4 b. April 12th, 1888. – After taking third dose of E I had the pain return in hip and leg; it runs along course of great sciatic nerve, right side, is neuralgic in character, increased by least pressure on nerve. It is a dull rather than a sharp pain; by standing on toe of right foot I get some relief. It has been 10 day since I took the last dose, and I yet have the pain in back part of right leg, running from thigh to knee. I can run my finger right along the course of the pain. Some increase in the quantity of the urine, I should say at least 30 per cent. more; light straw or lemon colour. This condition passed off, and the quantity became normal in 24 hours, with, after that, some reaction – I should say about 30 per cent. less than the normal quantity. I could get no other symptoms from the drug. I stopped it about 10 day ago; since then I have had a severe cold and have lost a large amount of sleep and rest, so that I am now in no condition to continue the proving. (Ibid.)
5. W. C. Latimer, M. D., April 3rd, 1888, 7:45 a. m., took 3 gr. B. No symptoms. 4th. – 10 a. m., took 5 gr. Same result. 6th. – 4 p. m., took 5 gr. Sharp neuralgic pains begin just to left of vertex directly above ear, and seem to go directly down through head. They come on suddenly and gradually die away; ” it seems as though I had been hit hard enough to cause sudden closure of the mouth.” 9 p. m., took 5 gr. Pains renewed, came on three times during the following h. Last time remained more or less marked for several day (Ibid.)
6. John L. Moffat, M. D., aet. 35, weight 136; medium blonde; unmarried. Chronic catarrh; haemorrhoids; chr. otitis media catarrhalis dextra. Subject to occasional attacks of indigestion. Pulse 74 – 80, soft, small. Respiration 12 to 15, apt to be sighing. Urine in 24 hours about 68 fZ, s. g. 1018 = 57 grm. solids. No albumen. Crystals of oxalate of lime abundant. Two small yellow waxy casts. Vibriones. Mucus. May 31st, 1888. – Took 10 doses (5 gr. each) of B from 9:40 a. m. to 11 p. m. At about 10 p. m. slight pressive pain in right chest above nipple, which disappeared on taking a deep breath. June 1. – E., throat has been red and felt oedematous more or less to – day. (I may have caught cold from an open car window yesterday p. m., and by riding backward in an open car this p. m. Rarely have sore throat.) About 9 p. m. a feeling of a lump in the right throat, on swallowing. After sitting at work (9:30 p. m.) occasional ” spots ” of slight pressive pain ((>) by straightening up) under sternum. Took 5 gr. B nine times without effect. Dec. 20th – 24th, took 5 gr. of C several times daily without effect. Jan. 10th, 16th, and 21st – 23rd, took D in like manner and with same results. Feb. 6 – 9th, took 10 gr. doses of evening 7th and 8th. – In p. m. constrictive pain while walking in anterior aspect of shins, lower third, worse left, as if I were walking very hard and fast (which I was not). 10th. – Morning stool of dark, muddy, greenish colour. This continued for 3 or 4 day, gradually changing to normal colour. (Ibid.)
7. W. T. Honan (medical student). A was commenced Jan. 1st. No symptoms. B, persevered in for a time, produced but little effect; I am not very susceptible to the action of medicines. After taking C for several days noticed symptoms of great physical and mental languor. Indisposed to physical exertion. Inability to fix attention or to concentrate thoughts. Great tendency to lapse into a state of indifference. Preferred being alone and undisturbed. Things which were usually regarded with interest could now no longer entertain. With these symptoms, a dull heavy headache with sense of fulness, and isolated or transient stitches in temples or parietal regions. Not confined to any portion of head. This headache was noticed particularly about 5 p. m., sometimes at 11 a. m. Mental faculties very sluggish. Ideas seemed to be generated slowly. When thinking deeply or trying to recall something forgotten there was a feeling as though a long process was being enacted to slowly grind out the idea. Got irritated at my own mental sluggishness. Memory impaired for familiar names, facts, & c. Muscular exhaustion, which, later on, became more pronounced. Knees felt as if they would give way under weight of body. Unable to walk fast; seemed to be making great exertion, but little speed. Epistaxis, apparently from posterior nares, with constant desire to expectorate bright red, but rather thin blood. This lasted about 1/2 hours, not very profuse. (Never have had nose – bleed, except from a severe blow.) Dull aching pain in hypogastrium. Lost about four pounds in weight in about 3 weeks. Excess of urea. No albumen or casts. (For several years the prover has had a small nodule on the dorsum of the left little finger, which has remained stationary, but since the time this drug has been taken it has diminished nearly one half. Others have noticed this. The great physical and mental depression necessitated a cessation of the proving.) (Ibid.)
8. Ira W. Denison, aet. 23. Medical student. Nervous temperament. Previous health very good. While at home subject to frequent attacks of acute coryza; in New York these attacks are very rare. Urine normal. Other organs also normal. Jan. 17th, 1888. – Took about 5 gr. of A at 10 a. m. This was followed almost immediately by sense of uneasiness in stomach with very slight nausea, and this was soon succeeded by a sense of weight and fulness in that organ. There was also a fulness in centre of forehead. 21st. – Commenced taking B this m.; made a chemical examination of my urine this afternoon, it was perfectly normal. 23rd. – Finished B to – day; still without symptoms. Another examination of urine failed to discover any changes. Took all of C without result. 31st. Began taking D. Spent that evening out, and all the time was troubled with a sense of weakness, an all – gone sensation over abdomen; later in evening caught a severe cold from driving from Brooklyn to New York in a closed carriage, first cold I have had in four months. Feb. 1st – All day had the sensation of weakness over abdomen, with little appetite; tongue clean, but swollen, flabby and cracked in edges. Nose felt stuffy; judged it to be due to the cold taken last night. 2nd. – A feeling of weakness and faintness, with occasional mild attacks of pain, over abdomen has been present most of the day. Great hoarseness without other indications of a cold; but I think this to be due to the exposure on Friday m. 3rd. – Very hoarse all day; in early m. raised quite a lot of greenish mucus, came up easily in good – sized lumps. The tenderness in abdomen present at intervals. Finished D this m. 4th. – Hoarseness so bad that I can scarcely speak above a whisper, and so am taking other medicine for it, beginning to – day, thus compelling me to close my proving. (Have had a number of similar attacks of hoarseness; the last, about two years ago, was very obstinate. This one was almost entirely relieved by a few doses of phos. 3, so much so that there is only a very slight huskiness, scarcely noticeable, at night. With that slight exception I have now – 8th – entirely returned to the normal condition.) (Ibid.)
9. Miss M. H. Brokhaus, 25, medical student (senior year). Examinations reveal normal condition of chest, pelvic, urinary, respiratory, and sensory organs; pulse 70; symptoms appeared or were more marked in the intervals between the bottles. Took 5 to 10 gr. every 2 hours; began proving Nov. 20th, 1888. Various symptoms appeared while and after taking A, which also occurred later in the proving and are consequently not noted. B made urine slightly turbid (urates), s. g. 1020 – 1037, acid, quantity normal. While taking C there suddenly came on a loose cough, painless indoors, but with pain when coughing in open air. Menses appeared; no change except in colour, which was very pale during first half of period. Pulse irregular. The catarrh extended to the nasal mucous membrane; a thick, tough, yellowish mucus was detached from the posterior nares every m. after long – continued hawking. Under D all the symptoms with the foregoing bottles remained the same. Pulse 80 – 100, irregular in force and frequency. Contractions of heart were incomplete; vertigo when moving head after having held it steady for a short time after reading. Under E symptoms continued as with D, only a trifle increased, but the sp. gr. of the urine is 1020 – 1025. Borders of gums become dark bluish gray. Stopped proving Jan. 7th, 1889; all the symptoms disappeared by 15th, except those of pulse, heart, and gums, which still exist (Jan. 25th), but are gradually diminishing. (Ibid.)
GELSEMIUM (see vol. ii, p 583)
II. 17. A patient gives the following account of his invariable experience after taking any potency of G., from the 3rd to the 1000th, during the last twenty years: – ” A few moments after taking the medicine there is an extreme feeling of restlessness, inability to be still for a second, constant twisting and turning. This is succeeded by intense pain over the (always r.) eye; it seems as if my forehead would come down over my eyes and close them, my eyes feeling as if they were rolling upwards and turning into my head. Then comes a strong inclination to commit suicide; I want to throw myself from a height or out of window, and feel it would be a relief. This is succeeded by an inclination to weep, and I generally have a good cry; but before this, and while the feeling lasts of wishing to throw myself from a height, I clench my hands, and nervous rigors or sensations run all over my body, down to my fingers and toes; it seems as if I would lose my senses. Then a great dread of being alone seizes me, and I am afraid of what may happen, thinking I may lose all self – control. The pain still continues over the right eye, and often at back of head there seems a spot 4 in. square that is turning to ice. These feelings are followed by a strong inclination to talk or write, very great exhilaration, and a better opinion of my mental capacity; indeed, it seems as if my memory was better, that I can recall almost anything I ever read, and can nearly always repeat to myself long passages of what I have read years before. I appears as if I can remember anything I choose to recall. As I am getting over the effects of the drug I have to urinate every few m. I am left much exhausted, thoroughly tired, and with a wish to be quiet.” (Patient states that he writes under the influence of the drug, that he may give the symptoms the more accurately. He also, to exclude the idea of imagination, informs us that he has more than once been given the drug unwittingly.) (Logan, Medical Advance, Aug., 1889.)
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.