2. LOEWY made experiments, 6 in number, upon rabbits and dogs.
2 a. On May 9th, at 8 a.m., 60 dr. of tinct. were administered to a rabbit 8 months old. It immediately afterwards shook its head violently, hiccuped, and much tough saliva flowed from its mouth. An h. later it squatted with bowed back in a corner of its hutch. Its sides began to swell up; breathing and pulse were quickened. In this position the creature remained nearly 3 h. during which time the whole body frequently trembled. It could only be driven from its place with difficulty. When moving it dragged itself along; eyes were sunken; motions increased, black and watery; no appetite. At 4 p.m., the creature seemed more lively, ran about in its hutch, and drank often 10th forenoon, except weakness and increased action of the bowels, there was nothing abnormal to be observed about the animal. It then took 80 dr. of tinct. Similar phenomena to yesterday, only the stools more frequent and fluid. After several hours the animal crawled about the room, drank very often, and ate its food greedily, namely apple – parings and oats. 11th, m., 100 dr. of freely expressed juice of B. dioica. The creature became immediately restless and fidgety. 1/2 h. later it seemed weak. It laid itself first on one side, then on other, and foamed at mouth. Sides became excessively blown out. Thick fluid motions were frequently passed, and then swelling of sides subsided, but these were soon blown out again. 2 h. after taking drug it began to tremble all over body, drew hind legs, as if cramped, up to body, and remained in this position nearly 3 h., during which time strokes of heart and pulse became very frequent, breathing quick and laboured. Toward evening, when animal was disturbed, it limped about on legs and drew right hind foot up to body, but soon tumbled over as if dying, with rattle in throat, and so remained in its house the whole n. On 12th, at 8 a.m., it lay on its legs, breathing extremely fast, eyes closed, heat of skin increased, pulse and heart greatly accelerated. At 1 p.m., it died with violent convulsions.
Sectio cadavers. – Skin was very easily removed from body; superficial veins, particularly those about back, engorged with blood, descending vena cava distended partly with coagulated, partly with fluid blood; vessels of mesentery and those of respiratory mucous membrane extremely injected; liver full of blood, of dark – brown colour, and very friable; stomach distended, and its mucous membrane easily peeled off in some places; much serum in cavity of chest. Pleura toward spine a pale red throughout; under halves of both lobes of lungs coloured like dark red meat, not crepitant, sinking quickly in water; apices of both lungs float, and yield, when pressed, a foamy, reddish liquid. L. side of heart empty, right full of coagulum; fold of peritoneum covering omentum traversed by fine network of vessels; dipole of the skull reddened; arachnoid traversed by delicate vessels.
2 b. On June 28th, at 9 a.m., 80 dr. of freshly expressed juice of B. alba were given to a rabbit 6 months old. 1/2 h. afterwards animal became restless and leaped about; it then vomited greater part of swallowed drug. 2 h. later it passed a quality of fluid dung, and became so weak that it could hardly stand upon its feet. Breathing very rapid, mouth open, and tongue lolled out. 3 h. later still it lay upon its feet, breathing very fast, and yellow foam flowing persistently from mouth. Sides swelled up; heart’s action quickened. At 5 p.m., in same, condition. 29th 9 a.m., animal has ceased foaming; it lies with head upon forefeet, often opens mouth; breathing and pulse quickened; sides somewhat fallen in, stools diminished; no appetite. 3 p.m., the creature gets up frequently and runs about in its house, at same time it sways about and shows how altogether weak it is. It does not vomit any more. and begins to munch some apple-parings. Breathing is still quick, but much less so than yesterday; thirst moderate; sides fallen in. Heart and pulse quickened. Looseness is stopped, but motion still semifluid. 30th, 9 a.m., except a little weakness, there was nothing abnormal to be observed about the animal. It now swallowed 100 dr. of juice. Immediately after deglutition it began to choke, and vomited with the most violent exertions greater part of drug. It trembled all over, breathed very fast; both sides became distended; heart’s action was greatly quickened; pulse hardly perceptible in temporal arteries; eyes wide open, pupils dilated. At 4 p.m., animal lay motionless breathing fast. It could not be driven from where it lay. Sides were perfectly tympanitic. No action of bowels. In this condition it lay till 9:30 p.m., when it died apparently suffocated.
Post – mortem, 20 h. after death. – Superficial veins about chest greatly injected; muscles coloured red; oral mucous membrane reddened and dotted with discrete ulcers; gullet slightly inflamed; stomach pale outside, mucous membrane reddened and wrinkled, easily peeled off; intestines distended, containing yellow fluid ingesta; mucous membrane reddened, and here and there marked with black spot; kidneys healthy; omentum throughout traversed by fine vessels full of blood; liver reddish brown, friable; bladder empty. Lungs externally brownish red, with separate blackish – red spots, which extend into parenchyma; the portions of lung in when the spots are found sink quickly in water. R. chambers of heart full of black fluid blood, l. containing about half a teaspoonful of fluid blood; mucous membrane of trachea traversed here and there with red vessels; arachnoid in some places reddened. In some portions of spinal cord, especially in lumbar region, there were single reddish spots perceptible.
2 c. On July 3rd, 140 dr. of fresh expressed juice with 1/2 oz. of water were administered to a black, moderately large, rabbit 5 months old. The animal at once moaned dolefully. At 10 O’clock it threw up food mixed with fluid; there was no appetite throughout. It appeared much prostrated. Heart’s action quickened. Only when forcibly driven would it move from one place to another. At 9 o’clock it lay very weary; had several motions; breathing was very quick; heart’s action frequent and jerking; sides swelled out; extremities drawn up to body. When anyone tried to make it move it fell over on one side. 4th, 10 a..m., it lay on one side., was remarkably faint, and could not move at all. Pulsations of the heart were scarcely perceptible; sides swelled out, but flaccid to touch. Extremities drawn up to body, but could easily be drawn away from it. Breathing greatly quickened and rattling. death at 12 o’clock.
Autopsy at 5 p.m. – On inner surface of skin corresponding to chest. arborescent vascular injection. Terminations of great venous trunks form numerous anastomoses. Vessels of cerebral membranes distended with blood; brain healthy; tongue on its dorsal surface spotted with red and yellow; mucous membrane and these spots with it easily peeled off; mucous membrane of oesophagus of reddish colour; lungs of reddish brown; and studded with dark spots, which penetrate into substance., and are darker when cut into. Lungs crepitate little when incised and pour out considerable quantity of dark fluid. Several portions sink in water. Chambers of heart and great vessels contain considerable quantity of thick, fluid, blackish blood. Liver red and full of blood, but externally only slightly reddened. Mucous membrane of intestines inflamed and studded with little ulcers.
2 d. May 24th, 9 a.m. To a strong, tolerably large dog was administered 1/2 an oz. of juice with a little water. Half an hour afterwards he was taken with severe retching and restlessness. At hours later retching became much more violent and accompanied by whining. The animal breathed very fast; pupils dilated; he moved about freely with head resting upon chest. Two hours later began to vomit very violently, and brought up his food taken the day before. So long as there was food in stomach he seemed to vomit more easily, but when it was emptied he suffered very severely, and whined when each attack of retching began; but in spite of all his endeavors was able to bring up nothing but greenish mucus, which was followed later by entire flocks of mucous membrane. His walk began to be unsteady. At 6 p.m., he lay as if stupefied, and could only with difficulty be driven away from his bed. He left all food laid before him untouched, but seemed all the more to desire water, which he drank greedily, but only a little at a time. Both sides were fallen in and painful to touch. Pulse and cardiac action, like breathing, greatly quickened. 25th, 9 a.m., the animal lies exhausted and mournful. Diarrhoea; motions at first pasty, afterwards watery, brownish yellow; pupils dilated. Flanks fallen in; breathing much quickened; pulse and heart very fast; no appetite; great thirst. 4 p.m., no remarkable change. the animal lies constantly weak and faint, but seems to have more appetite than it had yesterday. 26th, 10 a.m., former appearances in less degree. Appetite increased; thirst moderate; walk more easy; breathing still quick, rattling, as if there were mucus in trachea; heart and pulse quickened. 1 1/2 oz. of fresh juice. – Mouth was immediately filled with foam, and the animal howled with pain. Half an h. later he vomited, with most violent retching, food mixed with fluid. Retching lasted whole d., and masses of flocculent mucus and membranous coagula were thrown up. Pulse and heart began to be greatly quickened. The creature was very mournful, showed no appetite, but much thirst, though unable to swallow water. 4 p.m., he lay on one side, was particularly weak, and when forcibly driven could only keep his feet with the greatest difficulty. Heart and pulse very fast and jerking; breathing quick. Motions very frequent, of greenish colour and fluid consistence. 27th, m., same appearances as yesterday, only in higher degree. 28th, 11 a.m., the animal breathes very fast, and lies as if lifeless on his side; lets himself be moved in various positions without resistance. Heart’s action and pulse scarcely perceptible. He died without any signs of convulsions at 1 p.m.
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.