9. HERING proved B. on himself, wife, and others; manner not stated.
9 a. From vapor was observed – sensation as if coryza were coming on, some pains between 6th and 7th ribs, and little appetite; while sitting reading in e., a sort of fading of sight, as if wind wafted away what was before eyes; became sleepy at unusually early h., but on retiring lay awake for hours; in m. slept as if stunned very late.
9 b. From 1st dil., – feeling of contraction in chest breathing restricted and very uncomfortable, with dry tickling cough (all 1st d., for an h. at a time on 2nd d.); slimy, rather loose stool, with much wind (2nd and following d.); severe aching in whole head for 2 h. (afternoon of 3rd d.); pain in right chest, gradually extending to back and lasting some h.; while walking in street severe rheumatic, dull constrictive pain, going to r. shoulder and arm, and then disappearing.
9 c. From 3rd dil. – on left side of nose, swelling and pain on pressure, as from matter forming there. From 5th, gums painful in m. From 6th, fulness in chest and neck, as if soft substance were between lungs and sternum. (Neues Archiv, ii, 119).
10 HUSEMANN. – a. From 3rd dil., – in e. when alone, felt as if he must look behind him, and would then see some one or thing, stabbing pain through right side of head; pain in left side of head, extending to left eye; eyelids very heavy, can only open and keep them open with great difficulty; coldness of eyelids, burning of upper lip, which seems very smooth; eructations, tasteless; after smoking very severe pinching pains in abdomen, better from pressure, worse from rapid motion, when sitting, bent and when pressing on abdomen pain felt only during expiration; continuous coryza. (r. side) with stopped-up feeling, upper lip becomes sore and peels; raw, hollow dry cough, with weariness; feeling as if inspiration was impeded by something in middle of chest (lasting 5 weeks); pain in right lung; slight oppression of heart and palpitation; inspired air seems very cold; heat in feet; yawning commencing in m. and lasting all d., specially provoked by inspiration; much sleepiness; feels outer cold much, and shudders through whole body.
10 b. from 5th dil., – pain on left side of head; itching here and there on scalp; pain at nasal orifice, on pressure hot uncomfortable feeling in face especially below nose, chapping and tickling as from cobwebs there, at same time running of nose and lachrymation in right eye; stinging, and later tickling at tip of tongue; persistent coryza as before, with violent sneezing; pain under r. shoulder and in knees shuddering down back; chilliness, with oppression of head and pain extending to left eye.
10 c. From 6th dil., – on 2nd day., vertigo and tendency to fall back wards; pain in two teeth; coryza as before; very sore and raw in throat. With note of time, – hoarseness; cough brought on by scraping tickling; yawning, with heat in face and nose. (Ibid)
11. LIPPE. From 3rd dil., general trembling on 1st and 2nd d.; tension in 1, cheek towards chin, at times with pressing pain extending to left ear (2nd d.); gurgling and rumbling in abdomen (4th to 6th d.); passage of light yellow faeces, preceded by cuttings and gurglings in abdomen also eructations as from rotten eggs. (5th to 7th d.) Much out of sorts for 5 d. (? afterwards). (Ibid.)
12 NEIDHARD. From 1st dil., – weight in forehead in sun- heat, disappearing in shade. (Ibid.).
Poisonings
1. A daguerreo typist took 3j of B., with suicidal intent. The immediate symptoms were spasms of muscles of deglutition and respiration with dyspnoea. Then followed intense heat in stomach, great anxiety, restlessness, and trembling of hands. Pulse was rapid and tense, and breathing hurried and rattling. No nausea or vomiting save as excited by emetic remedies. Skin gradually became cold and clammy, mucus flowed freely from nostrils, and saliva from mouth. There was great and distressing agitation, skin in many parts was bluish, countenance haggard and eyes sunken. Pain in abdomen moved gradually lower down. No loss of consciousness. Death by collapse in 7 1/2 h. Mucous membrane of stomach was found highly injected, softened, ecchymosed in spots, and covered with black deposit resembling coarse tanned leather. Similar appearances were presented by duodenum. Peritoneum was highly injected in its upper half, and tinged of a reddish yellow. (SNELL, N. Y. Journ. of Medorrhinum, N. S., v, 170).
2. A young man inhaled vapour from 3 lbs. of B. He was reported to superintendent of laboratory as dying, and found perfectly asphyxiated. “The corrosive action of the B. was such that the glottis had closed with a spasm, and did not seem to be willing to yield. I drew out the tongue, and the air would fairly whistle through the glottis, and then the spasm would shut it down tight again.” Steam was then directed into his mouth. “It had the effect. The spasm relaxed, and he was subsequently treated with ammonia vapour, and sent home to keep company with the tea-kettle. He assured me that until 12 that n. he did not dare leave the kettle for 2 m. The subsequent inflammatory action was easily controlled.” (DUFFIELD, Ranking’s Abstract, xlvi, 116.)
3. FOURNET gave to some patients affected by chronic arthritis at first 2 drops of B. suspended in mucilage daily; this was raised by 2 drops daily to 60 drops. Mucilage was always 4 oz. Two drops caused only hot sensation in back of palate. In a little stronger dose patient felt in 15 m. itchings in hands and feet, and shocks in feet and near knees; 15 m. later borborygmus and colic. During n. sensations in hands and feet now and then repeated. As dose became stronger sensation of heat in chest, with attempts to vomit, but no vomiting. At first peculiar sensation of weakness and fatigue in chest accompanied these efforts, but when patient became habituated to preceding phenomena these symptoms disappeared. The patient who had these itchings in fingers was always the most sensible to effects of brom. Fifteen m. after 10 drops had sensation as of great weight on stomach, with desire to vomit, colics, and borborygmi; 1 h. after feeling of tightening from shoulders to beneath elbow on each side, as if compressed in vice; lancinating pains in fingers and circumference of head, but these symptoms disappeared and he enjoyed a remarkable degree of calm. Symptoms renewed every day after medicine. At length there was added feeling of shooting pain round orbits. (Bull. de. Theridion, Fevr., 1830)
4. If over 10 dr. of a solution of 1 dr. of B. in a pint of distilled water be taken daily for several weeks it will almost certainly produce membranous dysmenorrhoea…I have also seen from over-dosing with B. a violent headache ranging from the frontal sinus down to the base of the brain, with marked increase of pulse in volume and frequency. (W. A. GORDON, M. D., Chicago Medorrhinum and Surg. Journ., Aug., 1877.).
Experiments on animals
1. After a number of experiments on dogs and rodents the following results were obtained:- Bromine introduced by drops into the buccal cavity of a living animal, where owing to the heat of the body it rapidly assumes the gaseous form, acts as a violent irritant on all parts of the m. m. with which it comes in contact; there occur copious secretions of mucus and saliva; in a similar irritant manner it acts on the vascular nasal m. m. and thence backwards on the conjunctiva and lachrymal gland; hence the flow of watery, and, in course of time, purulent, mucus from nose, sneezing, redness of conjunctiva (frequently observed) and watering of eyes. In like manner there occur irritation and inflammation of air passages and of lungs. Usually the inflammation of the m. m. in the larynx and trachea has an exudative character, and like the irritation of these parts caused by chlorine and ammonia-gas it tends to form pseudo- membranes; sometimes preceding the action of the brom. on the air-passages there occurs a transient spasmodic closure of the glottis, hence the preliminary violent suffocative phenomena often observed. As consequences of the irritation of the respiratory organs there were observed: difficult respiration, sometimes slowed, suffocative, sometimes quickened, superficial, combined with sneezing, obstinate cough, that generally has a croupy sound (in rodents there was no cough), and increased mucous secretion, hoarse mucous rales during respiration. Death generally occurred in a state of great weakness, from inflammation or paralysis of lungs. The P.M. showed fauces and respiratory organs inflamed. The m. m. of the upper part of the intestinal canal was generally slightly irritated. (HEIMRDINGER, op. cit.)
2. A gold fish, placed in mixture of I part saturated solution of B. and 2 parts water, had its whole surface immediately corroded, and life appeared to be extinct in less than I m. Another fish placed in water tinged faintly yellow by B. had respiration quickened and apparently rendered more laborious. This animal showed no other signs of excitement and died in 1 h.; its surface was corroded; gills of both were congested. (GLOVER, loc. cit.).
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.