10 c. September 16th, 10 p. m., 2 gr. 3rd trit. – 17th. Restless sleep, dreamt of events that had occurred. Very small stool morning. Slight headache, dazedness in head, especially forehead; also slight drawing tearing through forehead, above eyes. Slight nausea. 10 p. m., 2 gr., which caused much eructation. – 18th. Slept well, but dreamt much. M., pains in belly before stool, which is scanty and brighter coloured. Sickly state in mouth, little appetite. Slight pain in forehead. Pulse 70 morning 10 a. m., cold feeling in heated room; after 12 noon, pulse 84, very drowsy; dull, sore pain in sacrum and kidneys. In evening pulse 80; drowsy, had more pains drawing and tearing in abdomen, slight pain in urethra on urinating, which was more frequent, but in small quantities. 10 p. m. 3 gr. -1 9th. Slept pretty well, only woke once, with a dream of fighting with thieves. Was sleepy in morning and had no inclination to get up. Headache as yesterday. Taste somewhat sickly, bitter at back of mouth. Taste of iodine round gums. Urging to, but no stool, morning Peculiar, creeping tickling in rectum, and especially anus, all day, much flatus discharge smelling of iodine. Frequent and copious urine of bright yellow colour and sour smell. Pulse 90, morning Slight oppression of chest especially on inspiration. Slight pain in sacrum and kidneys and lower part of spine commencing at lumbar vertebrae. From 9 to 10 a. m., cold and chilly in heated room, pulse 88 p. m. During afternoon repeatedly chilly and cold. 11 a. m., a sudden, sharp, shooting pain from left nipple to arm, aggravated by pressure, frequently recurring p. m. and evening Dyspnoea, must breathe deeply, when he felt tightness and pressure under sternum. All day exhaustion, weakness, bruised feeling in limbs, especially legs and calves. In evening before stool much rumbling in bowels. Frequent urging to urinate, with slight pains and soreness in urethra while urinating. 10 p. m., 5 gr. -20th. Slept badly, many dreams; very sleepy morning. All night feeling as if he had got a chill, with violent coryza; the nose was no stopped up he could not breathe through it, but must sleep with mouth open. This symptoms ceased suddenly between 5 nd 6 a. m. In morning urging to stool with drawing pain from above navel down right side; scanty stool of yellowish-brown colour and firm consistence. frequent and copious urination with slight pain through urethra. Occasional sharp pains in chest, oppression and pressure under sternum. Pulse morning 80, noon 88, evening 80. Very lazy, sleepy, bruised in limbs and calves evening. When bathing, slight pain in both sides of chest and deep down in belly in splenic region, where it is more like a stitch. E. 5 gr. – 21st. Same as yesterday. Pulse 80 morning, 100 at 4 p. m., 80 evening. Feverish p. m.; morning and evening 3 gr. – 22nd. Slept badly, woke frequently with extreme urging to urinate and pain when doing so. Woke once with erection and very violent pains and burning through urethra, but could not pass water on account of vesicle tenesmus in spite of the excessive urging. In morning had a small, hard stool with shooting and constrictive pain in anus when the faeces passed through it. Slight dull pain in and under shoulders, in nape, and joints of lower extremities. Otherwise same symptoms as yesterday and a before (A.h. Z., l 97, 107, 115).
10. Dr. BOISSIERE, pulse 75, took 20 dr. of sol. of iodide with syrup of gum. Its taste, 3 morning after, was accompanied, with an uncomfortable dryness of mouth and pharynx. After 5 morning indescribable sensation, scarcely painful, along whole length of oesophagus. In 15 morning pulse 85, some headache. After 1 hours, still dryness of throat and headache; pulse 80. (Gaz. Medorrhinum de. Paris 1842, p. 830).
Poisonings
I. A lady, who had been for a long time in a very weak, delicate state of health, the digestive organs being very much out of order, and the bowels habitually constipated, had been taking for some day 5 dr. 3 times a day of an apparently very strong tincture of iron, having a powerful inky taste. I found patient exceedingly weak, with anxious feverish countenance; quick, small pulse, 120; skin hot and disposed to be clammy, and complaining of great pain along whole length of colon, much increased by pressure and by any movement of body. She had had diarrhea for the 2 previous day, which last night assumed a decidedly dysenteric character, bowels having been repeatedly moved, with considerable pain and tenesmus – evacuations consisting entirely of blood and membranous shares. She had no appetite, and was rather thirsty; tongue very coated, and urine rather scanty. Her had ached, and she was much depressed in spirits. Under treatment gradual improvement took place; but it was 5 days before convalescence was declared. (MARKWICK, Brit. Journ of Hom., xix, 309.)
2. D -, a man aet. 25, had a gleet dating from a gonorrhoea of 15 mo. back. M. VEnot, being called to him, found him in bed, suffering from severe hypogastric pain, with agitation, loquacity, redness of cheekbones and of edges of eyelids, dry tongues, quick, contracted pulse; in a word, with all the symptoms of serious hyper – erethism. Patient told him that, 2 day, previously, he had used 3 injections of a concentrated solution of perchloride of iron. To the smarting pains immediately caused by the injections succeeded almost complete retention, and obstinate constipation. For 48 hour he had had neither stool nor urine; hypogastrium was swollen and very sensitive to touch, especially above pubes. M. Venot immediately introduced a catheter and evacuated nearly a pound of ammoniacal urine; leeches, warm applications, and emollient drinks were ordered. In evening greater calmness; two liquid stools (he had taken castor oil) Next day, December 16th, after a tolerable night, bladder was emptied anew; pains and anxieties returned in full force; face was contracted; copious flatulence upwards and downwards; pulse 97. In evening symptoms worse; pains intolerable; incessant eructations; hiccup, pallor, sensibility and tumefaction of whole abdomen. Urine thicker, redder and scantier than in morning. Violent urging to micturate during night 17th. – Illness increased; prostration and pain alternate; urine of a thick brown colour, mixed with purulent flocculi. Bladder had to be evacuated every 6 hour. Pulse became gradually less perceptible, without diminishing in frequency. Abdomen same In evening, the cystoperitonitis was marching rapidly to its fatal termination, with stupor, feebleness, dry and black tongue. On 18th, adynamia was as its height, with finishing and colliquative sweats; and on 19th patient died.
M. venot reports two other cases in which hemorrhage from the urethra, with more or less irritation, followed upon similar injections. (L. Art Medical, vi, 53).
3. Dr. BOOISSIERE treated a number of phthisical patients with F. iodum. In those who took the drug daily, especially in small and increasing doses, the same symptoms were experienced as by himself (I, 10), but more persistently, for 8 – 10 days. Subsequently in some the system seemed to grow habituated to the drug; in others the mucous membrane of moth and pharynx became
seat of burning pain, with sensation of pricking and of swelling at internal aspect of cheeks, at base of tongue, about isthmus faucium, in pharynx, and sometimes all long oesophagus. If parts were examined mucous membrane was found of vivid redness, diffused or punctated. With this there was frequently anorexia, thirst, and notable alternation of sense of taste. Mastication was at times rendered impossible. About half the patients on 1st or 2nd day after beginning med. complained of nausea and vomiting. These symptoms rarely lasted long, and as the disappeared patients felt appetite an digestive powers increase, but the stools became infrequent. As first pulse and temperature of surface increased; after 2 or 3 weeks pulse became slower, stronger and fuller, and temperature normal. At same time their was a general turgescence of the peripheral capillary system. – in fact a state of plethora manifested itself, wit or without signs of congestion of particular organs. The lungs were the first to feel such influence, and showed it by increased dyspnoea and cough, and sometimes by slight haemoptysis. In others the congestion showed itself in the head by headache, insomnia, painful dartings in ears and eyes, tinnitus, sparks before eyes. To these symptoms must be added some fugitive eruptions, urticarious, eczematous, or lichenoid; these I have observed three times.[*TROUSSEAU states that after use of iron, especially in women, there not infrequently appears an acne occupying face, breast, and back, running its course without fever. (Gaz.Medorrhinumde paris, 1843, No.12.)*] (Loc. cit.)
4. The statement so generally made, that iron continued for too long a time, or administered to patients who are already of a plethoric disposition caused flushing, palpitation a tendency to congestions and even hemorrhages, seem to be the result of a priori reasoning, for nowhere could be find any proof for such a statement, and furthermore, observations made upon those living in then neighbourhood of iron springs who use the chalybeate waters, as a daily drink, not only failed to show plethoric individuals but on the contrary revealed a wonderful frequency of anaemic conditions. (NOTHNAGEL and ROSSBACH 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.