6. A woman, bitten by a cobra, was found sitting on the ground suffering from a succession swooning fits. She had had 8 before my arrival, 2 hours after the bite, the marks of which were seen on the ankle. While with her another swooning came on; she fell forward from sitting posture insensible. After some time, with convulsive gasps, she came to herself. She took a native antidote, and had only one more fit, 2 hours after the last. (FAYRER, Ed. Medorrhinum journ., 1869, p.425)
7. Mr. F. BUCKLAND had skinned a rat which had been killed by a cobra – bite. “I had not walked a hundred yards,” he writes, “before all of sudden I felt just as if somebody had come behind me and struck me a severe blow on the head and neck, and at the same time I experienced a most acute pain and sense of oppression at the chest, as though a hot iron had been run in, and a underweight put on the top of it. I knew instantly from what I had read that UI was poisoned; I said as much to my friend, a most intelligent gentleman, who happened to be with me, and told him if I fell to give me brandy and eaude luce, words which he kept repeating in case he might forget them. At the same time I enjoined him to keep me going, and not on any account to allow me to lie down. I then forgot everything for several minutes, and my friend tells me I rolled about as if very faint and weak. He also informs me that the first thing I did was to fall against him, asking if I looked seedy. he most wisely answered, ‘No, you look very well. ‘ I do not think he thought so, for his own face was as white as a ghost. I recollect this much. he tells me my face was a greenish – yellow colour. After walking or rather staggering along for some minutes, I gradually recovered my senses and steered for the nearest chemist’s shop. Rushing in, I asked for eau de luce. Of course he had none, but my eye caught the words Spt. Am. Co., or hartshorn, on a bottle. I reached it down myself, and pouring a large quantity into a tumbler with a little water, both of which articles I found on a soda – water stand in the shop, drank it off, though it burnt many mouths and lips very much. Instantly I felt relief from the pain at the chest and neck. The chemist stood aghast, and on my telling him what was the matter, recommended a warm bath. If I had then followed his advice, these words would never have been placed on record. After a second draught at the ahrtsshorn bottle I proceeded on my way, feeling very stupid and confused. On arriving at my friend’s residence close by, he kindly procured me a bottle of brandy, of which I drank four large wine glasses, one after another, but did not feel that least tipsy after the operation. Feeling nearly well, I started on my way home, and them for the first time perceived a most acute pain in under the nail of the left thumb; this pain also ran up the arm. I set to work to suck the wound, and then found out how the poison had got to the system. About an hour before I examined the dead rat, I had been cleaning the nail with a penknife, and had slightly separated the nail from the skin beneath. Into this little crack the poison had got when I was scraping the rat’s skin to examine the wound. How virulent, therefore, must the poison of the cobra be! It had already circulated in the body of the rat from which I had imbibed it secondhand.” (Curiosities of Natural History, 2nd ed., p. 225.).
Experiments on animals
June 1787, dog bitten on inside of thigh by a species of N. howled at first as if in much pain. After 2 or 3 m. he lay down, and continued at intervals to moan and howl. After 20 m. he rose, but stood with difficulty, and was unable to walk; his whole frame seemed greatly disordered. He soon lay down again, and in a few m. was seized with convulsions, in which he expired, 27 m. after bite. (P. RUSSELL, op. cit.)
2. July. a large very stout dog was similarly bitten. in a m. or two thigh was drawn up, which is generally first symptoms of poison having taken effect. he continued, however, nearly an hours walking on three legs, seemingly not otherwise disordered; he then laid himself along, showed great inquietude, but did not howl; purged once. About this time he became in an uncommon degree convulsed about head and throat, and made several vain efforts to rise, both hind legs being now paralytic. In this state he continued above an hours, and then died, 2 hours after bite. (Similar results followed in 3 other cases.) (Ibid.)
3. A cobra de capello was made to bite a very large stout dog. At first the dog complained loudly, though neither was the thigh drawn up, nor for 1/4 hours did any symptom of poisoning appear. About this time, breaking loose, he was pursued, and after a chase of 1 1/2 hours was brought back, extremely heated and fatigued. After resting 1/4 hours water was offered to him, but he would not drink, though he ate some morsels of bread thrown into the water. About 1/4 hours after eating the bread he grew sick, vomited, and began to howl and show much inquietude. After 10 m. he vomited a second time, and became extremely outrageous, struggled to get loose, snapped desperately at the stake to which he was tied, and howled incessantly. he then lay down, and was much agitated about belly and stomach; muscles of face also were convulsed. being made to rise, he walked without any serious impediment from the hind legs. At end of 3rd hours he still continued extremely ferocious, so that it was necessary to tie his legs. From this time his howlings and strugglings grew gradually weaker, and the convulsive motions of his face increased. In this state he lingered about an hours longer, and then expired. Bitten part was black for size of half – a – crown around. (Ibid.)
4. A solution of I gr. of the poison in 3j of olive oil was slowly injected into the facial vein of a large rabbit. The operation did not occupy above a minute, and before it was complete the animal was quite dead. On dissection, it was found that the oil had passed freely through the lungs, as it was found in the liver and abdominal vessels; and so it is not probable that it was merely the pressure of the oil in the heart that had caused the death. The heart was found distended in all its cavities with dark blood, as if it had been wholly paralysed. (R. RUSSELL, brit. journ. of Hom., xi, 592.)
5. A guinea – pig had injected into its peritoneal cavity a solution of 1/4 gr. of cobra poison in 10 dr. of distilled water, at 1.56 p. m. 2, sluggish; does not twitch as another did, which received similarly a dose of crotalus poison. (See Crot., iii, 6). 2.4, started and squeaked slightly, as though in pain. 2.5, slight twitching general. Paralysis and ataxy commencing; drags legs with difficulty. 2.9, sharp twitchings of head and neck. 2.12, subsides on to belly; head fallen over, crawls with difficulty; is very feeble, almost paralysed. Eyes (it is an albino) have heavy dull look; they have lost their bright pink. 2.14, convulsed. 2:15, reflex action ceased; apparently dead. but heart can still be felt beating; occasional convulsive twitching of lower lips. 2.17, all movements have ceased, – those of heart also, save for slight flickering contractions of auricles. 2:20, electrodes in cord showed this and its nerves paralysed; muscles contract freely to direct stimulus of current. heart distended with blood, which blood, which, when removed, formed rapidly a firm coagulum. Intestines, peritoneum, and subperitoneal areolar tissue congested and ecchymosed; sanguinolent effusion into peritoneum, but not so well marked as in the crotalus poisoning. Peristaltic action of bowels ceased rapidly. (BRUNTON and FAYRER, Report on Sanitary Measures in India, 1873 – 4)
6. Same dose was injected into jugular vein of a large rabbit at 2:55 p. m. Rabbit passed at once into violent convulsions, and was apparently dead before it could be removed from the board (I m.). Cord was immediately exposed, artificial respiration having also been begun; electrodes applied, with strong current, induced no reaction, cord was completely paralysed. Thorax examined 2.59. heart had ceased to act; ventricles moderately contracted, auricles distended with blood. Phrenic, on being irritated, gave no response; diaphragm, when directly excited by current, contracts very faintly, but neighbouring muscles vigorously. Peristaltic action goes on; electrodes applied to vagus appear to accelerate it, to splanchnics, diminish it. 3.7, ventricles have now contracted firmly. 3,15, blood taken from heart and large vessels has coagulated, but not firmly; clot is small, and serum very red; under microscope, blood shows no aggregation in rouleaux or crenation of corpuscles. (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.