Revisiting the ‘Acute’ Remedies through differential world of MM

The study of remedies through comparison can’t be underestimated. The final selection of the ‘similimum’ has to be fished out through discrimination. Apparently many remedies appear similar and they need to be differentiated at large. This is true not only in acute cases but also in chronic cases. The acute cases demand a quick action of right order and the comparative study becomes an imperative one to unlock a case.

Three frequently indicated ‘acute’ remedies- Aconite, Belladonna and Arsenic-alb with their distinct energy patterns are discussed here through a differential world of materia medica.

Aconite and Bell: The stormy cognates

Aco is like Bella but without its raving, grizzling, grumpiness, violent temper and excitability. Retrospectively, Bell is like Aco but without its anxiety, restlessness and fear of death. Both represent the overwhelming state where the patient may become critically ill in a few hours but they do differ at the level of presentation.

Sensitivity pattern

All senses are heightened and easily aggravated in Bell and Aco. Bell has acute senses: he is hyperesthesic, hypersensitive to sensory stimuli like light, noise, touch, jolts, sun, cold air etc. and is better with rest. While Aco doesn’t feel better with rest and is restless even while resting. The illness tells upon the taste organ in that every food or even drink tastes bitter (except water) while Bell has a bad taste and offensive breath.

Aconite and Arsenic-alb : The Tossing cognates Typology

Ars is lean, weak and cachectic due to acid element. Aco is robust, plethoric and of sedentary habits. Ars is listed under plethoric subjects too. Ars appears pale and as if suffering horribly.

Exclusiveness

It is only Ars which is fastidious, which has dreams of sadness, of dead people and of embarrassment. It is only Aco which has clairvoyant dreams and sustains shock due to fright as a cause. Biting in children is exclusive to Bell while avarice is exclusive to Ars and worse from music is exclusive to Aco.

Conclusion

An attempt has been made to differentiate between frequently indicated acute remedies like Aco, Bella and Ars. Differentiation has been attempted from Clinico-pathological, miasmatic, non-verbal communication and conceptual angles than merely symptomatic manifestations.