Introduction
Hyoscyamus niger., L. Henbane. Nat. Ord., Solanaceae.
Provings
1. HAHNEMANN, Mat. Medorrhinum Pura, vol. iv of original, vol. i of translation. Contains 104 symptoms from self, 123 from 6 fellow- observers, and 355 from 44 authors.
2. a. SCHNELLER first proved extr. herbae recentis alcoh. – aq., Ph. Borax He began with gr. 1/4, and increased dose daily by same, arriving at last to gr. 5.1/4, and taking 57.3/4, in all. The first 4 doses produced nothing remarkable. Two hours after taking right 1 1/4 he noticed dryness of lips, tongue, soft palate, and whole buccal cavity; tongue was furred yellow, and taste insipid. Seven hour after gr. 1 3/4 there was confusion of senses, weakness of sight, and some difficulty of speaking, a state light slight intoxication. From 2 gr., besides dryness of throat with hoarseness, there was confusion in frontal region, spreading afterwards to sight and hearing; restless sleep; and scanty stool. From gr. 3 1/4-4 there was considerable disgust after taking dose; dull frontal headache; and in 7 hours cloudiness and weakness of vision, with normal pupils; dryness of mouth increased, taste was disgusting, tongue furred yellow; considerable swelling of abdomen, with necessity to breathe deeply; sour eructations; diminished stools; pulse rather slow. From gr. 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 dryness of mouth diminished, but confusion of head remained; frontal headache on left side and amblyopia set in, as also frequent inclination to yawn, and sleepiness. Every evening nausea. During last 2 doses above symptoms decreased in remarkable manner; there was very little confusion of head; sneezing frequently occurred, with sensation of approaching coryza (which now developed itself); sour eructations were frequent, stool diminished, sleep good. After 2 days was in normal state.
2 b. S-now proved extr. herbae recentis ex succo, Ph. Austr. He commenced with gr. 1/4, increasing daily by same; afterwards he took larger doses, viz. gr. 11 1/4 and 18 3/4; altogether gr. 87 1/4. Whilst taking first 7 doses he had tickling and burning in throat, with increase of mucous secretion. On taking gr. 2-3. 1/4, mouth became dry, tongue furred white: there were slight risings in umbilical region, voice became hoarse, appetite lessened. From gr. 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 dryness of throat decreased, and voice-regained its clearness; other symptoms continued, and peculiar drawing and tearing pain in joints, especially wrists and knees, came on, as also confusion of head an attacks of giddiness. From 4 3/4-5 1/4 mouth and fauces became again extremely dry; thick fur covered tongue; taste became insipid, with disgust at food and bad smell from mouth; head confused. Here and there small furunculi appeared on face; vision became weak and conjunctiva somewhat injected. He left off for 2 days when all became normal, save injection of conjunctiva. The dose of 11 1/4 gr. caused in an hour giddiness and reticulated vision with right frontal headache, soon followed by prickling sensation in arms and thereafter viscid perspiration on them; at same time great heat, redness and congestion of face, which went off in 1/2 hour. The dryness, etc., came later, involving also cavity of none, with pain at root; very little mucus mixed with blood was secreted. To this were joined empty eructations, oppression of stomach, slight gripings with soft stool, appetite much diminished, pulse accelerated, sleepiness. Last dose of gr. 18 1/4 was taken at 7:30 p. m. About 8:15 recurred slight vertigo, with cloudiness of vision and dilated pupils; sensation as of a foreign body in eye; upper lids felt heavy from sleepiness; conjunctiva injected; arms felt as if a warm air were breathed upon them. At 9 dryness of mouth occurred, with usual accessories; taste metallic head confused. At 10, eructation and nasty taste, with inclination to vomit; discharge of flatus. Mouth remained dry all night as also none; sleep restless. In morning teeth and all mouth were covered with a yellowish mucus, taste disgusting, voice hoarse. In 2 days all was right again: furred tongue and diminished appetite continued longest. Stools were on the whole rather increased. (Z. f. Verbascum hom. Aerzt. Oest., i.)
3. I took on several occasions, 10,20,30, and even 40 gr. of the ordinary extr., and experienced only a little headache, with disturbed vision dryness of mouth, sweetish taste, whitish and viscid coat on tongue, – symptoms which soon disappeared. On September 12th, 1821, I took, fasting, 10 gr. of another extr. After an hour, slight headache which went on increasing, pastiness of mouth with singular perversion of taste, which seemed a mixture of sweet, salt and bitter, and prevented my tasting any substance I tried. My tongue was white; I felt at the same time dryness and heat of throat; my skin as warm and transpiring my pulse a little quickened; slight tendency to sleep, to which I gave myself up for a short time; on waking, pupils so dilated that no iris could be seen; notable weakening of sight, staggering walk, numbness of lower extremities. My mental faculties remained free. At end of 4 hours these symptoms had ceased. Next day, nothing remained save dryness of mouth and th peculiar taste, I repeated the experiment with the same result. (RATIER, Arch. Gen. de Medorrhinum, i, 307. 1823.)
4. LEMBKE took, February 17th to 19th, 8 a. m., 2 dr. tinct. No effect. – 20th, 7 a. m., 5 dr. No effect. – March 2nd, 7 a. m., 6 dr. Stool scanty and hard. 3 p. m., pressive pain in stomach. – 3rd and 4th. Hard scanty stool. – 5th, 7 a. m., 10 dr. 8 a. m., scraping and rawness in fauces; head confusion, hot, full, the heat deep in head; pupils at first dilated then contracted. 8:30, general heat; very distended veins; scraping in throat repeatedly. 9 a. m., heaviness and pressure in head, especially forehead; severe shooting in larynx, followed by dry cough with sweetish taste of blood (a not uncommon symptoms). At night violent pressure in umbilical region, somewhat relieved by pressing on it, still felt next morning, going off after stool. – 14th, 7 a. m., 10 dr. Head confused, hot. 8 a. m., scraping and dryness of throat. – 20th, 7 a. m., 15 dr. Soon, dilated pupils, after 1 hour contracted. 8 a. m., scraping in throat; head confused, dazed, especially in forehead, till 9 a. m., – 25th, 7:30 a. m., 15 dr. No symptoms. – 26th, 7 a. m., 15 dr. 7:30 a. m., sinciput heavy. 8 a. m., scraping in throat; sinciput remained heavy and dazed especially when stooping, till 3 p. m. – 29th, 7 a. m., 15 dr. Sinciput heavy, confused till 3 p. m.-30th, 7 a. m. 15 dr. No symptoms. For 2 or 3 weeks the urine is very high colored and scanty; the following days it became normal – April 1st, 9 a. m.,15 dr. No symptoms. -2nd, 25 dr. After 1/2 hour considerable heat in face and head for 1 hour. – 13th, 7 a. m., 25. hour head confused, hot, dazed for 1/2 hours; several times during day pressure, heat in forehead, some epistaxis with midnight, 20 dr. No symptoms. (N. Z.f. h. Kl., i, 57.)
5. Dr. KEIL took, September 19th, 5:45 a. m., 10 dr. tinct. 9 a. m., pulsating pressure in stomach while sitting; soon afterwards momentary shooting in left side of abdomen; the pressure in stomach returns and goes up to right side of chest. 26th, 5:45 a. m., 20 dr. After 1/4 hour, gnawing pressure in stomach. Towards evening some sensation. – October 2nd, 8:50 a. m., 30 dr. No symptoms. l- 9th, 50 dr. After dinner, 2 p. m., sensation in left hypochondrium as if flatulence accumulated there; after a glass of water pressure in stomach; fatigue of eyes; soon a kind of heartburn, repeated p. m. From p. m. till evening confused head. At night woke with violent throbbing headache; the carotids beat strongly; the pain went off during sleep, no trace of it in morning. At night muscular twitching in arms (not an unusual symptoms.) -10th, 9:45 a. m., burning in right side of abdomen confined to a point. – November, 16th, 9:15 a. m., 50 dr. The headache of October 9th recurred after 1 hour but was not severe. (Hom. Vierteljahrsch., ix, 242.)
6. Dr. GERSTER (aet.31, health delicate, has many haemorrhoidal symptoms) made several Provings with 15th and 3rd
dil. without noteworthy results. He then took the tinct., which had no effect till he took, on August 17th, 1 dr. In evening and next morning, heat in joint-head of last phalanx of left little finger, swelling of this condyle; pressive pain, increased by movement, which is difficult. – 18th 20 dr. – 19th. The pain in the finger is less. – 20th. The pain gone; took 25 dr. – 22nd. Slight sensation of pain and swelling of proximal joint of right little finger. – 28th, morning, 40 dr. 11 a. m., urging to urinate, sensitiveness of 2nd joint of right index, swelling of it, and painfulness when slightly pressed. – 30th. 42 dr., same symptoms as yesterday. – 31st. When walking upstairs sensitiveness of right metatarsus; when walking over uneven pavement increased sensitiveness, feeling of pressure and tension in that parts as if too full of blood. This lasted 9 day, and was often so severe as to cause him to limp. Also a corn on the right little toe which had never given any pain was for a long time after the proving painful. (Ibid., 243.)
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.