Arum dracontium

Lecture XIX — Araceae — Arum triphyllum, Caladium, Dracontium and Pothos foetida

Dracontium.

I bring this drug before you in order to say a few words concerning the remedies similar to it. Dracontium has never been proved in the high potencies. It produces symptoms similar in nature to those of Arum triphyllum, but its action is on the lower portion of the respiratory apparatus. Arum produces a laryngeal cough. Dracontium acts on the trachea and bronchial tubes, giving rise to a violent attack of bronchial catarrh, with rapid formation first of a watery, burning discharge, and later, of pus or muco-pus; hence its symptoms are: yellowish purulent discharge, with great burning, rawness, and other symptoms of violent inflammation.

Beside Dracontium I have placed on the board a list of remedies, some of which may be unknown to you. The Balsam of Peru should be remembered as an admirable remedy in bronchial catarrh when there is formation of muco-pus. When you place your ear to the chest you detect loud rales, and the expectoration is thick, creamy, and yellowish-w 7hite. The Balsam of Peru is an excellent remedy, even though night sweats and hectic fever show the disease to be progressing alarmingly. This drug I use in a low potency. Next below I have placed Pix liquida, which is not only an excellent remedy in bronchial catarrh but also in phthisis pulmonalis. It is indicated by the expectoration of purulent matter, offensive in odor and taste, and accompanied by pain referred to the left third costal cartilage (really in the left bronchus). This pain may or may not apparently go through to the back. In such cases Pix liquida is the remedy. It is especially indicated in the third stage of phthisis. Next to this I have placed Guaiacum, which is also to be thought of in the late stage of tuberculosis, when there are pleuritic pains referred to the left apex, and in addition offensive muco-purulent sputum.

Eryodiction Californicum (also called Yerba santa) has as yet a very limited symptomatology, but it has been used successfully in what we may call bronchial phthisis. The patient has night-sweats, and the body wastes away. There is great intolerance of food. It is called for in phthisis, the result of frequent bronchial catarrhs, and also in asthma relieved by expectoration.