Arum dracontium

Volume I — Appendix

(Green Dragon — Dragon Hoot.)

Description. — A low "perennial herb, with a tuberous root-stalk, sending up a single scape, sheathed with the petioles of the veiny leaves, as if caulescent. Leaf usually solitary, pedately divided into 7-11 oblong, lanceolate pointed leaflets; spadix androgynous, tapering to a long and slender point beyond the oblong and convolute-pointed spathe. Corus clustered. Petiole l°to 2° long, much longer than the peduncle ; spathe greenish, rolled into a tube, with a short, erect point. Found in low grounds along streams. Flowers in May.

Officinal Preparations. — Tincture and triturations from the root. Analogues. — Arum triphyllum, Arum maculatum, Arum italicum, Ailantus, Argentum nit., Belladonna, Causticum, Carbo veg., Eryngium, Hepar sulph., Iodine, Kali bich., Nitric acid, Merc, iod., Phosphorus, Phytolacca, Rhus vernix, Sticta, Sulphur, Sanguinaria, Spongia, Wyethia.

Ears.

Shooting pains in the right ear, transient and frequent, and leave a feeling of fulness and slight aching in the middle ear.

A feeling of warmth and fulness in the ears.

Accumulation of mucus in the left Eustachian tube. (See Throat Symptoms.)

Mouth and Fauces.

• There is a feeling of dryness and smarting in the throat, a feeling of rawness, with a sense of fulness, not really painful, but sufficiently annoying to attract constant attention.

• Hawking ; hoarseness ; expectorated a quantity of thick mucus.

• Produce a continual disposition to clear the throat by swallowing

and coughing.

• Throat raw and sore.

• Constant rawness of the throat.

• Constant coughing with mucus in the morning. Bad taste in the mouth :

Tongue and mouth coated with a foul, slimy mucus, having a putrid taste.

Expectoration consisting of thick, heavy, yellowish-white pus. (?)

Continuation of violent cough.

Rawness of throat and purulent expectoration.

Larynx.

• Soreness of the larynx and great disposition to cough.

• About midnight great oppression of breathing, soon passing off,

leaving considerable rattling of mucus in the larynx and upper part of the trachea.

• Paroxysms of dyspnoea would sometimes occur, with much aching

in the chest, always associated with a considerable secretion

of mucus in the larynx and trachea. Expectoration of thick, heavy, yellowish-white pus from larynx in

large quantities. (Hart.) Croupy cough, with hoarseness and rawness of the throat ; during

an epidemic influenza. (Hale.)

Stomach.

Pain in the bowels, caused by incarceration of flatus. Sinking feeling at the pit of the stomach.

Bilious passages from the bowels, attended with aching in the abdomen, and burning in the rectum.

Urinary.

Irresistible desire to pass urine, which is diminished in quantity, very high-colored, and has a burning or smarting effect on the urethra. [Primary.)

Frequent, copious emissions of limpid urine ; inclination to urinate every hour or so during the day.

Urine increased to four or five times the normal amount.

Tenderness and slight smarting or burning of the orifice of the urethra, especially during micturition. [Secondary.)

Sexual.

During the proving a great diminution, and most of the time an

entire absence of the sexual desire. Penis flaccid and relaxed.

Respiratory Organs.

• Awoke about midnight with great oppression of breathing, a hind

of asthmatic attack, which, however, soon passed off.

• Paroxysms of dyspnoea would sometimes occur, with much aching in the chest, and always associated with a considerable secretion of mucus in the larynx and trachea.

Heart.

Slight aching pain in praecordial region and down the left arm, flushing of hands and face, and increased heart's action

Back.

Aching along the spine, particularly between the shoulder-blades

and the lumbar region. Great weakness across the loins. Feeling of extreme prostration.

Extremities. Tingling, or slight stinging sensation in the fingers.

Tingling, or slight stinging sensation in the toes. Preternatural heat in the palms of the hands. Burning of the soles of the feet.

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

This drug was proven by Dr. C. P. Hart, of Wyoming, Ohio, and was published in the “American Homoeopathic Observer ” of the year 1875. Dr. Hart was forty-six years of age, and seemed quite susceptible to the effects of the drug, although he states that he “ never before had any laryngeal, bronchial, or pulmonary disorders.” This proving was not incorporated into Allen’s “ Encyclopedia of Materia Medica,” because the first volume of that work was published the year before the proving was published. Dr. Hart’s proving of this species of Arum is an excellent one. It brings out some of the finer, as well as the general characteristics of the remedy. The Arum dracontium is the only other species besides the Arum triphyllum and Arum quinatum in the United States. All the family of Aracece possess similar acrid,

poisonous principles, but it is one of the mysterious works of the Great Designer that this virulent poison is enveloped in one of the purest and most innocuous vehicles known, namely, arrowroot. Much of the arrowroot of commerce is made by separating it from the acrid principle in the roots of members of this family. It is interesting to note the resemblance in pathogenetic effect between the various species of Aracece. The symptoms of the three Arums are very similar. Dr. Hart’s proving has developed also a marked resemblance between the Arum dracontium and Caladium (Arum sequinium). Both cause pruritus of the sexual organs and incompetency. Both cause urticaria and other eruptions, probably neurotic, as Dr. Hart suggests. Both cause laryngitis of an aggravated character, and both have cured all the above conditions.

A near relative of the Arum, the Symplocarpus ( Skunk cabbage), ought to be proven ; also the Alisma plantago. Dr. Streeter uses Symplocarpus in nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, and it has been found useful in hysteria and chorea.

Dr. Hart theoretically recommended it for laryngeal diseases, especially for those of a subacute or chronic character. He gave but a few clinical verifications, but they were very suggestive. One case was “asthmatic attacks at night, from a cold, which had resisted Lobelia and Tart. em. A few doses of the Arum d. lx trit. arrested the paroxysm.” Another case: “A child three years old; hoarse, croupy cough, with sore throat, rattling, laryngeal respiration, and considerable swelling of the air-passages, threatening suffocation. A dose of the 3* ameliorated in twenty minutes, and after three doses the child slept quietly till morning.” Since these cases were published, Dr. Hart and others, with myself, have frequently verified these clinical observations. Dr. Hart says it cured him of a “ chronic pruritus scroti of twelve years’ standing.” This reminds us of the action, both pathogenetic and curative, of Caladium. It may prove a very valuable ear remedy.

symptomatology op arum dracontium. (Green Dragon.)

Analogues.

Arum triphyllum, Arum maculatum, Arum italicum, Ailantus , Argentum nit., Belladonna, Causticum, Carbo veg., Eryngium,

Hepar sulph., Iodine, Kali bich., Nitric acid, Merc, iod., Phosphorus, Phytolacca, Rhus vernix, Sticta, Sulphur, Sanguinaria, Spongia, Wyethia.

Head and Neck.

Shooting pains in the left anterior inferior triangle of the neck near the clavicle. Head feels heavy and aches slightly in occipital and right parietal regions.

Eyes.

Aching pain over the left eye; pain transient; conjunctiva highly injected. Eyelids dry, stiff, and slightly agglutinated at their edges, which burn and smart. Heat, dryness, and smarting of the eyelids.

Ears.

At 8 A.M. shooting pains in the right ear. They are transient but frequent, and leave a feeling of fulness and slight aching in middle ear (next day changed to left ear, same symptoms except no shooting pains ; feeling of warmth and fulness in left middle ear); next day is again in right ear; left ear normal. A feeling of warmth and fulness in the ears, sometimes in one and sometimes in the other; seldom in both at once; aching pain behind right ear; shooting pains in the right ear, sometimes very severe; deep shooting pains in the right ear, occurring frequently and continuing sometimes for ten or fifteen minutes; the ear-pains are still more persistent; occasional shooting pains in left ear; accumulation of mucus in the left Eustachian tube. (See Throat Symptoms.)

Nose.

Eruption of pimples ; a species of lichen on the nose.

Mouth and Fauces.

In five minutes felt a peculiar acrid sensation in mouth and throat. Disposition to swallow arising from excess of mucus in th roat; a slight uneasiness in throat and disposition to cough; slight soreness of muscles of throat; excess of mucus in throat; loose cough with dry soreness of the throat closely simulating a mild attack of catarrhal angina — most marked during the act of

deglutition. *There is a feeling of dryness and smarting in the throat, a feeling of rawness, with a sense of fulness, not really painful, but sufficiently annoying to attract constant attention. * Hawking ; hoarseness ; expectorated a quantity of thick mucus; produce a continual disposition to dear the throat by swallowing and coughing. * Throat raw and tender.

Aphthous ulcer appeared on the tongue, and on the following day (seventeenth of proving) the mouth and throat became so sore that the proving had to be discontinued. For the week following was troubled with an annoying cough and rattling of mucus; worse at night lying down. One week later recommenced the proving, causing * constant rawness of the throat, constant coughing, with mucus in the morning; bad taste in the mouth; tongue and mouth coated with a foul, slimy mucus having a putnid taste. Expectoration consisting of thick, heavy, yellowish white pus (?); continuation of violent cough ; rawness of throat and purulent expectoration.

Larynx.

Rattling of mucus in the larynx at every full expiration, which disappears in the morning. Accumulation of mucus in throat, the raising of which by coughing produces a rattling of mucus in larynx. Excess of mucus in larynx (see Throat); increased * soreness of the larynx, and great disposition to cough. * About midnight great oppression of breathing, soon passing off, leaving considerable rattling of mucus in the larynx and upper part of the trachea. Rattling of mucus in the larynx during expiration, but which ceased on rising except when the expirations were prolonged by voluntary effort. * Paroxysms of dyspnoea would sometimes occur with much aching in the chest, always associated with a considerable secretion of mucus in the larynx and trachea. Much rattling of mucus in the larynx and an annoying cough. Cough from laryngeal irritation, worse at night and when lying down. Expectoration of thick, heavy, yellowish-white pus from larynx in large quantities. Very much annoyed by the gravity and persistence of laryngeal symptoms; its influence is deepseated and permanent on the larynx. (Hart.)

Croupy cough, with hoarseness and rawness of the throat — during an epidemic influenza. (Hale.)

Stomach.

Eructation of flatus from the stomach, tasting of the medicine. Pain in the bowels, caused by incarceration of flatus; escape of flatus from stomach and bowels; sinking feeling at the pit of the stomach; copious semi-liquid stool, with much flatus; bilious passages from the bowels, attended with aching in the abdomen and burning in the rectum ; twenty-four hours later, a bilious diarrhoea, borborygmus, and the escape of much flatus from the bowels.

Urinary.

Irresistible desire to pass urine, which is diminished in quantity, very high-colored, and has a burning or smarting effect on the urethra. (Primary.) Second day, frequent, copious emissions of limpid urine; inclination to urinate every hour or so during the day; urine increased to four or five times the normal amount; tenderness and slight smarting or burning of the orifice of the urethra, especially during micturition. (Secondary.)

Sexual. '

During the proving a great diminution, and most of the time an entire absence of the sexual desire ; penis flaccid and relaxed. This condition of generative organs continued for a long time afterwards. Fine shooting pains in the course of the left spermatic cord. °Chronic pruritus scroti.

Respiratory Organs.

Retired to bed and slept well the first part of the night, but *awoke about midnight with great oppression of breathing, a kind of asthmatic attack, which, however, soon passed off. Great languor and depression of spirits; dull, heavy aching in head and chest. * Paroxysms of dyspnoea would sometimes occur, with much aching in the chest, and always associated with a considerable secretion of mucus in the larynx and trachea.

On the nineteenth day of proving, a full dose produced a violent asthmatic attack at night, and lighter ones on each succeeding night, for about a week, when they left me altogether.

Pulse.

80, full, hard, and somewhat jerking, which soon becomes small and irregular; artery seems to roll under the finger, and requires considerable pressure in order to be correctly counted. Later, the pulse becomes moderately full and more regular. The pulse continues full, soft, and regular. On third day after taking a large dose, pulse became feeble, 84 — small, and somewhat irregular.

Heart.

Five minutes after taking a dose the heart beat so violently as to shake the walls of the chest (reflex symptom — Hale), slight aching pain in praecordial region and down the left arm, flushing of hands and face, and increased heart’s action.

Back.

Aching along the spine, particularly between the shoulderblades and the lumbar region; great weakness across the loins; feeling of extreme prostration. The last- mentioned symptoms continued to increase until the exhaustion became so great that I had to retire early.

Extremities.

Tingling, or slight stinging sensation in the fingers, as when circulation is impeded ; fine tingling sensation all over the right hand, which is warmer and redder than the left, and appears somewhat swollen ; aching pain in the left forearm, left hand, and right humerus ; tingling or slight stinging sensation in the toes, as when circulation is impeded ; sharp, shooting pains at the styloid process of the right ulna ; right hand remains somewhat red and swollen. Fine tingling or pricking sensation in the hands and feet, especially the right. Shooting pain down the right thigh. Fine pricking or tingling sensation in the feet and hands, beginning in right foot, and afterwards affecting in regular succession the right hand, left foot, and left hand. Occasional shooting pains have occurred during the same time, in the following order: right malar region, right external malleolus, thenar eminence of right thumb, left malar region ; occasional shooting

and aching pains along the right humerus and right thumb. Slight aching pain in the praecordial region and down the left arm. Aching pain along the outer aspect of the left foot, immediately followed by a similar pain in the corresponding part of left hand ; shooting and aching pains in the left brachial plexus of nerves. Sharp shooting pains at the styloid process of right ulna. Preternatural heat in the palms of the hands; burning of the soles of the feet.