Repertory › Remedies in the repertory

Barium carbonicum (Bar‑c.)

Barium carbonicum (Bar‑c.) appears in 1,104 rubrics in the Repertory. Of these, 38 are single-remedy rubrics in which only this remedy is listed, and 80 are small rubrics with at most two other remedies. The emphasis lies on the Children rubrics, which with 176 entries stand clearly ahead of all others, plus Fear, Anxiety, and Delusions, Hiding, Playing, and Dullness. The picture is that of a person who remains childlike or relapses into childishness: shy, dependent, hidden from strangers, and limited in mental development and memory.

Children and Development

The Children rubrics describe a small, retarded child. Listed are dwarfish growth, physical and mental, retarded development of the glands, sudden falling behind in school, absent or delayed childhood diseases, the impression of lifelessness, and the wish to play with childish toys, dolls, and doll's house. The child sits in the corner of the room and plays, or has an aversion to playing. The rubric "Children, general – dwarfish – physical and mental" is assigned to this remedy alone. Thriving succeeds through systematic instruction, yet at the same time children cannot be led to mental work, and schoolchildren are absent-minded and inattentive. Ailments arise from excessive protection by the parents. Part of the childishness are obstinacy with weeping on friendly persuasion and sensitiveness to ridicule.

Hiding and Shyness

One of the most characteristic groups is Hiding. Single-remedy rubrics describe children who hide from strangers, behind the mother, and from visitors who would laugh at them, behind furniture. The gesture of covering the face with the hands and looking through the fingers is listed in three rubrics. In adults stands the delusion of being laughed at and mocked: "Delusions – laughed at and mocked, is". She/he does not dare to raise the eyes when walking in the street and hides behind furniture. Added are the fear of being noticed, the feeling of being exposed, and the fear of new acquaintances. Shyness toward strangers stands beside suspiciousness and fear of company.

Memory and Intellect

Weak memory, Dullness, and Confusion each count some 16 to 19 rubrics. Memory is lacking for friends; the confusion takes the present for the past. Specific are the feeling of being unable to master the tasks and the feeling of having to catch up. Added is the delusion that everyone else does better. Mental poverty, the inability to pronounce difficult words except with eyes closed, and the inability to eat with a spoon or to dress complete the picture of limited everyday competence. Alongside stand quick comprehension and one-sided intelligence. In old age the childish returns: single-remedy rubrics name unconsciousness, muttering, moaning, and stupor in old age, childish behavior in old age, and inability to think in old age. In keeping with this is the single-remedy rubric "Old people – agg., in".

Delusions and Fear

The Delusions remain childlike or body-related. Listed are childish fancies, the idea of being dumb, of being at home although elsewhere, of walking on the knees and falling on rising. People are looking at her/him, the mammae are too large or too small, and the legs are missing, as in the single-remedy rubric "Legs – missing, delusion". Every noise is taken for a fire alarm, and a dear friend lies sick and dying. Fear concerns strangers, new acquaintances, noises in the street, and traveling by railway. It occurs suddenly at night and on waking, as overwhelming calamity. A single-remedy rubric links cowardice with sudden outbursts of anger, another with sudden anger. Determination is gloomy. The person smiles when alone.

Voice, Body, and Appearance

Aphonia is aggravated by mucus in the larynx and by wet, damp weather; the voice is hollow or deep with coryza. Men complain about the voice. Bar‑c. knows loquacity in pregnancy and flight in pregnancy. Despite the childlike condition, personal appearance occupies her/him and should be neat. A small rubric describes simple people of simple mind. Grief concerns trifles, moaning every trifle, and the person goes away alone and weeps as if without friends. Disgust with oneself to the point of discouragement stands at the end of this line.

Summary

Bar‑c. shows in the Repertory the picture of the dependent and retarded. The Children rubrics dominate, and the childish returns in old age: arrested development, mental weakness, loss of memory, need of protection. The hiding, the fear of strangers, the feeling of exposure, and the delusion of being mocked show the fear of being noticed and judged. It is striking that the person always has the feeling of falling behind in comparison with others.

A reference work for professionals; it does not replace diagnosis or treatment.