6. K. M-, boy of 7, pasty, stout, slightly scrofulous, otherwise healthy. Took in evening 3 dr. of 2x dil. mixed with 10 dr. of water. Immediately emissions of flatulence; n. very restless, tossed about in bed and spoke out loud. Next d. a good deal of itching in scalp (after 3 d. small itching blotches were found there, disappearing again gradually). Red blotches, changing to yellow blisters upon a red base, on dorsum of r. hand and index finger. Pricking in outer side of r. ankle. 3rd d. violent itching in nose, causing him to rub it until it becomes sore. 4th day itching in the nose continues. 5th d., a good deal of sneezing; when sneezing he discharges from nose purulent mucus with specks of blood. 6th d., in the m., much sneezing. Pain and swelling of the r. wing of the nose. After 3 d., when all reaction had ceased, the boy took 5 dr. of same preparation at the same h. The following symptoms made their appearance: At n. colic (?). Pricking in the liver. Rises four times in the night to urinate. Next m. much sneezing (Ibid.)
7. SCHACBERT took gr. 1/8 in 3ss of distilled water, in m. fasting, and only remarked a very disagreeable metallic taste, and slight burning in throat. He repeated the experiment several times, but without producing any other symptoms. After taking gr. 1/4, the burning in the throat lasted a little longer. Then for 3 d. he took gr. ss dissolved in 3ss of water. The burning sensation in the throat became rather severe. The tongue showed in various places a dark bluish colour, and in the stomach there was a sensation of increased warmth and slight nausea. These symptoms disappeared after taking food. The stools and pulse were not affected. Some time after this S. increased the dose to a grain, which he took 1 1/2 h. after dinner. The burning in the throat was very severe. The tongue showed for several day a dirty brown colour. The feeling of increased warmth in the stomach increased to nausea and retching, without actual vomiting, and finally gave place to persistent, periodically aggravated sensation of compression in the stomach, lasting several hours, when, towards evening, diarrhea set in and continued during the following d. With the onset of diarrhoea the pressure in the stomach ceased. The evacuation were thinner than usual, but not altered in colour. In addition to these symptoms there was a distressing dull headache, seated especially in the forehead, and associated with a certain prostration and restlessness. Changes in respiration, pulse, and secretion of urine were not with certainty made out. On the 3rd d. all the symptoms of the drug action had disappeared. Eight d. afterwards he took 1 1/2 gr. in m. fasting. Nausea and inclination to vomit, which followed the dose, he at once suppressed by eating a very copious meal, but nevertheless he felt unwell the whole d., and suffered from a dull headache. (Diss. de usu Argentum nit. interno, 1837.)
8. “When I began my experiment I was quite well and strong, but afterwards was not in the same high state of health as previously, and my stomach suffered for several day after I had discontinued the use of the silver: I frequently had heartburn, from which I had never before suffered, though these symptoms gradually disappeared. On the other hand there supervened an almost constant neuralgic pain in the l. infra-orbital region, that indeed but extremely seldom, and then only for a moment or two at a time, became very violent, and on the whole did not put me out very much, but yet continued uninterruptedly the whole of the following winter. At the same time the action of the heart became somewhat irregular, and the beats at times intermitted, of which I had a distinct disagreeable sensation in the chest. I was in addition tormented with a constant sensation of fullness in the region of the heart. If I turned my attention to the heart’s action I felt this irregularity more strongly, but if I moved briskly about, the sensation almost entirely disappeared. Upon my disposition these symptoms had no effect. There were no paroxysms of anxiety connected therewith. The movements of my body were not interfered with. Only sudden, violent, muscular action, as, for instance, the exertion in jumping, or going quickly upstairs without stopping, caused violent palpitation just like emotional excitement. The said disagreeable sensations were most perceptible in a horizontal position, hence in the evening in bed. My sleep was but extremely rarely interrupted by palpitation of the heart. Towards the end of the winter the symptoms diminished in intensity.” (Krahmer tells us he did nothing to stop the evolution of the proving.) “Physical signs of anything abnormal about the heart were wanting, as I was assured by a medical friend. With the summer all morbid symptoms had entirely disappeared.
“That these changes in my condition were really the result of the silver I am by no means sure. But in regard to time they occurred after taking it, and I know no other cause for them. I make this communication in order to add the request that those of my colleagues who may have an opportunity of making similar observations may bring the same to my knowledge. Perhaps they might then be able to throw some new light on the subject of the mode of action of silver.
“In observing the action of silver I have endeavored as far as possible to pay attention not only to all the subjective, but also to all the objective symptoms; changes in the pulse, temperature, and character of the urine have been especially observed. I lacked the proper apparatus to ascertain the amount of carbonic acid eliminated by respiration. My average pulse in the m. after rising was 66; at noon, soon after returning from my visits, 72; and in the evening, after several hours rest, it fell to 68. A strict milk diet, and the talking of arg. n. for more than two weeks, had no effect upon the character of the pulse. My temperature is from 29.6 to 30 R. I examined the urine, keeping account of the total amount, specific gravity, amount of water, quantity of uric acid, urea, and salts of incineration. In order to have correct data I examined the urine from the 6th to the 19th of October. I rose at 6 a.m., breakfast on two cups of coffee, engaged in reading or writing till 9, visited patients till 1, then took dinner; worked till 5 in my room, made evening visits, took supper at 8, and went to bed about 11. Noon and evening usually drank a glass of beer or wine. From October 19th to November 6th I kept a very strict regular diet; took daily 2293.7 grammes of fresh milk and 418.5 grammes of white bread. October 26th, I took 0.1 gr. of crystallized arg. n. 4 times; 27th, same; 28th, 0.2 gr. 4 times; 29th, same; 30th, 0.3 gr. 4 times; 31st, 0.4 gr. 4 times; November Ist, 0.5 gr. 4 times; 0.6 gr. 4 times; 3rd, 0.8 gr. 4 times; 4th, 1 gr. 4 times; 5th, 1.2 gr. 4 times. A consequence of the strict diet was that the stools, which are usually regular, were affected, so that on Oct. 21st one was evacuated only after violent and painful effort, and on the 23rd there was no voluntary stool. After several h. effort to evacuate hard faeces, I took one ounce of castor-oil. In the evening there was a hard painful stool, and the next m. a pasty stool. On the 25th I repeated the oil, and the n. of the 25th and 26th I took in addition on extra half ounce, which was followed next m. by one hard and one soft stool. On the 28th took 2 oz. oil followed by four loose stools; also on the 29th; and from the 29th to the 2nd of November I took daily a tablespoonful of castor-oil, so that the stools continued without great difficulty. After November 3rd I did not require the oil, as the large amount of silver nitrate kept the feces soft. November 2nd my stomach began to suffer. At noon, after taking milk and bread, I experienced a pressing sensation of fullness in the epigastric region. November 3rd, especially towards evening, the whole abdomen was very tense. November 4th, there was violent headache and I could scarcely force myself to take the necessary amount of nourishment. The n. was restless; I could not remain in bed after 4 o’clock. On the 5th I was still more averse to food, though the taste was natural and the tongue not coated. Through the d. I had violent headache. The following n. was very restless. I rose at 3 o’clock and took nothing but a glass of milk before noon. The headache was very violent. In the afternoon, after passing the last quantity of urine for examination, I took two cups of strong black coffee, after which I felt relieved. Supper was relished, but the next d. I could take but a small quantity of food on account of heartburn. The action of the silver seemed to cause a sense of satiety, and my stomach seemed to need less nourishment than in a state of health. In a subsequent trial I took in the m. 1/4 grain of crystallized arg. nit. with white sugar dry on the tongue. I immediately experienced a very bitter taste, followed by warmth on the tip of the tongue, then in the pharynx, after which these two symptoms seemed to alternate with each other. I drank a little distilled water, which was followed by slight eructations and a sensation of catarrh in the fauces and larynx. At noon, before dinner, I swallowed the same dose in a drachm of distilled water. I experienced a sweetish taste and feeling of warmth in the mouth. There hours after dinner took 1/2 grain in distilled water. The sensations were the same as before, but perhaps more severe. The scraping sensation in the pharynx provoked hawking and coughing. After 1/4 h. I had a sensation of warmth between the scapula and sternum, which gradually changed to slight pressure in the epigastric region. This was attended by tasteless eructations. The next m. I took 1 grain in water, and had only a very bitter taste, and after 10 m. very transient nausea.
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.