Hyoscyamus

Hyoscyamus ("Hog-bean") is nearly allied to Belladonna botanically, and in

pathogenetic action the two drugs are much alike in their main features. But when examined

closely, their differences are sufficiently well marked to render their distinction easy. Though

• ▸sometimes growing near rivers, Bell.
• ▸flourishes best in a chalky soil.
• ▸Hyo.
• ▸is found growing on

old rubbish heaps, near ruins, on roadsides, and sometimes by the seashore. The flower of Bell.

• ▸is of a dull, purplish brown; of Hyo.
• ▸a dirty yellow, with claret-coloured streaks.
• ▸Bell.
• ▸is a smooth

plant, whilst Hyo. is densely covered with thickly woven hairs, and by a sticky, heavy-smelling

exudation. A case of poisoning by Hyoscyamus seeds, put into soup instead of celery seeds,

communicated to the Times (May 14, 1892), by Mr. F. Mackarness, one of the sufferers, gives a

good general idea of the drug's action. "About ten minutes after taking the soup I began to feel

quite dizzy, and could hardly swallow the food I was eating, which tasted as if it was nothing but

dust and ashes. At the same time my wife became so faint that she asked me to help her up to her

room at once. This I did with some difficulty, having to hold on to the bannister with one hand

while I supported her with the other. At the same time, also, our sight became blurred, our

mouths and throats parched, and we began to feel cold. I tried in vain to get warm by sitting over

• ▸the drawing-room fire, but only felt intensely drowsy.
• ▸.
• ▸When Dr.
• ▸Martin arrived I had great

difficulty not only in getting up to receive him, but in making him understand what had

happened, so indistinct was my articulation. However, from the dilatation of our eyes, the

parched condition of our tongues, and the state of our pulse (my wife's having gone up to 140),

he, of course, saw that we had been badly poisoned, and prescribed drastic remedies which saved

us probably from very serious consequences; for even the next day our sight was still defective,

• ▸and my wife's hands were slightly paralysed.
• ▸" Dr.
• ▸W.
• ▸S.
• ▸Mills communicated to N.
• ▸A.
• ▸J.
• ▸H.
• ▸,

November, 1899, an experience of his own. A patient had objected to the taste of water in which

• ▸Hyo.
• ▸© had been mixed, so Dr.
• ▸Mills took a teaspoonful just to taste it.
• ▸"A few moments later I

found that it produced a queer feeling throughout the body. I felt as though without weight, as

though I walked through and on air. My head felt light. I had an insane desire to laugh and shout.

It was only by the utmost use of my will-power that I could keep myself from doing something

ridiculous. Even when I forced myself to think of my position of responsibility as medical

attendant on this very sick man, and the absolute necessity of keeping my wits about me, it was

hard for me to restrain my hilarity. I can liken the condition only to one of mild hilarious

intoxication—a "funny drunk." I knew I was silly, but I could not help it. To keep myself from

losing my dignity before the nurses and the family, I locked myself in the bathroom for a few

minutes and made faces at myself in the mirror." The condition passed off in half an hour. These

two experiences, brief as they were, cover a large share of the ground occupied by Hyo. The

delirium of Hyo. is more of the low, muttering type, whilst that of Bell. tends to be violent and

furious. Hyo. also has fits of ungovernable rage, but the violence is not so sustained as that of

• ▸Bell.
• ▸The face of Bell.
• ▸is red, of Hyo.
• ▸pale or bluish.
• ▸Hyo.
• ▸corresponds to a greater variety of

cases of melancholia than Bel//., and here one great characteristic is "suspicion," so frequently

met with in cases of insanity or of those on the borderland. A patient of mine, a clever lawyer,

suffering from nervous breakdown, had had to abandon his business entirely some time before he

came under my care. He had improved considerably, when I heard from his wife in the country

that he had had a kind of a fit, and became cold and senseless, his face working much. After that

he fell asleep, and had another attack an hour and a half later. After this he was suspicious, and

said that his wife was poisoning him. I sent a single dose of Hyo. 1m, to be given in food or in

drink without his knowing. It was repeated once a week. He began to improve forthwith, and in a

few months was perfectly restored to health; though some other medicines were given later on.

In this case there was an additional indication for Hyo. in the working of the muscles of the face.

Twitching is one of the grand characteristics of Hyo. "Every muscle in the body twitches, from

the eyes to the toes," clonic spasms: twitching of groups of muscles; spasms in general; with

• ▸unconsciousness.
• ▸Another feature of the Hyo.
• ▸insanity is uncovering.
• ▸This is not because the

patient feels too warm (for Hyo., like the other Solanids, is a chilly remedy), but because they

will not remain covered: nymphomania; lascivious mania; lies naked in bed and chatters. There

are violent outbreaks in the delirium of Hyo., but they cannot be kept up (as are those of Bell.),

on account of the weakness. Hyo. corresponds to the typhoid state: tongue dry and unwieldy,

sensorium so clouded that if the patient be aroused to answer he falls back into a stupor again.

The sight is disordered; sees things too large or too near and grasps at them; picks the bed-

clothes and mutters. Twitchings, subsultus tendinum, and picking at the bed-clothes. Teeth

covered with sordes. Involuntary passage of urine and feeces. When influenza takes the typhoid

form it often finds its remedy in Hyo, (I rapidly cured a boy in whom influenza attacked the

meninges of the brain with pains in the head, especially forehead, piercing to the brain.) Parotitis

• ▸with metastasis to brain.
• ▸Hyo.
• ▸is suited to many pulmonary conditions.
• ▸The characteristic cough

is < on lying down, almost completely removed by sitting up, < at night, < after eating, drinking

• ▸or talking.
• ▸Cough from elongated uvula.
• ▸The drowsiness of Hyo.
• ▸has another side in restlessness.

The patient lies awake for hours; children twitch in sleep, cry out, tremble, and awake frightened.

Hyo. is one of our best remedies in toothache, having well-defined symptoms. It is also an

ancient domestic remedy for toothache, the application being peculiar. A penny is made hot in

the fire, and when taken out a pinch of Henbane seeds is dropped on it and fumes come away. A

wineglass is inverted over it, and this is soon filled with the fumes, and applied to the mouth,

when the fumes are inhaled. The popular idea is that the fumes expel the "worms" of toothache,

• ▸but, as Lauder Brunton has shown (H.
• ▸W.
• ▸, xxv.
• ▸286), the supposed "worms" are the embryos of

the seeds forcibly expelled on the rupture of the seed coats by the heat. Hyo. 30 is one of the

most useful remedies in restlessness and sleeplessness. Hyo. is suited to nervous, irritable,

excitable, sanguine people; to light-haired people. The symptoms of Hyo. are < by touch; the

abdomen is sore to touch; < evening and night < lying, down; < from cold and cold air. > From

sitting up; motion; walking; warmth. < From mental affections; jealousy unhappy love;

approaching menstruation; commencing menstruation; during menstruation.

• ▸Very suspicious.
• ▸Talkative, obscene, lascivious mania, uncovers body; jealous, foolish.
• ▸Great hilarity; inclined to laugh at everything.
• ▸Delirium, with attempt to run away.
• ▸Low, muttering speech; constant carphologia, deep stupor.

Melancholy.—Melancholy from unfortunate love, with rage or inclination to laugh at

• ▸everything —Anthropophobia.
• ▸—Suspicious.
• ▸—Anguish and fear.
• ▸—Fright followed by convulsions

and starts from sleep.—Desire to run away from the house at night.—Fear of being betrayed or

• ▸poisoned.
• ▸—Disposition to make a jest of everything.
• ▸—Loquacity.
• ▸—Talks more than usual, more

animatedly and hurriedly —Jealousy; with rage and delirtum.—Unfortunate love with jealousy,

with rage and incoherent speech.—Peevish and quarrelsome humour.—Rage, with desire to strike

• ▸and to kill.
• ▸—Stupor, with plaintive cries, esp.
• ▸on the slightest touch, and complete apathy.
• ▸—Loss

of memory.—Delirium without consciousness; does not know anybody, and has no wants (except

thirst).—Loss of consciousness, with eyes closed, and raving about business.—Delirium tremens,

with clonic spasms; unconsciousness and aversion to light and company.—Delirium, sometimes

with trembling, and fits of epileptic convulsions —Delirium, sees ghosts, demons,

&c.—Wandering thoughts —Perversion of every action.—Mania, with loss of consciousness; or

with buffoonery and ridiculous gestures.—Lascivious mania, and occasional mutterings;

uncovers his whole body.

Incisive tearing, and dull pulling in the limbs and joints.—Limbs, cold,

trembling and numbed.—Convulsive movements and shaking of some of the limbs, or of the

whole body, sometimes on making the slightest effort to swallow liquid.—Spasms and

convulsions (with watery diarrhoea).—Jerking of the feet and of the hands.—Epileptic fits,

sometimes with bluish colour and puffing of the face, involuntary emission of urine, foaming at

the mouth, drawing back of the thumbs, sensation of hunger and of gnawing at the pit of the

stomach, eyes prominent, cries, grinding of the teeth, &c.—Epileptic convulsions, alternately

with attacks of cerebral congestion (apoplectic fit)—-Convulsions resembling St. Vitus!

dance.—Convulsions with cries, great anguish, oppression of the chest and loss of

consciousness.—A fter the epileptic convulsions, profound sleep, with snoring.—Uncommon

sinking of strength —Fainting fits (repeated attacks).—Great weakness and debility.—Sensation of

• ▸levitation; as if walking on and through air.
• ▸—Paralysis.
• ▸—Jerking of the tendons (subsultus).
• ▸—The

majority of, and the principal symptoms, manifest themselves after eating or drinking, as well as

in the evening.

• ▸Feels light and confused.
• ▸Vertigo as if intoxicated.
• ▸Brain feels loose, fluctuating.
• ▸Inflammation of brain, with unconsciousness; head is shaken to and fro.

Confusion and heaviness of the head.—Vertigo, as from intoxication, or with

obscuration of the sight —Attacks of cerebral congestion, with loss of consciousness and snoring

(with delirium; answering all questions properly; pupils dilated).—Headache, as from concussion

of the brain.—Congestion of blood to the head; red, sparkling eyes; face purple-red; < in the

evening.—Pressive and numbing pain in the forehead, esp. after a meal—Headache as if brain

shattered and shaken, when walking.—Pressive, stupefying headache, esp. in forehead, occurring

in alternation with needle-like stitches, particularly on 1. side Forehead feels as if screwed

• ▸inward.
• ▸—Sticking in head over r.
• ▸eye, when coughing.
• ▸— Violent throbbing headache, waking him

at night; with throbbing carotids—Headache in base of brain.—Brain feels as if

loose.—Constrictive obstruction in the forehead.—Sensation of fluctuation, or of commotion in

• ▸the brain, esp.
• ▸on walking.
• ▸—Heat, and tingling in the head.
• ▸—Inflammation of the brain, with

unconsciousness; heat and tingling in the head; violent pulsation in the head, like waves; the

head shakes; < from becoming cold and after eating, > by bending the head forward (stooping)

and from heat.—Hydrocephalus, with stupor; the head is shaken to and fro; sensation of swashing

in the head.—Heat of the head, with general coldness of the body, without thirst —Liability to

catch cold in the head, principally from dry, cold air—Headache, alternately with pain in the

nape of the neck.—Waving or shaking of the head from one side to the other; with loss of

consciousness and red sparkling eyes.

• ▸Pupils dilated, sparkling, fixed.
• ▸Eyes open, but does not pay attention; downcast and dull, fixed.
• ▸Strabismus.
• ▸Spasmodic closing of lids.
• ▸Diplopia.
• ▸Objects have colored borders.

Eyes downcast and dull.—Eyes red, fixed, convulsed, and prominent.—Spasmodic

movement of the eyes.—Redness of the sclerotica.—Swelling of the

• ▸eyelids.
• ▸—Strabismus.
• ▸—Staring, distorted eyes.
• ▸—Contortion of the eyes.
• ▸—Quivering in the

• ▸eye.
• ▸—Spasmodic closing of the eyelids.
• ▸—Inability to open the eyelids.
• ▸—Pupils dilated —Dimness

• ▸of sight——Myopia, or presbyopia.
• ▸—Errors of vision.
• ▸—Diplopia.
• ▸—Objects seem to be much larger

than they are in reality, or else of a red colour.—Objects have coloured borders, chiefly

yellow.—Nocturnal blindness.—Weakness of sight, as from incipient amaurosis.

Epistaxis.—Cramp-like pressure at the root of the nose and the zygomata.—Dryness of

nose.—Nostrils sooty.—Loss of smell.

Face: cold, pale bluish, or puffed and blood-red.—Face flushed, excited; bloated; dark-

• ▸red.
• ▸—T witching of muscles of face.
• ▸—Distorted, bluish face, with mouth wide open.
• ▸—Cramp-like

• ▸pressure on the cheek-bone.
• ▸—Dryness of the lips.
• ▸—Cramps in the jaw.
• ▸—Lock-jaw.
• ▸—Heat and

redness of the face.

• ▸Tongue dry, red, cracked, stiff and immovable, protruded with difficulty; speech impaired.
• ▸Foams at mouth.
• ▸Teeth covered with sordes.
• ▸Lower jaw drops.

Dryness in the mouth.—Salivation of a salt taste—Sanguineous saliva.—Foam at the

mouth.—Fetid exhalations from the mouth, perceptible to the patient —Heat and numbness of the

tongue, as if it had been burned.—Tongue dry, and loaded with a brownish coating Redness of

• ▸the tongue.
• ▸—Utters inarticulate sounds.
• ▸—Paralysis of the tongue.
• ▸—Loss of speech.

Pulsative and tearing pains in teeth, from cheek to forehead, esp. after a chill in the

cold air, or in the morning, and often with congestion of the head, heat and redness of the face,

swelling of the gums, and spasms in the throat.—Toothache driving to despair; in sensitive,

nervous, excitable persons; causing spasmodic jerks of fingers, hands, arms, and face

• ▸muscles.
• ▸—Teeth feel too long.
• ▸—Toothache < from cold air, morning.
• ▸—Dentition.
• ▸—Pulsating

toothache, as from inflammation of the periosteum.—Painful drawing in a single tooth, here and

there, as if a tooth were becoming pithy.—Toothache during sweat.—Tearing in the gums, with

buzzing and sensation as if the teeth were loose —Clenching of the teeth —Grating teeth —Teeth

covered with mucus.

Dryness and burning heat of the throat.—Stinging dryness of fauces.—Constriction in

the throat, and inability to swallow liquids.—Elongation of the uvula.

• ▸Stinging dryness.
• ▸Constriction.
• ▸Cannot swallow liquids.
• ▸Uvula elongated.

• ▸Hiccough, eructations empty, bitter.
• ▸Nausea, with vertigo.
• ▸Vomiting, with convulsions; haematemesis; violent cramps, relieved by vomiting; burning in stomach; epigastrium tender.
• ▸After irritating food.

Loss of taste—Bulimy, with violent thirst, with inability to swallow.—Thirst with

• ▸drinking but little at a time.
• ▸—Dread of drinking.
• ▸—Hiccough, esp.
• ▸after a meal (with spasms and

rumbling in the abdomen).—After a meal, headache, intoxication, great anguish, and

sadness.—After drinking, convulsions.

Nausea, on pressing the epigastrium.—Bitter eructations.—Retching and vomiting,

with cutting pains which extort cries—Vomiting and retching after coughing.—Aqueous

vomiting, with vertigo.—Vomiting of mucus (sanguineous) and of blood, of a deep red,

sometimes with convulsions, choking, pains in the pit of stomach, great exhaustion, and coldness

in the limbs.—Vomiting of aliments, immediately after a meal, and sometimes with violent pain

at the pit of the stomach.—Cramps (colic) in the stomach in periodical attacks, and > by

vomiting.—Painful sensitiveness of the epigastrium to the touch.—Inflammation of the stomach,

with burning pain.

• ▸Colic, as if abdomen would burst.
• ▸Distention.
• ▸Colic, with vomiting, belching, hiccough screaming.
• ▸Tympanites.
• ▸Red spots on abdomen.

Dull pains in the hepatic region —Abdomen tight, inflated, painful when

touched.—Cramp-like pains in the abdomen, and cuttings, sometimes accompanied by vomitings,

pains in the head, and cries Shootings in the umbilical region, on walking and breathing.—Pain,

as from excoriation in the abdominal muscles, on coughing.—Spasms and rumbling in the

abdomen, with hiccough.

Diarrhoea, colicky, pains; involuntary, aggravated by mental excitement or during sleep. Diarrhoea during the lying-in period. Involuntary defecation.

Constipation.—Frequent want to evacuate, with scanty and unfrequent

• ▸relief—Watery diarrhcea.
• ▸—Painless diarrhoea.
• ▸—Mucous diarrhoea.
• ▸—Diarrheea of lying-in

women.—The stool is small in size.—Involuntary evacuations, from paralysis of the sphincter

ani.—Hemorrhoids; profusely bleeding.

Retention of urine, with pressure in the bladder.—Retention of urine in

child-bed.—Frequent want to make water, with scanty emission.—Urine copious and clear, like

water.—Involuntary emission of urine, as from paralysis of the bladder.

Involuntary micturition. Bladder paralyzed. Has no will to urinate (Caust).

• ▸Before menses, hysterical spasms.
• ▸Excited sexual desire.
• ▸During menses, convulsive movements, urinary flux and sweat.
• ▸Lochia suppressed.
• ▸Spasms of pregnant women.
• ▸Puerperal mania.

Lascivious, uncovers sexual parts.—Lascivious furor, without

modesty.—Excited sexual desire without excited fancy.—Catamenia more

• ▸abundant.
• ▸—Suppression of the catamenia.
• ▸—Suppressed lochia.
• ▸—Spasms of pregnant women, esp.

during parturition.—Puerperal fever —Metrorrhagia, of a bright-coloured blood.—Metrorrhagia,

the blood pale, with convulsions.—During the catamenia, delirium, flux of urine, sweat and

convulsive trembling.—Before the catamenia, hysterical cramps and fits of laughter——During the

menses, convulsive trembling of the hands and feet; severe headache; profuse perspiration.

Impotence. Lascivious; exposes his person; plays with genitals during fever.

Catarrh, with accumulation of mucus in the larynx and in the trachea,

rendering the speech and the voice indistinct.—Constant cough when lying down, which ceases

on rising up.—Fits of coughing, as in the whooping-cough.—Cramp-like cough at night, esp.

when lying down, sometimes with redness of the face, and vomiting of mucus.—The cough is <

at night (after midnight), when at rest, during sleep, in the cold air, from eating and

drinking.—Dry, shaking, sobbing cough, with pain, as of excoriation, in the abdominal

muscles.—Dry, spasmodic cough at night (in old persons) from continuous tickling in the throat

(as if the palate or uvula were too long).—Greenish expectoration with the cough.—Cough, with

expectoration of blood, and convulsions.—Violent spasmodic cough; short consecutive coughs,

caused by a tickling sensation in the throat, as if some mucus were lodged in it; during the day,

expectoration of saltish-tasting mucus, or of bright-red blood, mixed with clots.—Heemoptysis,

blood bright-red with spasms.—Hzemoptysis of drunkards.

• ▸Suffocating fits.
• ▸Spasm, forcing bending forward.
• ▸Dry, spasmodic cough at night (worse lying down; better sitting up), from itching in the throat, as if uvula were too long.
• ▸Haemoptysis.

Slow, rattling breathing.—Oppression, and embarrassed and rattling

respiration.—Pressure on r. side of chest, with great anxiety and shortness of breath, on going up

stairs.—Spasms in the chest, with shortness of breath, which forces the patient to bend

• ▸forward.
• ▸—Shootings in the sides of the chest.
• ▸—(Inflammation of the lungs.
• ▸)

Pressure, tightness, and anxiety in precordial region —Oppression of heart with

transient stitches.—Tearing, sticking in heart—Violent stitch in precordial region.—Soreness in

• ▸spots to |.
• ▸of nipple alternating with stitches.
• ▸—Soreness, tightness of heart region.
• ▸—Heart's action

violent; tremulous; irregular.—Palpitation, unable to move body without greatest anxiety;

apprehension of suffocation, or swooning; unquenchable thirst in morning; frequent copious

discharge of limpid urine.—Pulse: full, hard, strong; rapid, intermitting; slow, small; scarcely

perceptible.

Tettery spots on the nape of the neck.—Pains in the back, and esp. in the

lumbar region, with swelling of the feet—Lancinations in the loins, and shoulder-blades.

Trembling of the arms and of the hands, esp. in evening, after

• ▸movement.
• ▸—Painful numbness and stiffness of hands.
• ▸—Swelling of hands.
• ▸—Fists clenched, with

retraction of the thumbs (in convulsive fits).—Carphologia (picking of the bed cover or of the

face).—Fingers look and feel too thick.—Hands slightly paralysed.

Painful cramps in the (anterior part of the) thighs, and calves of the legs,

which contract the legs.—Gangrenous spots and vesicles on the legs.—Stiffness and lassitude in

the joint of the knee.—Coldness and swelling of the feet—Contraction of the toes when walking

and ascending.

• ▸Picking at bed-clothes; plays with hands; reaches out for things.
• ▸Epileptic attacks ending in deep sleep.
• ▸Spasms and convulsions.
• ▸Cramps in calves and toes.
• ▸Child sobs and cries without waking.

Skin dry and rough.—Hot, dry, brittle skin—Miliary eruption —Eruption of dry

pimples, like confluent small-pox.—Brownish (or gangrenous) spots on the body, from time to

time (as in typhus).—Frequent, large furunculi—Spots and gangrenous vesicles on different

parts ——Rash from the abuse of Belladonna.—Bleeding of ulcers.

• ▸Intense sleeplessness.
• ▸Sopor, with convulsions.
• ▸Starts up frightened.
• ▸Coma vigil.

Somnolency, like coma vigil—Retarded sleep, or sleeplessness caused by excessive

nervous excitement, or by great anguish, sometimes with convulsions and starts.—Nightly

sleeplessness.—Child sobs and cries in sleep without waking.—Profound, comatose sleep, with

convulsions and involuntary movements of the limbs, esp. the hands.—When sleeping,

carphologia; or smiling countenance; or starts with fright.

Shuddering from head to foot.—Burning heat of the body, and esp. of the

head.—Fever, with fits of epilepsy, great weakness, flames before the eyes, and congestion in the

head, quartan or quotidian type.—Pulse quick (full hard), with swelling of the veins

(arteries).—Universal coldness over the whole body, with heat of face, ascending from the

feet.—Nightly coldness, extending over the back from the small of the back.—Heat in the

evening, with thirst (congestion of blood to the head), and putrid taste —Debilitating perspiration

during sleep.—Cold, sour-smelling perspiration. —Perspiration, principally on the legs.

• ▸Amaurosis.
• ▸Angina pectoris.
• ▸Bladder, paralysis of.
• ▸Bronchitis.
• ▸Chorea.
• ▸Coma vigil.

• ▸Cough.
• ▸Delirium tremens.
• ▸Diarrhoea.
• ▸Dysmenorrheea.
• ▸Enteric fever.
• ▸Epilepsy.
• ▸Epistaxis.

• ▸Erotomania.
• ▸Eyes, affections of.
• ▸Hemoptysis.
• ▸Hemorrhages.
• ▸Hiccough.
• ▸Hydrophobia.

• ▸Hypochondriasis.
• ▸Lochia, suppressed.
• ▸Mania.
• ▸Meningitis.
• ▸Mind, affections of.
• ▸Neuralgia.
• ▸Night-

• ▸blindness.
• ▸Nymphomania.
• ▸Paralysis.
• ▸Paralysis agitans.
• ▸Parotitis.
• ▸Pneumonia.
• ▸Puerperal mania.

• ▸Rage.
• ▸Sleep, disordered.
• ▸Stammering.
• ▸Tetanus.
• ▸Toothache.
• ▸Urine, retention of.
• ▸Vision, disorders

of.

• ▸Antidoted by: Vinegar, Citric acid, Bell.
• ▸, Chi.
• ▸, Stram.
• ▸/t antidotes: Ether, Bell.
• ▸,

• ▸Stram.
• ▸, Merc.
• ▸Js followed well by: Bell.
• ▸, Puls.
• ▸, Stram.
• ▸, Ver.
• ▸, Phos.
• ▸Follows well: Bell.
• ▸, Nux, Op.
• ▸,

• ▸Rhus.
• ▸Compare: Suppression of lochia, Nux, Secal.
• ▸, Con.
• ▸, Col.
• ▸, Pul.
• ▸; loquacity, Stram.
• ▸, Lach.
• ▸,

• ▸Op.
• ▸, Cup.
• ▸, Ver.
• ▸; gossiping, babbling, Ver.
• ▸(religious subjects, Ver.
• ▸); difficult swallowing of

• ▸liquids, Hydrob.
• ▸, Bell.
• ▸, Caus.
• ▸, Con.
• ▸, Ign.
• ▸, Lach.
• ▸, Lyc.
• ▸, Pho.
• ▸Convulsions from fright or worms,

Cin. Every muscle of the body twitching, Nux (but Nux retains consciousness, Hyo. has

• ▸unconsciousness); cough < lying down, Dros.
• ▸; (> lying down, Mang.
• ▸, Fer.
• ▸); cough < at night,

• ▸after eating, drinking, talking, singing, Dros.
• ▸, Phos.
• ▸; hemoptysis of drunkards, Nux, Op.
• ▸;

• ▸meningitis, Bell.
• ▸(Bell.
• ▸has < from shaking head; from sitting with head bent forward; Hyo.
• ▸has >

from both); tickling cough > in warm air, Rumex; convulsions, spasms, twitchings, Cic. v.;

• ▸chorea, Stram.
• ▸, Ver.
• ▸, Agar; jealousy, Apis, Ign.
• ▸; waves through head, Act.
• ▸r.
• ▸; mania, Stram.

• ▸(Stram.
• ▸has desire for light and company, Hyo.
• ▸aversion to both; Stram.
• ▸uncovers whole body,

• ▸Hyo.
• ▸especially the genitals; sexual mania, Grat.
• ▸, Calc.
• ▸ph.
• ▸; Stram.
• ▸sees objects—mice, dogs,

• ▸&c.
• ▸—rise from every corner and come towards him); sees ghosts and demons, Plat.
• ▸, Kali bro.
• ▸;

• ▸fears being poisoned, Glo.
• ▸, Rhus, Kali bro.
• ▸, Bapt.
• ▸; hiccough, Ign.
• ▸(Ign.
• ▸after emotions, Hyo.
• ▸after

• ▸abdominal operations); spasms, twitchings, Ign.
• ▸, Tarent.
• ▸; levitation, Phos.
• ▸ac.
• ▸, Sticta pul.
• ▸, Hyp.
• ▸;

• ▸fits of ungovernable rage, Staph.
• ▸Teste puts Hyo.
• ▸in the Mur.
• ▸ac.
• ▸group with Viol.
• ▸od.
• ▸He also

puts it in the Bell. group.

Antidotes: Bell; Camph.

Compare: Bellad; Stram; Agaric; Gels.

• ▸Hyosc hydrobrom. --Scopolamine hydrobromide (Paralysis agitans); tremors of disseminated sclerosis.
• ▸Sleeplessness and nervous agitation.
• ▸Dry cough in phthisis.
• ▸Similar in its effects to alcohol, both recent and remote.
• ▸Corresponds to the effects of strong poisons introduced into or generated within the body.
• ▸Symptoms of uraemia and acute nervous exhaustion.
• ▸A remedy for shock.
• ▸Third and fourth dec trituration.
• ▸In physiological dosage (1-200 gr) mania and chorea; insomnia.
• ▸Scopola (Japanese Belladonna)-chemically identical with Hyoscine (Joyous delirium, licking of lips and smacking of mouth; sleepless; tries to get out of bed; sees cats, picks imaginary hairs, warms hands before imaginary fire, etc).

Sixth, to 200th potency.

Hyoscyamus is full of convulsions, contractions, trembling, quivering and jerkings of the muscles. Convulsions in vigorous people,

coming on with great violence. Convulsions that involve the whole

economy, with unconsciousness, coming on in the night. Convulsions

in women at the menstrual period ; and then the lesser convulsions of

5‘2

single muscles, and contractions of single muscles. Little jerkings

and twitchings. In low forms of the disease it takes on the latter,

jerkings and twitchings of muscles. In low typhoid states where there

is great prostration with twitching. He feels it himself if conscious

enough to realize it, but others see it. An evidence of great prostration of the nervous system. Sliding down in bed, twitching of the

muscles. All the muscles tremble and quiver, a constant state of

erethism throughout the economy. A state of irritability and excitability. Convulsive jerks of the limbs, so that all sorts of angular

motions are made, automatic motions. Choreic motions. But angular

motions of the arms, and picking at the bedclothes. Picking at something in delirium. Gradually increasing weakness, whether it be in

a continued fever where there has been a delirium or excitement, or

in a case of insanity with erethism of the nerves and mind ; excitability and gradually increasing weakness. Complete prostration,

so that the patient slides down in bed, until the jaw drops. So the

intermingling of jerkings and quiverings and tremblings and weakness and convulsive action of muscles are all striking features. Infants

go into convulsions. “Falls suddenly to the ground with cries and

• ▸convulsions.
• ▸Convulsions of children, especially from fright.
• ▸Convulsions after eating.
• ▸” The child becomes sick after eating, vomits

and goes into convulsions. “Shrieks and becomes insensible.” Goes

into convulsions, such as the old books used to say, from worms ; and

the mother goes into convulsions soon after the child is born, called

puerperal convulsions. “Convulsions during sleep. Suffocating

speels and convulsions during labor. Toes become spasmodically

cramped.”

The mental state is really the greatest part of Hyoscyamus. Talking, passive delirium, imaginations, illusions, hallucinations ; talking,

rousing up and talking with a delirious manifestation, and then stupor.

These alternate through complaints. And during sleep talking, crying

out in sleep ; but, talking and mumbling and soliloquizing. Then,

there are wakeful periods, in which there are delirium and illusions and

hallucinations all mingled together. Sometimes the patient is in a

state of hallucination, and the next minute in a state of illusion. Which

means that a part of the time what he sees as hallucinations he believes

to be so ; and then these hallucinations become delusions. Again, the

things he sees he knows are not so, and then they are illusions. But

he is full of hallucinations. He sees all sorts of things, indescribable

things in his hallucinations. He imagines all sorts of things concerning

people, concerning himself, and he gets suspicious. Suspicion runs

through acute sickness ; it runs through the mania in insanity. Suspicion that his wife is going to poison him ; that his wife is untrue to

him. Suspicious of everybody. “Refuses to take medicine because

it is poisoned/’ ‘Imagines that he is pursued, that the people have all

turned against him, that his friends are no longer his friends. He

carries on conversations with imaginary people.” Talks as if he were

talking to himself, but he really imagines that some one is sitting by

his side, to whom he is talking. Sometimes he talks to dead folks ;

recalls past events with those that have departed. Calls up a dead

sister, or wife, or husband, and enters into conversation just as if

the person were present.

Hyoscyamus has another freak in this peculiar mental state. Perhaps there may be a queer kind of paper on the wall, and he lies and

looks at it, and if he can possibly turn the figures into rows he will

keep busy at that day and night, and he wants a light there so he can

put them into rows, and he goes to sleep and dreams about it, and

wakes up and goes at it again ; it is the same idea. Sometimes ht

will imagine the things are w^orms, are \errnin, rats, cats, mice, and

he is leading them like children lead around their toy wagons — ^just

like a child. The mind is working in this ; no two alike ; perhaps you

may never see these identical things described, but you will see something like it that the mind is revelling in, strange and ridiculous things.

One patient had a string of bedbugs going up a wall, and he had

them tied with a string, and was irritated because he could not make

the last one keep up. Hyoscyamus did him a great deal of good.

You do not find that expression in the text, but I will speak of it as

analogous to the things that belonjg to the text. He is in alternate

states. One minute he raves, andi another he scolds in delirium, in

excitement ; the next he is in a atupor. Finally, in a typhoid state,

after he has progressed some time, he passes into quite a profound

stupor. Early in the case he can he roused, and he answers questions

correctly, and he seems to know what you have said to him ; but the

instant he finishes the last answer he appears to be sound asleep.

Then you shake him and ask him another question, he answers that,

and again he is sound asleep. The delirium that belongs to typhoid

grows more and more profound, more and more passive, more and

more muttering, until he passes into a complete unconsciousness from

which he cannot be roused ; in which he will lie for days sometimes,

and weeks, becoming more and more emaciated ; lying there in profound stupor unless this remedy is administered. Lying there picking

the bedclothes, and muttering. Even when he is in a stupor and

realizes nothing, apparently, that is going on, he makes passive

motions, mutters, talks to himself, and once in a while utters a shrill

scream. Picking his fingers, just as if he had something in his fingers

when there is nothing there. He picks at the bedclothes the same

way. Picking at his nightshirt, or picking anything he get his

fingers on. Or, picking in the air, grasping as if he were grasping' at

5«4

hyoscyamus.

flies. This passive delirium goes on until he is in a profound stupor,

and lies as one dead. In an insane state it sometimes takes on something of wildness, but not often. It is more passive, talking and

prattling, sitting still in one corner and jabbering, or lying down, or

going about. “Undertaking to do the usual things, the usual duties.”

That is, the housewife will want to get up and do the things she is

used to doing in the house ; the cooper will want to make barrels and.

the unusual things belonging to that business. Wants to carry on the

usual occupation in his mind, talks about it, carries on the things of

the day, and he keeps busy about it, so it is a busy insanity. Also,

the delirium takes on the type of a busy delirium.

Now, to give you something of an idea as to the grading of this

general type of insanity it should be compared with Stram. and Bell.

You heard in the lecture on Bell, that it is violent, its fever most

• ▸intense.
• ▸There is much excitement.
• ▸In Stram.
• ▸, when we reach that

you will see that his delirium, his insanity, is expressed in terms of

extreme violence. These three run so close together that something

can be brought out by associating them together. When considering

Hyoscyamus in its mental state it is well to realize that it seldom has

much fever in its insanity. It has a fever sometimes in the low form,

but when Hyoscyamus is thought of in relation to a febrile state the

intensity of the heat would be this order: Bell., Stram., Hyoscyamus.

Now, Bell, is very hot in its mental states. Stram., most violent and

active, murderously violent, is moderately hot in its fever, as a rule.

Hyoscyamus has a low fever, not very high, sometimes none at all,

with its insanity. When one comes to take into consideration the

violence of its delirium, or the maniacal actions, then it changes the

• ▸order.
• ▸The order as to violence of conduct would be: Stram.
• ▸, Bell.
• ▸,

Hyoscyamus. That brings you to see that even when associated with

those medicines that look most like it, it is at the bottom of the list.

It goes as a passive medicine, while the upper ones are more active.

Hyoscyamus has a passive mania. Does not go into violence. That

is, the patient will sometimes become murderous, but it is more likely

to be suicidal. Sometimes the patient will talk and prattle, sometimes

sit and say nothing. “Full of imaginations and hallucinations when

asleep and when awake. Religious turn of mind” with women who

have been unusually pious ; they take on the delusion that they have

sinned away their day of grace. They have done some awful things.

"She imagines that she has murdered, that she has done some dreadful

thing. She cannot apply the promises that she reads in the Word of

God to herself.” She will say: “They do not mean me, they do not

apply to me, they mean somebody else.”

"Thinks he is in the wrong place. Thinks he is not at home. Sees

persons who are not and who have not been present. Fears bdng

5«5

left alone. Fears poison or being bitten.” These phases sometimes

take on fear in the sense of fear, but it comes from that suspicion

that was spoken of; he suspicions or fears these things will take place.

He imagines these things are to take place, and hence he is suspicious

of all his friends.

Another thing running through the remedy, in insanity and in the

delirium of fevers, is a fear of water, fear of running water. Of

course, hydrophobia, which is named because of that symptom being

a striking feature, has fear of water, but some remedies also have that

• ▸fear of water.
• ▸“Anxiety on hearing running water.
• ▸A fear of water.
• ▸”

That runs through Bell., Hyoscyamus, Canth., and, of course, the

• ▸nosode Hydrophobinum.
• ▸Strom, has the fear of water.
• ▸Stram.
• ▸has

the fear of anything that might look like water, shining objects, fire

looking-glass. Fear of things that have in any manner whatever the

resemblance of fluids, and hence the sound of fluids. Hydrophobinum

has cured “involuntary urination on hearing running water. Involuntary discharge from the bowels on hearing running water.” It has

cured a chronic diarrhoea when that symptom was present. Hyoscyamus “makes short, abrupt answers to imaginary questions.” Imagines that somebody has asked a question, and he answers it ; hence,

you will find a patient with typhoid fever answering questions that

you have not asked. He imagines that persons are in the room and

asking him questions. You hear nothing but his answers ; he is in

delirium or insane. “Mutters absurd things to himself. Cries out

suddenly.” !

There is another form of his dHirium, and there are two phases of

this. He wants to go naked ; wants to take the clothing off, and this

must be analyzed. At first you might not understand that, Hyoscyamus has such sensitive nerves all over the body in the skin that he

cannot bear the clothing to touch the skin, and he takes it off. That

occurs in insanity and sometimes in delirium, and he has no idea that

he is exposing his body. He appears to be perfectly shameless, but

he has no thought of shamelessness, no thought that he is doing anything unusual, but he does it from the hyperaesthesia of the skin.

There is another phase running through the insanity, which is

salacity, and it is violent at times, so violent that nobody but the old

doctor can form any conception of the awfulness of it, and the dreadfulness of its effects upon those in the room. With a woman, a 'wife)

or a daughter, this state of salacity is manifested in this way: she

exposes her genitals to the view of everybody coming into the room.

There arc instances where in these violent attacks of salacity a woman

has gathered her clothing up under her arms to expose her genitals

to the doctor as he walked into the room.

"Violent sexual excitement and nymphomania. Obscene things.

Speech illustrated by urine, faeces and cow dung/' and all sorts of

things come out in this state of insanity and delirium — and yet this

is only sickness.

• ▸‘‘He is violent and beats people.
• ▸Strikes and bites.
• ▸Sings constantly and talks hastily.
• ▸Erotic mania, accompanied by jealousy*

Lascivious mania. Sings amorous songs. Lies in bed naked, or

wrapped in a skin during summer heat." Not because he is cold, but

because of a fancy. Complaints involving any of these mental phases

may come on in a young woman from disappointed affections, from

coming to the conclusion that the young man in whom she has reposed

her confidence has become wholly unworthy of her. It drives her

insane, and she may take on any of these phases.

Patients who have come out of continued fevers, convulsions, or

insanity have paralytic condition of the eyes, of the muscles of the

• ▸eyes.
• ▸“Disturbances of vision.
• ▸Far-sightedness.
• ▸Drawing tension

in some of the muscles, and paralysis in others. Strabismus." This

is one of the most frequently indicated remedies. The strabismus

that comes on from brain disease should be cured with a remedy.

In the Hyoscyamus fevers there is so much brain trouble, and there is

left behind a tendency to muscular weakness of the eyes, disturbances

of the eyes, and congestion of the retina, and disturbances of vision.

• ▸Double sight.
• ▸“Obscuration of vision.
• ▸Night-blindness.
• ▸Distorted

appearance of the eyes. Spasmodic action of the internal recti."

“Pupils diated and insensible to light." Sometimes contracted, but in

these low unconscious states of typhoid it is likely to be dilated. Then

again, after he recovers from these low forms of disease there is

quivering of the lids, and jerking of the lids, jerking of the muscles

of the eye, so that the eyeball is unsteady. It moves from little spasms

of the various muscles of the globe of the eye. All of these symptoms

occur either along with the fever, or afterwards. The child goes into

convulsions, or has periods of convulsions, where, during the course

of a week or ten days, there have been from fifteen to fifty convulsions, and it may be the convulsions have been remedied with Bell,

or Cuprum, or any one of a number of remedies, and afterwards

these eye troubles, strabismus and disturbances of vision. “An

object looked at jumps." The letters jump while reading. Spasmodic complaints, periodical complaints, paroxysmal complaints of a

nervous character will run through the remedy in various regions,

and especially in its cough, its stomach troubles and abdominal conditions.

The mouth brings forth a lot of symptoms. The mouth is very

dry, “as dry as burnt leather." The tongue tastes like sole leather,

because of dryness. Sometimes the patient will say, “My tongue

rattles iii my mouth, it is so dry." Very great dryness of the mouth.

5>7

throat and nose, wherever the mucous membranes are. Dry, cracked,

red, will bleed in low forms of typhoid. About the second week,

going into the third, the teeth are covered with black blood, lips

cracked and bleeding, ‘Tongue cracked and bleeding. Patient unconscious, except by much shaking or repeated calling he is roused”

and slowly puts out that trembling tongue, which is covered with

blood, cracks, and is dry, “Sordes on the teeth” in low forms of

fever. ‘Twitching of the muscles of the face upon attempting to

put out the tongue.” It trembles like it does in Lack., catches on to

the teeth from its great dryness, and the jaw hangs down, relaxed,

the mouth wide open. The whole mouth is dry and offensive. Sometimes during fever the jaw becomes fixed as if it were locked, and

it is with great difficulty that it can be moved. “Closes the teeth

tightly together. Pulsating pains in the teeth. Jerking, throbbing,

tearing in the teeth. Sordes on the teeth and in sleep in these low

forms of fever he is grinding the teeth. Children, either in convulsions, or between convulsions, in congestion, also grind the teeth in

the night, and in this comatose state. It says in the text, “The tongue

is red, brown, dry, cracked, hard. Looks like burnt leather. The

tongue does not obey the will. Difficult motion of the tongue ; it is

stiff, protruded with great difficulty. Biting the tongue in talking.”

• ▸The tongue becomes paralyzed.
• ▸“Loss of speech.
• ▸Utters inarticulate sounds.
• ▸Speech embarrassad.
• ▸Talks with difficulty.
• ▸” The

muscles of the throat, of the tongpe, those that take part in swallowing, the muscles of the oesophagui, of the pharynx, become stiff and

paralyzed so that swallowing is diflfecult. “Food taken into the throat

comes up into the nose.” Fluids come out of the nose, or go down

into the larynx. “The sight of water, or the hearing of running

water, or the attempt to swallow water produces spasmodic constriction of the oesophagus.”

The next very important feature of this medicine is its stomach and

• ▸abdominal symptoms.
• ▸Vomiting.
• ▸Dread of w^ater.
• ▸Unquenchable

thirst. Aversion to water, as it were, from the stomach ; a mental

fear of water. The stomach is distended. Great pain in the stomach.

Dryness evidently in the stomach like there is in the mouth, because

it occurs along with it. Burning and smarting in the stomach ; and

when there is no inflammation there is vomiting of blood. Stitching

pains, colicky pains, distension. The distension of the whole abdomen.

“Abdomen wonderfully distended, almost to bursting,” I cels like a

drum, tympanitic. “Great soreness; can hardly touch the abdomen

because of the soreness. Cannot be handled, cannot be turned except

with great difficulty, very slowly, and with caution. Cutting pains

in the abdomen,” Inflammation of all the viscera of the abdomen in

low typhoid state, with great distension. Petechia upon the abdomen,

5i8 hyoscyamus.

such as is found in a typhoid.

Then comes the diarrhoea, very much like that which is found in

low forms of continued fever. ‘'Bleeding from the bowels ; ulceration of Peyer’s glands,” and the yellow, commeal mushy stool. In

Hyoscyamus there is that mushy stool that occurs in typhoid fever,

pappy consistency. Again, a watery, horribly offensive, bloody fluid.

Most of the time the stools and the passages are painless. “Painless

discharges from the bowels. Watery mucus, sometimes odorless, but

commonly very offensive.” Then, another part of it is that the patient

has no realization of the passage. It is involuntary. Both the urine

and the stool are passed wtihout his knowledge. Watery, bloody, or

mushy. Hysterical females and young girls, who are subject to

attacks of diarrhoea and bloody stools. Relaxed state of the bowels

connected with relaxation of the uterus, “Diarrhoea during pregnancy. Diarrhoea during typhoid fever. Paralysis of the sphincter

ani. Paralysis of the bladder after labor, so that the urine remains

in the bladder, with no desire to urinate.” The routine remedy for

retention of urine after labor is Caust, Caust,, like Rhus, is a great

remedy for the effect of strain upon muscles and parts, and the violent

effort that a woman passes through in expelling the child in many

instances leaves all the pelvic muscles tired, relaxed, paralyzed,

Then comes that which was mentioned, which really belongs to the

general state more than the local ; violent sexual desire. Violent sexual

desire in girls who never had that desire. Coming on and manifesting

itself only during the inflammation of the brain.

“Labour-like pains from taking cold.” A cold settles in the uterus,

bringing on painful menstruation. Hyoscyamus has various crampings ;

cramps in the fingers and toes and of the muscles here and there ;

temporary paralysis, etc. It has suppressed menstruation. There are

many conditions belonging to menstruation, pregnancy and parturition!

that are hysterical in character. Twitchings, cough, constipation,

• ▸diarrhoea, etc.
• ▸, that belong to a hysterical nature.
• ▸“Puerperal convulsions.
• ▸Jerks violently at the oncoming of the convulsions.
• ▸After

miscarriage, haemorrhage of bright red blood. No desire of the bladder

to expel the contents.”

And then comes the voice, the larynx, respiration, and cough. Constriction of the larynx. Much mucus in the larynx and air passages,

• ▸makes the speech and voice rough.
• ▸Hoarseness with dry and inflamed throat.
• ▸Speech difficult.
• ▸Hysterical aphonia.
• ▸Hyoscyamus and

Veratrum are two medicines that cure and make a nervous hysterical woman a great deal more sensible.

“Difficult spasmodic respiration from spasm of the chest. Apparently loss of breath ; rattling in the chest.” Hysterical couglx.

Sensitive, hysterical girls, or sensitive women, with spinal irritation.

S‘9

have paroxysmal cough, coming on periodically, coming on from excitement. When this patient hes down in the daytime, at night, any

time, on will come the spasmodic cough with contractions in the

larynx, spasms in the larynx, choking, gagging, and vomiting. “Redness of the face, and sufEocation.” It is a dry, hacking, choking

cough, that racks the whole body, in spinal affections, “'iickling in

the larynx. Dry, hacking, and spasmodic cough, worse lying, belter

sitting, worse at night, after eating, drinking, talking and singing.

Dry, spasmodic, persistent cough.” But its characteristic cough is a

dry, racking, harassing cough, worse lying down. Those young

women and girls with sore spots on the spine from the coccyx to the

brain, sore places that manliest themselves when leaning back against

a chair. These take a little cold in the larynx, and sometimes it is

purely from a nervous attack. Sometimes spinal irritation, spinal

cough in those that have curvature of the spine. “During cough,

spasms in the larynx. Cough worse after midnight; wakes the

patient from sleep. Cough in cold air, and from eating and drinking.

Cough after measles. Violent spasmodic cough.” 'I’he cough is

most exhausting. A cough will sometimes last until the patient is

covered with sweat and is exhausted, and leans forward to get a little

relief; and he coughs until he is exhausted. “Spasms of the muscles

of the chest. Contraction of the muscles of one side of the neck.

Spinal meningitis with convulsions.”

Paralytic weakness of the limbs. Convulsions of the muscles.

Twitching. Frequent twitchings of, the muscles of the hands and feet.

Many complaints come on during sleep. The sleep is a great tribulation to this nervous patient. There are times of sleeplessness.

Again, profound sleep. “Sleepless, or constant sleep.” Either

• ▸awake or asleep, there may be muttering.
• ▸“Long .
• ▸continued sleeplessness.
• ▸Lascivious dreams.
• ▸Lying on the back he suddenly sits up

and then lies down again.” That means that the patient wakes out

of sleep, looks all around, wonders what terrible thing he has been

dreaming about ; his dreams seen real. He looks all about and sees

nothing of the objects of his dream, he lies down and goes to sleep

• ▸again.
• ▸He keeps doing that all night.
• ▸Starts up in a fright.
• ▸Jerks

in sleep, and cries out. Grates the teeth. Laughing during sleep.

With so much brain trouble as belongs to this medicine, we would

expect the dreams and the fright, the disturbances, the twitching and

trembling in sleep.

Its fevers are low forms of fever, the continued fever, the typhoid.

hvpercum

Great restlessness; every muscle twitches. Will not be covered.