Abies nigra


Proving Symptoms of homeopathy medicine Abies Nigra, described by Richard Hughes in his book, A Cyclopedia of Drug Pathogenesis, published in 1895….


Introduction

Abies nigra, Poir. Black Spruce. Nat. Ord., Coniferae.

Provings

Miss L., aet. 19, sanguine temp., very healthy, proved saturated solution of gum in alcohol at 98o. From 2 drops, no perceptible effects; after 3 did not sleep as well as usual, and had a little headache; after 4, very hungry, and not sleep as well as usual, and had a little headache; after 4, very hungry, and wakeful at night, bad feeling in head; pain after a hearty meal. After 5 drops, choking sensation in throat; easily out of breath; pains in bones; dullness during day, but wakefulness at night; headache, commencing 1 hour after dose, until 1 hour before next; pain in small of back; severe pain in stomach, extending to left side; is very low spirited and exceedingly hungry. After 7 drops, headache increased; alternate heat and cold; bad dreams. Continuing to get worse, she left off proving. (Dr. SEAMAN, Ohio Medorrhinum and Surg. Reporter, i, 85.)

2. Miss B., aet. 19, dark hair and blue eyes, took same tinct., 2 drops twice daily for 2 days, then 3 drops in same way. Some sense of fatigue. After 4 drops, distressing pain in stomach; after 5, nervousness with dizziness. After 6 drops, cheeks flushed, head hot, severe headache; total anorexia in morning, but great craving for food at noon and night; pains and aching in bones; inability to think or study; very melancholy; sleepy during day, but restless at night. Continued 6 drops during 3 days; all symptoms increased, especially pain in stomach, which remained some days after omitting drug, actually worse than during proving. Constipation during proving, omitting drug, actually worse than during proving but still more for weeks after it. Catamenia missed twice: no irregularity before. Forced by sense of illness to discontinue proving. ( Ibid. )

3. Dr. ST. CLAIR SMITH has frequently found chewing the gum produce sensation as of an undigested hard-boiled egg in stomach. (ALLEN’S Encyclopedia, i, 2.)

4. August 10th, 11:30 p.m. – I took 10 drops of 18th potency. After about 1/2 hours felt a severe pain in or about meatus auditorius externus, which continued to increase for 5 morning or more, and then gradually subsided. The pain was quite peculiar and different from anything I ever before experienced. This was followed by slight dyspnoea, which was increased by lying down. It soon subsided, however, and I slept immediately after retiring, which I think was soon after midnight. I felt no symptoms on the following day, and at 10:30 p.m. I took 10 drops more, and retired in about half an hour. Soon after lying down I felt a choking suffocating sensation, as though my lungs were compressed, so that I could not fully expand them. (I had experienced a similar sensation several years ago, when laboring under some disorder of the chest.) There was some increased action of the heart; it did not beat faster than usual, but harder, that is, the volume of blood which entered it seemed to be greater. The pain in meatus of left ear was not so marked as on evening previous, but still it was plainly present. It seemed on this occasion to flit about, not settling down on a single point. As on evening previous, these symptoms continued for 15 or 20 morning, and then subsided and did not return. On the succeeding days I took 5 drops 3 times a day, but did not develop any new symptoms. The symptoms before mentioned were present, but were not so marked as on the former occasions. August 18th, I took 6 drops of the 9th potency in evening, but did not perceive any symptoms. The next evening I took 12 drops of the 9th, and developed in a marked degree the same symptoms as after 10 drops of the 18th. Nothing new, however, appeared. I followed this up by taking 6 to 15 drops of the 9th, but I think I got the plainest results from about 12 drops of this potency. I have taken various potencies from the tincture up to the 30th, and have invariably confirmed the proving, to wit, pain in external meatus, heavy slow beating of heart, dyspnoea, and, finally, sharp cutting pains in the heart. This last was very severe from the 30th, so severe that I was obliged to take Aconite to antidote it. (J. B.BELL, M. D., Allen’s Encyclopedia, x, 241.).

Richard Hughes
Dr. Richard Hughes (1836-1902) was born in London, England. He received the title of M.R.C.S. (Eng.), in 1857 and L.R.C.P. (Edin.) in 1860. The title of M.D. was conferred upon him by the American College a few years later.

Hughes was a great writer and a scholar. He actively cooperated with Dr. T.F. Allen to compile his 'Encyclopedia' and rendered immeasurable aid to Dr. Dudgeon in translating Hahnemann's 'Materia Medica Pura' into English. In 1889 he was appointed an Editor of the 'British Homoeopathic Journal' and continued in that capacity until his demise. In 1876, Dr. Hughes was appointed as the Permanent Secretary of the Organization of the International Congress of Homoeopathy Physicians in Philadelphia. He also presided over the International Congress in London.