Order: Asterales Link

Family: Asteraceae Bercht. & J.Presl (o Asteraceae Martinov; syn. Compositae (nom. cons.) Giseke)

Subfamily: Asteroideae (Cass.) Lindl.

Tribe: Astereae Cass.

Subtribe: Bellidinae Willk.

 

Daisies (Bellis perennis L., Bellis sylvestris Cirillo and Leucanthemum vulgare Lam.) have been used as medicinal plants since ancient times. In the European traditions they have been used in a more or less indistinguishable way, apart from some minor differences.

 

Bellis perennis L.

Primary functionality:	Venus; Libra, (Taurus).
Secondary functionality:	Moon; Cancer.
Nature:	Cold at the beginning of the II degree; damp in the end of the II degree [Gerard]
Taste:	Mainly acrid (for saponins) and slightly diffusive1, sweet and slightly bitter; it is also bland (due to mucilage), slightly saline and slightly astringent. A slight acidity can be felt in the leaves.
Tropism:	Chest (heart, breasts, bronchi), kidneys, uterus, stomach, blood vessels, skin.
Humoral actions2:	It disperses accumulations of even thickened Phlegm and perverse Melancholia, eliminates excess heat, regulates Tension.
Tissue states:	Phlegm (even thickened) excess and stasis3; Blood and/or Melancholia stasis; Yellow Bile excess; Tension excess or deficit.
Clinical actions:	Analgesic, anticongestant, antidiarrheal, antiechymotic, antihaemorrhagic, antiherpetic, antiinflammatory, antirheumatic, antiscorbutic, antispasmodic, detergent, febrifuge, hypotensive, laxative (mildly), nervine (anxiolytic and relaxing), resolving, tonic, vulnerary.
Used parts:	Leaves, flowering aerial part, flower heads, whole plant (with roots).

      

Description

A highly respected vulnerary herb, Bellis perennis can be used both internally (fresh plant juice, tincture or decoction) and externally. The ancient names of the plant (“Consolida minore”, “Consolida minima”, “Symphitum minimum”, “wound-wort”, “bruise-wort”, and “banwort” – da “boneworth”) testify that the daisy has been considered, since the distant past, a plant of considerable efficacy for the treatment of traumas and wounds, both internal and external, and even for the consolidation of bone fractures (in this it was considered superior to Leucanthemum vulgare) [Deacon, Lewis, Parr].

A particular indication of the decoction of the whole plant or the flowers, reported by various authors ([Mattioli, Durante, Culpeper]), is for penetrating wounds of the chest.

Besides being a vulnerary, the daisy has other remarkable properties. The infusion of the leaves has been used as an antitussive and for the treatment of colds, arthritis, liver, kidney and chest problems, as a “blood purifier” and diuretic; the infusion of flower heads has been used in cases of coughs, colds and eye problems. It is also particularly effective in treating skin problems. [DrHauschka, Lewis]

The prolonged use of a strong decoction of the root was considered a valuable remedy for scurvy [Deacon], while the infusion of the leaves was considered excellent against ethical fever⁴ [Grieve].

For internal use, the juice and distilled water were administered to refresh the liver, mitigate anger and extinguish internal heat. [Culpeper, Durante]

1. perennis has the particular and specific property of treating problems arising from the ingestion of cold liquids when the body is hot. [Anschutz, Beucci, Clarke, DrHauschka, Tyler, Vermeulen]

Even for external use, daisies have their usefulness. As an ointment they are of great help for wounds, especially if they are inflamed or they are old wounds that do not heal due to damp humors, particularly when they are located in the joints of the arms and legs. A daisy ointment relieves all types of pain, especially those of the joints and gout⁵.

This plant provides information on soil erosion and decalcification, with loss of Fe and Ca ions leading to a deficiency in clay-humic complex cohesion (it is a “bio-indicator” plant). As well as its ecological role, the daisy could also help to regulate calcium imbalances in the human body: calcium nodules, arthrosis, decalcification, arteriosclerosis, etc. [Sarembaud]

Daisies are interesting edible plants: leaves, stems, buds and flowers can be eaten both raw and cooked; when raw, they have a slightly pungent but interesting flavor. Today considered purifying, fresh leaves were once used as a mild laxative, eaten in salads with oil, salt and vinegar or cooked in meat broth. The leaves eaten were thought to be able of resolving pimples.

 

Properties

Temperature and taste

The taste of daisy is quite complex. Its most peculiar characteristic, as well as the one that is noticed first, is a very particular sensation that it produces on the back of the tongue and at the bottom of the oral cavity, probably given by the combination of organic acids, salts and saponins.

The daisy has mainly an acrid (due to saponins) and slightly diffusive, sweet and slightly bitter taste; it is also bland (due to mucilage), slightly saline and slightly astringent.

The flower stem is decidedly sweeter than the rest of the plant, it is aromatic (herbaceous and coumarine scents), mucilaginous and slightly acrid (for saponins). The flower is more bitter and more aromatic (for essential oil) than the rest of the plant; it is acrid, pungent and diffusive. The rhizome is decidedly more astringent and acrid; it is also bitter and slightly sweet. A slight acidity can be felt in the leaves, caused by organic acids and their salts (mainly oxalates).

As far as the temperature is concerned, there is not agreement between the various authors: if Deacon classifies it as cold in the first degree and damp in the second degree [Deacon], Culpeper instead considers it cold in the second degree and damp in the fourth degree. Among the more classical authors, Durante and Mattioli define it as cold and damp without indicating the degrees, while Gerard describes it as cold at the beginning of the second degree and damp at the end of the second degree [Durante, Gerard, Mattioli].

In this text we will follow John Gerard’s classification. Indeed, despite being cold in nature, Bellis perennis contains a heat “core” inside, which is sensibly manifested in the acrid pungency of the saponins and in the essential oil of the flower heads. Furthermore, its dampness does not reach a very high degree.

 

Signatures

Different authors attribute to Bellis perennis different signatures: according to Junius and Deacon it is a plant ruled by Mars and Moon [Deacon, Junius], while according to Culpeper “it is under the sign Cancer, and under the dominion of Venus” [Culpeper].

The plant has a cold and damp nature and has a particular affinity for the uterus and breasts, as well as for the nervous system, so it certainly has a lunar nature and a cancerine potential (breasts, CNS).

On the other hand, it does not have at all the stimulating, accelerating, burning or intensifying characteristics of the dynamic and fiery Mars (except for some features, such as the action of saponins, which in any case constitute only a fraction of the plant phytocomplex), so there is no obvious reason to justify the assignment of a martial functionality.

On the other hand, being decidedly anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, diuretic and purifying, it fully expresses the venusin function. It also acts on bronchitis (rulership of Venus in Taurus), as well as on rheumatism and gout (sharing of Libra rulership with Saturn).

Therefore we can summarize the signatures of B. perennis as follows:

Functions: Venus (main) and Moon (secondary); Potentiality: Libra, Cancer, (Taurus).

 

Tissue phases

4 (fibrosis: hyalinosis), 5 (necrosis) [DewitLeunis]

 

Actions and indications

Humoral actions

It disperses accumulations of even thickened Phlegm and perverted Melancholia (coagulated blood, menstrual clots, indurations, cancer)⁶, eliminates excess heat and regulates Tension (spasms, cramps, hernias, asthma; stasis, paralysis, lameness).

 

Tropism

Chest (heart, breasts, bronchi), kidneys, uterus, stomach, blood vessels, skin.

 

Clinical actions

Analgesic, anticongestant, antidiarrheal, antiechymotic, antihaemorrhagic, antiherpetic, antiinflammatory, antirheumatic, antiscorbutic, antispasmodic, detergent, febrifuge, hypotensive, laxative (mildly), nervine (anxiolytic and relaxing), resolving, tonic, vulnerary.

 

Specific indications

Mind

• Great irritability. Nervous and restless. [Deacon, Mezger, Vermeulen]
• Detached and disconnected, although he feels alert, vital, at peace or all right [Deacon, Vermeulen].
• Stasis, also mental: dullness and slowness of perception [Clarke, Deaco, Tyler, Vithoulkas].
• Cheerfulness/vitality or sadness/weariness, or alternating between the two states. [Deacon, Vermeulen]
• Anxiety [Vithoulkas].
  • Anxiolytic (benzodiazepine-like effect) and anesthetic. [Karakas]

 

General

• Physical fatigue, with nervous breakdown or inner nervousness that forces him to move constantly; or extreme asthenia, with the desire to always lie down, worse after physical excesses and masturbation. Burn out. Debility following acute attacks of gout. Weariness during climacteric period.
• Trauma [Anschutz, Beucci, Clarke, Deacon, Phatak, Tyler, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]:
  • Effects of blows, falls, accidents, sprains; recent and remote [Clarke, Phatak, Vermeulen]:
    • With venous stasis and extravasation; it dissolves congealed and coagulated blood; bruising very tender to touch. [Beucci, Clarke, Deacon, Phatak, Tyler, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
    • Injuries to deep tissues, major trauma or septic wounds; especially to the abdomen, pelvis, rib cage; after surgical operations. [Beucci, Durante, Mattioli, Phatak, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
    • Wounds, internal and external; moist wounds that do not heal [Culpeper]:
      • Liter.: “An ointment made thereof doth wonderfully help all wounds that have inflammations about them, or by reason of moist humours having access unto them, are kept long from healing, and such are those, for the most part, that happen to joints of the arms and legs.” [Culpeper]
    • Disorders following heavy or prolonged physical exertion or following long journeys; railway spine⁷.[Beucci, Clarke, Deacon, Tyler, Vermeulen]
    • Injuries of the spine, of coccyx. Falls on coccyx. [Deacon Phatak, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
    • Injuries of nerves with extreme pain. Surgical wounds with nerve involvement. [Deacon, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
    • Cartilage injuries. Broken bones. [Deacon]
    • Ailments from sexual abuse and birth trauma including cord cutting trauma.[Deacon]
  • Exudates, swellings; congestive exudative swelling. [Burnett, Burnett3, Clarke, Phatak, Tyler]
  • Tumours, scrophula, cancer [Beucci, Burnett, Burnett2, Burnett3, Clarke, Culpeper, Mattioli, Durante, Phatak, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]:
    • Tumours originating from a blow. Breast cancer; breast cancer after a blow. [Beucci, Clarke, Phatak, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
    • [Karakas2, Karakas3]
    • Solvent of tubercular tumours (Pliny). [Deacon]
    • Liter.: “disperses and dissolves the knots or kernels that grow in the flesh of any part of the body” [Culpeper]
  • Ill-effects of sudden wet chill to heated stomach or body surface: dyspepsia, amenorrhoea, skin affections (including psoriasis), rheumatism. [Burnett, Clarke, Deacon, Phatak, Tyler, Vithoulkas]
  • Hemorrhages: tendency to bleed; congestion with bleeding, of venous origin, rather than frank hemorrhage; hemorrhages after exertion. [Phatak, Mezger, Vithoulkas]
  • Sensation of general bruising. [Beucci, Vermeulen]
  • Rheumatic pains. Gout (pains). [Anschutz, Burnett, Clarke, Gerard, Mezger, Vermeulen]
    • Liter.: “The Daisies do mitigate all kinde of paines, but especially in the joints, and gout, if they be stamped with new butter unsalted, and applied upon the pained place: but they worke more effectually if Mallowes be added thereto.” [Gerard]
  • Pelvic congestion: after trauma, physical exertion, childbirth and after catching a cold. [Beucci]
  • Fever, hectic fever; with cold shivering or chill with sweat. [Deacon, Grieve, Mezger, Vermeulen]
  • Inflammations: inflammation of the genitals (external); any part that is hot and swollen is deflated and cooled down. [Durante, Mattioli, Vithoulkas]
  • Nocturnal cramps. [Burnett, Deacon]
  • Dropsy [Clarke, Tyler]
  • Ruptures [Culpeper]:
    • Liter.: “they are also used for ruptures, and other inward burnings, with very good success” [Culpeper]

 

Head

• Congestion headache, from occiput to vertex or sinciput of a cold, aching character. Migraine. [Deacon, Gerard, Phatak, Vithoulkas]:
  • Liter.: “The juice of the leaves and roots snift up into the noshtrils, purgeth the head mightily, and helpeth the megrim.” [Gerard]
• Vertigo, giddiness; of elderly people (cerebral stasis). [Clarke, Deacon, Phatak, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]

 

Ear

• Earache. [Deacon]
• Noises in the ears. Ringing. Popping and cracking when blowing the nose. [Deacon]

 

Nose

• Yellow coryza or clear, watery, irritating coryza, with herpetic eruption of the nostrils. [Burnett, Deacon, Mezger, Tyler]

 

Mouth

• Mouth and tongue ulcers and pustules, internal and external wounds. [Culpeper, Mezger]
• Cold sores. [Mezger]

 

Eyes

• Watery (juice of the plant instilled). [Culpeper]
• Ecchymosis. [Deacon]
• Eye strain (e.g., from computer screens). [Deacon]
• Eruptions of pimples on eye lids. [Deacon]
• Clear, watery, irritating secretion. [Mezger]

 

Heart & circulation

• Irregular pulse. Palpitations, extrasystole beats. Palpitations after exertion. [Deacon, Mezger, Vithoulkas]
• Varicose veins. [Clarke, Vithoulkas]

 

Liver

• Refresh the liver. [Culpeper]

 

Gastrointestinal system

• Diarrhea: yellow color, painless, sour smelling, with a lot of gas. [Anschutz, Deacon, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
• Appendicitis. [Mezger]
• Laxative [Durante, Mattioli]:
  • Liter.: “The fresh herb eaten in salad softens the styptic body, and the same does it eaten cooked in meat broth.” [Mattioli]
  • Liter.: “The herb eaten in salad with vinegar, oil, & salt, looses the body.” [Durante]

 

• Metabolism
  • [Deacon, Grieve]
    • Liter.: “A strong decoction of the roots has been recommended for the treatment of scorbutic complaints and eczema, though it needs to be taken for some time before its effect becomes obvious.” [Grieve]
  • It purifies the blood, stimulates the metabolism and the appetite. [DrHauschka]

Respiratory and immune systems

• Tendency to take cold. [Deacon]
• Bronchitis with profuse expectoration of yellow phlegm. [Deacon]
• [Deacon]
• Cough: barking; dry, tickly cough as if fluff is caught in the throat. [Deacon]
• Sore throat, with cold shivering or chill with sweat. [Mezger]

 

 Male reproductive system

• Ulcers and pustules, internal and external wounds. [Durante, Mattioli]
• Disturbances from masturbation. [Beucci, Clarke, Tyler, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]

 

Female reproductive system

• Ulcers and pustules, internal and external wounds. [Durante, Mattioli]
• Ailments from coitus interruptus (Burnett). [Deacon, Vermeulen]
• Leucorrhea: viscous and irritating, acrid, excoriating; constant, chronic; ropy, stringy, tenacious, stains the underclothes yellow. [Deacon, Mezger, Vithoulkas]
• Menses clotted, copious; much worse with exertion. Or menses scanty or suppressed, with acne or an eruption on the face. [Mezger, Vithoulkas]
• PMS with backache. [Mezger, Vermeulen]
• Breasts:
  • Inflammation, swelling, induration, cancer, especially following a trauma. [Beucci, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
  • Lymphedema after breast removal. [Vermeulen]
  • Sensitive nodules in mammae. [Vithoulkas]
• Engorged uterus and breasts. [Clarke, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
• During pregnancy: inability to walk (from stretching of the abdominal muscles, from pain inside the uterus due to kicking, from the movements of the fetus or from mechanical pressure on the groin due to the heaviness of the fetus; from venous stasis or any mechanical action); varicose veins. [Clarke, Burnett, Phatak, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]

 

Limbs

• Palsy (external), lameness. [Culpeper, Durante, Mattioli]
  • Liter.: “Some use them for paralytics, & likewise in sciatica.” [Mattioli]
  • Liter.: “They are worth for paralysis, making of them fomentation with wallwort, & agrimony.” [Durante, (simil. Culpeper)]
• [Culpeper, Durante]

 

Skin

• Eruptions: herpetic, allergic, acne, cystic, pimple, boils, erysipelas. [Anschutz, Burnett, Clarke, Phatak, Tyler, Vithoulkas]
• Ecchymoses; with swelling sensitive to touch. [Deacon, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
• Insect bites.
• Sunburn.
• Neurodermatitis lesions (accelerates healing; infused oil).
• Keloid. [Vithoulkas]
• Psoriasis. [Clarke, Vithoulkas]
• Warts, bleeding and painful. [Deacon]
• Burning. [Anschutz, Deacon, Mezger, Vermeulen]
• Skin whitening (cosmetic, external use).

 

Used parts and collection

The flowers and aerial parts are harvested in spring. The roots can be harvested in the fall. The whole plant (flowering, with roots), in spring.

 

Preparations and dosage

Infused oil or poultice (for external use); syrup, infusion, decoction, tincture.

 

Contraindications and side effects

N/A.

 

Homeopathy

Various provings of Bellis perennis have been carried out starting from both the mother tincture and the spagyric tincture [Deacon] obtained from the whole plant. The symptoms are more or less superimposable. For the sake of clarity, in this text the information relating only to the spagyric proving is indicated with“(Bellis-p-sp.)”.

The notable vulnerary properties of Bellis are known also in homeopathy. Dr. Burnett wrote that “it acts very much like Arnica, even to the production of erysipelas.” Dr. Burnett has cured several cases of tumours originating in a blow with its aid. [Burnett, Clarke, Tyler]

Bellis is an important remedy especially for deep traumas, whether they happen to the physical body or to the psyche. It is a remedy that should be considered whenever a mistreatment or hurt has been suffered in deep parts, for instance, after an operation or an accident, or when the emotional body has been mistreated in an emotional conflict. [Vithoulkas] It is indicated for both near and remote effects of traumas. [Clarke]

Bellis symptoms can arise as a consequence of overwork or of repeated traumas: muscles or tendons strained from weight lifting, stiffness and soreness of the bodies of old people working as labourers or gardeners after comparatively little work, and also excessive masturbation. Workmen who are forced, due to their profession, to stand, walk or travel a lot find this remedy of use. In all these cases Bellis is a better prescription than Arnica or Rhus tox. [Anschutz, Vithoulkas]

The Bellis remedy has a specific tendency to enclose painful spots, caused by hurt or mistreatment in either the psyche or the physical body, hiding them in such a way that they cannot viewed from or have access to the outside [Vithoulkas].

According to Vithoulkas, the Bellis perennis personality is characterized by a deep tumor in the feelings. Bruised and sore emotions are buried and hidden in the deep recesses of the patient’s feelings, into a hard spot (a kind of “psychic tumor”) which the patient never reveals to those around him, presenting instead a happy face, in perfect accordance with Clarke’s description of the plant: “the daisy is a flower which is repeatedly trodden upon and always comes up smiling afterwards.” [Clarke, Vithoulkas]

The Bellis patient has a deep fear that people can penetrate his defences and touch the painful area he knows to be there: if this painful spot is opened up by chance (or due to a sensitive contact by another person), an excruciating psychic soreness spreads all over his existence. The ‘bruise’ which had been kept inside for many years is now felt all over in such an intense way that the person feels she cannot stand it any more and indeed that she will not survive very long. [Vithoulkas]

If a woman receives a blow on her breast and a tumor develops, this tumor will remain enclosed for years, painful but without tendency to open or discharge. Entrenched inflammations of an organ with no outlet, inflammations that do not have the power or the force to open up an outlet and release the pressure within (e.g., inflammation of the gall-bladder where the biliary duct is obstructed and there is excruciating pain from the built-up inside pressure; swelling of the teste after an injury with severe pain; cystitis where the urine can hardly pass) also call for Bellis. A keynote for this remedy is a debilitating bruised feeling which spreads all over the body from such inflamed areas. [Vithoulkas]

Accordingly, Bellis is also able to clear any mechanical obstructions to the flow of blood (e.g, causing venous stasis or “blood congestion”, varicose veins, pregnancy issues due to mechanical causes) acting both on the muscular fibres of the blood vessels and on the tissues. [Burnett2, Tyler, Vithoulkas]

According to Clarke, “stasis” and “fag” are the principal notes of its action, with exudations and swellings of many kinds, fagged womb, varicose veins, giddinesses of elderly people (cerebral stasis). It has a marked action on female sexual organs, especially on engorged uterus and breasts. [Clarke]

As a remedy for debility following acute attacks of gout Burnett gives it a very high place, classing it with Vanadium, of which it is a complement in degenerative states, as brain softening and atheroma of arteries. [Clarke]

A special indication for Bellis is for ill-effects of sudden wet chill to heated stomach or body surface. This holds for dyspepsia, amenorrhoea, skin affections, rheumatism or whichever trouble arises from this cause. This may be taken as a keynote. [Clarke]

It is well not to give it near bed time, as it is apt to cause sleeplessness, waking at 3 a.m. and conversely “waking up too early in the morning and cannot get to sleep again” is a leading indication for its use. [Clarke]

Bellis must be thought of also in cases of cystic tumors, keloid tumors, naevus tumors, inflammation of bursae (bursitis), chronic appendicitis, neuritis, fractures of bones if the symptoms agree. [Vithoulkas]

 

Materia Medica

 

CLINICAL

Acne. Arteries, diseases of. Boils. Brain, softening of. Change of Life. Exudation. Fatigue. Finger, trigger. Giddiness. Gout. Headache. Hematomas. Indigestion. Masturbation, ailments from; also in little children. Mydriasis. Overwork. Pelvic congestion. Pregnancy, complaints of. Psoriasis. Railway plugs. Rheumatism. Sleeplessness. Spleen affections. Stasis. Trauma. Tumors, of traumatic origin. Uterus, fatigued. Varicosis. [Beucci, Clarke, Vithoulkas]

 

POLARITY OF ACTION

Blood vessels; capillaries. Nerves. Spleen. Female organs. Joints. Muscles. Abdomen. BREASTS. Eyes. [Beucci, Vermeulen]

Side: left [Beucci, Deacon, Vermeulen], right [Deacon]

 

PULSE: Irregular pulse [Vithoulkas]. Palpitations, extrasystole beats [Mezger]. Palpitations after exertion (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

Mind

• Great irritability, nervousness [Deacon, Mezger, Vermeulen]:
  • Irritated people who think slowly; they often dream of anger and revenge. [Vermeulen]
  • Nervous exhaustion. [Vermeulen]
  • Inner nervousness that forces him to move constantly; > continuous movement.[Vermeulen]
  • Extraordinary excitability, so important that he no longer realizes his surroundings. Feeling of pressure for no reason. [Mezger]
  • Excessive physical irritability. [Vithoulkas]
• Detached and disconnected although he feels alert, vital, at peace or all right [Deacon, Vermeulen].
  • Tranquility. [Deacon]
  • Delusion his daughter is dead, but without a sense of concern. Presentiment of one’s death with loss of concern for it. [Deacon, Vermeulen]
  • Distant from the partner without being aware of it. [Vermeulen]
  • Compton Burnett’s prover – an adult male in excellent health – compares the effects of Bellis perennis with those of alcohol. He suffers from all kinds of physical ailments, for example his splenic region turns is ‘hard as a drum’, but his mood is still good. [Vermeulen]

 

• Dullness and slowness of perception [Deacon, Vithoulkas]:
  • Vacant feeling. Dull in thinking. Confusion regarding other people’s identity. Mistakes strangers for familiar people. Memory problems with people’s names and words [Deacon]. Failure to recognize known localities, the patient loses his sense of orientation when traveling from place to place [Vithoulkas].

 

• Friend of all
  • Bellis perennis wants to appear nice, smiles and sees the positive aspects of every problem. Plus, he wants to be surrounded by nice people; a kind of nice, friendly and superficial company. Love me, love me not, etc. [Vermeulen]
  • Or delusion of being friendless. [Vermeulen]

 

• Polarity between cheerfulness/vitality and sadness/weariness. [Deacon]
  • Cheerful during lightning and thunder. [Vermeulen]
  • Alternating between vitality and sadness/weariness. [Deacon]
  • Enlivening and uplifting calm and confident, active, vital state alternating with a deep sadness and weariness not wanting to do anything associated with a loss of confidence. [Deacon]
  • Morose feeling. Depression. Deep sadness. (Bellis-p-sp) [Deacon]
  • Sadness with aversion to company, desire for solitude; with a sense of heaviness of the body; with crying. [Vermeulen]
  • Loquacity, or taciturn, indisposed to talk. [Vermeulen]

 

• Anxiety [Vithoulkas]
  • but “there is no anxiety about health in the Bellis patient. On the contrary there is an indifference towards health matters and he is scornful of death.” [Vithoulkas]

 

• Sexual excitement:
  • Easily aroused and difficult to satisfy in a normal way, driving the patient to repeated masturbation. Such an act brings about a great tiredness and an inner discontent and restlessness. [Vithoulkas]

 

• Delusion of hearing noises, of telephones ringing; as if the head were underwater; as if the mind had an attenuated force. [Vermeulen]

 

• [Vermeulen]
• Desire to go home and see family. [Vermeulen]

 

General

• Exudates, swellings [Burnett, Burnett3, Clarke, Phatak, Tyler]
  • Congestive exudative swelling.
    • Liter.: “[Bellis] produces swelling precisely of this congestive exudative kind.” [Burnett3]

 

• TRAUMA [Anschutz, Beucci, Clarke, Deacon, Phatak, Tyler, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]:
  • Effects of blows, falls, accidents, sprains; recent and remote [Clarke, Phatak, Vermeulen]:
    • Wounds, injuries, ecchymosis, injuries with venous stasis and extravasation. [Clarke, Deacon, Tyler, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
    • Bruising very tender to touch. [Beucci, Phatak]
    • Deep tissue injuries. [Beucci, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
    • Major trauma or septic wounds especially in the abdomen, pelvis, etc. [Phatak, Vermeulen]; after surgical operations. [Phatak, Vithoulkas]
    • Trauma with swelling not resolved after Arnica montana. [Vermeulen]
    • Disorders following heavy or prolonged physical exertion or following long journeys: railway spine, head sufferings of elderly working gardeners. [Beucci, Clarke, Deacon, Tyler, Vermeulen]
    • Injuries of the spine – coccyx [Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]. Falls on the coccyx [Phatak, Vermeulen]. Dull ache [of the back] after injury (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Injuries of nerves with extreme pain (Hypericum) [Phatak, Vithoulkas]. Surgical wounds with nerve involvement [Deacon].
    • Bruising of uterine and labial region. (Bellis-p-sp) [Deacon]
    • Ailments from sexual abuse. (Bellis-p-sp) [Deacon]
    • Birth trauma including cord cutting trauma. (Bellis-p-sp) [Deacon]
    • Cartilage injuries. Broken bones. [Deacon]
    • Debilitating bruised feeling which spreads all over the body from inflamed areas. [Vithoulkas]
    • Liter.: “For bruised conditions, muscular soreness, resulting either from exposure or from too vigorous physical exercise the herb with which this text has been made is very useful and, in the opinion of the writer, who has given the remedy many trials in these conditions, it far surpasses Arnica.” [Anschutz]
    • Liter.: “The success so far exceeded the previous use of Arnica and Rhus, especially in the time gained.” (sprained ankle) [Anschutz]
    • Liter.: “It is useful after injuries with extravasation of blood, much like Arnica, but Arnica is indicated with superficial injuries while Bellis should be thought of when the hurt tissues are at a deeper level and the tendency is to produce a kind of tumor.” [Vithoulkas]
    • Liter.: “Has a marked retrospective action with remote effects of injuries, trauma, birth trauma, surgery, broken bones, broken coccyx, strained muscles, overstrained joints and cartilage.” [Deacon]

 

• Effects of cold or iced drinks when heated (Ill-effects of sudden wet chill to heated stomach or body surface) [Burnett, Clarke, Deacon, Phatak, Tyler, Vithoulkas]:
  • Dyspepsia, amenorrhoea, skin affections (including psoriasis), rheumatism. [Burnett, Clarke, Vithoulkas]

 

• Cancer [Beucci, Burnett, Burnett2, Burnett3, Clarke, Phatak, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
  • Tumors originating from a blow. [Beucci, Clarke, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
  • Breast cancer; breast cancer after a blow. [Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]

 

• Physical fatigue:
  • & nervous exhaustion [Vermeulen]
  • & inner nervousness that forces him to move constantly; > continuous movement. [Vermeulen]
  • Extreme asthenia:
    • With the desire to always lie down [Clarke, Phatak, Vermeulen]
    • Worse after physical excesses and masturbation. [Beucci] Fag from masturbation. [Clarke]
    • Abnormal fatigue, so much so that walking seems too difficult; feeling of weight, like lead, when walking. [Mezger]
    • Liter.: “He cannot find rest in bed, wakes up very early, has little sleep and is always tired. These patients feel debilitated, and worse when rising.” [Vithoulkas]
  • Overworked old labourers and workmen. [Clarke]
  • Burn out. [Deacon]
  • Debility following acute attacks of gout. [Clarke]
  • Weariness during climacteric period. [Vithoulkas]
  • Mobile phone abuse, eye strain, eye strain from computer screens. (Bellis-p-sp) [Deacon]

 

• Hemorrhages [Phatak, Mezger, Vithoulkas]:
  • Hemorrhages after exertion. [Vithoulkas]
  • Tendency to hemorrhage. [Mezger]
  • From the nose and uterus. [Mezger]
  • Headache, followed by nosebleeds which > headache. [Mezger]
  • Congestion with bleeding, of venous origin, rather than frank haemorrhage. [Mezger]

 

• Bruising-like soreness [Beucci, Vermeulen]
  • General bruising sensation (Arnica), soreness in the lower abdomen. [Beucci]
  • Sometimes > movement, > massage. [Vermeulen]

 

• Rheumatic pains [Anschutz, Burnett, Clarke, Mezger, Vermeulen]:
  • Rheumatic pains throughout the body, < morning > movement. Muscle aches. [Mezger, Vermeulen]
  • Soreness of the joints; strained, bruised feeling characterized by no especial modality; generalized muscular soreness. [Anschutz]
  • Rheumatoid symptoms in the muscles, joints and nerves. Painful joints. [Mezger]

 

• Pelvic congestion:
  • After trauma, physical exertion, childbirth and after catching a cold. [Beucci]

 

• Fever, shivering [Deacon, Mezger, Vermeulen] :
  • Feels very cold shivering as from fever with heat feeling. Chill with sweat. (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Fever with severe chills. [Mezger]
  • & headache or sore throat. [Mezger]
  • Sore throat was often associated with icy chills. [Mezger]

 

• Desire for movement [especially in the open air] which > [Mezger, Vermeulen]:
  • Movement > flatulence in the stomach and abdomen and > cardiac arrhythmias. [Mezger, Vermeulen]
  • Continuous movement > rheumatic pains (also massage >) [Mezger, Vermeulen]

 

• Poor condition of the gastric and respiratory mucous membranes, as well as sweat ducts, both objectively and subjectively, especially in the nose. [Mezger]
• Unbearable pain that drives to distraction. [Phatak]
• Complaints from suppression of perspiration. [Vithoulkas]
• Aversion to washing and bathing. [Vithoulkas]
• Faint spells with cold sweat (Carb-v.). [Vithoulkas]
• Tingling sensations (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
• Ailments from telephone phobia (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
• Travel sickness (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
• Trembling internally. [Vithoulkas]

 

• Modalities:
  • < Cold (cold bath, cold drinks, chilling when hot); < hot (hot bath, hot bed) [Burnett, Clarke, Tyler, Vermeulen]
    • > heat, < cold⁸ [Mezger, Vermeulen]
    • Headache < heat, > cold. [Mezger, Vermeulen]
    • Locally, > cold applications [Anschutz, Vithoulkas]
    • Liter.: “Ailments from exposure to cold and wet when overheated is a keynote but the peculiarity is that once the inflammation has set in, a local application of cold is beneficial to the patient.” [Vithoulkas]
  • < around 3 a.m. and for a few hours after that time. [Vithoulkas]

 

Local

• Head:
  • [Deacon]
  • [Deacon, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
    • From occiput to sinciput. [Clarke, Vithoulkas] From occiput to vertex or sinciput of a cold, aching character. Shooting pain. [Phatak, Vithoulkas]
    • Congested headaches. [Deacon]
    • Migraine with bursting feeling. [Deacon]
    • Dull aching and bruised pains. [Deacon]
    • Pain as from a nail driven into the head. [Deacon]
  • Vertigo, giddiness [Clarke, Deacon, Phatak, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]:
    • Of elderly people (cerebral stasis) [Clarke, Phatak]
    • A little giddiness in the head at times. [Clarke, Vithoulkas]
    • With motion and accompanied by nausea. On rising or standing. On seeing an expanse of white floor. (Bellis-p-sp) [Deacon]
    • & “flickering” sensation in front of the eyes. [Mezger]
  • Constriction:
    • Brain feels as though contracted in frontal region. [Clarke, Vithoulkas]
    • Of forehead [Vithoulkas].
    • As from a tight band around the forehead above the eyes extending into the neck (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Head tired and heavy with feeling it wants to drop forwards (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Head feels as though it is a solid lump (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon, Vermeulen]
  • Heat in head (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Fuzziness of head (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Eruptions of small pimples which burst on touching. [Deacon]

 

• Ear
  • Heat and glowing feeling of both ears (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Pains bursting, pressing, sore. (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Blocked and congestion of the ears. (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Deafness (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Hearing
    • Noises in the ears. Ringing. Popping and cracking when blowing the nose. (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Noises and voices sound far away and distorted (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

• Nose:
  • Coryza [Burnett, Deacon, Mezger, Tyler]
    • Clear or yellow coryza (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Liter.: “8 provers noted: a clear, watery, irritating coryza with herpetic eruption of the nostrils. Nosebleeds were noted twice, once after blowing his nose.” [Mezger]
  • Cold feeling of nose (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Tingling sensation (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Sneezing and sensation as if going to sneeze (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

• Eyes:
  • It has been observed to cause dilatation of the pupil when used locally. [Clarke, Vithoulkas]
  • Desire to close eyes with heaviness of lids (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • [Deacon]
  • Aching and burning pains, which are worse for moving the head (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Soreness of eyes on waking (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Eye strain with headache (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Continuous, dull and burning pain, < when moving the head. [Vermeulen]
  • Eruptions of small pimples on eye lids. [Deacon]
  • Desire to close the eyes, with a sense of heaviness in the eyelids. [Vermeulen]
  • Clear, watery, irritating secretion:
    • Liter.: “The conjunctival symptoms are similar to those of the nose, both for the secretion and for the excoriation of the mucous membranes.” [Mezger]
  • Vision
    • Blurred (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Black red or white shapes or spots in front of the eyes (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Pulsating white light (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Kaleidoscope bright colours before the eyes (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • As if looking through ripples of water (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Lost, left eye (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

• Face
  • Eruptions: herpetic, allergic, acne, cystic, pimple, boils. [Deacon, Vithoulkas]
    • Acne on face especially during menses [Vithoulkas]
  • Coldness (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Sore when touched (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

• Mouth
  • Dryness (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Sensation as if tongue or lips are swollen (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Metallic, bad or bitter taste (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Altered tastes of food and cigarettes (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Increased sensation in the tongue (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Pain and hypersensitivity in the tongue and oral mucosa. [Mezger]
  • Small ulcerations. [Mezger]
  • Cold sores. With pain in the corners of the mouth. Pain in the gums. [Mezger]
  • Burning in the mouth, causing craving for cold water. [Mezger]
  • The tongue is sore and burns; the tip and edges of the tongue are red and inflamed. [Mezger]
  • Polyps of the tongue, swollen tongue [Mezger]:
    • Liter.: “A prover who had a polyp in the oral mucosa reports a 5 mm. increase of the size of this polyp. In one proving, which I did myself with a 6 XH, I noticed a painful swelling of the tongue, aggravated by eating and speaking; also this increase in volume made me bite my tongue.” [Mezger]

 

• Teeth
  • Pains as if pricked with a needle (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Abscess of roots of teeth. [Vithoulkas]
  • Tooth pain, > heat. [Mezger, Vermeulen]
  • Sensation of elongation. [Vermeulen]

 

• Throat and neck
  • Dryness of throat with blocked nose (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Throat constriction (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Pain on swallowing, in the palate and tonsils. [Mezger]
  • Itching in the throat. [Mezger]
  • Hoarseness and raw sensation of the mucous membranes in the throat and larynx, with cough and obstruction due to mucus. [Mezger]
  • Spots on the left side of the neck (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Stinging pains, such as a dagger sticking and staying in place in the chest and back while coughing. [Mezger]

 

• Heart & circulation
  • Pulse:
    • Irregular pulse. [Mezger, Vithoulkas]
    • Palpitations, extrasystole beats. [Mezger] Palpitations after exertion (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • With a feeling of weakness in the heart (similar to the warning symptoms of hyperthyroidism). [Mezger]
    • Liter.: “This manifestation [during the proving] of previously unknown symptoms shows Bellis’s affinity for the heart.” [Mezger]
  • Varicose veins. [Clarke, Vithoulkas]
  • “It acts on the muscular fibres of the blood vessels, and upon the tissues, and thus clears the line of these mechanical obstructions.” [Burnett2, Tyler]

 

• Stomach:
  • Effect of cold or iced drink when heated. [Clarke, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
  • Appetite:
    • Want of appetite. [Clarke, Vithoulkas]
    • Increased appetite; must also eat at night. [Vermeulen] Insatiable hunger. One of the provers had to have a meal right after the first one. There is rarely a loss of appetite. [Mezger]
    • Appetite increased after eating alternating with loss of appetite. [Deacon, Vermeulen]
    • Hunger satisfied by drinking water (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Desires and aversions:
    • Desire of vinegar and raw onions (considered a keynote by Mangialavori) [Mezger, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas], meat [Vithoulkas], chocolate [Deacon]
    • Aversion to favourite foods. [Deacon]
    • Aversion to sweets. [Vithoulkas]
  • Thirst
    • Increased or constantly thirsty during both day and night. [Deacon, Vermeulen]
    • Unquenchable thirst. [Deacon] Grande sete. [Mezger]
    • Desires cold water. [Deacon, Vermeulen]
    • Thirst with no desire to drink. [Deacon]
  • Nausea [Anschutz, Clarke, Deacon, Vithoulkas]
    • Slight nausea. [Anschutz, Clarke, Vithoulkas]
    • & acid eructations (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • & vertigo (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • & headache, worse for the motion of walking, traveling on a train, standing, rising (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Gastritis, with nausea, vomiting and a feeling of heaviness in the stomach. [Mezger]
    • Borborygmi, vomiting after tasting apples and acid reflux. [Mezger]
  • Pains:
    • While lying. [Vithoulkas]
    • < bending. [Vithoulkas]
    • Crampy pains accompanied by loose stools. [Vithoulkas]
    • > eating, from pressure and constriction. [Mezger]
  • Bloating in stomach region. [Vithoulkas]
  • Empty feeling. [Vithoulkas]
  • [Vithoulkas]
  • Fluttery feeling in stomach extending to throat. [Vithoulkas]

 

• Liver and gallbladder
  • Stinging pains in the liver region. [Mezger]
  • Epigastrium sensitive to pressure. Feeling of heaviness and fullness in the epigastrium after eating fatty pastries. [Mezger]
  • Vomiting of biliary matter. [Mezger]

 

• Spleen affections [Burnett3, Clarke, Vithoulkas, Tyler]
  • Fullnes about the spleen. [Phatak]
  • Stitches in the spleen. [Clarke, Phatak, Tyler]
  • Fullness about the spleen, swelling and stitches. [Vithoulkas]
  • Decided affinity for the left hypochondrium. [Burnett3]

 

• Abdomen and rectum:
  • Soreness of abdominal walls. [Phatak, Vithoulkas]
  • Pain in abdomen after ice cream. Pain in abdomen during inspiration. [Vithoulkas]
  • Sensation of a knotted ball in central upper abdomen (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Colicky spasms with loose diarrhoea stool (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Offensive flatulence (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon] Flatus with farting (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Heat sensations (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Pulsations in central lower abdomen (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Diarrhea [Anschutz, Deacon, Phatak, Vithoulkas]:
    • Yellow color, painless, of a foul odor and worse at night [Anschutz, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
    • Offensive diarrhoea stool sour smelling (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Frequent loose stool (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Especially daytime diarrhea with a lot of gas. Abdominal borborygmus that fade with movement. [Mezger]
    • Urgency to evacuate (just in time to arrive). [Mezger]
  • Appendicitis [Mezger]:
    • A physician felt all the symptoms of appendicitis; he had to stop the proving; seven days later, he resumed the proving and in 12 days he had the same symptoms, without fever. Another experimenter showed symptoms similar to typhlitis⁹. [Mezger]
    • Liter.: “Bellis acts specifically on the appendix. The effect of the remedy on the lymphatic ganglia is the same as its action on the appendix.” [Mezger]

 

• Respiratory and immune systems:
  • Bronchitis with profuse expectoration of yellow phlegm (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Asthma (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Tendency to take cold. (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Croaking sounding breathing. Gurgling of chest on inspiration. Rattling of mucous in chest (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Cough
    • Barking (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Dry cough (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Tickly cough as if fluff is caught in the throat (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

• Chest
  • Warmth and heat over sternum and general chest area extending to shoulder blades (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Constricting pains (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Breathlessness with anxiety (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Felt she was having an angina attack (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Breathing difficult after exertion. Feeling of a panic attack (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

• Urinary organs
  • Urination difficult, involuntary while lying. [Vithoulkas]
  • Increased desire and need to urinate (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Nocturia (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Small amounts of urine passed each time (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

• Male reproductive system:
  • Erections wanting. [Vithoulkas]
  • Masturbation in children. Masturbation causes great weariness. Excess of masturbation. [Beucci, Clarke, Tyler, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
  • Tingling sensation in genital region (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

• Female reproductive system:
  • Tendency to masturbation. [Vermeulen]
  • Ailment from coitus interruptus (Burnett). [Deacon, Vermeulen]
  • Lump like eruptions on labia painful when touched (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Heat in pubic area. (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Leucorrhoea (Bellis-p-sp): [Deacon]
    • Viscous and irritating leucorrhoea. [Mezger]
    • Acrid, excoriating; constant, chronic; ropy, stringy, tenacious, stains the underclothes yellow. [Vithoulkas]
  • Ovarian pains, sharp, sore, pressing, radiating. Pains worse for touch (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Menses
    • Clotted, copious; much worse with exertion. [Mezger, Vithoulkas]
      • Liter.: “A female physician had severe menorrhagia with clots. During this time, she moved herself and it is possible that this triggered the bleeding.” [Mezger]
    • When the menses are scanty or suppressed, acne or an eruption appears on the face. [Vithoulkas]
    • 3 days late (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]; late [Beucci]
    • Mittlesmirtz¹⁰ (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • & dizziness < getting up, > lying down. [Vermeulen]
    • & cramps. [Mezger]
    • & backache. [Mezger]
    • & severe bearing-down pains (such as from labor) & back pain. [Mezger, Vermeulen]
    • & pain in the uterus as if it were squeezed; pain extending to the front of the thighs. [Anschutz, Vermeulen]
    • Can be easily suppressed by exposure to cold, cold weather, cold bathing, having a shower. [Vithoulkas]
      • & then followed by terrible backache. [Vithoulkas]
    • Severe dysmenorrhea, < around 3 p.m. and at 3-4 a.m.; > by hard pressure to the hypogastrium and by cold applications, not relieved by heat; accompanied with nausea and vomiting and throbbing in the pelvis. [Vithoulkas]
  • BREASTS:
    • Swollen breasts after trauma [Beucci].
    • Hardening of the breasts after trauma. [Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
    • Breast cancer; breast cancer after a blow. [Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
    • Lymphedema after breast removal. [Vermeulen]
    • Inflammation of mammae. [Vithoulkas]
    • Sensitive nodules in mammae. [Vithoulkas]
    • Burning pain in chest. [Vithoulkas]
  • Uterus:
    • Fagged womb [Burnett, Clarke, Tyler]
    • Squeezing pains in the uterus [Anschutz, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
      • & pains down the anterior surface of the thighs accompanied by dizziness [Anschutz]
    • Shooting pains from the uterus to the rectum. [Vithoulkas]
    • Uterine colic ameliorated by flexing the thighs tightly; intense every few minutes with throbbing and streaking pains. [Vithoulkas]
    • Small uterus. [Vithoulkas]
  • Engorged uterus and breasts. [Clarke, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
  • Pregnancy:
    • Inability to walk during pregnancy (from stretching of the abdominal muscles, from pain inside the uterus due to kicking, from movements of the fetus or from mechanical pressure on the groin due to the heaviness of the fetus; from venous stasis or any mechanical action). [Burnett, Phatak, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
    • & varicose veins [Clarke, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
    • & sore, tender pain in uterus [Vithoulkas] Sensation of a weight pushing down with labor-like pain that persists after delivery. [Vermeulen]

 

• Skin:
  • Acne, boils, eruptions, erysipelas, herpetic eruptions. [Anschutz, Burnett, Clarke, Phatak, Tyler, Vithoulkas]
    • Tendency for boils. Eruptions with red area surrounding a pustular centre. Eruptions painful to touch. Pustular pimples. Pimples which burst on touching. Yellow pus in boils. Goose pimples. (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Blisters form slowly and heal slowly. [Deacon, Vermeulen]
    • Acne on face especially during menses. [Vithoulkas]
    • Pus acrid, destroying hair. [Phatak]
    • Eruption of the skin < heat of summer, > if the patient moves to a cooler climate. [Vithoulkas]
    • Eruptions whenever the skin is scratched against something hard. [Vithoulkas]
    • Eruptions in summer, itching, < scratching, > in a cooler environment. [Vithoulkas]
    • Liter.: “The proving showed all stages of erythema, with red spots like mosquito bites, papular reaction; urticaria; vesicle formation; cold sores and nasal herpes, as well as oozing eczema which can turn into blisters.” [Mezger]
    • Liter.: “During the experiment on himself (20 drops of pure mother tincture for 14 days) skin blisters appeared to Dr. Thomas.” [Vermeulen]
    • Liter.: “Dr. Lloyd Tuckey came to the following conclusion: ‘I have done a personal experimentation of Bellis perennis twice, but I have lost my notes. It worked as a laxative and produced many small pimples with suppurated central tips.’” [Hughes]. [Vermeulen]
  • Ecchymoses [Deacon, Phatak, Vithoulkas]
  • Swelling sensitive to touch. [Vithoulkas].
  • Sensitive skin, they enjoy a gentle touch, easily arouses them sexually, but much friction on the skin causes a skin eruption to appear. [Vithoulkas]
  • [Vithoulkas]
  • [Clarke, Vithoulkas]
    • Liter.: “Psoriasis erupts where the skin has been wounded or forced against a blunt instrument: a farmer working with his hand tractor will be prone to develop an eruption, usually psoriasis, at the points where his hands make contact with the tractor handles.” [Vithoulkas]
  • Warts, bleeding and painful. [Deacon]
  • Itching:
    • Without eruption [Anschutz, Mezger]
    • & burning. [Mezger]
    • Especially upon the flexor surfaces of the thighs [Anschutz]; in the back and along the flexor surfaces of the thighs [Vermeulen].
      • < heat; > cold (local). [Anschutz, Vermeulen]
    • Itchy spots. [Deacon]

 

• Muscles:
  • Stiffness and soreness of the muscles (Rhus tox., Eup-per). [Vithoulkas]
  • Myalgia [Mezger]:
    • < movement; on chest, <breathing. [Mezger]
    • Of the limbs. [Mezger]

 

• Back
  • Injuries of the spine – coccyx. [Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
  • Dull ache after injury (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Pain in back as from a fall on coccyx. [Vithoulkas]
  • Pain in back on lying on abdomen. [Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
  • Railway spine [Clarke, Deacon, Tyler]
    • Liter.: “In railway spine of moderate severity it has not any equal.” [Tyler]
  • Aching and stiffness (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Back sweaty (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

• Extremities:
  • Pain as if sprained. [Vithoulkas]
  • Weakness [Deacon, Vithoulkas]
    • Weakness after gout. [Vithoulkas]
  • Itching of old wound site (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Heaviness of extremities (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Aching pains with stiffness (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Upper Limbs:
    • Pain inner side of right (also left) forearm, as if a boil developing. Pain in middle finger of left hand, as of a gathering¹¹; for a short time only. [Clarke]
    • Wrists feel contracted as if from elastic band. Bursae – cysts in wrist (Bellis-p-sp). [Phatak, Deacon]
    • Eruptions of blood blister like ulcer in armpit surrounded by redness (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Numbness of right hand (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Pressing pains in fingers (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
  • Lower limbs:
    • Varicose veins. [Clarke, Vithoulkas]
    • The thighs feel especially weak even when lying in bed. [Vithoulkas]
    • Pain down the anterior of thigh. [Phatak, Vithoulkas]
    • Itching on the back and along the flexor surfaces of the thighs, around hairy margin of scalp and over the back: [Anschutz]
      • < hot bath, warmth of the bed; > cold (local). [Anschutz]
    • Heat in legs with desire to put legs out of bed (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Tingling in thighs, knees, shins, feet and toes (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

• Sleep:
  • Sleep bad, disturbed. Restless sleep. Unrefreshing sleep. [Deacon, Vithoulkas]
  • Sleeplessness [Deacon, Vithoulkas]:
    • after 2 or 3 hours, or after 3-5 hours. [Vithoulkas]
  • Waking:
    • Too early, 3 a.m., and cannot get to sleep again. [Clarke, Deacon, Phatak, Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
    • [Deacon]
    • After sleeplessness. [Vithoulkas]
    • Toward morning. [Vithoulkas]
  • Sleepiness during the day with extreme tiredness. [Deacon]
  • Sleeps on abdomen. [Vithoulkas]
  • Dreams:
    • Exciting. [Vithoulkas]
    • Vexatious dreams, anger in their dreams. Situation in the dreams where anger is really expressed. Revenge. [Vermeulen, Vithoulkas]
    • Very vivid dream content (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Varied subject matter (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Mostly remembered (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Dreams unremembered in those who usually remember dreams and vice-versa (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Detachment from dream content on waking and within the dream (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Dreams of own rape with lack of emotion on waking (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Disconnected dreams (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]
    • Dreams of birth, pregnancy, babies, DANGER, suffocation, death, pipes/hoses/tubes (symbols of the umbilical cord), excrement, friends, DIFFICULT JOURNEYS, being born, communication difficulties, reconciliation (Bellis-p-sp). [Deacon]

 

MODALITIES

Aggravations: TRAUMA. Sprains. TOUCH. Cold baths or cold drinks. Dampness. Chilling when hot. Warm (hot bath, warm bed). After physical effort. [Anschutz, Beucci, Deacon, Phatak, Vermeulen] At 3 a.m. [Vithoulkas, Deacon]. Surgical operation. [Phatak] After labour. Sexual abuse. Life threatening situations. Night. Motion. Travelling. Rising. [Deacon]

Improvements: Movement (continuous). Open air. After eating. Rest, lying down. [Beucci, Deacon, Vithoulkas, Phatak, Vermeulen]. Lying on abdomen [Vithoulkas]. Rubbing [Vithoulkas]. Local cold applications [Anschutz, Vithoulkas]. Hard pressure ameliorates the abdominal pains [Vithoulkas]. Pressure to head [Deacon].

 

FOOD

Aversions: favourite foods, sweets.

Desires: vinegar and raw onions, meat, chocolate.

Aggravations: N/A

Improvement: N/A

 

MIASM: Cancerinic.

 

NUCLEUS OF THE REMEDY

[Clarke, Deacon, Vithoulkas]

• Wound
• Stasis
• Physical and psychic tumors
• Fag
• Birth, Pregnancy And Babies
• Detachment And Disconnectedness
• Nervousness And Restlessness
• Polarity Between Cheerfulness/Vitality And Sadness/Weariness

 

COMPARE: Arnica, Rhus tox., Hypericum, Conium, Arsenicum, Hamamelis, Vanadium. In effects of fag, Picricum acid. Clarke compares it with Vanadium, of which it is a complement in degenerative states, as brain softening and atheroma of arteries.

 

Other species

B. sylvestris has the same food and medicinal uses as B. perennis. Presumably, given the characteristics of both and the partial overlapping of the anthesis periods, a real distinction has never been made between the two species, although Mattioli and Durante distinguished some species (calling them Bellis mezzano and Bellide minore, respectively), but declaring that from a therapeutic point of view they are equivalent.

 

References

[Anschutz]	Anschutz, E. P. (Edward Pollock), “New, old, and forgotten remedies” (1917)
[Beucci]	Bruno Beucci, “Trattato di Terapia Omeopatica”, IV ed., vol. I, Ed. Scientifiche Siderea (1989)
[Burnett]	James Compton Burnett, “Diseases of the Skin”, Philadelphia, Boericke & Tafel (1898)
[Burnett2]	James Compton Burnett, “Organ Diseases of Women” (1896)
[Burnett3]	James Compton Burnett, “Curability of Tumours by Medicines”, 2.nd edition revised (1901)
[Clarke]	John Henry Clarke, “A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica” (1902)
[Culpeper]	Nicholas Culpeper, “Complete Herbal” (1653)
[Deacon]	Deacon, Ribot-Smith, “Bellis perennis. A proving of a Spagirically Prepared Sympathetic Medicine”, Helios Homoeopathic Pharmacy 1997
[DrHauschka]	https://www.dr.hauschka.com/en_DE/knowledge-base/medicinal-plant-facts/daisy/#2 (retrieved 2017-02-27)
[Durante]	Castore Durante, “Herbario nuovo” (1667)
[Gerard]	John Gerard, “The herball, or, Generall historie of plantes” (1636 & altre edizioni)
[Grieve]	M. Grieve, “A Modern Herbal” (1931) (under Daisy, Common)
[Junius]	ITA: Manfred M. Junius, “Alchimia Verde”, 3.a ed., Ed. Mediterranee (2005) ENG: Manfred M. Junius, “The Practical Handbook of Plant Alchemy”, Healing Arts Pr. (1993)
[Karakas]	Karakas et al., “Effects of common daisy (Bellis perennis L.) aqueous extracts on anxiety-like behaviour and spatial memory performance in Wistar albino rats”, African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 5(11), 1378-1388 (2011)
[Karakas2]	Karakas et al., “Isolation of an oleanane-type saponin active from Bellis perennis through antitumor bioassay-guided procedures”, Pharm Biol, 52(8), 951–955 (2014)
[Karakas3]	Karakas et al., “Antiproliferative Activity of Some Medicinal Plants on Human Breast and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines and their Phenolic Contents”, Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research October, 14(10), 1787-1795 (2015)
[Lewis]	William Lewis, “An experimental history of the Materia Medica”, III ed. (1784)
[Mattioli]	Pietro Andrea Mattioli, “Discorsi di M. Pietro Andrea Mattioli sanese, medico cesareo, ne’ sei libri di Pedacio Doscoride Anazarbeo della materia Medicinale” (1746)
[Mezger]	Julius Mezger, “Gesichtete homöopathische Arzneimittellehre”, Haug (2017)
[Parr]	Bartholomew Parr, “The London Medical Dictionary”, vol. I (1809)
[Phatak]	S. R. Phatak, “Materia Medica of Homeopathic Medicines”, 2.nd edition, B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd. (1999)
[Sarembaud]	Alain Sarembaud, “Breast trauma, homeopathic indications for the daisy, Bellis perennis”, La Revue d’Homéopathie 2017;8:e57–e60
[Scholten]	Jan Scholten, “Wondeful Plants”, Stichting Alonnissos (2013)
[Tyler]	Margaret Lucy Tyler, “Homeopathic Drug Pictures”, B. Jain Publishers (1990)
[Vermeulen]	Frans Vermeulen, “Materia Medica Omeopatica Sinottica” vol 1°, Ed. Salus Infirmorum (2007)
[Vithoulkas]	George Vithoulkas, “Materia Medica Viva”, vol. 4, International Academy of Classical Homeopathy, Alonissos, Greece (1997)

 

Notes

1. It produces a tingling sensation on the tongue.

2. See “Notes on humors”.

3. By “stasis” we mean the localization, in a point, an area or a part of the body (rather than the whole organism), of a perverse humor. Examples of thickened phlegm stasis are: lipomas, myomas, polyps. A local congestion is a blood stasis; the Blood stagnation of the Traditional Chinese Medicine is a more complex condition, which usually involves, from the humoral point of view, also an important melancholic component: this is the case, for example, of hematomas or thrombi.

4. A fever characterized by large daily fluctuations (from the Greek ἑκτικός “continuous”); characteristic of pulmonary phthisis, but it also occurs in chronic suppurations (lung abscesses, etc.).

5. According to Gerard [Gerard], in these cases the ointment is more effective if also mallow is added.

6. In TCM, it resolves the Blood stagnation.

7. Condition of the spine due to remaining seated for a long time on the wooden seat of the train.

8. Reported by Vermeulen and Mezger, but it conflicts with the other authors and with what was reported by Vermeulen himself among the aggravations [Vermeulen].

9. Inflammation of the cecum.

10. For women, that slight – or sometimes not so slight – twisting pain you feel in the middles of the menstrual cycle indicating an egg was just released from the ovary. It was named after the physician who discovered its existence.

11. A suppurated swelling.