Poisonings
I A paralytic stiffness in the lower extremities, with involuntary twitchings in them; great anxiety; coldness of the whole body with dilatability of the pupil, were the symptoms produced in a young man of 20 by an over-dose of Ignatia His head was free, his consciousness perfect; but on account of the anxiety he could not express himself properly. Intelligence of a somewhat unpleasant nature aggravated his condition; the same was the case from drinking coffee and smoking tobacco. (HAHNEMANN, Lesser Writings, tr. Dudgeon, p. 379.)
2. a. CAMELLI made a patient, of melancholic constitution, take of the powder for a vomit, being troubled with a flux, weak digestion, and frequent vomiting, with some belching, as also a great deal of wind; which he no sooner took than he was seized with a trembling all over his body that continued 3 hours, together with an itching, and terrible spasms, so as not to be able to stand upon his legs; these spasms were most violent and troublesome in his jaws, so as to cause the risus sardonicus; and yet there was no alteration in his pulse, no vomiting, or any other symptoms attending it; at length he grew better.
b. another patient had the like trembling and convulsions, together with a very great oppression in his breast, a swimming in the head, fainting and cold sweat, caused by his swallowing a whole fresh nut, as a remedy for hypochondriacal pains with which he was afflicted.
c. Another had taken the third part of a nut, and was for 3 hours in the like condition a the two former; only that beside involuntary convulsions he felt a tingling pain, and the like, especially in his head. (Medorrhinum Museum, iii, 434. 1764.)
3. BRUCHNER took for coxalgia, which had resisted many other remedies. Ignatia tinct. a few dr. in a tumbler of water, a mouthful every 3 hours. After 2 or 3 doses he had these symptoms; Invisibility of the letters of a word at which he is looking and greater distinctness of the letter near it. The middle letters of the word seemed effaced with chalk, whilst the first and last syllable of a long word or the first and last letters of a short word were more distinct. This lasted 1 hour (A.h. Z., Ivii, 164.).
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.