18 b. P. M., – Drake was inferred on the 10th. An order by the mayor of the town of Rouen, dated the 12th, was requested by Drs. Pihorel and Desmoulins, and by its permission was obtained for his exhumation. The post-mortem was made at 1 o’clock in the presence of several other physicians; below is the result thereof: The exterior of the body, and its preservation, were normal. The semi-transparent condition of the cornea allowed the pupil to show through, and showed the dilatation which it had assumed immediately after death; that is to say, its diameter was twice that of the iris itself. The state of the corpse itself was such that the autopsy was just as valuable as if it had been made immediately after death. There was no swelling of the bitten hand; no coloration of the rest of the limb, of the lips, or tongue. The marks which had been made by the application of the leeches to the neck were not ecchymosed out of the common. The skin of all dependent parts was slightly oedematous parts was slightly oedematous and swollen from gravitation of blood; the ordinary result of gravity in any body when death has been due to hemorrhage or blood – poisoning. In brain and spinal cord the only alteration was a little injection, of such a kind that the section was just a little spotted with blood; but the cerebral arachnoid was notably thicker and more tough than normally, and was too opaque; moreover, it adhered to the pia mater, the meshes of which were distended with viscid serum. The membranous covering of the spinal cord, also, as more injected than in health. The basilar arteries contained some small clots like those we shall consider further on. The blood was liquid in the cerebral sinuses, and in the vessels of the duramater. The skin was examined carefully at each of the two bites, and presented no other alteration than that caused by the cauterization with the red-hot iron. This alteration was little more than a line of redness. the subject cellular tissue of the wound on the dorsal surface of the thumb was in no way infiltrated; but it was for the extent of a circle of half an inch diameter round the second mark, that situated at the upper part of the interosseous space between the first and second metacarpal bones. The muscles surrounding this infiltrated area did not present the least alteration in texture or colour. All the veins of the back of the hand, and their tributary vessels, were dissected up to the axilla, and did not present any alteration; they resembled perfectly in all respects the corresponding veins of the other arm. They contained no blood below the elbow; from the elbow as far as the axilla they contained; disseminated clots. In the clavicular extremity of each axillary vein commenced a clot, moulded to the interior of the vessel, and reaching as far as the junction of the hepatic vein with the vena cava inferior, passing by the right auricle of the heart; this clot was homogeneous throughout and of only slight consistence, and nowhere was there any evidence of deposited fibrin; a large clot also filled with left auricle of the heart, spreading into the pulmonary veins, but in the centre of this clot there was a band of yellowish fibrin, 16 or 18 lines in length, and such as is commonly found in venous clots. The completely empty condition of the two cardiac ventricles contrasted with the distension of the auricles, more especially of the right. The mucous membrane of windpipe and bronchi was notably injected. A patch corresponding with the cricoid cartilage was indeed inflamed. The trachea and bronchi were filled with reddish frothy serum. The lungs throughout were healthy and crepitant, by presented the first stage of sanguineous engorgement. The blood did not flow from a cut made anywhere. Two inches below pharynx oesophagus was narrowed for about half an inch, but without any evident alteration of texture. Stomach, intestines, liver and gall- bladder were quite normal. (PEHOREL, Journ. de Phys. Exp. Pathol., viii, 97; also Lon. Medorrhinum Gaz., xxix, 487.)
19. M. J. MACHADO, a white man, about 50 years of age, of ordinary stature, stout, and of sanguine-bilious temperament, who had suffered over six years with leprosy (elephantiasis leontina) – worst in the face, voluntarily submitted himself to be bitten by a rattlesnake in hope to cure the leprosy. He was bitten between articulations of ring and little fingers with metacarpus at about 11:50 a. m., September. 4th, 1838, in Rio de janeiro. He felt no pain with the bite, nor any effects from the poison introduced into the wound; he only knew that he was bitten when it was announced by the bystanders. His hand was immediately withdrawn from the cage; it swelled slightly, and a few drops of blood escaped from the wound, but he felt no pain; he continued perfectly tranquil; respiration natural and pulse regular. Five morning after the bite a slight sensation of cold was felt in hand. At 12 there was slight pain in palm; this increased after some minutes. At 12.17 pain extended to wrist; at 12:20 hand was considerably swollen; at 12:30 pulse had become fuller. All this time the patient conversed in a lively manner, and even laughed. At 12:50 there was sensation of fulness in course of jugulars; some alteration in vision; and some formication in skin of face. At 12:55 sensation of fulness had extended to sides and back part of neck; hand continued to increase in volume, and pain extended two thirds up forearm. At 12.59 there was numbness over whole body. At 1:20 p. m. there was tremor of the whole frame, and sensibility to touch. At 1.36 there was some cerebral disturbance; pulse was more frequent; there was some difficulty in movement of lips, somnolency, sensation of constriction in throat; pain was more intense, and extended over the whole arm; also increase in tumescence of hand. At 1.38 he felt cold and covered himself. At 1.48 there was pain in tongue and fauces, extending down to stomach; increased pain and swelling in hand; and coldness of feet. At 2.5 there was difficulty of speech. At 2:25 difficult deglutition, anguish, and copious perspiration on chest. at 2:50 arms were powerless; there were some drops of blood from nose; increased anguish and inquietude; pulse 96. At 3.5 general swelling; involuntary groans, and sensation of sinking. at 3.8 great pain in arms, and restlessness. 3:30, pulse 98, face flushed, continued bleeding from nose. 3:35, drank a little wine and water without difficulty; his shirt was changed, wet with perspiration; there was intense redness of whole body; some drops of blood escaped from a pustule under arm. 3:40, pulse 100; redness of surface more intense, and of a darker hue, especially in bitten limbs; violent pain in superior extremities preventing any rest, notwithstanding the exhaustion of which he complained; constriction of throat, and breathing embarrassed; inferior extremities did not yet exhibit any particular phenomena. 4:50 pulse 104; great heat over whole surface of body; salivation. 5:30. torpor; pulse in same state. The urine all along has flowed in great abundance; saliva viscid, of dark colour, and expectorated with difficulty; increase of muscular prostration; frequent groans, excited by pain over whole body; respiration tranquil; pulse full; skin soft; increased tumefaction of bitten hand. He continued in this state until 7 p. m., when he had some disturbed sleep, with groans; after this he awoke and said he was free from pain in arms, but had great pain in chest, and a feeling as of a knot in throat; urine copious; deglutition very difficult; salvia viscid and white; sanguinolent fluid running from nostrils; could not drink some sweetened run and water offered to him. 8.0, sweating has ceased, and groaning is not so constant. 8:30 passed urine. 9:10, passed urine; ceased to groan. 9:15, profound sleep. 10.0, offered infusion of guaco, three tablespoonfuls, with one of Eau de luce, which he refused, but he took the simple infusion; sanguinolent secretion from nose stopped; pulse regular; diminution of the tubercular elevation of both arms and face, which presented the appearance erysipelatous redness. 10:20, passed about 2 oz. of tolerably perfect urine; he remains more tranquil, and sleeps at intervals without groaning. 10:40, pain in chest is much diminished; he was now pain in legs and feet, in which, until this time, there had been sensation of death-like coldness; pulse 108, regular; thirst, and be drinks without difficulty. 11, took four tablespoonfuls of infusion of guaco. 11:45, emission of urine, high coloured; drinks water easily, by spoonfuls; pulse 119; wounded hand and arm are lamed and very painful; restlessness. 12.0 – midnight – has slept soundly, only interrupted by eructations; pulse 112; passed urine. 12:30, very restless; he cries distressingly and calls for religious consolation; refuses medicine. 12:40, passed urine; pulse 116; sensation of great heat in legs, and desires coverlets to be removed. 1.0, takes his medicine again; asks to be uncovered; passes urine; becomes very quiet. 1:15, passes urine; pulse 100. 1:40, takes a dose of infusion of guaco. 2.0, sits up in bed, and drinks three tablespoonfuls of water, but every time he drinks the pain and restlessness increase. 2:10, passes urine. 2:20, takes his medicine; has become more tranquil. 3.0 passes urine; the lower lip, which has been much swollen and inflamed, returns to its natural state; salivation ceases. 3:55, passes urine, the quantity always from two to three ounces; is more tranquil; takes his medicine; pulse 110; involuntary movements of right thumb and left leg. 4.0 passes urine. 4:45, takes a spoonful of medicine; pulse 100; quite tranquil and sits up. 5.0, passes urine; declares himself in great agony. 6.0, pulse 100; respiration free; frequent groans. 6:10, passes urine. 9:15, great prostration; convulsive movements of lower jaw and lower extremities; urine bloody. 10.0, pulse accelerated, and intermitting increase of the convulsions; diminution of redness of skin and swelling of limbs; deglutition extremely difficult; respiration anxious. Blister applied to thighs and a spoonful of infusion of guaco given. 10:50, convulsions diminished; ammonia and brandy given. 10:55, cessation of convulsions. 11.0, remains in same state; swallows with difficulty. 11:30, expired, that is, within 24 hours after the bite. IN a few hour the corpse became livid and much swollen. At 10 the following morning, 22 1/2 hour after death, body was enormously swollen and covered with red and livid spots, and exhaling a foetor so insufferable as to preclude the possibility of an autopsy as was desired and intended. (R. WHITMIRE CLARKE, Surgeon, R. N., Lancet, 1839-9, i, 443.)
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.