Dr. Smita Brahmachari is a post Graduate student in Repertory, National Institute of Homoeopathy, under the West Bengal University of Health Sciences. She present her views on Veratrum Album. She had authored scientific articles which had been published in journals. She is an enthusiastic student, presently been selected as UPSC Medical Officer, Govt. of NCT, Delhi.
Introduction
Veratrum Album, common names are “White Hellebore” or “European Hellebore” or “Weisse Niesswurz”, belongs to the natural order of the Liliaceæ and is a member of the family of the 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.
Hellebore is one of the four classic poisons (the other three being deadly nightshade [Belladonna], poison hemlock [Conium], and aconite). The name Hellebore comes from the Greek word “elein” meaning to injure, and “bora” meaning food.
Historical perspective
The use of Hellebore dates back to 1400 B.C., when it was used as a purgative to “cleanse the mind of all perverse habits”. In ancient times the physicians used white hellebore in treatment of chronic diseases because it was capable of exciting excessive vomiting and at last also purgation in physiological large doses. The reason behind such large dose administration was the delusion that existed in the medical art that diseases depended on a morbific matter in the body and cure is possible by elimination of this morbific matter. But there were cases in which patients were cured of their diseases by white hellebore, without undergoing vomiting or purging, failed to convince them that the cures were effected in quite another way. It was mostly used in the treatment of mental diseases especially persons suffering from mania and melancholia by effecting purgation. The use of Hellebore in medical treatment is found in writings through the ages, from the ancient Greeks through the middle ages. It was also used for various animal ailments toward off evil spirits and as a flies repellent. In Europe, it was one of the principal poisons to be used in arrow heads and draggers.
Hahnemann said in introductory part of the drug, in Materia Medica Pura [Volume III, 2nd edition, 1825], “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[in such small doses as the twelfth dilutions administered in the patient’s drink], because they know not the peculiar kind of insanity in which to employ it, nor the doses in which it should be administered in order to be efficacious and yet not injurious.”
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’s “Lesser Writings” ) by which he gained his licence in Leipzic. The thesis was a marvel of research and erudition, where he showed that Verat alb. was the principal agent used at Anticyra and other places in Greece to produce the evacuations which were regarded as an essential of the cure. Spring was deemed the most favourable season and autumn the next. Among the diseases in which treatment was employed were mental derangements, epilepsy, spasms of the facial muscles, hydrophobia, diseases of spleen, goitre, hidden cancer. Hahnemann says in Materia Medica Pura that doubtless many patients were cured but many also succumbed to the enormous doses given. These doses he showed were quite unnecessary when the symptoms of proving are taken as guides.
The proving of Veratrum is in the 3rd volume of the Reine Arzneimittellehre and is an enlargement of one which had already appeared in the Fragmenta de viribus. It contains 315 symptoms from Hahnemann, 154 from five fellow-observers and 247 from authors. The majority of these are being observed upon melancholic - maniac patients.
Pathogenesis
Veratrum album acts profoundly upon the vegetative sphere, blood and nervous system. Its action can be attributed to the presence of 4 crystallizable alkaloids – veratralbine, jervine, pseudo-jervine and rubijervine. It causes disorganisation of blood and separates into constituent components. As a result there is general topor of the vegetative system. It give rise to choleric condition, general coldness, prostration, collapse, copious watery vomiting, purging, spasmodic colic, cramps and spasms. Its action on the nervous system results in excitation of the cerebral nerves producing delirium and mania, in addition to great exhaustion of nerve power.
Clinical
Angina, apoplexy, asthma, cholera, colic, collapse, constipation, cramps, diarrhoea, gastric and abdominal disorders, headache, influenza, mental diseases, menstrual disorders.
Keynotes guiding its use in various clinical conditions
1. Profuseness of all the discharges which runs through the whole remedy- in diarrhoea, vomiting, sweat, urine, salivation. The discharges drain the tissues and exhaust the vitality.
2. As a result there is vertigo, blackness before the sight, fainting, collapse, rapid sinking of the vital force and complete prostration.
3. There is coldness running over the whole body, but the most characteristic of all is “cold sweat on forehead” with nearly all complaints. Along with coldness there is blueness of face and extremities.
4. Craving for acids, juicy and refreshing things, fruits, cold food and water. Intense unquenchable thirst for large quantities of cold water; wants everything cold.
5. Margret Tyler summarises. - “The cry for Veratrum then consists of excessive coldness, excessive cold sweat, extreme thirst, extreme violence of evacuations, extreme copiousness of vomiting, purging and sweat, collapse, paralytic weakness and loss of power, with violence of reactions to pain and mania”.
6. Mind - Kent says mental symptoms are marked by violence and destructiveness. Mental pictures is revealed in usually the arrogant way in which Veratrum insist upon his own way and the dogmatism with which he expresses his opinion. P.Bailey says he is a Little Hitler, very bossy people without sign of regret.
 |
7. Rubrics in Kent’s Repertory depicting the mental state
The
Materia Medicas are full of references to Veratrum’s potential
for violence (Kent: ‘Abusive’, ‘Biting’,
‘Delirium-raging’, ‘Delirium-pains, with the’). The
social etiquette that we take for granted is often poorly mastered
by Veratrum, who is liable to laugh a little
too loud, or to launch into a description of his symptoms immediately
upon sitting down, without waiting for the
homeopath to address him (Kent: ‘Rudeness’). His
arrogance is expressed by his, always arguing attitude (Kent:
‘Haughty’). (Kent: ‘Quarrelsome’). But
he is offended easily (Kent: ‘Offended easily’). Veratrum
people are often prone to manic-depressive psychosis, but the
manic phase (Kent: ‘Mania’) is
generally more prominent than the depression. The patient shows
all the typical features of mania when describing
his behaviour during a manic episode. At times he was extremely
restless (Kent: ‘Propensity to be aimlessly
busy’), spent too much money, propositioned strangers
sexually (Kent: ‘mania-erotic’),
and would not eat for days (Kent: ‘Refuses to eat’).
Veratrum is very restless type at the best
of times (Kent: ‘Restlessness-anxious’). Following
manic phases Veratrum may enter into a depressive phase, which
is characterised by brooding (Kent: ‘Brooding,
evening’) despair (Kent: ‘Despair, religious, suppressed
menses, during, social position of’).
The depressed Veratrum will sit silently for hours thinking
about how wretched he feels, and imagining
that he will never feel any better (Kent: ‘Despair of
his recovery’). One
very characteristic feature of the Veratrum personality is a
tendency towards religious fanaticism. Usually
such religious fanaticism involves the threat of damnation and
the possibility of redemption. Veratrum may
be obsessed with the thought that he is damned (Kent: ‘Anxiety
about salvation’), and try hard to be
pious and make amends for his sins, (Kent: ‘Praying’),
or he may adopt an evangelist’s role
and try to convince others that they must repent and turn to
the Lord (Kent: ‘Exhorts to repent,
preaches’), (Kent: ‘Exalted state of religious frenzy’).
Veratrum
is highly active like Stramonium and Tarentula more so than
Hyos. (Kent : ‘Industrious’) but
it is not so violent or threatening as Stramo. or Tarentula.
It becomes violent in extreme states. The
person believes himself to be superior than those around him
(Kent : ‘Haughty’). He may become
overly critical, censorious (Kent : Censorious, critical, disposed
to find fault or is silent). As this tendency
grows the person becomes less in touch with discrepancy between
his reality and others, he may believe himself
to be the only one who is sane, all others being insane. Finally
this develops the full religious righteousness.Other indications in comparison with leading remedies
Cold
sweat on forehead [Carbo veg, Opium, over the entire body -
Tabacum] Lascivious
talk, amorous or religious [Hyos., Stramo] Fainting
from least exertion [Carbo veg, Sulph] Sinking
during haemorrhages [Trillium with fainting] Sensation
of lumps of ice on vertex with chilliness [Sepia] Facies
hippocratica [Acon., Carb-v, Chin, Sec., Tab] Craves
acids or refreshing things [Phos ac.] Cold
feeling in abdomen - external [Ambra-one side only, Colch Meny-chill
during, Tab.- whole body] Vomiting
< by drinking [Ars.], < least motion [Tab.] Large
hard stools [Bryo., Sulph.]. Round black balls [Chel., Op.,
Plb.] Frequent
desire for stool felt in epigastrium [Ign., Nux.-in rectum] Weakness
at menses [Alum., Carbo an., Cocc.] Collapse,
cholera, coldness, < by heat [Camph. has scanty, Ver.- copious
stools] Rheumatism
< in wet weather, which drives patient out of bed [Chamo.] Delirium
[Bell., Stramo.,- these have not the cold surface and cold sweat
of Veratrum], Loquacity [Cup., Hyos., Lach.,
Op., Stramo.], Gossiping, babbling [Hyos., Ver. on religious
subjects], kisses everybody [Agar] Fright
diarrhoea [Acon., Arg nit., Gels., Opium, Veratrum – coldness
of body and prostration] Cholera
[Jatropha c.-vomits ropy, albuminous matter with purging, Podo.-painless,
Iris ver.- better for summer complaints, excoriated
raw feeling at anus, Crot tig – single gush, every attempt
to eat and drink causes stool, Elat.- olive
green stools, Ver.- colicky pain through abdomen with cramps
in calves of the legs., Camph.- with scanty
discharges and nausea, Cup met.- cramps] Suppressed
scarlatina [Zincum, Ver. has succeeded when Zn. has failed to
produce reaction] Emaciation
about neck [Nat mur, Veratrum especially in whooping cough] Weak
from talking [Stann., Cocc., Sulph., Calc.] Collapse,
diarrhoea, vomiting [Ant.t.-more drowsiness, Ver.-more cold
sweat] Neck
muscles too weak to hold head up [Ant.t] Craves
cold drinks [Ars., Veratrum is between Ars. and Nux.] Purging
and collapse [Helleborus - apathetic] Pressure
in vertex with pain in stomach > pressure < motion [Puls]. Abdominal
pain [Coloc., Ver. must walk about] Pain
associated with fainting [Chamo., Hepar., Valer.] Convulsions
after sudden emotions [Ign.], Convulsions with spasm of glottis
[Nux., Ver. secondary to exhausting diseases]Causation
Fright, shock of injury, disappointed love, injured pride or honour, suppressed exanthemata, bad effects of opium eating and tobacco chewing.
Relations
1. Antidoted by : (Poisonous doses) few cups of strong coffee, Camph. (pressive pain in head with coldness of body and unconsciousness after - Hahnemann), Acon. (anxious, distracted state with coldness of body or burning in brain - Hahnemann); China (other chronic affections from abuse of Ver. – e.g., daily forenoon fever - Hahnemann), staphy.
2. Antidote to : Cuprum (colic), removes bad effects of opium and tobacco chewing.
3. Follows well : Camph. (cholera), Amm.c., Carb.v., Bov. (in dysmenorrhoea with vomiting and purging), Lyco and Nux in painful constipation of infants..
