Bryonia



5 a. WENZEL HUBER surgeon at Kleinzell, in Austria, aet. 43, of strong constitution, phlegmatic temperament, never had any special illness. As district surgeon in a very hilly part of the country is obliged to walk great distances, exposed to all kinds of weather. His diet is simple, and usual drink is beer. He began proving with attenuations, which he prepared in proportion of 10 to 90 dr., and took as a single dose the entire quantity of each strength (100 dr.). Commencing with the 30th attenuation, he gradually passed to the lower potencies. The first days he experienced no morbid symptoms. After taking the 25th attenuation he shivered while going over a steep hill; afterwards unusual perspiration and fatigue.

5 b. On 25th June, H. – began experiments with tinct. by taking 15 dr. early in the m. (fasting). On 26th, 30 dr. No symptoms. On 27th, 60 dr. Soon after taking dose sickness, excessive flow of saliva (while smoking). After 1 h. confusion of head lasting 2 h. July 2nd, 90 dr. Soon after taking dose slight sickness; heaviness and confusion of head. After 1 h. shuddering from neck along spine, lasting only a short time. In afternoon, while driving in a very shaky carriage, pinching around umbilicus and towards spleen; stomach full and tender on pressure; frequent yawning. These symptoms continued all d. In e. repugnance to beer. N. quiet. 3rd. – Without medicine. Early soft stool. Pain in muscles of chest while writing; at same time feeling of constriction of chest. During whole d. raw feeling on inner surface of sternum. Fulness of stomach; slight tendency to pinching around umbilicus finger- joints somewhat tender on active movement, feeling as if articular surfaces were swollen, preventing movement; pain from holding a pen long or from grasping strongly; distaste for tobacco whole d., and when trying to smoke excessive flow of saliva. Heartburn after drinking glass of wine in e. N. quiet. 4th, 90 dr. at 8 a.m. Soon after nausea and shuddering; too copious motions; distaste for tobacco and much saliva when smoking. At 10 a.m., slight pinching around umbilicus and from liver to region of spleen, nausea and inclination to vomit; raw feeling of upper portion of inner surface of sternum, felt most when breathing deeply; frequent shivering when walking (though hot day); nausea, excessive saliva, frequent expectoration; feeling as if something were sticking in throat (like a crumb or a worm); pressure and fulness of stomach; gastric region somewhat tender on pressure; at intervals severe pinching around umbilicus; out of humour; head muddled; on stepping firmly stitches through head, chiefly from front to back; pressive pains in finger – and wrist-joints, with transient stitches extending to axilla, also occasionally in knee and other parts more or less severely, movement being painful; muscles of chest tender on pressure and from moving hands; raw painful sensation over entire sternal region. The prover noted especially stiffness of facial muscles, which lasted more or less for 2 h. At 11 a.m., nauseous bitter taste after drink of beer, nausea and shuddering, repugnance to tobacco (smoking), ill- humour, headache in frontal and temporal regions, alternating with pressive pains in hand and finger-joints, and with gripings in abdomen. At midday little appetite, taste bitter, tongue white, great flow of saliva, necessitating expectoration. Soon after food, soft stool. At 1 p.m., while walking, breathing quicker than usual and feeling of constriction in upper part of chest. During a drive of 2 h. over rather rough road head confused, but without distinct pain. The constriction of chest and raw feeling on inner surface of sternum became worse, and finally so severe that he was obliged to get out of the carriage and rest. At same time muscles of chest felt bruised, every movement of arm being painful. In throat, feeling as if foreign body were sticking there, and although there was plentiful secretion of saliva, entire throat seemed dry, also burning pain which arose from inner surface of sternum. Frequent yawning and sneezing. Urine scanty and hot. At 4 p.m., nauseous bitter taste after drink of beer, nausea and inclination to vomiting, accompanied by shuddering. N. was quiet; he was, however, obliged to urinate frequently, passing only a little at a time, and urine felt hot. Amount during n. was about half the quantity passed in a d. during health. 5th. – Without medicine. In m. head somewhat confused, taste insipid, tongue white, appetite good, distaste for smoking; pressure, distension of stomach. Afternoon, while heated from walking, shivering; hepatic region tender; stomach distended and sensitive, with feeling as if heartburn would come on; frequent empty eructation. At 2 p.m., copious soft stool. At 3, heat in head, pressive aching in forehead lasting 1 h. Taste natural in e.; distaste for smoking.

5 c. July 30th. – Took 60 dr. at 9 a.m. Soon after taking it shuddering all over, especially back. After 1 h. pain around umbilicus for a short time; pressive aching in forehead; face hot and perspiration of face on slightest exertion; feeling of heat over whole body; boring pain around umbilicus, urging to stool, soft evacuation. At 11:30 a.m., shivering, nausea, great flow of saliva. 31st, 100 dr. at 9 a.m. Immediately afterwards shuddering disgust, flow of saliva, necessitating expectoration. After 15 m. slight cutting pain around umbilicus. At 10 a.m., shuddering without apparent cause, pressive frontal headache, so severe that he was unable to read for 1/2h. At 11 a.m. shivering with transient tearing pain in finger-joints of left hand, and boring pain under umbilicus. At noon, after usual beef soup, slight vertigo, pressive headache, pressure in stomach, eructation, great weakness, and perspiration over whole body after slightest movement. At 2 p.m., natural stool; stiffness and swelling of finger-joints, which are also painful on being extended or touched; raw feeling in left chest, tension both sides of chest, worse on deep inspiration. At 3, feeling as of a stone lying in gastric region, which is painful on pressure, distaste for smoking, pectoral muscles tender to touch, feeling as if beaten, mind very irritable, disinclined for work. After three watery evacuation (within an h.) all they symptoms declined. Aug. 1st (early). – Pressive headache, stitches in right knee impeding movement, feels stronger, no action of bowels during day (very unusual). 2nd. – No special symptoms, appetite good, strength normal. At 3 p.m., stool (constipated). (Ibid.)

6 a. LANDESMANN, strong constitution, sanguine temperament, began provings June 13th, 1844, by taking at 6 p.m., 8 drops tinct.; on 14th, at 4:30 a.m., 15 dr.; on same day, at 9 a.m., 25 dr.; and on 15th, at 5 a.m., 40 dr. From, all these doses there were only slight though (to patient) unusual symptoms, e.g. itching neck, transient stitches both sides of chest and in eyebrows, several attacks of dry cough, slight tensive pain (lasting 2 d.) in right upper arm near insertion of deltoid muscle. On June 18th, at 9:30 a.m., 60 dr. tinct.; after 1/2h. slight drawing pain in left cheek, lasting only a few seconds; no other symptoms during d. At 7:30 p.m., took 100 dr.; during n. awakened 3 times by rather severe pinching pain in umbilical region lasting only few m., recurring several times, and passing off with discharges of flatus, and leaving only an uneasy feeling in abdomen; once felt throbbing in rectum. in m. on getting up was unusually dull and languid. At 9 a.m., sneezed 6 times as if getting a cold. On 20th, at 7 a.m., some drops of blood escaped from left nostril; having no discomfort except slight tenderness of abdomen he took 180 dr. tinct. at 9:30 a.m. At 11, nausea, at noon, no appetite; 1/2 h. after meal sudden vomiting without straining, slight bleeding from l. nostril; 15 m. later, hawking and after second interval of 15 m., slight vomiting. In afternoon very excited; frequent pinching pain in different parts of abdomen, stitches here and there, especially in right eye and left arm. 21st. – Constipation. 22nd. – Took 25dr. tinct.; nausea and inclination to vomiting. From June 23rd to July 1st, no symptoms except indefinite transient stitches in different parts of body; but on July 2nd awoke after restless n. with severe dry cough and raw feeling in chest; cough recurred several times during day accompanied with expectoration of thin greenish mucus, cough less severe at n., continued slightly till 22nd. On 7th, at 1 p.m., transient stitch in right side of chest, so severe that he had to hold his breath. 8th. – Frequent sneezing and running cold lasting till 22nd. 11th. – Chest very tender, stitches both sides on deep inspiration. 7 p.m., burning pain in middle of tongue; an h. later hard pimple of size of millet seed on same spot. 12th. – During whole forenoon stitches both sides of chest on inspiration. 15th – Painful vesicle on left edge of tongue, disappearing after some h., but the part sensitive for several d. 16th, forenoon, weak and powerless feeling in right knee joint, so that he had almost to drag foot; somewhat severe stitches in stomach. 23rd; forenoon, fit of sneezing, and after dinner severe pinching pain in umbilical region, which brought drops of perspiration on forehead; pain ceased after 3/4 h. with discharge of very offensive flatus. 24th and 25th. – Quite well.

Richard Hughes
Dr. Richard Hughes (1836-1902) was born in London, England. He received the title of M.R.C.S. (Eng.), in 1857 and L.R.C.P. (Edin.) in 1860. The title of M.D. was conferred upon him by the American College a few years later.

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.