22 b. P. M.- Sixteen hour after death he was examined by Mr. Brodie and myself, in the presence of Mr. Maynard, the house surgeon, and several of the pupils of the hospital. With exception of right arm, which had been bitten, body had a natural appearance; skin was clear and white. Wounds made by fingers at root of thumb were healed, abut puncture made by lancet at back of wrist was still open. That part of back of hand which immediately surrounded wound made by fangs for extent of 1 1/2 in every direction, as also whole of palm, was in a natural state, except that there was a small quantity of extravasated blood in cellular membrane. The orifice of the abscess was so enlarged as to form a sore on outside of arm, elbow and forearm, nearly 6 in. in length; round this skin was state of mortification more than half way up outside of arm and as far downwards on outside of forearm. Skin still adhered to biceps flexor muscle of arm and flexor muscles of forearm by a dark-coloured cellular membrane. Everywhere else in arm and forearm, from axilla downwards in was separated from muscles, and between these parts there was a dark- coloured fluid with an offensive odour, and sloughs of cellular membrane resembling wet two floating in it. The muscles had their natural appearance everywhere except on the surface that was next to the abscess. Beyond the limits of the abscess blood was extravasated into the cellular membrane, and this appearance was observable on right side of back as far as loins, and on right side of chest over serratus major anticus muscle. Within thorax lungs had their natural appearance. the exterior part of the loose fold of the pericardium, where it is exposed on elevating the sternum was dry, resembling a dried bladder. Cavity of pericardium contained about half an ounce of serous fluid which had a frothy appearance from the admixture of bubbles of air. On cutting into the aorta a small quantity of fluid escaped and had a similar appearance. Cavities of the heart contained coagulated blood. In abdomen cardiac portion of stomach was moderately distended with fluid; lower portion was rather constricted; internal membrane had its vessels very turgid with blood. Intestines and liver had livid appearance. Within cranium, vessels of pia mater and brain were turgid with blood; ventricles continued rather more serum than is usual, and some was effused into cells connecting pia mater and arachnoid. (Sir EVERARD HOME, Phil. Trans., 1810, i, 75.).
Experiments on animals
Four dr. of pure venom, which had been preserved in glycerine, were dissolved in 3j of distilled water, and poured down throat of a kitten about 10 a. m. Kitten shortly afterwards began to tremble, and did so quite visibly for 5 morning; at 6 morning it mewed quite distressingly, and appeared very uncomfortable. After 8 morning. it crouched down, and partially closed its eyes. After 12 morning it lay down, and remained quiet and loath to be roused up;after 20 morning it revived a good deal, and seemed very much distressed, and on room door being opened ran away as if frightened. The distress and restlessness continued, and at 30th morning on being taken back into room, it lay down as if dull, heavy, stupid and sleepy, and on being petted, it appeared snappish. It remained much the same for the day, and in evening it vomited, which it had never done before. Next day it appeared somewhat dull, quiet, and snappish, but nothing otherwise wrong. (HAYWARD, op. cit.)
2. I injected under skin of right shoulder of a kitten 1 dr. of Ix dil. with 4 dr. of distilled water at 10 a. m. After 2 morning her right foreleg appeared to be in great pain, and she held it up, and mewed distressingly and continuously; she passed into a corner and sat on root of her tail; then, keeping her right paw off table, she pushed herself backwards; then tried to walk about, which she did with difficulty; she then crept to a towel and sat upon it. After 3 morning more she moved again to the corner, and sat on root of her tail; then, keeping her right paw off table, she pushed herself backwards; then tried to walk about, which she did with difficulty; she then kept to a towel and sat upon it. After 3 minutes more she moved again to the corner, and sat down panting and breathing laboriously; she appeared restless, moved about for a while, and then sat down quiet and closed her eyes, still holding her leg up. After 4 morning more the again pushed herself backwards into the corner; and after another 3 morning she was again restless and pawed at her throat and mouth, as if they were uncomfortable; her mewing was evidently weaker; she breathed quickly and closed her eyes, but after another 2 morning her respiration became more quick, her eyes remaining closed. After a few morning more she stretched herself out and lay quiet. I was now called out and had to leave her for 3 hours. I returned at 2:15 p. m., and found her looking lively and apparently nearly all right again. She had passed urine. At 2:20 I injected 5 dr. of Ix, with 5 dr. of distilled water, under skin of her back. Within 2 morning she trembled all over and breathed very rapidly, and refused to walk about even when urged to do so; she became quiet and stupid, and after 3 morning more lay down on her belly; after another 2 morning, on being roused, she moved sideways, and mewed distressingly. I had now to leave her again. On returning after 3 hours. I found her dead. The only local evidences of the poison were some softening and discoloration at the points of injection. She was not opened. (Ibid.).
3. “This manoeuvre…secured the passage of the venom – 2 dr. with a little water – into the smaller bronchi, and perhaps even into the air-vesicles themselves. A good deal of wheezing and coughing ensued, and within the 10 morning the pigeon became drowsy, rocked to and fro, and at the close of 38 morning fell down. Convulsions followed at 43rd morning, and terminated in death at 49th morning. P. M. – No lesions were visible, except in lungs, both of which contained large extravasations of dark blood, soaked through their sinuses to such an extent as to make it impossible to say whether or not it was fluid or coagulated. Another pigeon was treated in same manner. Death, without precedent convulsions, took place at the close of 8 1/2 hours. P. M. – Blood was diffluent in every locality examined, and left lung contained a large extravasation of dark blood. ” (WEIR MITCHELL, from Ibid.).
4. A small quantity of dired venom was inserted into the muscles of the back. On inspection 21 hours afterwards, the frog was found seated and quiet. During 1/2 hour no respiration occurred. Upon touching eye frog breathed once and moved its entire body, after which no further motion could be provoked. ( Ibid.)
5. A cat was chloralised, and part of mesentery placed under microscope on warm stage. Crot. poison, diluted with water, was then applied to monetary, and effects watched. The white corpuscles were observed to cling in quantities to the walls of the vessels, and as the current of blood hurried through them, some masses of pale matter, like aggregations of white corpuscles, were observed to pass with the stream; very soon marked extravasation of red corpuscles took place, and to the naked eye the mesentery became discoloured by patches of ecchymosis in the course of the small blood-vessels, like the foliage on the branches of a tree. There could be no doubt that the local action of the poison had a marked effect in producing extravasation of blood. (BRUNTON AND FAYRER, Proc. Roy. Soc., xxiii, 1875.)
6. a. Quarter of a grain (0:15 gramme) of dried crotalus venom was carefully weighed and diluted with 10 dr. of distilled water, and injected into peritoneal cavity of a full-grown guinea pig at 1.52 p. m. 1:55, muscular twitchings of head and neck. 2 p. m.starting and twitchings continue. It gives faint squeaks occasionally, as though the sudden startings which occur at intervals of 5 or 6 seconds cause pain. 2.5, twitchings continue. 2.8, very restless; twitchings going on, but no paralysis yet. 2.17, the same. 2:25, restless and weaker, but still moves freely on being roused. 2.42, sluggish; drags the hind legs. 2.58, weaker; rolls partially over on one side, but can run when roused. 3.3, lying on side, but can be roused; is partially paralysed in hind legs. Respiration abdominal and hurried. 3.5, nearly quite paralysed; is roused with difficulty. 3.7, can still be roused. Abdomen distended and painful; cries out when it is touched as though peritonitis was setting in. 3.12, can be roused with difficulty; respiration hurried; convulsive movements of forelegs and neck. Can still stagger a few paces, but co- ordination of muscular power much diminished. 3:30, in violent convulsions. 3.38, convulsions continue. 3:45, quiet; paralysed, but reflex action still continues. 3:55, dead (in 2 hours 3 morning.).
6 b. P. M.- 3.56, electrodes in cord cause twitchings of muscles of the back, and very slightly in those of the legs; the cord was evidently all but paralysed. Muscular fibre contracts freely to direct stimulus of current. Intestines were ecchymosed and congested. There were effusions of red serum into peritoneal cavity, and much ecchymosis of peritoneum and subperitoneal and intramuscular areolar tissue. Peristaltic action continued faintly. 4 p. m., heart has ceased to contract 4 morning after apparent death; it continued to contract, especially the auricles, for part (not the whole) of the time. The blood removed from the heart cavities and vena cava rapidly formed a firm coagulum in a glass receiver. The electrodes applied to the sciatic showed that the nerve-trunk, as well as the spinal cord, was paralysed. (Ibid.)
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.