Conium – Hemlock

The mother tincture is prepared from the fresh aerial parts in flower, Conium mac- ulatum L., occurs in Europe and Asia in damp, shady places, by paths, hedges and in fields. N.O. Umbelliferae.

Conium maculatum, the spotted hemlock, a great polychrest, exhibits considerable toxic effects in its concentrated form, which are well-known from the familiar story of the poisoning of Socrates. According to that account, Conium causes a paralysis which ascends from below upwards. This symptom also occurs in homoeopathic symptomatology. Apart from this, rotatory vertigo is one of the main symptoms of Conium.

Nash describes a further important symptom of Conium: a typical ophthalmia in tu- berculous patients, the prime indication for Conium being an unusually intensive pho- tophobia which bears no relationship to the actual degree of ophthalmia and which is only relieved in the dark and by pressure; corneal ulcers may also be present.

Another important symptom of Conium, in which in this case a higher potency is to be preferred, is a glandular swelling and induration, prickling and stinging, and stony-hard to the touch, which occurs especially after contusions and bruises, start- ing in many cases as an apparently harmless lump in the breast. These can often be reabsorbed surprisingly quickly under the influence of Conium, particularly if the cause was an injury or a blow to the breast.

Shortly after the war the author treated a butcher’s wife who was suffering from stony-hard metastatic tumours on the surface of the abdomen, which were probably

from a cancer of the gall-bladder which had spread to that point. Conium was se- lected on the basis of the stony-hard tumours, which could in no way have been mis- taken for tubercles, mycosis fungoides, or other skin-diseases. About 10 days after the doses of Conium there was a sudden softening of the metastases, and an open- ing-up, with subsequent protracted discharge via a fistula, through which over 90 gall-stones were also discharged. Thus what had probably been a neoplasm phase was totally transformed by regressive vicariation into a reaction phase in the form of the suppurating fistula. Nor did the patient succumb to this condition, she did not die until 10 years later, from a heart-attack. Thus Conium is also given in cancerous conditions of the breasts, the womb or other organs, the pains which point to Coni- um being burning, stinging or shooting, so that one might also think of Apis.

Conium also has a considerable effect on the sexual organs. In men there is most- ly a great weakness, with violent desire and amorous thoughts, which however the patient is incapable of consummating. This state frequently occurs in later years, along with involuntary interruption of the flow of urine, which also occurs in Clema- tis, particularly in hypertrophy of the prostate. It may be accompanied by cystitis with purulent urine.

Sweating which occurs as soon as the patient falls asleep, whether at night or by day, is also an indication for Conium. To this may be added other symptoms of old age, of widely varying kinds, arteriosclerosis and progressive cachexia. Disturbances of co-ordination in tabes, and symptoms of sensory irritation suggest Conium (cf. Argentum Nitricum).

In the area of brain function we find weakness of memory, reduced mental ability, aphasia, and possibly also tremors, tinnitus and sleeplessness, which respond to Co- nium. In the mucosa we may see irritation with dryness, and ulcers with offensive discharge.

Conium has a violent tickling cough, which occurs particularly at night when lying down, and seems to proceed from a dry patch. This cough frequently occurs in tumours of the lung, but also occurs in acute chill and in tuberculosis, with difficult expectoration. (Lachesis may also be useful.) Other irritative states are also present in the mucosa, such as ulcerative glossitis, fissures of the tongue, stomach pains with vomiting, thirst and craving for sour things, such as is often found in cancer of the stomach. Conium may also be indicated in bloody, mucous diarrhoea or in con- stipation with fainting after stool, as in Nux Vomica.

All complaints are aggravated by cold and rest, and especially at night. The following main symptoms emerge from a survey of the remedy:

1. Paralysis ascending from below upwards.
2. Rotatory vertigo.
3. General symptoms of old-age. Arteriosclerosis. Progressive cachexia. Distur- bances of co-ordination. Weakness of memory. Aphasia. Tremors. Tinnitus. Sleeplessness.
4. Hypertrophy of the prostate with irritation of the bladder. Interrupted flow of urine. Cystitis.

• 5.    Glandular swellings feeling stony-hard, suspected neoplasms. Mammary tu- mours.
• 6.    Constitutional treatment in neoplasm phases.
• Violent tickling cough, as if from a dry patch.
• Ulcerations of the mucosa. Fissures of the tongue.
• Diarrhoea with blood or mucus; or constipation with fainting after stool.
• Craving for sour things.
• 11.  Aggravation from cold, rest and especially at night.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Conium maculatum, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for conium: cerebral arteriosclerosis; paralysis and lameness; glandular swelling; tissue neoformation in various organs; emotional discord or upset.