(See Also Croup.).
Causticum. [Caust]
Hughes says that there is no better remedy in catarrhal aphonia than **Causticum. It has dryness of the larynx and sensitiveness extending to the chest. There is hoarseness with rawness and scraping in the chest under the middle of the sternum, with a dry, hollow and unsatisfactory cough. It finds a curative sphere in the hoarseness of speakers and singers, which is worse mornings and much aggravated in cold weather. It is a paretic hoarseness accompanied by a cough which does not seem sufficient to bring up the phlegm, and in these cases the 12th or 13th potencies act well. In chronic hoarseness **Sulphur will sometimes act when Causticum fails. **Arnica has hoarseness from fatigue of the pharyngeal muscles, and a gargle of arnicated water will often refresh and strengthen the throat after long speaking and relieve the sense of thirst. The **Causticum patient will have such a complete loss of voice that he cannot speak aloud.
Phosphorus. [Phos]
Evening hoarseness with great sensitiveness and dryness in the larynx is characteristic of **Phosphorus. It tires and hurts the patient to talk; the voice is rough and hoarse, and the expectoration is scanty; using the voice brings on the cough. The soreness of **Phosphorus is in the larynx, with **Causticum it is under the sternum. In paralytic aphonia secondary to laryngeal catarrhs **Phosphorus and Rumex stand pre-eminent.
Farrington gives **Ammonium causticum a first place in hoarseness associated with burning and rawness in the larynx and pharynx.
Aconite. [Acon]
In the beginning of a laryngitis in children there is no better remedy than **Aconite; there is fever, chilliness, dry skin and hoarseness and the patient will awaken at night with a croupy cough. **Belladonna has dryness, constriction, and soreness in the larynx, talking is painful and the voice is husky and hoarse. Ivins claims that **Ferrum phosphoricum, if given early, is the only remedy needed; it certainly seems to control the inflammatory condition and hold in check the progress of the disease. Meyhoffer mentions **Aesculus as a very useful remedy in catarrhal inflammation of the larynx and pharynx. Houghton considers **Ferrum phosphoricum as one of the greatest of temporary voice toners; he says that it enables singers to control the voice in its entire compass when suffering from hoarseness.
Hepar sulphur. [Hep]
Laryngitis in children after exposure to dry, cold winds; there is a croupy cough and hoarseness, worse mornings, the patient is very sensitive to the slightest draft, the larynx is painful and dry. It is also a remedy especially adapted to laryngeal troubles of professional singers, and brilliant cures have been made with it. **Sulphur corresponds to chronic cases, with morning loss of voice following suppression of eruptions; voice is hoarse, rough and deep. **Kali bichromicum has dryness of the larynx; the voice is rough and hollow and the expectoration stringy. Ivins recommends the 12X. **Arsenicum corresponds to laryngeal tuberculosis, with ulceration and burning. Dr. Mitchell considers **Hepar the most effective of all remedies in chronic laryngitis. Its action is prompt in the hoarseness of professional singers.
**Ipecac. Dr. Cartier advocates this remedy in complete aphonia from a cold or congestion of the vocal chords claiming it to be superior to **Causticum in inflammatory aphonia. He uses the 6 or 30X potencies every half hour until the voice returns. It has a remarkable efficacy also in relieving hoarseness.
Spongia. [Spong]
Besides the dry, harsh, barking, croupy cough and suffocative spells of this remedy it is useful in laryngeal phthisis with burning and stinging in the larynx and a sensation as if a plug were there, with great sensitiveness; swallowing is painful.
**Sambucus is useful for a spasm of the larynx occurring with laryngitis, and when oedema is present with difficult almost impossible respiration **Apis will prove useful. **Chlorine is, however, the specific for that dangerous condition known as oedema of the glottis.
**Drosera suits laryngeal phthisis with great hoarseness, excretion of tough mucus, paroxysmal cough after midnight. Both voice and cough have a deep bass trumpet sound. **Verbascum is similar, but extends lower than the larynx.
**Iodine has great usefulness in the early stage of membraneous laryngitis; with fever, dry skin, dry cough, and great difficulty in respiration. It follows closely after **Aconite.
Arum triphyllum. [Arum-t]
For the hoarseness of singers and orators there are a few remedies of great importance; among them is **Arum triphyllum. It is useful when the voice suddenly gives out and goes to a higher key. A cracked voice from overuse and hoarseness. **Selenium is a remedy frequently necessary to clear the voice; it has hoarseness appearing as soon as the patient commences to sing, or even after long use of the voice; a characteristic is expectoration of much transparent mucus from the larynx in the morning.
**Graphites has inability to control the vocal cords, the patient gets hoarse and the voice cracks on beginning to sing. a very useful remedy for singers.
**Argentum metallicum has burning and rawness in the larynx, worse from talking and using the voice, it is useful for an alteration in the timbre of the voice in singers and speakers. It has copious exudation in the larynx looking like boiled starch, which is easily hawked up.
**Benzoin Ix was recommended by Dr. T. F. Allen for hoarseness accompanied by a sensation of rawness extending from the larynx to the pit of the throat, but not into the trachea.
**Mercurius solubilis. Two doses a day is frequently specific in hoarseness.
**Baryta carbonica has hoarseness, with great relaxation of the muscular structures of the throat.
Carbo vegetabilis. [Carb-v]
This remedy suits a painless hoarseness, particularly that which is brought on by exposure to damp evening air. It is, of course, worse evenings, though it may appear in the morning on walking, aggravated in moist, cool weather. **Eupatorium perfoliatum has hoarseness in the morning, with chest soreness and aching of the body; a soreness and aching of the body; a soreness in the larynx rather than a rawness.
**Senega is another useful remedy for hoarseness; the throat is so dry that it hurts the patient to talk. It suits sudden aphonias and those accompanied by accumulation of mucus on the chest which is difficult to raise.
**Gelsemium is the first remedy for aphonia from a laryngeal paralysis, or loss of voice during menses, and hysterical hoarseness. **Nux moschata has aphonia from hysteria or changing emotions. **Opium has aphonia from fright and **Platinum should be considered in hysterical aphonia as well as in any other hysterical conditions. **Plumbum in old cases should not be forgotten.
**Gelsemium is, by the way, of great value in laryngismus stridulus.
Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College. Member of American Institute of Homeopathy. In addition to his editoral work he authored or collaborated on: Boericke and Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies, Essentials of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Essentials of Homeopathic Therapeutics and Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics.