Introduction
Cactus grandiflorus, L. Night-blooming cereus. Nat. ord., Cactaceae.
Provings
1. Dr. RUBINI and his wife proved C. in 1862, manner not stated, but medicine taken for 8 d. [Their symptoms are blended together in a schema, and can only be rearranged according to the notes of time. – EDS.]
1 a. On 1st day, such violent pulsations in temples it seems as though skull would burst; momentary dazzling of sight; noises in ears like rushing of a river, lasting all n., with diminished hearing; great thirst, causing him to drink much water; great but ineffectual desire to pass water for a long time, at least it flows abundantly (of a straw colour); slight fever with pain in head, coming on after a very short rigor at 2 p.m., ending in slight sweat at 4; in e. rigor of 3 h. duration, so severe as to make teeth shatter, it does not go off although he lies down and covers himself with blankets, followed by burning heat with great pain in head and such dyspnoea and restlessness that he cannot remain in bed, lasting 20 h., and ending in copious sweat; sleepless at n., without apparent cause, with dry cough from tickling in larynx; involuntary escape of urine in bed, at 5 a.m., while asleep. On 2nd d., feeling of emptiness in head; pulsating pain again in temples, getting intolerable at n., throbbing then also in scrob. cordis and right ear, preventing sleep; heavy, dull pains in region of heart, increased on pressure; want of appetite and loss of taste of food, which goes off after some h. On 3rd d., pulsation in both ears, hindering sleep; continued taciturnity, he will not answer though repeatedly spoken to; sensation in chest as if someone were pressing and holding it tightly, so that he cried out, “Leave me alone;” oppression of breathing as from a great weight on chest; sanguineous congestion in chest; which prevents him lying down in bed; foetid breath in m.; complete loss of appetite, cannot take least morsel of food; insupportable heat in abdomen, as though something burnt him internally, abdominal parietes when touched much hotter than other parts of body; menstruation 8 d. too soon in a woman in whom it was usually 7 d. too late. On 4th d. very great and intolerable pain in head, with congestion, most severe on right side; acute pain in heart, impeding respiration and movement; oppression in left subclavian region, as if a great weight prevented free dilatation of thorax; acrid acid in stomach, which comes up into throat and mouth, and makes every thing he eats taste sour; sense of great constriction in chest, also in scrobiculus cordis, extending to hypochondria, and impeding respiration; oppression and weight in stomach; distressing sensation in bowels as if serpent were twisting about; urine passed by drops with much heat. Throughout these 4 d. also, violent pain in right half of head, increased by sound of talking and by strong light; weakness of sight, objects appearing as if clouded; pulsation in ears, constant d. and night; unusual melancholy, for which he cannot account, on 4th d. becoming profound hypochondriasis, he is unwilling to speak a word; oppression of chest with loss of breath; palpitation, constant d. and n., worse when walking, and at n. when lying on left side, much augmented on 3rd d. on occurrence of catamenia; sense of great burning in stomach; frequent desire at n. to micturate, with copious flow each time; urine more copious than usual.
1 b. On 5th d., right hemicrania continues, also burning in stomach; sense of great constriction in shoulders so that he could not move; wandering pains in umbilical region, ceasing and recurring periodically; heat in urethra, which increases gradually and becomes insupportable; most horrible pains with menstruation causing her to cry out and weep. On 6th d., continuance (as on 5th) of hypochondriasis and irresistible sadness, taciturnity, and inclination to weep; also of pulsation in ears, palpitation, and nocturnal diuresis; dazzling of vision, then appear before yes circles of red light which obscure sight; sense of painful constriction in lower chest, as if cord were tightly tied round false ribs, with obstruction of breathing; constriction of oesophagus, preventing swallowing; he must drink a large quantity of water to get it down into stomach. On 7th day, slight delirium at n., ceasing on rousing up, but recurring as soon as he falls asleep again; fear of death, extreme and lasting, he believes he is incurring an incurable malady; nausea in m. and all day long; very violent pains in bowels almost causing him to faint, lasting more or less all d. On 8th d., constriction of throat, causing him to swallow saliva frequently. Up to this time, from beginning of experiments, provers had been suffering from (besides the above named) constant and tiresome pulsation in temples and ears, giving much annoyance and causing hypochondriasis; inability to sleep in early part of n., and when he fell asleep he woke suddenly; constricted in chest, especially under sternum, as if a hoop of iron constricted it; sharp wandering pains in thoracic cavity, very annoying, especially in scapular region; pain in left mamma, increased by touching, relieved by gently raising it; annoying sense of movement (as of a reptile) from before backwards in cardiac region, worse by d. than by n.; sense of constriction in heart, as if an iron hand prevented its ordinary movements; most acute pain and such painful stitches as to cause him to weep and cry out loudly, with prolonged oppression of breathing and much anxietas; periodical attacks of suffocation with faintness, cold sweat on face and loss of pulse; anxietas, recurring in e.; strong pulsation in scrobiculus cordis; sense of great weight on stomach, recurring every time medicine was taken; loss of appetite and nausea, it is only by an effort that he can swallow a few morsels; in one prover constipation for 6 d., in the other bilious diarrhoea with 4 or 5 evacuations daily (on 3rd and 7th d.8) mostly in m., always preceded by pain; dry cough from pricking in throat. Face was discoloured and emaciated.
1 c. For 2 d. more sense of movement in and constriction of heart; for 4 d. pain in left mamma; for 6 d. nausea and anorexia; for 7 day constriction in upper, for 10 d. in middle of, chest; for 7 d. also thoracic wandering pains, e. anxietas, dry cough, and weight in stomach. On 9th day, love of solitude, he avoids those about him who try to comfort him; watery diarrhoea, very abundant each time, 10 motions in m., always preceded by pains and borborygmus. On 10th day, talking nonsense while asleep at n., and even when aroused speaking unconnectedly; feeling of constriction in throat which prevents free speech; on forcing himself to speak voice is low and hoarse; constriction in neck of bladder, preventing passage of urine till after much straining. After 10 d., vertigo from sanguineous congestion to head. On 12th d., face inflamed and red, with pulsating pains in head; mucous diarrhoea preceded by drawing pains, 3 motions in d. After 13 d., quotidian intermittent fever, recurring every d. at same h. for many successive d.; at 1 p.m., slight rigor, then burning heat, dyspnoea, and great pulsating pains in uterine region, terminating in slight sweat, till noon next d. complete apyrexia. (During 20 d. since commencing proving, tensive pain on vertex which returns every 2 d.) On 15th day, extraordinary irritability, the smallest contrariety puts him into a passion; sensation of great weight in anus and desire to evacuate, but nothing passes; pulsating pain in hypogastrium (female), recurring every e., extending to thighs increasing up to 11 p.m., On 20th day, interrupted sleep at n., next m. he feels weary as if he had not slept at all; great appetite, but weak and slow digestion; great itching in ankles, which next d. extends to lower part of tibia. On 24th d., a dry scaly patch, 2 in. broad, appears on left internal malleolus, and on 38th d. came on right, while on 30th and 48th d. respectively similar patches appeared on right and left elbow (outer side). (Patogenia di Cactus grandiflorus, 1864). [See APPENDIX.]
2 a. Oct. 15th, 10 p.m., took 10 dr., 1st dil. – 17th. On rising m. after quiet sleep, great weariness, weight of limbs, and unusual sleepiness,, lasting 2 h. – 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st. Every e. very tiresome fleabite – like stitching on chest and abdomen, making him rub; is allayed after going to bed; not felt during day – 22nd, 10 p.m., 15 dr. The itching occurred during d., and not in e. – 23rd and 24th. A peculiar sensation at anus, as if rectum were swollen, which causes scraping and prickling sensation during stool. Slight oppression of breathing during day when walking. -25th and 26th. A pressive pain in chest causing tight and compelling deep breathing, worse when walking and when going upstairs; troublesome owing to palpitation of heart. – 27th, 28th, and 29th. The symptoms gradually went off.
2 b. Nov 12th, 11 p.m., 10 dr. of 3rd dil. – 13th, 8 a.m. When sitting quietly, pressive pain in upper part of left chest, behind 2nd and 3rd ribs; tightness of breathing making him take long breaths, lasting some m. Soon afterward tiresome pressure in right parietal bone. On undressing evening, itching on abdomen and calves. – 14th, 15th. Several times during day, when walking, cramp pain in right sole, transient but very tiresome.
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.