5 e. The 1/40th of a grain reproduces, in the young and robust, the effects last described a little intensified and prolonged. The mucous layer of the tongue will become completely dry, brown, and hard, the hard and soft palates, arches of the fauces and uvula, and back of the pharynx, dry and glazed, so that the movable parts are wrinkled as often as the muscular tissue contracts. The dryness persists to some extent for many hours; and if the patient sleeps he is troubled with dreams, and at intervals disturbed by a start. A fancied noise is a common cause of awakening, and at these times the patient generally manifests a little delirium.
5 f. The 1/32 of the grain produces symptoms of much the same intensity as the 1/40, but the cerebral effects will be slightly increased; and if the patient be weakened by disease, or be unusually susceptible of the action of the medicine, instead of sleep there will be a little meddlesome delirium, and he will require attention to prevent him from getting out of bed. He will have little or no inclination for sleep, and will probably be busily influenced by pleasing illusions and delusions, meddling with everything in his way, picking at and handling imaginary objects in the air, and accompanying his acts by muttering and smiling, or with loud chattering, interrupted by subdued laughter.
5 g. The following were the effects of gr. 1/20: – S. M -, able – bodied man, aet. 49, well save for facial neuralgia. Pulse 78, resp. 20, tongue clean and moist, pupils 1/9.” After 20 m. pulse 110, unchanged in volume and power; resp. 20. Hard palate and anterior part of tongue and soft palate dry, but not parched or glazed. Pupils 1/7″. Felt sleepy and a little giddy, but walked steadily. After 1 h., pulse 108, unchanged; resp. 20. Dorsum of tongue dry and parched, and entire roof of mouth and velum of palate dry and glazed. Pupils 1/6″. Continued giddy, but walked steadily, though slowly and cautiously; was greatly inclined for sleep, but had not slept. Gaped very often, and said he should soon be asleep if he were in bed. There was no tendency to delirium, and perfect freedom from nervousness and restlessness. Skin naturally cool and moist. After 2 h., pulse 98, diminished in volume and power, but still quite regular; resp. 20, regular, mouth as parched as before, voice husky. Pupils between 1/6 and 1/5″; slight injection of conjunctival membrane. Had slept, and continued very drowsy. Was entirely free from nervous symptoms, and stated that he was quite able to walk home a distance of a mile. He did so at this time; but when he reached the house he could not put the key into the door, because he felt so stupid and shaky in the hand,” and had to seek assistance. Went to bed and slept heavily all n. The throat and mouth were very dry in the m., but this passed off after breakfast, and there were no after-effects.
5 h. If larger doses be given there will be superadded a distressing fluttering sensation in the cardiac region; exquisite sensibility of hearing and frequent illusions of this sense; staggering or complete inability to walk; insomnia restlessness, and frequently great nervous agitation of mind and body. (HARLEY, op. cit., p. 202.)
6. SCHROFF. From 0.005 gramme = 0.068 grain, in two persons. After 15 m., headache, spreading from middle of frontal region. After 30 m., slight dilatation of pupils. After 40 m. the skin became very dry and hot, with general sensation of biting and tickling as from vermin. The dryness extended to the mucous membrane of mouth and fauces, and became so intense that swallowing was impossible. Pulse fell at first 10 beats, but soon commenced to rise, and in 1 1/2 h. was quickened by 40 beats. At the same time there was great weakness of the muscular movements, which increased to a transient but pretty general trembling, so that the gait became staggering like that of a tipsy person. After 1 1/2 h. there occurred symptoms of great excitement, restlessness, tendency to do everything hurriedly, lastly quarrelsomeness, so that the two provers (who were in the same room) began to wrestle and fight with one another, which they had never before had a tendency to do. The after effects lasted three days, and consisted of confined dilatation of pupils, weariness of limbs, disinclination for mental work, and attacks of sense of coldness along the spine. The digestion was unimpaired, and the urinary secretion was not increased, in spite of the dryness of the skin. (Lehrb. der Pharm., p.495)
7 a. 4th dec. trit. – – 20th March, 1859, at 10 p.m. took 3 grs. N. full of dreams. 21st. In m. felt fatigued, head confused as after a ball night or a night when much disturbed by cases; soon went off in open air. No pleasure in reading or writing. 22nd. At 10 p.m. 3 grs. Many frightful dreams, which woke him 3 times. They were unconnected and related to being murdered, falling from a height into an abyss, attacked by big dogs, & c. In m. very exhausted unwilling to get up, lay in a dreamy half sleep. Head confused, heavy, inclined to go to bed again after having dressed. All day cross, quarrelsome, nobody could do anything right for him. Mere trifles excited his anger. App. not affected. Though constantly hungry, no relish of food, felt soon satiated, food was tasteless. Thirst increased. Urine clear, equal to fluid imbibed. Stool as usual. N between 23rd and 24th quieter, though not dreamless. All d. weary and dejected. Next n. quiet. sleep refreshing, quite well during d., except unusual thirst. – – 25th, 10 p.m., 5 gr. Soon fell asleep, dreamt much, and woke frequently in consequence. Unwilling to get up. Head confused, could be kept up with difficulty. Fine painful stitches over forehead and temples occurring every 4 to 10 m. and lasting from a few seconds to 1 m. Disinclination for all work. Very cross, great inclination to scold and quarrel, internal restlessness, changing to great anxiety, constant hunger, and the oftener he ate the worse it became. Loathing at meat and beer; drinking beer caused feeling of emptiness in stomach and painful pressure there. These symptoms continued during the whole proving. Desire for salt food, e.g. sardines salt herring, smoked meat, &c. – 26th. No med. Same symptoms, Only milder. – 29th, 9:30 a.m., took 5 gr. During d. nothing except increased thirst and urine, and same stomach symptoms. In evening premature sleepiness, must go to bed at 8:30, could not sleep, heard every noise, but did not open eyes. Dreamt that he was in a forest and pursued by snakes, sought to run away, but could not get rid of them; or saw a ball on the table which quickly grew so big that the room could not hold it and it seemed to press on him; or the walls of the room seemed to separate and the house about to fall down; or clad only in his shirt, he got to a place where no people were, and as several persons approached him he sought to run away, but could not, being paralysed, & c. These dreams tired him much; woke with a scream. During these dreams he lay quite still, only occasionally sighing.- 30th. Woke with confused head, severe vertigo increased on rising up in bed, staggering, nearly fell twice, shooting pains at base of skull, especially above eyes, at every movement and especially on walking. In open air felt as if head were screwed, and walking caused the most acute shooting pains in head. These symptoms grew better about 11 a.m. and went off e. The stomach symptoms lasted till 2nd April, when he took 5 grs. All d. felt inward coldness and outward burning heat of whole body. At 6 p.m. was hot all over, anxiety and restlessness, could not remain in one place; hurried home dreading some misfortune, alternated between open air and house. Went to bed at 7:30, could not get to sleep before 11; tossed about, palpitation of heart that could be seen and felt, indescribable anxiety as if he had committed a crime. N. full of dreams, often wakened by sudden stretching out of legs. Awoke next m. with weight and confusion of head, vertigo on raising himself up with darkness before eyes; then vomiting of green bitter fluid, whereafter head was relieved. Weak in open air. N. again full of dreams, but sleep more refreshing. Took no med. till 16th April. Sleep was not so refreshing as before the proving. The excessive thirst went off the 6th d., the increased urine lasted till 11th April. The stomach pains continued always slightly.
7 b. 3rd dec. trit. 16th April, 8 a.m. 4 grs. of this trit. repeated every 4th d. No symptoms in the d. E., giddy confusion of head, alternating with excited fancy great, weariness of all the body and sometimes tinnitus aurium. Sleepless till 1 a.m., then frightful dreams, objects of a round or oval shape seemed to be elongated. The faces of people seemed to be as long vertically as all the rest of the body, the prominent features, as nose and chin, seemed very long their extreme outline nebulous. This lasted some h. On waking at 3:30 a.m. these phantasms still floated before him, but did not recur on again going to sleep. The pupils next m. were very large and the iris very sluggish. The appearances in the dreams were renewed in a slighter degree by d. All faces appeared somewhat longer, especially the ears, which looked as long as donkey’s ears. A round rubber-ball and plates had an oval shape. About 10 p.m. this deception ceased. After midday meal vomited food. A glass of beer at supper caused contractive pain in stomach, compelling him to sit down, increased by walking. Frequent eructation of air, without nausea. This pain continued to increase and only went off after 3 h. Thirst and urine perceptibly increased. Next n. quieter and on 18th April well.- 19th. Dry tickling cough (attributed to catching cold). – 20th. Repeated the dose. Cough increased and was more fatiguing; occurred periodically, was dry without expectoration, with sore feeling in throat and pressure on chest. N. troubled with dreams, frequent waking from sudden stretching out of limbs. Woke next m. with painful shooting in left temporal region extending to behind ear and hardly allowing l. eye to be opened; this went off after being some time in open air. No return of headache. Cough increased so much that the attempt to speak, or the tobacco smoke of a passer-by, brought it on immediately. After taking hep. and phos. for six days this went off.- 1st May. Resumed proving, but took 8 grains. At 6 p.m. constant choking in throat followed by impossibility to swallow, with feeling as if someone grasped his larynx. This symptom alarmed him and he took bell. 15, and applied cold compress to head, which was very hot, and went to bed. About 9 p.m. breathed freely and could swallow. – 10th May. When cough had gone, took 3 grs. The symptoms were similar. During the whole proving had stool only every two to four d., usually daily. The cutaneous temperature varied often; sometimes flushes of heat, sometimes cold down back; the cold predominated. Was either sad, dejected, in constant anxiety and restlessness, anticipating misfortune, or very angry and fond of solitude; seldom any cheerfulness. P. not much affected normally 60; it was generally at that figure; it once rose to 96, and one day was 88. The respiration, normally 20, occasionally but seldom went up to 24, 26, and once 27. The urinary secretion was in proportion to the fluid drunk. (EIDHERR, Allg. hom. Zeit., 1x)
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.