Introduction
Chelidonium majus, Millefolium Common Celandine. Nat. Ord. Papaveraceae.
Provings.
1. HAHNEMANN, Mat. Medorrhinum pura, vol. iv of original, vol. i of translation. Contains 28 symptoms room self, 122 from 8 fellow – observers, and 6 from authors.
2. a. Twelve persons took extract, in doses of 2 gr. – 3iv in day, and following phenomena were observed:
In digestive apparatus, sourish or saltish bitter taste; similar or purely bitter eructations; increased mucous and salivary secretion in mouth and fauces, amounting in one prover to actual ptyalism; scratching and burning in mouth, gullet, and stomach; pressure on stomach; disgust, nausea, vomiting; furred tongue, pasty taste; generally increase in one case only loss, of appetite; emission of flatus; increased (in one case only diminished) action of bowels. In vascular system – no symptoms. In nervous system-confusion of head; frontal headache; dimness and weakness of sight; desire for sleep; illusions of smell. Urine at one time increased, at another diminished; darker coloured; in two cases of resinous odour.
2 b. The tinct. was taken by 11 persons in 5 – 200 drop doses. The phenomena observed were: – spirituous bitter taste, increased secretion of mucus and saliva, warmth and burning from mouth to stomach; rare eructations; slight disgust; retarded evacuations; confusion and pain in head; slight vertigo; restless sleep and lively dreams; cloudiness and illusions of sight; ringing in ears; weariness and disinclination for exertion; urine generally darker, in two cases of resinous smell. In one person eruption of pimples broke out on face. (Zeitsch. d. k.k. Gesell. d. Aertze zu Wien., Dec., 1844.)
3. SCHNELLER, one of the above, gives following details: –
3 a. Of extr. he began with 10 gr., increased daily by 10 gr., so that last dose was 100 gr. Took altogether 550 gr. Up to 60 gr. gastric symptoms predominated, viz.: disgust, eructations, rumbling in belly, oppression of stomach, white tongue, discharge of flatus from bowels, flying stitches in right leg, and 3 hours after taking medicine a peculiar burning, with increased redness, of face. Whilst taking 70 – peculiar burning with increased redness, of face. Whilst taking 70 – 100 gr., pimples and pustules appeared on face, especially in frontal and temporal regions; on cheek, ala nasi, and upper lip of left side especial they came in groups of 3 or 4. 16 were present at same time; besides these there appeared a small boil about middle of right under-jaw. As pustules on face dried up fresh ones appeared, which after leaving off medicine disappeared in a few days. Urine was increased and stools dark coloured; there was also slight confusion of head.
3 b. Of tinct. (prepared according to Hahnemann’s formula) he commenced with 5 dr., increasing, for first 6 day, by 5 dr. daily, afterwards by 10,20, and 30 dr., so that he took 140 dr. the last day, altogether 625 dr. While taking first 3 doses he noticed feeling of burning in gullet, empty eructations, some increase of mucus in fauces, increased heat of face, urine and faeces somewhat increased, seep restless. During doses of 20 – 50 dr., burning and eructations increased, taste was insipid, tongue furred white, secretion of mucus in hot mouth increased; in mucous membrane of lower lip a vesicle, filled with limpid serum, appeared, which, after bursting, grew flat and vanished; there was besides pressive frontal and occipital headache Under the last doses of 70 – 140 dr. appeared drawing pain in muscles of chest and back, as also in teeth; also papular exanthema with red base on upper lip and right cheek; disgust, eructation, fulness in abdomen; burning in urethra, frequent call to micturate, with increased secretion of pale clear urine; sleep restless. ( Ibid. 1846, ii, 405.)
4. Dr. TESTE proved 6th dil on 4 persons, a globule being taken in morning for 2 or 3 days, afterwards more or less frequently.
4 a. Mr. A., aet.37, nervous and irritable, subject to muscular pains, intestinal irritations, and leucophlegmasia; generally very sensitive to medicinal action. In 10 minutes after 1st dose profuse emission yellow and foaming urine, like beer. In 1/2 hour dull, deep-seated pain in renal region. In 1 hour pain at right shoulder, and sore-throat as from a cold; pressure on rectum and urging to stool (unusual at this time), with active appetite. In 3 hours itching of eyes,, lachrymation in open air, and oppression of chest when walking. In 4 hours another emission of foaming urine; neuralgic pain at left eyebrow; trembling of head and hands; tension in both iliac fossae; itching at hips when walking, as if sweat would break out, though temperature is pretty cool. In 5 hours burning pain at the tip of left elbow; numbness of both hands. In 6 hours (2 p. m.) sort of general numbness, with somnolence, unconquerable aversion to movement, and confusion of ideas as if one were half asleep, without shuddering or increase of temperature of surface. These symptoms disappeared gradually about 3, nothing remaining but dull pain in lumbar region (which continues until night), lachrymation as before, and (now and then) itching and slight smarting at orifice of urethra. In evening in bed, before falling asleep breathing in both temples, sense as of strong determination of blood to throat and upper chest; a few dull beatings in these parts followed by cutting pains in lower abdomen. 2nd days urine natural several small thin stools, preceded by a few slight cutting pains; slight irritation of throat (not felt while swallowing), causing occasional small paroxysms of cough, with spasm of glottis during expiration; burning continuous pain at spot size of dollar to left of sternum, two inches below clavicle. At 2 p. m. similar paroxysms to yesterday’s but not so long and intense as on 3rd day. In morning on waking, eyes swollen and agglutinated; slight rheumatic or contusive pain here and there in upper part of body, with a few red indolent pimples; towards midday, at seat of burning pain (which continues) a red spot appears; later, similar sensation at points of shoulder, trunk, and arms (very unpleasant, and continuing till end of proving); same drowsiness about 3 p. m.; two light-coloured stools; irritation and cough as yesterday; in evening in bed pressive stitch in right temple, ceasing when lying on affected side, but immediately recurring on turning round, for 1/2 hour 4th day, throat sore in morning, velum feels elongated; cough as before; skin on chest and neck feels dry and as if bruised. About 1:30 p. m. dull and heavy deep seated pain in whole right chest and shoulder, without cough, but with embarrassed respiration; this pain, which is at times accompanied with dull beatings in chest, does not allow him to draw a long breath, bust is not perceptibly aggravated by motion of arm; it is particularly felt in axilla an under shoulder – blade; there is a sort of numbness of the muscles in right hypochondrium and whole right side of face, neck, and head; he apprehends pneumonia imminent, has great anxiety and constant restless. This painful state lasts 1 hour, and decreases gradually, returning about 6:30, after a good dinner, which he relished, and commencing with vertigo. 6th day, slight paroxysm of dyspnoea about 2 p. m.; red rounded spots on palmar side of forearm, of size of half a franc, accompanied with burning pain; no stool; lachrymation in open air.7th day, irritation of throat on waking; hollow and infrequent cough; prostration no appetite. Intolerable pain in heels as if these parts had been wounded by too narrow and too short shoes (this symptoms had existed slightly for 3 or 4 days. previous); red indolent pimples, here and there, on thighs and buttocks; other cutaneous symptoms become more and more intolerable. At 1 p. m. chest again affected; deep-seated pain in right side as from an abscess; pulsation under upper sternum, synchronous with pulse; respiration embarrassed as if the air passages were filled with a foreign substance; dry skin without any increase of heat; pulse 86; no cough; hapless anxiety than day before, but more prostration. Region of liver slightly painful to pressure. Painful numbness at right hip and knee.
From this period experiment was carried on at intervals only, with very vague results, previous symptoms disappearing almost immediately.
4 b. Mrs. A- (No.3 of Cedron., q. v.). 1st day, at 8 a. m., 1/4 after 1st dose vague pressive pain in right shoulder; extremely profuse emission of whitish forming urine. 8:30, dull, sometimes throbbing pain in loins; painful pressure, just below right ankle, and same kind of pain in right heel, rendering walking painful (it feels as if part had been bruised by tight and hard shoes, but no relief is given by taking off shoes). II, sore-throat, as from taking cold another emission of foaming urine. 2 p. m. for 1/2 hour, drowsiness so marked, even in open air, that she is near falling asleep while walking. 4:30, weight in forehead. 5, at dinner, unusual and marked aversion to cold things; she does not drink on this account. After dinner luxation pain in left hip, which scarcely allows her to walk; pain in ankle becomes as from a sprain. About 8, while walking, pain in hip extends to knee, which is so painfully affected by it that whole joint feels as if dislocated. In evening bed, slight oppression of chest; still some irritation, with occasional spasmodic feelings, in throat before falling asleep. 2nd day, sore – throat on waking; lassitude in extremities; white – coated tongue, not much appetite; slight drowsiness about 2 p. m.; a little oppression and loose cough about 6 p. m. luxation pain in knee and foot continues; is peevish. 3rd days, sore – throat worse, with a little cough now and then; coated tongue, not much appetite; benumbing pain in whole right side of chest; a red, flat, not very apparent spot between breasts, with burning itching. Some dyspnoea from 1:30 to 2 p. m.; apathy the rest of day; at dinner every thing she eats seems to taste badly; night less quiet; a little dry heat on thing she eats seems to taste badly; night less quiet; a little dry heat on skin. 4th day, slight of right eye misty on walking; acute neuralgic pain at right temple (before dose). An unforeseen journey interrupted experiment.
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.