Homeopathic Terminology Trivia Quiz

Answer: Belladonna

"Beautiful woman" in Italian is "bella donna" and the preparation in question. Many homeopathic preparations take their names from their source. In this case the plant name is Atropa belladonna, more commonly known as the deadly nightshade. Some of the common names for the species are banewort, devil's cherries, and devil's herb. Atropa belladonna comes from the nightshade family which includes potatoes, tomatoes, and egg plants.

Answer: Nux Vomica

Vomiting is very similar to Vomica, part of the answer. In this case the homeopathic source is the Strychnine or Poison-nut tree, scientific name Nux vomica. This brings up an interesting point. In scientific terminology the second word is never capitalized but in homeopathic preparations it can be and usually is capitalized. For clarity I will put (sn) for scientific names and (hn) for homeopathic names from now on. Nux Vomica(hn) is supposed to treat nausea and other stomach ailments but no scientific evidence supports this claim.

The Strychnine tree is an evergreen native to southeast Asia. Its seeds are a source of the highly poisonous brucine.

Answer: Bryonia Alba

In this context a famous actress named Jessica is Jessica Alba, which is the same second word as Bryonia Alba(hn). The plant Bryonia alba(sn) is the English species of Bryony and is known as white bryony or wild hops. Wild hops are also used as a herbal preparation and shares the same name as the homeopathic preparation.

Answer: Carbo Vegetabilis

Vegetable charcoal reversed is charcoal vegetable and looks very similar to Carbo Vegetabilis, which in turn looks like it might be Latin. Charcoal, or more precisely activated charcoal, has been used for centuries as a cleanser, especially for water. It is used in the medical profession to absorb toxins, such as those ingested in an overdose.

Answer: Hypericum Perforatum

Puncture is a synonym for perforate, which looks similar to Perforatum in Hypericum Perforatum(hn). The claim of being a treatment for puncture wounds has no scientific proof. Hypericum perforatum(sn), or St. John's wort as it is commonly known, is used extensively in its herbal form. In fact the use of Hypericum(sn) dates back to ancient Greece.

Answer: Thuja Occidentalis

A synonym for Western is Occidental and leads to Thuja Occidentalis(hn). The plant Thuja occidentalis(sn) is an evergreen coniferous tree native to the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. It was sacred to the Ojibway.

Answer: Hepar Sulph

Harry S. Truman, hence HS leads to Hepar Sulph. Historically this preparation was proven by Hahnemann himself, hence its other name. Proven in this case does not refer to scientific proof but the way homeopaths decide what is a remedy and what is not. It is made from the flaky inner layer of oyster shells and flowers of sulfur.

Answer: Arnica Montana

Montana is one of the Western United States and leads to Arnica Montana(hn). The plant Arnica montana(sn) is a flowering European plant also known as wolf's bane and mountain tobacco. It has long been used as an herbal preparation.

Answer: Pulsatilla

Throbbing in your arteries felt at the wrist is your pulse and brings Pulsatilla(hn) to my mind. The flower Pulsatilla(sn) is a perennial found in North America, Europe, and Asia. It is the state flower of South Dakota and the provincial flower of Manitoba.

Answer: Ferrum Phosphoricum

Iron phosphate is a combination of iron and phosphorus. Iron in Latin is ferrum. Hence Ferrum phosphoricum is iron phosphate. Iron phosphate itself, in non-homeopathic form, is a snail pesticide approved for use in organic farming. In this capacity it is nontoxic to pets and wildlife.