4c. The two others had delirium, with increased manifestation of strength; the convulsions were violent, the oppression and contraction of larynx made suffocation imminent; there was very painful tension at epigastrium, frequent nausea with very violent pains in stomach, piercing cries, extreme thirst. Vomiting was artificially excited, and was followed by transient calm; then the pains returned so violently that the patient screamed out and rolled on the ground. The thirst was unquenchable, the features decomposed, the pulse imperceptible. They were taken to the hospital and given various remedies. The pains subsided gradually, and the disease terminated in a dysentery, which, and the stupor, ended in 5 days (Ibid.)
5a. Two soldiers ate the fungi for their breakfast. They were attacked at the same time with gay delirium. One was very loquacious, while at the same time he had strong convulsions of muscles of jaw and neck, particularly the right side, which drew his head over to right shoulder. At the same time he had successive flexion and extension movements of the lower extremities, but he was able to walk though in a singular manner; he thus marched about gaily, talking many unconnected things. To this state which lasted 1/2 hours succeeded a calm which was soon troubled by nausea and general malaise. He got tartar emetic and vinegar and water. The confusion of mind and quiet delirium lasted the rest of the day. He had a quiet night, and next day he had no remembrance of having been ill, but thought he had been a journey.
5b. The second was delirious for a short time, but soon his gaiety was changed into suffering, and he had anxiety and a severe pain in epigastrium, oppression, faintness; vomiting, artificially excited by warm water or tickling throat, caused relief to the pain. He was extremely weak, had painful tension of abdomen, physiognomy much altered, pulse small, depressed, slimy yellow stools with tenesmus and pain. (Ibid.)
6. Several soldiers ate a quantity of the fungi they found in a forest. All were taken ill, some 3 or 4, others 5 or 6 hours, others still longer after their meal. Those first taken ill got an emetic, and soon recovered. 6a. Two had much more serious symptoms than the rest; their abdomens became distended, painful, pulse feeble, depressed, frequent successive attacks of convulsions or faintings, physiognomy much altered, breath fetid, with an acid flavour, partial cold sweats, very fetid stools. They got an ether draught, and had more stools of the same character. In the afternoon the violence of the symptoms diminished, and there ensued delirium, then a comatose state that lasted till the next day, which was passed in much the same state. In the evening the mind seemed to get right, they slept well at night, and next day were well.
6b. Four others, who had eaten a large quantity, thought they were so strong that they would not take an emetic. Towards the evening they had excessive pain, anxiety, suffocation, fainting, extreme thirst, colic, small irregular pulse, general cold sweats, altered features, violet colour of the tip and alae of the nose and also of the lips, general trembling, tympanitic distension of abdomen, evacuation of very fetid stools. They were taken to hospital, but grew worse, delirium and severe pains lasted till their death, which occurred in the course of the n.
6c. P. M. – The first had ejection from mouth of frothy matter of blackish-green colour, abdomen tympanitic, stomach and intestines distended with very fetid gas, their m. m. showed signs of inflammation and gangrenous spots, the jejunum showed in several places destruction of its m. m.; stomach contained a little blackish fluid, the intestines slimy matter.
The second was in much the same state, except that the stomach showed signs of inflammatory congestion of its m. m. near the pylori orifice, the liver was prodigiously swollen, the gall- bladder filled with thick dark-coloured bile.
The third also showed the same changes as the first, but more marked; there were broad gangrenous patches in stomach and intestines. (Ibid. [ Vadrot thinks that the fungi eaten were agar. musc., but in none of the above cases did he see the fungus that caused the accidents. Of the last he says the soldiers gathered a lot of different sorts of fungi and chose the brightest coloured, doubtless Agaricus musc.-EDS])
7. The following occurred in 1853, and as far as we know is unique. The action of these unknown mushrooms resembles that of the well known amanita muscaria. Mr. C. S -, an accomplished civilian, of very temperate habits, was ordered out of the collector’s court at 11 a.m., in consequence of being apparently drunk. On the following morning he was seen by Dr. Palmer, who reported as follows: “I found him in a state of great depression and distress from the recollection of the occurrences of the preceding d. He informed me he had had his breakfast as usual, had a small bottle of claret which he always took, and was not aware of having partaken of anything unusual, and certainly not to excess. That he went to Cutcherry at the usual hours, and felt unable to control his actions; felt drunk, every thing and person appeared ludicrous; he laughed immoderately in open court, joked with the attendants, and ridiculed in an absurd way his superior officer, the collector, by whom he was taken to his house. After some hours he recovered, considerably depressed from the effects of the stimulant, and from the feeling of shame at having made such a ridiculous spectacle of himself before his court, but more so, as he assured me that this was the third time a similar attack had seized him, and he feared he would go mad, for he could not with the utmost effort control his actions, and had been seized in precisely the same manner, at the same time of the year, three years in succession.”
Dr. Palmer, to console him, promised to return to tiffin, at which, among other dishes, were stewed mushrooms. Before the meal was finished he became very excited, and as he had taken very little beer and no other stimulating drink, it suddenly flashed across his mind that the mushrooms were the cause both of his own and of his friend’s intoxication. His symptoms were identical with those described by Mr. S -, and were very similar to the exhilaratory effects of alcohol. Every person appeared ridiculous, the most ordinary remark was full of fun and wit, and his immoderate laughter provoked equal merriment in others. “I took (he writes) a drive in the evening, and I never before or since have seen the lights and shades cast by the setting sun so brilliant, and every object looked so perfectly beautiful. These exaggerated sensations continued for some hours, until, at the request of my friend, I put an end to them by taking a full dose of ipecacuanha, and thus got rid of a considerable quantity of the fungi still undigested. I experienced no after ill effects whatever.” (NORMAN CHEVERS, Medical Jurisprudence in India.)
7a. The first two cases were those of a man aet. 60, and his wife aet. 40, who had eaten of a dish into which the fungus had been introduced. In 1/2 hours woman had trembling of stomach, weakness of limbs, nausea, and violent vomiting. She trembled all over and could scarcely hold anything in her hands. She grew worse, got violent convulsions in the arms, almost like electric shocks. She felt as if her limbs did not belong to her, her legs bent under her; at the same time she felt light as if she could run with great quickness. She had dazzling before the eyes, was much excited, eyeballs rolled about; vision impaired, but hearing very acute. Towards evening convulsions ceased; she had inclination to bend body backwards and forwards and to stretch; sleep restless. The man was much more ill. He had trembling, convulsions, retraction of neck and stretching of body, excitement and inclination to vomit; his mind became clouded, he fell down and appeared to be dying. Pains in limbs, impaired vision, flatulence, colic and great thirst affected both patients for 4 d.
7b. The other cases were two carpenters, 70 and 50 years old, who after partaking of a similar dish of fungi were affected with the most violent brain symptoms; they cried and roared like madmen; the elder was the noisier and broke his bedstead to pieces with superhuman power. It was with difficulty that four strong men could throw the furious patients to the ground and bind them fast. In spite of an emetic the most violent clonic and tonic convulsions lasted all d. It was not until the following morning that they became quiet, and soon after this they recovered. (Quoted from Wien. Medorrhinum Presse in Hirschel’s Zeitschrift, June 15, 1874.)
8. The inhabitants of the north-east part of Asia use agar. musc. in the same manner as wine, brandy, arrack, opium, &c., are used by other nations. The fungi are collected in the hottest months, and hung up in the air by a string to dry. The usual mode of taking the fungus is to roll it up like a bolus, and swallow it without chewing, which (the Kamtschatkans say) would disorder the stomach. One large or two small fungi is a common dose to produce a pleasant intoxication for a whole day, particularly if water be drunk after it, which augments the narcotic action. The desired effect comes on from one to two hours after taking the fungus. Giddiness and drunkenness result in the same manner as from wine and spirits; the cheerful face becomes flushed, emotions of the mind are at first produced, involuntary words and actions follow, and sometimes, at last, an entire loss of consciousness. It renders some remarkably active, and proves highly stimulant to muscular exertion; by too large a dose, violent spasmodic effects are produced. So very exciting to the nervous system, in many individuals, is this fungus, that its effects are often very ludicrous; a person under its influence wishing to step over a straw, takes a stride, or a jump sufficient to clear the trunk of a tree; a talkative person cannot keep silence or secrets, and one fond of music is perpetually singing. (LANGSDORF, Ann. d. Wetteranischen Gesell. f. d. Ges. Naturkunde.).
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.