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Cimicifuga racemosa (Cimic.)

Cimicifuga racemosa (Cimic.) appears in 558 rubrics in the Repertory. Of these, 44 are single-remedy rubrics in which only this remedy is listed, and 51 are small rubrics with at most two other remedies. The emphasis lies on Delusions, Fear, Mania, Sadness, Excitement and Hysteria. The picture is that of a person who feels enclosed by wires and cages, is afraid of insanity and death, whose mind is bound to the cycle, the climacteric and rheumatic complaints, and who appears talkative and excitable.

Enclosed in a Wire Cage

The most conspicuous delusion is that of being imprisoned. The person believes they are caught with wires or in a wire cage, that their arms are bound to the body, and sees dark objects and figures. In bed there are strange things, rats or sheep; they have visions of monsters, ogres and rats, see sheep and fear mice, a brain whirling about. Fear of death combines with these images: the person sees wires enclosing them, or fears the people in the house would kill them. They fear riding in a closed carriage and having to jump out, and they are suspicious in the climacteric.

Fear of Insanity

Fear of insanity occurs in many contexts: in the climacteric, in menopause, during headache with pain in the vertex. The delusion of becoming insane during labor and the feeling of going crazy stand beside them. Mania is brought on by suppressed lochia, menses, menopause, climacteric, neuralgia and sciatic pain. Insanity also occurs from business failure and before the menses; with the disappearance of neuralgia it alternates. Ailments arise from disappointment, namely deceit and deception, and love is disturbed.

Mind and Body in Alternation

Mind and body alternate. This remedy alone is listed for sadness alternating with bodily complaints, for mental symptoms that are ameliorated by diarrhea, and for aggravated effect of rheumatism. Sadness is worse from motion and from cooling off; the person talks constantly meanwhile. Excitement concerns the extremities with heaviness, the ovaries, the uterus with cramping pain and rheumatic complaints. Hysteria occurs with spasms of the back and cervical region. Dullness shows stiffness of the neck. The head is held, groaning and vomiting follow; the person mutters with dilated pupils or with nausea.

Speech and Talk

Talkativeness alternates with aversion to answering and occurs with rheumatic pain; in children it shows itself in precocious talk. Speech is difficult although the person tries, and they cannot finish what they want to say, from nervousness. Answers are evasive. Joy is excessive, with trembling, cheerfulness, playfulness and clear intellect. There are rubrics on suicidal disposition during the menses, alongside impatience when walking, in which the person tires quickly.

Summary

The picture of Cimicifuga racemosa unites the feeling of being caught in wires and cages, a deep fear of insanity and death, an alternation between mind and rheumatic bodily suffering, and a close bond to the cycle and the climacteric. The single-remedy rubrics on wires and sheep set it apart. A king-pin symptom is not identified in the available data.

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