Introduction
Including the sub-nitrate, magistrate of B., Bi2 O3.2 HNO3; the nitrate, BiO3 HNO5; and the oxide, BiO3.
Provings
1 HAHNEMANN, Mat. Medorrhinum Pura, vol,. vii of original, vol. i of translation. Contains symptoms from self and 97 from three others, obtained from sub-nitrate. (H. calls his preparation an oxide; but the directions he gives for making it are those now considered to result in a sub – nitrate.) 2. WERNEK proved nitrate [ So called; probably sub- nitrate.- EDS] on several persons. -a. A girl;, aet.18, took 6gr. in m. fasting. In 1 h. heat and confusion of head; pulse quick, small, and tense; tongue moist and red, next day at 5 a.m., some griping in bowels, followed by two liquid rather bilious stools. 2 b. A girl, aet. 19 took 6gr. In 1 h. pressive pain in frontal region and vertigo on moving. After 2 h. heat all over body, pulse quick, contracted. After 3 h. frequent empty eructations and discomfort in stomach, soon followed by a liquid stool.
2 c. A boy, aet,. 6, took 6 gr. in soup. After 1 1/2 h. complained of nausea, soon followed by inodorous eructations. Pulse beat, 6 times only, spasmodically and tense.
2 d. Eight males between 24 and 30 years of age took the 1st d. 6, 2nd d. 8, 3rd d. 10, 4th day 12 gr. 1 h. after each dose they had some headache, vertigo, and spasmodic pulse. Then pressure in stomach and empty eructation. All symptoms gone in 2h.
2 e. A strong man, aet. 28, took 15 gr. without effect. Next d. took 20 gr. After 1 1/2 h. considerable headache, vertigo, pressure in forehead, feeling of heat all over body, conjunctiva considerably reddened, pulse tense, spasmodic, tongue furred. After 3 1/2 h. tiresome pressure and burning in stomach. After 45 h. much wind from stomach.
2 f. Another man took 15 gr. This caused slight transient headache. After 1 h. some pressure in stomach. After 2h. much wind from stomach a thin bilious stool.
2 g. A robust man, aet. 30, took 40 gr fasting. After 1/2 h. pressure in stomach, vertigo, headache, especially in forehead red eyes, sight dim, tongue furred taste bitter, thirst increased, no appetite, pulse small tense, spasmodic. After 1 h. later burning in stomach. After 1 1/2 h violent eructation griping in bowels, vomited twice bilious matter. After 3 h. a liquid bilious stools.
2 h. A man took a dose (not mentioned how much), had the same symptoms in slighter degree. No vomiting, but after 5 h., with violent griping in bowels, had two liquid bilious stools.
2 i. Wernek himself, aet. 42, took after soup 20 gr. dry on tongue. Pulse full, large, soft, 80. The powder when swallowed felt astringent. After 1/2 h. discomfort in stomach and slight transient pain in forehead. After 1 h. pressure in stomach, rumbling in bowels and eructation. Night restless, pulse at midnight 95, spasmodic. On rising, head dazed. After 1/2 h. took 30 gr. in water. In another 1/2 h. pressure in stomach, frontal pain, vertigo, redness of conjunctiva; pulse small, contracted, hard, 87; temperature somewhat increased, tongue furred white, much thirst, no appetite. After 1/2 h., after drinking water, eructation of gas nausea and slight bilious vomiting. At 6 p.m. 2 loose stools with griping. Next m. took 40 gr., pulse quiet, 82, full, soft. After 10 m. slight nausea, then pressure, later burning in stomach, pressure in forehead, vertigo, noise in ears, conjunctiva red, pulse quick, hard, small, 97. At 8 a.m. violent vertigo, headache, heat all over body. At 8.30 a.m. violent eructation, difficult respiration, nausea. At 9.30 a.m. twice bilious vomiting. At 4 p.m. griping in bowels with two liquid stools. (Medorrhinum chir. Zeitung, 1831`, vol. iii, 70, p. 312.)
3. A girl, aet. 22, took Jan. 21st, 1792, 8 gr. fasting without effect. On 22nd took 16, on 23rd 24 gr. Perspired freely at n., a thing to which she was not accustomed. On 25th took 30 gr. Had 3 stools during d., and at n. sweat was more copious and accompanied with burning feeling in skin. On 26th took ij, which caused nausea, salivation, eructations, increased heat, and quicker pule. In e., ij more. Sweat and heat as before in n., with urgent nausea and vomitings; former lasted into next d. She had some gripings, and stools on last 2 d. were fluid. Took no medicine till Feb. 2nd and, felt quite well. On that d. 3ss, followed by some nausea, eructations, and vomiting, with quickened pulse. Same dose in e. brought on symptoms of Jan. 26th. Appetite remained good throughout. (KERCKSIG, in Schlegel’s Thesaurus Mat. Medorrhinum, ii, 321).
4. Seven boys, aet. 10 to 13, robust, took B. for ascarides. March 13th, 8 grs. each. Two found no effect, two had some gripings, three had loose stools, with gripings in one. At n. 5 out the 7 sweated. On 14th, same dose. In 3 there was some looseness, and on 16th- no more medicine having been taken – 2 of these still had fluid stools. Another as strong as the rest, complained this m. of burning and shooting pain in various parts of abdomen, also of burning heat and sense of intoxication. He had several loose stools, with some relief therefrom. In afternoon, giddy, tipsy, morose; his aspect was sad; abdomen soft; pain was not increased by pressure, but he disliked it when made on epigastrium. Tongue clean; acid and bitter eructations. He complained also of headache, bitter taste, and great thirst; pulse was hard, full and quick. At n. fair sleep, but broken by terrors; much borborygmus, and about dawn stool and bilious vomiting. In m. abdomen was easier, but he had lumbago, and at times difficulty of breathing. Pulse hard and full, but less quick. Gradually improved, but tongue on 18th was whitish yellow. Headache, vertigo and intoxicated feeling continued after other symptoms had passed away. (Ibid.).
Poisonings
1. KERNER gives the following case: A man, aet. 40, robust, full blooded given to drink, got by mistake for heartburn 3ij of mag, bism., whereupon immediately there occurred vomiting, diarrhoea, retching and burning in throat. Next day the same symptoms continued; pulse was small, extremities cold, camps in hands and feet. Fauces and vulva inflamed, thirst, burning in throat, difficult deglutition, dry nose, the bad taste. Next n. was tolerable, but the following m. increased sore-throat, eructations, nasty taste, strong fever, weight in body, face and hands swollen, stools loose. He got an opiate emulsion and leeches to throat. In afternoon there was burning of skin, impeded respiration, stupefaction, mist before eyes. Not a drop of urine passed since the drug was swallowed, and yet the bladder is not distended. Next d. less fever, skin dry, still no urine passed, abdomen distended, painless, bowels open. Every h. became more paralysed in all parts. On 4th d. fever increased, pain in abdomen, face red, great heat, stools thin. A vein was opened. 5th d., colic increased; no urine yet, but bladder not painful; delirium. 6th d., abdomen very large, foetid eructations and diarrhoea, pulse full and febrile, intolerable taste in mouth, thirst and great burning in throat. 7th d., pale urine passed, abdomen still distended, pulse small and weak. A mid anxiety, asthma, cadaverous smelling diarrhoea, generally increasing insensibility, delirium, died on 10th d. P. M. showed brain not very full of blood, betwixt the convolutions a gelatinous deposit, some fluid in the cavities, the velum palati, tonsils, uvula, root of tongue and epiglottis in a state of mortification, the lining membrane of larynx dotted with black spots. Lungs normal, interior of both ventricles of heart of bright inflammatory red colour. Intestines all distended with gas; stomach and bowels all inflamed with gangrenous patches in them; m. m. macerated, easily detached. Urinary apparatus normal. Spinal vessels full of blood, especially about cauda equina. (Heidelberger klin. aniline, 1829, vol. v, 14,3, p. 348.)
2. The same writer described about the effects induced by a dose of 40 gr. of the medicine, oppression and constriction of epigastrium, faintness, headache, injected conjunctivae, anxious expression, bitter taste in mouth, thirst, anorexia, and a small tense pulse. (STILLE, op. cit.)
3. SORENHEIM, after narrating Kwener’s case (No.1), describes another which was fatal in 9 d. after a like dose of the medicine had been taken. The symptoms were those of intense gastro-enteritis and in addition, swelling of face, hands, tongue and abdomen, salivation, spasms of limbs, dyspnoea, hiccup, and delirium. On examination of the body, the oesophagus, epiglottis and larynx were found gangrenous, stomach and intestines highly inflamed, and the vicinity of the pylorus also gangrenous. [ This “gangrenous” appearance is probably due to the blackish tint which the drug assumes when combined with sulphur, which it finds so freely in the interior of the body.] (Ibid.)
4. A country apothecary gave a patient of mine 12 drachm doses, instead of 1 drachm in 12 doses. The man took 3 in the first d., 3ij the second and 3j the third, when I was called and found him suffering intense pain in abdomen and throat. He had vomited on previous e.; pulse was small, he felt very feeble, and had much anxiety about praecordia. He was several d. very poorly, but finally recovered. (THRILL, Medorrhinum jurisprudence, p.115.)
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.