Repertory › Remedies in the repertory

Nux vomica (Nux‑v.)

Nux vomica (Nux‑v.) appears in the repertory in 2,788 rubrics. Of these, 173 are single-remedy rubrics in which only this remedy appears, and 245 are small rubrics with at most two other remedies. The emphasis is on Delusions, Fear, Oversensitivity, Irritability, and Anger, followed by Gestures, Colors, and Alcohol; Children are also strongly represented with 273 rubrics. Together they give the picture of a person who works with the greatest energy, drives himself and others, and whose irritability answers every disturbance, every contradiction, and every trifle with anger.

Work and drive

Work is the first pole. The single-remedy rubrics list excessive working, working at several things at once, being obsessed with work, receiving many tasks, and occupation with trifles. Small rubrics name the workaholic, the addiction to work, the position of leadership, responsibility, and urging others to haste. Beside these stand quick movements, decided movements, and a nature that is quick in acting; at the same time, however, interest is lacking, and there is aversion to getting up, to daily work, and to literary work. One can see in this a pattern in which duty and ambition use up the forces. Where ambition is disappointed, complaints, moaning, and incoherent speech respond.

Anger and irritability

The second pole is irritability. The repertory knows anger that is inappropriate, and aggression that comes suddenly, rage that is violent and brief, and the tendency to get excited about everything or to fly into a rage over trifles. The trigger is often a disturbance, for the person quarrels when disturbed and falls into a rage when awakened. The anger has after-effects: after it, work and energy are paralyzed, laziness increases, and confusion arises from vexation. The temperament is explicitly called choleric: "Temperament – choleric – hot-tempered, prone to anger, malice, or deceit, always irritable and impatient". It goes as far as the sudden impulse to kill, over a slight insult, or to poison.

Oversensitivity

What awakens the anger strikes a person without a protective skin. There is oversensitivity to the slightest complaints, to odors, music and singing, to light before menses, and to bright, shining colors. The scent of flowers causes fainting. The color rubrics are a peculiarity: listed are desire for turquoise and for light brown, aversion to dark green, and also discomfort with dark as well as light colors. Weeping comes at the slightest contradiction.

Indulgence and decay

The third pole is indulgence. Alcoholism is broadly listed, in pregnancy, with diabetes, with rising at night to drink, and further abuse of medicines, intemperance, debauchery, and a life of luxury. Delirium tremens appears in several forms: in pneumonia, with malice, rage, and malignant violence, with nervous excitability and over-clear consciousness. Stupefaction and confusion follow nights of revelry. Part of the decay are obstinate insanity and hypochondriasis in alcoholics and with complaints of stomach and bowels.

Delusions of the bed

The delusions are varied, and one motif repeats: the bed. Someone gets into the bed and there is no room left, someone has sold it, it whirls around with her. Besides this, the room and the brain turn, everything ferments, one stands in a circle. A single-remedy rubric reports the delusion of being poor and yet rich, with senseless purchases. The delusions of the bed appear as a condensed form of the disturbance: the place of rest is no longer one's own.

Alternation of mood

The mood follows a daily curve recorded in single-remedy rubrics: cheerfulness in the evening alternates with sadness in the morning. Elasticity alternates with dejection. The person is often morose in the morning, talkative and digressive in the afternoon, and the speech is blunt, inappropriate, and also pompous. Suicide is talked about and not committed: "Suicidal disposition – always talks of suicide but does not commit it".

Summary

Nux vomica is distinguished by a tension between performance pressure and irritability. Whoever stands under this tension drives himself and others on, hardly tolerates disturbances, stimuli, and contradiction, and reaches for alcohol and drugs when strength flags. Throughout, in anger, haste, and oversensitivity, the picture is that of a person who cannot spare himself.

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