Repertory › Remedies in the repertory

Hydrocyanicum acidum (Hydr‑ac.)

Hydrocyanicum acidum (Hydr‑ac.) appears in 207 rubrics in the repertory. Of these, 10 are single-remedy rubrics in which only this remedy is listed, and 9 are small rubrics with at most two other remedies. The emphasis lies on fear with 38 rubrics, screaming, gestures, anxiety, loss of voice and coma. Together they yield the picture of a person overwhelmed by fright, spasm and loss of consciousness.

Fear of traffic and falling

Fear is directed at external dangers. Single-remedy rubrics record fear of automobiles and other vehicles in the street and fear that houses will fall on the person. Small rubrics add fear of approaching vehicles, of horses, and of excitement. The threat comes from outside, fast and with great force.

Screaming and voice

Screaming is the most striking pattern of expression. A single-remedy rubric records involuntary screaming, others screaming in angina and on waking from nervous dyspepsia. A small rubric records loud screaming, another a strong voice. Opposed to this stands loss of voice, which occurs in five rubrics of aphonia. The mind thus swings between uninhibited outburst and falling mute.

Spasm, coma and death

The body is drawn into the event. Recorded are convulsive jumping and coma with lockjaw. Coma is represented with five rubrics, unconsciousness with four. The rubric on anguish in uremia and the small rubric "Death – apparent death – cholera" show the proximity to life-threatening states.

Delusions and hysteria

The delusions are few but peculiar. A single-remedy rubric describes that everything around the person moves slowly, a second that a friend shakes her hand and calls her by name. Small rubrics record, in hysteria, the desire to injure oneself, and, in mania, excitement in gesture and speech. Sighing in hysteria belongs here too.

Summary

Hydr‑ac. appears as the picture of a person seized by sudden fear who escapes into screaming, spasm, loss of voice or unconsciousness. The single-remedy rubrics emphasize fear of traffic, involuntary screaming and coma, the small rubrics excitement, hysteria and apparent death. With about twenty specific rubrics the data are scant, yet the line between fright and fainting is clearly recognizable.

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