Introduction
The “Liquor Sodae Chloratae” of the British Pharmacopoeia. Labarraque’s solution (of chlorinated soda).
Provings
1. COOPER. Pathogenetic effects observed in persons taking the drug. – Very low – spirited and depressed, could cry all d. Rapid emaciation (in a girl of twenty – one). Aching in every limb and feeling as if bereft of all power, and as though she would faint upon slightest movement. She becomes quite overpowered (from 1/2 dr. 3 times a day in women of 65). Vertigo caduca, – a very constant and characteristic symptom along with aching across forehead. Momentary indescribable sensation all over head. Swimming feeling, as though top of cranium were about to float off, worse when looking upwards. Pain across forehead, extending down nose and upon over entire head, with great tenderness of scalp, and a thumping noise in ears, which is worse by lying on either side; has to place back of her head against the pillow in order to gain sleep. Pain in right side of head, going from behind mastoid process to upper part of orbit “across the eye; ” causes eye to feel stiff and weak; aggravated by having slept, but continuing by day as well as by n. Pain darting from one temple to the other, coming and going with equal suddenness. In a woman, aged 51, great depression, and feeling in head as though cranial bones were being crossed one over the other, and as if she must fall forward, a sort of silly feeling; with a nasty taste, just as she used to have after taking iodide of potassium, but without the iodine coryza. paralysed feeling of her brain, with similar sensation in all limbs, and numbness of tips of fingers, and recurrent faintings. Throbbing headache in left temple, coming on immediately after her midday meal, and going off after tea. Much pain across small of her back, worse on getting up in m., existing along with want of appetite for breakfast, but fair appetite for supper. Pain in both hip – joints and in calves, with tingling extending to toes. Both hands are swollen every m. (observed in 3 cases). Extreme weakness in her ankles and knees. Pain under right ear when swallowing, with much pain, tenderness, and swelling up side of head, followed by most painful gathering, which burst and discharged strongly. Sore, irritable spots from in throat and along both sides of tongue. his teeth become brittle. sores, angry looking and moist, break out about mouth. Sore pimples come on inside of lower lip, at the commencement of a cold. Sores on inside of her cheeks, which began on left side, and gradually spread over mouth, with nasal discharge and influenza. His throat invariably becomes sore (observed in several cases). Neuralgic pain in left side of face, from lower jaw, extending to upper, and across eyes and nose to forehead, coming on irregularly and lasting from 1 to 1 1/2 hours (produced after taking the drug for 4 d.). Sore – throat, with difficult deglutition; a flat ulcer forms on tongue far back to root after taking drug for a week, and goes away immediately it is discounted. Swelling upon right upper jaw, close upon gum (gumboil), very painful to touch. The throat becomes red and sore (in a man aged 21, whose health was quite good except for a nasal polypus). Swelling, affecting upper and lower jaw of left side, with swelling on inside of the jaw between gum and tongue, throbbing in part and shooting pain extending up to temples and down left side of neck, relieved by cold applications, increased by worry, not interfering with appetite. Tongue is furred in m., and there is constant putrid taste throughout d. The tongue is white and shrivelled at sides, and there is taste as if she had been sucking alum; appetite for meat fell off. Epistaxis; blood comes away both by n. and day in clots, and is dark coloured (in a pregnant woman). Cough, with white tasteless phlegm and tightness across chest as from a weight, which keeps her from sleeping, and constricted feeling on inspiration at pit of chest (along with general feeling of weakness following a miscarriage). Cough distressing, with a little phlegm, continual during day (in a woman aet. 35). Pain under heart, with catching inspiration. Pain across upper part of chest, off and on, and pain with fulness across hypochondria, with pains extending down from both sides of waist to womb, causing a phlegmy discharge. Pain under left axilla and left mamma, aggravated by lying down, with sickish giddy feeling; when walking about, is obliged to keep sitting down. In a delicate anaemic woman suffering from uterine weakness, the N. chl. caused a pain to appear in left infra – mammary region, which affected left side of chest, shoulders, and top of head; shoulders became stiff and painful, and top of her head and side felt tender to touch, and ached, an unbearable pain; felt drowsiness after meals; left hand much swollen one m. after waking, and next m. right was similarly affected; bowels became confined and less urine was voided. She is unable to sit down without falling asleep, her appetite falls off, but bowels are regular and tongue clean. In a girl, aet. 21, aching pain in left side at waist, preventing her from sitting upright. Swelling low down in abdomen, going up to lower chest, and causing dyspnoea, worse after eating, with a good deal of flatus. A weight seems to fall from across pit of her chest to pit of abdomen and an aching, dull sensation, indescribable, but different from an ordinary headache, occurs on top of head after each dose and lasts for 1/4 h. Nausea and sick feeling; she becomes drowsy during day and wakeful at n. Loss of appetite for breakfast, but fair appetite for supper. When taken while the patient is recumbent, the N. chl. gave rise to a feeling of sickness. In a decidedly consumptive girl, aet. 16, its continued use made her feel drowsy and lazy, as if she should lie in bed all day, and her skin became covered with pimples that smarted after washing, and upon going into open air; the slightest drop of cold water as drink irritates these pimples. confinement of bowels for 3 day, and then passage of large, hard, offensive motion (in a girl of 18). Great exhaustion as if about to die before bowels act; sudden and forcible expulsion, with consequent complete relief. In a woman, aet. 42, cutting pain like knives in the anus, which comes on every evening between 6 and 7, and goes away during n., but not at any stated h. In a little girl, aet. 3, scalding when urinating, with soreness, itching, and smarting of vagina. Violent metrorrhagia. The monthly period comes on at once, a week before it time (in a perfectly healthy woman, after taking a dose of 2 dr. in water). In a woman suffering from prolapsus from injury, aet. 25, it brought on frightful vaginal pruritus, just inside lips of vagina, getting better and worse, and obliging her to tear herself to pieces. Uterine bearing down, severe backache and headache, affecting temples and back of head, making her feel light – headed and sickish, generally worse at n. She cannot take the N. chill., as it causes feeling of opening and shutting in womb (in a healthy woman, aet 65). The monthly period delays a week over time, and during Ist day she had more than usual aching in the back (in a fairly healthy girl, aet 21). Great sexual excitement after each dose in a man, aet. 25, of impressionable temperament. Almost unconquerable sexual desire after each dose, with priapism. Heavy sleep, with much disinclination to get out of bed in m. Drowsy during daytime, wakeful at n. Drowsiness after meals. The child when asleep has a ghastly look as if dead; his sleep is quiet. Much distressed, laughs, cries, and talks in her sleep; keeps her husband awake. Small gatherings form on fingers of both her hands. Pimply rash appears on the face, which is very irritable; e, especially at n. In a woman, aet. 31, from a drop, diluted, red smarting rash on face and neck, worse after meals or after warm drinks; a uniform redness with tendency to blister, “as if from a mustard plaster.” Its painful parts feel hot. (Brit. journ. of Hom., xxxv, 340.).
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.