30. A strong tinct. of Iodium was applied to some indurated parotid glands in a young Indian of 17. Five hours after, lad was seized with vomiting and purging of yellowish fluid containing flocculi; and next morning all the symptoms of iodism were present, -rapid, feeble pulse, peculiar restlessness and anxiety, intense thirst, burning sensation in abdomen, vomiting and during, with suppression of urine. His mind was perfectly clear throughout. Death occurred in 30 hours. P.M., mucous membrane of stomach and small intestines was studded with small ecchymoses; liver and spleen large (but he had had malarious fever a month previously); lungs contained some frothy, sanguineous fluid, and were somewhat congested. (GILLESPIE, Medorrhinum Times and Gaz., 1864, ii, 488.).
Experiments on animals
I. A young setter dog commenced with taking 1/2 gr. twice daily, in the form of pill. The dose was gradually raised, and by the 4th day amounted to 1 1/2 gr., when the animal began to betray a much sharper appetite, suffer the saliva to drop involuntarily, and void urine and faeces in greater abundance. On the 9th day, his daily allowance had risen to 4 gr., which quantity was quadrupled by the 17th days, when – 73 gr. having been taken in all the drug was discontinued. On day succeeding last dose, the animal scarcely retained any power of locomotion, and in the act of walking, or rather crawling, kept one of the hind feet constantly uplifted. He took little food, and what he did take was with little apparent appetite. In a couple of days, however, he began to revive and walk with less difficulty; and on the lapse of 5 days from cessation of the Iodium, when the symptoms arising from it were much abated, he was destroyed by means of prussic acid. The viscera of the chest presented nothing abnormal except congestion of the lungs, probably attributable to the manner of death. The intestines, before being handled, had for their general aspect a diffused crimson-red tinge, an uncommon degree of contraction, in many places actual constriction, as if with a cord, and here and there a few blush-grey, oval spots. The stomach was of its usual dimensions, and nearly filled with the food last taken. Its lining membrane presented numerous small rugae overspread, and having their interspaces filled, with rather tenacious mucus, the side and apices irregularly marked with dotted patches of crimson, or else brownish red, vascularity. The lining membrane of the intestines, for about 3 fit. from their origin, was remarkably vascular; oval spots, about the size of a chestnut, then began to occur at every 3 or 4 in., on side opposite to mesentery; a similar spot at junction with
colon was 2 or 3 in length, and was expanded at its lower termination over the whole circuit of the gut. These spots were not injected; they appeared to consist of the augmented glands enlarged, as sometimes noticed in the early progress of fever. The colon was of a leaden colour, deepened at the longitudinal rugae into black. No unnatural appearance could be traced in the other organs. (COGSWELL, op. cit.)
2. A few years ago M. Benedikt made a series of experiments on frogs, by which, however, our knowledge of the remote action of Iodium was not essentially advanced. Like many other poisons, it paralyses voluntary motion in frogs, and produces this effect apparently by affecting the spinal cord. (BOEHM, in Ziemssen’s Cyclopaedia, xvii, 297.).
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.