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| Hpathy Ezine - February, 2006 | |||||
Veratum album-- Ute Seebauer |
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| Remedy Source Veratrum Album, common names "White" or "European Hellebore" or "Weisse Niesswurz", belongs to the natural order of the Liliaceæ and is a member of the family of the Hellebore or Melanthaceæ (German = Germer plants). The name "Germer" derives from the old high German word "hram", a torturing tool, and it was given to this plant family because of the biting, pungent smell of the roots of the white Germer. For the preparation of the homeopathic remedy, the tincture of the root-stocks, collected (in the Alps and Pyrenees) early in June before flowering, is used. The white Hellebore is native to Eurasia and grows in moist grassy The plant itself is a perennial herb, growing up to 3.5 to 5 feet high, with a fleshy, oblong, somewhat horizontal rhizome, about the thickness of a finger, blackish or brownish-white externally, whitish or pale yellowish-white internally, having numerous fleshy, brownish-white fibers or true roots. The stem is straight, round and striated. The leaves are alternate, plaited and broad-ovate. Veratrum album closely resembles the American species, but is distinguished by its yellowish-white flower. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs), yellowish-white, green at the back, 8 lines in diameter, and have five large, petal-like sepals, eight to ten inconspicuous tubular petals, many stamens, and three to ten pistils. Veratrum album has a paralyzing effect on the nervous system, and is scarcely if ever used internally, though the alkaloids it contains are used in the pharmaceutical industry. Though all parts of the plant are highly poisonous, it is the rhizome that is used mostly. The dried root, as it occurs in pharmacy, has a faint, unpleasant odor, and a sweetish, bitter, and then intensely disagreeable, and permanently acrid taste, leaving the tongue tingling and numb. It serves occasionally externally as a local analgesic, but even this is not without its dangers since it can be absorbed through broken skin. It contains an amorphous alkaloid, Veratralbine (C26H43NO5), which the poisonous properties of white Hellebore is believed to be due to, and three crystallizable alkaloids,
When it proves fatal, narcotic symptoms, such as prolonged stupor and convulsions, are evident. Gastro-intestinal inflammation has also been produced by it. When not fatal, distressing precordial oppression persists for some time, and there are produced nervous and spasmodic symptoms and prolonged debility. The poison may be treated by drinks and injections of coffee, stimulants to overcome the depressed condition of the heart and arteries, and opiates and demulcents to relieve internal inflammation. Veratrum album is, in minute doses, efficient in bowel disorders, with gushing, watery diarrhea with spasmodic or cramp-like action of the intestines, cold face, sunken eyes; and a body covered with cold sweat. That is why it used to be employed in cholera infantum, cholera morbus, in both of which it also checks the vomiting, and in Asiatic cholera as well. Today it is rarely used, except as an external application to kill lice, and cure scabies and some other cutanous affections: the root contains ‘pyrethrums’, (Greek from purethron: "feverfew") an insecticide and parasiticide, usually made from the dried flower heads of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium or C. coccineu, hence Verartum album's role as a forerunner of pesticides in ancient Rome and Greece. Pyrethrums are also effective against caterpillars and mammals so great caution is advised. Hellebore is one of the four classic poisons (the other three being deadly nightshade, hemlock, and aconite). The name Hellebore comes from the Greek "elein" meaning to injure, and "bora" meaning food. On the 26th of June, 1812, Hahnemann presented a Latin thesis, entitled: "A Medical Historical Dissertation on the Helleborism of the Ancients." (Published in Hahnemann : "Lesser Writings", New -York, -1852, page -56-9.) His son Frederick acted as the respondent, The thesis was a marvel of research and erudition, concerning the white Hellebore of the ancients, which will be proved to be identical with the Veratrum album of the present. (www.homeoint.org) The use of Hellebore dates back to 1400 BCE, when it was used as a purgative to "cleanse the mind of all perverse habits". Gerard, in his famous "Herbal", found a use for Hellebore that is of particular interest to Goths. "A purgation of Hellebore is good for mad and furious men, for melancholy, dull and heavy persons, and briefly for all those that are troubled with black choler, and molested with melancholy." Hellebore is found in writings through the ages, from the ancient Greeks through the Middle Ages, when it was used by herbalists. It has been used for animal ailments, to bless animals and keep them from evil spirits, to repel flies, to "purge the veins of melancholy, and cheer the heart", or even in one superstition to make oneself invisible if scattered in the air. King Attalus III was one of the greatest poison fanciers in history, and he had a particular fondness for Hellebore, since the poison "racked the nerves and caused the victim to swell" and Hellebore is stated to have been one of the principal poisons used in Europe for arrows, daggers, etc. Hahnemann said about Veratrum Album: "Physicians have no notion of the power possessed by this drug to promote a cure of almost one-third of the insane in lunatic asylums (at all events as a homeopathic intermediate remedy) because they know not the peculiar kind of insanity in which to employ it, nor the dose in which it should be administered in order to be efficacious and yet not injurious. " The main characteristics of an individual in need of Veratrum Album are just like they appear in poisonings with the plant: Pale face, sunken expression, cold sweat, icy cold body, diarrhea and excessive vomiting and purging, convulsions with cerebral congestion, paralytic weakness and loss of power with violence of reactions to pain and collapse. The mental state will be found somewhere between despair and rage: The tendency to quiet delirium is stronger than to manic, delirious states, the latter being greatly dependent on the pain that is felt by the patient: As long as a Veratrum Album patient is not triggered in any way, he will most likely remain in apathy, taciturn or anxious depression , but attacks of severe pain may drive him to despair or even rage, same applies to the way his fellow men approach him. So there are two great signs that point to Veratrum Album: That of a poisoning that seems to end fatally--so weak is the body, cold and almost lifeless – though still trying to rid itself, with vehemence, of the poison through violent evacuations and incessant flow of saliva – almost like a complete system-flush; the other pointer is delirium, mania, insanity. Hering describes the Verartrum Album Patient as: "Young people and women of a sanguine or nervo-sanguine temperament ; also people who are habitually cold and deficient in vital reaction ; gay dispositions ; fitful mood." Mentals Fear & Anxiety Some causes/etiologies on the mental plane for Veratrum Album states are:
Fear - not a prominent symptom of Veratrum; however, we do have fears that revolve around loss of position, wealth and status, as well as fears that you might expect from a poison:
These fears can become so overwhelming that the patient reacts irrationally:
One of the characteristics of Veratrum Album is ‘rigidity’. The Veratrum personality is quite stiff in thinking, and cannot tolerate contradiction at all. (The rigidity even reflects in his voice, Philip Bailey found, describing it as "very loud or a tense staccato, almost like a robot voice" in relatively healthy persons, because in disease, the voice of Veratrum album is often weak and feeble.)
Veratrum’s mind seems to be single-tracked: Dogmatic – dictatorial – haughty. One can’t help but thinking Veratrum is living in his own little dream world, where all the rules are laid out, his picture of reality clearly drawn and then – as soon he is disturbed by something that might prove him wrong, he is unable to consider a second point of view. It might be far too much mental work for him and he becomes irritable, angry and reacts rude or impolite. And indeed, Veratrum does feel like in a dream, functioning as long he isn’t awakened.
Veratrum can become quite aggressive when the balance he keeps through his dreamy state of mind is upset. His "on-button" lies right here: contradict him, insult him or make him sick: upset his mental or physical balance (here, especially, pain) or break his routines, and he will start right up! The bigger the difference between the peace of his own world and beliefs and the outside influence or disturbance, contrary opinion or pain, the more vehement will be Veratrum album's reaction.
Sometimes, Veratrum Album can be seen busy though. This should not been confused with a really active mind – it is more an activity of automatic character. A desire to move (physical) to sooth his mind or keep it in a quiet state. Just like a baby likes to be rocked on it’s mothers lap until it falls asleep, the Veratrum patient might engage in some kind of activity that does not require much mental exercise.
Hyperactivity / Mania / Delirium The restlessness can be a foreboding of a true manic state., which the Veratrum patient goes through.
The Delirium, for which Veratrum album is a great remedy, may develop great intensity and violence:
Like most psychotic remedies, Veratrum, too, has a strongly religious attitude. Because of his rigid mind, the Veratrum Patient is prone to religious fanaticism and might not accept any form of religion other than his own and he might try to "save the multitudes", feeling chosen by God or he may imagine himself to be Christ himself:
Since Veratrum is very anxious about his health, it should come as no surprise that he is just as anxious about his salvation:
Veratrum Album states can be brought on by loss of money and by wounded honor. Veratrum fears for his social position, for his job and worries about the presence of robbers as well. The reference to status symbols can become so strong that out of his fear, Veratrum may develop delusions about this subject, because prestige and property are things that give safety and ensure that none of his routines are broken and the balance can be kept:
The Veratrum Album patient is not as sexually obsessed as some other psychotic remedies but it is there to some degree:
…but, a distinctive desire for the erotic and a good deal of lust and he might appear shameless or lewd:
Modalities The Symptoms of Veratrum Album are
Excretions Many of Veratrum’s complaints are < Menses, whether that be delirium or nosebleed, just about anything can get worse because of menses or lochia, because in Veratrum the discharges, especially the menses, are profuse and prostrating. Movement & Motion Most symptoms are < motion, < walking, < standing and > sitting and > lying. Especially does this apply to affections of the locomotor system, neck and head. This isn’t surprising when one remembers that mentally, too, the Veratrum patient doesn’t like to ‘exercise’! Naturally, every pain and complaint between chest and umbilicus and every complaint of the respiratory system can be aggravated by motion as well. This then would be < coughing and < ex- and inspiration. Temperatures & Weather conditions Veratrum album has a general aggravation from cold and amelioration from warmth. Eye symptoms are < open air and pain in upper extremities is < rainy weather. Daytimes & Seasons Because Veratrum is generally < cold air, naturally symptoms also are < winter. In addition, most symptoms in Veratrum tend to be < morning. Food < after eating and < after drinking go especially for pains and complaints of the sternum area. Anxiety is < after dinner. Veratrum Album has a desire for ice cold drinks, which
are then vomited. < drinking cold water. It also desires
sour things, ICE, fruits and salt, tough none of these aggravates
or ameliorates any of the symptoms. Etiology In Veratrum Album, discharges can be enormous. This loss of fluid leads to collapse and great coldness of the body along with cold perspiration, followed by cramps or spasms, probably due to the potassium, magnesium and calcium loss. This would be the typical physical picture of a Veratrum patient.
Another causation for a Veratrum state can be the suppression of eruptions, especially eczemas
Other causations are:
Locality Veratrum Album acts to a great extent on the Nervous System and the Circulatory system (which becomes obvious on consideration of the collapse, cold sweat, etc. that are often found in Veratrum diseases) and on the mind (mania, excitement, delirium, insanity). Furthermore Veratrum acts well on the Stomach and intestines: There are many stomach complaints: vomiting and diarrhea. Veratrum also is valuable for disorders of the female genitalia, which becomes clear when looking at the great aggravation the patient experiences just from the menses. The tongue in Veratrum is dry, as is the palate, and cold. According to Clarke, it might be blackish, cracked or red and swollen or even loaded with a yellow coating. Acute Diseases In acute disease, Veratrum Album can be of great value in
In emergencies Veratrum Album is most often used for:
Bodily Functions and Discharges Menses The Menses in Veratrum Album patients can be preceded by headache, vertigo, epistaxis, and nocturnal perspiration. It comes on too early, is profuse and may be accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea, followed by headache in morning, with nausea, humming in ears, burning thirst, and pains in all limbs. In short: Too early, too much and debilitating (menorrhagia). Dysmenorrhea occurs as well as suppression (amenorrhea), both with Prolapsus and the before-mentioned accompanying symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, exhaustion, cold sweat, coldness of body, etc).
The symptoms during pregnancy, childbed and lochia are of very similar character as the ones during menses:
Abortion is threatened and there are several typical mental symptoms accompanying pregnancy, confinement and childbed, such as nymphomania, shamelessness, hysteria, religious despair and haughtiness. Lochia might be suppressed, with the same symptoms as dysmenorrhea.
Digestion Veratrum Album has a great hunger with, especially, appetite for sour or salty things, fruits or ice and sometimes the patient suffers from bulimia. There is excessive thirst. Cold water usually is vomited but milk ameliorates. Digestive complaints are usually > milk, > meat, < potatoes, < green vegetables. Veratrum has - sometimes violent risings of food or air, qualmishness, nausea, hiccough and water brash. Vomiting is violent, continuous, frequent, accompanied by cold sweat, sunken face and great weakness and diarrhea. There is a marked aggravation from least motion. Vomited are:
Excretions (skin, bowels, urinary tract) Veratrum Album has copious discharges – the body acts as if poisoned and ‘flushes’ everything out its system. Sometimes however – the secondary reaction in this remedy – the patient suffers from dryness and / or suppression of discharges. Some excretions however are primarily very slight – especially does this apply to urine – and the mucous membranes are generally dry, but then again this is not surprising: how can there be much water expelled through normal channels if the water is being expelled everywhere else - e.g. in sweats, salivation and diarrhea?
- Nose
- Mouth
- Throat and air passages
- Stomach
- Urine
- Stool
- Menses
- Skin / Perspiration
Sleep & Dreams Sometimes, the patient suffers from nocturnal sleeplessness. However, usually he is yawning and very sleepy all day. He might even sleep for days, exhausted, prostrated and his head nodding even while answering. Drowsiness occurs, coma vigil and incomplete unconsciousness. Very peculiar in Veratrum Album is that the patient may sleep with his eyes half open or with only one of his eyes closed. Some patients pass their arms over the head. The dreams usually are anxious, frightful, of being hunted, having to escape, with frightened awakening and the fixed idea that the dream is true. There is moaning and whining during sleep.
Characteristic Sensations Typical for Veratrum Album is the sensation of great coldness of the body, the mouth or even in the abdomen. The skin feels clammy and cold which is accompanied by profuse, cold perspiration--especially the forehead. Characteristic for Veratrum also is profuse diarrhea as well as violent vomiting. It is this severe loss of fluid which causes this coldness and often enough that the patient collapses or becomes so prostrated that he sleeps for a long time. (Allen: "Rapid sinking of forces; complete prostration; cold sweat and cold breath.") Due to this loss of fluid, there is also a dehydration: (Allen: "Skin blue, purple, cold, wrinkled; remaining in folds when pinched."). The patient’s face looks pale and sunken. Face and limbs appear bluish. The other side of Veratrum would be heat and redness of face and hands, which occurs in fever, and violent delirium. Many circumstances that require Veratrum are accompanied by fainting – be this an emotional derangement or a physical disorder, fainting can be seen quite often in this remedy. Stomach and abdominal complaints are usually characterized as sharp, cutting or griping and a number of convulsive or spasmodic sensations occur, such as cramps or cramp-like pain in general, constriction of the throat or pressure in eye, head or stomach. Also there are tetanic or epileptic convulsions or lockjaw.
Allen considers Veratrum album best suited for the "extremes of life": for children and old persons, for lean, choleric, or melancholic persons, for young people and women of a sanguine or nervous-sanguine temperament, for people who are habitually cold and deficient in vital reaction, persons of gay disposition, of fitful mood or anemic persons". The Veratrum album patient is most likely livid or pale and covered in sweat, especially the forehead. His face might look sunken, hippocratic, with an anxious expression and blue or green circles around eyes. The skin remains in folds when pinched. The fingernails can show bluish discoloration, the whole body, the face and even the breath is cold. Clarke has observed, that the nose grows more pointed and becomes longer. Physical Symptoms Alternating Symptoms
Concomitant Symptoms
Characteristic, peculiar Symptoms
Veratrum album is antidoted by strong Coffee; Camphor, Aconite, China and Staphysagria. It antidotes Arsenicum, China, Cuprum, Opium, Tabacum and also removes the bad effects of Opium and Tobacco. It follows well Arsenicum, Arnica, China, Cuprum, Ipecacuanha, Camphora, Ammonium carbonicum, Carbo vegetabilis, Bovista, Lycopodium and Nux vomica and is followed well by Pulsatilla, Aconite, Belladonna, Chamomilla, Rhus Toxicodendron, Sepia and Sulphur.
Allen, Philip Bailey, Clarke, Hahnemann, Hering, Kent, Wiesbauer |
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sub-alpine meadows and open woods in the Alps and Pyrenees, in Europe,
from Lapland to Italy, through Russia and from east Asia to Siberia,
but also found in Northern China, Japan and Northern Africa. Under
the name "Veratrum Californicum", this plant is said to
have been found in Colorado and other western states of the U.S.
It’s first known use was that of a pesticide in the classical
Rome and Greece.
