Baptisia Tinctora is one remedy that belongs in your war chest.

It’s not the most common flu remedy.

That’s probably why it’s not found in the popular 36-family remedy kits sold by Helios.

So you’ll need to order it separately.

When do you use Baptisia?

Often, after other remedies have failed.

Baptisia can look like Gelsemium.

The person has those four D’s – dull, drowsy, droopy and dopey. Just like Gelsemium.

But Gelsemium doesn’t work.

Or it works a little. Or it stops working.

This is when you think about Baptisia,

Then you grab your Materia Medica to see if it matches.

When To Use Homeopathic Baptisia

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Baptisia is a sudden onset flu remedy.

Similar to Aconite and Belladonna. Most people turn to these two remedies instead. But they don’t work.

That’s because Baptisia is more of a toxic flu.

The person who needs it has a terrible taste in their mouth.

Their discharges smell bad. They may have really stinky diarrhea.

With a flu, always look at someone’s tongue.

A Baptisia tongue is often yellow, with a brown streak down the center.

The tongue can also feel as if it’s burned.

So make sure to differentiate it from Arsenicum, another flu remedy with burning.

With a respiratory infection, people who need Arsenicum are typically up and about, trying to get things done.

I see this kind of physical and mental restlessness over and over with acute Arsenicum cases.

They should be recuperating in bed. Instead, they’re washing dishes or doing yard work.

Baptisia patients, on the other hand, will be in bed. They may be restless, just like Arsenicum.

But they’re took weak to do housework. Their mind is on overdrive. But their body isn’t.

Someone who needs Baptisia is generally pretty sick.

They may also complain that their bed is too hard.

Or they may slip into delirium. They may think their arms or legs are scattered about the bed, in pieces. They frantically try to put their body parts back together.

These are a few of the Baptisia keynotes. Other keynotes to look for include:

• Jaw Hangs Open – As I mentioned before Baptisia patients are very sick. They’re in bed, so exhausted they don’t properly close their mouth. So their lower jaw hangs open.
• Very Thirsty – One sign that points to Baptisia, instead of Gelsemium is the thirst. Baptisia patients have a strong desire for water. Gelsemium patients must force themselves to drink.
• Sudden Onset Flu – Gelsemium flus generally develop slowly, over the course of a few days. (But there are exceptions.) Baptisia hits you like a tidal wave. Suddenly you have a high fever. (Belladonna, Aconite, Oscillococcinum are other sudden-onset remedies.) Or someone may slip into a Baptisia state during an illness.
• Painless Sore Throat – Someone’s throat may be dark red and filled with pus. But the person still isn’t in much pain. The inside of the throat is numbed. Touching the neck is painful.
• Solid Food Aggravates – No problem drinking liquid. However, solid food causes gagging. (Lachesis has the opposite modality, since liquids aggravate the sore throat.)
• Reluctance To Talk – Good luck getting a case. Because Baptisia patients don’t want to answer questions or discuss their symptoms. Instead, you get the necessary information from a family member. This isn’t the only remedy with this mental picture. But it’s pretty strong with Baptisia.
• Dusky Appearance – Both Gelsemium and Baptisia can have a grayish dusky appearance, in addition to looking droopy.
• Weakness and Trembling – Just like someone who needs Gelsemium, but typically more pronounced.
• Slurred Speech – This is a very toxic flu. Typically the person has had a number of remedies, which didn’t work. Or it’s a sudden onset and they’re very ill. You may see slurred speech, as if they are drunk or drugged. At this point the patient desperately needs the right remedy, to turn the case around fast. Or they need medical care. Don’t hesitate to get bring someone to the Emergency Room if you are worried. This is not a homeopathic failure. It’s a learning experience.
• Aversion to Coffee – I didn’t see this keynote in any Materia Medica. Even though I looked everywhere. But I noticed it last winter while helping someone with a bad virus. He was very sick. Other indicated remedies worked for only a couple days. Then he entered a Baptisia state. Along with this came an aversion to coffee, which he normally drank every morning. Around this time I noticed others on various Facebook forums also complaining they could no longer drink coffee. Once the flu left his taste for coffee returned.
• Offensive Body Odors – A Baptisia state can also look like Pyrogen, with a very high fever and putrid body odors, which you may smell throughout the room. Pyrogen patients also have a sensation their bed is too hard.

Toxic flu is not the only indication for Baptisia.

It can be used for any septic state with the above keynotes.

Historically it’s also been used for septicemia after childbirth.

Or for systemic infection following surgery or being wounded.

You can get Baptisia at one of the shrinking numbers of homeopathic pharmacies.

Also, you can find Baptisia Tinctora on Amazon.

I know some people say never ever get a homeopathic remedy on Amazon.

But I feel it’s okay as long as you’re buying it on Amazon, from the Boiron store.

Regardless of where you get Baptisia, it’s good to have on hand.