ACONITE
Aconite Napellus or Monkshood is a poisonous plant called Dakra in Hindi, one of the five species of Aconite plant cultivated in America but also found in Europe and the mountains of Himalaya. This homoeopathic medicine is given to those who suffer from sudden and violent inflammatory conditions of the brain, lungs, heart, kidneys, and other organs of the body along with a state of anxiety of mind and great nervous excitability generally reflected in the form of fear.
In diseased condition the fear is so marked that the patient starts predicting the time of his death. He may call his family members around to take a leave of them or, say “Doctor, there is no use of taking medicine as I am going to die.” Such disturbance may be triggered of by the exposure of the dry cold air particularly in autumn when the days are still hot but the nights have become cold or, vice versa specially when the persons though seem healthy but are actually sensitive to heat and cold. The mind too is like the body i.e. extremely sensitive and that’s why the patient exaggerates the complaints to such an extent that his own imagination of the enormity of his complaints overpowers him. Even in a most trifling ailment like inflammation of the eyes or body temperature, the patient has uncomfortable anguish and anxiety along with fear in the mind.
Aconite is an effective medicine when there is fear among the children and others for the dark places as they have been frightened by their elders or because of wrong perceptions and stories, etc., when the objects had looked ghosts, fearful images watched at night while awake or asleep. On account of news or sights of the accidents, arson, riots, violence, etc., these sensitive persons develop fear of going out in the crowded place like cinema hall, fair, market and crossing the roads, etc. At times, they may have actually come across such situation of violence, destruction, shoot out or threat to their life from their enemies.
The fear and fright may lead to abortion in a sensitive pregnant woman or menses may get suppressed in others. For the same reason Aconite is an excellent medicine for the prima gravida when she thinks about her parturition or when the process has become really difficult.
During epidemics of various tropical diseases like cholera, when the atmosphere is surcharged with fear, Aconite acts as preventive drug. It not only removes the fear from the mind of the people but actually cures the victims. At time, it comes to the rescue of the doctor when there is anaphylactic shock i.e. serum reaction and the patient’s life is too short especially when the patient says, “save me doctor, save me doctor, I shall die.” He may get hold of the doctor of the fear of death in his mind.
It is also the life saviour medicine for the newborn babies when they have difficulty of breathing especially after the use of forceps or from tedious labor. It is good medicine for the school going children who are occasionally punished either by the parents at home or by the teachers at school for not pulling well, for not doing home work or doing some mischief in the class, leave either the school or run out of the home for ever.
A good medicine for bowel trouble when the days are hot and nights are cold.
The most notable feature of this remedy is that; on many occasions when one needs its help, already there is enough delay as either the trouble is over or the disease has passed to the next stage or the patient is no more. The actions are thus like a fearful storm that sweeps and passes over.