Case Based Learning Of Conium Maculatum - homeopathy360

Case Based Learning Of Conium Maculatum

Conium is well known as BALM OF GELIAD to Homeopaths, i.e. a Remedy for old bachelors. When I was house surgeon, I have followed up a case of Breast tumour. She was 50 yrs old, she came with lump in right breast. It was stony hard when palpated. She was unmarried, as she took responsibility of her family after the death of her father at the age of 16. Taking all the details, prescribed conium in 30 potency and gradually increased the potency. The tumour after 3 months turned in bluish black coloured, as we see it in injury. On further enquiry she forgot to tell that there was a history of injury to the breast by cricket ball and exactly it appeared in same colour bluish black. The remedy was not changed, continued further, it became so painful and tender, then phytolacca 200 was given daily for a week, soon it suppurated, and got opened, and gave offensive pus out, and healed very nicely with help of Silica, Asteria Rubens, and Calendula external applications. This took almost one year to follow the case, and the case cured perfectly in Hering direction of cure.
Another case I have seen was my relative, she is very much against to use Homeopathy, so I couldn’t treat her, but the development of pathology was soo intresting. Her husband lost the capacity to copulate, due to the injury to the spinal cord in an accident. He was completely on wheel chair for all his life. This happened 20 yrs back. She developed leucorrhoea after menses, and there were some lymphnode enlargement. She underwent investigations, and diagnosed as Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Later she took chemotherapy and she was literally felt tortured with treatment.
By these above cases, we can understand the strong ailment- complaints from loss of sexual activity, celibacy/ Sexual abstinence. See the beauty of our Materia Meidca, the cases which I saw were of old age, as mentioned in Allens key notes, constitution- The “Balm of Gilead” for diseases of old maids and women during and after climacteric. Especially for diseases of old men; old maids; old bachelors; with rigid muscular fibre; persons with light hair who are easily excited; strong persons of sedentary habits.
All symptoms develop in conium in snail pace manner. Gradual onset of symptoms, as seen in the above cases.
SCLEROSIS. SWELLING AND INDURATION OF THE GLANDS OF STONY HARDNESS, WITH STINGING AND TINGLING, AFTER BRUISES AND CONTUSIONS; of mammae and testicles in persons of cancerous tendency.
If we go back to history, it was by means of this poison that Socrates was killed. Under Jewish law hemlock was administered to criminals who were crucified or stoned to death, in order to deaden the pain. It causes paralysis of the motor nerve filaments of the cerebro-spinal system. It is supposed to effect its results by exhausting the nervous energy of the spinal cord and voluntary muscles. It depress the temperature and BP. Death is from paralysis of diaphragm and muscles of respiration. By this we can understand it has tremendous action on nervous system. It is indicated in paralysis from apoplexy.
Sweat as soon as one sleeps, or even when closing eyes. Night and morning sweat, with offensive odor, and smarting in skin. Regarding importance of this symptom, Jahr’s gives a beautiful case, of apoplexy, he says “Conium, cured a very bad case in an aged man, where consciousness was entirely gone for days, and the whole right side paralyzed. The symptom which guided to the selection of this remedy was “sweat as soon as he closes his eyes.”
Vertigo, when lying down, and when turning over in bed, when turning head sidewise, or turning eyes; worse, shaking head, slight noise or conversation of others, especially towards the left. (menieres disease, locomotor ataxia). Nash gives a case in his Regional leaders, ‘I once treated a case of what seemed to be locomotor ataxia with this remedy. The patient had been slowly losing the use of his legs; could not stand in the dark; and when he walked along the street would make his wife walk either ahead of him, or behind him, for the act of looking sidewise at her or in the least turning head or eyes that way would cause him to stagger or fall. Conium cured him.
There is GREAT SENSITIVENESS TO LIGHT, WITHOUT CORRESPONDING INFLAMMATION OF THE EYES. The slightest ulceration or abrasion will cause the intense photophobia. Paralysis of ocular muscles. Paralysis of the optic nerve. Cataract after blow to the eye.
Desire for COFFEE, SALTY THINGS and SOUR. < WINE; MILK. Milk = distension of stomach and abdomen, are some symptoms worth mentioning.
Tremulous weakness after every stool. Palpitation, worse after drinking, from exertion and after stool. Discharge of cold flatus and Stools feel cold in severe diarrhoea – mentioned in Clark Dictionary of Materia Medica, very peculiar to Conium.
There is much difficulty in voiding urine; the flow suddenly stops, then flows again, several times, at each emission. Urine flows better when standing. Dribbling in old men. All these symptoms we see commonly in BPH, which developed as a result of Supressed Sexual desire in Conium. Testicles hard and enlarged, Indurated esp after contusion. Prostate and testicular cancers. Enfeebled state of the sexual organs from masturbation. Desire increased; power decreased. Sexual nervousness, with feeble erection. Incomplete erection, during coition.
Emission of prostatic fluid while passing flatus, from fondling a woman, during lascivious thoughts and with stool. SEMINAL EMISSIONS, WHILE FROLICKING WITH A WOMAN (Phos., Sars.)
Vithoulkas gives a case, in his Materia Medica Viva, ‘I once treated a female patient who used to flirt with the priests. She liked to make them excited and she would have a complete orgasm while she was flirting with them, even without touching them, made me to think of conium which cured her’. It is a stare of weakness of sexual organs, they are so weak that they cannot hold back the release of orgasm.
Ill effects of repressed sexual desire or suppressed menses, or from excessive indulgence. Breasts enlarge and become painful before and during menses. Indurations of the breast, hard as a stone, especially after a blow or injury. (Mammary, Uterine, Ovarian cancers). STINGING, LANCINATING PAINS IN THE NECK OF THE UTERUS, WITH INDURATIONS AND SCIRRHOSIS. Induration of os and cervix. Ovaritis; ovary enlarged, indurated; lancinating pain. Acrid, corrosive leucorrhœa. Leucorrhœa ten days after menses. Leucorrhoea after micturition.
In Locomotor system system important symptoms are – Ill effects of bruises and shocks to spine. Dull aching in lumbar and sacral region. Coccyodynia. Useful in paresis and paralysis that extend from below upward which is very characteristic of conium paralysis.
Coming to Skin symptoms, there is induration after contusions. Glands enlarged and indurated, also mesenteric. Axillary glands pain, with numb feeling down arm. Flying stitches through the glands. Tumors; piercing pains; worse, at night. Chronic ulcers with fetid discharge, esp on foot.
Case by W. M. Bayes- given by N.M. Chouduri ‘ this is a cure of a case of cataract following an injury to the right eye, which had total loss of sight. Patient was taking conium 3, for foetid ulcer on leg, after a course of about a fort night, she to her surprise found her sight returning to the eye in which for 18yrs she was totally blind. Her sight gradually and completely restored’, which was mentioned in Boerieke text book of Materia Medica, ‘Cataract after blow to the eye’.
Modalities of Conium: Aggravation is mostly from physical causes: when standing still, sitting at rest, turning in bed; from touch, jar or jolt, or pressure of tight clothing. There is also aggravation after meals, at night when lying with the head low, and both before and during the menstrual period.
The subject feels better in the dark, from warmth, when moving about, walking briskly, and by allowing the limbs to hang down.

About the author

Sriharitha

Completed P.G. Materia Medica from J.S.P.S. Govt Homeopathic Medical college. Working as Asst professor in Dept of Homoeopathic Materia Medica. Experience:4 years. Worked as Research Associate, for Drug proving Programme, conducted at JIMS homeopathic medical college in collaboration with CCRH.