2. On Sunday m. Dr. Sharpey was in his usual health. A little before 1 o’clock the servant was alarmed by hearing a heavy fall, and on entering the room, found her master lying on his face in the corner, apparently insensible. Medical help called, and the following is the report: –
2 a. “I found the patient sitting on the floor, supported by two servants, making futile efforts to rise. He was unconscious, and speaking incoherently at intervals. The skin was hot and pungent, face flushed, veins of forehead turgid, and head burning. Pupils slightly dilated conjunctiva not injected, breathing natural, pulse 116, irregular, generally full, but varying much at intervals; heart’s action irregular, and apparently obstructed; teeth and lips dry, and covered with sordes. We immediately placed him on a bed, but had great difficulty in keeping him there as he was extremely restless and wanted to get up. He had no paralysis, moving all his limbs freely and forcibly. Gin and water, and a soon as possible, ice, were applied to the head, and mustard poultices to the calves of the legs. Small doses of sal volatile were administered in water, about six or eight drachms in all. After each dose he seemed much better. He became, however, more restless and delirious, talking constantly, apparently about his affairs, and busy with his hands, pulling the bedclothes about. On asking loudly if he had any pain in the head, he replied, ” No pain whatever.” It now became impossible to keep him in bed, and very difficult to prevent his walking about. He expressed a constant and frequent desire to pass water, but did not succeed in doing so. The bladder was found empty on percussing the abdomen.”
2 b. Dr. Ringer saw him 4 h. later, and gives the following account: “Dr. Sharpey was sitting on the edge of the bed, delirious, and a little drowsy. He looked at me, but did not recognize me. We could not attract his attention without speaking loudly to him. We tried to lead him to bed, but he expostulated with us, and said he would lose his train, that all his things were packed up, and that he must start immediately. We undressed him, but he warmly resisted, telling us continually that he should lose his train. He clutched hold of his things, and tried to pull on his trousers and to tie on his necktie. He displayed considerable strength, but his movements were rather unsteady, as if he had lost some control over his limbs, for when he tried to wipe away the dried mucus from his lips he raised his right hand with apparent difficulty a short way from his mouth, then, with an effort and rather unsteady movement, raised his left hand and touched his lips. We lifted him to his bed, but were obliged to restrain him, as he struggled to rise almost incessantly. He kept his eyes closed, but on speaking to him loudly he looked at us, caught perhaps one word or part of a sentence, repeated it, and said, “Ah I shall lose my train.” We could not make him understand where he was, nor that he was ill and must be kept quite. He incessantly talked about his imaginary journey, and warmly expostulated with us for forcibly detaining him. He was not quarrelsome or ill-tempered, but attempted to reason with us. There was no paralysis, or twitching or involuntary movements. His head and face were much was thick, probably from dryness of the mouth and throat. Owing to a recent operation for cataract, we could not accurately learn the state of the pupils. His breathing was natural; his skin felt hot and dry, and his lips were covered with dry mucus. He was troubled with a frequent desire to make water.
2 c.”At 9:30 p.m. the drowsiness had quite disappeared, but he was still more delirious and talkative. His hallucinations were the same, and he resisted still more energetically our attempts to keep him in bed. In fact, he jumped out of bed several times, and insisted on dressing himself. His voice was natural his pulse softer less full, and less frequent; his skin moist. He frequently asked for water to drink. He still had a frequent desire to micturate, but passed only a moderate quantity of water. I ordered him 20 grains of bromide of potassium, and left a little after 10.
2 d. “During the night delirium gradually subsided, and in the early morning Dr. Sharpey had sufficiently recovered to quiet the alarm of his friends by telling them he had taken some atropia by mistake, and thus accounted for his symptoms, which we had hitherto been unable to explain. At 9:30 next morning he had almost entirely recovered, there remained only a little difficulty in recollecting what had occurred shortly before he became insensible. His tongue was thickly loaded with a dirty grey fur. There was no rash or pain in the head throughout.
2 e. Dr. Sharpey concludes with an account of his own experiences. After telling how he took a solution of sulphate of A. by mistake for one on quinine, and that he remembered falling, he goes on: “The first thing I can recollect is that I was struggling with people in the room, amongst whom was my nephew, whom I at once recognised when he told me who he was. I imagined I had to go off by a railway train, which started at 10 in the morning, and that the hour was approaching, whilst I had nothing ready for my journey; and I believed that I wished to dress, and to pack my things, but was thwarted and prevented by the people about me. At length I was persuaded that it was too late to catch the train, and agreed to wait till the e. I may here explain that I had come from Scotland by rail on the previous Thursday. I then became sensible that I was lifted into bed, and ordered on no account to rise, which I thought a most unreasonable restraint, especially as I was tormented with irritation in the bladder, and almost incessant desire to pass urine, which was in very small quantity. In this way I passed a very restless night, but slept fairly in the morning. Meanwhile my head began to clear; I remembered having taken atropia, and then was able to attend to my condition with some degree of intelligence. I had an intense feeling of dryness in my throat, which I knew to be an effect of the poison; this abated towards m.; then, although I could move my body and limbs, it was only by a great effort, and when I raised my arms they felt as if made of lead. This I ascribed to partial paralysis power as the night advanced. As to my sensations, they were not blunted, but I misinterpreted them. Thus, I felt a wet cloth on my head, but imagined I had been out in the rain without my hat; and a dose of bromide of potassium given to me I recognised as a saline solution, but supposed it was mineral water from the Airthry spring, which I had tasted on the spot some ten days before.” (Lancet, Sept. 27th, 1873).
3 a. Woman, aet. 45, slightly – built nervous subject, sanguine temperament, took Feb. 1st, 1873, at 11 a.m. a teaspoonful of a sol. of gr. ij to 3j. After 1/2 h. had dimness of vision, and bright circles of golden hue dancing before eyes. mxxv of tinct. opii were given; after taking which she complained of giddiness with sense of heat in stomach. In another 1/2 h., face suffused and hot, singing in ears; said that objects around her were steady, but flame coloured, and appeared magnified (3 or 4 times their natural size). At 1:30 physician found her complaining of numbness and loss of sensory and motor power in lower limbs; could not stand without assistance; hands trembled; was perfectly conscious. Strong coffee and brandy were now given at frequent intervals. In 1/2 h. after first dose of coffee began to feel drowsy, and finally fell into a stupor, from which she could only be roused by constant loud talking and jerking. This condition lasted 15 m.; after it passed off hands began to twitch, and she seized hands of friends spasmodically every few m. Pupils now strongly dilated, and face wore a wild, frightened expression, but she did not ramble. At 3 lapsed again into stupor, in which she muttered incoherently, and quite lost use of legs; arms continued to twitch and speech became thick; pulse 100; extremities cold. 5, continues in same condition; rambles at times; complains of sensation of great weight on chest, and says “life is being squeezed out of her.” 7, same; pulse 130; skin and extremities cool. 10, still rambles at times; has attacks of loss of motor power in legs lasting about 10 m., and alternating with intervals during which she can use them.
3 b. On 2nd, at 1 a.m., physician was sent for and found patient in state of furibund delirium. Power had quite returned to limbs, and she rushed frantically from one room into another defying all attempts at restraint; but being nearly blind, she constantly dashed herself against walls in her efforts to go from room to room, evidently imagining presence of door where none existed. From her ravings one could gather that she thought her friends were about to compel her to submit to an operation, and she fancied herself in the presence of an assembly of doctors for the purpose. She continued in much the same condition for an h., when symptoms somewhat abated. In 1 h. more she was got to bed, and almost immediately afterwards (5 a.m.) consciousness began to return. By 6 she was perfectly sensible. 10 a.m., pulse 110; fauces slightly congested; complains that throat, mouth and lips feel dry and parched; also of extreme lassitude and weariness and of sensation on raising head as if she would fall forward. Says that she can now see more distinctly with affected right eye (syphilitic iritis) than with sound one, but complains of severe darting pain over right eyebrow extending to outer canthus. Has also considerable vertigo and occasional brilliant flashes of light before both eyes; sees nothing distinctly. Says that during her delirium all objects appeared doubled and trebled, and as if spotted with blood. At noon the brilliant flashes were replaced by numerous dark specks dancing before eyes. Dozed at intervals, during which she saw devils and faces dotted over with dark spots, which appear also on faces of friends. Pupils still dilated, but slightly contractile. 3rd.- At 10 a.m., pulse 100; had passed restless night; pain over right eyebrow continues; still sees the black specks on closing the eyes; cannot see at all distinctly; pupils dilated, especially left; has felt a very painful pricking sensation in throat all n. Feels now very weak and sinking and expresses desire for brandy, which was allowed her. 4th Pulse 88. feels stronger, has slept more during n. pain at outer canthus is now a dull aching and extends to vertex. Still sees devils, & cc., whenever she sleeps, and the faces of those around her still appear covered with dark spots. Up to 8th remained weak and languid, and had specks before eyes at times. Seen again on 15th and 27th, complained only of palpitations, at times severe.
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.