Arum Triphyllum

Raw, red, bloody surface of lips, nose, buccal cavity; patients pick and bore into them incessantly, though they are so sore and painful.

Hoarseness, with changing voice when exciting it; from high to low and vice versa.

Discharges generally very acrid or corrosive; exceptionally bland.

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This is a very unique remedy. I do not know of one that stands so far apart from any and all others, and its peculiar and characteristic symptoms are capable of such remarkable verification in different diseases as would, or ought to, convince the most skeptical of the truth of Similia Similibus Curantur, etc.

Hering’s “Guiding Symptoms” gives it in the best rendering. Let us quote a few of the best symptoms: “Appearance of raw, bloody surface, on lips, buccal cavity, nose, etc.” “Patients often pick and bore into the raw surfaces, though doing so gives great pain, and they scream with it but keep up the boring.” (Hellebor. nig.) There is also one other symptom not so well expressed in Hering, viz.: That these raw surfaces are very red, like a piece of fresh beefsteak in appearance. Notice that in Hering these symptoms of mouth, tongue and nose are given in connection with Scarlatina mainly. I want to say that they are also found in typhoid and typhus fevers. Whenever, in any disease, this red, raw condition of the mouth, nose and lips, at which the patient bores and picks, continually appears, give Arum triphyllum. Another important use of this remedy is in affections of the larynx and bronchia. Hoarseness or loss of voice, or voice uncontrollable; it breaks when trying to sing or speak in a high tone or key. This is often found in clergyman’s sore throat, or in operatic singers. Aggravation of hoarseness from singing is also found under Argentum nitricum, Arnica, Selenium, Phosphorus and Causticum.