In their youth, people of the type of Arsenicum are tall, blooming athletes with shining hair and fair complexion, displaying one common flaw – persistent allergic reactions, manifested either as asthma or skin rushes with intense burning sensation unrelieved by scratching.

In the course of years, various gastrointestinal diseases become their major complaint, usually accompanied by diarrhoea and burning pain in different parts of the intestine.

Towards the end of life, these people may reach an extreme degree of wasting, looking severely ill and emaciated to the limit, with the expression of agony and torture on their faces.

While ill, the most prominent features of the Arsenicum-type people are avoidance of cold and motion, and the nocturnal aggravation of their sufferings, accompanied by feelings of anxiety and distress. These people prefer hot drinks and hot baths, which alleviate their complaints; their sweat has a characteristic garlic scent.

Arsenicum is widely used in the treatment of a wide variety of diseases, most notably those of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, the skin and the nervous system.