Conium maculatum

Conium maculatum

Conium maculatumConium maculatum also known as poison

hemlock or spotted hemlock is a member of the umbeliferae family of plants.

Conium maculatumThis plant family, also called Apiaceae or Carrot

family, is one of the best-known families of flowering plants, because of its characteristic inflorescences and fruits and the distinctive chemistry reflected in the odor, flavor and even toxicity of many of its members. The Umbelliferae seems to be the first flowering plant family to be recognized as such by botanists about the end of the 16th century.

Conium maculatumConium maculatum is a native of Europe,

western Asia and North Africa, and common in low waste places, along roadsides, edges of cultivated fields, railroad tracks, irrigation ditches, stream banks, etc. It was brought to the U.S. from Europe as a garden plant.

Conium maculatumConium maculatum, known as poison hemlock,

was ingested by Socrates because of his “negative” influence on the youth of Athens.

Conium maculatumIt was introduced first into our homoeopathic

pharmacopoeia by Samuel Hahnemann.

Conium maculatumMindNERVESMUSCLESGLANDSMAMMAEOvariesSexual OrgansRespiration

Conium maculatumConium affects very strongly: - The sexual sphere. - The mental sphere. - The central nervous system.

Conium maculatum

The major idea of Conium maculatum is sclerosis, of becoming hard, especially the glands, which become swollen and indurated. A gradually progressing weakness with the formation of indurations during the decline, is the perfect picture found in the patient needing this remedy for their pathological condition.

Conium maculatumThis process develops on all three levels. On the

mental level, we observe a gradual decline of the intellectual capacities. The patient becomes more and more dull; he has more difficulty in comprehension.

Conium maculatumConium causes paralysis of the motor nerve

filaments of the cerebrospinal system.

Conium maculatumThe key to the weakness and paralysis in

Conium maculatum is that it is very gradual.

I’ve been feeling weak and listless for quite a while.

Conium maculatumThe paralysis and weakness spreads from

below, the lower giving out before the upper.

Conium maculatumAs the action increases, other and more vital

organs are involved. The lungs are attacked; there is dyspnea; the pulse is irregular, implicating the heart muscle. Finally the patient dies from paralysis of respiration.

Conium maculatumIt may also be used after severe diseases, such

as diphtheria and typhoid fever, and also for complaints from excessive masturbation.

Conium maculatumIt is useful in the weakness of old people and to

diseases that are caused by a blow or fall.

Conium maculatumOne of the indications that stands out

prominently in Conium is its dizziness. It is brought on and aggravated by turning the head sidewise. There is aggravation when lying down, but this aggravation is more the effect of movement necessary in the act of lying down which causes the problem in the patient needing Conium maculatum.

Conium maculatumWe use it for swelling and induration of glands

after contusions and bruises; tumors coming on after injury, are also helped by Conium.

Conium maculatumThe thing to remember is that the glands

wherever affected are of stony hardness. These indurations are quite common in the breasts, in the testicles, and in the uterus.

Conium maculatum

Conium patients can develop severe problems such as cancer, especially cancer of the breast or of the uterus. Cancer of cervix uteri is also often seen. The idea is that a hard tumor develops, mostly of the glands, but it can be located anywhere in the body as well. Conium is one of our most important remedies in the treatment of cancer.

Conium maculatum

Conium maculatumIt is indicated in ophthalmia - a characteristic

symptom being intense photophobia, disproportionate to the level of inflammation.

Oh no!!!

Conium maculatumConium maculatum has a strong tendency for a

type of paralysis of the urinary bladder.

Conium maculatumIt is often indicated in weakness of the sexual

organs, due to bad effects from suppressed sexual desire or from excessive indulgence.

Conium maculatumConium is used in patients who used to have a

normal/intense sexual life and who stopped: • the loss of a partner • the idea that sex is a sin • exaggerated meditation or people who

suddenly stop their way of life for spiritual reasons and suddenly follow a guru.

• people who are strictly religious and who are thus celibate (priests, nuns, for other complaints.)

Conium maculatumWe frequently use this remedy in old bachelors,

in old women and in widows, who suffer from ill effects of suppressed sexual instinct and non-gratification of sexual appetite.

Conium maculatumAlso we may see hypochondria in unmarried

men with strict principles of sexual morality.

MIND - HYPOCHONDRIASIS - sexual - abstinence, fromCON. mosch.

Conium maculatumIn spite of the sexual desire, the sexual powers

are weak. Men often have pre-ejaculation.

Conium maculatum

Conium is the main remedy for the gland that is affected greatly by sexual activity in man: the prostrate. If a suppression of sexual urge occurs in a Conium man, the first gland to be affected is the prostrate. It can even cause prostate cancer. In addition, Conium is an important remedy in indurated and malignant swelling of the testes.

Conium maculatumThe characteristic prostate gland symptom of

Conium is a constant urge to urinate with little or no result. The patient has to get up at night because of this strong urge, he has to push hard to urinate a bit. The urination stops, while the urge remains. This situation can be so serious that the patient becomes desperate and anxious, so that he starts to perspire and he gets a headache and vertigo.

Conium maculatumInterruption of urination is a keynote of Conium.

It keeps starting & stopping

Conium maculatumThe peculiarity of the sweat is, that it comes

on as soon as the patient sleeps or even whenever he closes his eyes.

PERSPIRATION - CLOSING THE EYES; onbell. Bry. calc. carb-an. caust. chin. CON. graph. Lach. mag-m. puls. sanic. sep. sulph. thuj.

Conium maculatumConium patients are relieved by letting the

affected limb hang down (unlike Vip.)

I feel much better!

Conium maculatumAnother keynote is tremulous weakness after

every stool, that ceases in the open air.

I have to get outside into the fresh air right away!!!

Conium maculatumIn the context of the menses, there is also

sensitivity, tearfulness and restlessness.

Conium maculatumWeeping fits which turn into vertigo and

weakness are very characteristic of Conium.

Conium maculatum

Dullness and inability for sustained mental efforts, dislike for society, disinclination to business, complete indifference, great depression of spirit and anxiety and irritability of temper, are some of the symptoms to follow sexual excesses, and are quite well remedied by Conium.

Conium maculatumOn the physical and mental plane, Conium will

have slowly developing deteriorating conditions, especially leading to senility.

Conium maculatumThe typical Conium patient is quite materialistic.

They are people who will not be involved with philosophical, spiritual or religious matters.

Conium maculatumThere is strong element of attachment to other

people and especially to their partner, in a rather materialistic or ownership way.

Conium maculatumConium is one of the main remedies that will

suffer on the loss of the husband or the wife, due to lack of ability for the sexual outlet.

I just can’t date again!

Conium maculatumFemale Conium patients depend on regular

sexual activity but if the husband dies they do not easily start a new relationship.

Conium maculatumThe problem from lack of sex will usually start with

vertigo & then go to trembling & weakness.

Conium maculatumConium patients are fixed on their sexual

patterns – not at all flexible. They are also not oversexed and do not tend toward promiscuity or extra-marital relationships.

Conium maculatumThe materialism of Conium is different from that

of Platina (ego based). Conium’s attachment is to the material world – their property, habits & family. This is what they worry about.

Conium maculatumThe Conium patient feels that the good things

which are given to us are our right to enjoy. They do not feel guilt about this.

Conium maculatumAs with the indurations occurring in the

cancers, there seems to be an induration in a certain part of the mind. And they develop fixed ideas and especially superstition.

MIND - SUPERSTITIOUSagar. arg-n. aster. bell. carc. Con. granit-m. haliae-lc. kali-ar. lach. lap-a. LYCPS-V. manc. med. op. rat. rhus-t. stram. syph. tritic-vg. tub. zinc.

Conium maculatumConium patients tend to have compulsive

thoughts and to execute compulsive actions.

Must not step on a crack!

Conium maculatumThe Conium patient tends to have compulsive

thoughts but only in a specific area of their life while the rest of the brain works perfectly.

Conium maculatumConium’s fixed ideas often, but not always,

center around the need for absolute quiet. This is especially true regarding toilets.

Conium maculatum

On the emotional plane we also see a hardness developing - indifference, depression. Alienation from the family or loved ones.

MIND - AVERSION - family; to members ofam-c. am-m. aran. aur. borx. Calc. calc-s. cit-ac. con. Crot-h. Fl-ac. haliae-lc. ham. hep. iod. kali-c. kali-m. kali-p. kola lac-h. lyc. MERC. Nat-c. nat-m. nat-ox. phasco-ci. phos. plat. plb. senec. SEP. spong. tax.

Conium maculatumThe emotions are gradually weakened and

paralyzed until it is impossible to bring them to the surface and express them.

Conium maculatumIf they get a present, they cannot be happy, and

they are also unable to cry when they would like to; their feelings may still be there but there are petrified and indurated, they cannot be moved. Then they become gloomy and unhappy; they do not want company and they feel unable to communicate with anybody in the world, even to people who are close with them.

Conium maculatumConium can be useful when there is an

alternation of manic and depressive stages.

Conium maculatum

They will be loyal to you as long as they feel you can help them and as long as you are not hurting them. But if there is a stage where, in their opinion, you are not helping them enough, they will immediately let you know, demanding their rights. In this way, they can appear similar to remedies such as Arsenicum album and Nitricum acidum

Conium maculatum Finally, very severe mental retardation will

occur. There can also be premature senility.

Conium maculatumA frequent and characteristic symptom is an

inability to sustain mental effort.

Conium maculatumConium is an important remedy in chronic

recreational drug users, not for the acute consequences of high doses of drugs, but for people who are more careful with drugs.

Conium maculatumConium patients are also very sensitive to

alcohol. Hering writes, “The slightest spirituous drink intoxicates him.”

Conium maculatumConium patients are affected by cold and

exertion. They are generally chilly. They tend to have complaints from over-lifting.

Conium maculatumRELATED REMEDIES - con. - con. complementary

remedies - arg-n. arn. ars. Bar-m. bell. calc. caust. dros. lyc. nux-v. Phos. puls. rhus-t. Sep. sil. stram. SULPH. thuj.

RELATED REMEDIES - con. - con. followed well by - arg-met. arg-n. arn. ars. ars-i. aster. aur. bar-c. bar-m. bell. calc. calc-ar. cic. clem. com. dros. iod. lach. lyc. merc-i-r. nux-v. phos. Phyt. psor. puls. rhus-t. sep. sil. stram. Sul-ac. sulph. tub. valer.