Themes of Datura arborea/ Solanaceae
by Tim Shannon ND
This is the only information I’ve seen about this remedy.
Apparently, Datura Arborea has never been proven. Rather, the
information in our books is derived from a Dr. Poulson who was intoxicated
by the smell of the flowers in his room.
The follow-up on this remedy is now about a year and a half. I just spoke
to this patient (11/16/03) and she is still doing very well. Hopefully, this
information, Materia Medica, and the use of family theory will lead others
to successfully use this remedy. Eventually we will develop a more
definitive clinical picture.
TENTATIVELY I consider the following themes/ideas to help differentiate
this Rx from the other similar nightshades (Stram, Bell, Hyos, Mand, Dulc,
& Sol-n) [Bold underlined perhaps unique to Dat-a]:
• Invisible/Incorporeal/Immaterial (Stram)
• Delusion Being Watched (Hyos)
• Heat in Liver
• Can’t Collect Thoughts, Experiencing Fragmented Thoughts, or
Thinking as if Through Jello
• Acute Sense of Smell
• Beauty, Birds & Flying
• Dreams of water
• Floating outside Body
• Clairvoyance
• Rage/Animal/Impulse to Claw & Scratch
• Other standard nighshade themes, i.e. hydrophobia, insanity, demons,
etc.
Datura Arborea
Information from the American Pharmacopea of 1883:
DATURA ARBOREA, Linn.
Synonym, Brugmansia Gardneri, Ruiz et Pav.
Nat. Ord., Solanaceae.
Common Name, Tree Stramonium.
This is a native of the Pacific coast, northward from Peru to California. It
flowers are long, tubular, bent downward, snowy - white, and of a very
sweet odor.
It was introduced to the homoeopathic profession by Dr. Poulson, United
States.
An Entry from Hale:
Toxicological effect much slower than D. Stramonium, but dynamically
very intense and lasting.
The odor of the flowers in a room causes considerable psychological
aberration.
Causes such deep impression upon the mental sphere and faculty of
concentrating ideas that I was sensibly affected a long time. (Dr. Camaun.)
A very strange feeling of pleasant ease and comfort, as if I scarcely
touched the earth with my feet, and had to gather my ideas from afar, as
if they were floating in the clouds.
A longing for beauty and fine scenery.
The brain seems floating in thousands of problems and grand ideas,
without being able to concentrate itself, or get to any point and carry out
any system of thought.
It acts mostly as a pure dynamic and semi - spiritual agent upon the
sensations, without perceptible pain. (Poulson.)
He experienced a slight vertigo, and found himself involved in a most
beautiful atmosphere, bright and calm as the sunlight at noon. (Camaun.)
A confusion of ideas across the cerebrum. (Ib.)
Recommended by Dr. Camaun as a remedy in some forms of emotional or
functional insanity, or when the patient is happy and contented and
imagines himself or herself to be some extraordinary emperor, prince, etc.
(Poulson.)
From Boericke:
Cannot concentrate thoughts; brain floats in thousands of problems and
grand ideas. Floating sensation as if ideas were floating outside of brain.
Headache, heartburn. Burning sensation around cardiac end of stomach,
extending to oesophagus with sense of constriction. Heat and fullness
over liver region.
Criticism from Hale:
Dr. Poulson’s estimate of the power of this remedy is, perhaps, overrated;
his theory of its action rather vague. It would have been better if he had
couched his language in less transcendental terms
It is interesting to note that Brugmansia was used by South American
Natives to make contact with the spirits world.
Keywords: datura arborea, tree stramonium, solanaceae,
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