Introduction
Achillea Millefolium, L. Milfoil, yarrow. Nat. Ord., Compositae.
Provings
1. Dr. HERING took 5 dr. of tinct. on m. of Feb. 22nd, 1851. – Everything that crosses him at dinner, or in evening, when he wishes to be at ease, makes him violent and irascible; great aversion to all business; it constantly seems to him as if he had forgotten something, does not know what he is about or what he wants to do, head confused and dull, especially in evening, worse after wine or coffee – for weeks; headache in forehead (1st d.). Shedding of eyebrows, but not hair of scalp, during 1st week. Ringing in right ear, frequently without any cause (1st and 2nd week); frequent pains in left ear, not pinching, but a darting in lengthwise. Within lower lip, left side, an elevation, with pressive sore pain, on evening of 2nd day; next day it is a flat ulcer, still covered with the whitish epithelium, slightly painful; had disappeared by next d. Dull piercing pains, keenly felt, shifting here and there on left side of throat near larynx (1st day towards e.). Very offensive flatus, especially afternoons and evening, for weeks. High up in right upper arm violent piercing pressure (2nd d.); pain in bones of left arm (1 hours); going to sleep, pricking in left arm (2nd d.); pain above left wrist (3rd day.); pressing throbbing pains in metacarpal joint of left index finger and thumb (4th d.); very violent yawning, without any weariness, especially evenings (1st week). (Amer. Arzneipr.)
2. Dr. RAUE took 5 dr. of tinct. in evening, and repeated dose after some hours and again next m. and on 4th and 5th day; on 15th day he took 1st dil. – Without feeling unwell, no inclination to do anything; dull headache, more in occiput (and towards left shoulder) in evening (2nd d.); wakes up with headache in occiput (4th d.); ears seem stopped after dinner and all afternoon; at 4 p. m., pain in left throat when swallowing, with later doses alcohol burns in same spot that is painful on empty swallowing; sore throat from 9 to 10 each evening; 2 stools in forenoon and 2 in evening (5th d.); sore sensation under nail of right, then of left thumb, as if crushed (10th day, disappearing 11th); evening of 13th day, right buttock painful as after falling upon it, next m. same, worse when pressing on it and on straining glutei, felt most on right at insertion of gluteus major into sacrum; drawing sensation in legs when lying down. (Ibid.)
3. O -, a friend of Raue’s took 3 dr. of tinct. Sensation as if a band were drawn across forehead while contracting the skin; drawing pain in left ear, and sensation as if moisture were flowing out of ear; twisting and stretching, with a pleasant sensation afterwards; (Ibid.)
4. BERENS, after 8 dr. of tinct. taken in afternoon, observed vertigo, with inclination to fall towards right and backwards, while walking, but not during violent motion, with nausea, especially on stooping, not on lying down; it lasted till following noon, when it ceased after tart. em. 3. (Ibid.)
5. NENNING (see Vol. 1, p. 30). Immediately empty eructation. Soon – roughness in throat, lasting a long time. Full feeling in stomach, lasting a long time. After 1/4 hours contractive feeling in front part of tongue with burning. After 1/2 hours violent tearing in upper part of right parietal bone. After 3/4 hours – burning in stomach, extending up into chest. Sleepy; she yawns occasionally. After 1 hour – prick in right side of head. An obtuse shoot on left parietal bone, and at same time a blow in opposite side, and after 1/2 m. a shoot there too. Undulation in head on stooping, relieved by rising up. Painful fine twitching in left side of lower maxilla. Burning in stomach, on bending body together worse towards right hypochonder, where it became a drawing and burning pain. After 1 1/2 hours – painful tension in upper part of right parietal bone. Tearing and shooting in whole right side of head. Painful shoot in right side of occiput. Creeping in left inner canthus as from a little feather. Crawling in left ear going off by boring in with finger. Violent tearing in right maxillary joint, going up to top of head. Tearing in right side of lower jaw, going quickly sometimes towards ear, sometimes into teeth. Some pricks before left ear. Pricking on upper lip. After 2h. – hiccup. Violent twitching first in left hypochonder, then on both sides, extending to heart, with anxiety, going off after rising from chair. A prick on outer border of right hand behind little finger. A prick in left hough. After 2 1/2 hours – twitching and tension in left upper eyelid. Coarse shootings on lowest right ribs. Pricking in left crista ilii. Shooting and burning externally on right elbow. Yawning and stretching as though she had not slept enough. After 3 hours – peculiar sensation in right side of head, as if screwed in, very painful. Transient shoot in eye brow. Feeling like mist before eyes in the distance, but not near at hand. Itching in right ear not quite removed by boring in it. A fine stitch in left scapula during inspiration when standing; after stretching and again crouching together a violent stitch in right scapula. A violent stitch in middle of left scapula. Shooting in sacrum. Formication in fore part of right foot as if after it had gone to sleep. After 3 1/2 hours – redness of face without hot feeling. Pricking and cutting sensation in palate. Burning and like a fleabite on inner surface of right little finger. After 4 hours – tearing in left frontal protuberance. Shooting in left side of occiput. The eyelids stuck together in m. In left ear a fluttering as of a bat, so that she started with affright, then on laughing feeling as if cold air escaped from it. A jerking stitch on a false rib. Painful coarse stitches on left side of chest, under arm, not affecting breath. A stitch on left shoulder. Shooting and burning in forepart of left shoulder. Two successive shoots on inner surface of right forearm, then itching there going off by scratching. 2nd day – Distension of abdomen, with frequent discharge of flatus, p. m. Tearing downwards in right tibia, when walking,.m. 3rd day – Increased feeling of hunger. Rumbling and cutting in belly, then two diarrhoeic stools, followed by tenesmus. Very soft stool, with some soreness thereafter. Constant urging to urinate, with copious discharge. Some leucorrhoea. Frequent drawing in back. Tearing and tension in left natis, when at rest and when moving, but worst when walking, a. m. 4th day – Tearing in left side of face to temple, frequently, e. Feeling in stomach as if fasting, on waking m. Painful gnawing and digging in stomach as from hunger. Frequent discharge of fetid flatus. Stool rather soft. After 7 day itching in back and itching pimples there. No time stated. – Several times empty eructation after taking soup. Burning in stomach and belly. Such a violent obtuse stitch in left side of abdomen that she started, when eating. A rough sensation on inner aspect of left forearm, on a spot the size of a hand, as from a large brush. Frequent going to sleep of right foot when sitting, not going off on rising up, after dinner. (Annual. day hom. Klin., iv, 344.)
6. SCHRETER. a. No time stated. – Feeling as if all the blood rose to head. Tearing in right knee. After 1 hours – painful throbbing in head. Sensation as if stomach were filled with astringent earth. After 2 hours spasm in stomach with sensation as if a fluid were in it which went from stomach into bowels and towards anus. 2nd day – Pressing – in shooting pain eyes towards root of nose and sides of forehead, when reading, e. Pressure in stomach, like a peg in it. (Ibid.)
b. Ebullitions in head on stooping, lessening when rising up (1 hours); jerking stitch on one of left false ribs (4h.); coarse stitches on last right false ribs (2 1/2 hours); cold limbs, with headache; does not sleep till 3 a. m. (3rd d.). (Amer. Arzneipr.)
7. July 13th, 1854. Took at noon 1 cupful of infusion made with zij of dried plant in 2 1/2 pints of water. Soon, secretion of phlegm in larynx. 5 p. m., another cupful of infusion. Some phlegm in larynx, and rough feeling there. Slight dull pain in crown. Increased feeling of heat in face, as though blood mounted to head. Feeling of congestion of blood in eyes and nose. These symptoms lasted some time. – 14th, 7 a. m., noon, and 5 p. m., a cupful. Headache on stooping. Other symptoms as yesterday. Transient shooting in right side of chest. 5:30 p. m. transient obtuse shooting in left side of chest. 5:45 p. m., pricking in left side of head, momentary. – 15th, 7 a. m., 2 cupfuls. Soon, quickened pulse. Later, shooting pressure in left hypochonder. 8:30 a. m., drawing in left tibia lasting several seconds. Bruised feeling in chest, dull headache, noon. 3:30 p. m., shooting – drawing pains close under left scapula, when sitting for a couple of seconds. Fine shoots in brain. 9:45 p. m., 1 1/2 cupful. After 10 p. m. in bed feeling of rush of blood to head, pulse quick. Sleep disturbed by dreams. – 18th, between 8 and 8:30 a. m., 4 cupfuls of infusion of ziij fresh plant in 2 pints water. 8:45 a. m., slight throbbing in arteries of head and face, pulse quick, full, strong. Increased feeling of warmth, especially in face. Oppression and restlessness. Shooting, sometimes, in right side of chest under 4th rib; feeling of contraction in skin of forehead, better after a glass of wine. After dinner transient drawing in occiput, indescribable sensation in left hypochondrium, soon afterwards the same in pit of stomach. Urine darker than usual. – 19th. Took no med. Occasionally during day dull headache especially in occiput. evening, the same but more severe. – 20th. After dinner dull feeling of in head. Transient slight stitches in right lumbar region near spine. 2:45 p. m., 2 cupfuls. Hammering in arteries of head. Quick pulse. Thirst. Dryness of mouth. Some fulness in chest. Feeling of something before ears. Headache coming and going, lasting 1/4 to 1/2 hours – 21st. Took no med. P. m., sound sleep, afterwards fulness in head. Stitch between scapulae. Some of former headache, which gets worse towards evening (KEIL, Zeitsch f. h. Kl., iii, 140).
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.