27. After abortion at the third month, a young woman of 24 was ordered an injection of 1 in 2000. Instead of calling on the nurse to give the injection, the patient’s sister took upon herself to inject into the rectum 1/3 litre of the solution, containing about 17 centigrade. of the sublimate. In the course of a few m. patient was seized with intense general tremulousness, more marked in the upper extremities; her voice became feeble and consciousness dull. On arrival of the doctor 1/2 hours after injection, patient’s face was pale, the skin cold and clammy. She was unconscious, pulse 130, small and feeble; resp. 56, shallow and irregular. The tremors had disappeared, but the tonus of the muscles had increased to such an extent that the limbs preserved the position in which they were placed for more than a m. Attempts to induce the patient to swallow gave rise to attacks of dyspnoea. In spite of treatment the breathing became more and more embarrassed, and it was necessary to resort to artificial respiration. The pulse became imperceptible, and the face cadaveric. Death appeared imminent, but as the heart still pulsated the treatment was persisted in for 3 hours, when patient began to show signs of returning life. She had never shown any symptoms of hysteria, and everything pointed to the sublimate as the direct cause of the attack. (Ibid., p. 499)
28a. Mrs. -, aet. 28, large and plethoric; weight 220 pounds; called at my office at 7.30 p. m., May 27th, 1881, in an excited condition, and said she had taken poison about 1/2 hours before. I asked her what kind of poison she had taken. She said bed – bug poison, or corrosive sublimate, and that she had taken half a glassful. I told her that in that case she must die. She was at this time retching violently. “Can’t you do something for me?” I told her I would do what I could, and as soon as possible. I gave her over a pint of a strong solution of salt in tepid water. With this she vomited copiously. I also gave her the whites of a dozen and a half of eggs, she being able to take only four or five of them before they were ejected. During this time, which occupied 1 1/2 hours, she purged and vomited blood a great many times; and at 9 I ordered a carriage and sent her home. 28th. – At 9 a. m. I called, and found her quite comfortable except a burning in the throat, and also in the rectum after a stool. During the n. she had passed stools of blood quite frequently, and had voided a large quantity of urine. The abdomen is quite tender; the temperature is 99 degree, and the pulse 115. l ordered injections of the aqueous fluid extract of hydrastis, per rectum, in the proportion of two teaspoonfuls in half a pint of warm water, to be taken after each stool. In the evening I found the pulse 80, and the temperature 100 degree. The patient says the injections afforded great relief. The abdomen is not so sore, and the burning in the bowels has entirely ceased. The stools are not bloody. There has been no emission of urine. Continued the same treatment. 29th, a. m. – Pulse 94, temperature 100 degree. She complains mostly of her throat. The tenderness of the abdomen is almost entirely gone. No passage of urine. I passed the catheter, but obtained none. Gave iod. potass., 10 gr. in solution every h. Also ordered jaborandi injections to be substituted for the hydrastis. Evening, the pulse is 105; the temperature 100.2 degree. The patient only took the iod. potass. a few times, as it nauseated her. She has perspired freely most of the d. Passed the catheter, and there still was no urine. Ordered half of the original dose to be given in two spoonfuls of milk. 30th, a. m. – Pulse 106; temp. 100.2 degree. The general condition is the same as last e. She has very small stools every h. Continued the same treatment. Evening, pulse 96, temp. 99.9 degree. The patient is quite drowsy, but drinks a little milk. When getting up to stool, she vomits a little. Administered 10 dr. of apocynum cannabinum in the mother tincture hypodermically over the right kidney. After waiting 1/2 hours, the catheter was passed, but there was no urine. 31st, a. m. – Pulse 96; temp. 99.9 degree. The stools are very small, and have a cadaverous smell; no urine; complains of no pain; takes milk and medicine; vomits a good deal of bile. Gave 10 dr. of apocynum in the arm hypodermically. Also, to satisfy the husband that the bladder had the power to eject urine, I injected an ounce or more of warm water into it, which was promptly voided. Evening, pulse 88, temp. 99 degree. Gave hypodermically over the right kidney gr. 1/4 of pilocarpine. In less than 5 m. a profuse perspiration was produced, a large quantity of bile was thrown from the stomach, and a very large stool passed, but still there was no urine. Ordered apis mel. 2 trit. every 1/2 h. June 1st, a. m. – Pulse 90, temp. 99.6 degree. She is about the same. Gave gr. 1/4 of pilocarpine hypodermically, and she commenced perspiring in 1 m. by the watch. Passed the catheter, and there was no urine. Gave the apis every h. evening, Dr. Burt was present in council. Pulse 80, temp. 99 degree. The patient is still able to walk. Dr. Burt advised pilocarpine gr. 1/4 to be given hypodermically twice a d. Also potass nit. every 2 hours 3rd, a. m. – Pulse 88, temp. 99.5 degree. She is becoming weaker, her speech is more difficult, the face is very much swollen, the tongue thick and deeply marked along the edges by the teeth. The hiccough was subdued by the use of small pieces of ice; no urine; she is quite drowsy. Elm water was given her to drink; pilocarpin hypodermically; alternated nit. potass and nit. ac. every h. Evening, the patient seems brighter. In the afternoon hiccough set in, which would not yield to ice; but with ice and hot water in quick succession it yielded completely. The pulse this evening is 85, temp. 99.2 degree. The face is not so much swollen, and she can talk a little better. Repeated the pilocarpine, and continued same medicine. 4th, a. m. – Pulse 90; temp. 99.9 degree. She seems quite stupid. The face is very much swollen; we can scarcely understand a word that she says, but she is entirely conscious, and answers yes and no by a nod or a shake of the head. She is very quiet, and says that she has no pain. The catheter fails to find any urine in the bladder. Same remedies. Evening, pulse 80, temp. 100.5 degree. She is becoming very weak. The swelling has decreased very much. The pilocarpin does not produce as profuse perspiration as before. She complains of some pain across the kidneys. Hot fomentations were applied and the same medicine continued. 5th, 4:30 a. m. – Was called in haste to find that my patient had passed quietly away a little before 4, without even a moan, or anything to indicate to the watchers that dissolution had taken place. 28b. At 4 p. m. an autopsy was held; present, Drs. W. H. Burt, Duncan and Snyder. There were two inches of adipose over the abdomen. The peritoneum was normal. The stomach was very much inflamed, its cardiac portion being almost perforated by ulceration. The kidneys were examined very carefully. They were found to be inflamed, and so hard that to dissect them was like cutting into firm cheese. The ureters were also inflamed. The small intestines were almost normal. The descending colon was slightly inflamed. The inflammation of the liver had been severe, and its texture was solid. The gall – bladder was full of bile, and decidedly inflamed. There was no urine in the bladder, and it was literally lined with fat. The uterus was normal. (I have neglected to state that during her sickness at the proper time, she menstruated as if she had been in perfect health.) (SKILES, Clinique, Oct., 1881.).
Experiments on animals
1. Three gr. of corrosive sublimate in substance were put upon the connective tissue of the thigh of a medium – sized dog about 11 a. m. At 6 p. m. he seemed dull. Next m. about 11 a. m. pulse was very rapid, tongue moist and natural in colour. No sign of paralysis or vertigo. At 5 p. m. dyspnoea, the dog lying upon his side. Next m. he was dead. Autopsy. – The thigh was infiltrated and considerably inflamed; the place upon which the sublimate was put was grayish. On the mucous membrane of the stomach (which was natural in colour), close by the pylorus, were found six or seven coal – black spots, caused by extravasated venous blood. The small intestine was normal, the rectum somewhat red. The crepitant lung was brown, containing much blood, and floating on water. Mitral valve cherry – red; otherwise heart was healthy. (ORFILA, Tax., sub voce.)
2. About 11 a. m. 6 gr. of sublimate in substance were applied to the connective tissue of the inner aspect of the thigh of a very large dog. About 1 p. m. he vomited; next day burning thirst; the 3rd day he would not eat, and endeavored to guzzle water, which he immediately vomited again. Inconsiderable vertigo without spasm or paralysis. Death about 4 p. m. Autopsy. – The thigh operated upon was very much infiltrated and excessively inflamed, but not an atom of the sublimate was to be found. The mouth was grayish; the stomach contained much yellowish mucus; the mucous membrane here and there cherry – red, and, at the pylorus, ulcerated. The small intestine seemed normal, the rectum very much inflamed. The tricuspid valve of the heart was beset with minute black points of extravasated blood, which the slightest friction changed to ulcers; otherwise the heart was healthy. The lungs were crepitant, somewhat infiltrated, and floated on water (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.