Introduction
Bromide of potassium, K Br.[ “One set of observers believe that all the effects of K Br are the result of the potassium action. This explanation, however, is no longer tenable. The specific action upon the brain and spinal cord, and upon the reflex irritability of the nerves of the palate, as well as the eruption upon the skin, can now positively be explained as depending upon the bromine of the compound. On the other hand, the effect upon circulation, respiration and temperature is almost entirely due to the potassium.” (NOTHNAGEL and ROSSBACH)].
Provings
1 a. In daily doses of 1 gr. gradually increased, stools and urine, headache, disgusting eructations, inclination to vomit, oppression of chest, cough and a long-continued hoarseness. These symptoms were most marked after taking 37 gr. in 9 d.
1 b. With a hot iron he burnt his arm in two places the size of a shilling, removed the epidermis and sprinkled on the raw surfaces 10 gr., adding a few drops of water. The pain lasted 1 h. In afternoon the part inflamed, there occurred a violent drawing burning pain that spread all over the arm, and in the night pain was very great, but declined towards m. Pulse in n. 85 to 90. At 11 a.m., next d. he had a loose stool, and 3 more during afternoon and n.) when it became watery. Urine much increased, then slight short cough in evening with dazed head; at 11 p.m., violent headache, especially in occiput; at 3 a.m., woke with very great nausea and efforts to vomit, vomiting of mucus, salt taste in mouth. Headache increased, but pulse became full and slow, 65 to 70. He fell asleep and awoke after 2 h., with headache and cough. In m. of 3rd., 2 soft stools; the cough lasted several d.
1 c. He made a blister with cantharides, and removed the epidermis; he then sprinkled on the raw surface 10 gr. of brom. of pot. No inflammation occurred. Next m. he had diarrhoea (HORING, loc. cit.).
2. HEIMRDINGER took fasting 1/2 dr. in 1/2 oz. water. This caused increased secretion of saliva and mucus in mouth; feeling of heat in abdomen; after some h. great vertigo and confusion of head, dilated pupils, repeated eructations, two slight attacks of colic, discharge of flatus, slight oppression of breathing; after dinner tiresome stomach-ache; in afternoon, slight vertigo, weariness, thirst, increased urination. 2 d. after this he took 1 dr. distributed in 6 doses during the d. Quickened pulse, vertigo, feeling of heat in abdomen, frequent rumbling in bowels, eructation, discharge of flatus. In afternoon, headache, thirst, two normal stools. Next m. vertigo, stomach remained weak several d. From 10th to 26th March he took 4 gr. daily, from 26th March to 8th April. 8 gr. daily. Nothing occurred except increased urinary secretion. (Opium cit..)
3 a. LABORDE took in 2 doses at 1/2 h. interval 15 grammes (1 oz.) dissolved in a glass of eau sucree; some m. after, sensation of fulness and heat in epigastric region, nausea followed by repeated eructations with a distinct salt after- taste, excessive secretion of saliva, spitting, followed by dryness of mouth lasting a long time, and requiring him to drink frequently 1 or 2 h. afterwards, obscuration of vision, heaviness of eyelids, as though the eyes would be forcibly closed, a sort of general stupefaction irresistibly leading to sleep. This sleep is a sort of heavy somnolence, often interrupted by jumping up, though there are no actual dreams, or the dreams do not take definite shapes, it is rather a nightmare of indefinite character. The sleeping sometimes is indefinitely prolonged and waking is extremely difficult; the will seems lost as if ideas and self-consciousness could not be regained, speech is difficult, lazy, and does not get its usual intellectual ailment, a painful sadness came over him, profound indifference and almost disgust at life. On attempting to get up and walk, there is felt a singular vertigo, characterised chiefly by a sense of emptiness around and under feet, which he is afraid of placing wrongly; the ground seemed to be at fault and the sense of its resistance is lost, the walk is staggering and at length impossible, at least he is forced to give it up. There is a profound obtuseness of sensibility, especially with regard to reflex action. Tickling the foot is not followed by its usual effects, pinching is felt much less, the sense of touch of the hands is altered, so that objects are not grasped with firmness, there is a general feeling of chilliness of the extremities. The pulse became slower and compressible as if extinguished. The duration of this action is 15 or 18 hours, and all that happens to the person in the way of moral and physical impressions is very distinctly remembered. After the chief phenomena have ceased there remains heaviness of head.
3 b. Took 6 grm. in 2 doses at 1/4 h. interval. Salt taste, slight increase of saliva, eructations without nausea, some pinching in stomach if stomach is empty, not if containing food; a feeling of comfort and calm, inviting to sleep, which speedily follows if lying down, sexual excitement generally accompanied by erection and emission of semen; after this the sleep becomes profound, more or less troubled with dreams, great difficulty of being awakened, when awake muscular fatigue and bruised feeling in limbs and loins; on commencing to walk the first steps are shaky and undecided but this soon passes off; along with the increased saliva there is also an increase of the nasal mucus, preceded by sneezing, this is transient; increased urinary secretion; the emission of semen does not take place if the bladder be emptied; the respiratory movements are rendered slower than normal; the pulse too is slowed; the reflex sensibility of the fauces is abolished, but not its tactile sensibility. (Gaz. Medorrhinum, 1869, p. 554.)
4. G. P. -, aet. 20, medical student, took at 4:30 p.m., 5 grm., temp. 37.2, at 4:45 p.m. 5 grm. Salty taste, pressure in epigastric region and sensation of warmth, eructations. 5 p.m., p. 84, feeling of weight in head and eyelids, the eyes look glazed. 5.15 p.m., p.80, feeling of muscular fatigue and weakness, weariness, yawning. 5.30 temp. 37, p. 72, thinking power slow. 6 p.m., p. 66, dulness of head, touching palate causes no reflex actions. 6.30 p.m., p.70 feeling of prostration; complains of fatigue and dulness of head when walking; tendency to diarrhoea and urging to urinate; in evening several diarrhoeic stools. (KROSZ, Arch. f. Exp. Phy. u. Pharm., 1876, vi 13.)
5. G. E. -, medical student, aet. 21 1/2, took at 3:15 p.m., (temp, being 37 and p. 80) 5grm. Salty taste. 3:25 p.m., feeling of warmth in stomach, 5grm. 3:30 p.m., p. 80, flow of saliva. 3:45, p. 84, frequent eructation, feeling of pressure in head. 4 p.m., temp. 37, p. 80, feeling of vertigo and prostration, touching velum palati and posterior pharynx causes no reaction. 4:15 p.m., dryness in mouth. 4:30 p.m., p. 70 complete anaesthesia of palate and pharynx. 5 p.m., temp. 368, p. 68, soft; soft stool and copious urination; rumbling in bowels. 5:30 p.m., p. 64, feeling of prostration, frequent spitting of viscid saliva. 6 p.m., p. 68, touching palate causes slight retching movements, muscular weakness, confusion of head. 6:30, p. 72, soft and small; whilst walking is tired and memory weak; urging to stools and urine. E., several watery stools; after sleep, on waking next m., some difficulty of swallowing; palate pharyngeal m. m. very red and somewhat swollen, uvula swollen. (Ibid.)
6 a. KROSZ, aet. 25. At 8:50 a.m. (temp. being 36.8, p. 80) took 5grm. Salty taste, eructation. 8:55 a.m., 5 grm. 9 a.m., feeling of fulness, pressure, and warmth in epigastrium, dulness of head, salivation. 9:15 a.m., p. 72; besides dulness there is heaviness and pressure in head; thinking acuteness diminished. 9:30 a.m., p. 68, slight nausea, liquid stool and much urination. 9:45 a.m., p. 64, palate without reaction. 10 a.m., temp. 36.6, p. 64 heaviness of eyelids, head hot, general prostration, laziness of movements. 10:30 a.m., p. 58, small, irregular, weariness, can only keep off sleep by walking about. 11 a.m., temp. 36.5, p. 60 irregular. 11.30 a.m., p. 60, touching palate causes no reaction. Head rather dull. 12:15 p.m., p. 64, retinal vessels rather contracted than enlarged. 1:15 p.m., temp. 36.6, p. 64, nearly regular. 2:15 p.m., p. 66 palate very slightly sensitive, all symptoms gone except weariness, stupor, and uneasiness in the belly. 2:45 p.m., p. 80. A certain amount of weariness and exhaustion lasts all d. A few day later an exanthem appeared; on shoulders and lower part of face are many, on the extremities, forehead, and chest several lentil- sized, red extinguishable spots, in the middle of which is a pustule, filled with matter, surrounding a hair glandule. On left clavicle are two, on shoulders and back several elevated hard red lumps the size of a pea, which are not depressed nor yet do they lose their colour when pressed.
6 b. On another occasion, – 8:25 a.m., temp. 36.8, p. 80, took 8 grm. 8:30 a.m., 7 grm., salt taste, eructations. 8:45 a a.m., 72, headache. 9:15 a.m., p. 68 liquid stool, slight nausea, salivation continues, also pressure in epigastric region. 9:30, temp. 36.6, p. 64, small. No reflex nausea on touching palate, pressive pain and confusion in head. General prostration and weariness, thinking power curtailed and speech slow. 10 a.m., p. 60, irregular and small. 10:30 a.m., temp. 36.4, p. 57, small and intermitting. 11 a. m p. 52, small and intermitting, intellectual work difficult. 11:30 a.m., temp. 36.2, p. 50. 12 noon, p. 52, fauces quite anaesthetic. 12:30 p.m., temp. 36.4, p. 56, much clear-coloured urine. 2 p.m., temp 36.6, p. 66 small and irregular, some headache remains as also slowness of speech. Difficulty of thinking, feeling of exhaustion. Palate reacts a little when touched. 3:45 p.m., temp. 37, p. 80, regular. At 5 p.m. fell asleep from exhaustion and slept 1 h. Seven day after this there appeared, besides acne pustules with heads the size of peas on forehead, cheeks, chin and back a good number of hard, red lumps (as before), some of which suppurated in the middle (Ibid.)
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.