BRYONIA (see vol.
i, p.619)
I. 25. A. W. W., in sound health, pulse 65, regular, at 8 a. m. took 5 dr. 1x dil. in Z of water. Immediately darting pains in palm and fingers, followed by sharp pains in scaleni muscles. 8.5, slight pains above right eyeball penetrating brain. 8.7, aching pains in stomach with distension and backache. 8.12, eructations and passage of flatus. 8:20, loud rumbling in abdomen with nausea. Pulse 65. 9:30, felt weary without cause, legs weak, head dull and inclined to ache. 10.16, sneezing and watery coryza, limbs ache as if he had taken cold. 11:30, sneezing and coryza continues. 4 p. m., right eye burns and weeps, finally becomes swollen and injected (no external cause). Pulse 65. 5, became quite irritable and impatient, had considerable thirst and languor. Pulse 65. 6, first urine since m. (unusual), it was scant and strong, muscles of face stiff and sore, eye painful and sensitive to light. 8, pulse 78, weak, with slight palpitation of heart when exercising. 9, pulse 86, chilly and hot by turns, thirst continues, with headache and weariness; urinated copiously. 9:30, breathing heavy and laboured while at rest; no cough. 2nd d. Sleep was dreamful and troubled; urinated twice in n. (unusual); wakened with backache and headache, soreness in epigastric region on moving. Pulse 70, weak; no desire for breakfast. 8 a. m., urgent call to stool, mostly flatus. Called to stool again at 9 and 12, loose but scant, followed by debility and headache until evening (Ibid., N. Y. Medorrhinum Times, 1883.)
26. H. C. B., in full health, pulse 72, regular. 7 a. m., took 10 dr. 1x trit. (unknown) in Z of water. Immediately dull stitches in back; soon after felt weak and trembling without cause. 7.8, dull throbbing headache, want to lie down and rest. 7:20, sight of food causes nausea, was relieved by lying down. 8:30, very sleepy, slept heavily 1/2 hours (unusual), wakened with rheumatic pains in limbs, right testicle tender and swollen. Pulse 72. 2 p. m., could eat no lunch on account of nausea. 5, slight exercise produces perspiration (unusual), afterward chilly. 6, pulse 90. Feverish, with backache, headache, and thirst. 7:40, free urination and urging to stool, ineffectual. 9:30, called to stool, copious and loose with colic, repeated again at mid – night. (Ibid.) [The reference for left 2 – 20 was accidentally omitted after left 2. It should have been ” Oest. Zeitschr. f. Hom., vol, iii.”]
CACTUS (see vol. i, pp.655,749)
I. 7. Dr. Conrad Wesselhoeft proved drug in 1873. ” I was then 39 years old, in good bodily health, making allowance for weariness from night work and general practice. The preparation used was a tincture, one ounce of which was given me by Dr. C. M. Weld, who obtained it directly from Dr. Rocco Rubini during a visit in Italy. Jan. 7th, 10 a. m., took 5 dr. of tinct., watching pulse; felt no effect beyond the natural slight acceleration experienced during self observation. 8th. Took 20 dr. at 10 a. m.,; this was followed by acceleration of pulse, and a perceptible but not disagreeable flush of warmth of head and face. The heart’s action was of course synchronous with the pulse, but not abnormally perceptible. 9th. – Took 30 dr. The result was the same as the day before; and so on each succeeding day until the ounce of tincture was used up, when I perceived nothing worse than a rather agreeable flush, acceleration of the pulse, cerebral stimulation, &c., as after a glass of wine, and no other effects. Thinking that the alcohol might be the only cause, I repeated the experiment with pure alcohol (diluted with water) in doses rising from 20 to 40 drops (of pure alcohol to the dose), and perceived precisely the same effects as those following the cactus tincture, and no others.” (Communicated.) 8. Mr. F. H. Pritchard consumed Ziv, in large and small doses, and at long and short intervals, with equally negative results. (Ibid.)
9. Miss C. A. Hurd proved 10th dil., drop doses, m. and evening, in water. Had cold in the head and sore throat before taking medicine. April 10th, 1874. – Headache early in m., dizziness through d. Pulsating in brain, with sensation as if brain were too large for its cavity, and would force the bones apart. 11th. – Lassitude on rising; headache in evening; colic pain in epigastric region in evening, a slow griping pain lasting 1/2 hours; dizziness through day; roughness and soreness of right side of larynx, causing cough without expectoration when lying down in bed, worse when lying on right side. 12th. – Cough on waking in m., with raising of thick yellow mucus; dizziness with dull heavy ache in forehead over eyes. Hoarse harsh cough p. m., with hoarseness and expectoration of heavy brownish – yellow mucus in evening, m and with some nausea. Darting pains in left lumbar region when lying on left side. Soreness in larynx on right side, and in bronchi. 13th. – Loose cough, with expectoration of clear transparent mucus in m. and through d. Hoarseness, with slight aching pain in the lungs, most in r. Drawing pain in forehead from without inwards; drowsiness when sitting down; weariness of mind with utter inability to study. 14. – Cough on rising in m., with frothy expectoration of transparent and yellow mucus. Headache in front, dull, heavy, with drawing pain in forehead. General lassitude and weariness. Cough in evening from roughness of throat, especially when reading aloud; loose, with expectoration on lying down in bed. Cough after midnight persistent,, preventing sleep, worse when lying on left side. 15th. – Dull pain in forehead during forenoon, worse after a long walk, better after eating. Hard drawing pain, alternating with boring and tensive pain, in right half of head p. m., lasting an h. Cough, with expectoration of yellow mucus and soreness of throat. Intense tearing pain in forehead and right side of head, extending into right face, late in p. m. and in evening; coughing increases pain in head; pain in teeth of upper jaw. Lying on left side prevents sleep. Waked by coughing at 3 a. m., cough continuing at frequent intervals till m., preventing good sleep. Lying on left side causes continual coughing. 16th. – Headache through day, decreasing towards n. Some pain in lungs. Some cough, with expectoration of frothy mixed mucus, white and yellow. No cough through n. – sleep quiet and refreshing. Have taken no medicine since the m. of the 15th. (Ibid.) [This lady died in less than 2 years from scirrhus of ant. mediastinum, involving both lungs. In view of this, and of the catarrhal condition in which she commenced her proving, we have given in small type. – Ends.]
10. Another lady student took tinct. in drop doses m. and e. On April 23rd, slight headache in forehead p. m., with heaviness and pain in eyes. Heaviness of head in e. Irregular action of heart, sense as of bubbling from left side of heart. Weak feeling in wrists, with little faint darting pains among bones of joint. 24th. – 2 dr. in m., and 3 dr. at n., without effect. 25th. – 5 dr. in m., 6 dr. at noon, 7 dr. at n. No result. 26th. – 10 dr. at noon, 11 dr. at n. No effect. 27th. / 13 dr. in m. Severe cutting colic pain 2 hours after taking the medicine, with painful evacuation of loose stool. Severe ache in forehead, p. m. Lameness and pain in last joint of right thumb. 14 dr. at n. No effect. 28th. – 14 dr. in m. Some heavy headache during day lameness and pain in thumb gone p. m. 15 dr. at n. No effect. ( Ibid.)
11. David D. Hudson proved C. in 1874, doses not stated. (He knew what he was taking, which the other provers did not). Frontal headache; steady, and convergent towards a point between frontal eminences. Heavy and dull feelings in head. Sense of confusion in brain. Running at nose of clear, colourless, viscid mucus, soon after taking first dose. Keen, piecing pain in posterior thoracic wall of left side. Thoracic oppression worse on left side. Palpitation. Very great excitability of heart’s action, aggravated by walking, and by physical or mental exertion. Great fulness of chest, and continual laboured breathing. Inspirations insufficient and unsatisfactory, hence frequent sighing respiration. Grasp upon heart, with dizziness, laboured breathing, and suffocative feeling. Weakness of voice, rendering speaking difficult, reading more so. Oppressed feeling and pain in heart, pain constant and crushing. Increased appetite and undisturbed digestion. Aching in hips, ankles, and feet. Feet dry and hot. Intense weariness throughout muscular system. Intolerable tired feeling. Sleepiness, yawning. Sleep at n. unrefreshing. Dreams; working hard in dreams, and very tired on waking. If spoken to when dreaming, would answer rationally but retain no recollection of it. Nervous sensitiveness and excitability. Mental excitement aggravates the thoracic oppression and pain in the heart. Apprehensive, unsettled. Communicative, but rather sensitive. (Ibid.)
12. a. Mrs. Osgood took (date unknown) 1 dr. of 1st dil. m. and evening for 7 d. Pulsative or drawing pains in different parts or the whole (seemingly the surface) of brain in frontal, occipital, and parietal regions. Pressure in eyes (gradually increasing during last 2 d.). Dull – sometimes vague – pains in abdominal region. Considerable increase of nervousness in arms and hands (natural to some extent). General heat and perspiration; great sensibility to heat. Sensations such as follow intemperate use of spirits. Vertigo and general bilious feeling. Stiffness, soreness, and uneasiness in back of neck, such as I have experienced from chills and fever. Sensations like tobacco sickness (save nausea). Pains (rheumatic, I should describe them) in arms, not severe. General indolence.
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.