ANTIPYRINUM (see vol.iv, p.487.)
II. 8. In a case of articular rheumatism in which salicylate of soda was not well borne, Brandenberg prescribed 1 grm. of A. In 5 m. a general toothache set in, together with headache; pain behind both ears of a tearing character. Symptoms gradually decreased, but toothache lasted 4 h. Patient then took 1/2 grm., when all the above symptoms returned. (Allg. h. Zeit., 1889, No. 12.)
APOMORPHINUM (see vol, iii, p.525)
I. II. 11. A patient, aet. 58, took Zj. of a 1 per cent. sol. 3 times a day for a week without difficulty. I then increased dose to Zij ter die, and patient complained that it gave him sharp pain across forehead and over bridge of nose, and made him feel so sleepy that he could hardly keep eyes open. (Murrell, Brit. Medorrhinum Journ., Feb. 28th, 1891.)
ARSENICUM (see vol.i, p.396; vol.ii, p.726; vol.iv, p.495)
II. 90. A woman, aet. 42, became acutely melancholic in Nov. 1886, and with a view to suicide took a tablespoonful of a rat – poison which is a mixture of arsenious acid and starch paste. She vomited 2 or 3 hours afterwards, and continued to do so during n. and following d. In a day or two she had haemorrhages from the bowels. Paresis of all four extremities was manifested in 2 – 3 day, and gradually grew worse. For weeks afterwards she complained of crampy pains in feet, calves, hands and abdomen. On admission these pains were still severe, and she had no use of arms or legs. There was great muscular atrophy, marked tremor; no patellar reflex; no anaesthesia or analgesia, but a slight hyperaesthesia. Feb. 17th. – Hands and feet feel numb, and have prickling sensations in them. Has had itching feeling over body and limbs, formication in feet, and sensation as of a cord drawn tightly round her waist. ” Throat felt as if gone ” at times. At present in bed. Legs are flexed and somewhat contracted, extension causing great pain in flexor muscles and tendons. No tenderness of spine at any point. Muscae volitantes often. Drop – wrists and – ankles. Faradic reaction of nerves and muscles of limbs lost. 25th. – Subject about once daily to a fainting spell lasting some 15 m., with dyspnoea: cardiac sounds feebler than normal. Mar. 6th. – Feet slightly oedematous. Urine normal to chemical tests. 19th. – Begins to move fingers and feet somewhat better. 25th. – Able to feed herself and is trying to knit. Pains in extremities still great at times. April 19th. – Gradual but very slow increase of motor powers. Gaining in flesh. Feet much swollen. May 17th. – Walks a short distance alone. July 16th. – Sews, knits, writes letters; but fingers are still straighter than normal, and tremor still very marked. Cannot flex fingers into palms with ease or force. Still no patellar reflex. Aug. 30th. – Walks without assistance any ordinary distance. Motor power still increasing gradually. Tabetic gait. Sept. 26th. – In bed several d. Weak and feverish; great increase of muscular tremor, vertigo, accelerated pulse, nausea, anorexia (? a crisis). Nov. 15th. – Still suffering from effects of relapse. Up afternoons only. Cannot walk as well as formerly, but gaining. Dec. 2nd. – Walks now as well as at any time since residence in hospital, and seems quite strong. Jan. 7th, 1888. – Has tabetic gait and entire absence of tendon reflexes (the break in the reflex is on the sensory side). Use of arms also imperfect. Legs slightly oedematous. 21st. – Physical condition improved. Feb. 16th. – Oedema has disappeared. March 11th. – Able to walk a little more steadily. 13th. – Attack of acute indigestion, diarrhoea, nausea, and colic. 26th. – Has apparently passed through one of the gastric crisis of locomotor ataxia, with an unusual amount of tremor, which is still present when she sits up. April 17th. – Discharged. Patient had lost her hair to a considerable extent, and was cachectic. (Peterson, N. Y. Medorrhinum Record, Aug. 4th, 1888.)
BELLADONNA (see vol.i, p.526; vol.ii, p.728,; vol.iv p.516)
II. 21. Mary B., aet. 5, of nervo – sanguineous temp., took a number of pellets saturated with 6th dil. of B. about noon on Friday. She sent to sleep soon after, slept beyond the usual time, and was unusually dull, so that she could hardly be roused to take her afternoon’s drive, for which she was usually eager. During it, she was attacked with a hacking cough, which increased very rapidly, so that in 1/2 hours from its commencement the hacks would occur at every 3rd or 4th inspiration. On her return home the irritation continued to increase until the respirations were increased to 70 in the m.; action of heart was furious, the palpitation being clearly visible across the room; skin was at times very hot, then again unnaturally cool. In this condition she was found about 9 p. m. The cause of her symptoms being unknown, aconite and belladonna had been given, and after taking latter she was seriously worse; constant snuffing came on, though nose was dry, with extreme nervous irritability. Lachesis 6 quieted her, and she went to sleep. Next m. she was up and playing about the house, lively, and apparently quite well, except the snuffing, which was constant, and an unusual flow of spirits, which drove her from one thing to another with great rapidity, with an incessant desire to talk of all manner of things mixed together. At 5 p. m. the symptoms of the previous afternoon came on again. Once more belladonna was given, this time in the 200th, but this time also it aggravated, and lachesis was substituted with advantage. The same double set of phenomena recurred next day, and so on, decreasing daily in force, until the 18th d.
A small ulcer on her back had followed on scarlet fever, but had been healed 3 mos. when she took the pellets. On the 3rd day the cicatrix inflamed and had the appearance of breaking out, but after hepar sulphuris and other remedies this inflammation gradually subsided. (N. H. Warner, Amer. Hom. Review, ii, 271.)
CACTUS (see vol.1, pp.655, 749; vol.iv, p. 521)
[The Cactus – more properly, Cereus – grandiflorus has now been found typical of the toxic species of the natural order Cactaceae : and an active principle ” Cactina ” has been obtained from its Mexican variety, C. mexicana, experimented upon in animals, and found in practice to exert the influence on the heart claimed for the C. grandi – florus by Rubini and those who have followed him in the school of Hahnemann. We give here some observations with it, and with other species of the order.]
CACTINA
Cactina, alkaloid obtained from flowers and stems of Cactus mexicana.
III. 1. To a dog weighing 6.5 kilogr., pulse being 180 and arterial pressure 145, C. was given by intra – venous injection in doses increasing from.002 to 0.4 grm. In 22 m. 7 such doses were given. Pulse gradually rose to 222, till, 0.1 grm. being given, it fell to 190, and after 0.4 grm. to 164. Parallel therewith the arterial pressure increased till it reached 202, – with the slackening pulse falling to 178 and 140. Respiration was little affected at first, but towards end fell (from norm of 28) to 19 and 15. After the 0.4 dose clonic and tonic convulsions set in, which did not cease when cord was cut at 2nd cervical vertebra. Death soon ensued. Faradic current to motor nerves produced contraction. Autopsy shewed marked spinal hyperaemia.
2. In another dog, whose vagi were cut, pulse – rate and arterial pressure were similarly increased by an intra – venous injection of 2 centigr.; and a strong Faradic current through the vagi failed to arrest the heart’s action. The sympathetics were then cut; but pulse – rate and pressure, under fresh doses of C., only slowly declined. Convulsions set in at 18 m., and death ensued in 22 m.
CERUS BONPLANDII
Parmet. A variety of C. grandiflorus. I. 1. Dr. J. H. Fitch took repeated doses of tinct., 3 – 30 dr. 1 – 3 times a d. Our space will not allow us to give any of the symptoms (258 in Allen) of this somewhat voluminous proving save those of the circulation, which are as follows: – On 1st 9day, when retiring at n. felt severe convulsive pains at heart; they continued several hours, and returned towards m., when, feeling his pulse for a m., he noted several dicrotic beats and intermissions during that time. During 2nd day sensation at heart as if a great stone lay upon it; soon after, as if chest was broken through just in front of heart. Slight pricking pain at heart. At one time feeling as if heart was transfixed by a blunt instrument. All through proving felt strong desire to antidote the very powerful action of the drug on the heart and nervous system. (Allen’s Encyclopedia, ii, 80.)
CEREUS SERPENTINUS
Cereus serpentinus,. I. 1. Dr. Fitch proved this also, taking 15 dr. of tinct. 1st day, and Zss on 3rd d. The circulatory symptoms were: – On 2nd day, momentary sharp pain thrusting through heart, followed by sighing respiration. On 7th day, pain at heart after retiring. On 9th day, 9:50 p. m., paralysed feeling at heart. (Ibid.p. 85.)
CAFFEINUM (see vol.ii,313; vol.iv, p.525)
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.