Understanding Nux-vomica

Let us study the remedy Nux-vomica in detail.

In the last issue the similimum was selected not only on the basis of mathematical repertorisation but on the merit of the totality of this drug.

Kent had advised us not to use repertory as a mathematical tool to calculate the similimum by taking different rubrics pertaining to physical, mental, modality etc. He warned that the remedy selected on this basis may be similar but cannot be similimum. Totality denotes the soul of the remedy being reflected exactly as the core of the patient.

Nux-vomica patient is defiant because he has the ability to pursue his activities though the condition is not conducive. He feels he can win over any situation to achieve what he wants.

The following rubrics substantiate this feeling:
DEFIANT
ARDENT
OPTIMISTIC
FIGHT, wants to
PERSEVERANCE
AMBITION

If he wants to do something he never looks back.

Let us understand the meaning of three rubrics HOPEFUL, OPTIMISTIC & POSITIVE in this respect:

In HOPEFUL the patient will say to the doctor, “Sir, I have lot of hope that my problem may be cured.” (“हमें तो पूरी उम्मीद है की हम ठीक हो जायेंगे. आप कोशिश जरुर कीजिये.”) (Mind you, here the patient is not sure about the outcome after taking the medicine from the doctor & just hopes that he becomes fine. So it is a possibility only)

In POSITIVENESS the patient will tell to the doctor, “Sir, I know this disease has to go, once there is a disease there must be a treatment also. There is no question that I will stay sick.” (“बीमारी है तो इलाज है. ठीक तो होना ही है. आई दवाई देते रहिये, मुझे पता है मैं ठीक हो जौंगी.”)

In OPTIMISTIC the patient will tell to the doctor that, “Sir, I know my condition is not good but still I knew something better will happen and I will cured. I know there is no medicine for this disease presently in India but in America there is some special treatment is available for this disease. I know one day will come when this disease will be cured. (“मुझे पता है मेरी स्थिति काफी गंभीर है पर मुझे ये विश्वाश है की कोई दवाई जरुर काम कर जाएगी और मैं ठीक हो जाऊंगा. मुझे पता है की इस बीमारी का इलाज भारत में नहीं है पर अमेरिका में तो होगा. मुझे पता है इस बीमारी का इलाज जल्दी ही यहाँ आ जायेगा और मैं ठीक हो जाऊंगा.”)

Hopeful is a state when a patient hopes or expects the condition improves but is not totally certain about the same. Positiveness is a state where there is no negativity and the person is certain that the condition will improve. Optimistic is a state when the person being in a state of negativity always look towards positivity that there is always light after darkness.

Nux-vomica is very-very Ambitious. He never stays satisfied even if he achieves his target rather he pursues his activities with more vigor for furthering his achievent.

This is being of the fastidiousness quality of this remedy. Fastidiousness is nothing but the quality of an individual whom you can hardly please. This type of individual will initially set a target but when they achieve that their zeal will not allow them to rest and lead them to do something which is much more ambitious than the previous target. Because of this non satisfied nature they keep on working and working to the level of perfection as they love to excel in their activities. This continuous work make them tired and they feel like to take rest to pursue their activities.

FASTIDIOUS
AMBITION
REST - desire for

Rest is a pause where they recoup and again start pursuing their activities. The Ambition of Nux-vomica is so strong (ARDENT) that they keep on excelling their previous record and never stay satisfied in the present condition.

This makes them extreme tired and fatigued. Here they want a state of complete rest to attain peace of mind.

LONGING - repose and tranquility, for

This state is so intensely needed in Nux-vomica that they react with anger when somebody disturbs them while being in this state.

ANGER - interruption; from
DISTURBED, averse to being
MOOD – repulsive

That time he feels as if there is no energy left in his body and only rest can give back the energy he has lost in the process of achieving his ambition. Even smallest amount of obstruction to his process of recovery is not acceptable and he breaks down totally.

WEEPING - opposition, at least

(Weeping is shading tears or crying but it is a state of breaking down during adverse condition where you are not able to manage your own, i.e. strongness melts into weakness.)

Hence the journey of Nux-vominca starts from ardentness, defiance, optimism to pursue his ambition to a state of poor and weeping where he feels only tranquility can bring back his energy level.

In the case discussed in the last issue we have remedies like Belladonna & Sepia along with Nux-vomica after repertorisation. But we should know the poor feeling of these two remedies so that we can easily differentiate it from Nux-vomica.

Belladonna feels poor when he apprehends his activities will stop and he cannot enjoy the day to day life. Before going to that state he will come to the doctor. His only need is to enjoy life to the fullest.

DELUSIONS - poor, he is
FEAR - paralysis, of
LIGHT - desire for

(“बीमारी अगर आगे और बढ़ी तो उसे मोवेमेंट्स बंद हो जायेंगे, तो घर से कैसे निकलूँगा, पार्टी-सरती सब बंद हो जायेगा.”)

Sepia will feel poor when he doesn’t get reciprocation. She puts her all energy for the members of the family but when they don’t reciprocate when he becomes sick that time she feels that nothing is going to workout and she stays indifferent.

INDIFFERENCE, apathy - lies with eyes closed

Please don’t do mathematical repertorisation of the case. Try to understand the main concern of the patient and select the similimum accordingly.

Puri Seminar Pics

MINDING THE MIND IN THE CLINIC (Understanding Clinical application of Mind Section of the Repertory)

By Dr Ashok Mohanty 9810026564


A male aged 28years was brought to me straight from the hospital against the advice of the doctors. He was suffering from viral hepatitis, hepatomegaly with ascites and very high grade fever. His liver function test showed:
Serum billirubin – 4.2 mg/dl
SGOT _ 1960 U/L
SGPT _ 2210 U/L
Alk. Phosphate _ 224 U/L

He was in the ICU of the hospital for a week, but there was hardly any improvement neither in the pathological parameter nor in his physical condition. His fever used to be very high and controlled with icing and antipyretic drugs but after few hours it again used to shoot up. He was having severe body pain, violent headache so much so that he used to bang the head on the rails of the bed.

He was so restless because of the extreme suffering that he used to abuse the nurses present in the ICU. Though he was very weak as there was no intake of food since last ten days but he used to throw the hands so as to take out the drip from his hands and few times tried to get up from the bed to go out.

The doctors were trying to ascertain the cause of the fever which can be either hepatic or enteric. This used to annoy the patient and he insisted that he cannot bear the suffering further and compelled his attendants to take discharge against the advice of the doctors. He told them I will die at home than to suffer here.

They brought him to me as they stay close to my clinic.

Pt: I don’t have any energy left in me, not even able to sit down. I get very high fever with severe body pain and headache. That time I want to just lie down and don’t want to talk to any body nor like anybody talking to me.

Dr: Why you came out of the hospital against the advice of the doctor?

Pt: For seven days they were just taking samples and samples and administering different drugs but there was no relief at all. They were not allowing me to lie down peacefully even for a minute. Even at the mid of the night they used to wake me up and take BP and temperature. That was disgusting. I couldn’t tolerate further. It is better to die than to suffer in this way. Please give me some medicine so that I could sleep properly and get some energy to do my normal activities.

After this much talking he was so much exhausted that he was just lying on the couch without any movement.

If we analyze the statement what he said in the clinic and the situation in which he came out of the hospital then it will be easy to find right remedy for him.

The first requirement of the patient was energy that he lost in the past seven days during the sickness.

When the patient tells us in the clinic that he is short of something, or he is unable to perform or he has become weak because of the prolonged sickness it can be taken as “DELUSIONS - poor, he is” from the Mind section of the repertory.

During the problem he wanted to lie down with out talking to anybody and wants no body should talk to him. This can be taken as ”QUIET; wants to be” and “DISTURBED, averse to being”.

Then his ultimate need was getting proper rest as he couldn’t get in the hospital for the last seven days. This can be taken as ”REST - desire for”.

If we repertorize all these four rubrics, we get Nux Vomica as the remedy. A dose in 30 potency settled the case in 24 hours. His fever came down to 101 and he got very good sleep in the night and started taking fluids orally.

After few days the liver function test showed marked improvement.

Serum Billirubin _ 1.1 mg/dl
SGOT _ 26 U/L
SGPT _ 39 U/L
Alk Phosphate _ 112 U/L

If we analyse the condition in which the patient insisted to get discharge instead of his serious condition and against the advice of the doctors that state can be taken as “Defiant” in the mind section of the repertory. This means the person will openly and boldly resist the authority, defy the authority.

Let us try to understand few important points of Nux Vomica in the perspective of this case which will help us to understand this type of patient in the clinic.
Most of the Nux vomica patient’s come to us when there is very less energy left in them during sickness.(Delusion Poor he is).
Before that they would have taken utmost care and precaution to come out of the situation themselves (carefulness and cautious) as they are very positive and optimistic about the situation and they have lot of zeal to face any condition (ardent).

After continuous effort for which they have lot of patience (perseverance) when they became very tired to pursue further in their activity to recovery then they visit the doctor to get a break without which their energy level will further go down (rest desire for).

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