Arum triphyllum

Volume I — Special Symptomatology

(Indian Turnip.)

Botanical Description. — The A. Triphyllum of the United States corresponds closely with the A. Maculatum of Europe ; both have very similar effects. Our native species is found throughout North and South America, growing in rich, shady woods and swamps. The cormus is an inch or two in diameter, and covered with brown, wrinkled epidermis, and internally white, fleshy and solid. The whole plant, when recent, has a peculiar odor and a violent acrid taste; the root, when chewed, causes an insupportable burning and biting sensation in the mouth and throat, continuing for a long time. This acrid principle is very volatile, and is expelled by heat. Hence they are roasted and eaten by the Indians. The acrid principle is not imparted to water, ether, alcohol, or olive oil. By drying, the root loses all its activity. The medicinal qualities of the root reside principally in this acrid, volatile principle. Owing to its unstable nature, it will be found very difficult to procure any preparation in which it will be retained.

This acrid principle has been called Aroine and becomes an inflammable gas, by heat or distillation. Prof. Lee says: "The only way to preserve the active principles of the root is to bury it in dry sand, by which method it may be preserved for a year."

Officinal Preparation. — Trituration of the juice of the fresh root with ten parts coarse sugar of milk, made very rapidly. Tincture from fresh roots.

It should be kept in hermetically sealed jars, and protected from light and heat. (Hale.)

Sphere op Action. — Mucous membrane of the mouth, throat, bronchi, etc., and probably some profoundly injurious effect on the blood.

Analogues. — Arum mac., Ailantus, Arsenicum, Allium cepa, Nitric acid, Phosphorus, Causticum, Phytolacca, Baptisia.

Eyes.

Aversion to light, with redness of the eyes.

Nose.

• Discharge of a burning ichorous fluid, from the nostrils, excoriating the mucous membrane, and skin of the upper lip.

Nose stopped up, can only breathe through the mouth.

° Constant picking at the nose, until it is sore and bleeding, (in a child.)

Face.

Face swollen and red.

Swelling of the sub-maxillary glands.

*Lips swollen, cracked; corners of the mouth sore, bleeding, cracked.

s The child picks constantly at the lips, cheeks and chin, until they are raw and bleeding (in cases of scarlatina.)

Mouth.

• The mouth burns, and is so sore that he refuses to drink,

and cries when anything is offered. Intense prickling, stinging pain, felt all over the tongue, mouth, lips and fauces, as if from thousands of needles.

• Tongue swollen, red, sore with raised and irritable looking

papillae.

Excessive salivation, and saliva acrid.

Throat.

Very severe prickling and stinging in the fauces and throat,

all the time; worse when swallowing. Throat feels constricted, sore, burning, cannot swallow. ° Sudden, severe attacks of tonsillitis; oedema of the glottis;

acute catarrhal inflammation of the fauces.

Stomach.

Burning heat in the oesophagus and stomach, which spreads rapidly all over the body.

Urine.

Frequent discharge of abundant, pale urine.

Respiratory Organs. Great hoarseness — inability to talk. Voice uncertain, changing continually.

• Accumulation of mucus in the trachea; hawking up of thick,

white mucus.

0 Hoarseness and sore throat of clergymen, public speakers, and singers.

Dry cough, with dryness, prickling and soreness in the fauces.

(P-)

Loose rattling cough in children and aged persons, with inability to expectorate, (s.) 0 Asthma humida, with mucous rales and difficult expectoration.

Skin.

Dry, feverish heat of the skin.

• Eruption like scarlet rash, the skin peels off afterwards,

with itching.

Fever.

Excited circulation, followed by hot perspiration, with prickling of the skin.

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

This Northern representative of a family which, in the tropics, attain great size and intense virulence, has been used in the dried state, ever since the settlement of the United States, for coughs of various kinds. The dry bulb is almost tasteless, the acrid volatile principle having escaped. The homoeopathists were the first to use any preparation of the fresh bulb. It is very difficult to procure a permanent tincture of the fresh root. Alcohol does not preserve it. Glycerin with alcohol is some better. A distilled water, to which sufficient alcohol is added, may be a successful method of preparation. The virtues of the drug doubtless reside in the acrid, volatile principle, and it is probably the minute quantity retained in the dry bulb which gives it some of its curative power.

Its sphere of action appears to include the mucous membrane of the mouth, fauces, larynx, and bronchi, and it probably exerts some disorganizing effect on the blood. It has been used successfully in

Malignant scarlatina, with “ delirium ; nose discharges much watery, thin, ichorous fluid, making the nose, lips, and corners of the mouth cracked, sore, and bleeding ; excoriation of the inside of the mouth; tongue red, papillae swollen and prominent; sore,

moist places in the bends of the thighs and knees; submaxillary glands swollen ; voice hoarse; pulse 140, full ; urine very abundant and pale; eruptions all over the body, with much itching and restlessness.” Another symptom, which is an important “ keynote” for this remedy, is “ the children pick the nose and lips and chin persistently, until they are raw and bleeding.” In a few cases where this symptom was very prominent the Arum has appeared to act promptly. In its relation to scarlet fever it is analogous to Arsenic, Nitric acid, Ailantus, and Phosphorus. It is used from the 6th to the 200th.

Sudden hoarseness and loss of voice, in public speakers and others, is promptly cured by Arum.

Tonsillitis, sudden and painful, oedema of the glottis, catarrhal angina, glossitis, and similar inflammatory affections of the mouth and throat, should be cured by this remedy. In all these diseases the symptoms indicating the Arum are the pricking, stinging pains and the sudden swelling of the tissues, as well as the subsequent burning, excoriating discharge.

The British species, Arum maculatum, is nearly identical, and may be used for the same symptoms as the A. triphyllum. Its value in coughs and asthmatic affections has not been fully tested ; further experience and provings are needed.