POLYCHRESTS

ARG-NIT
ARSENICUM
AURUM
BRYONIA
CALC-CARB
CAUSTICUM
CHINA
IGNATIA
KALI-CARB
LACHESIS
LILIUM-TIG
LYCOPODIUM
MERCURIUS
NAT-MUR
NUX-VOM
PHOSPHOROUS
PLATINA
PULSATILLA
RHUS-TOX
SEPIA
SILICA
STAPHYSAGRIA
SULPHUR
THUJA
VERATRUM

Vithoulkas gives the essence of Lachesis as "an over-stimulation seeking an outlet." By this he means that on all levels the Lachesis patient has an inner stimulation or agitation which must be expressed either through the physical symptoms or through behavior or speech. The mind is full of ideas and the patient cannot bear to keep them back (loquacity). The emotions are extremely passionate and the patient will express them with often frightening intensity. Physically there is an inner erethism which is expressed as pulsations, hemorrhage, flushes, and discharges.
<<Intensity>>. The Lachesis patient is passionate on all fronts. He works hard, he competes intensely, he loves jealously. The patient is almost always described as "intense" by those around him. Often he is very egotistical and arrogant. The Lachesis patient knows the weakness of others and will not hesitate to strike at these vulnerable points. He has a sarcastic wit and can be cutting even to his friends or physician.
<<Jealousy.>> Lachesis has very high sexual energy and passion. The patient needs the outlet of a sexual relationship and he becomes very attached to and possessive of his partner. Lachesis may have an absolutely unreasoning suspicion of his partner. The suspicious attitude does not involve only romantic relationships but also a general view of other's intentions. If carried too far the patient may develop frank paranoia.
<<Loquacity.>> Lachesis is the most loquacious of all our patients. He cannot help himself. There is so much inside that needs to be expressed, he cannot contain it all. Many times the patient is so talkative that it is impossible for anyone to get a word in edgewise.
<<Introverted type.>> If the outlet for these intense emotions is suppressed in a patient, then the characteristic Lachesis type is not seen. Instead the patient is soft, pleasant and somewhat introverted. He has strong emotions inside but doesn't express them. When this happens, we see feelings of inferiority with a type of hidden envy, a timidity, and a frustrated, critical tendency toward almost everyone around him. In this suppressed state the patient may develop crippling anxieties and phobias.
<<Children.>> The Lachesis child is usually unable to effectively control his overly-strong emotions. Often the parent will bring the child for behavioral and emotional problems, typically beginning after the birth of a new baby in the family. The child has tremendous jealousy toward the new sibling (Hyos, Verat, Stram, Calc-S). Often physical pathologies will develop from this strong jealousy, such as asthma. The child will actually say he hates the younger brother or sister. A Lachesis boy may be very jealous of his father. The child may also be very possessive of his friends and demands that they pay attention only to him and no other friends. Also the child seems to have a precocious awareness of the people around him. The Lachesis child is able to find the most vulnerable spot and verbally strike at you, like a snake. The child cannot bear to be under the authority of another person; he doesn't tolerate restrictions. This pattern may be carried over in adulthood with an extreme aversion to authority, as when a supervisor at work or his wife asks him to do things.

Mind.
<<Passionate, intense people.>>
JEALOUSY. ENVY.
<<Suspicion, even paranoia.>>
LOQUACITY.
<<Anger. Aggressiveness. Hatred and longings for revenge.>>
SARCASTIC.
Fears: SNAKES. Poison. Heart disease. Insanity. Vomiting. Someone behind him.
Anxiety of conscience.
Delusions of great guilt; admits to "any crime but murder."
Depressed and anxious, worse morning on waking. Suicidal.
Fantasies of his own funeral.
Great anxiety and deep phobic conditions.
Complaints from grief or disappointed love.
Manic states with pressured speech, aggressiveness, sleeplessness.
Inferiority and inhibition (see "introverted type" above).
<<Alcoholism>> or drug addiction.

General.
<<Hot; aggravation from heat>> (though some cases will be chilly).
GENERAL AGGRAVATION DURING SLEEP OR UPON WAKING; SLEEPS INTO THE AGGRAVATION.
GENERAL AGGRAVATION BEFORE THE MENSTRUAL PERIOD.
GENERAL AMELIORATION AS SOON AS (or after<<) the flow begins.>>
GENERAL AGGRAVATION AT MENOPAUSE, or during pregnancy.
<<General aggravation from suppressed discharges.>>
LEFT-SIDED SYMPTOMS.
SYMPTOMS BEGIN ON THE LEFT AND MOVE TO THE RIGHT.
<<General aggravation in the spring and in the fall.>>
<<General aggravation from suppressed sexual expression.>>
<<Flushes of heat.>>
GENERAL AGGRAVATION FROM LYING ON LEFT SIDE.
PURPLISH DISCOLORATION (the face, skin lesions, boils, hemorrhoids) with a full, plethoric or bursting appearance.
Aversion to touch or pressure.
HYPERTENSION. HYPERTENSIVE CRISIS. CEREBRAL ACCIDENTS.

Nerves.
Coma and delirium from stroke, alcohol or fever.
Convulsions. Eclampsia. Paresis. Hemiplegia.

Head.
Migraine headaches. Pulsating headaches. Bursting headaches.
Head pain on left side or in vertex.
Headache worse heat, worse before menses, better during flow, worse pregnancy and menopause, better pressure.
Flushes of heat to the face.
Left-sided otitis media, severe pain, worse at night.
Retinal hemorrhage.
Hair falling, especially in pregnancy.
Epistaxis.
<<Trembling of the tongue when protruded.>>

Throat.
Left-sided pharyngitis, or left going to right. Tonsillitis.
Throat pain, worse swallowing, especially liquids or saliva but better swallowing solid food, worse warm drinks; better cold drinks.
Throat pain pain radiates to ears on swallowing.
Chokes when swallowing.
Lump in the throat sensation, better temporarily by swallowing.
<<Difficulty swallowing, especially liquids or saliva.>>
INTOLERANCE TO TIGHT COLLARS, TURTLENECKS, NECKLACES.
AVERSE TO BEING TOUCHED ON THE THROAT.

Gastro-intestinal.
Craves: <<Farinaceous.>> Oysters. Pungent food. <<Alcohol.>>
Intolerance to constricting clothes about the abdomen.
Colitis with relief during the diarrhea.
Hemorrhoids which are congested, strangulated, purplish.
Diarrhea before menses.
Hepatitis. Jaundice.

Urinary and Sexual Organs.
Kidney stones. Nephritis with dark or black urine.
Ovarian tumors or cysts, especially left side.
Severe dysmenorrhea, unable to bear clothing, better with flow.
PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME - IRRITABLE, JEALOUS, DEPRESSED, HEADACHE, FLUSHES OF HEAT.
<<Hyper-sexual>>, nymphomania.
Masturbation, excessive and precocious sexual development.

Chest.
ASTHMA AFTER JEALOUSY or strong emotions.
<<Asthma,>> worse night, worse during sleep, worse in the morning on waking, worse from hot room.
Asthma, better open air, better cold, better when sitting bent forward (Kali-C, Ars, Spong).
Must rip open shirt or nightgown during the crisis of asthma.
WAKES WITH SUFFOCATING FEELING AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY ON FALLING ASLEEP.
Angina. Congestive heart failure.
Myocardial infarction with constriction in chest, pain to left arm.
PALPITATIONS, WORSE LYING LEFT SIDE, worse night, worse sleep.
<<Chest oppression, worse lying on left side.>>

Extremities.
Splays the fingers; can't bear to have them touch.
Sciatica, right or left side, with hyperesthesia of the legs - even the touch of the sheets is unbearable.
Sciatica during pregnancy.
Varicosities, especially of the legs, usually pinkish or may be black.
Icy cold extremities.
Rarely puts feet out of covers.
Herpes zoster over the left side of the back.
Leg ulcers. Claudication.
Easy bruising. Purpura.
Melanoma. Black or purple skin lesions. Erysipelas.

Sleep.
SLEEPS ON RIGHT SIDE, IMPOSSIBLE ON LEFT.
STARTS UP IN SLEEP AS IF SUFFOCATING. SLEEP APNEA.
<<Nightmares.>>

Clinical.
Alcoholism. Angina. Arrhythmia. Asthma. Behavior disorders. Cerebral Accident. Claudication. Colitis. Connective tissue disease. Diarrhea. Drug addiction. Emphysema. Endometriosis. Epistaxis. Flushes. Globus hystericus. Hemoptysis. Hemorrhage. Hemorrhoids. Hepatitis. Herpes zoster. Hyper-tension. Hyperthyroidism. Kidney stones. Malignancy. Manic-depression. Menopause. Metrorrhagia. Migraine. Myocardial infarction. Nephritis. Nightmares. Otitis. Ovarian cyst. Paranoia. Peptic ulcer. Pharyngitis. Polycythemia. Purpura. Retinal hemorrhage. Scarlet fever. Sciatica. Seizure. Thy- roiditis. Toxemia. Uterine hemorrhage. Valvular disease. Varices.

Relationship.
Complementary.
Lyc. Nit-Ac. Hep.
Comparisons.
Hyos - Loquacity, jealousy, hyper-sexual, paranoia and symptoms of stroke, mania.
Crot-H, Naja, snake venoms - Cardiac and circulatory symptoms, hemorrhage, ecchymosis, sepsis, and left-sided symptoms.
Cimic - Loquacity, migraines and menstrual disorders.
Lac-C - Fear of snakes, sensitivity to touch and cravings for alcohol.
Phos. Sulph. Apis. Med. Plat. Cact. Zinc.