Homoeopathy — Page 287
Conium Maculatum 287 Conium Maculatum (Poison Hemlock) The deadly poison Conium is derived from a plant, which in Urdu is called ‘Shackran’ and in Latin and English is called Hemlock. This plant grows abundantly in most regions of the world. The word Conium is derived from the Greek work Konas, which literally means “to cause dizziness”. The poison produces severe vertigo. In the tenth century, this poison was also used in the treatment of diseases of lymph glands, epilepsy and whooping cough but due to its severe deleterious effects, its usage was gradually reduced and then abandoned. In the Roman and Greek empires, it was used as a legal means to cause death of the criminals subjected to capital punishment. This is the same poison that was presented to Socrates. It paralyses the entire body starting from the feet upwards. Before death, the symptoms are severe dizziness, convulsions and then progressive unconsciousness. In homoeopathic form, Conium is used for the treatment of all the symptoms described above. Some other homoeopathic remedies, like Belladonna, Gelsemium and Cocculus are also known to be used in the treatment of vertigo, but the difference of Conium from the others is that the patient feels severe type of dizziness while lying down. The bed seems to be spinning and the slightest movement of the eye increases dizziness. Young widows or impulsive type of young women who cannot get married may start suffering from different symptom complexes including typical symptoms of dizziness due to the suppression of their emotions. If the symptom of severe dizziness is also present, Conium will relieve their other symptoms also. Conium is also useful in the treatment of weak eyesight. Conium is very important in the treatment of hardened lymph glands , which it softens. As long as the glands do not transform into cancer, these are not painful. Without doubt, Conium is very important in the treatment of cancer of the stomach. The trouble is that in the early stages, the cancer of the stomach is painless. If the treatment is started late, which usually is the case, then Conium will offer only temporary relief. It makes life somewhat comfortable but it cannot totally eliminate the deep-seated roots of the cancer. Sometimes, the relief is