Introductions
Matricaria Chamomilla, L. Wild chamomile. Nat. Ord., Compositae.
Provings
1. HAHNEMANN, Fragmenta de Viribus. Contains 272 symptoms from self and 3 from authors.
2. IBID., Mat. Medorrhinum Pura., vol. iii of original, vol. i of translation. Contains 461 symptoms from self, and 30 from Stapf (See ii, I).
3. a. Five person took extract in doses of 2 – 24 gr. daily Although but slight effects were produced, the following symptoms were observed during its use, though they did not occur in all; bitter aromatic taste, eructations, oppression of stomach, nausea, disgust, inclination to vomit, pinching in abdomen, diminished appetite and evacuations, flatulence, yawning, hiccup, furred tongue, rapid pulse, palpitation, increased heat, thirst, confusion of and rush of blood to head, headache, weariness, excited irritable temper and restless sleep. (Zeitsch. d. k.k Gesell. d. Aerzte zu Wien., December, 1844.)
3 b. SCHNELLER, one of the above, gives following details. While taking 8 – 14 gr., besides the disgusting taste, he had – soon after ingestion – slight palpitation; in evening flying stitches in right chest, near 5th rib, anteriorly, lasting a short time and increased by deep inspiration; besides these on taking 12 gr. he had slight stitches in cardiac region, appetite lessened, head warm and confused. During doses of 16 – 20 gr. these pains declined, and symptoms of deranged digestion ensued, viz. oppression of stomach, discharge of wind upwards and downwards, yellow furred tongue, diminished appetite, increased rapidity of pulse and temperature of body, and gloomy irritable disposition. After two last dose, of 22 and 24 gr. respectively, stitches in cardiac region again appeared, but were not confined to this part; pain extended – at one time of shooting, at another of drawing character, now right, now left down legs to dorsum of foot and ankle, then back to right shoulder or hip, or left side of head. Derangement of digestion increased, disgust at food ensued, costiveness, palpitation, quick pulse, and peevish display. These symptoms continued for some day after leaving off medicine. (Ibid., 1846, ii, 404.)
4. Dr. HENCKE took 1st day, 8 a. m., 6 dr. tinct., 2nd day, 12 dr., 3rd day, 18 dr. In forenoon some drawing pains in shoulder – joints and ankles with uncommon tired and heavy feeling in limbs, but especially painful weak feeling and restlessness in arms, as after over – exertion, e.g. fencing; worse when at rest, going off when moving, waking in open air. Could not sleep before 2 a. m., partly on account of tired feeling in limbs, partly from hot and restless feeling, causing him to toss about in bed; tongue dry, thirst. 4th day, on rising in morning qualmish feeling in epigastrium, causing a kind of anxiety and restlessness, and making him cross and indisposed for mental work. 7th day, 8 a. m., 18 dr. 8th day, 24 dr. Recurrence of the painful heaviness and tired feeling in limbs, lower extremities so tired and heavy he was unwilling to walk. When at rest tearing pain in ankles. Towards dinner – time painful tearing – burning in back of mouth, voice rough and hoarse, must sneeze several times, and had to hawk on account of viscid mucus in fauces. Some heat and restlessness at night. 12th day, 24 dr. 13th day, 30 dr. In forenoon, return of heavy feeling in all limbs, also wandering tearing pains in right upper arm, left leg, back, temporal muscles, lastly in l. teeth. E., pain in teeth much increased by taking tea, and it was so persistent as to keep him awake at night; restlessness, heat in face. Spoke, groaned and tossed about in sleep. 14th days, morning before rising gradually increasing pain in bowels, making him twist about. Lying doubled up relieves for a short time. On rubbing belly flatus discharged with relief. After pains had lasted 1 hour rumbling in bowels, with pains and hurried call to stool, when, along with noisy discharge of flatus, loose faeces came away, but
the pain in bowels was so violent that he felt faint and perspired all over, especially in face; the bowel pain gradually subsided. During day now and again tearing pains, also occasional griping in bowels; tongue covered with a slimy fur. In afternoon a diarrhoeic stool, with slight griping and discharge of flatus. E., sudden repeated sneezing, creeping in nose, followed by fluent coryza, watery mucus dropped from nose at short intervals, this went off after three hour. On going to bed 11 p. m., disagreeable cold feeling. Woke at night from prickling numb feeling in right arm, which soon went off. 15th and 16th days, constipation, crossness easily put in a passion. 17th days, well (HENCKE, A. h. Z., lxvii, 89.)
5. C. H. -, student, aet. 23, rather dyspeptic, otherwise healthy.
5 a. – May 17th. Took C. 12th dec., 1 gr. (probably of the trituration). In 5 morning sudden feeling of exhaustion in limbs, dull pressure on upper part of head, extending to temples and occiput as if head were compressed from all sizes, repeated feeling of heat rising up to cheeks, feeling of oppression and slight constriction in larynx. Spirits depressed. The rest of the day spirits composed and increased secretion of clear, acid urine. Uneasy dreams at night with anxiety and oppression. When undressing itching in various parts of the body without eruption. – 18th. On waking, weight in head and bruised pains in back; 1 gr. C. 12. Very severe pressure in upper part of brain, spreading as compression all over skull, the exhausted feeling of limbs repeated. These symptoms very transient. Felt better than usual, stool better than ordinary, urine again increased. Afternoon slight confusion of head with transient painful pressure on eyes; repeated stitches and transient spasmodic feeling in tragus of right ear, sometimes extending into meatus. Itching when undressing as before. – 19th. In morning 1 gr. C. 6. Pulse and breathing at first slightly quickened, but became slower after 15 minutes In 1/4 hour the pressure on top of head, spreading over whole head, especially in right temple, returned. Towards noon congestion to head with severe pressive pain over right eye, a feeling of pressure on that eyeball and very severe painful pulsation of temporal arteries with severe compressive pain in right temple. The frontal pains that came on in morning lasted till evening, pressing and rather severe, with pressure on both eyes and obtuse stitches in right temple. Pulse quicker towards evening. Thirst increased. When perspiring severe itching on perspiring spots; many small, red pimples on back. Perspired easily, perspiration sour. Sleep restless, woke frequently. – 20th 1 gr. C. 6. Soon pressive headache, pressure in eyeballs, and feeling of a sharp point pressed in on right side of head and right temple. In forenoon, transient dull stitches in right side of chest, also rheumatic pains in muscles of nape. Pressure and feeling of a weight in alveoli of upper jaw, especially on right side, the teeth feel filled with lead. Head heavy, spirits low, short attacks of exhaustion in lower extremities. In afternoon and pressure in head returned. These attacks lasted each about an hour; they consisted of a pressure on top of head that extended around, commenced slightly, increased gradually in intensity and declined as gradually, but did not go off entirely but continued more or less severe; the seat of the pressive pains seemed to be chiefly the forehead and right temple; sometimes both, sometimes only one, were affected, and often there was an accompanying pressure on eyeballs in region of oblique muscle, but this was transient. Slight constriction deep in pharynx, especially morning and noon. In afternoon, oppression and stitches in right side of chest (a common symptoms with the prover), especially on breathing deeply, also pressive pain and blown – out feeling in alveoli of 2nd and 3rd molars in both sides of upper jaw; this sensation extended with remissions to the zygoma, worse on right side. Pulse slightly irregular 75. Difficulty of falling asleep owing to numerous disagreeable thoughts. Frequent waking, and every time he was bathed in perspiration. – 21st. On waking, weight in limbs and attack of exhaustion; also drawing and pressive pain in stomach and feeling of weight there as if stomach were stretched over a hard body. Mouth coated with rust – colored mucus, tongue white, urine dark and acid, pulse full, 69. The pressive headache continued all day, also the asunder pressing and aching in alveoli of molars, also the pressure on eyes. Pulse 75 after eating and rather irregular. In afternoon tickling in trachea, frequent irritation to cough and constrictive feeling in pharynx. Frequent pressure in region of cardiac orifice of stomach, sometimes extending up the oesophagus, eructation of burning salt fluid, abdomen distended, sometimes cutting in it extending down to bladder, relieved by discharge of flatus and friction. Difficulty of going to sleep and profuse sweat during sleep – 22nd. On waking, transient cutting in abdomen deep down into pelvis, pressure and spasmodic contraction in stomach, oppressed feeling in chest pressure on top of head, pressing forehead and temples, and feeling of pressure of a broad band on forehead and as if temples were pressed in with fingers, head confused, especially when lying. During forenoon the toothache before described, lasting all day, great ebullition of blood to head and heat of face, oppression of chest and frequent stitches in chest. Pulse after dinner 79. During afternoon pressive and stupefying stitches in chest. Pulse after dinner 79. During afternoon pressive and stupefying headache occurring periodically. Above navel a feeling of distension and transient nausea. Spirits rather low. Profuse sweat during sleep, which ceased when he awoke. – 23rd. On awaking, headache, especially in forehead, aggravated by movement and thinking or reading, with inability to fix attention. Buccal mucus bloody, urine dark coloured and acid. Pressure in alveoli of 2nd and 3rd upper molars and continued pressure under and in eyes. All afternoon, headache and toothache as before, tensive feeling in stomach and umbilical region. Pulse at n. 80. Long in going to sleep on account of disagreeable thoughts. Next 2 days the symptoms gradually subsided.
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.