp.
• ▸|.
• ▸; sharp,

piercing pain through chest, always much < in damp weather; dyspncea, chronic cough.

Stiffness in neck, head drawn back.—Stiffness of muscles of r. neck and

shoulder.—Dull, tired ache in shoulders and across back; numb, tired pains up and down spine

and in head.—Chills running up back and all over body.

• ▸Complete paralysis of r.
• ▸deltoid.
• ▸—Pain and numbness |.
• ▸side of chest and 1.

arm.—Leaden heaviness in arm increasing difficulty in playing piano.—In evening, arms and

hands swollen, more painful and heavy.—Great weakness, esp. of wrists and hands.

• ▸Tired pain up and down spine.
• ▸Arms weak, heavy.
• ▸Cannot lift the fingers.
• ▸Weakness of hands and fingers in pianists.
• ▸Legs tremble; give way in walking.
• ▸Debility; paralysis.
• ▸Catalepsy.
• ▸Favors development of corns.
• ▸Reflexes lessened or abolished.

• ▸Leprosy.
• ▸Dirty-looking skin.
• ▸Boils.
• ▸Tubercles on nose.
• ▸Liver spots.
• ▸Blood oozes through.
• ▸Itching.

Drowsy; cannot keep awake.—Nights restless, always desiring to put feet out of bed,

esp. towards morning.—Cannot sleep late enough to obtain a good night's rest; dreams of fire and

the business of day; < from lying long in bed, must get up as her feet and back ache.

Chill; creeping up back; from stomach, on abdomen, and spreading all over; without

thirst—Heat < at night and in open air.—Sweat with every exertion.—Sweat, cold and bloody,

esp. at nights.

• ▸Cancer.
• ▸Catalepsy.
• ▸Corns.
• ▸Cough.
• ▸Debility.
• ▸Diabetes.
• ▸Dysmenia.
• ▸Dyspncea.
• ▸Ears,

• ▸affections of.
• ▸Eczema.
• ▸Emphysema.
• ▸Epilepsy.
• ▸Face, paralysis of.
• ▸Fainting.
• ▸Headache.

• ▸Hydrophobia.
• ▸Liver spots.
• ▸Locomotor ataxia.
• ▸Nervous debility.
• ▸Neuralgia.
• ▸Otitis.
• ▸Ozeena.

• ▸Paralysis.
• ▸Phthisis.
• ▸Pseudo-hypertrophic paralysis.
• ▸Ptosis.
• ▸Scrofula.
• ▸Tetanus.
• ▸Ulceration.
• ▸Uterus,

affections of. Vaginitis. Whooping-cough.

In cases of poisoning artificial respiration must be resorted to. Bromine and Chlorine

antidote its effects. If the poisoning is due to a punctured wound, rubbing in tobacco or salt will

neutralise it. It is an antidote to: Strychnia and to the poison of rabies. Compatible: After Arn.

(paralysis from injury) after Bell. (paralysis after epistaxis). Follows well in debility of the aged:

• ▸Bar.
• ▸c.
• ▸Compare: Nux v.
• ▸; Aran.
• ▸d.
• ▸(fever < in damp weather; Ferr.
• ▸(hammering pains in head).

• ▸Crotal (blows in region of cerebellum).
• ▸In yellow-brown spots on skin (Sep.
• ▸, Lyc.
• ▸, Nux, Sul.
• ▸).

Compare: Cystisin (motor paralysis); Conium; Causticum; Crotalus; Nux. Curare antidotes Strychnin.

Sixth to thirtieth potency.

Paralysis of extremities burning with heat and chills ——Aching in all the limbs and

body.—Numbness and tingling.