Arsenicum



“Extremities. – The neuralgic pains produced by the drug reappeared frequently during the year. At times they were quite severe, and would remain for several d. at each return. Recently they have not given me any trouble.” (Ibid.)

25. O. R. SHANNON, M. D., made two provings in usual way of solution of gr. x to 3j, taking it on first occasion for 6 d., on second for 7 d., with 20 d. between 25 a. No symptoms are noted till 7th d., when there was slight pain through bowels, with some urging to stool; three soft dark-coloured stools, followed by slight burning at anus. On 8th d., eyes felt swollen; face a little flushed; again three thin dark-coloured stools, with more marked burning, preceded by pain which after them is relieved. On 9th d., the same. On 10th d., tongue large, moist, and fissured; pulse 76. On 11th d., eyes swollen about orbits; pulse 80 and intermittent (usual with him); aching in all limbs. On 12th, tongue flabby and fissured; pains through bowels; appetite poor; stools lumpy. On 13th, one stool only, almost black. On 14th, was wakened at 3 a.m. by sharp cutting pains in abdomen, relieved by passing off flatus, but recurring during d.; got up feeling tired and as if bruised in body and limbs; eyes still much swollen; tongue as before; do not wish to think, read, or exercise; pain and irresistible desire for stool, evacuation large and soft, later a small, thin, dark and slimy stool; pulse 88; an aching low down in back, across sacrum (more or less constant during proving); sleep full of dreams of murder and fighting. On 15th, slight pains in abdomen, making him sick, with urging to stool; empty retching; could eat no breakfast, but after 2 or 3 h. sleep felt better, and had some appetite for supper; pulse 90.

25 b. On 3rd d. after recommencing drug, slight pain in bowels; on 5th d., felt dull and stupid; eyes swollen and conjunctiva congested, eyeballs sore when closing lids, and when pressing ball. On 6th d., eyes same, left especially red and sore, lids scratch on rolling ball, light aggravates soreness. On 7th day, eyes same; dull and stupid. On 11th d., eyes still painfully affected, and he continues to feel badly; though pulse and functions generally are normal.

25 c. Took at intervals during 19 day 3j of solution of gr. viij to the oz. On 4th d., a light whitish fur on tongue; slight orbital oedema and sclerotic congestion; one light painless stool at 7:30 a.m.; pulse at noon 65-69, and irregular, 5-7 intermissions in m. On 3rd d., eyes sticky and sore; on 8th d., eyes red and irritable; tongue deep red, considerably corrugated and somewhat furred; considerable thirst last n. On 9th d., complexion a little red or purplish; tongue not so red, papilla at back elevated; eyes same; loose motion at 8 a.m. On 10th, heavy and sleepy, cannot study, disposed to remain sitting; two stools, first part of each natural, latter part relaxed and acrid; disposition twice again to go to stool, passing away when flatus is allowed to escape; escape of gas nearly always preceded by more or less pain through small intestines; respiratory sounds not clear; disposition last n. and to-day to hack and cough; pulse 76, soft and rather regular. On 11th day, on waking, tongue moderately furred, but no very unpleasant taste in mouth; brief crampy pains through small intestines several times in d., also previous to each of two somewhat abnormal stools; appetite not good, could eat, but had no relish for the food; in forenoon especially, hacking cough without expectoration. On 12th d., nostrils dry and somewhat swollen within; from posterior nares much semisolid whitish mucus, obliging hawking; dull and listless all day; slight dull temporal and supra-orbital aching; eyes feel puffy, palpebral conjunctiva quite red and thickened; tenderness on pressure all over abdomen; at 6 a.m., a large liquid stool, preceded by pain, and a little acrid; several times sharp stitching pain in sides of chest, between 4th and 7th ribs; continual irritation behind sternum, about midway; percussion over chest causes pain, but gives clear resonance, while respiratory sounds over lower half are quite dull; pulse 96, at times slender, at times full and very irregular; slight tenderness in renal region, urinated but twice in last 24 h. On 13th, felt moderately well, except dull and stupid; did not sleep well, dreamed of getting into a row and having difficulty. On 14th, listless and dull, and could not study, but was bright enough while walking in open air; disposed while indoors to get near fire and remain there; dull temporo-orbital pain, and confusion in head generally; eyes more puffy and congested, and balls sore to touch or on pressure; at 1 p.m., left pupil much larger than other, this dilatation passing off while walking; tongue on waking somewhat furred at back at papilla there elevated; anterior part fissured; nasal cavities were stopped up, and from left nostril a watery, non-irritating discharge continued till 10 a.m.; great thirst; no appetite till supper- time; nausea, aggravated by eating ever so little, causing him almost to vomit, a tasteless fluid rising into the mouth, – relieved by rising up from sitting or recumbency; bowels moved once, but frequent desire to act subsequently, ending as on 10th; stool small and pasty, preceded by griping and followed by burning; dry cough all d., causing him to gag; pulse 95-96; dull aching across sacrum and down outer thighs as far as knees all d., and for a short time in ant. and inner part of left thigh. On 15th, aching the same till 10 a.m., better while walking about all d., but returning on sitting down in evening; twice a sudden and transient pain from below left trochanter to spermatic cord; eyes slightly agglutinated on waking, but orbital region less swollen; same sickish feeling as yesterday, and no appetite till supper-time; epigastrium tender on pressure; two stools as yesterday; same, but slighter, disposition to cough and gag; pulse 100, slender and intermittent, in m., 80 in afternoon; nose as yesterday. On 16th, mind unfit for study, disposed to be irritable; head feels dull; nose discharging; dull aching across orbits; much hawking; one stool as before; cough as yesterday; pulse 80 and irregular; pain under trochanter felt occasionally as a moderate aching. On 17th, dullness and moderate supra- orbital aching; nose same; sensation of dryness all d. in fauces and pharynx, parts look glassy; in evening found pupil of left eye much enlarged; one stool as before; dry cough; pulse 75 and slightly irregular. On 18th, dull supra-orbital headache; profuse nasal discharge of watery mucus; clammy taste in mouth; whitish fur on tongue in m., most dense at base; hawking, worse in open air; eyes feel sticky, vessels turgid, orbital region somewhat swollen; cough, worse in forenoon. On 19th, had slept uneasily, and shifted restlessly; thirsty on getting out of bed; throat dry, and when so cough most troublesome; tonsils, uvula, and soft palate red, thickened, and sore-looking, but no special pain on swallowing; was irritable and dull, wanting to sit or lie and not be disturbed; tongue cracked, red, and uneven, and slightly furrowed; eyes rather more sore, and light pains them; feeling of abdominal repletion, obliging loosing of clothes; a transient fine shooting once from left groin through navel to right ribs; dry cough, and feeling of dryness down trachea and into bronchi; chest still sore on percussion (r. side); a single stitch through that side; pulse 76 and a little irregular. On 20th (med. being now finished), mind much clearer; head feels better; still nasal catarrh, stuffy in m., fluent through day; soreness of eyes nearly gone, and turgor of vessels diminished on ball, not on lids; on waking throat dry, and much stiff tenacious mucus lodged in upper pharynx, endeavour to dislodge which caused gagging; slight fullness in abdomen and a little tenderness in epigastrium (for some time past sudden pressure on abdomen has made pain go through it) continuing till flatus had passed off by bowels; appetite good; cough as yesterday; soreness on walking or stooping, first felt on getting out of bed in m., very severe on pressure, at each sacro-iliac symphysis, worse on left side; when walking for some time pain was easier; pain and soreness on inner side of left thigh from groin to popliteal space, felt also to slight degree in other thigh. On 21st, throat is purple red, rough, pitted in places, and studded with little points of mucus. On 22nd, woke in m. with dry fauces and pharynx; uvula swollen, no soreness; he gags when mucus (which is tenacious and difficult to dislodge) is hawked from behind soft palate; during day throat dry and sore, empty deglutition painful; tonsils, fauces and pharynx are purplish red and edematous, and in places covered with a tough whitish viscid mucus; eyes still slightly congested; still some epigastric tenderness, and some starts of pan on deep pressure upon abdomen; on waking nostrils stuffed, began discharging freely about 9 a.m.; commenced coughing on waking, and continued it in heat of room, respiratory sounds becoming natural, and no pain or soreness in chest; pulse 80, and irregular both in volume and beat; superficial veins full; but little soreness now felt along thighs. On 23rd, nose entirely stopped up on waking; fauces and pharynx dry, and a quantity of tough yellowish mucus at back of throat and nostrils; through day free discharge of yellowish mucus from both nasal cavities; sense of smell has been defective since nose began to show symptoms; throat painful on empty deglutition all day, but no soreness on swallowing food or drink; cough dry, but not so continuous. On 24th, on waking, throat much better; still frequent hawking and clearing of throat; edema less; nose still discharging as yesterday; mind clear and natural, but quite a severe aching through temples and forehead from waking till 1 p.m.; eyes a little red but not swollen, and sight much clearer; epigastric and umbilical tenderness on deep pressure, which still starts gas; fullness in stomach and bowels after moderate eating. Nothing now mentioned till 36th d., when there had been no headache for 10 d.; at times a watery mucous discharge from nose; still disposition to clear throat of tenacious mucus; dryness only occasionally felt, and soreness much less, but fauces and uvula edematous and redder than usual; eyes a little red and watery, but feel almost well; reading by artificial light cannot long be endured without discomfort; appetite good; bowels regular; cough a little loose, but otherwise about as for last 4 weeks; once or twice a d. a little starch-like substance is dislodged seemingly from 1st right bronchus at a spot where there is slight soreness on pressure; pulse 96, slender, and a little irregular.

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.