• Loquacity
• Weeping, tearful mood while reading
• Mouldy smell of breath
• Coldness in stomach and abdomen as from a piece of ice

Source: Animal kingdom.
Synonyms: Poison of rattle snake
Group: Ophidia
Family: Crotalidae
Prover: Dr. Hering
Duration of Action: Moderate
Miasmatic Background: Psora
Temperament: Choleric temperament
Diathesis: Haemorrhagic
Thernal Relationship: Hot patient

Introduction and History: It is the first regular proved drug by Dr Hering and his disciples. This snake is found in North America. Dr Tyler remarks in her book Homeopathic Specifics, ‘Crotalus horridus is in close relation with signs and symptoms of blood poisoning manifesting as black water fever. This snake poison is supposed to be cyanide hydrate of soda and other salts. It is known that alcohol is the natural solvent of cyanide hydrate and because of this, alcohol has been used in great quantities in snake bites, and it has frequently prolonged and saved life.’

Preparation and Parts Used: It is prepared from the venom of a deadly rattle snake of North America.

Constitution and Physiognomy: It is especially suited to debilitated, broken down constitutions; particularly in drunkards.

Seat of Action (Pharmacodynamics): It mainly acts on blood, central nervous system, liver, etc.

Physio-pathological Changes (Pathology): It acts on blood and causes haemorrhages from every orifice of the body. It also causes great prostration of the vital force.

Ailments From: Sun, vaccination, alcohol, fright, fall, water, etc.

Characteristic Mental Symptoms (Psychology)

1. Makes mistakes in writing, weeping mood, aversion to his family.
2. Cross, irritable, weak memory, melancholic, timid.
3. Muttering delirium.
4. Forgets figures, names and places.
5. Suspicious about his friends.
6. Clouded perceptions. Jumbles and stumbles over his words.
7. Fear of evil. Feels as if surrounded by foes or hideous animals.
8. Loquacious with a desire to escape.
9. Delusions of cerebral decay.

Characteristic Physical Guiding Symptoms

Tongue: Fiery red, smooth and polished, very swollen.

Haemorrhage: Blood flows from eyes, ears, nose and every orifice of the body; bloody sweat.

Diphtheria: Malignant diphtheria. Oedema of tonsils. Pain aggravates from empty swallowing.

Apoplexy: Apoplectic convulsions with haemorrhage or broken down constitution.

Diarrhoea: Stools thin, black, coffee ground, offensive in nature.

Vomiting: Bilious with anxiety and weak pulse. Every month after menstruation, black or coffee ground in colour.

Menopause: Severe perspiration with prolonged metrorrhagia – dark, fluid, offensive. Profound anaemia. Faintness and sinking of the stomach. Vicarious menstruation.

Jaundice: Malignant jaundice, haemolytic rather than hepatic.

Eyes: Keratitis, yellow colour of conjunctiva.

Right sided: It is a strongly right sided remedy.

Cravings: For stimulants, sugar, pork.

Aversions: To meat.

Important Characteristic Features

Haemorrhages: It has a great tendency for haemorrhage. Blood dark, decomposed, fluid and non-coagulated. Blood flows from all the orifices of the body – eyes, nose, ears and even from the pores of the skin. During haemorrhage, skin becomes dry and cold, patient wants fanning.

Puerperal fever: Septic, typhoid or malarial fever; also useful in zymotic diseases. Indicated in broken down constitutions due to a septic condition. Petechial eruption and haemorrhage from all orifices. Skin is yellow and the sweat stains reddish in colour. Tongue is fiery red, swollen. Pulse is slow and weak. Severe chill; black water fever.

General Modalities

Aggravation: Falling to sleep, lying on the right side, in open air, in the evening and morning, in spring and on exertion.

Amelioration: By rest and motion. Better by light, open air, by fanning.

Remedy Relationships

Compare: Naja, Pyrog, Lach, Elaps.

Antidotes: Lach.

Comparison

Haemorrhages

Blood oozes from the mouth, anus, sexual organs; black, rapidly decomposing: Anthraci, Crot-h.

Blood non-coagulable, from nose or from bowels: Crot-h, Ham.

Blood dark, non-coagulable: Crot-h, Lach, Sec.

Tongue smooth as if varnished; fiery red: Crot-h, Pyrog, Ter.

Diarrhoea profuse and putrid; discharged with great force: Crot-h, Gamb, Sec.

Therapeutic Value: Amblyopia, Appendicitis, Bilious fever, Blindness, Boils, Brain fag, Cancers, Carbuncles, Chancre, Ciliary neuralgia, Delirium, Dementia, Diphtheria, Dysmenorrhoea, Dyspepsia, Ecchymosis, Erysipelas, Haematuria, Herpes, Hydrophobia, Jaundice, Keratitis, Mastitis, Measles, Meningitis, Ozaena, Peritonitis, Phlebitis, Plague, Psoriasis, Purpura, Pyaemia, Remittent fever; Rheumatism, Sciatica, Smallpox, Stings, Strokes, Sunstroke, Syphilis, Tetanus, Typhilitis, Ulcers, Urticaria, Vaccination effects, Varicose veins, White leg, Whooping cough, Yellow fever.