7. J. MCK., aet. 22, 3 weeks since contracted a first gonorrhoea, for which he used injections of sulphate of zinc. These arrested the discharge for a time, but it returned, and he began to take the oil of C. May 19th. – He took 2 tablespoonfuls, having taken one on 2 or 3 days previously. After each dose he vomited a little. On 20th discharge stopped; he had a rigor, and noticed his face swollen and red. went to business without taking food. On 21st had great thirst, nausea, vomiting, complete anorexia, restlessness, with increased swelling and redness of face. Arms and legs, and finally body, became red and swollen. When seen I found whole body oedematous; face of dusky yellowish- red colour; oedema worst about eyelids, which could not be opened; some sticky discharge at margins of eyelids; surface of skin on face and neck raised rather like measles. This is more observable where raised eruption terminates, next the hair and at lower parts of neck. Over body is a dark red smooth eruption, studded with innumerable points of a deeper colour scattered over surface. Hands and feet somewhat resembled face in appearance. Throat was inflamed, of dusky redness, with oedema of uvula; no difficulty in swallowing. Complained of no pain, but of feeling very ill; was sick and restless, and had no sleep, tossing about all night. There was no difficulty in passing water, which was rather dark in colour. Intense thirst; tongue very foul, fur yellowish-white and thick; bowels not moved for 2 days. Temp. 104o; pulse 140, small and thready. in evening, temp. 103o; pulse 130, stronger; has felt head going round during day and slight sore throat; penis oedematous; bowels moved slightly; otherwise much the same. 23rd. – M., temp. 101.6o; pulse 108, stronger. Eyelids can be opened, showing conjunctivitis, with smarting, and copious, slightly purulent discharge; small vesicles, like sudamina, with more opaque contents, began to appear last night over face, hands an feet; otherwise better. E., temp. 102.2o; pulse 100; increase of vesicular eruption, which is now more general; urine examined, but nothing abnormal found. 24th. – Oedema and vesicles subsiding, save on back of hands, where latter are large and purulent; photophobia and lachrymation very great; on looking into eyes slight erosions of the conjunctiva seem to have occurred. E., eyes same, tears very smarting; otherwise improving; 25th.–Has not slept during night from short dry cough, but all symptoms better. 26th-still improving; epidermis desquamating generally; has scratched it off back of hands, leaving them sore; eyes well. 27th. – Convalescent save for desquamation.
He had for treatment acon., bell., rhus., and merc. corr., with, for first 24 hours, 3j of brandy every 2 hours. (W. A. KENNEDY, Monthly hom. rev., xx, 479.)
8. a. When the dose has been unduly large, it occasions some heat and tenesmus in urinating, as well as a frequent desire to pass water, and even haematuria, [*”I saw, ” says Kraus, “haematuria brought on by it, followed by very dangerous ischuria of 36 h standing, almost instantaneously relieved by a poultice of hyoscyamus over the genital organs” (PEREIRA, OP. cit.*] and at the same time a feverish excitement of the whole system, fulness and frequency of pulse, headache, and thirst.
8 b. Its cutaneous eruptions were first noted in 1814, by Montegre, who described certain red spots as appearing on the skin whenever the urethral discharge was suspended. Delpech noticed a miliary eruption connected with gastric disturbance. Arm strong also observed itching and an eruption of the skin produced by C. In 1828, Dr. Hewson, of Philadelphia, published a notice of several such cases. IN two of them the eruption resembled urticaria, and in two others it had the character of roseola.
8 c. As regards the action of c. upon the nervous system, it may be stated that Ricord met with cases in which too large a dose, or the untimely administration of the medicine, occasioned alarming symptoms. In one temporary hemiplegia was produced, which ceased upon the occurrence of a rubeoloid eruption; and in another an attack of convulsions terminated in like manner. Macotri observed a case in which large doses produced rigidity of the muscles of the trunk, and partial paralysis of the facial muscles. (STILLE, op. cit.)
9. The effects of C. upon the respiratory tract are shown, according to Ricord, by its producing irritation in the larynx and the bronchi; dryness also in the larynx, huskiness in the chest, and dry and painful cough, in connection with which there is expectoration of a semi-purulent, greenish, and nauseously smelling mucus. (PHILLIPS, op. cit.)
10. Very serious injury may be done to the gastro-intestinal canal, and to the kidneys, by the use of this agent in too large doses. The author has known gastro-intestinal catarrh to persist many months after a course of the balsam; and he has reason to believe that desquamative nephritis and fibroid kidney have resulted from its red administration for a lengthened period. (BARTHOLOW, op. cit.)
11. C. f.-, aet. 43, july 10th, 1846. Was quite well till 3 weeks ago, when he contracted gonorrhoea, for which he took from a druggist a copaiva mixture, after a time doubling the doses prescribed. Urethral discharge had in a few day entirely ceased, when a new rain of symptoms set in, – much pain in lumbar region, urine scanty and very high coloured. When he presented himself at the infirmary his legs and thighs wee oedematous, besides a little effusion into abdomen. his urine was of a smoky colour, and very albuminous. He soon recovered under treatment. no other cause of renal dropsy was traceable. ( Medorrhinum Times, xix, 144).
12. It is now some years since I expressed my belief that the so-called “gonorrheal rheumatism” originates from the administration of c.; and I take this opportunity of stating that further appearance and observation have confirmed this opinion. I had, last February, under my care a gentleman, aet.19, of a strumous habit of body, labouring under gonorrhoea, for which he had been ordered a C. mixture, two day after taking which he was attacked by acute rheumatism in knees and feet, which rendered him a complete cripple. He had been in this miserable state a fortnight when he applied to me. I immediately ordered him to discontinue the C., and substituted the iodide of potassium with sarsaparilla; he was almost immediately relieved and shortly cured. (MADDOCK, Lancet, 1838-9, ii, 337)
13. S. C-, March 28th, 1827, came under treatment with urethritis. Balsam of c. was administered in doses of 15 gradually increased to 35 dr 3 times a day. April 5th. – Yesterday he suffered anorexia, and afterwards felt nauseated. 6th. – This morning on waking he found his head, face, body, arms, hands legs, feet, and even palms and soles, thickly studded by a bright crimson papular eruption. On the inner portions of the skin it is slightly elevated into little prominences, so that each cone can be distinctly felt on passing the hand over it. They appear to be numerous, and so thickly set on inflamed bases as to render him quite crimson, and they tingle excessively. This eruption had barely disappeared by the 15th. (JUDD, Urethritis and Syphilis p.47)
14. H. R. -, aet. 28, took for gonorrhoea each day, for 8-10 day, 4 to 6 capsules of C. (=1 grm. 20-1 grm. 80). Heat, irritation, and erythema of surface supervening, he left it off, but after a time resumed it in same manner. The eruption which now appeared was a modified pemphigus, and was generalized over the whole body, commencing at the flexure of the joints. Where the skin was thin the bullae aborted, but where it was thicker they were regularly raised and more or less lasting. There was much anasarca of the limbs. The discharge from the patches deprived of their epidermis was excessive, of an offensive odour, and very viscid. After 6 weeks of emollient treatment the pemphigus disappeared in a general desquamation. (HARDY, Moniteur des Hopitaux, 1869, p. 141.).
Experiments on animals
1. According to Mitschelich, the oil is poisonous to rabbits in doses of 3j or more. The symptoms produced by it are hurried breathing and palpitation of the heart, restlessness, frequent micturition, loose alvine discharges, which at length become mucus and blood, and finally death by asthenia. The gastro- intestinal mucous membrane after death does not exhibit inflammation, but only a partial destruction of the epithelium. (STILLE, op. cit.).
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.