1 h. Sleep. Sleeplessness till 2 a.m. Disturbed sleep; dreams much of trouble and danger. When falling asleep, starts up suddenly for fear he will fall, or to avoid danger. Dreams of being on heights and in danger of falling. Wakes up at n. with palpitation.
1 i. Generalities. Great restlessness; must move about, and mind feels easier for doing so. Desire to more constantly about, but feels so weak and tired as hardly to be able to get on his feet, yet after walking a while he feels better, but soon relapses into his previous feeling of weakness. Whole muscular system seems exhausted after least exertion. The acute pains are aggravated by motion. (Trans. of Penns. State Hom. Medorrhinum Sac., 1873.)
2. a. Hale, in his New Remedies, speaks of its curative powers in rheumatism, and the affection being characterised by muscular pains, no desire to do anything, extreme restlessness, and frontal headache. These peculiar symptoms prompted Dr. Wallace, of Allegheny, to take the remedy, in hopes of curing himself, being then troubled with rheumatism, and in doing so he made the accidental proving I am about to relate. his symptoms were violent frontal headache, tongue coated brownish. yellow, pain in the Eyeballs, taste sweetish, nausea, no appetite, pains principally muscular, affecting the extremities, pain in small of back, tenderness in region of liver, indisposition to do anything, nervous and restless; pulse 86. All pains and nervous symptoms made worse at n., ameliorated during d. Knowing that these symptoms bear a striking resemblance to Macrotin, as described to Hale’s New Remedies, on Dec. 22nd, at 11 a.m. he took 1 gr.; in about 2 h. had a tickling in throat, then nausea, followed by coughing up a blood-streaked mucus, after which the contents of the stomach were vomited up. In a short time after this the frontal headache became worse, also the rest of the rheumatic pains, in a marked degree; the muscles of the thigh were so sore, that it was with great difficulty he could move them; the tenderness in region of liver intense. The cough, nausea, and vomiting ceased after 2 h. but the rheumatic pains continued all the time; the nervous symptoms added, at n., new miseries to the disease, and only at n.. When in bed, the covers seemed too warm for the body, but the feet were cold, so he would get out and warm his feet at the fire, moving about continually with a feeling as if delirium would soon set in, or he be deprived of his mind. These symptoms continued until m., when they were ameliorated.
2 b. 23rd. Thinking the remedy indicated, and not attributing any of his sufferings to Macrotin, he tried another dose of 1 gr. with same effect; nausea, cough, and vomiting, followed by aggravation of rheumatic pains more severe, and at n. by greater restlessness. 24th. Took 1 gr; same effect; in addition, ankles began to swell, cough much worse, more blood expectorated, voice becoming husky. 25th. Took same dose, persevering in the remedy because the symptoms were more prominent than ever. The tongue had cleaned; the dose had the same effect, with additional suffering; he was now so bad from rheumatic pains as to be confined to the house, and the nervous excitement at n. prevented all sleep. 26th. Having suffered so much, and suspecting that Macrotin was affecting him, 1 gr. was put in a glass of water, and of this a teaspoonfuls were taken every 2 h. The same aggravations took place as previously; his sufferings were now so severe that he gave up the remedy. No improvement was visible except the tongue and that was clean; the pulse was now 120; the rheumatic pains and nervous symptoms so terrible as to make his friend believe he would lose his mind. 27th. Took belladonna, 6th, in m. and rhus, 6th, in afternoon. 28th. No better; the same symptoms remain. Having procured some Macrotin, 12th, took a dose every 2 h. with good effect. 29th. Improving, and continued until well, taking daily two doses. After being well, and thinking that perhaps Macrotin did not make the aggravations, he tried three doses in 3 successive, with a renewal of all his former symptoms. (R. B. WILLARD, M. D. U. S. Medorrhinum and Sarg. Fourn. ii, 283.)
Cocainum
P. 278, after III. 2 add “(Fourn. of Amer. Medorrhinum Assoc., Jan. 17, 1885.)”
After II. 6, insert the following:
7. A man applied a 4 per cent. solution to gums for toothache. He did not spit it out, and thinks he must have swallowed 30-40 dr. Within 1/2 h. was seized with faintness and giddiness; then palpitation came on, and he complained of tingling and numbness, dryness at back of throat, and sensation of heat and flushings moving over body, especially spine. Suddenly scarlatinoid rash appeared over body, most marked on neck. Pupils natural and responsive to light, but vision somewhat dimmed. After emesis, which was very difficult to obtain, the patient felt better for a few m., and seemed brighter; but symptoms soon returned, and he felt so weak that he thought he was dying. He did not smell strong ammonia held to nose. Was walked about, but tottered so much that he had to be supported. Constantly felt desire to have use of bowels and bladder. mind remained clear, pulse quick, weak, and intermittent. (Lancet, 1886, i, 1149.)
Cocculus
Drs. Chirone and Testa thus sum up the result of their researches on the action of picrotoxin, in the Annali Universali di Medicina Chirugia for April, 1880.
1. Picrotoxin is capable of producing a true artificial epilepsy.
2. This epilepsy is independent of the psycho-motor centres; it is, indeed, more intense after their removal.
3. The picrotoxin acts first on the medulla oblongata and on the commissural fibers between the brain and spinal cord, and then on the spinal centres themselves.
4. The convulsive movements of the limbs produced by picrotoxin are due first to action on the medulla oblongata, propagated to the spinal cord.
5. Cinchonidin is capable of producing epilepsy of cerebral origin, picrotoxin epilepsy of spinal origin. (Brit. Med Fourn., Feb, 12th, 1881.)
Colchicum. [* These corrections failed to be made while printing was going on owing to the mislaying of a proof-sheet.] P. 329, l. 20, for “S-‘s” read “my”. L. 28, for “chill” read “Chills.” L. 29, for “and” read “then,” and for “lively” read “great” L. 3 from bottom, for “Stramonio” read “Colchico,” and for “1762” read “1763.”
P. 341, l., 11, after “stools” read “and vomit.” L. 12, for “This” read “Vomiting.” L. 13, for “all n.” read “for 2 d.” In reference for II. 9, add “II. 763.”
After II. 10, insert the following:
11. A woman, aet. 25, on june 2nd, 7 p.m., drank 5 oz. of a tinct. made by macerating a roasted and pulverised roots of C. in a bottle, half of white wine and half of brandy. Immediately she had violent pains in stomach. After 1/2 h. she got milk about 2 pints, then an enema with 2 gr. tart. em. which caused violent vomiting. At 1 a.m. she was found cold, pale, lying on back, gastric region very sensitive, abdominal integuments seemed hotter than rest of body, lips violet, eyes closed, pulse thready and very slow, breathing very laboured. She was perfectly conscious and said she wished to die; there were severe cramps of the soles. She had previously vomited much brown fluid, evidently the poison. Sinapisms to soles, warm aromatic frictions on limbs, effervescent drinks. 3rd, 6 a.m. great prostration, heat in epigastrium less, hollow eyes, vomiting creased, pulse increased n strength and rapidity, cramps in soles diminished. 3 p.m. pulse could only be felt in carotids, consciousness intact; at 5 p.m. she dies, 22h. after taking the poison. P.M. after 72 h. Body very thin, eyes sunken, surrounded by dark rings; liver, spleen and heart full of black blood. Stomach and bowels not examined. (CAFFE, Obs. d’empoionnement par la teinturc vineuse de Calchique.)
12. A man took, May 11th, 6 p.m., about 2 oz. of C. leaves. About midnight he felt ill, had colicky pains in bowels, inclination to vomit and actual vomiting, urging to stool and diarrhoea. A surgeon gave a dose of opium and afterwards a powder of Red. Ipecac. 3ss, Tart. em. gr. ij, Sacch. alb, a small quantity every 1/2 h. The vomiting and purging were now so violent that nothing more could be given. Seen the following d. at 9 p.m. his state was as follows: Features distorted, the muscles supplied by nerves, facialis spasmodically affected causing risus sardonicus; pupils very dilated, little affected by light; tongue moist, its root bluish; he was very patient and docile, contrary to his usual habit; rheumatic drawing in nape, some pressure in throat; burning feeling in plexus solaris; abdominal muscles spasmodically contracted; vomiting and watery diarrhoea, but not so frequent; occasional tenesmus; temperature of skin much diminished; pulse slow. hard, tense, rather thready; urine suppressed; cramp in fingers and calves. 13th, 3 a.m. delirium and carphologia. 7 a.m. staring, sunken, dull eyes; risus sardonicus; tongue quite blue; breath cold; difficult speech, extremities striped bluish black, pulse imperceptible, skin of extremities warm, of abdomen cold; suddenly spasmodic movements in muscles of nape and mouth, death. (BLEIFUSS, Medorrhinum Correspondenzb. d. Wiirtemb. Aerzt. ver., ix, No 52, 409; in Frank’s Mag., ii, 69.)
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.