Thuya occidentalis appears in 12 of the 13 classic books on Similia. Each was written to do a different job — here is what each adds on this remedy, with the opening of its entry.
- Allen HC — The keynotes that separate this remedy from its nearest neighbours.
“Tree of Life; White Cedar. (Coniferae) Adapted to hydrogenoid constitution of Granvogl, which is related to sycosis as effect is to cause. Thuja bears the same relation to the sycosis of Hahnemann - fig warts, condylomata and wart-like excrescences upon mucous and cutaneous surfaces - that Sulphur does to psora or…”
- Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“Thuja occidentalis, L. Natural order , Coniferæ. Common names , Arbor vitæ; (G.), Lebensbaum. Preparation , Tincture of the green twigs. Authorities. ( 1 to 11 , from Hahnemann, R. A. M. L., 5).”
- Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Arbor vitæ Acts on skin, blood, gastro-intestinal tract, kidneys, and brain. Its relation to the production of pathological vegetations condylomate, warty excrescences, spongy tumors is very important. Moist mucous tubercles. Bleeding fungus growths. Nævus. Excess of venosity. The main action of Thuja is on the skin…”
- Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“Mucous membranes: GENITO-URINARY. Intestines. Mind. Nerves. Occiput. Glands. SKIN. Left side; ovary. COLD DAMP. Heat; of bed. Periodically: 3 A.M. Yearly. Increasing moon. During menses. Urinating. Gonorrhœa. Syphilis. Mercury. Vaccination. Tea. Onions. Warm: Wind. Air. Wrapping head. Free secretions. Sneezing. Motion.”
- Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“occidentalis. Arbor Vitæ. N. O. Coniferæ (Tribe, Cupressineæ). Tincture of the fresh green twigs. Abdomen, distended / Abortion / Angina pectoris / Anus, fistula in; fissure of / Asthma / Balanitis / Cancer / Catalepsy / Chorea / Clavus / Condylomata / Constipation / Convulsions / Coxalgia / Diarrhœa / Disparunia /…”
- Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Arbor Vitæ. Coniferæ. The tincture is prepared from the fresh twigs. Introduced by Hahnemann, proved by himself, Fr. Hn., Franz, Gross, Hartmann, Haynel, Hempel, Langhammer, Teuthorn, Wagner, and Wislicenus, R. A. M., vol. 5 ; Wolf, Hom. Erf., vol. 2, p. 203 ; Schreter, A. H. Z., vol. 62, pp. 66 and 68 ; Austrian…”
- Kent — The mental and general picture — who the patient is, before what the remedy cures.
“Thuja Occidentalis The general appearance of the Thuya subject, if he has a characteristic picture, is that of a waxy, shiny face, it looks as if he had been smeared over with grease; and is often transparent, he is a sickly looking individual, looks as if entering upon some cachexia. This is often the case in the…”
- Lippe (KN) — Only the symptoms Lippe considered reliable enough to prescribe on.
“Twitching, especially in the upper part of the body. Stinging in the limbs and joints. The limbs go to sleep. Aversion to motion. One-sided complaints (left side). The heat of the bed aggravates many symptoms. An evening aggravation. Amelioration by rest. Moistening and suppurating sycotic excrescences. Perspiration…”
- Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.
“Fixed ideas; as if a strange person were at his side; as if the soul were separated from the body; as if the body, especially the limbs, were of glass and would break easily; as if a living animal were in the abdomen. In reading and writing lie uses wrong expressions. Talks hastily, and swallows words…”
- Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common name: arbor vitae. The leading anti-sycotic (the leading anti-psoric- Sulph.; the leading anti-syphilitic- Merc.) (N.). Hydrogenoid constitution (Nat-S.) (B.). One-sided complaints (Caust., Lach., Lyc.). Aversion to motion (Bry.). Useful in removing many of the symptoms of gonorrhœa (inferior to Medorrhinum)…”
- Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.
“Hahnemann’s chief anti-sycotic. Proliferations or pathological vegetations: condylomata, polypi, warts, sycotic excrescences, etc. Bad effects following vaccination; never well since. Especially suited to the treatment of ailments following suppressed gonorrhœa. Urethritis in sycotic patients, which Cannabis sat. does…”
