31. A strong young man, aet. 27, who 1 1/2 years previously had had an acute kidney attack which had lasted a few weeks, applied to the reporter on May 4th, 1889, on account of a subacute circumscribed periostitis of right tibia, the consequence of an injury. Saturnine lotion was applied, and he got a solution of 5 grm. pot. iod. in 150 grm. water, a tablespoonful 3 times a d. After the first dose at 8 p. m., after supper, there came on violent sneezing, coryza, and confusion of head. He tossed about in bed all n., complained of pressure on forehead, and drawing pains in sacral region. Early on the 5th the second dose was taken, whereupon he vomited his breakfast and observed red spots on his chest. The 3rd dose was taken at 2 p. m., when he was found in the following state: – Slight confusion, complains of headache, weariness of limbs, especially arms, violent pains in sacrum, anorexia, and metallic taste. Conjunctivae highly injected, pupils dilated, sluggish. Nasal m. m. swollen and secreting copious watery mucus, tongue slightly furred. Over the front of the trunk and arms a measly – like eruption of small red spots. Pulse full, not easily compressed, 72. No increase of temperature. Pressure on both renal regions caused shooting pain Urine sp. gr. 1026, dark colour, contained much albumen, and a small sediment contained fat globules and granular cylinders. The medicine was discontinued. Next m. the eruption had quite disappeared, the pulse quicker and softer, 90, the catarrhal symptoms nearly gone, and nothing but weariness remained. Two days afterwards the urine presented the same pathological conditions which had probably existed ever since his attack of nephritis 18 months previously. (Gerson, Munch. Medorrhinum Wochens., June 18th, 1889.)
32. Dr. Gronow, of Breslau, describes a rare form of iodism, with acute oedema of glottis. In all he refers to 9 cases; two are from his own practice, the remainder are reported by Foerster, Fournier, Fenwick and Walachowski. On reviewing these cases, the author draws the following conclusions: – 1. That the oedema, which is sudden in arising, takes place early in the administration of the drug, generally within 24 – 48 hours; and that its intensity may be such as to call for tracheotomy. 2. That the quantity requisite to call forth the symptoms varies from 3 gr. upwards; in one case, though there were slight throat – symptoms earlier, yet it was not till the 6th day, when 200 grs. (of K. iod.) had been taken in all, that severe dyspnoea set in. 3. That other symptoms of iodism may be quite absent. 4. That the cause of these exceptional effects is not the presence of impurities (iodates), but that the pure drug is alone sufficient. 5. That local laryngeal symptoms could not be shown to be present, so as to predispose the part to the oedematous outbreak. 6. That the phenomena must be explained by the word idiosyncrasy. 7. That in some cases the idiosyncrasy persists, but that in others it rapidly disappears, the patient becoming tolerant of the drug. (Brit. Medorrhinum
Journ., May 10th, 1890: from Therap. Monatschr., March, 1890.)
33. We have a charlatan in Chicago who administers heroic doses of K. iod. A great many of his patients have afterwards come under my care; and a large number of them have complained of a peculiar bruised, agonizing aching at the cardiac end of the stomach. It was not associated with palpitation. (E. M. Hale, Trans. of Amer. Inst. of Hom., 1889, p. 334.)
34. Dr. Ehrmann narrates 4 cases in which severe facial neuralgia occurred after K. iod. In the first, the patient, a strong working – man of 35, suffered most intense pain in forehead, face and teeth, with sensitiveness over whole distribution of fifth nerve, after taking 15 gr. of the drug.
A second, a man, aet. 42, after taking 30 gr. had pain in forehead and upper jaw, with tenderness in separate branches of the same nerve.
A third patient, a woman, aet. 28, suffering from syphilitic periostitis of tibia, after 15 gr. was attacked with violent pains in the sphere of the 5th pair.
A fourth, a sewing girl, aet. 25, suffering from rupia and pain in the extremities, after 30 gr. had moderate jaw – ache. All the patients had at same time oedema of lids, hyperaemia of conjunctivae and lachrymation. (Neurologisches Centralblatt, April 15th, 1891, p. 248.)
KALMIA (see vol.iii, p.69)
I. 8. a. Dr. Louis Faust, aet. 20, weight 148 lbs., dark hair and complexion; before proving, healthy; pulse 66 – 70. Commenced proving on July 1st, 1875, with tinct. 1st day – Took 4 dr. Neuralgic pain in right leg below knee; also in right elbow going to shoulder and then to wrist, finally locating itself in elbow. Full dull feeling in the head. Feeling all over body as if I had been exposed to a soaking rain. 2nd day – Took 5 dr. Dull feeling in head continued. Increase of pain in elbow, which again extended to wrist and produced sensation in whole forearm as if it were in a vice. 3rd day – 6 dr. Symptoms same as yesterday, only a little more intense. 4th day 7 dr. Scraping sensation in throat all day which caused desire to cough. Drawing tearing toothache. 5th day – Took 10 dr. Neuralgia of face. Drawing tearing pain in epigastric region, aggravated by slightest motion, even talking. Nausea. Pain in the vertex and temples, sometimes alternating in these places. Toothache. 6th day – 11 dr. Headache in top of head, shooting to temples. Head feels as if it would burst. Rheumatic pains all over body, often changing their position, so that they cannot be localised by description, especially in shoulder, elbow and wrist. Feeling of lassitude in limbs as if I had walked a long distance. 7th day – 15 dr. Excessive burning in anus after stool. Stool somewhat harder today. Same pains in different parts of the body. 8th day 20 dr. Stool this m. very hard and large, so that it could hardly pass anus. Excessive burning in anus after stool. 9th. – 25 dr. Constipation continued. No new symptoms. More of those rheumatic pains in different parts of the body. 10th day – Took 30 dr. Constipation continued. 11th day – An attempt at stool, this m. was unsuccessful, as stool was too hard and too large to pass the anus. 10 a. m. passed a large hard stool with great difficulty. 2:30 p. m. took 40 dr. Sensation of rawness in throat causing constant desire to cough. At this point I suspended the proving for 13 day, as the constipation became so troublesome. It passed off as soon as drug was discontinued.
8 b. Dr. – resumed proving July 25th. 12th day – 30 dr. Slight rheumatic or neuralgic pains all over body, but of no particular moment. 13th day – Took 50 dr. Alternate rheumatic pain in the shoulder and elbow of right arm, finally locating itself in elbow. Dull drowsy feeling in head, which changed to raging headache in temporal and occipital region. Sensation in the eyeball as if walls and roof of orbit were pressing on it. 14th day – Wild unpleasant dreams all n. 10 a. m., took 30 dr. Rumbling and feeling of emptiness in stomach as if I had eaten no breakfast. 2:30 p. m., took 30 dr. 15th d. Took 70 dr. Soon after taking medicine faint feeling, which soon left me, with dizziness. 10 a. m., pulse 80. Vertigo, worse towards noon. Lancinating pain in middle of humerus; darting pains through the ears. 4 p. m., pulse 68. Took Zj. Weakness below knees, as though I would fall down. 4:30 p. m., feel restless, go from one place to another looking for something and don’t know what. Nausea; buzzing before ears. Urine increased but clear. Neuralgic pains in leg along inner side of tibia; this symptom I have felt more or less during whole proving. Pains in ankle joint, very severe at times. 10:30 p. m., pain in temporal region. 11 p. m., drawing sticking pain in hip and sacral region. 16th day – After retiring last n. severe pain in right knee, in vicinity of patella. Pain in left ankle. Severe backache. Restless sleep. Unpleasant dreams. Awoke at 4:30 this m. with severe headache; after that I could only sleep a few moments at a time, and would awake out of frightful dreams. Pain through right leg even to toes. 10:30, was taken with pain in bowels, which drove me to stool; stool was diarrhoeic and passed with slight tenesmus; soon followed by nausea. 10:30 a. m., pulse 72. Pain in molars, a shooting pain from temples to eyeballs. Dyspepsia. Feeling of anxiety. 4 p. m., pulse 66, took Zj. A gnawing pain in palm of hand, mostly in metacarpo – phalangeal articulations. Feeling of lassitude all over body. Irritable, feel like scolding everybody. 10 p. m., took 30 dr. Urine still increased. Pulse 54. 17th day – Awoke this m. with full, dull feeling in head, which lasted for an hours after rising. I did not feel like moving. The same peevish feeling as yesterday. 9:30, pulse 70. 9:45 a. m., took 70 dr. Soon after taking medicine feeling of heat all over body, without change of pulse. Pain in right knee under patella. 2:30 p. m., very sleepy, almost fall asleep over my books (not because the books do not interest me), cannot concentrate my mind on my books. Pain in neck and all the way down back. Severe pain in patella of left leg. 18th day – After retiring last n. could not sleep for 2 hours, restless and tossing about in bed. I felt as though I had worked too hard and was too tired to go to sleep. 8 a. m., gnawing in epigastrium, with feeling as though I had not eaten anything. Stitches in right hypochondrium. Fluttering of heart; this I had twice yesterday, but did not lay it to the K., but to – day it has attacked me with increased violence, and I can trace it to nothing else; it is accompanied by a feeling of anxiety, I feel as if something dreadful was going to happen to me. 9:15 a. m., pulse 62, took 70 dr. Same feeling of heat all over body after taking the medicine as yesterday. Sticking pain in little finger which shot all along ulna. Headache in temple shooting into eyeball. Constant pressure in eyes, can hardly keep them open at times. Frequent erections without desire and coming on spontaneously. After having studied, got up from my chair but was too dizzy to walk. 4 p. m., took 10 dr. Slight fluttering of heart, 9:30 p. m., pulse 64. 19th d. Took 85 dr. Heat all over body as before. 10:30 a. m., very sleepy. One side of the nose has been occluded for 3 d. Felt yesterday as if I had what is commonly called a cold in the head. Gnawing in stomach as though I had had no dinner, which causes headache and nausea. 4 p. m., took 60 dr. Cutting pain on right side of tongue, relieved by biting on it. Rheumatic pains in hips and down legs. 20th day – Awoke this m. with a very painful pressure over the eyes, and temporal headache, which was temporarily relieved by cold water. Pain in the interscapular region. Pulse 70. Stool normal, but burning in the anus after stool. Headache only on right side. Pain over right eye. 3 p. m., feel very drowsy. Pain in shoulder lasting 15 m. Pain in whole length of the back. The headache has continued from this m. Pain in stomach with sensation as if something was tearing the walls from their connections. 21st day – I did not feel like going to my books this m. Headache which last 10 m., then leaves me a few m., but only to return again. Sticking pain and weakness in wrist joint, almost disabling me in writing. Headache in occiput with pain in neck. 8 a. m., pulse 68; 10, pulse 80. Vertigo when getting up from a seat. Rheumatic pains in left leg p. m., which lasted until I went to bed. 2nd day – Pain in neck has not yet left me. Feel very languid this m., with an occipital headache. 9:30 a. m., took Zj. 10, pulse 84; great heat all over body. Cannot study. Restless, want to leave the office, but don’t know where to go. 10:30, took another Zj. A bruised feeling all over body. Pain in neck increased, mostly in 7th cervical vertebra. Sensation of fulness in head. Feel as though I would not like to be spoken to. Don’t feel like going to the office. Took a book at home but could not fix my mind on it. Vertigo; a hungry feeling in the stomach; do not feel so bad this afternoon (3 p. m.), but there is still stiffness of neck, and rheumatic pains in leg. Soreness of hip. Took Zj. Pain in region of submaxillary glands shooting to parotid. Feel very tired, can hardly walk. 23rd day – Felt very restless after retiring last n., could not sleep. Awoke this m. at 4; could only sleep a few moments at a time; would awake out of annoying dreams. 8 a. m., Zj. Headache on left side from temple to occiput. 7 p. m., took Zj. 24th day – Awoke this m. with headache, relieved by cold water. 9:30 a. m., took Ziss. Same pains which have so often been repeated in head, neck and back. Sticking pains in left lung, under 3rd and 4th ribs, causing dyspnoea. Sleepiness. Dulness of head. Don’t feel like studying. Chill (this symptom was felt several times before, but attributed to the weather; now I find I have a real chill). Before retiring, itching and burning all over body, as if I had been stung by mosquitoes. 25th day – Same empty feeling in stomach as though I had had no breakfast. Alternate pains in shoulder, hip, and knee joints. Pressure in eyes, soreness of edges of lids. Pulse 54; feel very languid. Distress in stomach after dinner as though I had overloaded it, also thirst, though I have not eaten anything to cause either symptom. 3 p. m., very sleepy, fall asleep over my books. Feel very tired all evening, almost too tired to record my symptoms. Took no medicine to – day. 26th day – Rheumatic pains in elbow and leg. Some headache continued all day, same as before. Same sleepiness, though not so well marked as before; also slight chills over whole body. Discontinued proving.
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.