STRAMONIUM

STRAMONIUM

(Thorn-apple)

Stram.

This drug primarily affects the brain, with some effects on the skin and throat. It suppresses secretions and excretions, and there is a sensation as if the limbs are detached from the body. Symptoms include delirium tremens, lack of pain, and reduced muscle mobility, particularly in facial and locomotor muscles. There are also graceful, spinning movements, and Parkinsonism.

Mind:
The person becomes devout, talks incessantly, and may exhibit excessive speech, laughter, singing, swearing, praying, or rhyming. They see ghosts, hear voices, and talk to spirits. Their mood fluctuates rapidly between joy and sadness, and they may become violent or lewd. There are delusions about their identity, often feeling taller, doubled, or incomplete. They may develop religious mania, fear solitude or darkness, and feel compelled to be around light and company. Seeing water or shiny objects may trigger spasms (hydrophobia). There is delirium with a desire to escape (Bell., Bry., Rhus-t.).

Head:
The person often lifts their head from the pillow. Pain occurs in the forehead and over the eyebrows, starting at 9 a.m. and worsening until noon. There may be boring pain following vision problems, along with a rush of blood to the head, causing staggering and a tendency to fall forward and to the left. Auditory hallucinations are also present.

Eyes:
The eyes may appear prominent and wide open, with dilated pupils (meningitis). There is a loss of vision, and the person may complain of darkness, asking for light. Small objects appear large, and parts of the body seem swollen. Strabismus occurs, and everything looks black.

Face:
The face becomes hot and red, with patches of redness on the cheeks. Blood rushes to the face, causing distortion (epilepsy) and an expression of terror. The face may also be pale.

Mouth:
The mouth is dry, with thick saliva. There is an aversion to water, stammering speech, and an inability to swallow due to spasms. Chewing motions are also common.

Stomach:
Food tastes like straw, and there is intense thirst. Vomiting occurs, often of mucus and green bile.

Urinary:
The bladder is empty, with urinary suppression.

Male:
There is heightened sexual desire, with inappropriate speech and actions. The hands are often on the genitals.

Female:
Loquacity, singing, and praying accompany metrorrhagia. Puerperal mania occurs, with characteristic mental symptoms and profuse sweating. There may be convulsions after labor.

Extremities:
Graceful, rhythmic movements are seen, along with convulsions in the upper extremities and isolated muscle groups. Symptoms include chorea, partial spasms, constantly changing (tetanus, trismus), severe pain in the left hip, trembling, twitching tendons, and a staggering gait (locomotor ataxia).

Sleep:
The person wakes up terrified and screams from fright. There is deep, snoring sleep, yet they cannot fall asleep (Bell.).

Fever:
There is profuse sweating without relief and violent fever.

Skin:
The skin appears shiny and red. There are effects from suppressed eruptions in scarlet fever, accompanied by delirium.

Modalities:
Worse in a dark room, when alone, looking at bright or shiny objects, after sleep, or while swallowing. Better with bright light, company, and warmth.

Relationship:
Compare especially with Hyos. and Bell. It causes more brain stimulation but less fever than Bell. and more fever than Hyos., without reaching the inflammatory stage of Bell.

Antidotes: Bell., Tab., Nux-V.

Dose:
Thirtieth potency and lower.