15 b. February 11th, gr. j. and 12th, gr. ij pulv. herbae con. On both day symptoms similar to those of January 21st appeared, also stitches in glans penis, anxious feeling in heart and quicker heart’s beats, and profuse epistaxis at 7 and 9 p. m. – 13th Gr. 3 caused similar symptoms till 15th. – 14th, 5:30 p. m., anxious heat’s beats and epistaxis, visible twitching of muscles in ball of left little finger and in left cheek, long continued; urine turbid, red sediment. – 15th, 5 a. m., severe burning in skin of right temple, then on top of left thumb and at the sizes of its nail. Later, especially evening, the usual pains in joints, bones, belly, thorax, loins. – 16th, 4 gr. – 17th. – 18th, 6 gr. On all these day, in addition to usual symptoms, there occurred: The eye affection mentioned on November 22nd stitches in penis, sexual excitement without erection; under nail of right index a pain as if part were torn and the nail forced upwards, repeated visible twitching in left thumb ball and left cheek, internal cold feeling and numbness from thigh to foot, increased sweat on genitals, forcing out sensation in right groin, jerking starting. Soon after taking the dose persistent dilation of pupils, feeling as if the whole body tended to the right much burning on lips and tongue. Painful burning and sensitiveness of skin of back and left forearm (less on right forearm) even to the slightest touch, all 18th and 19th, compression in root of penis (also on 20th), shooting in right nipple. Numbness of both heels wit pricking as from needles when sitting; crawling under skin of right cheek to corner of mouth; itching in backs of toes and fingers, burning and sensitiveness of skin on side of left little finger with redness of the part almost all day. These symptoms and the former pains gradually went off by the 21st, All symptoms aggravated till 10 or 11 a.. and from 4 to 9 p. m.,, also 11 and 12 p. m.; they rarely occurred at night Symptoms generally worse when sitting then when walking, more in room than in open air. (LEMBKE, Allg. h. Ztg., xlvii, 177, 185.).
16. 5 p. m., health good, [*Complete sexual continence had lasted for thirty days*] pulse 65, took 10 drops 2x in 1/2 ox. water. Soon flashings followed by repeated itching in various part 5.5, cramp in right 3rd finger prevents writing easily itching returns. 5.7 twitching of left eyelid, drawing in left forearm. 5.12, flushing with sweat on forehead; itching nostrils, pinching over left hip; watery yes. 5:15, itching in hairy parts, especially scrotum; this was followed by erection of penis, no sexual desire or other cause. 5:35, perspiration in axilla, offensive; itching of anus; drawing in right tibia; sneezed, nose stuffed. 5:45 pulse 84; salivation; much mucus in throat; sexual excitement returns without provocation. 6:10 slight griping in bowels; itching scrotum, it seems swollen. 6:40, drawing in left spermatic cord; no appetite for dinner. 7, pulse 90; walking across room sends it up to 110, with slight dyspnoea in right arm as if bound. 8:10, slight headache; much distension of bowels and flatus; testes heavy and sore; free urine. 9:30 called to urinate, drubbing afterwards; desire to sit erect; cannot breathe easily when stooping; itching very annoying; extreme voluptuous desires during night; coitus attended by spasmodic respirations and musk-like odour from axilla; great exhaustion followed. 2nd day, woke with catarrhal obstruction of head and throat; incontinence of urine and marked languor during morning; usual appetite and stood; easy sweats. 10 a. m.occasional sneezing; pulse 90 2 p. m., no appetite; mind dull; sleepy and languid; disposed to diarrhoea; itching at intervals p. m., exercise develops a weak back, lumbar region eels disjoined. 5:30 urgent liquid stool; violent tenesmus, followed by sweats; much sexual excitement during p. m. without cause (A.W. WOODWARD, M. D., communicated).
17. a. After moderate doses the interference of vision is only such as results in haziness, as if a thin film of transparent voir were floating between the eye and the object; the effect being identical with that observed on looking through a medium of unequal density, such as the mixture of hot and old air enveloping a highly heated stove. It occurs independently of
any dilation of the pupil and is compatible with good for fixed objects. It is due to imperfect adjustment of the refracting media of the eye from partial paralysis of the ciliary branches of the third nerve. It is through these minute branches that the individual first becomes conscious of the effect of hemlock; and if he should be reading at the time he will suddenly find the occupation fatiguing, and, very soon afterwards, it may be impossible; and he will be glad to close the eyes to relieve himself of the symptom, and as the muscular lethargy begins to be felt, content to lie perfectly still as if asleep.
17 b. In full doses, the depressing influence involves the other branches of the nerve, and the lazy movements of the eyeball, or dull, fixed, and occasionally divergent stare, indicate the partially paralysed condition of the external muscles of the eyeball; while more or less drooping of the upper lids expresses a similar condition of the levator palpebrae. Double vision, from inability to maintain the convergence of the optic axes, except as a very evanescent effect, is a comparatively rare result of the action of hemlock. I have only observed it in a few persons. In one of these, a delicate invalid, confined by weakness and ovarian disease to the recumbent position, 3ij of the succus produced full effects accompanied by double vision. This was a constant symptom – it came on 1/2 hour after taking the medicine, and lasted 20 morning. After having taken the hemlock for 6 mo., she told me as often as I happened to see her during the operation of the medicine that she saw each object in the room double, that my eyes were also doubled, and that she felt as if she were squinting.
18 c. Dilatation of the pupil occurs usually after only very large doses, and then it is often but slight, and only observable in a subdued light – the excitement of strong light overcoming the tendency to dilate, just as the exertion of a strong will strengthens for a time an enfeebled limb. (Harley, op. cit., P. 8).
Poisonings
a. A man who had been fasting all day ate greedily of hemlock leaves between 3 and 4 p. m. Going immediately afterwards to a house about 1/2 mile from his own he staggered, on entering, as if intoxicated. Conversed rationally while there, sitting down, but staggered again on leaving and on returning. Was found by policeman sitting on a doorstep, and said that he had completely lost his sight and had not perfect use of his limbs. Policeman tried to support him, but legs bent under him and he fell upon his knees. On water being given him he could not swallow. Lids (which were closed) being lifted up, eyes were dull. He seemed sensible, and endeavored to say, but could not articulate. Police-surgeon now saw him. “He was sensible when I spoke to him, and tried to turn his face towards me, and slightly raised his eyelids, but appeared unable to speak. His power of motion appeared completely prostrated, for when I lifted his arm and laid it down, it lay where it was put; and when his armpits were tickled he seemed to manifest a little sensibility, but could make no exertion to rid himself of the annoyance. There were occasional movements of the left leg, but they appeared to be rather spasmodic than voluntary. Several efforts were made to vomit, but these were ineffectual. His pulse and breathing were perfectly natural, so also heat of skin. I visited him again about 10 morning to 7, at which time all motion of chest appeared to have ceased; action of heart was very feeble, and countenance had a cadaveric expression; pupils fixed. ” He was then sent to the Infirmary, and on arrival, soon after 7 was found to be dead.
P. M., 63 hours after death. – Unusual quantity of blood flowed from scalp and long. sinus when divided. Slight serous effusion arachnoid and about 3ij of clear serum in lateral ventricles. Substance of brain soft throughout, and on section presented numerous bloody points. Lungs throughout intensely engorged with dark-red fluid points. Heart healthy in structure, but soft and flabby. Blood in cavities mostly fluid, presenting only here and there a few small grumous clots. Kidneys and bladder showed much venous congestion. Spleen soft, easily breaking down under fingers. Mucous membrane of stomach much congested, especially at cardiac extremity, where were numerous extravasation of dark-red blood. Intestines were healthy, here and there presenting patches of congestion in mucous coat. Blood throughout body was of dark colour and fluid. (HUGHES BENNETT, Ed. Medorrhinum and Surg. journ., 1845.)
2. a. Woman, aet. 28, in sixth month of pregnancy, took for dry night cough 13 dr. of succus at 7 p. m. Went to bed about 10 feeling as usual, but awoke about midnight feeling uncomfortable, and with severe headache. Tried to speak to her husband, but felt as if tongue stuck to roof of mouth, and could not open jaws. Headache was a violent pressing squeezing sensation on vertex; there was also severe pain in forehead over eyes, and profuse acrid lachrymation. Pain went down from top of head to sides of jaws, and from thence to below. Left breast, of a sharp stitching character, accompanied by feeling of choking and inability to draw breath. There was a feeling as if something were coming up the throat to choke her. The breathing was so difficult and stridulous that her inspirations could be heard outside the door. Her face was very red and flushed, so much so that a neighbor woman, who had been called in, thought she had erysipelas. The next symptoms were a numb feeling in the lower extremities, with utter want of power to move them; this was followed by a similar state of upper extremities. Along with numb feeling there was sense of stiffness in limbs, different from feeling of powerlessness of motion. The latter, with numbness then extended over whole body, but was not accompanied with coldness of surface. Sensibility of skin was normal, and she was perfectly conscious and saw all that was going on. A cup of tea now taken was vomited. Symptoms went off partially for a time, and then returned as before till about 4 a. m. During latter part of time she was imagining objects in room as figures of dead relatives; was aware of their being illusions, but could not help seeing them. At this time also objects in room seemed to be indistinct, and as if moving about.
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.