8. KAFKA.- I am forty-six years of age, of robust constitution, and am not subject to any other disease than muscular and articular rheumatism. On September 12th, 1855, at 10 a.m., 2 h. after breakfast, which consisted of two cups of coffee and bread, I took gr. 1/60 of sulphate of A. In 15 m. after I felt an uneasy sensation in the stomach, accompanied with frequent empty eructations, affording no relief. The uneasiness, which gradually became associated with nausea and retching, increased to a pressing, sticking, and contractive pain, accompanied with frequent empty eructation. This spasm of the stomach, which was attended with paleness of the face, slight perspiration ringing in the ears and an aching pain in the forehead, lasted until noon, when it was succeeded by a gradually increasing feeling of dryness of the mouth and throat, becoming so great by 1 o’clock that I could not speak a word, and my tongue was nearly adherent to the roof of my mouth. After taking a glass of water the sensation of dryness and general feeling of illness gradually left me, and by 2 o’clock all the morbid symptoms (excepting the dilatation of the pupils, which supervened with the gastric pains, and which lasted 2 d. longer, together with some paleness of the face) had entirely disappeared. On the 18th, and again on the 25th, I repeated experiment with exactly the same result. (Ibid., lii, 178)
9. Dr. R. PERCY took gr. 1/10 of sulphate of A. in an ounce of water. It had a distinct persistently bitter taste, and produced a numb sensation upon the tongue, somewhat similar to, though less in degree than, that produced by aconite. In about 10 m. it produced a sense of nausea, which continued to increase until an effort was made to vomit, but although this occurred several times, nothing was thrown up. To this intense thirst succeeded, and a frontal headache, relieved by closing the eyes. Next a dryness was felt in the throat, and the tongue and mouth felt dry and feverish. These symptoms were not relieved, and only mitigated for a short time, by drinking water. The dryness of throat increased, and was persistent for several hours, causing at first almost constant deglutition, but towards the last a strong effort to avoid deglutition, which had become painful. During the first 2 hours the pulse was less frequent, but afterwards became smaller and more rapid. The eyes soon lost all control of distance, a painted book held at the usual distance was a perfect blur; held a long way off letters could be distinguished, but the words, upon looking at them, soon ran into confusion; objects at a distance could be plainly seen, even a little more plainly than usual (hyperopia); but near objects, though for a moment distinguished, soon lost their distinctness. A numb or crawling sensation, a formication was felt down the back, upon the arms and back of the hands. This formication was intense and very unpleasant upon the palate. Light became unpleasant, to the eyes, causing pain deep in the eyeballs. Motion became unpleasant, and if the feet were lifted in walking the floor seemed to recede from them before they again were put down. A sliding of the feet along the floor seemed to be the only safe way of locomotion. The head began to be dizzy, and from fear of falling it was necessary to be seated in an easy chair. Thirst at this time was very great but only little water could be taken at a time, as the effort of swallowing was unpleasant. A languid feeling came on as the semi recumbent position was assumed, and whether sleep accompanied with wild fantastic dreams, or waking hallucinations, followed, it was impossible to tell. Whichever they were they were exactly the opposite of those produced by cannabis indica, for all the imaginations and conversations were of the long past, none of the future. Whether there was total blindness, or merely an imagination of blindness, could not be remembered; but if there was blindness to the external eye, the mind saw all its images with great distinctness and the impress of them was left with vividness. There was consciousness of individuality, but the actions were performed by others, who were embodied spirits of those long since departed. Lengthy conversations of a most pleasant character were held with Plato, Alcibiades, Aspasia, and others. How long this state lasted cannot be told, but sound profound sleep must have followed, for consciousness to external objects did not return till 16h. after taking the A. Awaking took place suddenly; there was no pain, no headache, nothing abnormal but languid and disturbed vision. The bladder had not been emptied during these 16 h., and although a large quantity of water had been drunk, but a moderate quantity of urine was passed. The vision was not clear for several days. (N. Y. Medorrhinum Journ., viii, 254).
Poisonings
1 a. At 9 o’clock on Sunday m. my second child, a hearty little boy three years and eighth months old, was brought to my bedroom by the nurse, who said she did not know what was the matter with him, but he seemed very giddy and could not stand. Her account was that, hearing what she supposed to be quarrelling between him and his brother, who were alone together in the breakfast-room awaiting our assembling at breakfast, she took him into the kitchen, and on setting him on his feet he fell down. She lifted him up, and told him to run along, but he again fell, and appeared to have no power of standing. On observing this she immediately brought him up to me.
1 b. His face was at this time flushed and mottled with white, his eyes brilliant, and his manner and appearance altogether very strange and excited, while the expression of his countenance was quite maniacal. He was evidently unconscious, and very irritable, striking his mother when she took him from the nurse. On placing him on the bed he immediately began to pick at the bedclothes, and to grasp at imaginary objects. [It was now ascertained that he had had access to a room in which was a solution of A. containing nearly half a grain, and that this had disappeared from the vessel containing it.] The cause of the symptoms was but too apparent. I rushed with the child to the window, and the fully dilated pupils at once confirmed my suspicion. Dr. Fincham was sent for, but long before his arrival, and in about 5 m. after the discovery, I administered 20 grains of sulphate of zinc, and on the arrival of the doctor some mustard and water also was given; but 3/4 h. elapsed from the giving of the zinc before vomiting took place. The quantity of fluid expelled did not exceed that given with the zinc, which was ejected by one effort; and no subsequent retching could be produced by the mustard and water.
1 c. As no more vomiting could be excited, and it seemed probable that all the poison which was not absorbed had been ejected, stimulants were had recourse to, viz. brandy and water, ether and ammonia; one or other of which was given every quarter of an h.; there was however, great difficulty in getting the child to swallow, each attempt to do so producing paroxysms of suffocation, which appeared to threaten his existence; a great deal of what was put into the mouth was thus wasted. During the whole of the time, til 11. p.m., the child was insensible; the pupils were widely dilated and immovable, the eyes open and the lids not winking on passing the finger in front of them; there covered with a rash closely resembling that of scarlatina which the child was frequently scratching; the pulse was 170, and somewhat feeble.
1 d. From 1 to 2 p.m., brandy and milk was given from time to time, an enema of castor oil in gruel was also administered, and brought away a small quantity of faces. He vomited once during this period, and was evidently becoming more conscious; he made efforts to speak, and said “Papa; ” his face was less red, and the expression more natural.
1 e. From 2 to 5 p.m. – The Symptoms during this period exactly resembled those of delirium tremens. There was incessant rambling great restlessness, a grasping at imaginary objects, and occasional screaming from fright. The character of the delirium varied; sometimes the child saw objects which frightened him, and the utmost terror was depicted on his countenance, and he clung, to his nurse’s neck or threw himself violently in different directions, as if to escape them. This kind of delirium prevailed chiefly at the commencement of this period; towards the latter half the delusions were of a more pleasurable kind, his talking was more intelligible, he mentioned the name of his brother his nurse, and “mamma,” and grasped at his toys as his whistle, which he blew in imagination, and he drew imaginary sketches with his pencil, and was very busy two or three times in poking into his mouth and eating imaginary currants, & c.
1 f. From this time gradually improvement occurred. At 6 p.m. the pulse had fallen to 144, and the skin grew less hot and red. He could not see his father, but recognised him by his voice, and wanted to play with him. He talked frequently about persons and things which he fancied were before him. He had vomited again at 5, and at 9:45 his bowels moved, and he also passed water for the first time. From 10 to 12 p.m. he lay on the bed tolerably quiet; he winked a little when the candle was put close to his face, but saw nothing else; he said, “I can’t see mamma.” On awaking at 4 a.m., though his pupils were as much dilated as ever, he told his mother that he could see her, and at 8 could see a photograph of his grandmother over the chimney pipe. His difficulty in seeing small objects which were near him was now the most prominent feature remaining of his illness, and his attempts to make out the letters of a newspaper which happened to be in the room, putting the paper first in one position and then in another, and eventually throwing it from him in disgust, were highly amusing. The dilatation of the pupils gave his face a singular expression, and they did not recover their normal size and movements for nearly a week. (HOLTHOUSE, Medorrhinum Times and Gaz., Dec. 17th,1859)
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.