(Poppy)
Hahnemann says that it is much more difficult to
estimate the action of Opium than of almost any other drug. The effects of
Opium as shown in the insensibility of the nervous system, the depression
drowsy stupor, painlessness, and torpor, the general sluggishness and lack
of vital reaction, constitute the main indications for the drug when used
homeopathically. All complaints are characterized by sopor. They are
painless, and are accompanied by heavy, stupid sleep, stertorous
breathing. Sweaty skin. Dark, mahogany brown face. Serous apoplexy:
venous, passive congestion. Want of sensitiveness to the action of
medicines. Reappearance and aggravation from becoming heated. Opium lessens
voluntary movements, contracts pupils, depresses higher intellectual
powers, lessens self-control and power of concentration, judgement;
stimulates the imagination, checks all secretions except that of the skin.
Want of susceptibility to remedies even though indicated. Diseases that
originate from fright. | ||
| Mind. Patient
wants nothing. Complete loss of consciousness; apoplectic state.
Frightful fancies, daring, gay, bright. Unable to understand or appreciate
his sufferings. Thinks he is not at home. Delirious talking, with wide open
eyes. | ||
| Head. Vertigo;
lightness of head in old people. Dull, heavy, stupid. Delirium.
Vertigo after fright. Pain in back of head; great weight there. [Gels.] Bursting feeling. Complete insensibility; no
mental grasp for anything. Paralysis of brain. | ||
| Eyes. Half
closed, dilated; pupils insensible, contracted. Ptosis. [Gels.; Caust.] Staring,
glassy. | ||
| Face. Red,
bloated, swollen, dark suffused, hot. Looks intoxicated, besotted.
[Bapt.; Lach.] Spasmodic facial
twitching, especially corners of mouth. Veins of face distended. Hanging
down of lower jaw. Distorted. | ||
| Mouth. Dry.
Tongue black, paralyzed. Bloody froth. Intense thirst. Blubbering of
lips. Difficult articulation and swallowing. | ||
| Stomach.
Vomiting, with colic and convulsions. Fecal vomiting. Incarcerated hernia.
Hungry; no desire to eat. | ||
| Abdomen. Hard,
bloated, tympanitic. Lead colic. During colic, urging to stool and
discharge of hard feces. | ||
| Stool.
Obstinate constipation; no desire to go to stool. Round, hard, black
balls. Feces protrude and recede. [Thuj.; Sil.] Spasmodic retention of feces in small intestines.
Stools involuntary, black, offensive, frothy. Violent pain in rectum, as if
pressed asunder. | ||
| Urine. Slow to
start; feeble stream. Retained or involuntary, after fright. Loss of
power or sensibility of bladder. | ||
| Female.
Suppressed menses from fright. Cessation of labor pains with coma and
twitchings. Puerperal convulsions; drowsiness or coma between paroxysms.
Threatened abortion and suppression of lochia, from fright, with sopor.
Horrible labor-like pains in uterus, with urging to stool. | ||
| Respiratory.
Breathing stops on going to sleep; must be shaken to start it again.
Hoarse. Deep snoring; rattling, stertorous breathing. Difficult,
intermittent, deep, unequal respiration. Heat in chest; burning about
heart. Cough, with dyspnea and blue face; with bloody
expectoration. | ||
| Sleep. Great
drowsiness. [Gels.] Falls into a heavy stupid sleep.
Profound coma. Loss of breath on falling asleep. Coma vigil. Picking at
bedclothes. Very sleepy, but cannot go to sleep. Distant noises, cocks
crowing, etc., keep him awake. Child dreams of cats, dogs, black forms. Bed
feels so hot cannot lie on it. Pleasant, fantastic, amorous dreams. Shaking
chill; then heat, with sleep and sweat. Thirst only during
heat. | ||
| Fever. Pulse
full and slow. Heat extending over body. Hot
perspiration. Fever characterized by stupor, snoring respiration, twitching
of limbs, intense thirst and sleepiness. General low temperature with
inclination to stupor. | ||
| Back and
Extremities. Opisthotonos. Swollen veins of neck. Painless
paralysis. Twitching of limbs. Numbness. Jerks as if flexors were
overacting. Convulsions; worse from glare of light; coldness of
limbs. | ||
| Skin. Hot,
damp, sweating. Constant desire to uncover. Hot perspiration over whole
body except lower limbs. | ||
| Modalities.
Worse, heat, during and after sleep. [Apis; Lach.] Better, cold things, constant
walking. | ||
| Relationship.
Compare: Apis; Bell.; Gels. Antidote: Acute Opium poisoning: Atropine and Black Coffee. Chronic Opium poisoning: Ip.; Nux-v. Berberis is useful to counteract Opium habit. | ||
| Dose. Third to
thirtieth and two hundredth potency. |