SPECIFICS IN THE MENTAL PICTURE
OF THE HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES, BELONGING TO THE SAME GROUP

The success of the homeopathic treatment depends on the precision of the prescription. It is the most precise, when the rare symptoms are taken in account. But very often the information about a strange symptom cannot be useful to us, because it is not included in the repertory we are working with and couldn’t be used for the remedy search. It is not uncommon that with the same symptoms on physical level, the differential diagnosis between similar pictures is based on the mental specifics of the patient. It is especially necessary to take in account the specific of the mental picture in comparative analysis of the remedies belonging to the same group. In this rubric, in consecutive issues of Classical Homeopathy magazine we will introduce to you mental symptoms, for which the referred remedy is the only one between the remedies of the same group.

The remedies of this group belong to the family Anacardiaceae. The largely applied remedies are Anacardium orientale - eastern, Anacardium occidentale – western and ?omocladia dentata – which is Rhus – characteristic for the southern parts of the USA and Cuba.
The entire family consists of poisonous plants. They cause poisoning of the blood and skin eruptions, which start with vesicles and then develop with pus or eczema. They can lead to redness passing into erisipelas. Regardless of their common features, the separate plants can considerably vary by their physiological effect. These differences can be big enough to lead to the contrary impact.
Anacardium for instance is an antidote to Rhus toxicodendron, but we must notice, that Rhus toxicodendron is not an antidot? to Anacardium.
There are also considerable differences within the Rhus group. The major species there are: Rhus aromatica, Rhus diversiloba, Rhus glabra, Rhus radicans, Rhus toxicodendron ? Rhus venenata. They differ very much in their poisonous effect. The most poisonous among them is Rhus venenata. There are many antidotes for Rhus poisoning. Among the most efficient are Croton tiglium, Amonium carbonicum, Grindelia robusta and Arsenicum. Graphite is used in cases of chronic rhus poisoning.(1)
I will examine the specifics and the mental pictures of the homeopathic remedies from the Rhus group.

Acts mostly upon the urinary system and especially the bladder. Indicated for painful urination, involuntary urination day and night, involuntary urination in old people, blood in the urine, inflammation of the urinary tract. In female genitalia it can be helpful for atonia of the uterus and metrorrhagia. The mental picture is not well studied.
No independent mind rubrics.
2 mind rubrics together with other remedies(2):
• Delusions, strange, familiar things seem strange;
• Shrieking, urination before.

The specific for this remedy is that it is helpful for nosebleeds (left nostril) with occipital headache. Fetid flatus. Ulceration of the mouth. Profuse perspiration arising from debility. This remedy disinfects the bowels so that the flatus and stools stop stinking. Indicated for processes of rotting with tendency of ulceration. Chronic cough every spring. Psoriasis with irritability.(4)
There are 9 independent mind rubrics(3):
• Delusions, hole, having in one’s chest.(?.)
• Delusions, the hole passes from the chest through the back.(?.)
• Delusions, snakes has inside and around him, a cobra having in the stomach.(?.)
• Delusions, stabbed with a knife he will be.(?.)
• Drugs, as if he has taken marihuana (?.)
• Estranged.(?.)
• Irritability, mocked at, when.(?.)
• Irritability, others talk when.(?.)
• Mental symptoms, afternoon from 15 to 18 h.(?.)
Takes part of 89 mind rubrics together with other remedies. Here are the major ones:
Ailments from humiliation. Anger toward oneself. Anger about past events.
Contented. Self-confident. Brave, courageous. Coward. Delusion, he will be abused. Delusion he is betrayed. Delusion, floating in the air. Dreams for floating in the air. Brooding over past, unpleasant events. Brooding over old grieves. Hatred towards persons who have offended him. Hatred and revenge. Fear of people. Irritability. Desire to hit. Insensible, hard-hearted.(3)

Almost identical effect to Rhus-t. Characterised with burning in tongue. Sensitive tip of tongue, pains are often semi-lateral and in various parts, often remote and successive. Many of the symptoms are better after storm. Occipital headache, same pain in the nape of the neck and from there pains draw over the head forwards. Rheumatic headache.
Hahnemann published under the name Rhus his proving of “Rhus Radicans, also called Toxicodendron”. Botanists agree, that there are not clear differences between them. The tincture can be made of both plants. Each of the two forms is proven separately.
No independent mind rubrics. 25 mind rubrics together with other remedies(3). The major ones are: Fast. Confusion at night in bed. Loss of consciousness when standing. Transitory unconsciousness. Delusion of being criticized. Irresolution of plans. Jesting. Mistakes in speaking. Amelioration of mental symptoms during storm. Discontented evening. Discouraged. Discouraged – evening. Fastidious, censorious – evening. Grief – evening. Difficult concentration.

As a major representative of this group Rhus toxicodendron is the best-known and applied remedy, therefore I will not consider in details its general picture. Well proven with skin problems, rheumatic pain, typhoid fever, complaints after surgery, ailments from overstraining, overworking. The constitutional type is very movable. The symptoms ameliorate from motion. Aggravates from changes in the weather and thunderstorms. This remedy is the opposite of Bryonia.(4)
H. O. Retzek (1998) points to 65 independent mind rubrics, but in the repertory Synthesis 8. 1. the independent rubrics are 22. Maybe the independent rubrics have been complemented with other remedies, as result of the additional study and extensive clinical experience.
l Anxiety, while sitting strained.
l Delusion, dead – everything is – alone; everything is dead and still and she is.(R. H.)
l Delusion, bed, forced him out of bed, as if something.(R. H.)
l Delusion, falling, backward – bed, on getting out of.(R.H.)
l Delusion, falling – forward, backward, and.(R. H.)
l Delusion, farewell she had bid, friend, to a nearer.(R.H.)
l Delusion, abandoned by a close friend.(R. H.)
l Delusion, held, sitting, he is held up high when.(R. H.)
l Delusion, wandering the fields.(?)
l Slaw thinking and understanding, ameliorated by motion.(R. H.)
l Fear, night, cannot sit in bed. (Ph.)
l Fear, supersticious.(Ph.)
l Fear, thinking, sad things, of.(K.)
l Forgetful, walking after eating, when.(K.)
l Forsaken feeling – air ameliorates, in open.(K.)
l Memory, active, alternating with dullness.(Bg.)
l Stupefaction, ameliorated by motion.(Hr.)
l Suicidal disposition, evening, twilight, in.(K.)
l Thoughts, disagreeable, night, midnight after.(A.)
l Thoughts, vanishing of, standing while.(?.)
l Unconsciousness, head, turning, on.(A.)

Takes part in 663 mind rubrics together with other remedies. The major of them are(3): Anxiety. Anxiety in bed. Anxiety at home. Confusion. Delirium. Delusion, about to be poisoned, he is. Holding on to past, disagreeable events at nights, after midnight. Gestures, makes. Involuntary motions with hands, grasping bedclothes, with perspiration. Insanity, with weariness of life. Irritability, night. Irritability while walking, ameliorates in open air. Mildness. Morose. Morose at night. Morose, aggravates at home, ameliorates in open air. Restlesness. Restlessness at night. Restlessness after midnight. Restlessness, driving him out of bed. Restlessness, wants to change the bed. Restlessness, tossing in bed. Restlessness in children. Restlessness, heat during. Restlessness, internal. Restlessness, move must constantly. Restlessness with perspiration. Sadness, morning. Sadness, heat during. Sadness, home. Speech incoherent. Stupefaction with perspiration. Suspicious. Thoughts, vanishing. Timidity, night. Weeping. Weeping causeless, without knowing why. Weeping involuntary.

Severe skin symptoms, characteristic for rhus. Head eruptions, impetigo; moist eruptions; vesicular and moist eruptions behind ears; ear infections; genital eruptions; vesicular eruptions on the legs; pain in the head, when stooping or walking; heavy frontal headache, when moving; frontal headache in the root of nose; swelling of the face, around the eyes, lips and nose; itching of the face, which ameliorates by rubbing; red tip of the tongue; pain, swelling, paralysis and weakness of the extremities; early recurrent fever; fever and septic conditions.(4)
No independent mind rubrics.
29 mind rubrics together with other remedies. The major ones are(3): Difficult concentration. Fantasies, wild. Apathy to life. Weariness. Reluctance to life. Sadness. Irritability. Irritability after midnight. Irritability from heat.

Antidote for Rhus poisoning. Violent skin symptoms. Frightful itching. Much swelling of the face, hands and genitals. The skin is very sensitive. Eczema and erysipelas. Strong nervous weakness, tired from any effort. Goes to sleep from exhaustion. The mental picture is not complete yet.(4)

1. Allen T.F. (A.)
2. Boger C.M.(Bg.)
3. Hering C. (Hr.)
4. Kent J.T. (K.)
5. Phatak S.R. (Ph.)
6. Roberts H.A. (R.Н.)
7. Tumminello Peter (Т)

1. Retzek,H.O. The Complete Materia Medica - Mind, The Netherlands, 199Bn., 69-Hr.2.
2. Schroyens Fr.,Sinthesis, Edition 8.1, London,2001.
3. Vermeulen, F.Concordant Materia Medica,1994, 4Bn.-Bn.1.