2. In 1850, after submitting to the manipulations of a dentist, I was advised to wash the mouth with a solution of chlorine. Scarcely had the liquid been received into my mouth, when I became sensible of a spasmodic action of some part of the respiratory organs of the following character: – Inspiration was unimpeded, and could be effected in the natural manner, but expiration was absolutely impossible, apparently from a closure of the rima glottidis. Inspiration was accordingly repeated, and was accomplished fully and easily, although the act was attended with a slight crowing noise. Expiration, which was again attempted, was impossible as before. By these successive operations the lungs became inflated to a most painful degree; but so firmly did the glottis appear to be closed, that it seemed as though air might pass through any part of the thoracic walls more readily than by way of the larynx. This arrest of respiration having endured for about a m., the face becoming turgid and livid, the spasm relaxed, and respiration became free again. (Carroll Dunham, Hom. the Sc. of Therapeutics, p. 490.) 3. In 1852 I had the opportunity of witnessing the effect of a strong accidental inhalation of the gas by an adult. The same phenomena, of free, but crowing inspiration, and of absolutely obstructed expiration, presented themselves; the face became extremely livid, convulsive movements of extremities began, and patient became partially comatose. I administered ammonia by olfaction, the spasm relaxed, and consciousness returned along with normal respiration. (Ibid.) 4. Dr. S. A. Jones accidentally inhaled the gas. An asthmatic attack immediately followed, regarding which the following notes were taken at the time: At once tightness of chest, whistling – wheezing cough, some dyspnoea. Dyspnoea rapidly increasing, profound sense of impending suffocation; cough with expectoration of thick, white, frothy mucus. Dyspnoea still increasing; great (physical) anxiety; inspiration easy, but not sufficient to fully inflate lungs, and attended with a short rattling – crackling rale; expiration difficult, prolonged, and as if insufficient – as if air – cells were hardly half – emptied, it is accompanied by prolonged loud whistling rales (not one sound only but a combination of several), and each pulsation of heart gives a crescendo – diminuendo effect to them. Constant cough, bronchi apparently filled with thick, tenacious mucus; no relief from expectoration, chest seemed to fill again at once; when coughing he felt as if he must vomit (though there was no nausea), and warm sweat broke out on forehead. Was restless; desired to walk about; could not be easy either lying, sitting, or walking; it seemed as if whole attention must be centered on act of respiration; cold open air gave no relief. Nose discharged mucus freely. There was sensation in lower third of left lung as if it was ruptured, as if air escaped into pleural cavity at each inspiration, accompanied by a rale of its own, whose vibrations could be felt by the hand and heard by the bystanders. All this took 2 hours in enacting. After 2 1/2 hours chest felt sore interiorly, especially on coughing; whistling rales, which are quite loud on a forced expiration; chest still oppressed. Throat sore from uvula to bronchi. After 2 1/2 hours expiration easy and noiseless, inspiration a little difficult and attended with rales; feeling as if rima glottidis were stiff – as if made of an iron ring; cough seldom; no expectoration, but a little hoarseness; at each cough, a spot in chest (region of right bronchus) feels sore, as if cough jarred and hurt it. When dyspnoea was at its worst it was attended with feeling as if a narrow band was drawn tightly around lower third of whole chest. For 2 day after, throat and chest were sore and voice was hoarse. (Dr. Jones is hereditarily subject to asthma; hearty laughter gives him a fit of wheezing, and a whiff from an ignited sulphur match entails an hour’s semi – suffocation.) (N. Y. Journ. of Hom., II, 249.)
CITRUS VULGARIS Dr. IMBERT GOURBEYRE calls the orange whose effects he has observed “chinois” The “china orange”, however is one of the sweet varieties; whereas he is avowedly writing about a bitter orange, and these all come under the heading of c. vulgaris or bigaradia EDS.
Introduction
Bitter orange. Nat. Ord., Aurantiacae.
Poisonings
I have examined all the workers (women) who for the last 15 years have been occupied in peeling oranges at Clermont. Of 41 who have been thus engaged,, only 12 have been exempt from any effects. There thus remain 29 observations; I will cite the most important.I. Aet. 47. Had worked 8 years. Had never failed to experience more or less inconvenience, such as dazzlings or weakness of slight; heartburn; headache, with nausea; insomnia; agitation; cramps; general itchings. Sometimes she had eruptions of papules all over, red, not suppurating, but bleeding when scratched; also large red patches. There was great fatigue in all limbs, especially in arms. Once the left hand swelled up, and remained thus – with itching – for 15 day, improving only when work was suspended. In spite of weakness, there was a sort of vivacity in her limbs, so that, once at work, she wrought so to speak irresistibly. She frequently felt drawing pains and horripilations. In resuming (Dec., 1849) her occupation after an interval, it soon happened that as she entered the workshop she was taken with suffocation and sweats, and at same time nausea and itching. Before this, however, she had had itchings of left side of face, lasting about 2 m., and returning 50 times a d. At last, feeling herself worse and worse, she ceased work and remained at home. Two day later, while washing some linen, the ” vivacity ” came upon her; the more she washed, the more she wished to wash and could not restrain herself. She was then taken with a general trembling, and fell. Her whole body was convulsed, but chiefly left side of face; shoulders also were much affected. She scraped the ground with her feet and overturned everything. Consciousness was not lost. This attack lasted 1/4 hours, and she remained oppressed all the d. Next day a similar attack occurred on putting hands in water. She continued ill all winter, and did not go out, feeling great fatigue, and being always sleepless. The least excitement made her worse; she wept continually, and fancied herself crippled. There were frequent drawings in the limbs, and desire to stretch; often also headache and abdominal heat. She worked no more with the oranges, and all symptoms disappeared; but ever since their very odour would affect and indispose her. (Imbert – Gourbeyre, Action Phys. des Oranges Ameres, Clermont, 1853.)
2. AET. 35. Had worked for 2 years, when she was obliged to leave off, and seek medical aid. She had throughout suffered from her head; also from her teeth, 7 or 8 of which had become carious and easily broke away – pains extend from them into tongue, with shootings and noise in ears. Sometimes she felt for an instant drawing pains in face; now the nose was drawn back; now there was twitching below eyes, and her companions perceived it. She yawned frequently involuntarily, and was constantly feeling as if just upon being suffocated. Palpitation, with rising in throat and suffocative feeling. Always after resuming work she had for the 1st day vomiting or great nausea, also anorexia and great thirst. Every evening on coming home, she complained of her head and stomach; shivered while going to bed, and as soon as warm was very agitated, and uncovered herself; slept little, and woke with starts. There were drawings in limbs, especially at n., or at the least contradiction; cramps in limbs; horripilations. During 2nd year left hand became swollen, and red, without papules or itching: it gave her no pain, but its movements were constrained. (Ibid) Seven more cases are related in detail- EDS.
3. Analysing all the observations I have collected, I can now give a general table of the symptoms experienced by the workpeople.
3 a. They are liable to headache, either general or partial, often pressive in forehead; sometimes it is a kind of intoxication accompanied by vertigo, at other times a well – marked hemicrania, most frequently on the right side. The headache is often accompanied by nausea and sometimes by vomiting.
3 b. There occur also true neuralgia of the face, either general or confined to the temples, with lancinating or gnawing pains. These also are most frequently right – sided. Sometimes the facial pains are actual toothache, continuous, and associated with caries and wearing away of the teeth. Sight is at times simply weakened. Noises in ears are frequent, as of a bell or of a mill, but without deafness. Once I observed swelling and redness of the ear – lobes. There are in some cases drawings on one side of the face, a kind of epileptiform spasms – transient and frequently recurring.
3 c. There is often suffocation, thoracic oppression, painful sense of choking at upper part of sternum; at times strangling sensation in throat, and pleurodynia. I have observed nearly always frequent and irresistible yawnings; and in the stomach malaise, heartburn, weight, failure in power, sometimes frequent eructations and thirst. 3 d. Sleep is commonly much disturbed and dreamful – there is waking in starts, impossibility to find a comfortable position, burning heat. 3 e. The limbs are often the seat of drawings and horripilations, with desire to stretch the legs and to twist the hands. The whole muscular system is affected. Sometimes there is general contraction and weight on the shoulders; cramps, usually local; crampy pain in wrists; general excitement, with brusque and rapid movements.
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.