25. I have often taken from 20-30 dr. of the ethereal tinct., and generally, in 1/4 h., feeling allied to early stage of intoxication came on; ideas passed with great rapidity; everything was then forgotten, and usually a hearty laugh followed, whole occupying a m. No effect would then be felt for 3 – 5 m., when same symptoms recurred. After 3 gr of extra., above feelings came on in 1/2 h.; after 1 h.; alternating states were marked by cheerfulness and depression. I felt myself getting more and more bound: I intensely tried to throw of the load, to command my thoughts, but could not. This state continued more or less for 1 hours, with no inclination to move. A sudden but slight giddiness came on; a desire to drink something cold. I took a glass of cold water, and was suddenly impelled to run round room on hands and knees, and in this way got to front door, instinctively seeking cold. This fit lasted 2 m., when I recovered perfect consciousness for about same period, and again was impelled to same actions. I was less lost in succeeding fits than in first; lucid intervals were also less distinct. I roamed 1/2 h. on hands and feet in open air, all the time conscious of what I did, but without desire to do otherwise actions being instinctive. After this, off 10 m., I recovered, re-entered house, explained cause, and went of in hysterical laughing and crying for a few m. For 1 h. after this I suffered great susceptibility of mind, was distressed beyond measure at any suggestions my friends made as to coming into the house, & c. This sensitiveness was the most striking of the phenomena. I most earnestly implored in the softest whisper that no request or suggestion should be made. Loud speaking was too great an effort. The rapid thoughts, in most confused order of succession, so instantly forgotten, were very painful.I made strongest efforts to fix attention to some train of thoughts in mind, or in conversation with another, but without avail. This state lasted I h. (“M.D.,” Medorrhinum Times and Gaz., iv, 273 (1852).)
26. Several pupils (of the Calcutta Medical College) tried resin on themselves. The result of several experiments was that in doses of gr. 1/4 pulse was increased in fulness and frequency, surface of body glowed, appetite became extraordinary, vivid ideas crowded mind, unusual loquacity occurred, and, with hardly an exception, great aphrodisiac existed. One pupil took 10 dr. of tinct. = gr. 1/4 of resin. In 20 m. a shout of laughter ushered in the symptoms, and cataleptic rigidity occurred for 2 or 3 m. I found him enacting the part of a rajah, giving orders to his courtiers: he could recognise none of his acquaintances, all to his mind seemed as altered as his own condition; he spoke of many years having passed since his student days, described his teachers and friends with a piquancy which a dramatist would envy, detailed the adventure of an imaginary series of years, his travels, his attainment of wealth and power; he entered on discussions on religious, scientific, and political topics, with astonishing eloquence, and displayed an extent of knowledge and reading and a ready apposite wit, which was quite unexpected. For more than 3 h. he maintained the character he at first assumed, and with a degree of ease and dignity perfectly becoming his high situation. This state ended as suddenly as it commenced. (O’SHAUGHNESSY, Prov. Medorrhinum and Surg. Journ., 1846.)
26 a. At 8 p.m., took 6 gr. of “Hering’s alcoholic extract of cannabis indica.” At 9 went to bed, feeling as well as usual. At precisely 12 p. m,., awoke suddenly and fully. Room was dark, still location of every article about me seems perfectly plain: I could read titles of books upon a table 12 or 15 feet off. Although urine had been voided on retiring a great desire was felt to pass more, which I essayed to do, but could scarcely retain it until the vessel could be got ready. The length of time occupied in urinating seemed days instead of seconds. As much was passed as is usually collected during whole n. As soon as I had accomplished this feat, for it seemed indeed a great undertaking, the clairvoyant like vision left me, and I felt unable to raise my hands, the feeling being as a if a weight was upon my forearm. The head felt light, the mind remarkably active, and yet apparently sluggish. Had a feeling of duality. One of my minds would be thinking of something while the other would laugh at it; a quick transition for the ideas of one mind to the other. I laughed; at the idea of laughing and could not control myself. I closed my eyes and tried to think of something solemn. Suddenly I felt as if I were a marble statue. I had no ability to move, and a chill ran over me. By a great exertion I moved my hand, and felt my face; it felt hard, there was no sensation in the face, but to the hand it felt stony. I made an effort to throw it of by getting out of bed, and by determined will I looked at my watch: it was; 10 m. past 12. I lay down in despair; only 10 m. had elapsed, and I thought days or at least hours had gone by. My pulse began to throb heavily and my head to be dizzy. I sprang from my bed like a maniac and struck a light, took my watch and began to count my pulse, just one beat at each second; but when the m. had elapsed I could not remember how many I had counted. I again went to bed, and fell asleep. In m. my eyes were swollen and inflamed, pupils contracted, head dizzy. A cup of strong coffee relieved the dizziness. During d. was occasionally absent – minded and dreamy, but otherwise was as well as usual.
26 b. At another time, 9 a.m., I took 10 gr. of the same extract, and in exactly 4 h. I felt the characteristic thrill produced by the drug. This time I took more particular notice of the results, and also had the assistance of others to note my actions. The same apparent clairvoyance was present, that is, I saw, or fancied I saw, articles in another room, but the sensation was of short duration. The symptoms already described were present. As I attempted to walk my feet felt heavy, my hands were with difficulty raised, the forearm felt at if kept down by weights. A slight dry cough troubled me. I had great craving for water, but a single swallow passing down my throat gave sensation as of holding my mouth under a cataract; a spasm came upon me with a sensation of fear or dread, but this was only for an instant. My mouth was dry and frothy. The cough became harder, but still dry, almost like a bark. I had a discharge from bowels about 1 h. after feeling “thrill” spoken of and in 1/2 h. another. They were thin, yellow, and painless. The diarrhoea increased, a heat pervaded the abdomen internally, and frequent discharges of this kind followed, but entirely without pain.
26 c. Frequent trials were made with the drug, each time increasing the dose, until the last, when 56 gr. were taken. The same general symptoms were present each time, except that the last dose did not have any effect.
26 d. A large number of my friends (about 30) tried the drug, most of them under my eye, and the same result was invariably obtained, viz. clairvoyance; heaviness of the forearm and feet; hard, dry cough; desire for and dread of water; some had tetanic spasm at moment water was taken, others had some frothing at the mouth. A painless yellow diarrhoea was present in every case; eyes dull and swollen; heavy frontal headache; loss of appetite. All persons were relieved of their symptoms as fast as the effect of drug had passed off, which was usually in from 10 to 24 h. One or two were a little constipated for a few d. Coffee almost instantly relieved headache following. Some had great fear, at times, of things either real or unreal, and at other times the mind wandered into delightful realms.
26 e. Two ladies whom I persuaded to try the drug took 10 gr. each, and experienced same general symptoms: but they had in addition very profuse menstruation which lasted 5 d. At another time, several months after, they tried it again with the same result. They had always menstruated regularly; one had never any uterine or vaginal troubles (G.M. PEASE, M. D., N. Engl. Medorrhinum Gaz., i, 204.).
Poisonings
1. Mr. C – took gr. ss of ext. about 4 p.m., at 4:30 same; at 4:45 gr.j; at 5 and 5:15 gr. ij. Took tea as usual at 6:30. At 7:30 noticed that he gave wrong change to a customer, and felt somewhat nervous and dizzy. A few m. afterwards went out on an errand, felt irresistible inclination to run; and at same time sense of contraction of entre genito-urinary system, and great desire to micturate, with much strangury on doing so; also excessive dryness of fauces, coming on suddenly and with much thirst. On returning to his place of business found it impossible to keep still, on account of irresistible desire to be constantly on his feet. At this point I first saw him, and found him walking at quick pace, almost on his toes, round a room about 8 ft. square. Within a few m. spasms supervened, during which at times flexors and extensors, at time abductors and adductors of whole body were thrown into violent alternate action. While sitting in a chair, one m. his feet would beat a tattoo on the floor, and the next his knees beat violently together. Spasms increased in severity and frequency for 1/2 h., and then gradually diminished, after emesis had been induced. He could, by strong exercise of will, retrain spasms, but on fresh access they were much more violent. They were unaccompanied by pain, but after a time he experienced sense of easiness, as after spasms of tetanus. He describes his mind as being “dull” and somewhat confused, but without any loss of consciousness. Only once was there any mental disturbance, when he thought vomitus was head of hippopotamus, and again, a bunch of earthworms. He noticed that if anything ludicrous were said or done, or any idea suggested which required more than most common exercise of mind, spasms were considerably intensified. Senses of vision and feeling somewhat diminished; tinnitus aurium; conjunctiva much congested. Pulse at 8.30 about 140, somewhat irregular in character and frequency; at 10 it was 90. After an emetic symptoms passed off in 24 – 30 h. (F.H. BROWNE, Bost. Medorrhinum and Surg. Journ., lxii, 291.)
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.