4. Miss R -, aet. 17; bitten on left instep, both fangs entering, about 5 p. m., September 20th, 1852. Dr. Atchison reports: “I arrived about 2 1/2 hours after the accident, and found her almost moribund; pulse wavy and scarcely perceptible; surface cold and bathed in perspiration; face swollen, with besotted expression; mind wandering; pupils dilated, and she could not see, declaring it was dark and that candles were burning in the room; asked frequently if it were not raining, although evening was calm and clear. The two little punctures on the instep were visible, and round each there was a greenish areola, with some puffiness. I administered brandy, half a glass at once; and the wound was freely scarified and cupped, and the extremity placed in a hot saline bath. Twenty grains of carbonate of ammonia were given, but immediately thrown up, together with the contents of the stomach, coloured bright grass green. An ordinary glass of whiskey was now given, and the patient drank it with avidity and asked for more. A glass of whiskey and 20 gr. of carbonate of ammonia were given every 1/2 hour alternately, until three pints of the former and 80 gr. of the latter had been administered; and, what is very remarkable, not the slightest intoxication ensued; on the contrary, the urgent and alarming symptoms gave way; warmth returned to surface; pulse returned to wrist; mind was called back from its wanderings; and she fell into a quiet sleep, from which she awoke at 5 a. m., complaining of intense pain in the foot, shooting up inside of leg to knee; for this she had gr. 1/4 of morphia, and fomentation of laudanum and camphor, followed by a poultice of linseed, with the effect of entire relief of the pain; and she as nearly well next day. ” (Ibid., xlviii, 200.)
5. “The subject of this case, ” writes Mr. Baillie, “was a strong muscular Indian peon, aet. 45. He was about one hundred yards from the house when a rattlesnake wounded him. IN a few seconds pain extended up limb, followed by loss of sight and feeling of intoxication. The people observed him throwing his arms about him in a strange and violent manner, calling for assistance, and saying that some animal had bitten him. Before they could reach the place, he fell prostrate on the ground. After 15-20 morning, I found him (7 p. m.) supported between two persons, and completely powerless, having no control over upper or lower extremities; countenance is livid or darker than usual; appears in a lethargic state, requiring to be spoken to in a loud tone, but, when aroused, answers questions distinctly; complains of blindness, and severe pains in right ankle and extending up limbs and all over body. There are two small punctured wounds, situated perpendicularly an inch apart, equi-distant between tendo Achillis and external malleolus. Extremities are cold, and pulse is quite lost at wrists. I directed the wounds to be bathed with lime-juice; and administered pulv. ipecac. comp., gr. x. 7:30, drowsiness has disappeared; he is now able to converse with his companions, the extremities are less cold, and a very slow, small, thread – like pulse is distinguishable; shortly after this he vomited with great violence (he dined at 6). Bowels acted simultaneously, and bladder expelled its contents. It appeared to me that an intense degree of gastro-intestinal irritation existed, manifested by spasmodic contractions of alimentary canal and bladder. Vomiting, tenesmus, and strangury existed without intermission nearly 2 hours; thirst was excessive, and water he drank was immediately ejected, or passed in limpid urine. the quantity of urine secreted was really surprising. Once I endeavored to control the spasms, and gave him tinct. opii, ml, which was not retained. 9:30, vomiting has ceased; complains of pain in stomach and great thirst. Tenesmus and micturition disturb him every few morning. Extremities are not very warm, pulse fuller but slow. Rep. tinct. opii, ml. 10, pulse is improving, extremities are warmer, and pains are less. 11:30, he has passed some blood with mucus per anum, and has also expectorated about half an ounce more of a florid colour with the sputa; he is extremely restless; has thrown off all his clothing, and rolls about in great agony. Pain is now concentrated at epigastrium; fingers are cold, and general temperature of the body is diminishing; pulse is smaller, slow, and sinking. Rep. tinct. opii, mlx. During succeeding hour there was a gradual improvement of all symptoms, and he finally ceased to answer me and fell asleep. Perspiration was suppressed from commencement, inspiration natural, and, until the last hour, voice was clear and sonorous. 12th, 4 a. m., my patient is dressed and sitting in his hammock; pulse is full and quick; he has been perspiring freely, and appears excited and loquacious. Ordered him some strong coffee with milk, and desired the people to leave him. 10 a. m., he has had some sleep, and is much better; complains of pain in arms and wounded ankle; latter is a little swelled and tender. Says that with the right eye he is unable to see objects. He lost power of raising upper lid, owing to levator muscle being paralysed. Conjunctiva is a little injected. There is a red zone a line and a half broad round the cornea. Pupil is extremely contracted, and aqueous humour looks cloudy. Vision of left eye is indistinct, as if a film was interposed between it and the object; conjunctiva is less injected, corneal zone is fainter, pupil is of a grayish colour. To apply lime-juice to forehead and temples frequently. Diet, chicken broth. 13th. – He has passed a good night; pains are relieved; feels shooting pains in wounds; can see a little with right eye. TO have animal food, and remain quiet. 14th. – He is considerably better. The amaurosis is rapidly disappearing; has been walking about the house with the aid of a stick. 15th. – He is quite well; eyes have regained their natural appearance, and vision s perfect. I saw him a month afterwards in good health and condition; he still complained of slight pains or twitchings in the wounded part, and I observed he did not bear the heel firmly on the ground. ” ( Medorrhinum Times, xx, 179.)
6. An Irishman, aet.23. Bitten about 11 a. m., May 18th, 1866, in middle of left palm. The wound was cicatrized with nitrate of silver, and whiskey given. When seen 5 hours afterwards he was found nearly comatose; surface cold; pulse imperceptible at the wrist; heart beats 55 in morning; respirations 14, and laboured. Constant vomiting. Both hands and forearms much swollen and very painful; and glands in left axilla swollen and tender. Ice was applied, and whisky was given by rectum because of the vomiting. Next day, the 19th, there was some cough with expectoration of bloody mucus. The swelling of left forearm had extended to arm, but that of right only to elbow. Pain was ever in left arm, but only moderate in right About wound were several large vesicles filled with very dark bloody serum. He had had several bloody stools, but urine was not bloody. Tongue was swollen to nearly twice its normal size. On the 20th he remained in much the same state, though he had lost the cough, expectoration was not bloody, and there was no blood in stools. On the 21st he remained in much the same state, though he had lost the cough, expectoration was not body, and there was no blood in stools. On the 21st swelling was much less in both arms; he had very little pain and was comparatively well. In course of a few day more swellings and pain had entirely subsided; and he was discharged cured, on 30th. ( N. York Medorrhinum Jour., 1866, ii, 40).
7. Dr. G. E. SHIPMAN bitten in hand. In giving his own case he says that in May, 1846, one morning moving a piece of wood he felt a prick in left palm, and thought he had struck against a sharp splinter. On examination, however, he found he had been bitten by a rattlesnake. He caught the snake and stamped it out of shape, and in his anger threw stones on it until pain became so severe in his hand as to cause him to desist. He then went and told his wife; he remained with her for a while when, the pain increasing all the time, he examined his hand and found two little punctures in palm, and a little blister; pain was intensely burning. He tried Dr. Hering’s plan of dry heat, but pain increased so that he was obliged to give that up, and he became wild. A glass of salt and water being brought to him he drank it off, but observed that there was no taste of salt in it. This might, however, he thinks, have prevented the usual sickness that occurs in these cases, as he was not nauseated in the least. Pain increased all day, and there was intense restlessness, which was worse to bear than even the pain, so that he could neither sit, nor lie, nor stand, but paced up and down the house like one distracted, as indeed he was. He soaked his hand in lye water, and applied plantain and many other things until night. Some time in the course of the night he took a few doses of arsenicum 3 cent. trit; this entirely removed the restlessness, but did not seem to touch the pain at all. The blister in palm had gradually enlarged to size of a good-sized pear; and on being opened the water that filled it scalded the parts it passed over just as boiling water would have done. Hand and arm began to swell during 1st day; and on 2nd day fingers became semiflexed on palm and rigid; hand flexed on forearm and forearm on arm; and all were of a livid colour, black and blue, and cold. He got no sleep until 4th or 5th night, when he put on a bread and milk poultice, after which he slept well as long as he kept the poultice moist, but on its becoming dry, hand became again too painful to allow him to sleep. Skin became extremely dry, so that he had to keep the poultices on for several day, because when skin was dry pain was extreme. The hand desquamated several times, and part of the forearm also. His strength was so much reduced that it was three or four weeks before he felt like himself again. (HAYWARD, 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.