Introduction
Mercuric chloride, HgCl2, corrosive sublimate.
Provings
1a. Dr. J. BUCHNER, aet. 34, took, Sept. 7th, 1847, 8 a. m., 10 dr. Mercurius cor. 2. 10 a. m., feeling of urging to urinate in urethra, with scanty discharge – later no. call though bladder was full – after micturition persistent sense of fulness in bladder. Noon, dull pain in right frontal eminence, tenderness to touch of left angle of inferior maxilla. N. very restless, frequent waking, slept only 2 or 3 m., then woke, changed position, tossed about. M., great prostration and malaise, so that after shaving had to lie down again and slept 1 hours; cold hands and feet, increased pain in inferior maxilla, dysphagia, so that he could eat no bread at breakfast, flow of viscid saliva which he could scarcely spit out. He went about his usual business, but on account of increased coldness, flow of saliva, dysphagia, &c., he had to go to bed at 10 a. m. and apply warm wraps to his feet. He got warm very slowly and then had confusion of head, except in temples, the salivation continued and the inflamed state of lower jaw. After 1 hours head heavy and confused; he could not speak connectedly, and could not express his sensations distinctly. He noticed his unconnected speech and was vexed at it, so that he remained silent some time. At the same time great restlessness, he could not lie long in one position, and he had to get up. In afternoon digging and shooting in left ear so severe that for 3 m. he wept and cried aloud. Later the same symptoms in a slighter degree. N., slept only for minutes at a time. Urine scanty, red, with brickdust – coloured sediment; ill – smelling sweat towards m. At the same time pricking rheumatic pains in lower extremities. The symptoms lasted 4d., the sweat 6 d. 1b. After 3 months took 20 dr. 2nd dil. Soon, burning and heat in stomach with contractive pains involving bowels, at same time congestion of heart and anxiety until he had a loose stool. The symptoms lasted 16 h. 1c. Dec. 12th, 1846. Rubbed into left forearm 1/2 gr. Mercurius co. dissolved in alcohol. Woke about midnight, tossed about for 3 h. Confusion of sinciput with undulating pain in both cerebral hemispheres. Interrupted sleep in m. 1d. Rubbed 1/2 gr. into gums. M., slight bleeding of gums and drawing pains in teeth. 1e. The same dose in clyster caused long – continued tenesmus. (Allg. Ztg. f. Hom., i, Suppl. 78.)
2. Dr. FORSTNER took, 25th Nov., 1847, 10 a. m., 2 dr. of a solution of 1/50th gr. Mercurius cor. in 110 dr. alcohol. No effect – 26th, 10 a. m., 4 dr. No effect. – 27th, 10 a. m., 7 dr. On walking, m., peculiar pressive pain in right inguinal glands, as though they would swell; this lasted 1 hours, and went off on getting up. – 28th 10 a. m. 10 dr. During day frequent urging to stool, increased discharge of flatus. – 29th, 8 a. m., 15 dr. After dinner faint feeling and great exhaustion. – 30th, 10 a. m. and 10 p. m., 20 dr. No effect. – Dec. 1st. No medicine, 5 a. m., tensive pressive pain in left inguinal region, with sense of swelling of glands. N. restless, sleep frequently broken, vivid dreams, pulse febrile, skin, dry. After rising, transient stitches through both sides of chest, bruised feeling in abdomen, particularly in caecal region and in course of transverse colon; on pressure these parts feel as if bruised. This pain lasted all forenoon, got better towards evening, but did not go quite off. – 2nd. 10 a. m., 20 dr. 1 p. m., after dinner febrile pulse, drawing pain in pericranium. Frequent darting stitches through chest, bruised feeling in caecum and transverse colon increased by pressure. Evening, irritation in larynx causing dry cough, throat dry. – 3rd. No medicine. Irritating cough as yesterday, abdominal pain less. Great irritability of larynx. – 4th, 9 a. m., 5 dr. Afternoon, feeling as if left axillary glands would swell, with frequent transient stitches in them. Cough gone. (Ibid., 79)
3a. Dr. GERSTER, aet. 34, took, Aug. 1st, 1847, m., 5 drops of Mercurius cor. 2, without knowing what it was. – 2nd, m., 10 dr. Experienced a styptic metallic taste for 1 hour – 3rd, m., 20 dr. Same symptoms. – 4th, 30 dr. After 3 hours slight vertigo, confusion in upper part of forehead, yawning, objects appear smaller and farther from eye than usual, for several h. All afternoon drowsy, heavy and confused head, desire to lie down. N., dreamt of incendiarism and murder. Stool smaller and firmer than usual. – 5th, 7 a. m., 40 dr. Soon, slight burning and pressure in stomach, followed by frequent eructations of air. After 1 hour, confusion of head, frequent yawning and desire to stretch himself, slight burning and dryness of eyes, Conjunctivae of both eyes red and much injected. Same delusions of vision as yesterday. Humming in right ear, to which he was accustomed, became much louder. Symptoms relieved by eating. No stool. – 6th, 40 dr. No symptom except slight burning (in stomach?) for 1/2 h. The next 3 days the stools were harder, drier, and smaller than usual, and the 3 following days softer and moister than usual. 3b. October 16th, m., took 10 dr. of a solution of 1/4 gr. Mercurius cor. in 3j alcohol. Immediately an astringent metallic taste, followed by slight burning in stomach, then slight congestion of head and face with burning of cheeks and uncommonly great discharge of flatus. After 2 hours all objects, especially letters, appeared smaller for several h. After 4 hours burning at edges of eyelids like commencing catarrhal ophthalmia; photophobia in sunshine. – 18th, m.,15 dr. Nothing but the metallic taste and burning in stomach. – 19th. 20 dr., astringent taste, flow of saliva and several attacks of rigor, then burning in stomach for 1/2 h. During day frequent attacks of spasmodic cough. – 20th. About the same as yesterday. – 21st. Same, and also two clayey, light yellow stools. – 22nd, 7 a. m., 14 dr. Metallic taste and rigor whilst and after swallowing the dose; slight burning in stomach for 1/2 hour 11 a. m., burning in eyes. Objects all appear smaller and more distinct. This occurred several times during day, especially after yawning, which he required to do all day, though he was not sleepy, and had slept well the previous n. No stool. – 23rd. Quite well. (Ibid. 80.)
4. Katherine H -, aet. 21, took, October 16th, 1 hours before breakfast, 10 dr. of a solution of 1/4 gr. Mercurius cor. in 3j alcohol. Astringent taste. – 18th. 15 dr., astringent taste and rough feeling in throat. – 19th. 20 dr., astringent taste, flow of saliva, burning in stomach till dinner, shooting headache in frontal region for 1 hours, nausea and inclination to vomit all day – 21st. 25 dr., astringent taste and flow of saliva for several hours, then a transient rigor, several fits of spasmodic cough during day (Ibid., 82)
5. Dr. HELD, aet. 27, July 26th, 7 a. m., 2 dr. 2nd dil. Mercurius cor., not knowing what it was. Towards evening slight chilliness with short hot fit. Slept badly. – 27th. 2 dr., very exhausted. Afternoon, cutting in bowels and slight drawing in ossa femoris; legs felt gone asleep. Frequent starting up in sleep at n. – 28th. 2 dr., after some hours toothache, which gradually increased and tore from supra – orbital region to superior maxilla. This lasted all day, and was accompanied by chilliness of head and shooting pains in adductor and extensor pollicis of hand and extensor muscles of foot. Afternoon, several watery stools with cutting in bowels. All day very depressed in spirits. Could scarcely sleep at n for the toothache, which increased, and if he did sleep he had a feeling of anxiety. – 29th. The pains increased from 7 a. m. so that he took no more of the med. Forenoon, several bilious stools, with violent pains in bowels and troublesome tenesmus. – 31st. 2 dr., the same kind of toothache for several hours, confusion of head. N., could not find a comfortable position to lie in, so was rather sleepless. – Aug. 1st. 1 dr., the toothache increased; headache involving temples; in left ear, which was painful, full pulsation of arteries; throat rough; gums of last incisors began to swell with burning pain. Evening, drawing in limbs deeply seated as if in bones. N., sleepless till m. – 2nd. – Left off med. on account of toothache, prostration, and painful swelling of gums. Next day, the head was confused, the toothache continued in lessened intensity, as also the drawing pains in cranial bones. – 4th. 2 dr.; 4 p. m., with borborygmus 3 pappy brown stools. When at rest shooting in hip – joint relieved by movement. Evening, chilliness, especially in head, anorexia, thirst. N., sleeplessness and frequent starting on going to sleep. – 5th. 2 dr., same symptoms in increased intensity, chilliness in head, pains in temples, shooting in muscles lower limbs; great pulsation in ears, especially left; eyes painful; tearing burning pain from teeth of upper jaw to eye; roughness in throat, tiresome pressure in stomach. Afternoon, several bilious stools with tenesmus. N., could not sleep on account of anxiety; burning in orifice of urethra. – 6th. 2 dr., pressive burning pains in eyes, vessels of conjunctiva slightly injected, pain in temples, pressure above left eye. Tearing pains from left eye to incisors, burning pain in mouth, throat rough, difficulty of swallowing. In lower parts of right side of thorax shooting pain; painful pressure in stomach; cutting in bowels followed by thin bilious stools with straining. Violent itching in orifice of urethra, changing to smarting during micturition, sore stitches through urethra. Pressive shooting pain in hip – joint. Skin equally sore when moving and at rest. Slighter pains in other limbs. No appetite, thirst great, stomach tender. Evening, intellect so dull could not understand what was said. Before going to sleep, chilliness of head. On falling asleep, which he did later, a shock through whole body; could not sleep again on account of heat and pressure in chest with anxious feeling. N., the gums round right incisors swelled.7th. No more med. Felt rather unwell, no appetite, great thirst, burning pain from mouth to stomach, relieved by drinking cold water. Roughness of throat increased; coryza. Afternoon, bad – tempered, toothache and swelling of gums continued. – 8th. Woke pretty well, the only symptoms being burning in throat, toothache, and coryza. Afternoon, darting stitches in hip – joint. The swelling of gums lasted 2 day longer, as also the roughness in throat. (Ibid., 82.)
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.