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Secale cornutum (Sec.)

Secale cornutum (Sec.) appears in 500 rubrics. Of these, 23 are single-remedy rubrics in which only this remedy is listed, and 24 are small rubrics with at most two other remedies. The emphasis is on delusions, delirium, gestures, fear, and laughing. The picture is that of a person who in delirium does absurd things, jumps into water, and abandons relatives, whose hands involuntarily grasp the genitals, and who on closing the eyes feels the bed sinking.

Delirium and abandoning relatives

Delirium is the most frequent main rubric. The person does absurd things, jumps into water, is delirious with uterine hemorrhage and with vertigo, and abandons his own relatives, which is listed for this remedy alone. Related are contempt for relatives, mocking them, and abandoning relatives in the small rubric. Added to this are muttering, low, and biting everything. Raving follows sleep and is then followed by continued, deep sleep. As a single-remedy rubric stands suicidal disposition by drowning in mania. The weakness of memory relates to the names of family members.

Hands and genitals

A peculiarity is the gesturing. Several rubrics record that the person grasps the genitals, tugging and pulling at the genitals to the point of self-injury, in children with convulsions and in spasms. Further there is the gesture of clapping the hands over the head as if beside oneself; after abortion it appears in laughing, for this remedy alone. Masturbation aggravates, and forgetfulness follows coition.

Delusions of bed, room, and intoxication

The delusions are very vivid: on closing the eyes the bed would sink, two sick persons lie in bed, one of whom recovers, the other not, the room is like the foam of a stormy sea, the head is far away, and on waking the person fears falling. On undressing she feels intoxicated, stupefied, and drunk, which is listed in three rubrics.

Fear and mood

The fear concerns the loss of something very valuable, death after the menses, and, in pregnancy, abortion in the second half. The mental symptoms show weakness after spasms. Pleasure appears with sleeplessness and when awake, and the voice is grating. Starting occurs from comatose sleep.

Summary

The picture of Secale cornutum consists of delirium with abandoning relatives, of the involuntary grasping of the hands at the genitals, and of vivid delusions about bed and room. The single-remedy rubrics on laughing, mocking, abandoning, and intoxication on undressing characterize it. A king-pin symptom is not indicated in the available data.

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