2. Dec. 7th, 7 a. m., Mag. sul. 1, 2 gr. Powder tastes bitter. -8th, 7 a. m., 4 gr. No stool. Disagreeable heavy feeling in hypogastrium and sensitiveness of groins, relieved by discharge of flatus p. m.-9th. Sleep disturbed by cough, caused by tickling in back of throat. Tickling continues in m. from adherent viscid mucus. 8 a. m., 8 gr. Noon, the scraping-tickling irritation in throat gone, no stool. 4 p. m. till 8 p. m., tensive heavy feeling in hypogastrium with confusion of head, which went off after a difficult loose stool with great straining, but the confusion of head then increased to pressive headache in l. tuber frontal. There came on a feeling of malaise, prostration of strength, with dry heat of skin, and drawing pains in left tibia and left shoulder. -10th. Sleep disturbed by frequent waking. Confusion of head on rising, lasting 1 hours 8 a. m., 12 gr. Noon, a soft unsatisfactory stool followed by liquid faeces. From noon till evening 4 liquid copious stools in rapid succession, after the last stool at 11 p. m. slight pain in umbilical region. -11th. A.m., 2 liquid painless stools, some coryza, and sore pain in upper lip below nose. P. m., much audible rumbling in belly as though diarrhoea would come on. Towards evening more nasal secretion, hoarse voice, irritation causing short cough, sometimes with expectoration of viscid mucus, which seems to come from posterior nares into pharynx. 9 p. m., feeling of dry heat, confusion of head, slight drawing in limbs, prostration, disinclination for work, weariness. -12th. No sleep till after midnight, after that disturbed sleep, frequent waking. Noon, no stool. evening, upper lip under nose red and tense, viscid mucus from nose. -13th. Slept well. Noon, no stool. P. m., confusion of head with pressive frontal pain, flatulent distension of abdomen, heat of face. 8 p. m., general malaise, rigor with cold hands and feet, must go to bed. After 9 p. m. the chill gradually went off, then came on fluent coryza and dry heat with great thirst. Could not sleep on account of internal uneasiness, though he was very tired and prostrated. After midnight, perspiration with relief to other symptoms. Towards m. fell into restless sleep, disturbed by many dreams. -14th. In forenoon, felt ill, but had only a little cough caused by irritation in fauces. Had an unsatisfactory soft stool. Appetite diminished, tongue slightly furred. Dislikes tobacco. -15th. Slept well though he dreamt much. Noon, no stool, tongue furred, little appetite, no desire to smoke. Better in open air. 5 p. m., some confusion of head, full feeling in abdomen, frequent irritation to cough. 7 p. m., rigor very severe, had to go to bed. After 1 h. heart with cold feet for a considerable time, great thirst, confusion of head, frequent irritation to cough and fluent coryza. The heat lasted till midnight with great drowsiness but inability to sleep, then sweat came on, during which he fell asleep. -16th. All day confusion of head, furred tongue, little appetite, dislikes tobacco, fulfilling in abdomen, stool, copious red sediment in urine, coryza, cough shaking chest and head, bruised pains in all limbs, disinclination for all work, drowsiness. Took nux v. 3. -17th. Slept well. 8 p. m., a moderate rigor lasting 1/2 h., followed by heat lasting several hours and ending in profuse sweat. Took during heat another dose of nux v. 3. -18th. Sleep with confused dreams. Copious discharge of urine, m., the urine was bright yellow, soon became turbid, and had a copious red sediment. During day frequent urging to stool, but nothing came. Furred tongue, bad appetite, dislike to tobacco, abdomen distended but soft and painless. “Coryza and cough troublesome, disinclination for work. -19th. Slept quietly. A.m., an insufficient soft stool passed with straining, followed p. m. by a copious evacuation. Tongue cleaner, appetite still poor, dislike to tobacco. -20th. Slept well and perspired a little. Normal stool, m. Had to go a journey during which he was very hungry, and ate well. (HENCKE, N. Archiv, iii, 185.).
Poisonings.
I. A boy, aet. 10, took 3ij partly dissolved, partly mixed in a teacupful of water, and had hardly swallowed it before he was observed to stagger and become unwell. When the surgeon saw him, 1/2 h. after, the pulse was imperceptibly, the breathing slow and difficult, the whole frame in a state of extreme debility, and in 10 m. more the child died without any other symptoms of note, and in particular without any vomiting. On the most careful inspection of the body, no morbid appearance whatsoever could be found in any part of it. ( CHRISTISON, op. cit.)
2. An old man drank several pints of beer, which, it was afterwards proved, had been drugged with magn. sulph. He was seized with violent purging, and died within 48 h. On P. M. examination the lining membrane of the alimentary canal was found to be inflamed. (TAYLOR, op, cit..) 3. Giacomini saw 3ij taken at a single dose without producing any evacuation but chilliness instead with paleness, inability to move, trembling of the limbs, and repeated syncope. In another case the dose was 3iss, but the same general symptoms occurred, and vomiting likewise. (STILLE, op. cit.).
Experiments as animals
1. Moreau’s experiments (Arch. Gen. de Medorrhinum, 1870, August, p.234) were made by opening the abdomen of an animal, and tying four ligatures tightly round the small intestine a few inches apart from each other, so as to isolate three portions of intestine. Magn. sulph. was then injected by means of a hypodermic syringe into the middle part, and the intestine being then returned into the abdominal cavity the wound in the abdominal parietes was sewn up. A few hours afterwards the animal was killed, and on examination the middle portion was found full of fluid, while the portion on each side was completely empty. These experiments have been confirmed by Vulpian (Bull. Gen. de Theridion, lxxxiv. 522). The fluid contained in the intestine appears to be a secretion, and not transudation, for it does not contain as a much albumins as a transudate would do. (BRUNTON, Pract., xii, 345-350.).
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.