Argentum metallicum


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


Introduction

(Including A. metallicum triturated silver-leaf; A. muriaticum- silver chloride; and the hyposulphite and albuminate of silver.).

Provings

1. HAHNEMANN, Mat. Medorrhinum Pura, vol. iv of original, vol. i of translation. Contains 224 symptoms from self and 7 others.

2. Dr. W. HUBER, et. 38, perfectly well, made his silver preparations from a dust-like powder of metallic silver triturated with sugar of milk for three decimal stages in Hahnemannic fashion, then dissolved up to the 6x attenuation.

2a. May 3rd, at 8 a.m. 10 dr. of 6th dil. At 5 p.m. momentary tearing pain in the head of r. humerus when at rest. At 8 p.m. painful drawing in the depression close behind l. ear-lobe recurring at short intervals. N. very restless, sleep full of very vivid anxious dreams not remembered. M. on walking in bed uncommon weariness of limbs, especially of upper arms to shoulders, as after a long walk; at same time slight rigor under skin of upper part of body, and feeling of hunger which went off after a slight attack of nausea. After rising great weariness of lower extremities, most felt in region of both trochanters, felt as if the ligaments and muscles had given way, at same time painful tension in muscles about trochanters and seat, as if dislocated, worst when walking, when pressed on bruised pain. At 8 a.m. 20 drops. At noon recurrence of the drawing pain in hollow behind l. ear-lobe and increased heat of external concha, and itching of lobe inviting scratching. Afternoon, frequent fine pricks, and itching, inviting scratching of canthi of l. eye and also in skin of left ear-lobe. E., stiffness of lower extremities, glutei and hip muscles are painful as if bruised when walking, stooping, adducting thigh, and also when lying on these parts. 10 p.m., in bed, transient drawing from r. hock through knee to outer border of patella. At n. frequent waking for a short time. 7 a.m., woke hungry with feeling of great weariness in shoulders. When dressing painful stiffness in muscles about hip-joints. -5th, 7 a.m., 30 dr. After 1 hour dryness of tongue and hard palate. 10:30 a.m., in l. groin transient painful tension, in course of l. psoas muscle when walking and when at rest, frequent pricking here and there in skin as from fleas. After dinner, when at rest, painful drawing in r. side of thorax, an inch and a half below axilla, with bruised pain when pressed. Afterwards short painful tearing in r. shoulder-joint and then in right side of forehead. 3 p.m., when at rest, transient drawing tearing in lower end of l. upper arm near elbow. -6th, 8 a.m., 40 dr. When touching the thorax, found on l. rib a swelling the size of a pigeon’s egg, not painful except when touched, which proved to be a furuncle. After 6 d., during which it caused little inconvenience, it burst and when squeezed discharged some pus. The hardness remaining under the skin went off after 14 d. At 10:30 a.m. frequently a cramp-like drawing in lowest muscular part of right calf when at rest and when moving, lasting a few seconds. Afternoon till evening, itching among convulsions of concha causing scratching, followed by burning sore pain. -7th. 7 a.m., 50 dr. In 1 h. hungry feeling in stomach with attacks of slight nausea. After 3 h. short painful drawing in l. frontal eminence. The 2 next d. no symptoms. The 3rd d., on waking in m., bruised pain in sacrum and lumbar region, painful tension on both sides of occipital foramen, especially when moving; sexual desire diminished, stool normal but required more straining towards end then usual.

2b. 11th, 7 a.m., 12 dr., 5 dil. 11:30 a.m., eroding itching in skin of forehead exciting scratching. 3 p.m., short but violent pricking as with a coarse needle in inner canthus of l. eye. N. very restless, full of dreams of disgusting things, but mostly unremembered. M. on waking great weariness of upper arms and stiffness of nape, going off after rising. 12th, 8 a.m., 20 dr. At noon, eroding itching on right elbow. On waking m. feeling of great weariness with tensive bruised pain in nape, better after rising. -13th, m., 30 dr. Itching in inner canthus and on elbow. -14th, m., 40 dr. 7 p.m., short painful drawing in ball of l. thumb, alternating with similar sensation in l. occiput, when at rest. -15th, m., 60 dr. After 1/2 h. dryness of middle of tongue and of hard palate, flatulent distension and full feeling in upper abdomen with hunger, and drawing tearing (afterwards regular pulsating) pains in r. shoulder-joint when at rest, accompanied by marked paralytic weakness of this joint. Soon after this had gone, transient pain deep in right frontal eminence, which took an oblique direction towards right temporal region and gave place when at rest to a drawing tensive pain in right inguinal region in the course of the psoas muscle. At noon bruised and dislocation point on r. knee when moving, followed by a drawing pain combined with paralytic weakness on anterior aspect of r. upper arm, when at rest, with inclination to stretch out arm, lasting a few minutes; afterwards a short itching, provoking scratching, betwixt scapula. On waking m. in bed cutting as with a fine knife on left side of scrob. cordis, in the cartilages formed by the union of the ascending false costal cartilages, lasting a short time but recurring several times and afterwards changing to a similar pain on the same place on right side, but which had the character of a circumscribed pressure. A few m. afterwards, transient tearing pain deep in r. frontal eminence towards r. temple, and a similar pain from below upwards on the l. inner ankle, when at rest. Afterwards bruised pain on inner side of knee, followed by itching erosion on inside of l. knee. -16th, 7 a.m., 70 dr. After 1/2 h. dry feeling in buccal cavity and drawing pains in muscles of right upper arm near elbow with paralyzed feeling there, followed by ravenous, almost painful, hungry feeling in stomach, recurring in fits. At noon, painful drawing through radial joint of r. elbow lasting 10 to 15 seconds, followed by similar pain in l. hip when at rest. Afternoon, a single perpendicular stitch through skin and cartilage of l. upper eyelid. 8 p.m., when walking across room a drawing pain in left side of head as if in brain-substance, at first slight but gradually becoming more severe and tearing, and when it reached its climax maddening as if a nerve were torn in two. It lasted 25 to 30 seconds and suddenly ceased when it had attained its greatest intensity. N. very disturbed by anxious dreams. Next m. after breakfast a horizontal cutting as with a knife on l. side in costal cartilages near scrob. cordis, when at rest. N. very restless; made anxious by a bad dream in which he was furiously pursued by a powerful enemy. Woke early and very tired. The weariness seemed to be especially in hip-joints. During this proving urine and stool were normal, only towards end of each had to strain, which caused dislocated pain in back of pelvis, especially on l. side.

2c. 19th, 6:30 a.m., 20 dr. 4th dil. After 1/2 h. dry feeling in buccal cavity, bruised pain in l. inner ankle, painful drawing in l. temple, followed by tearing pain from head of r. humerus extending to nape, when at rest. During day often a painful drawing on l. side of pelvis, posteriorly, outside, when at rest; frequent painless subsultus about right shoulder-joint, sometimes in posterior wall of axilla, sometimes in front of clavicle towards acromion. 4 p.m., a transient drawing pain through right inguinal ring to testicles, when at rest, and a pappy stool, though bowels had been opened normally in the m. N., in sleep, an incomplete seminal emission. -20th, 8 a.m., 30 dr. After 1/2 h., feeling of hunger and quivering subsultus from anterior right clavicular region towards shoulder-joint (in a bundle of fibres of pectorals major) when at rest. During day 3 pappy stools. Before the last almost diarrheic stool a pinching and straining and 1/4 h., afterwards a momentary severe stitch from before backwards in hypogastrium; thereafter a feeling in anus as though a live thread-like worm were hanging out of it, and by its twistings caused an itching but without desire to scratch. N. disturbed by dreams. -21st, 7 a.m., 40 dr. After dinner (1 p.m., when lying quietly) a drawing pain in middle of right index, with sudden paralytic weakness of it, lasting 30 seconds, thereafter strong pulsation in carotids, especially on l. side of neck, and perceptible beating in whole extent of left cheek as though as muscles were lifted up from m. m. At same time feeling as if l. cheek were larger and a slight cooling burning in external integuments of cheeks with redness of both cheeks, lasting 6 to 8 m.; later a short painful drawing in r. deltoid muscle. 3 p.m., a similar beating in l. anterior nasal cavity, tension of outer nasal integument as if nasal bones were pressed, with tickling in l. nasal cavity, followed by several violent sneezes, with dislocated pain in l. shoulder-joint when at rest. At 4 p.m. drawing pains in l. deltoid muscle, which pained as if bruised when pressed with finger, when at rest, lasting 10 to 15 seconds. At 8 p.m., when walking in open air, a violent itching at anus (compelling scratching) and along coccyx up in the furrow between nates, lasting 5 m.; afterwards dislocation pain in l. outer ankle when walking. N., very restless, with many anxious or frightful dreams. -22nd, 7 a.m., 50 dr. In 1/2 h. great dryness of buccal cavity, pappy stool. 8 a.m., throbbing bruised pain at anterior aspect of right knee when standing. 9 a.m., dislocation pain in l. hip caused by sneezing. At noon, a squeezing pressing pain in a spot size of a crown in r. side of cheek under axilla, when at rest, pressure on it causes bruised pain. 1/4 h. later, rumbling and grumbling in belly as if a fluid were poured from one bowel into another; at same time sensations in rectum as though a live worm were wriggling through the anus and touching the inner surface of the rectum in its twistings, lasting about 10 m., and recurring after dinner when sitting and standing. At 2 p.m. drawing tearing pain over wrist-joint. At 7 p.m., after a moderate walk, when at rest, drawing tensive pain in l. lumbar and iliac regions beneath inguinal ring in left thigh, followed by paralytic pains in almost all finger-joints of r. hand, lasting 10 to 15 seconds. At 10 p.m., in bed, first a drawing deep in r. half of brain beginning slightly and gradually increasing to violent tearing spreading at once to forehead and occiput. After a few seconds painful paralytic drawing over wrist-joint, spreading upwards from prominence of wrist along ulnar side of right forearm. Besides this tympanitic distension of whole r. side of abdomen, paining as if bruised when strongly pressed, going off slowly on discharging flatus. Some m. after this two uncommonly severe stitches from without inwards in the depression behind left ear-lobe. Shortly before falling asleep observed when inspiring quietly two tones (a higher and a lower one) as from the mouth-piece of an oboe, coming from low down in throat. N. full of dreams of the occurrences of the day. M., woke very exhausted and prostrated. -23rd, 7 a.m., 60 dr. In 1/4 h. dryness of tongue and buccal cavity. During day a transient stitch in urethra from behind forwards; frequent, paralytic, painful drawing from middle of flexor side in the radius of left forearm up to elbow, with gloomy confusion of head, when at rest, and dislocation pain in uppermost muscles of right scapula when exerting himself with outstretched arms. N. full of dreams. M., after waking, extreme powerlessness of limbs, especially of upper arm round about shoulder-joint, with slight chilliness over skin on uncovering the upper part of body. At same time feeling of hunger as from great emptiness of stomach. -24th, 9 a.m., 70 dr. Forenoon, several times slight drawing pains in left parotid gland. During afternoon siesta much saliva in mouth making him spit; thereafter such dryness of mouth that the tongue cleaved to roof of mouth, lasting 10 m. N. pretty good. M., after waking, a throbbing shooting synchronous with pulse from l. trochanter along the neck of femur to acetabulum, lasting 20 seconds. Each throbbing terminated in a fine stitch. -25th, no med. In metacarpal joint of ring finger, painful drawing, penetrating pain, as if in bone, when at rest. Afternoon, after a long walk, on posterior surface of external left part of pelvis (at insertion of gluteus maximums) a dislocation pain, renewed at every step, not felt when at rest. -26th, no med. During afternoon siesta, collection of saliva in mouth necessitating spitting. E., very painful paralytic drawing in right fibula, beginning just above ankle, and lasting 8 to 10 seconds, when at rest; followed by feeling in the convulsions of left concha as though a many-footed insect crawled about; but no itching. N. good. M., on waking in bed, on left side near scrob. cordis, on costal cartilages of false ribs, a cutting as with a fine knife diagonally across; the part pained as if bruised on pressing on

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.