Introduction
Aloe Socotrina, Lam. Gum aloes. Nat. Ord., Liliacea.
Provings
1. Every healthy person who takes a certain quantity of A. has some stools from it. He experiences otherwise no symptoms, unless it be sometimes a little heat and uneasiness in region of liver. The effect is rarely felt for the first 8 hours, often not till after 12 hours, and this whether the dose is great or small. The stool is often preceded by some pinchings, and at times accompanied with tenesmus. The excrements are mixed with bile; they are not watery, and have an odour quite sui generis. The effect of A. on the stools is the greater the more inclined one is to free biliary secretion. By the evacuations provoked by A. the system is not refreshed as it is by purgation induced by other agents, especially by the neutral salts; it is rather a little heated, and that the more according as the evacuations are copious and frequent. If the dose is strong, the pulse is often quickened, dryness of mouth and thirst are induced, the urine is passed in smaller quantity, and is burning; there is felt in the hypogastrium a disagreeable warmth, sometimes even a throbbing, and in the right hypochondrium pressure and tension are noticed. If the use of the A. is continued for many successive days, its effects increase, unless the dose is diminished; this applies also to the heating. If the subject is disposed to haemorrhoids and to too copious menstruation, A. sometimes provokes haemorrhoidal sufferings and augments the catamenial flow. Small doses, moreover, often cause erections, and increase the sexual appetite. (WEDEKIND, Rust’s Magaz., xxiv, 2, 304.)
2. A. hardly ever does more than produce one stool, which seems to be merely an evacuation of what may be supposed to have been present for the time in the great intestines. It is remarkable that it does this is a very small dose, and it is equally remarkable, that though the dose is increased to ten times the quantity the effect is much the same. I have found that hardly any dose under 20 grains will procure a liquid stool, and when it happens, it is always with pain and griping…….. As a operates especially upon the intestinum rectum, there may be a foundation for the common opinion of its producing haemorrhoidal affections; and from the large and frequent use of A., I have had instances of such effects. (CULLEN, Treatise of the Materia Medica, ii, 525.) 3. In the course of three years GIACOMINI took 120 grammes of A. 1 to 3 grains taken fasting caused, usually, a few eructations tasting of the drug, but always increased feeling of hunger, and after 8 to 10 hours, often after previous pricking in the bowels, one or more light copious stools of soft yellowish- brown faeces, mostly accompanied by discharge of flatus, and having a strong and peculiar odour at times; the evacuation was repeated more scantily some hours afterwards. 8 to 10 grains appeared not to increase these effects, although the pulse (after 3 h.) was slowed. At 16 to 20 grains, evacuations only seldom occur which can be said to be effects of the remedy; in place of this the pulse is slowed 4 to 8 beats in a minute, and the urine is copious and turbid. Once after a scruple dose, the stool only occurred after 28 hours, and there was nothing further to be observed than a certain anxieties. After 30 grains between m. and evening followed a n. of perfectly calm sleep, but next day there were two tolerably fluid stools, copious urination, general depression, and very urgent inclination for food. In his numerous experiments instituted with small doses, he sometimes experienced biting pains in the intestines, which were (he says) the forerunners of the pending evacuation, and manifestly depended upon the descent of the separate intestinal humours. (Trattato Filosofico Sperimentale, 1833, iv, 336-8.) 4. A.B -, a young physician, proved A. in 1833. 4a. Took one grain at 6 a.m., and shuddered 40 m. thereafter. In 4 hours feeling as if head were expanded from within; a single twitching drawing over left eye and outwards through it; after a meal, coldness (objective and subjective) of hands and feet, latter grew warm after walking, former less so, in evening both warm; late in getting to sleep. Urine transparent, dark, not increased. Awoke at 3 a.m., with hasty urgency to stool, dull gripings, movings about in abdomen, thin, pappy, copious evacuation, afterwards feeling as if more would come. Woke again at 7 completely active; had canine hunger in forenoon; at noon sore pain in right vertex, touching hair hurts the spot – later; in evening same pain in other small places; in afternoon and evening pressive boring in left temple, followed by stitching drawing in left eye outwards coming from brow; bruised pain between and on scapulae, as after long stooping. On 3rd day, awoke at 7 with feeling of hunger and urgency to micturition; during forenoon, copious emission of light-yellow urine, and two extra stools; at 11 a.m. driven to urinate quickly, he can scarcely hold it; feeling as if he had taken cold in bowels, after the m. stool; pressive or paralytic drawing in right upper arm near the shoulder, at rest and in movement; drawing stitches, not deep, over right temple; tensive numb sensation spreads from forehead over scalp, with feeling of increased warmth; in afternoon, more frequent, quicker urgency to micturate, with less quantity than in morning; in evening and next m. while lying in bed sprained feeling in several joints. During these day, face had pale, sickly colour. On 4th day, awoke at 3 with urging to urinate, and had a copious, thin, pappy stool without straining; felt also pressive pain in pharynx, feeling of rawness and swelling, especially on swallowing, with hawking of thick mucus (all going off on rising). Remained wide awake till 6, when he had movement in umbilical region, with urgency to stool and hunger; a second stool followed, with flatus and a sort of tenesmus; at 7 a third stool with straining; when he thought he had finished, still more came; at 11 a fourth stool; drawing in front of urethra when sitting; drawing tension on right side of neck, as if in muscles, burning on stooping (same sensation 2nd and 3rd d.); pain in and about meatus auditorius almost like ear- ache; also when closing jaw, sense of numbness behind ear, drawing down to lower jaw through a back tooth; dull drawing and shooting on right forehead, confusing head, and compelling him to make the eyes small. On 5th day, in m., on rising, hawking of thick, tenacious, lumpy mucus, like jelly, easily detached; soon after breakfast hungry feeling in stomach, with collection of water in mouth; afternoon, some blood blown from nose. Throughout day increased urgency to micturition, urine not more copious than usual. On 6th day, sleep having been bad, was excited mentally, yet dozy; and had violent urging to micturate.
The tenesmus was occasioned by an unpleasant sensation in anus, as if more faeces would follow, which must be held back on account of soreness; yet for some cause cannot draw anus together.
4b. To 4 grains, washed down with some water, in forenoon. Soon after, pulse became very slow (55), weak and suppressed, and there was coldness, especially through legs; 1/2 hours later, pulse still subnormal in force and frequency, but face was warm and flushed, and he felt lively and excited; in 1 hours warmth in stomach, with feeling of hunger, pulse 60, weak, sometimes intermitting a beat. During siesta, no sleepiness, feet and hands cold, only warming up gradually. Urine passed in afternoon was, after standing, cloudy with whitish sediment (cloudiness finely granular); it was small in quantity, and of four ammoniacal odour. Felt unusually vigorous at this time, but weary early in evening; had sensitive drawing pain in head, most externally; more pressure to urinate, but less passed; drawing pain in hands and feet. The night was restless. On rising, hasty urging to stool, with continued rumbling in abdomen; spattering after stool; some rawness in fauces, chiefly in soft palate and uvula, with some hoarseness of voice, which disappears during breakfast, but returns (forenoon) on going into cold open air. Pulse after rising, 60, weak and suppressed; in afternoon over 60. A painful crack in under-lip, near right angle of mouth. This day and next dry lips, looking whitish if not frequently moistened; and now and then weakness of whole chest. At 2 a.m. on 3rd day, woke with urgency to urinate; same urgency on rising at 5, and again at 8 and 9:30, no increase of quantity. Every time he passes urine, he feels as if some thin faeces would escape with it. Pulse early was 70; at 3 p.m., 62. Long dozy mid-day sleep, cannot arouse himself; frequent yawning after it. In afternoon, excitement of mind and body; sensitive jerking drawing, as in flesh, from forearm to middle hand, 6 or 8 times in quick succession, while sitting still and writing; sudden attacks of coryza. In evening cold feet, hindering his going to sleep. On same day are noted:- Labour soon becomes tedious to him; dryness of mouth; sickening odour from mouth, noticeable to himself, as if he had been long without food on a warm day; frequent desire for food, eat apples between meals; much flatulence; stool passed without his needing to make any exertion, – fell, as it were, out of rectum; highly coloured urine, of strong odour, remaining clear. In n., right testicle felt cold to touch; no sound sleep; cold; woke at 3 a.m. from a mass of confused dreams. On then getting up, chill, lasting throughout day, in open air and in room; very sensitive during its continuance; in afternoon it is more severe, runs through skin of whole body, with some oppression in forehead; in evening feet only remain cold. Coryza also during whole d. After midday meal dozy half-sleep, eyes heavy. In evening severe stitches in middle of chest, about 6th rib, hindering deep inspiration. On this day also, little disposition to mental exertion; feels discouraged as to success; no appetite for meat this day or next; frequently a sensitive drawing in different parts of body, as if involving bones; sooner fatigued on movement; from this till 8th day, right nostril scabby and sensitive within. Since rising, palate and fauces felt swollen, and increasingly during day, on empty swallowing and yawning. There was pain in arches of palate. On 5th and 6th day these sensations continued; swallowing food did not hurt; on chewing, sides of soft palate pained as if sore, or as if burnt by hot food. At various times on these day, urgency to stool, which he could overcome; with stool always a feeling as if still more were at hand. No mid-day sleep on 5th day; in evening, pressure in right eye-ball, severe but transitory; during day at times, a flying pain in left meatus auditorius externus, especially during mastication; early, while stretching, a shooting drawing in left chest in region of 6th and 7th ribs, only superficial, but hindering respiration. From this to 8th day weakness of chest on bodily exertion, and from 6th to 8th, lips as on 2nd and 3rd, underlip swollen, with a thick- skinned flat vesicle at inner margin of red, of size of flaxseed, yellowish; it makes lip thick. Throat as on 5th and 6th d. On 7th day, peculiar sensation on last phalanges, of left hand particularly, as if hairs there raised themselves slowly; it seemed as if a hair lay on fingers. On 8th day, head was confused, oppressed, uncomfortable.
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.