Allium cepa


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


Introduction

Allium Cepa, Wild. Common onion. Nat. Ord., Liliaceae.

Provings

1a. Dr. HERING took on Nov. 13th 5 drops of tinct. twice at midday. Very soon, nausea; a little later, pain in right 4th and 5th fingers, and small appearance of letters on becoming sleepy while reading. In 5 m. painful sensation from throat to ears; 10 m., pain from both sides of head downwards and increased towards middle; 15 m., ears, throat, and region of root of tongue were yet more decidedly affected; 20 m., pressive pain over right eye; 30 m., in 1st upper right molars sensitive drawing from root to crown, afterwards in corresponding left teeth; 50 m., spots hotter than usual on right cheek, and pains moving from deep in head to ears, as it were thick threads about a finger long, remaining in particular spots of size of nuts. During 1st hours, bruised pain in outer left thigh near knee: after it, pains deep in head over left brow, and from deep in occiput to behind ears, with oppression there; supraorbital itching, mostly 1.; twitching and gnawing, described as “chilling or burning,” in right throat, near Eustachian orifice, neither painful; abdomen distended (before dinner) so that clothes feel too tight; on walking, a sudden burning or chilling thread-like cutting in abdomen from both sides to middle and upwards; in anus and some protruding piles a cold, worm-like creeping. In 70 m., pressive pain, almost burning, in upper and outer left thigh; 75 m., burning pains around left outer ankle, and a burning pressure, first without, then also within; 90 m., burning glow or chilling sensation, with oppression, in right abdomen, followed by emission of flatus; pains in right and left thigh. All symptoms disappeared after dinner (90 m.).

1b. Sept. 15th and “following days,” took tincture (doses not specified). On 1st day, in evening, pressive occipital headache, later merging into sense of part being asleep; persistent benumbed feeling in back of throat; burning aching in eyebrows, supra-orbital region and upper lids; sensation as of smoke under upper lids; while walking in street unwonted nasal defluxion, without feeling of coryza; thread-like pain deep in right upper jawbone, as in a nerve, from above downwards and from middle to side; much soft bland mucus in throat, compelling swallowing or hawking; pressure deep in epigastrium, often recurring, as if in cardiac orifice and posterior wall of stomach; within pelvis, at upper and inner region of groin, severe pressure on a small spot, afterwards becoming violent pain; burning pressure in region of bladder and soon afterwards in sacrum (10 p.m.); warm or chilling sensation, as if a glow within beat on right abdomen, and in both iliac regions, – surface feeling warm only; painful embarrassed feeling in left forearm, especially in radius, while resting one arm in writing; pains in right wrist, on dorsal and extensor side; all evening voluptuous, corrosive itching on left thumb; excessive tired feeling in both hips, on rising from sitting, and on walking, especially on going upstairs; burning pressure on small spot at middle of both legs; pains in right foot, and especially in left great toe; slight corrosive itching here and there, at seats of which small points appear, with desire to rub or wash them. At n., on account of weakness in hips could not complete coition, though he attempted it more than once. On 2nd day the pain in right upper jaw extended to nose; the pain in middle of left radius disappears on grasping and rubbing it, but returns. On both day, in afternoon, after wine and coffee, much business utterly confused and distracted him, he forgot and confounded one thing with another to the utmost degree. On 4th and 5th day, violent cutting pains as from small knives in twisting motion, deep in above left groin in middle of Poupart’s ligament; this pain, quite new to him, moves to and fro in a small space. On 4th, 5th, and 6th day, after coitus at n., pressive pains deep in pelvis, as in bladder and prostate, during m. and forenoon. From 4th to 7th day, ringing in ears now and then, as from distant sounds, mostly in best ear. From 10th to 12th day blood with stool. (Amerik. Arzneiprufungen.) 2. Dr. JEANES “proved drug on himself,” in what manner is not stated. [ Probably in 4th dil. See Guiding Symptoms, sub voce CEPA.-EDS] He had unusual sweating while preparing tincture, pungent smell, biting and weeping in eyes, and sneezing, after taking it: also (immediately) shooting and pressive pain in internal inguinal ring and spermatic cord; later, on 1st day, pain in region of right kidney, shifting on 2nd to 1., with irritability of bladder. On 2nd day, m., raw feeling in throat, with tickling in region of epiglottis, first right and then 1.; therewith sense of weakness in stomach, very annoying hiccough and bringing-up of frothy, saliva-like, mucous fluid, with flatulent eructation and expulsion; there was constant inclination to hacking, to remove tickling in larynx; after breakfast, violent pain in right ankle and rumbling in epigastrium. On both days, hoarseness. On 3rd day and later some purging. To this prover are also referred, without note of time, the symptoms – weight and pain in head (latter in “region of organ of concentration”); cloudy sight in evening by candlelight; pain in region of pylorus; pressure on bladder; very red urine, with reddish-yellow sandy sediment; shooting pain in various parts of chest; rheumatic pains in joints; pain in right great toe and left middle finger; shooting pain in left leg and right foot; dreams of dangerous positions and efforts to escape from them. [ The other symptoms credited to this author were evidently observed in patients.-EDS] (Ibid.) 3. Dr. ALLEBORN proved tinct. on four men, who took from 1 to 50 drops several days in succession.

3a. “G.” Dull pressive pain in head; a bright dazzling in distance with division near by; continual eructations, nausea, and pressure in stomach, with rumbling and gurgling in hypogastrium, especially on left side, where there is sticking and croaking, with ineffectual urging to stool; pressive pain in hepatic region, extending through whole abdomen; biting in anus; burning pain in forepart of glans penis; stitches in left chest and right arm with burning pain; lameness in joints of left hand; paralytic pains in knee-joints; stitches as with needles in skin, especially on head, forehead, brows, throat, loins, and right arm. It attacks at once whole body and causes a shuddering throughout, with eructations of gas.

3b. “L.” Burning in lids; colic in umbilical region; pain on left side of abdomen as from a bruise; desire for food, changing to disgust on beginning to eat; the whole body is put into a revolution which the prover is not in a condition to describe.

3c. “P.” Feeling of emptiness in stomach, and drawing to and fro therein, with some pain on left side; pressure in stomach and fulness in head, with much yawning; weak feeling, especially in arms.

3d. “W.” Eructations of wind immediately, then oppression of head, especially in forehead, and distension of abdomen; thereupon urgency to stool, but only passage of wind; there with weak feeling in limbs, and in evening free expectoration of mucus. The distension of abdomen continued until next day, and ended with a diarrhoea, on which all other symptoms also vanished (from 50 drops several times repeated). (Ibid.) 4. Dr. ECKEL took, on 1st day, before breakfast, 2 drops, on 3rd, 4 drops. Very soon, rumbling in abdomen with passage of much wind, preceded by heat and frequent eructations. After breakfast, for 2.1/2 hours great dryness of soft palate, pressive headache over eyes, with at times electric-like shocks through head; therewith sensation as if whole head was bathed in warm water. Frequent eructations, stomach distended, and pains in abdomen, relieved by emission of flatulence; internal heat therewith. Periodic pain in pubic region, worse while sitting. Frequent cold shivers creep along back. In afternoon roaring in left ear, as heretofore only after a severe cold. After coffee an irritation on left upper lid, necessitating frequent rubbing; in evening, lachrymation of eyes with coryza, left eye red and sensitive to light; worse in warm room. Towards evening stitches in left side, excessive thirst, heat, and severe coryza with much lachrymation, headache; discharge from nose was acrid and burning, so that upper lip became red and sensitive; therewith trembling of right hand, so that he could hardly write. Next minute lid still irritable; coryza better, but became worse in warm room in evening, relieved by open air; drawing pains in left cheek, going into interior of left eye, better in cold air; in afternoon pains in abdomen returned more severely, worst in left inguinal region, more pressing than burning, but with heat in abdomen, frequent micturition, with burning in urethra, urine very red. On 3rd day, found teeth – normally white and sound – of a dirty-yellow (this continued till 5th d.). After 2nd dose, pains in abdomen recur with much rumbling and emission of flatulence; excessive lachrymation of left eye and redness of ball after frequent sneezing; hawking up of mucus of sweetish nauseous taste; no stool, and sacral pain, such as he ordinarily has if constipated for some day; at 9 p.m. pain became seated in right hypochondrium, with cold shuddering down back so that he could scarcely get warm; also internal coldness followed by heat and great thirst, which continued into night; with the chill urine a deeper red. On 4th day, m., dryness and tickling in throat, with hacking; this day and the following much irritation of right nostril, soreness of nose, sneezing and lachrymation, with some headache; stool large and thick; in evening, headache and coryza, eructations of gas, flashes of heat over whole body, and thirst. On 5th day, morning, nauseous taste, eructations even worse, tongue slimy; cold creeping along back. Up to 8th day some soreness of nose. The abdominal pains were always aggravated after eating; the sticking pains in left side by deep inspiration. Every day he was sleepy and disinclined to work in m. after rising. 5. Dr. GEIST took one drop of 3rd on evening of 16th and 2 more about 11 a.m. of 19th Dec. After 5 hours, dull pain to right of sternum on moving in bed. In m., pain below sternum on stooping; numb sensation in left elbow-joint. This n. and next feeling as if back teeth were too large, with some pain; disappears on rising. On 3rd day defecation very difficult, though faeces were not hard. On 4th day, 1 hours after dose, crawling in right nostril as before sneezing, must frequently blow thin mucus out of nose. On 5th and 6th day, while going against a north wind, pressive toothache in right back teeth, upper and under, with inclination to bore tongue into them and suck (which relieves) – lasting 1 hours; also great urging and straining with soft stool at usual time. On 7th day slight pressure in right back teeth on entering warm room; it is increased by lukewarm cocoa, relieved by cold water. During stool feeling as of cracks inside anus; in right elbow-joint pain as from a blow. On 8th day, at breakfast, back teeth pain on chewing, so that only soft food can be eaten, a pressive pain remains for some time after; towards noon it settles in root of left eye-tooth, gum is inflamed; pain frequently ceases suddenly and commences in an instant in a right molar; in eye-tooth it is pressive and grumbling; cold relieves. Sleep disturbed by it. great heat in cheek; towards morning remission and sweat, cheeks feel swollen. On 9th day hypogastrium heavy as if pressed upon. (Ibid.) 6. Dr. LINGEN took unknown quantity and report:- Stitches over whole left side of forehead externally, drawing into ear. upper jaw, and teeth of same side (e., immediately after taking drug); with great dryness in both nostrils, there collects in fauces much thick, white, frothy, tasteless mucus, which is easily expectorated without cough. (Ibid.) 7. Dr. NEIDHARD experimented on three ladies with tincture.[ The details have been communicated by Dr. Neidhard himself.-EDS] 7a. Took 20 drops at 10 a.m. Felt extraordinary desire to exercise mental faculties; no other symptoms save that for a few day she looked paler and more haggard. 7b. Took 20 drops. In 5 morning oppression in forehead and over eyes; dizziness on moving about, lasting 3 hours; pricking in soles, with numbness; pain in back. 7c. Took 5 drops at 4 p.m. Dull aching pain over eyes and in centre of forehead, lasting with slight intermission until evening; frequent shooting pain through teeth on right side; slight aching from back of head down nape. Next day, at 10:30 a.m., took 10 drops. In 15 minutes heaviness over eyelids like a weight, followed by slight drowsiness (without pain); at 11 dull pain in forehead, less severe pain than on previous day, increased by reading or writing. (Ibid.) 8. Dr. WESSELHOEFT took 2 drops of tinct. in water 4 or 5 day in succession, and reports: Soon after taking dose moderate warmth in abdomen, squeamishness, and slight rising of nausea from stomach to throat; then slight confusion in head; micturition more difficult; urging to pass even small quantities of urine; this ceased after some days, but then returned and lasted a long time. (Ibid.) 9. Dr. WILLIAMSON took unknown quantity, and reports:- Pains in both temples, most severe in right, aggravated by winking, – later pain extends over forehead, worse on left side; tingling pain behind left mastoid process; heat in left eyebrow; dryness at right root of tongue; contractive pain in left hypochondrium, with movement of wind; pain about navel 1 hours after dinner; rumbling in transverse colon and sudden urgings to stool; stools soft and painless; pain in cervical region; copious micturition; throbbing in larynx and sensation as if it were contracted; pain in chest as though food remained lodged behind sternum. (Ibid.) 10. Dr. ZUMBROCK took 10 drops of tinct. several times. After such dose at noon, had for whole afternoon pain in throat below larynx, as after swallowing a large mouthful, or as if swollen; pains extend at times into right ear; towards evening collection of mucus behind choanae; same day drawing in right spermatic cord; a very painful and long drawn-out stitch in lower rectum; painful twitching on inner side of left heel; severe pains like neuralgia from upper half of right eye to root of nose. On 2nd day dull pains in right renal region, and very uncomfortable feeling of fulness in bladder with urging to urinate. (Ibid.) 11. Dr. DUBS, after eating onions, feels feverish as after taking cold, worse in evening, with heat in face, tongue and mouth feeling burning and dry, without thirst, drinking only in small quantities; therewith restlessness in all limbs, so that he cannot keep them still; next day the tongue is coated. (Ibid.) 12. PROLLIUS ate a Brunswick onion, and experienced in 4 hours indescribable anxiety; walks about, and finally, full of apprehension, throws himself on bed, and soon gets up again; constant violent pains on left side of abdomen, more in lower part, also in vesical region; frequent severe urgency to urinate and burning passage of urine drop by drop; violent thirst; expression of anxiety and doubt; skin hot, especially in painful and tender places; pulse somewhat accelerated, full, hardish. (Caspar’s Wochenschrift, 1845, p. 835.).

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.