7 g. April 6th. – In order to ascertain the effects of the plant when further developed, I chewed bits of leaves from plants in different habitats. The stem was beginning to grow. In regard to the taste, the following faces were established: 1. The young leaves taste more acrid than the older. 2. The plants in moist hedges have hardly any acridity, even when exposed to the sun. 3. The plants on the sunny side of a high wall immediately after chewing (at 10 a. m.) cause burning in the tongue, nausea, and a scraping sensation in the throat; upon occurrence of which I spat out chewed leaf. In 5 minutes determination of blood to head; sense of empty hollowness in stomach, like that in bulimia, with exhaustion of strength in walking; oppression of chest and difficult respiration; stitch in left kidney on taking deep breath; pain in left shoulder-blade on lower angle, and in left shoulder; stitch in left hypochondrium collection of water in mouth; tensive pain in scrobiculus cordis on deep inspiration. In 1/4 hour tearing in forehead over right eye; fit of coughing without expectoration and without any provocation; sense of heat in bronchial tubes; eructation; burning in upper lip; pain on inner side of right knee; itching anus. IN 1/2 hour after, all sufferings ceased.
7 h. 8th, 9 a. m., took about 1 dr. of milk flowing form plucked leaf stalk of a strong plant on tongue. It caused burning corroding sensation on tongue, followed by nausea and sense of fulness in abdomen. In 5 minutes sense of heat in teeth; pressure like that of a ribbon on forehead and temporal region, and anterior lobes of brain, inside cranium; stitch in border of ribs on left in cardiac region; violent cranium; stitch in border of ribs on left in cardiac region; violent itching on back of right hand near joint of 3rd finger; fit of coughing without expectoration or previous provocations. In 1/2 hour itching pricking sensation in inner canthus of left eye; transient tearing over left eyebrow and then over right in a diagonal direction; pricking pain in left meatus auditorius; pressure in occiput with drawing pain in occipital muscles on left side towards nape; pressure in larynx; slight pricking in tonsils during empty swallowing; pain in occipital muscles on left side towards nape; pressure in larynx; slight pricking in tonsils during empty swallowing; pain in spine between shoulders; weight and pressure in brain eructation. In an hour after experiments no symptoms remained.
7 i. In afternoon I tried experiments with external application. Fresh juice streaked on hand had no effect, except yellow stains very difficult to remove; nor rubbing in tincture on hand. Upon this I rubbed 5 dr. of freshly prepared tincture into each eye. This caused no sensation in lids. The tincture that was put between lids into eye caused burning in eye, especially in caruncula lachrymalis, and sense of heat in eye. In 1 minutes these sensations ceased, and in their stead commenced feeling of freshness and coolness in eye. In 1/2 hour I washed the yellow strained lids (so the fears about the caustic effects on the eyes are unfounded). The soap used for this purpose caused slight burning of outer skin of eyelids In 1/2 hour pressure on forehead and transient tearing over right eye; pain in 3 left upper back teeth on chewing, and pressure also of gum on that side; pressure between shoulder blades in spine. – 9th Pain in teeth as on previous day; towards evening continued pains in them without being touched. A leaf bruised and laid on suffering teeth removed pain for 1/2 hour after which they became very violent till bedtime and extended to left ear. cold water in mouth relieved them. – 10th. Pain in said teeth on pressure all day. On awaking pressive pain n left upper eyelid; conjunctiva of lower eyelid is much reddened. Heaviness and drowsiness all day. – 11th. Awoke with extraordinary perspiration and no cessation of
pain in teeth; tongue coated yellow. (Previously, when suffering from a cold, or, more rarely, from toothache in consequence of a cold, I used to get rid of it when perspiration as well as toothache as medicinal symptoms, which, from the quickly repeated action in various ways on the 8th and 9th, were more continuous than I had intended. Besides, nothing had preceded to account for the pains in teeth, which, more over, had constantly occurred during previous provings) Towards evening tooth pains grew more violent (air had cooled and an icy north – western was blowing); gums very painful to touch in left upper jaw; frequent unusual erections; weariness all day; perspiration immediately on lying down. Awoke about midnight with violent pains in left upper jaw and corresponding molars, drawing to left ear and eye. Because pains hindered sleep, I got up and read till 2, when drowsiness came on and quiet sleep till about 7. -12th, 7 a. m., awoke with toothache (weather as yesterday evening; thermometer at o Cent.;the wind brought some flakes of snow). Tongue thickly coated yellow, with red edges, on which pressure of teeth leaves visible marks; left half of face burns, and its redness ceased 1/2 hour after rising. Drawing pain in left upper jaw, nostril, eye, ear, temple, half of nape, shoulder – blade, and ankle; cold feel in feet, especially left; collection of water in mouth; left upper gum and half of hard palate swollen and red; weariness and drowsiness; pain in palate and gum is aggravated by every movement of mouth; pain in left side of throat on swallowing; stiff neck, left side much thirst; drawing in thorax; no stool as usual soon after rising; small pustules with red border on neck, shoulder, and head, all on left; appetite unaltered; some sleep after dinner. Awoke with confusion and heat of head; every movement of mouth makes pain in the teeth more violent; mouth always full of stringy mucus; pain on swallowing is less remarkable, but violent on left side of palate from pressure on tongue during deglutition; tongue still thickly coated yellow; pulse all day about 100; urine not altered in quality, passed frequently from drinking much water; no stool; tightness of chest, as if compressed by a cuirass; pain in left hollow of knee; outside of neck on left and left cheek swollen and painful on pressure; left ear as if stopped; great languor and feebleness, so that a walk in country had to be given up. Pain in jaw and mouth only permits speaking in a low voice; tongue cannot be fully extruded, nor mouth opened as wide as usual. Looked ill; shivering after drinking water; eyelids fall when writing; shivering chill for some morning on lying down in evening – 13th. General perspiration; tongue not very thickly coated more white than yellow. On left side of hard palate near furthest molar, a whitish coloured tumor of size of bean, out of which, after puncture with lancet, some thick yellow, inodorous and tasteless matter issued pains in teeth, jaws, and palate milder than yesterday; swelling on the neck diminished; stool not till afternoon, very dark brown, consistency normal. At stool anus as if swollen, with pain like a wound in it afterwards. – 14th. Drawing in spermatic cords and testicles; swelling of neck and cheek gone; drawing pain in upper jaw towards; left eye and ear; teeth still a little painful on pressure, also palate when touched with the tongue.
8. Mad.-B-, aet. 32; choleric nervous; hair dark brown; weak muscles, tendency to leanness; can only eat a little at a time, dislikes water and fruit, can only drink water when very thirsty, indigestible food causes acidity of stomach and loss of appetite, wine and old beer agree with her; skin dry, very little inclined to perspire. Till puberty, scrofulous swelling of nose and upper lip, afterwards migraine and spasms of stomach. shortly before menstruation frequent swelling of abdomen and pain in sacrum; had six living children. Cough from taking cold; internal organs healthy; in perfect health at time of proving; mind acute with fine perception; highly sensitive to medicine, even much diluted.
8a. October 28th, 1861, 10 a. m., took 30 dr. of tinct. In 10 minutes unpleasant heat in pit of stomach; jerking of fingers of left hand; jerking in eyelids; sensation of constriction in muscles of nape, as if head were drawn back. In 20 morning weight in back of head; humming in ears, which seem as if stopped; burning in eyes; dryness and sense of constriction in throat, forcing her to swallow; difficulty of swallowing eructation of air; hiccup; cramp in fingers of left hand; often obliged to pass water. In nose sensation as if cold air were streaming through to throat on inspiration in 2 hours had to pass water 6 times in quick succession, in small quality; tearing pains in teeth of left lower jaw, increased by chewing; obliged to take deep breath for 5 morning together; difficulty of breathing; pain in knee; pain like a wound in knee-joints, increased by pressure; feels as if temples were compressed. 7 p. m., tightness of chest; pain in left knee; sensation as if left hand were swollen, benumbed (without feeling) and paralysed, as if she could not bend it; amelioration by rubbing it; several times dry short cough; burning and redness of left cheek; feet as if paralysed; pricking like needles under left heel; burning in left leg; weight and tension of muscles of nape and occiput have gradually ceased; articular surfaces of knee-joint painful on moving, as if injured. About 11 p. m. knee pains cease, but violent pains in occiput set in, with dull pressure and weight; on lying down, she cannot raise her head, but has to lift it with her hands; occiput painful on feeling it, as if it were broken loose from the rest of the cranium; sensation as if head on being raised fell forwards, whilst occiput lay still, held fast by nape; same sensation on awakening frequently in night; otherwise, as if benumbed. 29th, a.m., feeling like a would on under surface of left knee – joint; in walking, she must put out left leg at full length, and, after bending knee, is obliged to extend it slowly, lest the movement should excite violent wound – like pain in joint. Sudden cessation of pains 24 hours after dose. – 31st. Menstruation commenced 2 days too soon; increased, but without any suffering.
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.