Sponge first came to prominence medicinally in the 14th century, when it was used as a treatment for goiter, which results from iodine deficiency. Some 500 years later it was concluded that sponge contains significant amounts of iodine and bromine, which explain its success in treating goiter and other thyroid complaints. Typically, this remedy is used to treat toxic symptoms that result from goiter, such as palpitations, breathlessness, and flushing. It is also used for acute, dry, croupy coughs, asthma, and heart disease. Symptoms associated with these conditions include: a sense of exhaustion and heaviness after minimal exertion; violent palpitations with anginal chest pains; a flushed face or neck; and a sense of suffocation that often wakes the person shortly after midnight. It is also given for laryngitis with a raw, dry, burning sensation in the throat, which is extremely sensitive to touch. It is particularly useful when there is a family history of tuberculosis or chest conditions.