3. HESSE proved B. vulgaris in substance on himself a man, and three women. He took on 13th March an infusion of 3ss of root, and repeated dose on 14th. The other man took on April 4th 48 gr. of powered bark of root, and on 11th an infusion of 3iij and on 15th a decoction of 3j of root. The first woman took on 23rd April last named decoction; the second on 15th and 27th March infusions of 3ss and 3vj respectively; the third, an extract of 3j of the decorticated root on 21st and of 3vj of root on 26th March, and 3ss of powdered bark of root on 28th April.
[As a result of these 11 doses a list of 1212 symptoms is given, without reference of their distinctive subjects, many of them without note of time of appearance, and this, when stated, sometimes given as 3, 6, or 9 months after ingestion of medicine. Under these circumstances, it has been thought well to select for full statement only note worthy symptoms specified as occurring within a reasonable time. – EDS.]
2 a. Mind. – One of the female provers experienced on 2nd and 3rd day remarkable melancholy and disinclination to speak, which she could in no way overcome, with a quiet (not sensual) longing.
2 b. Head – Vertigo; confusion; sense of intoxication, of tension, of distention and enlargement; headache, pressive, stitching, or both, chiefly in forehead and temples, aggravated (as is also distention and giddiness); by stooping, and better in open air; tense, puffy, and numb sensation in integuments of head and face. Special symptoms were – heavy, pressive headache, with great weariness and prostration (3rd d.); frontal pain, stitching, paroxysmal, lasting 1/2 to 3 m., especially shooting suddenly through superior orbital region (1 1/2 h. – 10 h.,) stitching, shooting also twitching or rolling pain in several points in left frontal region, about an inch above margin of orbit, extending outward and upward (3 h.)
2 c. Eyes. – Dryness, and biting or burning, and sometimes also an inching sensation, often with feeling as if sand were between lids and ball, at times with slight conjunctiva redness of both; symptoms appeared early in morning, and lasted with intermissions throughout. Painfulness, stiffness pressure and throbbing were other sensations experienced; most of the troubles were aggravated in open air, and moving eyes increased their painfulness. Tearing and stitches were felt in orbital margins. 2 d. Ears. – Great heat in left outer ear, then after 1/2 h. great coldness of same and of temple (8 h.) stitches in both ears. 2 e. Nose. – Mucous membrane of nose seemed in most provers dry, with little discharge; in one, however, later on a coryza, lasting some months, appeared in left nostril, and apparently involved frontal and maxillary sinuses; at first of yellowish water, smelling as if burnt, afterwards purulent, sometimes whitish, sometimes yellowish or greenish mucus, also smelling (and tasting) as if burnt, was blown from nose, and hawked up, especially in m., but not in great quantity.
2 f. Face. – In those much affected by drug remarkable paleness of face with dirty greyish appearance, sunken cheeks, deeply seated eyes surrounded by bluish of blackish grey circles, with very sickly expression, for a long time. Tearing stitching pain in right cheek shooting by jerks into temples, for several m. (2 1/2 h.).
2 g. Mouth. – Stitches in some molars, with feeling as if they were too long (2h.); fine stitches in tongue especially right (2nd d.),; dryness and sticky sensation in mouth of all provers.
2 h. Throat. – After 4 h. scraping sensation as in commencing angina, compelling to hawk and raise frequently, without difficulty in swallowing, for several h.; after 11 h. dryness and pressure; on 2nd and 3rd d. arches of palate, uvula, tonsils and pharynx are somewhat red; from 5th to 7th d. pain in l. tonsil, caused or increased by speaking and swallowing, with sensation as seed of a fruit were sticking there, parts are red, and sensitive to external pressure.
2 i. Stomach. – In most provers increased appetite at first, and in several thirst also. 2 j. Abdomen. – After 15 m., violent sticking pain for 1/4 hours in hepatic region, and same in region of gall bladder frequently in more than one prover; much working in bowels, with some griping, most cases. About 10 p.m., on 4th d. violent and sharp pain in upper abdomen (in front of kidneys) extending upwards to left, very much increased by breathing, motion and touch, respiration therewith short and belly distended and hard; pains return next m. on standing erect, and recur from time to time, but are less severe. The inguinal regions are the seat of much pain, generally sharp, the glands there became tender in one case (3rd d.), and in another varicose veins appeared.
2 k. Rectum and Stool. – Anus was seat of much heat, fullness, and sometimes pain; during 2nd and 3rd weeks in one prover hemorrhoids frequently appeared, with pain at stool and some blood (it is not said whether this was new to its subject.) The large doses purged gently, constipation ensuing.
2 l. Urinary organs. – Sharp pains passing from one part of urinary tract to another were very common; and urethra was frequently set of burning and cutting, even independently of passage of urine. Three provers had pressive pain in region of bladder, whether full of empty. Urine was sometimes diminished, sometimes increased; when copious, of light colour clear, or only with a little mucus, which does not always deposit, when scanty, turbid, flocculent like clayey water throwing down a mucous sediment mixed with white or whitish grey and later a red, meal; former condition obtained at commencement and during aggravations, and later during reaction from medicine. This is the general account to be given, but there was variation even on single d.; urine was nearly always cloudy in m.; pains in loins usually accompanied its morbid condition. One prover had blood – red urine, speedily becoming turbid and depositing a thick mucous and bright red mealy sediment, [ With this is one case there were yellowish-red crystals] slowly becoming clear, but always retaining its blood red colour, with violent pains in kidneys.
2 m. Sexual organs. – Frequent erection (1st d.); menstruation became shorter and scantier, also more painful; on 1st and 2nd occasions after taking drug. The following statement of after results must be taken of what it is worth. “In the fourth return menstruation occurred one d. too soon; discharge was greyish mucus, then bloody; scanty. The 5th period omitted entirely; on the 6th some watery blood passed then until the 8th inclusive greyish mucus; for some d. previous to it violent tearing in limbs, with severe sacral (sometimes one-sided) pain, as if broken and sore, almost as in labour, so that she could not lie on it; sometimes also pain in one hipbone; dragging plain in thighs, extending to calves, especially in veins, which are distended with blood; also pain in lumbar region; once in e, in bed violent shooting on left side of abdomen near navel, extending in long stitches into left side of vagina; fretful mood, as tired of life; smarting pain in vagina, also violent burning and feeling of soreness in anus; pressive pain in upper arm and shoulder, extending into neck.”
2 n. Respiratory organs. – Feels raw in chest as from catarrh, and an habitual occasional expectoration is increased (2nd to 6th day.) 2 o. Neck and Back. – Lightning-like sharp stitches as it were jump up from r. clavicle along right neck (4th d.). Violent shooting cutting tearings on left side of neck in muscles near axis, lasting several m., with painful stiffness of neck, so that he is not able to move head (3rd d.). Suddenly when leaning against arm of a chair a violent deep seated pain running from point of scapula to shoulder-joint and thence down inner side of arm to elbow; parts seem bruised, swollen or uncleared, shoulder joint feels as if sprained; on raising arms sensation extends into chest and arrests breathing; pain often extends to right neck, is relieved in rest, pressure and movement increase or excite it anew upper arm pains deep in bone, as if something were alive there; on 2nd d. chilliness in affected part, extending down to renal region, with goose flesh (3rd to 8th day). Tensive shooting pain from lower dorsal to lumbar vertebrae (2nd d.). Twinging pain in sacrum with desire for stool (1st d.). 2 p. Extremities. – Pain in left shoulder, especially deep in joint in front, as if in head of humorous, and as if parts were swollen especially when moving arms back wards and also on pressure, lasting several h.(5th day). Tearing in left shoulder, extending across whole scapula and down back, especially on motion, for several d. (6th d.). Sensation as if cold drops of rain fell on back of hand when she went from house into open air (7th d.). Sensation of weakness, and as if bruised, in lower extremities, sometimes with heaviness and stiffness, also paralyzed feeling, as after a long march or as if parts were strained, and muscles were too thick; chiefly in soft parts but also not seldom in bones, with pains which are readily excited (though not always aggravated) by motion. This occurred through nearly whole time of proving, sometimes worse, sometimes better.
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.