During latter part of proving there was an irritable feeling under finger – nails, relieved only by biting them; hence this was frequently done. (Trans. of Amer. Inst. of Hom., 1890, p. 225.)
5. About 100 healthy persons, male and female, of various ages, were given doses of the salt, ranging from 1 to 5 gr., 3 times or more a day, in water. The period of its continuance varied from 3 weeks to several months, and the results were carefully noted. In the greater number there was increase in appetite and improvement of complexion; they are more food, and were able to digest it well – the drug seeming to impart a soothing and comfortable sensation. The action of the bowels was perfectly natural. The circulation was entirely unaffected. In 6 or 7 cases a mild diuretic effect was observed. If the small doses were continued for some time, these effects were not always continued, and in a few persons slight nausea was produced, with impairment of appetite; this was especially so when 4 – 5 gr. doses were given. In 3 only was there is a little headache, with giddiness and lightness of head, but the intellectual faculties were unimpaired. Coincidently with increase of appetite was a marked cleaning of the complexion, especially observable if the face wa naturally florid or the skin very red. This redness or floridity became decidedly paler, and the skin assumed a fine transparent freshness indicative of healthy function. Dinginess, slight shallowness, or a heightened complexion became modified or altered, so that a more healthy, slightly pink colour was assumed. These effects were noticed sometimes when the salt had been taken but a few day, and the improvement in the skin was to apparent that it has attracted notice. (GIBB, Trans. of Brit. Assoc., 1862.)
AMMONIUM PHOSPHORICUM [AM-P].
Introduction
Hydro – diammonic phosphate, (NH4)2HPO4.
Provings
1. Dr. C. VOIGT, after taking about 3 gr., was seized in an hours with sense of tightness in praecordia and around chest; nausea; thirst; a hard, small, frequent pulse, and a collapsed state of the circulation. These disturbances were followed by fulness and tension in head; heaviness in limbs; and unsteady tottering gait. (Bost. Medorrhinum and Surg. Journ., xxxiv, 308.)
AMYL NITROSUM (see vol.
i, p. 255)
II. 22. Dr. G. F. SENTER reports in the Indiana Medical Reporter the case of a young lady who took by mistake a dessert – spoonful of nitrite of amyl. A druggist gave an emetic, which acted promptly. The doctor saw her in 25 m. She was ejecting great quantities of fluid from her stomach, which saturated the whole room with an amyl like odour. Her face was greyish – white, her pupils widely dilated, her eyes glassy and vacantly rolling in their sockets. Mouth was wide open; breathing spasmodic and irregular, a few breaths very rapid, then slow and long – drawn, finally, they ceased all rapidity, and became barely perceptible. Pulse was irregular and jerking when first examined; soon, however, it became so slow and feeble that often it could not be detected at the wrist. The patient presented “the most limp, limber, relaxed body imaginable.” Skin was cold and clammy, suffused with a moist adhesive perspiration, supersaturated with amyl. General excitation, with coffee and opium, restored her. ( Brit. Medorrhinum Journ., 1880, ii, 859.)
III. 3. Drs. Mcbride and Kempster, on two occasions, have made an opening in the skull of an etherized rabbit, and – when effects of etherization and operation have subsided – have administered nitrite of amyl. In both animals they saw the vessels of the pia mater dilate, and the brain, becoming intensely congested, protrude through the cranial opening. The ears were equally hyperaemic. (Chicago Journ. of Nervous and Mental Diseases, 1879.)
ANACARDIUM (See vol.
i, p.263)
I. 6. I applied directly to the skin of one hand the tincture of A. orient. In 24 hours a slight redness was visible at point of application. In 48 hours there was heat and itching, and a scarcely perceptible papillary eruption; itching was intensified by warmth and friction, and relieved by cold. In another 24 hours well – marked vesicles were present, though they did not go on to bullae. By 4th day discomfort had subsided at original site; but there were for 2 or 3 day successive crops of small groups of vesicles along the palm and thenar eminence – a circumstance which I had noticed in former poisoning from same drug. By end of a week from application, vesicles had dried up, and finally were peeled off, leaving a base faintly coloured even 2 months afterwards. (Dr. C. H. FINCH, N. E. Medorrhinum Gaz., xxiii, 270.)
ANILINUM [ANIL].
Introduction
A secondary product of coal tar, obtained by treating benzin with strong nitric acid and ammonia. C6H5NH2.
Poisonings
A boy, cleaning an aniline vat, inhaled the fumes, and was suddenly seized with giddiness and became insensible; face and body grew cold, pulse slow and almost imperceptible, action of heart feeble, respiration heavy and laboured. After rallying a little he complained of pain in the head and giddiness; his face had a purple hue, as also his lips, mouth, and nails. This blue colour (as of a patient in the last stage of cholera) continued the next day (MACKENZIE, Medorrhinum Times and Gaz., 1862, i, 239.) 2. Man, aet. 39, was emptying about noon a carboy of aniline into a still, when it struck against the edge and broke, the whole contents pouring over him; none entered his mouth, but the fumes were freely inhaled. About an hours after he broke out into a sweat, and felt quite giddy, and weak in head and stomach. At 11 p. m. he presented the following appearance: – Face and whole body of livid leaden hue; lips, gums, tongue, and eyes of a corpse – like yellow; he was gasping for breath, as though each inspiration would be his last. There were no convulsions, and he was perfectly sensible and able to give a correct account of his feelings; pulse was extremely small and irregular. The only pain of which he complained was in the head and chest. He recovered under stimulants, cold affusion to head, and sinapisms to legs. (KNAGGS, Ibid., p. 583.)
3. R. R -, aet. 25, swallowed at 8 a. m. 100 – 120 grm. of a mixture of aniline and toluidine by mistake for coffee. He went to work as usual without telling anyone of the accident, and it was not till 9:45 that his companions noticed that he was dull, immobile, and in a state of stupor. Interrogated, he stated what had taken place, and complained of slight headache. Free emesis was induced, and patient lay down; but 20 m. later grave nervous phenomena appeared. The patient lost consciousness, sank into a coma with general relaxation of the whole system, the head pendent and hanging backwards, the lips of a black and the face of a violet colour. Contraction of the muscles of the face followed, with risus sardonicus and trismus, so that only with a great effort a few drops of milk could be introduced into the mouth. There were no convulsions or contractions of the limbs; pulse very feeble; coldness. At 10:30 a. m. a few drops of alcohol were put into the mouth, and this was followed by some reaction. At this moment an increased quantity of alcohol and alcoholised tea was given. In order to combat the cold, he was heavily covered with clothes, and vessels of warm water placed around him; the whole body was rubbed with camphorated alcohol. The patient regained consciousness, and the vomiting returned. At 12:30 p. m. two injections of oil were given. At 2 there was again loss of consciousness; the pulse was weak, and the cyanosis still persisted, although in a less degree than before. At 3 clonic spasms of the limbs and complete loss of consciousness; the contractions of the face and jaw had disappeared. The patient was now admitted to the hospital. On his arrival the intern noticed that he was in the deepest coma; the pupils were dilated, with only slight reaction. Two hundred grammes of a deep brown coloured urine were withdrawn by the catheter. Death was considered imminent. The coma lasted during the n., interrupted by frequent convulsive attacks in the limbs. The face was of a violet colour during all this period. In the m. the patient was conscious, and complained only of a violent headache. The face, and especially the lips, were still slightly cyanosed. The sensibility was normal, except along the palate, where tickling did not provoke any reflex action. No paralysis. There was free urination; the urine was still very dark, albuminous, and with an alkaline reaction, while that of the evening had been acid and non – albuminous. No pain in the abdomen; no stool since the attack. There was a strong alkaline odour about the bed, which seemed to come from the patient (s clothing. Treatment: – Milk, purgative, bath. On the following days the headache disappeared. The urine was still coloured, and but slightly albuminous. The patient left the hospital in a few day, without any appreciable remaining phenomena, except the anaesthesia of the arch of the palate.
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.