8. A lady, aet.76, under treatment for flatulent dyspepsia and weak heart, took at 9:30 am. for hiccough (which had been troublesome during n.) 2 dr. of 1x, solution of K. bich. Almost immediately after dose nausea came on, she felt weak and was obliged to lie down. At 11 a. m., was found very prostrate; face drawn, pale, and covered with cold clammy sweat; pulse very weak; hands cold, and bathed in cold sweat; frequent vomiting of pure–yellow bile, with little mucus, preceded by much nausea and retching, and followed by sharp hiccough; involuntary liquid stools had also passed as she lay dressed on the bed. she complained of raw rasping sensation in throat, pains in stomach, and feeling of internal coldness in stomach and bowels, which was very distressing. She had no sensation of superficial coldness. Under ars. alb. 1, 1/4 dr. every 15 minutes, symptoms had much improved in 1 hour, but very decided rigors were then occurring every few m. These were checked by camphor, and under the ars. reaction was soon complete. (H. NANKIVELL, M. Hom. Rev., xiv, 419.)
9. Given in small doses – 0.1 to 0.5 grm. in secondary syphilis it causes at times repeated retching and vomiting, moderate colic and a little diarrhoea, with expression of uneasiness in face; breathing may be somewhat difficult, pulse filiform, scarcely perceptible, and somewhat slow; sudden transient cramps in lower limbs and back of neck; surface generally cold, especially on limbs. (JAILLARD, Gaz, Medorrhinum de Strasb., 1861.)
10. groups of symptoms observed in those employed in chrome works. They are exposed to its influence chiefly in the form of solution (of K. bich.), of vapour from solution, of dust of the salt and of the chrome ore.
10 a. Youth, aet. 16, was seized with violent pain in the parietal region above and behind temples in spot size of crown piece. Pain was felt chiefly at n. and subsided during day, coming on again violently at same hours in evening (about sunset). a swelling soon formed at seat of pain; great more in night and went down a little in day; in a week to its height, and was about size of egg. It was the quite hard and not tender. Pains was confined to lump, and was of stabbing character and as
if head were opening. It lasted in all about 2 mo., and then pains and swelling went away without any suppuration or softening. (it was carefully ascertained that this lad never had syphilis or mercury.)
10 b. For first few days there is discharge of clear water from nose, with sneezing, chiefly ongoing into open air; then soreness and redness of nose, with sensation of foetid smell. then comes great pain and tenderness, most at junction of cartilages, and septum ulcerates quite through, while nose becomes obstructed by repeated formation of hard elastic plugs (called by workman “clinkers”). finally, membrane loses its sensibility and remains dry, with septum gone, and frequently loss of smell for years.
10 c. Man, aet. 30, had for 3 mop. ulceration of throat, tonsils and fauces covered with pultaceous-coloured lining, surrounding m. m. brown, livid, and tumefied. Pulse 120, small and contracted; violent thirst; loss of sleep; tongue dry, clean and red; deglutition difficult; anaemia, exhaustion, and emaciation. It was pronounced syphilitic in spite of patient’s denial, until his occupation was found to be that of chrome worker, and other workmen were found suffering in same way.
10 d. On rising in morning heaviness and giddiness, increased on stooping relieved by walking about; relaxed uvula and injected fauces without any uneasy feeling distension of stomach, sour eructations, flatulence; disposition to constipation, and when that exists general symptoms are aggravated; urine red, with pain across back; oppression at pit of stomach, with smarting burning pain, followed by expectoration of tough, light – coloured sputa; complexion pale and yellowish; l feverishness in first part of night.
10 e. Man, aet. 36. For months following symptoms: – Frequent throbbing headache at angles of forehead, in small spot, with dimness of sight; tongue dry and thickly coated in morning, with nauseous taste in mouth; eyes swelled up and heavy in morning; shortness of breath, as if something were tied round upper belly, so that he cannot take deep breath, – equal in all position and circumstances, without cough or pain in chest. In beginning of summer, for several successive years since employed at works, has had dysenteric attacks lasting about 3 weeks; frequent bloody motions with gnawing pain at navel, followed by ineffectual straining; tongue smooth, red, cracked.
10 f. Man, aet. 21. After having worked for about a week was attacked with papular rash, chiefly affecting arms, which, however, lasted 2 or 3 days only. Health gradually declined, nose ran much, and septum is destroyed. Continued to work (6 mo.) until 5 weeks ago, when he had to leave with following symptoms: – pain in back from lumbar region to nape, through to sternum, with oppression at chest; dyspnoea and cough, at first dry, but speedily followed by expectoration of dark coloured very tough mucus. General appearance anaemic; tongue covered at root with thick yellowish fur; tonsils and fauces erythematous.
10 g. Aet. 47. Health before working always good, but in a fortnight seized with tightness across chest, oppression and dyspnoea, attended with hard dry cough lasting 6 weeks, when expectoration of dark grey mucus of consistence of white of egg came on. Soreness of chest exists at present, and he still feels much oppressed on making any exertion. Has febrile paroxysms. nigh and morning; tongue thickly coated at root with yellowish – white fur, and he complains of indigestion, load at stomach, educations of flatus and acid matter; bowels always costive, requiring frequent cathartics which produce, temporary relief; has dull aching pains in loins, and urine is of brownish hue.
10 h. Soon after he came to works, and continuing for months, violent cough, proceeding as if from small spot in epigastrium, painful to touch; loud wheezing cough for 5 minutes at time, with retching and expectoration of tough mucus, so viscid that it can be drawn in strings down to feet; immediately on waking, violent wheezing and panting, then violent cough, causing him to sit up and bend forward on lying down at night, and in sleep cough is absent, but he has then wheezing and rattling in chest, heard at a distance; after meals, swelling and heaving of stomach, and cough comes on. Cough is accompanied by pains in loins and sides, causing him to hold them; after it pain and swimming in forehead, almost causing him to fall. Also, weight in head; weak digestion, so that stomach is disordered by any but mildest food; dislike to meat and indigestion after it, hand habitual constipation; emaciation, aged look, and great weakness, so that he was obliged to give up work.
10 i. Aet. 19. We seized with pain as from knife through loins, suddenly in afternoon, so that he could hardly walk. Was with difficulty helped home; had great pain all night, and could not sleep more than 1 hour; it continued even when still, but was greatly aggravated by moving or turning; frequent desire for micturition, urine scanty and reddish. From some nitre he was somewhat relieved, so that he could go back to work next day, but remained with pain in back and scanty urine for a fortnight.
10 j. In 7 days vesicular eruption on red and elevated base (itching and burning much, especially when exposed to steam), in a few days becoming pustular; invading hands, arms, face, and belly. Near umbilicus some spots evidently of abraded vesicles, presenting a deep hollowed appearance, which remains after they are headed.
10 k. In a few days an eruption of red round spots broke out on back, arms, and belly; spots then formed pustules size of pea, covered with scab which came off in a few days and left small dry ulcer, which mostly healed up in about a fortnight, leaving a colourless depressed cicatrix. After 3 mo. there still remained an irregular ulcer, twice size of bean, with scab, on left scapula, quite out of reach of contact of solution. It is dry and superficial l. Itchiness of forearms and hands, then intolerable pain and formation of numerous ulcers, from which above a dozen nearly solid masses of matter fell on striking arm firmly. Ulcers were left clean dry cavities, which gradually filled up and healed in about a month, leaving white cicatrices. (Four days after commencing use of solution.). (Mat. Medorrhinum, Phys. and Applied, vol. i, art. Kali bichromicum.)
11 a. The same. Man, aet. 20. For first few months had characteristic pustule eruption and rheumatic pains, or, as the workmen expresses it, “it got into the bones; ” shooting and pricking in all limbs, worse in morning, when he was quite stiff and could hardly rise. inflammation of eyelids, with yellow discharge and agglutination in morning. Bad appetite, coppery taste, great thirst, ulceration of inner surface of lips. Swelling and pain of nose, with discharge from it, ulceration of septum, frequent sneezing; ulcers on hands; sciatica.
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.