Introduction
Helleborus niger, L. Christmas rose. Nat Ord., Ranunculaceae.
Provings
I. HAHNEMANN, Mat. Medorrhinum Pura, vol. iii of original, vol. i of translation. Contains 92 symptoms from self, 162 from 8 fellow- observers, and 34 from authors.
2. NENNING. Very indifferent mood, without joy or sorrow (1st day); anxious mood, with same indifference; is contented with nothing (2nd days); extreme inclination to be irritable, the not trifling thing which is contrary to the wish excites anger (2nd days); involuntary sighing; giddy, with increased heat in stomach and bowels (immediately after taking it); so stupid and giddy that all objects seem to move in a circle, – stupidity lasts till 2nd day; unsteady in head, especially on waking, all day; dull pain in frontal eminence with vertigo while sitting; dull frontal headache, evening with pressure in left temple; blunt pressive feeling on upper head like clavus; continual headache, as from compression, all day; feeling in upper head as if brain were pressed in; momentary pain, as if blunt needle were thrust into upper margin of left orbit, towards inner canthus (also in eye), relieved by pressure, but returning when this is removed, for 1/4 hour (2nd days); roughness in throat as after sharp, spirituous things (1/2 hour); great appetite, with frequent empty, tasteless eructations;nausea with the same; heat rising from stomach to head, with qualmishness, also same extending over whole body; distressing feeling of fasting, like bulimia (4 hours); painful feeling of distension in stomach; disagreeable fulness in stomach, with crackling in abdomen; in morning, fasting, biting in stomach, then some griping and borborygmi, then only a slight soft stool, followed by urging (3rd days); biting pain in stomach and gnawing there, with canine hunger during a short walk, with great prostration of lower limbs; burning, pinching, and biting in stomach, as from worms, lasting all day; pain in stomach after meals, as if ulcerated, for 7 days; left false ribs seem to be screwed on to spine (4 hours); sharp stitches under left false ribs, in walking; whole abdomen swollen and sensitive (3rd day); colic, as before diarrhoea; urging to stool, ineffectual; same to urinate, with little result, and much burning in urethra; while urinating no free flow, as if bladder had lost power (throughout proving); urine dark yellow, it decomposes in a few hours; general relaxation of genitals, without desire or coition. Frequent dry hacking cough, with painful tension in left false ribs (5 hours); constriction of chest and dyspnoea; during each deep breath blunt stitches in left chest, while lying down at night; continued blunt stitches, with gnawing, in middle of spine; pain in sacrum, as from incarcerated flatus; chilliness along back, relieved by warmth of stove, but soon returning. (HARTLAUB AND TRINKS, Reine Arzneimittellehre, i.).
3. a. LEMBKE took, May 30th, 8 a. m., 1 gr. of powdered root; 9:30, severe pains in muscles of left thigh for some morning- 31st, 8 a. m., 2 gr. No effect. – June 1st, 8 a. m., 3 gr. Continued heat in interior of sinciput from 8:30 a.m. till evening. Repeated pressure in left side of head, a peculiar feeling of heat in one, especially nostrils, for some morning. 1 p. m. severe pressive pain deep in umbilical region, lasting upwards of 1 hour; several times severe boring in outside of right knee, afterwards on left zygoma, evening in knee. – 3rd, 8 a. m., 3 gr. 8:30 a. m., pain in anterior muscles of let thigh, later in left thoracic muscles and right calf, pressive pain deep in interior of head, sensation in eyes as if all were too bright, and black spots hovering before eye. Pressure in left side of head, later in right knee. 9 a. m., heat deep in head. Several times pain deep in umbilical region, very severe 9 p. m. – 4th, 5 p. m., 5 gr. 5:30 p. m., severe pressive pains in left forearm, later in left pectoral muscles. Pressure and pain in sinciput, also evening. Severe pressure in right wrist. – 6th, 7:30 a. m., 6 gr. Pressure externally in left knee, stitches in apex of lungs. 8 a. m., black spots before eyes till 9 a. m., Heat in head, extending to nape and back, continued. Pressure in right toes. 9 a. m., hot feeling deep in umbilical region with obtuse pain there. The heat of head increased, cheeks and ears red, pulse quick, 100 or more when sitting. Frequent flushes of heat from head to back, down to sacrum, lasting till noon. Sensitiveness of eyes to light, pupils contracted. Pressure and drawing alternately in left fingers, calves, left elbow, under right shoulder, in left cervical muscles right knee, from 9 to 12 noon, afterwards more rarely in toes and left side of head. 10:30 a. m., smarting in right eyelids. – 8th, 7:30 a. m., 7 gr. 8:15, pressure in occiput, continued pressure in left knee, right shoulder toes. Black spots and rings before eyes, continued severe pressure on vertex, quick pulse. Much heat in back till 11 a. m.; sensitiveness of eyes to light. 9 a. m., heat deep in umbilical region, heat in head and face for 1 hour. Continued pressure and heat in sinciput all day. Pressure in left zygoma, knees, elbows, burning in nostrils, pressure in wrists, pectoral muscles, left shoulder, right eyeball, lasting till evening. From 10 a. m. till 1 p. m., scraping in fauces, and again at 10 and 11 p. m., From 5 p. m. pressure, tearing, heat in sinciput. – 13th, 8 a. m. 8 gr. After 1/2 hour pains commence in single joints as above; later, heat in head, pressure in forehead, quick pulse, flickering before eyes, heat in stomach. 11 a. m., much heat in back. Very severe pressure in last right metacarpal bones. Pressure deep in right eye. Eyes sensitive to light, small pupils; severe pressure deep in right eye. Eyes sensitive to light, small pupils; severe pressure on muscles above knees. 7 p. m., pains in sinciput increase; heat in back; much empty eructation. – 18th, 7:30 a. m., 10gr. After 1/2 hour pressure in anterior muscles of thighs, on wrists, in sinciput; weight in sinciput all day 8:30 a. m., shooting in tongue, pressure on right knee, in metacarpal bones; shooting and pressure in calves; severe pressure in right shoulder for a long time; compression above left knee; flickering before eyes, great heat in face and head; quick pulse. 9:30 a. m., scraping and shooting in throat for some hour; burning under nose; heat in back till noon. 11 a. m., pressure in pectoral muscles, and deep in umbilical region, for 2 hours -19th. Pain in limbs continue-23rd, 7:30 a. m., 10 gr. Symptoms as before. – 25th, 7:30 a. m., 12 gr. After 1/2 hour pressure in shoulders, then in thighs and knees. Head very hot, heavy, painful; heat in face; flickering before eyes; pressure in ears; quick pulse; heat in back down to sacrum; scraping in throat; redness of face. 9 a. m., pressure in upper arms; pressure deep in umbilical region in ankle-joints, tibiae, eyes; severe drawing in fingers and toes; pain in various parts of back. The heat of head and back last till 5 p. m. Pain and weight and pressive pains in limbs all day – July 4th, 7:30 a. m., 12 gr. Same symptoms.
3 b. July 13th, 8 a. m., 1 gr. ext. Helleborus After 1/2 hour much flickering before eyes; presser in knees, toes, shoulders; weight of sinciput 9 a. m.scraping and dryness in fauces till 3 p. m. 10 a. m. great heat of face, back, whole body; pulse quick; head heavy, confused, till evening. Noon vertigo when walking must stand still, else would fall. – 15th, 8 a. m., 1 gr. Severe pressure in right ankle and leg, then in right shoulder in joints of right finger between metacarpus and fingers; flickering before eyes; pressure in sinciput; scraping in throat; tearing in various parts of head; severe pressure in lower part of thigh, in elbows. 8:30, heat and heaviness of head. The pains in joints jump from one part to another. 9 a. m., heat and redness of face, quick pulse; heat in stomach, much eructation; stitches under left ribs. 2 p. m., several times severe shooting in left eyeball. All day dryness in mouth and scraping in throat. 4 p. m., considerable increase of heaviness, heat, pressure in right upper arm, and the head symptoms go off, but soon return when the pain in arm ceases, and hen head symptoms alternate with pain in knee, in right leg, left and, and upper arm; pulse quick, hands cold, head and face fell hot, but the hear symptoms are always the worst, and do not cease till 11 p. m. Night, troubled with anxious dreams. – 16th. Head still heavy. During day same pains in arms, toes, knees. – 17th. Occasional slight pains in fingers, knees, and shoulders. – 25th, 8:30 a. m., I gr. After 1/4 hour pressure and weight in sinciput. Pressure in right knee, legs, tibiae, joints of fingers, wrists, and ankles until evening, but gradually diminishing 10 a. m., much heat in back; scraping in throat; smarting in borders of eyelids 1 p. m., vertigo when stooping. Symptoms on the whole slight than on previous occasion. – August 5th, 5 p. m., 1 gr. Same symptoms as above. At night, when sitting up, vertigo, also on waking in morning, it lasts some morning; head heavy, then nausea comes on; when sitting and bending head forwards is better, but nausea and vertigo recur when he raises head. – 6th, morning, pressure in shoulders, weight and pressive pain in sinciput. For some day visible twitching of left index towards thumb, sometimes thumb twitches along with index, sometimes quick twitching of muscles between these fingers, distinctly visible under skin; this is frequently repeated during day; it come on when walking, sitting, and reading. – 7th. Frequent tearing in toes and fingers. All day head heavy and confused, inclined to vertigo, especially in room; better in open air, but even then a feeling a though vertigo would come on.
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.