Minutus

Joy, very interesting! I have never heard the excitable side of
gelsemium talked about, tho I do see some relevant rubrics. Boericke
and Morrison talk almost exclusively (nothing but the barest hint
beyond) of the weak and "besotted" side. Morrison emphasizes "weakness
... at all levels... Nearly all of the physical conditions which
respond to Gelsemium can be treaced to this all-pervading weakness. ...
On the emotional level this weakness is expressed as a cowardice or an
inability to face any challenge." Skimming its "excitable" rubrics,
these too seem to be just the other side of "weakness"--e.g. "excitable
after bad news". I also see "exhilaration", fearlessness,
heedless/careless...

Is there more you can say about this other side, and have you (or
anyone here) used in successfully for a chronic case, and if so could
they describe?
Thanks!
Shannon

Dear Shannon, Gelsemium, along with Nux vomica and Ignatia have
strychnine in them so this gives an idea as to the source of the
excitability and as I wrote can often be seen in the causation of a
case such as ailments from shock, fright, vexation, anger - high
powered situations that often have suddenness attached to them. But
because this can then drop off into the well known droopy, weak and
even paralytic state we tend to forget that initial excitable stage.
But it can be end stage as well because Gelsemium has convulsions in
its sx picture. It also has tremors, spasms and twitchings; chorea;
anxiety; dysentery; hysteria; irritability; absolute lack of fear;
delirium; acts crazy when confused; restlessness etc and these are all
very 'active' states, Sankaran uses the description of being
'shattered' and 'torn to pieces' and that also indicates the more
excitable state of Gelsemium.

I would say that if the case is taken carefully there will nearly
always be a reference to this aspect of Gelsemium having been present
at some point. I've used it many times and would probably place it in
my top 20 prescribed rx.
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Top 20, wow...
Are these (mostly/largely) chronic or acute, or chronic but in response
to a specific event, or ? What is there, other than weakness and the
strychnine-like aspects, that lead you to it?
Thanks!
Shannon

in reading this thread, i am recalling an acute case that required
Gelsemium. the excitable side of the case was a prominent
feature as i recall. this fellow also had a fearless side to him,
as well as the feverish side. since this case occurred several
years ago i am not remembering all the facets of it, but it
struck me unusual at the time that Gel was the rx, but it worked
just fine. thanks for reminding me of this side of the rx.

tanya
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Dear Shannon, sorry for the delay as I wanted to check notes to give an
accurate answer for you. Over the last 2 years prescribed Gels 15 times
- 5 acutes with 'flu like sx, 4 migraines (chronic cases), 1 teenage
female for driving test who was "a bag of nerves" and kept getting
headaches, 2 dx polymyalgia rheumatica, 2 babies with chronic
diarrhoea, 1 chronic vertigo with double vision. Scanning through notes
all except for 2 acutes had some kind of shock or fright in the early
parts of the case and most had a residue of that excitation, i.e.
observable in terms of nervous excitability. But apart from that the
individual sx lead to the choice of Gels, obviously but I can't write
all the notes out

Saw quite a few cases in college clinics as well and when the case has
adopted the heavy, apathetic, dazed, flushed state it is very easy to
recognise Gels. Best wishes, Joy
http://www.homeopathicmateriamedica.com
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Okay, that gives me a good idea of it--thanks again!
Shannon