OPHIDIA

GROUP

1
 The snake force involves us
in life and living not
theoretically, nearly but
deeply.
 It is a force which wrapped
around the tree of life in the
story of paradise but also to
life’s healing forces in the
staff of Aesculepius.
 Snakes are fascinating part
of nature. Their colour,
movement and secretive
habits makes them more
mysterious than other
animals. 2
 DISTRIBUTION
3

The snakes are distributed world-wide. Majority of

snakes inhabit the warm parts of the world.
There are more than 2600 species of snakes in the
world. Of these, about 216 species are found in
India, of which 52 are poisonous.
The poisonous snakes are cobras, vipers, rattle
snakes, kraits, coral snakes and sea snakes.
Life span……

Indian python – 34 years

Indian cobra – 21 years

4
Life span……

Common sand boa –

13 years

Banded krait – 11
years

5
Life span……

Indian rat snakes – 10

years

Saw scaled viper – 10

years

6
 USES OF SNAKES
 Snake venom has many toxins,
proteins and enzymes.
Important use of snake venom
is to manufacture anti-snake
venom serum, the remedy for
snakebite.
 In various cultures the snakes
are eaten for medicinal
purposes to cure gangrenes,
cholera, tuberculosis,
meningitis and in hemorrhagic
disorders.

7
USES….
 Snakes are very valuable
animals, as they eat rats, thus
preventing them from spoiling the
crops.

 Snake skin has ornamental

values.

8
SENSES
 Hearing: Snakes
cannot hear any
sounds; only the
internal ears are
present which
receive vibrations
transmitted
through the
ground.

9
SENSES
Vision:
 Snakes have distinct visual
system. They don’t have
eyelids. The eye has a
transparent cover, which
changes every-time the skin
is shed.
 Some snakes which hunt at
night have heat sensitive
areas on their face, they
can detect and strike prey
in the dark by sensing the
warmth given off by the
animals.
10
SENSES Smell: Snakes depend mostly
on the forked tongue to pick
up the scent from the air and
ground and transfer them to
the Jacobson’s organs at the
roof of the mouth. That’s why
a snake is constantly flicking
its forked tongue out. With the
smell they not only hunt preys
but also avoid its predators
like mongoose and man.
11
 SENSES
 Pain & Temperature:
Snakes feel pain and are
acutely sensitive and can
suffer from changes in
temperature and
humidity. When its too
cool, their metabolic rate
goes down, it becomes
too sluggish; when too
hot, it gets dehydrated
and dies.

12
CONSTITUENTS OF SNAKE POISON
 Fibrinolysins.
 Proteolysins.
 Neurotoxins.
 Cholisterase. (predominant in Elapid viper)
 Hemolysins (predominant in Viper venom)
 Thromboplastin (predominant in Viper venom)
 Agglutinins.
 Cardiotoxins.
 Coaugulase hyaluronidase (helps venom to
spread rapidly).

13
CONSTITUENTS OF SNAKE POISON

Elapid which consists of cobra, king

cobra, krait, etc., their venom is mainly
neurotoxic. Viper venom is mainly
vasculotoxic and sea snake venom is
myotoxic.

14
Cobra venom is used to relieve pain due
to neural leprosy.
In Ayurvedic medicine snake venom is
used as an antidote in the form of certain
‘Rasas’ against Tuberculosis.
Viper venom is used as hemostat. Used in
hemophilia, during major surgery, to stop
hemorrhages.

MEDICINAL VALUE OF SNAKE

VENOM
15
Poison of rattle snake is used as medicine
for epilepsy, nerve exhaustion.
Certain snake venoms are used as a local
agent to treat rheumatism, inflammation
of joints, and neuralgic conditions.
It can also cure cancer.

MEDICINAL VALUE OF SNAKE

VENOM
16
IMPORTANT HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

 Lachesis trigonocephalus - Surukuku snake

 Naja tripudians
 Elaps corrallinus
 Crotalus horridus
 Crotalus cascavella
 Bothrops lanciolatus
- Cobra venom
- Coral snake
- Rattle snake
- Brazilian snake
- Yellow viper

17
IMPORTANT HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

 Vipera berus - German viper

 Cenchris contotrix - Copperhead snake
 Hydrophis cyanocinctus - Sea snake
 Toxicophis - Moccasin snake
 Bungarus krait - Bended krait

18
Lachesis trigonocephalus Surukuku snake

19
Naja tripudians Cobravenom

20
Elaps corrallinus
coral snake

21
Crotalus horridus
Rattle snake

22
Crotalus cascavella - Brazilian snake

23
Bothrops lanciolatus
Yellow viper

24
Vipera berus German viper

25
Cenchris contortrix Copperhead snake

26
Toxicophis
Moccasin snake

27
Bungarus krait
Bended krait

28
Hydrophis cyanocinctus
Sea snake

29
DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURE

The snake is extremely

sensitive to heat, so it
lives in deep burrows
where it is cooler; the
patient of ophidia group
is worse from warmth,
by hot drinks, in sun
and in summer.

30
DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURE

 The snake is more

ferocious and
poisonous when
hungry; the patient of
ophidia group is
aggravated by
fasting and
ameliorated after
eating.

31
DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURE

Snakes are poisonous.

When we say the mind
is poisoned, it means
that there is jealousy
and suspicion;
suspicion and
jealousy are the
characteristic
symptoms of the
patients.
32
 DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURE

The snake coils itself

from left to right;
symptoms of ophidia
group proceed from
left to right (except
Crotalus and Elaps as
they are right sided)

33
 DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURE
Immediately after a snakebite,
the blood is let out from that
site as a therapeutic measure
to limit the extent of damage;
general relief from bleeding
and any other discharges.

The snake is very sensitive to

touch and vibrations; patient
is aggravated by touch and
slight sound.
34
DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURE
The snakes can swallow relatively large creatures
easily. Due to pressure created by solids in the
throat it can easily swallow the solids; patients
can swallow solids easily.

The stools of the snakes are black and offensive;

the discharges in ophidia group are dark and
offensive.

35
DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURE

The Indian Cobra

passively coils in a stand
as a warning whereas the
Bushmaster snake
attacks immediately. The
Rattlesnake makes loud
noises before striking.
Such images are reflected
in similar human
temperaments.
36
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES
 Constitution:
Hemorrhagic
constitution, skin
shows purple or
mottled appearance.
They are very much
restless people. Face
is sickly, pale,
anxious, bloated,
dark, red or bluish.

37
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES
 Ailments from:
Fright, jealousy, alcoholism, onanism, loss
of vital fluids, suppressed menses, physical
trauma. Bad effects of poisons, long lasting
grief, disappointed love, vexation, summer
and spring.

38
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES
 Miasm:
Syphilitic and Tubercular background.

 Temperament:
Melancholic.

 Diathesis:
Hemorrhagic.

39
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES
 Thermal relation:
All ophidians are hot patients (except Elaps
and Naja which are chilly.).

 Sphere of action:
Nerves especially pneumogastric and spinal
accessory, cellular tissues, skin, circulation,
CVS, brain, liver, glands, throat and muscles
etc.

40
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS

Jealous

41
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS
Suspicious, there
is a fear of being
poisoned, which
causes him to
refuse the
medicines offered;
these people are
suspicious because
of their survival
instincts.
42
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS
Loquacity: The
ophidians are
compelled to talk
continuosly. They
jump from one
topic to other
without any
connection. Makes
speeches in
selective phrases.
43
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS

Anxiety, mental
excitement and
fear. Fear is a
basic mental
feature, it leads to
nervous
depression.
Hallucinations are
regularly seen.

44
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS

Fear of disease
and death. Fear of
rain.

45
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS

Religious insanity,
there is a state of
religious
melancholy and
clairvoyance.
Thinks he is under
control of some
super natural
powers.
46
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS

Delirium,
muttering. This
stage is carried
into
unconsciousness
and further to
coma.

47
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS

Fastidious,
hurried tendency
with much fastness
in doing things.

48
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS

Irritable
and
quarrelsome.

49
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS

Competitiveness

50
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS

Greedy, jealous,
malicious & always
playing dirty tricks.

51
CHARACTERISTIC MENTALS

Attractiveness

52
 CHARACTERISTIC PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

 Hemorrhagic diathesis.
 Amelioration after
discharges.
 All ophidians are left
sided (except crotalus
and elaps.)
 Pains: from left to right
(except crotalus and
elaps.)

53
CHARACTERISTIC PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

 Congestive pains.
 Gangrene,
decomposition of blood
with death of tissue
leading to gangrene.
 Haematuria is very
often seen.
 Flushes of heat with
congestion.

54
CHARACTERISTIC PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

 Septicaemia.
 Hypersensitiveness.
 Paralysis.
 Constriction and
choking sensation.
 Periodicity.

55
GENERAL MODALITIES
 Aggravation
Morning, after sleep, noise, jar, suppression of
discharges, summer, touch and night.

 Amelioration
When awake, cold, appearance of discharges.

56
REMEDY RELATIONS
 Antagonist:
Alcohol.

 Antidote:
Radiation heat, ammonia and potassium permanganate.

57
LACHESIS TRIGONOCEPHALUS
 South American bushmaster

 Proved by Hering.

 Found in South America in the

equatorial forests east of the Andes:
Colombia, eastern Ecuador, Peru,
northern Bolivia, eastern and
southern Venezuela, Guyana,
Surinam, French Guiana and much
of northern Brazil. The type locality
is "Surinami" (Surinam).
 The species is also found on the
Island of Trinidad.
58
LACHESIS TRIGONOCEPHALUS
 Lachesis is the best known and therefore the most
frequently used of all the snake poisons.
 A brief survey of the symptoms produced by the bite of
the snake will suggest the character of the ailments
which call for its use.
They are –
Fevers of low type, septic and zymotic conditions
attended by alarming prostration, relaxation of muscles,
disorganization of the blood, phlegmonous
inflammation, diptheritic deposits, malignant ulceration
with thin, ichorous discharges, violent disturbances of
the circulation, exaggerated reflexes, paralysis and coma.
59
 There are five grand characteristics
which will enable us quickly to
recognize the remedy in both acute and
chronic cases. They are ----

1. Aggravation after sleep.

2. Extreme sensitiveness to touch.
3. Intolerance of clothing about the neck or
abdomen.
4. Ailments on the left side or progressing
from left to right.
5. Relief from reestablishing of discharges
or eruptions.

60
 Other important characteristics to
complete a practical study of the
remedy are as follows:
 Ailments from GRIEF, fright,
vexation, JEALOUSY, or
disappointed love.
 HOT FLUSHES and other affections
during or following the climactric;
“Not well since change of life.”
 Bluish or black inflamed areas,
swellings, ulcers.
 Loquacity; jumps from one subject
to another.

61
Varicose veins Varicose ulcers

62
 Suspiciousness.
 Sadness; anxiety.
 Weak memory. Frightful
hallucinations.
 Fainting; during vertigo;
palpitation; from emotional
excitement.
 Sensations of a ball in inner
parts; numbness; heat.
 Pains; stitching; stitching
upwards; tearing; burning.

63
o Delirium tremens.

o Mania-a-potu.

64
LACHESIS TRIGONOCEPHALUS
 One of the most characteristic symptoms of Lachesis is found
in the tongue especially in diseases of a typhoid type; namely,
puts the tongue out with great difficulty (Gel.), it is very dry;
trembles & catches under lower teeth. But its not so dry in
Gel., although this is a sign of weakness, but in Gel. It occurs
in the very beginning of the fever, while in Lachesis it comes
later.

65
LACHESIS TRIGONOCEPHALUS
 Constrictionof the throat in tonsillitis, asleep
diphtheria, heart and lung affections, on falling,
on waking.

 Menses late, dark, clotted, scanty, intermitting,

relieving all symptoms.

 Hemorrhage, thin, non-coagulating; dark or

black like charred straw.
66
LACHESIS TRIGONOCEPHALUS
 Lachesis & Pulsatila are the main two
remedies for fear of suffocating & choking.

 With Pulsatila, it’s from warm, stuffy rooms &

with Lachesis it’s falling asleep.

 Aconite is another remedy that wakes up

choking because of nightmares and fears.

67
LACHESIS TRIGONOCEPHALUS
 Left sided remedy, warm blooded & open.
 Right sided, chilly & closed.
 Right sided, warm & closed.

 Left sided, chilly & open.

 Left sided, chilly & closed.

 Right sided, mixed & mixed.

 Left sided, warm & mixed.

68
LACHESIS TRIGONOCEPHALUS

 Worse: morning, night, spring, warmth, warm,

wet weather; before and during thunderstorm,
motion on painful side, touch during and after
sleep; warm food.

 Better: cold, cool air; pressure; loosening

clothing; discharges. 69
Lachesis trigonocephalus

 Jealousy:
 as foolish as it is
irritable:
 Loquacity: Changing
quickly from one
subject to another
 Mocking:
 Amusement , desire for.
 Business, aversion to.

70
Lachesis trigonocephalus
 Avoidscompany to indulge in
her fancy.
 Religious affections.
 Doubtful, soul’s welfare, of.
 Protruded, tongue: rapidly,
darting in and out like a snake’s.
 Aggravation: sun, from
exposure to.
 Worse after sleep.
 Gangrene.

71
NAJA TRIPUDIANS
 Cobra venom.

 The hooded snake of

Hindustan.

 Proved by Russell &

Stokes, with some forty
other provers including
Gillow, Pope & Drysdale.

72
BULBAR
PARALYSIS

73
NAJA TRIPUDIANS
 Bulbar paralysis
 No hemorrhage but
oedema
 Heart remedy esp.
valvular troubles
 Organs seem to be drawn
together
 Left sided.
 Sleep profound like a log

74
NAJA TRIPUDIANS
Irritability, dry cough,
dependent on cardiac
lesions. (Spongia., Laurc.)
Mind: broods constantly
over imaginary troubles.
Suicidal insanity (Aur.)
Aversion to talking. (opp.-
Lach.)
Fear of rain.

75
 NAJA TRIPUDIANS
Delusions, troubles, broods over imaginary.

Suicidal disposition, axe with an.

Delusion, injured, is being, surrounding, by his.

Delusion, neglected, he is.

Delusion, superhuman, control, is under.

Will: two wills, feels as if he had.

Wrong, everything seems.

76
 NAJA LACHESIS

Tremendous lack of confidence, Delusion, great person, is a

always has an unfounded feeling
that he will fail in his endeavors

Anxiety, motion ameliorates Anxiety, motion from

Want of self confidence Egoistic, always talks about
Feels himself to be a failure himself in company
Fear of failure Haughty
Irresolution Delusions proud
Self-deprecation Boaster

77
 NAJA
There is a conflict whether to
do her duty or not, but she
performs it because of her
strong sense of duty.
LACHESIS
There is a conflict between
the logos (mind) and bios
(Sexuality), Lachesis has
tremendous sexuality and
there is an attempt to control
these animal instincts, hence
the conflict.
78
 NAJA LACHESIS

No suspicion Suspicion
Shy, timid and indisposed to Marked loquacity
talk

Is always controlled and Eccentric and can go out of

will not do anything that bounds.
deviates from the norm.

79
 NAJA LACHESIS

Dullness worse in the Increased mental activity at

evening. night.

Dreams: Dreams:
Fire, murder, suicide, Amorous, danger, death, fire,
frightful in sadness journey, murdered being
snakes.

Desire for stimulants. Desire for alcohol, oysters,

coffee, farinaceous food,
pickles, sour.
80
ELAPS CORALLINUS

 Coral snake.

 Commonly found in
Brazil, so also called as
Brazilian coral snake.

81
 ELAPS CORALLINUS
 Black discharges.
 Spasms followed by paresis.
 Right sided paralysis.
 Cold things disagree.
 Retinal hemorrhages.
 Cracking in ears on swallowing.

82
 ELAPS CORALLINUS
 Fetid and greenish discharge.
 Desire sweetened butter milk.
 Mind: fear of rain.
 Can speak, but cannot understand speech.

 Imagines he hears someone talking.

83
ELAPS CORALLINUS

Appearance of Elaps bite

on an infant’s foot
84
 ELAPS CORALLINUS
 Stomach, coldness, ice-like, after cold drinks.
 Chest, coldness, internal, as if ice water were rising
and descending through a cylindrical tube.
 Stomach, pain, lying on abdomen ameliorates.
 Dreams of falling into abyss.
 Aversion, bananas.
 Desires ice.
 Desires, oranges.
 Crackling in ears on swallowing.

85
 Comparison between Naja and Elaps.

Common symptoms –

 Fear of being alone

 Fear of death
 Fear of rain
 Fear that something bad will happen
 Delusion of being injured
 Desire for company
 Constriction: temples, eyes, throat, chest

86
 NAJA ELAPS

Causes no haemorrhage, Disorganization of blood.

but only edema. Black discharges.
Affects cardiovascular and
nervous system

Nervous and tremulous Spasms followed by

with cardiac effects; often paresis
reflex

87
 NAJA ELAPS

Mind: Mind:
Desire for company. Aversion to company –
wants to get away from
people into the country.

Elaps also has a desire for company, which is an exact

polarity of the symptom-Aversion to company
mentioned above. This desire for company is primarily
a result of the tremendous fear of something horrible
or terrible that might happen.

88
 NAJA ELAPS

Fear of failure, of death during Fear of death, apoplexy,

heart symptoms, misfortune. robbers, snakes.

Delusion wrong has suffered Delusion of being injured and

Delusion he is neglected, beaten.
Delusion he cannot succeed,
Delusion of being in super-
human control.

Dreams frightful in sadness, Dreams of dead bodies, digging

fire, murder, suicide. knives into wounds of dead
bodies, falling into an abyss,
troubles, vexations, weeping.
89
 Generals
NAJA ELAPS
Left sided affection Right-sided affections.
Affection of the heart. Right-sided paralysis.
Pain from left ovary to Affection of apex of right
heart lung

Desire for stimulants and Desire for ice, salads,

sugar. oranges, buttermilk, milk
and whipped cream.

90
 NAJA ELAPS

Coldness of feet and hands Sensation of coldness

with headache In the chest
In the stomach after
drinking.

Target organs: Target organs:

 Heart (mitral valve)  Ears
 Medulla and cerebellum  Nose
 Respiratory system  Throat
 Throat  Stomach
 Ovary  Chest

91
 NAJA ELAPS

Nose: Watery coryza Nose: Chronic nasal catarrh

Hayfever with fetid odor and green
Sneezing ameliorates crusts.

Throat: Painful swallowing. Throat: Pain extending to

ear on swallowing
Swallowing impossible Swallowing impeded; has
to drink at every mouthful
to wash down the food

92
CROTALUS HORRIDUS

 Rattle snake.

 The rattle snake of

North America.

93
CROTALUS HORRIDUS

 Haemorrhage: decreased coagulation rate.

Stringy and dark fluid.
Yellow fever.
Malignant scarlatina.
 Right sided remedy.
 Headache: must walk on tip-toe to avoid
jarring.

94
CROTALUS HORRIDUS

 Very sensitive to light

esp. lamp light.

 Illusions: blue colour

95
CROTALUS HORRIDUS

 Intra-ocular
hemorrhages, into
vitreous (particularly
non-inflammatory).

 Tongue goes right side

on protruding.

 Coffee-ground
vomiting – (cancer
stomach)
96
CROTALUS HORRIDUS

 Yellow colour.

 Dreams of the dead.

 Mind: Weeping mood.

Delusions of cerebral
decay.
Loquacious, with desire
to escape.
97
CROTALUS HORRIDUS

Crotalus horridus bite 98

CROTALUS HORRIDUS

 Fever: septic.
 Fever: yellow.
 Escape, attempts to.
 Tongue, swelling.
 Dreams of dead.
 Skin: discoloration, yellow.
 Gangrene.

99
 CROTALUS CASCAVELLA

Brazilian rattle snake

Firstly proved by
Mure, together with
effects reported by
Higgins.

100
 CROTALUS CASCAVELLA
Thoughts and dream of
death.
Paralysis of articulation.
Embrassed stertorous
breathing and
semiconciousness.
A magnetic is produced;
cutting sensation all
around the eyeball.
101
CROTALUS CASCAVELLA

A victim of bite from

Crotalus cascavella
snake

102
CENCHRIS CONTORTRIX
 Copperhead snake
 Chunk head, death
adder, highland
moccasin, (dry-land)
moccasin, narrow-
banded copperhead.
 In most of
North America it favors
deciduous forest and
mixed woodlands.
103
CENCHRIS CONTORTRIX

Copperhead bite
104
CENCHRIS CONTORTRIX
 Arsenic like symptoms: Dyspnoea, mental and
physical restlessness, thirst for small quantity of
water.
 Left sided remedy.
 Right ovarian region painful.
 Mind: Marked alteration of mood with vivid
dreams.

105
 NAJA CENCHRIS
Right sided Left sided
Aversion to domestic duty Duty conscious
Delusion, neglected his
duty
Jealousy Anxiety for others
Envy Absent
Quarrelsome Absent
Suspiciousness Absent
Selfishness Absent
Excitement in the morning Confusion in the morning
on waking

Desire for cold drinks and Desire for stimulants and

bacon sugar.
106
BOTHROPS LANCIOLATUS

 Yellow viper

 Crotalide

107
BOTHROPS LANCIOLATUS
Most coagulating – lachesis.
Hemiplegia with aphasia.
Inability to articulate, without any
affection of tongue.
Right sided (diagonal course of the pain)
Retinal hemorrhages. (day blindness).
Intense haematemesis – black vomiting.
Gangrene, anthrax, malignant erisepalas.

108
BOTHROPS LANCIOLATUS

Appearance of the
affected part after 22
days of the Bothrops
bite

109
VIPERA BERUS

German
viper.

Viperadae.

110
Temporary increase in reflexes then
paresis followed by paraplegia (upward
direction) i.e. ascending paralysis.
Enlargement of liver.
Inflammation of veins with great swelling;
bursting sensation.

VIPERA BERUS
111
Patient is obliged to keep the extremities
elevated. When they are allowed to hang
down, it seems as if they would burst and
the pain is unbearable (Diad.)
Excessive swelling. Lips and tongue
(protruding).

VIPERA BERUS
112
VIPERA BERUS

Viper bite on a dog

113
 TOXICOPHIS
 Moccasin snake.

114
 TOXICOPHIS
 Pain and fever recur annually, after bite from
this snake, and sometime changes location
with appearance of first symptoms.
 An annual dryness of skin follows the bite.
 Oedematous swelling and periodical neuralgia.
 Pain travels from one part to another.

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 HYDROPHIS CYANOCINCTUS
 Sea-serpant / sea-snake
 Common habitat is
along the coasts of the
Pacific islands,
Australia, India &
China.
 Proved by J.R. Reside.

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 HYDROPHIS CYANOCINCTUS
 Hydrophis from a toxicological point of view,
attacks the peripheral nerves, giving a
symptom table similar to that of poliomyelitis.
 From the pathogenic point of view, it is
possible to note particularly a depressive state
and weepy, irritability, fatigue, forgetfulness
and an inability to concentrate.

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