NUX MOSCHATA


Symptoms of the homeopathic medicine NUX MOSCHATA from A Text Book of Materia Medica and Therapeutics by A.C. Cowperthwaite. Find all the symptoms of NUX MOSCHATA …


      Synonym – Myristica Moschata. Common name – Nutmeg. Habitat – The nutmeg is a native of the Molucca Islands, and is cultivated in other tropical and semi-tropical countries. Preparation – Tincture from the dried, coarsely powdered nutmeg.

GENERAL ANALYSIS

Through the nervous system Nux mosch. affects particularly the digestive tract, the ovaries and the uterus, the symptoms it produces being of a purely nervous character, and indicative of no change whatever in organic substance, save the slight congestion which the nervous irritation may produce; but death may result from heart failure. Its chief characteristic is a sleepy, drowsy condition, with all complaints.

CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS

Mind. Changeable mood; one moment laughing; the next crying (Aconite, Coca, Ign). Disposition to laugh or jest at everything; feels lively and bright. Weeping, gloomy mood (Cact., Ignatia, Natr. mur., Platina, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox.). Absence of mind, cannot think (Anacardium, Kreosotum, Lachesis, Natr. mur., Mercurius); has to collect his thoughts slowly before speaking or answering (Ambr., Phosphorus ac., Sepia); thoughts vanish while reading, with tendency to sleep. Ideas confused; incoherent expression, either in speaking or writing (Chamomilla, Lycopodium). Loss of memory (Ambr., Anacardium, Kreosotum, Lachesis, Mercurius). Soporous condition, as if intoxicated (Op); with loss of motion and sensation. Momentary unconsciousness.

Head Vertigo, as if intoxicated (Coccul., Ledum, Mez.). Head drops forward while sitting. Head feels full and as if expanding, but without pain; seems bulky and rolls around without control; has to support with the hands. Painless pulsation in the head (Gloninum, Pulsatilla), with fear to go to sleep. Pain, especially in the temples, with a sensation as if the brain were loose, with wobbling on motion, as if it struck the sides of the skull (Cinchona, Hyoscyamus, Rhus tox.). Pressive headache in a small spot over left frontal eminence. Headache after eating, as from overeating (Nux v.).

Eyes. Sensation of dryness in the eyes; in evening, is difficult to read by artificial light; can move eyelids only with difficulty. Blindness, then failure. Objects appear too large (Hyoscyamus), or too distant, too small (Platina)

Nose. Dryness, stopped up.

Face Face pale; blue rings around the eyes.

Mouth. Taste like chalk in the mouth; in morning, fasting. Painfulness of the teeth while eating (Carb. an., Mercurius). Toothache; during pregnancy; from damp, cold, evening air. Dryness of the mouth, tongue and lips. (Arsenicum, Bryonia), but without thirst (Apis., Pulsatilla). Saliva seems like cotton. Accumulation of saliva and thick mucus in the mouth. Paralysis of the tongue; speech difficult (Causticum, Dulcamara, Gelsemium, Hyos,); indistinct.

Throat Great dryness in the throat, without thirst (Apis, Lachesis, Pulsatilla). Difficult swallowing, from paralysis of the muscles of deglutition (Opium). Scraping in the throat.

Stomach Very great hunger; not thirst (Apis, Pulsatilla). Thirst. Deathly nausea if her head were raised from the pillow. Nausea and vomiting, with inclination to sleep (Ant. tart.); during pregnancy (Kali carb., Pulsatilla, Sepia); while riding in a carriage (Coccul); from irritation of pessaries. Fullness in stomach impeding breathing. Irritation of stomach from overtaxed mental powers.

Abdomen. Pressure in the liver, as from something sharp, or as if stones were cutting and tearing their way out; weight about the liver. Abdomen enormously distended; after meals (Cinchona, Natr. carb., Nux v.). Rumbling in the abdomen; feeling as though colic would occur.

Stool Stools soft, but expelled with difficulty (Carb. v., Cinchona); rectum inactive (Alumina, Camph.). Diarrhoea, undigested, or like chopped eggs, with loss of appetite and great sleepiness; in summer with children.

Male Organs. Inclined to coitus, but erections weak and of short duration.

Female Organs. Menses irregular in time and quantity; flow generally dark and thick. Flatulent distension of uterus. Leucorrhoea in place of menses. During menses great pressure in the back from within outward; abdominal bearing down and drawing in the limbs. Spasmodic labor-like pains.

Respiratory Organs. Hoarseness; sudden, from walking against the wind. Dry cough, with sudden loss of breath. Cough when becoming warm in bed. Oppression of chest; short breath after eating.

Heart and Pulse. Feeling of rush of blood to the heart, and thence to head and all over the body. Palpitation with fainting, followed by sleep. Pulse small, slow and weak (Digit.)

Back. Pain in small of back, as if broken (Aloe, Belladonna, Cimic., Natr. mur., Kali carb., Nux v), when riding in a carriage. Bruised pain at side of lumbar vertebrae.

Limbs. Numbness in all the limbs. Pain in all the limbs and joints in cold, damp weather (Rhododendron). Tingling in toes, as if frozen (Agaricus)

Generalities. Great weakness and fatigue; feels as though he must lie down after least exertion, with sleepiness. Jactitation of muscles. Disposition to faint; also, from the pains when slight (Hepar s.); sickly sensation. Intermittent, wandering, digging pain in small spots. Convulsions; hysterical, epileptic, with consciousness; children, with diarrhoea; catalepsy. Skin cold over the whole body, and sensitive to cold air (Coccul., Hepar s.). Anaemia. Marasmus of children.

Sleep. Sleepiness, with all complaints, particularly with pains; lies in stupid slumber. Almost irresistible desire for sleep (Ant. tart., Apis). Starting in sleep, but does not always awake.

Aggravation From cold, damp weather; from washing or getting wet; from riding in a carriage; after eating or drinking; from spirituous liquors.

Amelioration. In the room; in open air.

Conditions. Especially suitable for women and children; for nervous people; also for the aged.

Compare Ambr., Asafoetida, Belladonna, Can. ind., Coccul., Coni., Digitalis, Hyoscyamus, Ignatia, Lycopodium, Mosch., Nux v., Opium, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox., Sepia, Silicea, Sulphur, Stramonium

Antidote. Camph., Gelsemium, Nux v.

Nux Moschata Antidotes Arsenicum, Rhododendron, Laur.

THERAPEUTICS.

The peculiar nervous and mental phenomena of this drug already described have led to its successful use in hysteria, and in functional disturbances of the mind and sensorium from overtaxing the mind and from gastric ailments. Hysteria during pregnancy, with attacks of faintness, or momentary unconsciousness. The latter is a prominent feature of this drug. hysteria with enormous bloating of the abdomen, excessive dryness of the mouth, sudden oppression of the heart with choking sensation, unconsciousness or fainting. The least emotional excitement renews the symptoms. Tonic followed by clonic spasms. Epileptiform spasms with consciousness. Spasms of children, with diarrhoea. Catalepsy. Paralysis of tongue, eyelids, oesophagus. Anaemia. Marasmus of children. Headache form overeating; before menses, in nervous subjects; during pregnancy. Supra-orbital neuralgia with pulsation in the head, every day. Ptosis. Toothache during pregnancy; from damp, cold, evening air. Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy; from riding in a carriage; from irritation of pessaries. Dyspepsia from overtaxing the mind, enormous distension of the stomach and abdomen after meals; can only digest highly seasoned foods; worse from any motion. Summer complaint of children, with undigested stools, like beaten eggs, loss of appetite and great sleepiness. Suppression of menses with fainting, and other nervous symptoms of drug. Various nervous phenomena from uterine displacement, ovarian irritation or during pregnancy, with flatulent distension of the abdomen, etc. Sterility. Leucorrhoea in place of the menses. Menorrhagia, thick, dark blood, tendency to syncope. Nervous palpitation of the heart, with fainting, followed by sleep. Neuralgia of the sacrum and coccyx, worse from riding in a carriage.

A.C. Cowperthwaite
A.C. (Allen Corson) Cowperthwaite 1848-1926.
ALLEN CORSON COWPERTHWAITE was born at Cape May, New Jersey, May 3, 1848, son of Joseph C. and Deborah (Godfrey) Cowperthwaite. He attended medical lectures at the University of Iowa in 1867-1868, and was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in 1869. He practiced his profession first in Illinois, and then in Nebraska. In 1877 he became Dean and Professor of Materia Medica in the recently organized Homeopathic Department of the State University of Iowa, holding the position till 1892. In 1884 he accepted the chair of Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and Clinical Medicine in the Homeopathic Medical College of the University of Michigan. He removed to Chicago in 1892, and became Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. From 1901 he also served as president of that College. He is the author of various works, notably "Insanity in its Medico-Legal Relations" (1876), "A Textbook of Materia Medica and Therapeutics" (1880), of "Gynecology" (1888), and of "The Practice of Medicine " (1901).