Homeopathy I - Arsenicum

Question 1

Arsenicum: Names

Answer 1

Names: Arsenicum album, white arsenic.
The perfectionist, the great preserver.

Question 2

Background

Answer 2

• The most famous poison’ or ‘the poison of kings’. Used to facilitate rich inheritances (wealthy women used it to poison their husbands), to kill off kings and emperors and to get rid of unpleasant neighbours.
• Small amounts given over time led to death, which until the 18th century, could not be detected by post-mortem.
• Historically used as a wood preservative, herbicide and insecticide. Used medically to ‘treat’ a range of health issues!

Question 3

Symptoms

Answer 3

In its crude form arsenic is a poison causing the following symptoms:
* Burning in the oesophagus and stomach, nausea and profuse vomiting, severe abdominal cramps, profuse diarrhoea (rice water stools), collapse, convulsions, coma and death.
* Foods with high arsenic content: Fish and other seafood, rice, some sea vegetables, poultry, mushrooms (it can be helpful to consider foods the client craves when taking a case).

In its potentised form, arsenicum can be expected to resolve similar symptoms, if they are clearly aligned with the full remedy picture.

Question 4

Mental picture:

Answer 4

• Preservation - of internal and external environment. Wants to keep things the same, everything must ‘line up’. Anxiety about health, needs to preserve health, needs to preserve outer appearance.
• The perfectionist = meticulous, fastidious, well-groomed, obsessed with order, nervous, restlessness (mind and body).
• Restlessness can exhaust physically and mentally. Exhaustion disproportionate to physical condition.
• Preoccupied with death, does not want to be left alone (↑ anxiety) but can be irritable in company.

Question 5

General:

Answer 5

• Discharges tend to be acrid and burning.
• Pain is burning, yet the person feels cold.
• All symptoms except headache > warmth, > lying down, < midnight to 3am.

Question 6

Indications

Answer 6

(If they fit the symptom picture):
Food poisoning.
* Gastroenteritis / dysentery / traveller’s diarrhoea.
* Heartburn / reflux.
* Drug overdose (with Nux vom.).
* Chemotherapy.

Question 7

Heartburn

Answer 7

Examples of administration, acute prescribing:
Ars. alb. 30C every 10 minutes. If after 3 doses there is no improvement, it is not the correct remedy. Stop taking remedy once the heartburn subsides.

Question 8

Vomiting / diarrhoea (any cause)

Answer 8

Examples of administration, acute prescribing:
Ars. alb. 30C. every 3–4 hours until vomiting/diarrhoea subsides.

Question 9

Chemotherapy

Answer 9

Examples of administration, acute prescribing:
Ars. alb. 30C 3 x daily for the nausea / vomiting. Can be safely used alongside chemo.

Question 10

Drug overdose

Answer 10

Examples of administration, acute prescribing:
Ars. alb. 30C / Nux vom. 30C 3 x daily until side effects from overdose have subsided.

Question 11

Substance abuse / never well since drug use:

Answer 11

Chemotherapy / drug overdose:
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, extreme weakness, pale, craves cold water but vomits it up straight away.