Latrodectus mactans
Black widow spider · Black widow spider. · Animal
Latrodectus mac. is best suited to people who are tense and easily fatigued. They are often chilly but prone to hot flashes, and may dream of flying.
The remedy is typically prescribed for heart problems, particularly angina, with cramping, unbearable pain in the heart area. The pain is violent, sharp, numbing, and radiates to the arms or shoulders on both sides of the body, although it is worse on the left side. There may also be extreme restlessness that is particularly associated with an acute attack of angina.
Key symptoms
- Violent precordial pain simulating angina pectoris
- Pain radiates from chest to axilla, down arm to fingers with numbness
- Extreme dyspnea; gasping respiration; fear of losing breath
- Skin cold as marble; whole surface cold
- Pain in left arm; feels paralyzed
- Cramping pain from chest to abdomen
- Pulse feeble and rapid; lowered coagulability
- Occipital pain extending to back of head and neck
Worse (aggravation)
Better (amelioration)
Spider
The bite produces tetanic effects that last several days. A picture of Angina pectoris is presented by the action of the drug. The præcordial region seems to be the center of attack. Constriction of chest muscles, with radiation to shoulders and back. Lowered coagulability.
Head
Anxiety. Screams with pain. Pain in neck to back of head. Occipital pain.
Respiratory
Extreme apnœa. Gasping respiration. Fears losing breath.
Chest
Violent, præcordial pain extending to the axilla and down the arm and forearm to fingers, with numbness of the extremity. Pulse feeble and rapid. Sinking sensation at the Cramping pain from chest to abdomen.
Extremities
Pain in left arm, feels paralyzed. Weakness of legs followed by cramps in the abdominal muscles. Paræsthesia of lower limbs.
Skin
Coldness of whole surface. Skin cold as marble.
Relationship
Compare: Latrodectus Hasselti-New South Wales Black Spider--(Long lasting effects seem to indicate it as a "chronic" blood poisoning. Arrests intense pain in pyæmia. Great œdema in neighborhood of wound; paralysis of limbs, with great wasting of muscles. Violent, darting, burning pains preceding paralysis; vertigo, tendency to fall forward; septicæmic conditions; constant delusion of flying. Loss of memory. Roaring noises). Araena; Mygale; Theridion; Latrodectus Kalipo -New Zealand spider--(lymphangitis and nervous twitchings, scarlet burning eruption). Triatema-Kissing bug --(Swelling with violent itching of fingers and toes. Smothering sensation and difficult breathing succeeded by fainting and rapid pulse).
Dose
Sixth potency.
Latrodectus mactans. N. O. Arachnida. Tincture of living spider.
Clinical
Angina pectoris. Hæmorrhages, watery.
Characteristics
To the ready pen and luminous insight of S. A. Jones, and to the labours of A. J. Tafel, who furnished data and materials, we owe the introduction of this remedy into the materia medica. In a most interesting article communicated to the Homœopathic Recorder of July, 1889, and reproduced by Anschutz: in New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies, Jones relates the facts concerning this spider and the effects of its bite, recorded by E. W. Semple, M. D., in the Virginia Med. Monthly of 1875.─Case 1. A man bitten on the prepuce. At first there was itching; in less than half an hour nausea followed by severe abdominal pains. Soon after, violent precordial pains, extending to axilla and down left arm and forearm to fingers with numbness of the extremities and apnœa. Dry cupping was resorted to and the blood that flowed was thin and florid and uncoagulable. This was before Semple arrived. He …
Phatak's chapter on Latrodectus mactans is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
