Introduction
Aranea diadema, epeira diadema, cross spider.
Provings
1. F., medical student, took a tinct. made with one spider to 100 drops of alcohol, for several days, in m. fasting, from 12 to 33 drops. Soon after taking the dose, drawing in head down to lower jaw. Constant headache. Headache, with burning in eyes and heat in face. When walking headache is less than when sitting, tobacco smoking relieves it greatly. After 1/2 hours bitter taste relieved by smoking. After 1 hours sickly bitter taste in mouth, with furred tongue. After 2 hours headache, especially in forehead, went off on smoking. Heat in forehead and eyes; a disagreeable, trembling, flickering feeling in them when reading or writing, which also makes headache worse. After 4 hours heat in face, especially eyes. For the following symptoms no time is given: Confusion of head with prostration. The headache is relieved by smoking, and goes off completely when smoking in open air. Headache lasts till evening, but becomes milder after a few hours and ceases in open air. Headache and confusion of head, both relieved by smoking, but they return and last all d. Shooting in palate and larynx, for 2 h. After taking milk, a disagreeable taste remains. Coryza for 3 d. Coryza with thirst. Weary, thirsty. Weariness without heaviness of legs, prostration. Thirst.
2. H., military surgeon, took first 1, then a few day later 10, drops of same at bedtime. Ist day -Violent obtuse digging bone pains in right heel bone, for some day, immediately on moving the foot when it is resting, going off on continuing to move it. Restlessness with frequent waking, always with feeling as if hands and forearms were much swollen, twice the normal size. The feet so heavy he can scarcely raise them. After 16 hours painful cold feeling in right lower incisors, especially when air rushes into mouth, recurred next day at same hours 2nd day -In afternoon, pinching pains in right ear and parotid gland, which on leaving right ear went to l. Quivering in muscles of left upper arm for 1/2 j/. afternoon. Feeling of heaviness and fullness in abdomen, like a stone lying in it, with qualmish feeling in scrob. cordis. At same time pinching in abdomen, heavy feeling in thighs so that they can scarcely be moved, with confused head. Worse next day at same time, 5 p.m. 3rd day -Thin stool with griping, relieved by rubbing belly with hand. The stool passed in detachments and with straining; 1/2 hours later fermentation in bowels. In m. in bed dull digging aching in right upper and fore-arm bones and in right tibia, recurring in fits during d. No time mentioned; In evening, when studying, confusion of head, and pressive pain as if in bone of right temple and upper part of forehead, relieved by supporting head in head, but recurring when hand is removed. Sometimes obtuse digging bone pains in limbs. (GROSS, Allg. h. Zeit., i, 122.).
Experiments on animals
1. “The poison of this spider resides in every part of the body. Plunge a lancet into it, no matter where, and prick a sparrow under the wing; it will soon die in convulsions.”(LAVILLE DE LA PLAIGNE, quoted in L’Art Medical, January, 1867.).
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.