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Digitalis purpurea (Dig.)

Digitalis purpurea (Dig.) appears in 476 rubrics in the Repertory. Of these, 34 are single-remedy rubrics in which only this remedy is listed, and 26 are small rubrics with no more than two other remedies. The emphasis lies on Anxiety and Fear, Delusions, Unconsciousness, Answering, Sadness and Sexuality. The picture is that of a person whose anxiety and fear of death are closely bound to the heart and to motion, who talks at night as in delirium, and whose answers and memory become blurred.

Anxiety and the Heart

Anxiety is the largest area and almost throughout bound to the body. It occurs on motion when heart disease is present, at night with heart disease, after walking, and as anguish after walking in the open air; it is indescribable and associated with fainting. Fitting this are the fear of death when walking and during intermittent heat, the fear that the heart will stop beating if she moves, and the fear of suffocation that drives out of bed. Starting from palpitation also belongs here, as do unconsciousness in hypertrophy of the heart and dullness with slow pulse. The anxiety refers to the future in spermatorrhea, occurs at 6 p.m., from music and in suffering. The fear of insanity in intermittent fever is also found here.

Night State and Delirium

At night the behavior changes. The person talks with absent and with imaginary persons, is mentally restless, delirious and violent, shows obstinacy, and talks deliriously. Delirium tremens sets in slowly, with increasing pain in the pit of the stomach, nausea, thirst, palpitation, headache, vomiting and a pale face. Coma occurs with vomiting, unconsciousness before stool, after coition and in retention of urine.

Answering, Speech and Memory

The answers are indefinite, unclear and vague, and the person stammers when talking to strangers; speech becomes stuttering on excitement. She forgets everything at once and forgets after masturbation. The delusion of being expected, of being reproached, and the delusion that the brain is made of glass also belong here. The feeling that it is time to get up is listed as a single-remedy rubric and as a delusion. The delusion of fainting and waking up if she had hesitated any longer occurs when standing.

Sexuality and Reserve

A conspicuous group concerns sexuality. Only for this remedy stand lewdness and indecency in old men and in enlarged prostate; added are laziness and forgetfulness after masturbation. The insanity is obstinate and reserved, secretive, taciturn. Sadness improves by sighing, weeping arises over disappointments, and the mood is morose and tearful.

Summary

The picture of Digitalis purpurea combines anxiety and fear of death, bound to heart, walking and motion, with nocturnal delirium, blurred speech and loss of memory. The numerous single-remedy rubrics on cardiac anxiety and on sexuality in old age set the remedy apart. A key symptom is not identified in the available data.

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