5. Mrs. C., aet. 27, took (for neuralgia) 3 gr. doses of a French preparation of exalgine at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 p. m. without effect. At 9 she took 3 gr. more, and almost immediately afterwards felt absolutely powerless. This lasted 5 m., patient remaining quite conscious. She compared the sensation to that of taking chloroform before she was quite “under.” At 12:45, pain still being very severe, she took a 7th dose, and in 15 m. had feeling of impending death, could not speak, gasped for breath, pallor intense, dilated pupils; limbs became quite rigid, heart palpitated; she felt utterly powerless, and broke out into profuse perspiration. By aid of fresh air, stimulants, &c., the attack passed off in 15 m., leaving her very prostrate, with ringing sounds in ears. (Lancet, 1891, I, 541.)
6. Mrs. G. had been taking 2 gr. doses of same at intervals, for a neuralgic headache, obtaining relief, though sometimes feeling slightly faint; but by mistake an undetermined overdose was taken. She soon experienced a feeling of complete prostration, her limbs became powerless though not rigid, she felt as if she was sinking through the bed, and thought she was dying; there was slight perspiration, breathing was faint and shallow, and she was nearly pulseless. Mustard, heat, and stimulants brought her round, but she felt very weak for many day afterwards. (Ibid.)
7. A lady, aet. 43, for migraine occurring at the menstrual periods was given two powders of 0.25 grm. each of monobromacetanilid. She took one at 10:30 a. m., and, finding no relief, took the other at 11. Her lips were then beginning to look a little blue. At 11:30, 12:15, and 1, the headache being no better, she took 0.5 grm. of antifebrin. She became very cyanosed, and felt almost intoxicated and very giddy. At 3 p. m. headache grew worse; clothes felt tight and their pressure almost suffocating; she was seized with pain in left shoulder, starting from cardiac region and extending to tips of fingers, and for a short time lost consciousness, but soon regained it, and felt only giddy; headache persisted. Pulse was at 5 p. m. 108, very compressible; at 11 it was 120; respiration rose to 24 and then to 28, and temp. to 100.2; a mitral systolic murmur developed at the apex. Nitro – glycerine (grm. 1/100) increased the cyanosis. Alcohol, strychnia and digitalis were given at frequent intervals, and by next evening patient was practically well. ( Ibid., Feb. 8th.)
FUCHSINUM
Fuchsinum, rosaniline hydrochlorate, aniline red, C20H10N3HC1. II, III. I. Rosaniline hydrochlorate when perfectly pure is said to have no marked physiological action. Fabrics dyed with it have acted as local irritants producing eczema; but it is probable that this effect may be due, at least in great part, to the presence of arsenic. When given internally, it has produced salivation, vomiting, diarrhoea; and when injected into the veins it has caused trembling, staggering, albuminuria, and fatty degeneration of the kidneys. These symptoms may possibly be due to the presence of aniline or of arsenic as impurities. It is excreted by the kidneys, saliva, and bile; and probably also by the intestinal mucous membrane. (BRUNTON, Pharmac., &c., p. 743.)
ANTIMONIUM TARTARICUM (see vol.i, p.278.)
I. 7. (Revision from original.) I took, May 20th, 1842, at 6:30 a. m., gr. 1/4 triturated for an hours with 25 gr. of sacch. lact., dissolved in a spoonful of water. After 1/2 hours, frequent eructations of air, now insipid, now flat – tasting; afflux of clear flat – tasting fluid into mouth, running out in great quantity, with retching and straining which brought up nothing but a little clear mucus. Easy expectoration of much transparent sweet – tasting mucus. Indescribable malaise in region of stomach and belly, increased in former but diminished in latter by gently laying hand on the part. Tenderness of abdomen. Sense of weight in stomach, which invades whole abdomen and causes great malaise; this state is relieved in the open air, but aggravated indoors, it is also diminished by eructation. Dull belly – ache in mesogastrium with slight shuddering and goose – skin. For 10 m. slight coldness, prostration, and desire to sleep. Frequent yawnings. After a glass of warm milk at 9 a. m. all these discomforts went off. After dinner, head was painfully attacked, especially in forehead; this lasted 1/2 hours, and there was occasional transient pressure from without inwards, as if towards one another, in temples. By evening all had gone off. (De MOOR, Revue de la Medorrhinum specifique, v, 436.)
22. a. I had prescribed for a little boy of 14 mos. a gr. of tart. em. in zvj water, to be taken in 3 doses. He had no vomiting or purging, but his belly became large and tense, and his face and hands swollen. Enemata, 3 – 4 a day, gradually relaxed the belly; the oedema did not disappear for 8 – 10 d. 22b. Dissolving 4 gr. in about zij of distilled water, I took this solution in the palm of one hand and rubbed it against that of the other till both were dry. Some m. after, I felt a slight flat taste in the mouth, which filled with a quantity of water, as when one is on the point of vomiting. I had, however, no actual nausea or sickness. Repeating experiment, and rubbing in only a few dr. at a time, I felt slight nausea during the process. When the sol. was rubbed into the inner aspect of the thighs, no effect resulted. (SAVARY, Journ. de Medorrhinum de Corvisart, xxvi, 248, from Ibid.)
23. a. The effects of tart. em. in health very according to the doses administered. From 1 centigr. slight general perspiration ordinarily results; after 2 or 3 the sweating becomes copious, or alvine evacuations are produced. From 5 – 15 centigr. we see nausea, shuddering, pallor, giddiness, salivation, repeated and violent vomiting, with sweat on forehead, obscuration of vision, and involuntary trembling of the lover jaw. When given in larger doses still, it rarely produces vomiting.
23b. Whatever be the channel through which tart. em. enters the system, it always produces the same results, left evening, perspiration if its action be slight; stools and vomiting if this is more considerable; general prostration if its full power is exerted. (GIACOMINI, from Ibid.)
ACIDUM FLUORICUM (see vo.
i, p. 16.)
Accidentally misplaced EDS
II. 2. A young lady, in attempting to remove with fluor. ac. some paint from china, spilled some of the acid on her palms and forearms. She at once washed it off with running water, and applied turpentine to the palms. Next day, a few spots on one hand which the turpentine had not reached gave her great pain, which she described as intensely pulsating, like the beat of the heart. The pulsation involved the tip of the thumb particularly; but this had not been touched by the acid, nor was it red and inflamed like those spots which had been, but it was sore to touch, and when pressed there was sensation as if a splinter were under the nail and in the cellular tissue. The whole hand was swollen and hot, and the cold open air felt grateful to it. The throbbing and heat in the thumb continued for about 4 day, and gradually subsided under treatment. (T. F. ALLEN, N. A. J. of hours, March, 1886, p. 288.
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.