ACONITE versus BELLADONNA

A Comparative Homeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory

ACONITE versus BELLADONNA

Two of homeopathy’s great acute polychrests, set side by side — the sudden fright of the monkshood against the burning fever of the nightshade.

Aconitum napellus
Atropa belladonna

Compiled for study · Repertory data digitised from classical sources

Part One

Introduction & How to Use This Book

Why these two remedies are so often reached for — and so often confused.

Few pairs of remedies in the homeopathic materia medica are invoked as often, in as similar a moment, as Aconitum napellus and Belladonna. Both are remedies of sudden, violent onset. Both appear at the bedside of a feverish child, a frightened adult, an inflammation that arrived within hours rather than days. A beginner reaching for “the remedy for sudden fever” can genuinely be torn between the two — and yet, examined closely, they describe almost opposite pictures of what “sudden” and “violent” feel like from the inside.

This e-book brings together two layers of material. The first is a traditional materia medica portrait of each remedy — its source, its preparation, its characteristic mental, emotional and physical picture, written in the descriptive style homeopathic students have used for two centuries. The second is a digitised repertory comparison: 912 individual rubrics (symptom-headings) drawn from the classical repertories, each graded on the traditional 1–3 scale of remedy strength, laid out so the two remedies can be read side by side, symptom by symptom.

Reading the grading scale

Homeopathic repertories grade the association between a remedy and a symptom on a three-point scale, traditionally shown in print, italic, and bold (or, as here, one, two and three filled dots): ●○○ (1) the remedy is known to produce or relieve this symptom; ●●○ (2) it is a more frequently confirmed, more reliable indication; ●●● (3) it is a keynote — one of the symptoms this remedy is most famous for, often clinically decisive. Throughout this book, blue dots mark Aconite, crimson dots mark Belladonna.

Used together, the two layers let you move in either direction: read the portraits first and let the repertory tables confirm and deepen what you have learned, or start from a symptom in the tables and follow it back into the fuller clinical picture painted in Parts Two and Three.

Before you begin

This book is a study and reference resource on classical homeopathic teaching. It is not medical advice, and homeopathy’s therapeutic claims are not supported by robust scientific evidence in the way conventional pharmacology is. Both source plants — monkshood and deadly nightshade — are seriously toxic in their natural, undiluted form. See Safety, Scope & Responsible Use before applying anything here to yourself, a child, or anyone in your care, and always involve a qualified physician for fever, injury, or any acute or serious condition.

Part Two

Aconitum Napellus

The remedy of sudden shock, panic, and the first hour of violent illness.

Blue · Aconite · Acon.

Aconite

Aconitum napellus · Monkshood / Wolfsbane · Family Ranunculaceae
“Sudden, violent, short” — the remedy of the first hour: terror, dry cold-wind onset, and fear so intense the patient predicts the moment of death.
SourceWhole fresh flowering plant, particularly the root, of the monkshood; one of the most acutely poisonous plants in Europe, source of the alkaloid aconitine.
KingdomPlant — Ranunculaceae (buttercup family)
ProvingsFirst proved by Hahnemann himself and published in his Materia Medica Pura; among the earliest and most thoroughly studied homeopathic remedies.
ClassificationMajor acute polychrest; remedy of the “first stage” of inflammatory and febrile conditions
Essence & Causation

Aconite is above all the remedy of shock. Its classic entry point is exposure to dry, cold wind (especially a cold north or east wind), a sudden fright, a piece of frightening news, or a traumatic event — an accident, a assault, a difficult birth. The nervous system reacts explosively: what follows is intense, short-lived, and completely disproportionate in its emotional charge to the physical findings, at least in the earliest hours.

Mind & Emotional Picture
  • Sudden, intense fear and anxiety — of death, of crowds, of the dark, of crossing the street, restless tossing that anxiety itself seems to drive.
  • Predicts the time of death — a famous keynote: the patient states, with calm certainty, the hour they believe they will die.
  • Fear during pregnancy or labour that she or the child will die — a very characteristic obstetric indication.
  • Panic that seems to arrive from nowhere: fear of imaginary things and imaginary animals, fear in a crowd or a narrow place.
  • Restlessness driven by inner anguish, tossing from one place to another, unable to be still.
  • Complaints and ailments that trace directly back to a fright, a shock, or bad news, even if that event was weeks or months earlier.
Physical Generals & Key Symptoms
  • Onset that can be timed almost to the hour: healthy one moment, acutely unwell the next, typically after exposure to dry cold air.
  • Dry, burning heat with a red, flushed face and full, hard, bounding pulse — but sometimes a striking picture of one cheek red, the other pale.
  • Great thirst, especially for cold water, often in large quantities, alongside dry mouth and dry mucous membranes.
  • Marked worse at night, especially around midnight, and on entering a warm room.
  • Numbness and tingling (formication) accompanying pain; complaints tend to appear and disappear gradually rather than abruptly.
  • Heightened sensitivity of all the senses; noise, light, touch, and motion may all aggravate.
  • One-sided complaints, and a tendency for symptoms to shift from the left side to the right.
Where It Is Reached For Clinically
  • The first hours of a common cold, feverish illness, or croup that came on abruptly after cold dry wind exposure.
  • Acute shock or panic reaction following an accident, a fright, receiving distressing news, or a frightening medical procedure.
  • Early otitis media or teething with sudden high fever, restlessness, and intense fear.
  • Panic attacks with a strong fear of death or impending doom, and physical symptoms (racing pulse, restlessness) matching the mental terror.
  • The earliest stage of many inflammations — before there is redness, swelling, or exudate; once those appear, the picture more often turns toward Belladonna or another remedy.
Modalities
WorseDry cold wind, night (especially midnight), warm room, lying on the affected side, tobacco smoke, fright
BetterOpen air, rest, uncovering (in fever), after perspiration begins
Part Three

Atropa Belladonna

The remedy of blazing heat, throbbing congestion, and violent delirium.

Crimson · Belladonna · Bell.

Belladonna

Atropa belladonna · Deadly Nightshade · Family Solanaceae
“Heat, redness, throbbing” — the remedy of full-blown congestive violence: a burning, radiating fever with a scarlet face, dilated pupils, and delirium full of visions.
SourceWhole fresh flowering plant of deadly nightshade, gathered at flowering time; contains the tropane alkaloids atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine.
KingdomPlant — Solanaceae (nightshade family)
ProvingsProved by Hahnemann and expanded by generations of provers; one of homeopathy’s most extensively documented remedies, especially rich in the “Mind” section.
ClassificationMajor acute polychrest; the classic remedy of the “second stage” of inflammation, once congestion, heat, and throbbing have set in
Essence & Causation

Where Aconite is the shock of the first moment, Belladonna is the full, hot, bounding violence that follows: intense arterial congestion, heat that radiates, throbbing that can be felt in every vessel. Onset is sudden and reaches its peak with startling speed — a temperature can spike, a headache can become unbearable, a delirium can begin within an hour. Classic triggers include getting the head wet or chilled (especially after having the hair cut), exposure to direct sun, suppressed eruptions, and the abuse of mercury or quinine.

Mind & Emotional Picture
  • Violent, wild delirium — loud, noisy, rambling, sometimes with vivid hallucinations: faces, animals, ghosts and spectres seen especially on closing the eyes.
  • Rage and striking out — biting, striking, spitting at people, pulling at hair, with strength that can seem far greater than usual.
  • Desire to escape: springing up from bed, attempting to run away or jump from a window.
  • Sardonic or foolish, involuntary laughing, alternating with moaning or crying.
  • Extreme sensory acuteness — senses sharpened to the point of pain, with marked aggravation from light, noise, jarring, and the least touch.
  • In quieter moments: drowsy stupor, a dazed half-consciousness, or simple irritability with an aversion to being disturbed.
Physical Generals & Key Symptoms
  • Burning, radiating heat felt by the hand before it touches the skin; a hot head with cold extremities is classic.
  • Bright red, flushed face, often with a throbbing sensation in the head, temples, or carotids that is visible as well as felt.
  • Dilated pupils and photophobia; staring, glistening eyes.
  • Marked thirstlessness during fever — a key differentiator from Aconite — or occasionally thirst for lemonade or acidic drinks specifically.
  • Symptoms characteristically appear and disappear suddenly, come in waves, and are aggravated by the slightest touch, jar, motion, noise, or draft.
  • Convulsions, twitching, and jerking, often precipitated by fever, light, or touch.
  • A strong right-sided tendency in many complaints (right-sided throat, right-sided headache, right-sided abdominal pain).
Where It Is Reached For Clinically
  • High, sudden fevers with a red face, hot skin, and bounding pulse — classically scarlet fever and streptococcal throat infections.
  • Throbbing headaches worse from light, noise, motion, and jarring, better from firm pressure or sitting semi-erect.
  • Acute, bright-red, painful throat and ear infections (right-sided) with a rapid, violent onset.
  • Sunstroke and heat-related congestive states.
  • Feverish delirium in children, teething with red cheeks and starting from sleep, and the earliest stage of many exanthems.
  • As part of the classical differential in the very early stages of appendicitis, mastitis, and other sudden, red, hot, throbbing local inflammations, always alongside prompt medical evaluation.
Modalities
Worse3 p.m., touch, jarring, noise, light, lying down, getting head wet or cold, draughts, after sleep
BetterSemi-erect position, warmth (in some local complaints), firm pressure, bending backward (for headache)
Part Four

Head-to-Head Differential Table

The seventeen questions experienced prescribers ask first when choosing between these two remedies. → Scroll right for comparison details.

FeatureAconiteBelladonna
OnsetSudden, after cold dry wind, fright, or shockSudden, rapidly reaching a violent peak, often after head becomes chilled or wet
Dominant emotionTerror, panic, fear of imminent deathRage, wild delirium, or blank, staring stupor
FaceRed or pale, sometimes one cheek of each colourBright, uniform scarlet, often visibly hot
PulseFull, hard, bounding, tenseFull, bounding, and strongly throbbing, felt in vessels of neck and temples
Skin heatDry, burningBurning and radiating — heat felt before the hand touches
ThirstMarked, for cold water, often in large amountsOften absent (thirstless) despite the heat — a key differentiator
Pupils / eyesNot typically dilated; sensitive to lightDilated, glistening, staring; strong photophobia
DeliriumAnxious, restless, fearful; predicts hour of deathWild, vivid hallucinations, rage, biting, striking
SensitivityGeneral hyperaesthesia, worse from many stimuliExtreme, pain-level sensitivity to touch, jar, noise, and light specifically
Timing worseNight, especially around midnightAfternoon, especially around 3 p.m.
Cause / triggerFright, shock, dry cold wind exposureWet or chilled head, sun exposure, suppressed eruption
Stage of inflammationFirst stage — before exudation or visible congestionSecond stage — once redness, heat, and throbbing are established
ConvulsionsLess characteristic; occurs from frightProminent keynote — sudden, violent, often with congestion to the head
SidednessLeft side, or shifting left to rightMarked right-sided tendency
SleepRestless, anxious tossingStarting, jerking, moaning, or crying out; kicks in sleep
Better forOpen air, restSemi-erect posture, firm pressure
Classic clinical settingsEarly cold or croup, panic attack, shock after accident, early feverScarlet fever, throbbing headache, red-hot throat, sunstroke, teething with red cheeks

A simple rule many students use as a starting point: Aconite fears he will die; Belladonna doesn’t know she’s ill. Neither line replaces a careful case-taking, but both capture something true about each remedy’s centre of gravity.

Part Five

Repertory Data at a Glance

912 rubrics, digitised from the classical comparison chart, grouped by section and grade.

Mind · 628 rubrics

Acon g1
126
Acon g2
39
Acon g3
14
Bell g1
315
Bell g2
110
Bell g3
24

Generalities · 266 rubrics

Acon g1
60
Acon g2
10
Acon g3
4
Bell g1
103
Bell g2
66
Bell g3
23

Thirst · 18 rubrics

Acon g1
2
Acon g2
7
Acon g3
1
Bell g1
5
Bell g2
3
Bell g3
0

Note the pattern: Belladonna carries roughly two-and-a-half times as many Mind rubrics as Aconite in this chart, reflecting how extensively its mental and delirium symptoms were recorded by provers — while Aconite’s smaller list is concentrated in a tight cluster of fear- and anxiety-related keynotes.

Grade-3 Keynotes — the Strongest Indications

These are the rubrics where each remedy is graded at its highest strength in the chart — the symptoms most likely to be clinically decisive.

Acon · death, thoughts of Acon · fear, death of, predicts the time Acon · fear, crowd, in a Acon · fear, dogs, of Acon · fear, imaginary animals / things Acon · excitement, nervous Acon · anxiety / excitement / sadness, chill, during Acon · fear, death of, during labour / pregnancy Acon · faintness, fright, after
Bell · delirium, wild Bell · rage, violent / strength increased Bell · striking Bell · spits in faces of people Bell · tears things Bell · laughing, loudly / sardonic Bell · senses, acute Bell · touch, slight, agg. Bell · pain, appear suddenly, and disappear suddenly Bell · convulsions, falling, with Bell · recognize, does not his relatives

The Full Repertory Tables

All 912 rubrics from the source comparison chart, organised into the three sections in which they were recorded. Blue dots indicate Aconite’s grade, crimson dots indicate Belladonna’s grade; an open circle means the remedy is not graded for that rubric in this chart.

●○○ Aconite — grade 1 ●●○ Aconite — grade 2 ●●● Aconite — grade 3 (keynote)
●○○ Belladonna — grade 1 ●●○ Belladonna — grade 2 ●●● Belladonna — grade 3 (keynote)
Rubric (Symptom) → Scroll right to see detailsAconiteBelladonna
abusive“>●
admonition agg.“>●
affectionate
anger, ailments after anger, with silent grief
anger, cough, before
anguish, menses, during“>●
anguish, stool, before
answers, aversion to
answers, foolish
answers, hastily
answers, incoherently
answers, incorrectly“>●
answers, irrelevantly
answers, refuses to
antics, plays“>●
anxiety, afternoon
anxiety, breathing deeply, on (agg.)
anxiety, chill, during“>●“>●
anxiety, cold drinks, amel.
anxiety, daytime“>●
anxiety, eating, after
anxiety, fits, with
anxiety, forenoon
anxiety, fright, after
anxiety, future, about
anxiety, health, about
anxiety, menses, before
anxiety, mental exertion
anxiety, motion, amel.
anxiety, motion, from (agg.)
anxiety, pains, from the“>●
anxiety, shuddering, with
anxiety, sleep, on going to
anxiety, stool, after
anxiety, stool, before
anxiety, stool, during
anxiety, stooping, when (agg.)
anxiety, urination, during
anxiety, vexation, after
anxiety, walking, in open air (agg.)
anxiety, weeping, followed by
audacity
barking“>●
battles, talks about
bed, aversion to (shuns)“>●
bellowing
biting, himself
biting, night
biting, spoons, etc.“>●
brooding
business, talks of
carried, desires to be, fast
chaotic“>●
cheerful, alternating, mania, with *
cheerful, alternating, sadness, with
cheerful, eating, while
cheerful, evening
cheerful, followed by sleepiness
cheerful, heat, during
cheerful, menses, before
cheerful, night
cheerful, perspiration, during
childish behavior
clairvoyance
company aversion to, avoids the sight of people
company aversion to, friends, of intimate
company aversion to, perspiration, during“>●
company, desire for
complaining, sleep, in
concentration, difficult, writing, while
confidence, want of self
confusion, beer, from
confusion, chill, during
confusion, dream, as if in
confusion, drinking, after
confusion, eating, after
confusion, evening
confusion, morning, rising, on
confusion, morning, waking, on
confusion, paroxysms of pain, during“>●
confusion, rising, after
confusion, sitting, while
confusion, smoking, after
confusion, spirituous liquors, from
confusion, waking, on
confusion, walking, open air, in (agg.)
confusion, walking, while (agg.)
consolation agg.“>●
contradiction, is intolerant of
conversation agg.
courageous
croaking
croaking, in sleep
cursing
dancing, alternating with sighing
dancing, wild“>●
darkness agg.
death, desires
death, desires, walking in open air, while
death, presentiment of, predicts the time“>●
death, thoughts of“>●“>●
defiant
delirium, antics, plays
delirium, arms, throws about
delirium, busy
delirium, chill, during“>●
delirium, closing the eyes, on“>●
delirium, convulsions, after
delirium, crying
delirium, eating amel.
delirium, evening“>●
delirium, fantastic“>●
delirium, fear of men, with
delirium, fierce
delirium, gather objects off the wall, tries to
delirium, gay“>●
delirium, headache, during
delirium, hysterical, almost
delirium, loquacious“>●
delirium, menses, before
delirium, mouth, moves lips as if talking
delirium, muttering“>●
delirium, muttering, himself, to
delirium, noisy“>●
delirium, paroxysmal“>●
delirium, rabid
delirium, rambling“>●
delirium, recognizes no one
delirium, restless
delirium, rocking to and fro
delirium, sleep, amel. after
delirium, sleep, falling, on“>●
delirium, sleepiness, with
delirium, urinates outside the pot
delirium, vivid
delirium, waking, on
delirium, water, jumping into
delirium, wild“>●“>●
delusions, active *“>●
delusions, animals, beetles, worms, etc. *
delusions, animals, black, on walls and furniture, sees *
delusions, animals, dark colored *
delusions, animals, fire, in the *
delusions, animals, frightful *“>●
delusions, animals, of *“>●
delusions, animals, rats, mice, insects, etc. *
delusions, animals, unclean *
delusions, arrested, is about to be *
delusions, beautiful *
delusions, bed, as if some one was in, with him *
delusions, bed, as if some one was in, with him, bouncing her…
delusions, bed, sinking, were *“>●
delusions, bed, someone tries to take away the bed clothes *
delusions, bed, someone under it *
delusions, birds, sees *
delusions, body, putrefy, will *
delusions, body, spotted brown, as it "
delusions, body, would sink down between the thighs *
delusions, business, fancies is doing *
delusions, business, thought they were pursuing ordinary *
delusions, butterflies, of *
delusions, cats, sees *“>●
delusions, cats, sees, black *
delusions, caught, as if he would be *
delusions, churchyard, visits a *“>●
delusions, cockroaches swarmed about the room *
delusions, criminals, about *
delusions, cucumbers, sees on the bed *“>●
delusions, dead, corpse, of tall yellow, trying to share bed wit…
delusions, dead, persons, sees *
delusions, devils, sees *“>●
delusions, die, thought he was about to *“>●“>●
delusions, die, time has come to *
delusions, dogs, black *“>●
delusions, dogs, sees *“>●“>●
delusions, dogs, swarm about him *
delusions, dreaming when awake, imagines himself *“>●“>●
delusions, drinking *
delusions, driving sheep *
delusions, engaged in ordinary occupation *
delusions, enlarged, eyes are *
delusions, enlarged, head is *
delusions, faces, sees, closing eyes, on *“>●“>●
delusions, faces, sees, grows larger *
delusions, faces, sees, hideous *“>●
delusions, figures, sees *“>●
delusions, fire, house on *
delusions, fire, visions of *“>●
delusions, fire, visions of, distant home, on *
delusions, fishes, flies, etc. *
delusions, floating in air *
delusions, floating in air, bed, suspended in *
delusions, floating in air, evening *
delusions, gallows, vision of, with fear of *“>●
delusions, giants, sees *
delusions, great person, is *
delusions, head, large, seems too *
delusions, head, sees friend's, stick out of a bottle *
delusions, head, shaking the *
delusions, head, transparent and speckled brown *
delusions, herbs, gathering *
delusions, horses, sees *
delusions, images, phantoms, black *“>●
delusions, images, phantoms, closing the eyes, on *
delusions, images, phantoms, dark, in the *“>●
delusions, images, phantoms, frightful *“>●
delusions, inanimate objects are persons *
delusions, insane, that she will become *“>●
delusions, insects, sees *“>●“>●
delusions, insects, shining *
delusions, insulted, thinks he is *
delusions, journey, that he is on a *
delusions, juggler, thinks himself a *
delusions, magician, is a *
delusions, masks, sees *
delusions, mice, sees *
delusions, money, as if counting *
delusions, murdered, that he would be *“>●
delusions, noise, hears *
delusions, nose, has a transparent *
delusions, objects, brilliantly colored *
delusions, objects, glittering *
delusions, officer, that he is an *
delusions, people, beside him, are *
delusions, people, closing eyes, on *“>●
delusions, people, converses, with absent *
delusions, people, sees *“>●
delusions, pleasing *
delusions, pleasing, morning, after sleep *
delusions, policeman, that physician is a *
delusions, poor, thinks he is *
delusions, possessed, as if *
delusions, pursued, enemies, by *“>●
delusions, pursued, police, by *
delusions, pursued, soldiers, by *
delusions, pursued, thought he was *
delusions, rats, sees *
delusions, riding on an ox *
delusions, room, walls of, sees horrible things on the *
delusions, sensations, misrepresents his *
delusions, serpent, a crimson, fastening on his neck *
delusions, sick, imagines himself *
delusions, sleeping, while awake, insists that he was *
delusions, small, sensation of being smaller *
delusions, snakes in and around her *
delusions, soldiers, sees *“>●
delusions, spectres, closing eyes, on *
delusions, spectres, fire, in *
delusions, spectres, ghosts, spirits, sees *“>●“>●
delusions, spotted brown, his body is *
delusions, stabbed, that he had, a person who passed him on …“>●
delusions, strange, familiar things seem *
delusions, surrounded by friends, is *
delusions, talking, as with dead people *
delusions, thieves, sees *
delusions, tongue, pulling out *
delusions, touching everything *
delusions, transparent, head and nose are *
delusions, trees seem to be people in fantastic costume, after…
delusions, turtles, sees large, in room *
delusions, unpleasant *
delusions, unpleasant, distinct from surrounding objects *
delusions, visions *“>●
delusions, visions, beautiful *
delusions, visions, closing the eyes, on *“>●
delusions, visions, daytime *
delusions, visions, horrible *“>●“>●
delusions, visions, horrible, in the dark *“>●
delusions, visions, monsters *“>●
delusions, vivid *
delusions, voices, dead people *“>●
delusions, voices, distant *
delusions, voices, hears *
delusions, washing, of *
delusions, wealth, imaginations of *
delusions, wolves, of *
despair, pains, with the
despair, recovery“>●
destructiveness“>●
destructiveness, of clothes“>●
discontented, himself, with
disobedience
doubtful, recovery, of“>●
doubtful, soul's welfare, of
drinking, after“>●
dullness, chill, during
dullness, dreams, after
dullness, emotions, from
dullness, reading, while
dullness, smoking, from
dullness, waking, on
dullness, warm room, on entering
dullness, wine, after
dullness, writing, while
eat, refuses to
escape, attempts to, spring up suddenly from bed
escape, attempts to, to run away“>●
escape, attempts to, window, from“>●
excitement, chill, during“>●“>●
excitement, nervous“>●“>●
exertion, agg. from mental
extravagance“>●
fancies, lascivious
fancies, lively
fear, accidents, of
fear, alone, of being
fear, alternating with mania *“>●
fear, apoplexy, of
fear, approaching him, of others“>●
fear, bed, of the“>●
fear, crowd, in a“>●“>●
fear, crowd, in a, public places, of
fear, dark“>●
fear, death, of, alone, when
fear, death, of, labor, during“>●“>●
fear, death, of, menses, before
fear, death, of, menses, during
fear, death, of, predicts the time“>●“>●
fear, death, of, pregnancy, during“>●“>●
fear, disease, of impending
fear, dogs, of“>●“>●
fear, evil of
fear, falling, of
fear, gallows, of the“>●
fear, ghosts, of, night“>●
fear, heat, during
fear, imaginary animals“>●“>●
fear, imaginary things“>●“>●
fear, insanity, of
fear, jumps, on touch
fear, labor, during
fear, menses, before“>●
fear, menses, during
fear, misfortune, of
fear, narrow place, in
fear, near, of those standing
fear, night“>●
fear, paralysis, of
fear, poisoned, of being“>●
fear, putrefy, body will
fear, robbers, of
fear, sleep, before
fear, suffocation, of“>●
fear, waking, on“>●
fear, waking, on, of something under the bed
fear, walking, across busy street“>●
fear, water, of“>●
feigning sick
fight, wants to
forgetful, chill, during
forgetful, purchases, of, goes off and leaves them
frightened, waking, on“>●
gestures, convulsive
gestures, convulsive, at sight of drink
gestures, hands, clapping of the“>●
gestures, hands, grasping or reaching at something“>●
gestures, hands, motions, hasty“>●
gestures, hands, motions, involuntary, of the
gestures, hands, motions, over head
gestures, hands, motions, throwing about
gestures, hands, motions, wild
gestures, makes“>●
gestures, plays with his fingers
gestures, pouring from hand to hand, as if
gestures, pulls hair of bystanders
gestures, ridiculous or foolish“>●
gestures, usual vocation, of his
gestures, violent“>●
grief
grimaces
growling like a dog“>●
grunting
hatred
heedless
hide, desire to“>●“>●
hide, desire to, on account of fear“>●
hides things
home, desires to go
home, talks of
home-sickness
hopeful
hopeful, alternating with sadness
hurry, occupation, in
hurry, walking, while
hydrophobia *“>●
idiocy
impatience, heat, with
impetuous
impetuous, perspiration“>●
inconsolable“>●
indifference, loved ones, to“>●
indifference, perspiration, during
indiscretion
industrious
insanity, break pins, she will sit and
insanity, drunkards, in
insanity, heat, with
insanity, paroxysmal“>●
insanity, puerperal“>●
insanity, strength increased“>●
insanity, suppressed eruptions, after
insolent
introspection *
irritability, alternating with, indifference
irritability, alternating with, weeping
irritability, consolation agg.“>●
irritability, heat, during
irritability, menses, during
irritability, morning“>●
irritability, morning, waking, on“>●
irritability, noise, from
irritability, waking, on (agg.)“>●
Mind,jesting, averse to“>●
Mind jesting, ridiculous or foolish
Mind joy, ailments, from excessive“>●
Mind jumping, window, from
kicks“>●
kicks, sleep, in“>●“>●
kill, desire to
killed, desires to be
lamenting, alternating with delirium
laughing, alternating with groaning
laughing, annoying
laughing, involuntarily
laughing, loudly“>●“>●
laughing, sardonic“>●“>●
laughing, silly
laughing, speaking, when
lewdness
lewdness, lewd talk“>●
loathing, life“>●
loquacity, alternating with laughing
loquacity, perspiration, during
memory, weakness of, dates, for
memory, weakness of, do, for what was about to
memory, weakness of, done, for what has just“>●
memory, weakness of, expressing one's self, for
memory, weakness of, labor, for mental (compare stupefactio…
memory, weakness of, names, for proper
memory, weakness of, persons, for
memory, weakness of, read, for what has
mirth, alternating with, mania *
mirth, evening
mirth, heat, during
mirth, night
mirth, sleep, during
mistakes, localities
mistakes, time, in
mistakes, work, in
moaning, cough during
moaning, perspiration, during
moaning, sleep, during“>●
monomania
moonlight
morose
mortification, ailments after
muttering“>●
muttering, evening
naked, wants to be“>●
naked, wants to be, in delirium“>●
nymphomania“>●
offended, easily
pleasure
pleasure, voluptuous ideas, only, in
praying“>●
prophesying“>●
prophesying, predicts the time of death“>●“>●
pull, desire to pull ones hair“>●“>●
pull, desire to pull, ones teeth
quarrelsome, anger, without
quarrelsome, sleep in“>●
quiet, quiet disposition“>●
quiet, wants to be
rage, alternating, consciousness
rage, convulsive“>●
rage, does not know his relatives“>●
rage, epilepsy, with
rage, headache, with“>●“>●
rage, pulls hair of bystanders“>●
rage, shining objects, from
rage, staring looks, with
rage, strength increased“>●“>●
rage, touch, renewed by“>●
rage, violent“>●“>●
rage, water, sight of“>●
reading, averse to“>●
recognize, does not his relatives“>●“>●
religious affections“>●
remorse“>●
reproaches, himself“>●
reproaches, others“>●
reserved
restlessness, bed, driving out of“>●
restlessness, bed, wants to go from one bed to another“>●
restlessness, drink, at the sight of
restlessness, evening
restlessness, headache, during“>●
restlessness, internal
restlessness, menses, before
restlessness, metrorrhagia, during“>●
restlessness, noon
restlessness, pregnancy, during
restlessness, stool, during
restlessness, waking on
ridicule, mania to *
rocking amel.
roving about, senseless, insane
rudeness (compare insolent)
runs about“>●
sadness, anger, after
sadness, chill, during“>●“>●
sadness, continence, from
sadness, menses, before
sadness, music, from“>●
sadness, waking, on
sadness, walking, while (agg.)
senses, acute“>●“>●
senses, confused
senses, vanishing, of
sensitive, heat, during
sensitive, music, to“>●
sensitive, noise, to, chill, during
sensitive, noise, to, labor, during
sensitive, noise, to, slightest
sensitive, perspiration, during
sensitive, want of sensitiveness
sentimental
serious
shameless
shining objects agg.“>●“>●
shrieking, brain cry *
shrieking, children, in *
shrieking, convulsions, before *“>●
shrieking, sleep, during *
sighing, perspiration, during
singing, alternating with groaning“>●
singing, fever, during
singing, sleep, in
sits, and breaks pins“>●“>●
slander, disposition to
slowness
smiling, foolish
smiling, involuntarily
smiling, sardonic
speech, childish
speech, confused
speech, foolish“>●
speech, incoherent“>●
speech, loud“>●
speech, slow
speech, wandering, night, at
spits in faces of people“>●“>●
starting, evening, on falling asleep“>●
starting, falling, as if
starting, sleep, on falling“>●“>●
starting, touched, when“>●
starting, waking, on“>●
striking“>●“>●
striking, abdomen, his
striking, about him at imaginary objects“>●
striking, desires to strike
striking, face, his
striking, himself
striking, knocking his head against wall
stupefaction, air, in open, amel.
suicidal disposition
suicidal disposition, drowning, by“>●
suicidal disposition, hanging, by
suicidal disposition, heat, during
suicidal disposition, knife, with
suicidal disposition, pains, from
suicidal disposition, throwing himself from a height“>●
suicidal disposition, throwing himself, windows, from
suicidal disposition, walking in open air, while
talks to himself
talks, dead people, with
talks, war, of
tears things“>●“>●
tears, hair, her“>●
tears, himself
thoughts, intrude and crowd around each other
thoughts, persistent
thoughts, persistent, walking, on
thoughts, profound
thoughts, rapid, quick, etc.
thoughts, vanishing, of
thoughts, vanishing, of, chill, during
thoughts, vanishing, of, headache, during
thoughts, wandering, night
throws things, at persons
timidity, about going to bed
timidity, bashful
tranquility
unconsciousness, chill, during“>●
unconsciousness, emotion, after“>●
unconsciousness, evening
unconsciousness, interrupted by screaming
unconsciousness, menses, suppression of
unconsciousness, night
unconsciousness, sitting, while
unconsciousness, vomiting amel.
unconsciousness, warm room“>●
undertakes, many things, perseveres in nothing“>●
violent, deeds, rage, leading to“>●
weary of life“>●
weary of life, heat, during
weary of life, walking in open air, while
weeping, admonitions, cause
weeping, aggravates“>●
weeping, alternating with ill humour
weeping, anger, after
weeping, causeless
weeping, consolation agg.
weeping, coughing, after
weeping, coughing, before“>●“>●
weeping, coughing, during“>●
weeping, evening (agg.)
weeping, involuntary“>●
weeping, morning
weeping, night
weeping, refused anything, when
weeping, remonstrated with, when
weeping, sleep, in
weeping, waking, on
weeping, walking in open air, when (agg.)
whistling
will, contradiction of
Sleep, sleeplessness, thoughts activity of from
Rubric (Symptom) → Scroll right to see detailsAconiteBelladonna
abscesses“>●
abscesses, glands“>●
afternoon, 3 p.m.“>●“>●
air, open, amel.“>●
air, open, aversion to“>●
air, open, desire for
alcoholic stimulants, brandy
analgesia
analgesia,
inner parts
ascending, high agg.
bathing, agg.“>●
bathing, amel.
bathing, cold agg.“>●
bathing, dread of“>●
breakfast, after, agg.
bubbling
cancerous affections
cancerous affections, epithelioma *“>●
cancerous affections, fungus haematodes *
caries of bone
caries of bone, periosteum
change of position agg.
change of, temperature agg.
change of, weather agg.“>●
chlorosis *“>●“>●
chorea, fright, from *
clear weather agg.
cold, becoming, a part of body agg.“>●
cold, becoming, head“>●“>●
cold, feeling in blood vessels“>●“>●
cold, wet weather agg.
contractions, strictures, stenoses, after inflammation“>●
convulsions, apoplectic“>●
convulsions, begin in, arm“>●
convulsions, bright light, from
convulsions, changing in character“>●
convulsions, cold air, from
convulsions, cold, becoming
convulsions, drinking, after
convulsions, epileptic“>●
convulsions, epileptic, aura, mouse, running like a *“>●“>●
convulsions, epileptic, aura, solar plexus, from *
convulsions, falling, with“>●“>●
convulsions, falling, with, backwards“>●
convulsions, falling, with, left side
convulsions, falling, with, right side
convulsions, fluids, from“>●
convulsions, fright, from“>●
convulsions, hysterical“>●
convulsions, light agg.“>●
convulsions, menses, during“>●
convulsions, mental exertion, after
convulsions, mental exertion, after
convulsions, motion agg.
convulsions, one-sided
convulsions, one-sided, paralysis of the other
convulsions, paralysis, with
convulsions, puerperal“>●“>●
convulsions, right side of body“>●
convulsions, shining objects, from
convulsions, vexation, from
convulsions, waking, on
convulsions, water, at sight of“>●
convulsions, wounds in the soles, finger on palm“>●
distention blood vessels, fever, during“>●
dropsy, external *“>●
dropsy, internal *“>●“>●
eating, after, amel.
eating, amel.
eating, while (agg.)
exertion, physical, agg.
faintness, close room, in
faintness, constriction of chest
faintness, excitement, on
faintness, fright, after“>●“>●
faintness, pregnancy“>●
faintness, rising, from bed, on
faintness, sitting, up, from“>●“>●
faintness, urinating, after“>●“>●
faintness, warm room“>●
food, coffee agg.
food, coffee, amel.
food, cold drinks agg.“>●
food, fruit agg.
food, sausages, spoiled, agg.“>●“>●
food, sour agg.“>●
food, sweets agg.
food, vinegar agg.“>●
forenoon (agg.)
formication, bones *
hand, laying, on part amel.“>●
hard bed, sensation of
heat, flushes of, afternoon
heat, flushes of, alternating with chills
heat, flushes of, evening
heat, flushes of, perspiration, with
indurations“>●“>●
indurations, glands“>●“>●
inflammation, blood vessels
inflammation, bones, periosteum
inflammation, internally, gangrenous *“>●
jerking, muscles, sleep, during“>●
jerking, muscles, sleep, on going to
lassitude, lead, chronic effects of“>●
lying, abdomen, on, amel.“>●“>●
lying, side on, painful, amel.
lying, side on, painless, agg.
lying, side on, right, agg.
measles, after“>●
menses, amel.
menses, before
mercury, abuse of“>●
motion, amel.“>●
motion, of affected part, amel.
necrosis bones
night, 11 p.m.
night, midnight, before“>●
numbness, sensation of, in glands *
old, people“>●
orgasm of blood, nervousness, from“>●
orgasm of blood, vexation, after“>●
pain appear gradually
pain, appear gradually, and disappear gradually
pain, appear suddenly“>●“>●
pain, appear suddenly, and disappear suddenly“>●“>●
pain, boring, bones *“>●
pain, boring, glands *“>●
pain, boring, inward *
pain, boring, outward *
pain, burning, as from *
pain, burning, glands *“>●
pain, constricting, glands
pain, cutting, glands *“>●
pain, drawing *
pain, drawing, alternating with heart symptoms *
pain, gnawing, bones *“>●“>●
pain, gnawing, internally *“>●
pain, jerking, bones *
pain, jerking, glands *
pain, paralytic, bones
pain, paralyzed parts
pain, periosteum
pain, pinching, bones *
pain, pressing, bones *“>●
pain, pressing, bones, tearing *
pain, pressing, glands *“>●
pain, pressing, muscles *
pain, pressing, muscles, sticking, in muscles *
pain, pressing, muscles, tearing in joints *
pain, pressing, muscles, tearing, in muscles *“>●
pain, sore, bruised, bones, as if *
pain, sore, bruised, internally *
pain, stitching, downward *
pain, stitching, muscles, burning in muscles *“>●
pain, stitching, outward *“>●
pain, tearing, bones, paralytic *
pain, tearing, bones, sticking *
pain, tearing, glands *“>●
pain, tearing, muscles, burning in muscles *
pain, tearing, muscles, pressing in muscles *
pain, tearing, outward *
pain, twinging
pain, twisting“>●
pain, ulcerative, glands *
pain, undulating
paralysis, one-sided, apoplexy, after
paralysis, one-sided, left
paralysis, one-sided, right“>●
paralysis, painless
perspiration, after, agg.
polypus
pressure, on painless side agg.
prickling, internally *
pulsation externally, morning, on waking *“>●
pulsation, internally, glands
pulse, double
pulse, frequent, evening
pulse, frequent, faster than the heart-beat
pulse, frequent, vexation, after
pulse, full, evening
pulse, jerking
pulse, tense
quinine, abuse of“>●
quivering“>●“>●
quivering, glands
riding horseback agg.“>●
running agg.“>●
scarlet fever, after *“>●“>●
scurvy, scorbutus *
sensitiveness, bones
sensitiveness, glands
sensitiveness, periosteum
shocks, electric-like, sleep, on going to“>●
shuddering, nervous, stool, during“>●
side, crosswise, left lower and right upper
side, crosswise, left upper and right lower
side, left
side, left, then right
side, symptoms on one side
sleep, after, amel.
sleep, at beginning of, agg.“>●“>●
sleep, long agg.
smaller, sensation
softening bones“>●
standing, amel.“>●“>●
stretching, convulsive, paroxysmal
stretching, impossible
summer, in“>●
sun, from exposure to“>●
swelling, bones
swelling, glands, cold
swelling, periosteum
swollen sensation, bones
swollen sensation, glands“>●
tension, bones“>●“>●
tension, glands
touch, amel.
touch, slight, agg.“>●“>●
trembling, anger, from
trembling, anxiety, from
trembling, coughing, from
trembling, internally
trembling, joy, from
trembling, night“>●
trembling, vexation, from
trickling sensation, like drops
twitching, sleep, during
twitching, sleep, on going to
twitching, subsultustendinum
ulcers, cancerous“>●
ulcers, glands“>●
varicose veins“>●
vomiting, amel.
walking, fast agg.“>●“>●
warm, bed, amel.
warm, wraps agg.“>●
water, dashing against inner parts, sensation of
wavelike sensations“>●“>●
weakness, children, in
weakness, convulsions, after
weakness, evening (agg.)
weakness, exertion, from slight
weakness, fever, during
weakness, forenoon
weakness, menses, before“>●
weakness, menses, desire to lie down, with
weakness, menses, during (agg.)
weakness, menses, painful
weakness, mental exertion“>●
weakness, morning, rising, amel.
weakness, morning, waking, on
weakness, paralytic
weakness, perspiration, from
weakness, stool, during
weakness, sudden“>●
weakness, waking, on
weakness, walking, from (agg.)
weariness, menses, before“>●
wet applications“>●
wet, getting, head“>●“>●
wet, getting, perspiration, during“>●
wet, weather
wounds, bites of poisonous animals
wounds, splinters, from
wounds, stinging, in *
Rubric (Symptom) → Scroll right to see detailsAconiteBelladonna
Bladder, urination, involuntary, thirst and fear, with“>●“>●
Fever, burning heat, dry, burning heat, extending from head, and fac…“>●
Fever, burning heat, thirst for cold drinks, with *“>●
Fever, burning heat, thirst, with unquenchable *
Mouth, dryness, thirst, with
Stomach, thirst, chill, during“>●
Stomach, thirst, dread of liquids, with“>●
Stomach, thirst, eating, after
Stomach, thirst, inability to swallow, with
Stomach, thirst, large quantities, for“>●
Stomach, thirst, menses, during“>●
Stomach, thirst, night“>●
Stomach, thirst, pains, with the
Stomach, thirst, perspiration, after
Stomach, thirst, perspiration, during“>●
Stomach, thirst, sleep, after
Stomach, thirst, waking, on“>●
Stomach, thirstless“>●
Part Six

Clinical Differentiation Guide

Practical questions to ask at the bedside, framed around the classical teaching.

1· What started it?

A fright, shock, bad news, or exposure to dry cold wind points toward Aconite. A wet or chilled head, a haircut in cold air, strong sun exposure, or a suppressed skin eruption points toward Belladonna.

2· What is the fear like?

Conscious, articulate, terrified — able to say exactly what they fear and even when they expect to die — suggests Aconite. Wild, confused, hallucinating, lashing out at things that are not there suggests Belladonna.

3· Is the patient thirsty?

Strong thirst for cold water during the fever favours Aconite. Absence of thirst despite obvious heat is a classic Belladonna marker.

4· What does the face look like?

Pale, or flushed on one side only, suggests Aconite. Uniformly scarlet, hot to the touch even before contact, suggests Belladonna.

5· How does touch or jarring affect them?

General sensitivity to stimuli of many kinds suggests Aconite. Pain-level aggravation from the slightest touch, jar, or noise specifically is more distinctly Belladonna.

6· What time of day is it worse?

Symptoms peaking at night, especially near midnight, favour Aconite. A clear afternoon peak, especially around 3 p.m., favours Belladonna.

7· How long has this been going on?

Aconite belongs to the first hours — before any exudate, congestion or visible redness has developed. Once the inflammation is fully established, hot, red and throbbing, the picture more often calls for Belladonna or another remedy.

8· What does the pupil and eye tell you?

Ordinary pupils with marked general light sensitivity suggest Aconite. Dilated, glistening, staring pupils with pronounced photophobia are a strong Belladonna indicator.

Part Seven

Illustrative Case Vignettes

Two short, fictional composites written purely to show the contrast in practice — not real patients, and not a substitute for a proper case history.

Vignette · Aconite Picture

A four-year-old was playing outside on a sharp, dry, windy afternoon and came in shivering. By evening she has a high fever, dry burning skin, and a face that is deep red on one side and pale on the other. She is inconsolable, clutches her mother, and repeatedly asks, in real terror, whether she is going to die. She wants cold water constantly and cannot settle, tossing from her mother’s lap to the sofa and back. It is not yet midnight, but everyone already senses the worst hour is still ahead.

Vignette · Belladonna Picture

By the next afternoon, a different child — six years old — spiked a fever after getting caught in a downpour with wet hair. Her face and ears are uniformly scarlet and radiate heat before you even touch her skin. She refuses water altogether, is drowsy and glassy-eyed one moment and thrashing the next, and cries out sharply when the mattress is jarred. Around 3 p.m. she becomes briefly delirious, seeing things on the wall that are not there and swatting at them.

These two vignettes are composites written to sharpen the contrast between the pictures described in Parts Two and Three — they are not case reports, and no clinical decision should be based on illustrative examples alone.

Part Eight

Glossary of Repertory Terms

Plain-language definitions for readers new to homeopathic reference works.

Materia medica
A structured description of a remedy’s full symptom picture, organised by body system, gathered from provings and clinical use.
Repertory
An index that works in the opposite direction from a materia medica: it lists symptoms (rubrics) and, under each, the remedies known to produce or relieve them, graded by strength.
Rubric
A single symptom-heading in a repertory, e.g. “fear, death, of” — often nested under a broader heading such as “Mind” or “Generalities.”
Grading (1–3)
The strength of evidence linking a remedy to a rubric: 1 (recorded), 2 (frequently confirmed), 3 (keynote, often clinically decisive), traditionally shown as plain, italic, or bold type.
Polychrest
A remedy with a very broad, well-documented symptom picture covering many organ systems, used across a wide range of conditions.
Proving
The process by which a substance’s effects are systematically recorded, historically by giving it to healthy volunteers and documenting every symptom that arises.
Keynote
A highly characteristic, often unusual symptom that is considered strongly indicative of a particular remedy.
Modality
A factor that makes a symptom better or worse — time of day, weather, position, motion, temperature, and so on.
Mind section
The portion of a repertory devoted to mental, emotional, and behavioural symptoms.
Generalities
The section covering symptoms that affect the whole person rather than one specific part — general heat, general weakness, reactions to weather, and so on.
Part Nine

Safety, Scope & Responsible Use

This is a reference book, not a treatment guide

This e-book presents classical homeopathic teaching about two remedies, for study and reference purposes. It does not diagnose, treat, or prescribe for any person or condition, and it is not written or reviewed by a physician.

Both source plants are genuinely toxic

Aconitum napellus and Atropa belladonna are among the more dangerous plants in the Northern Hemisphere flora in their natural, undiluted form; aconitine and the tropane alkaloids can be lethal in small amounts. Homeopathic preparations are made by extreme sequential dilution, but never source, handle, forage, or self-prepare either plant, and keep any commercial homeopathic products out of the reach of children, exactly as you would any other medicine cabinet item.

The evidence picture

Major systematic reviews and health bodies, including the UK’s National Health Service and Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council, have concluded that there is no reliable evidence homeopathic remedies are effective for any health condition beyond a placebo effect, because they are diluted far beyond the point where any original molecule is likely to remain. Homeopathy continues to be practised and taught as a distinct tradition, and this book presents that tradition’s own internal logic and language faithfully — but readers should understand that its central mechanism is not accepted by mainstream pharmacology or medicine.

When to seek emergency or professional care

High fever in an infant under three months, a fever with a stiff neck, a rash that does not fade under pressure, difficulty breathing, a seizure, severe abdominal pain, confusion or delirium in an adult, or any illness that seems severe or is not improving all warrant prompt medical evaluation — regardless of anything in this book. Never delay emergency care, and never substitute a home remedy of any kind for professional treatment of a serious or worsening condition.

Part Ten

Sources & Further Reading

The repertory tables in this book were digitised directly from a comparison chart supplied for this project, cross-referencing rubrics against the classical grading found in works in the tradition of James Tyler Kent’s Repertory of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica and related 19th- and early 20th-century repertories. The materia medica portraits in Parts Two and Three draw on the standard descriptive teaching found in classical texts such as Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura, Kent’s Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, and William Boericke’s Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, restated here in original wording for this book.

For readers who want to go further: consult a qualified, registered homeopathic practitioner for any personal application of this material, and consult current public-health guidance (such as the NHS or Cochrane Library) for an evidence-based perspective on homeopathy’s clinical effectiveness.

Aconite versus Belladonna · A Comparative Homeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory

Compiled for study purposes. Not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.

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