15. Dr. SCHWARZ made repeated experiments with the 1st trit. and with salt in substance. [ SCHW took (a) From March 3rd 14th, 1843, daily 5 gr. Ist, trit (I:100); (b) same dose daily from March 23rd till April Ist; (c) From April 2nd till May Ist of same trit, daily 10 gr.; (d) just as many gr. of Ist trit. (10: 90) daily from Oct. 6th 19th; (e) Oct. 24th 1, 25th 2 scruples; 26th 1, 27 th 1 1/2 28th 2, 29th 3, 30th 4, Nov. Ist, 6 drachms of crude salt; (f) from Nov.6th 13th, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 120 gr. of Ist, trit. (10:90), daily, every 2nd d., or every 3rd do; (g) From Nov.23rd-30th and from Dec. 9th – 14th the same Ist trit., beginning with 10 gr. daily, increasing by 10 gr., and from Dec., 14th onwards diminishing in same way back again to 10 gr.] The trit. showed sometimes none, sometimes only a slight and transient action. Pinching, grumbling in belly, sleepiness with frequent yawning, heaviness and weakness of limbs, indifferent or sorrowful state of mind, indolent hard evacuations, frequent micturition without having drunk much, – were constant symptoms. |More transient and only sometimes present were sensitiveness of scalp, heaviness in head, stitches through head into nape of neck and chest, roaring in ears, heartburn, eructations, unusual hunger alternately with loss of appetite, sensitiveness of teeth, vesicles on tongue, distraction irritability, starting of limbs, particularly of muscles of thigh. Salt in substance excited: – Scraping in throat, very violent thirst, loathing, loss of appetite, much eructation of tasteless and odorless gas. All these symptoms, however, disappeared always a few hours after taking it. (Ibid.)
16. Schwarz induced a weakly woman 7 months advanced in pregnancy, between 20 and 30 years of age, to prove common salt. She noticed after 10 gr. of 1st trit. under a strictly regulated mode of living the following symptoms: – The sleep, otherwise usually interrupted by frightful dreams, particularly during the first 3 day sound and composed; after a previous disposition to constipation, a regular easy stool daily; thirst, which had formerly been quite absent; sorrowfulness, tearfulness without cause; prostration, weakness, trembling of limbs; sensitiveness of body to contact; sweat induced by least exertion. Besides these, dulness of head, pain in temporal region; burning in eyes with increased secretion of mucus; eyelids adhere together in m., great sensitiveness to light of lamp; violent roaring in ears; spasmodic constriction on chest, very troublesome in taking deep breath; stitches in abdomen; cutting in belly, relieved by emission of flatus; grumbling and rumbling in bowels; very frequent micturition. (As the last symptom continued long after the other symptoms had quite disappeared, Schow – ascribes it to the pressure of the uterus on the bladder.) (Ibid.)
17. Dr. WACHTEL describes a serious of four provings of salt.
17a. Feb. 21st, 1843, I took, early in m., 10 gr. 1st trit. (10:90). No symptoms. 22nd. – 10 gr. Towards 11 a. m. ringing in ears, which continued whole day, and only at intervals alternated with feeling as if air were blowing into left ear. In evening heaviness of lower extremities. 23rd. – 10 gr. The roaring and ringing in ears continues. At noon during dinner, pulsation in scorbiculus cordis, which lasted some m. In afternoon in walking, cramp – like pressive pain on right shin – bone near ankle. It seemed to mine as if the drawers were too tightly tied at this part. On sole of left foot towards middle toe there appeared a white spot about the size of a sixpence, not elevated above the surrounding skin, very painful in walking. In evening swelling of lower extremities from half way up the leg downwards, with feeling as if the feet were loaded with lead. 24th. – 10 gr. The feeling of heaviness in lower extremities continues; the pain in right foot extended further upwards middle of tibia. In n. itching in left leg, obliging him to scratch. 25th. – 10 gr. The pain in right tibia has considerably diminished, but there came on in walking a feeling as if one spot the bone were loosened, so that I commenced to walk with anxiety. In afternoon itching in r, palm. In evening dull pain as if bruised in right zygoma and in coccyx, causing feeling on being touched as if he head fallen on that part; the former pain soon went away, the latter continued whole d. In evening the white spot above described had almost disappeared, but further forwards a vesicle the size of a pea had formed, which discharged bloody serum. 26th and 27th. – I took no med. and perceived beyond a burning in urinating nothing worthy of notice. After,10 gr., which I took 28th and on Mar. 1st, I felt, particularly in getting out of bed, very tired and prostrate. On 2nd to 7th March I took no med. The symptoms which appeared during those day may be summed up as follows: – Constrictive pain in stomach; feeling of heat in rectum; colicky urging to stool; chills down back; prostration of limbs; vivid pleasant dreams, so that I could recollect after walking perfectly connected conversations. On 8th, early in m,, 10 gr. Soon after, frequent sneezing, shooting in uvula. About 11 a. m., pain in left half of head, which extended into eyeball and produced feeling as if a nerve were tightened and suddenly relaxed again (a kind of springing pain). Before dinner constrictive and cutting pain in stomach, lasting several m. and frequently returning, which terminated in evening with feeling of pressure. 9th. – 10 gr. The pain in stomach previously described appeared again towards noon, but lasted only a short time. In evening, itching in hair on pubes; slight swelling of inguinal glands; pressive pain in right testicle; urging to stool, but without result. Very restless n. On 10th to 14th took no med., and could note nothing particular excepting hard evacuations and uneasy nights. 15th. – 10 gr. In course of forenoon there appeared dulness of head and pressive pain in temples, which was twice interrupted, but only for a moment, by springing pain in left half of head. After dinner these symptoms disappeared; on the other hand, I was seized by a very painful rhythmical pulsation, shooting, lasting a few m., in one of the cervical muscles on right side. Quiet n., dreams vivid. 16th. – No med., and so also on 5 following d. The pain described above appeared to – day, yet in a slighter degree, in deltoid near its point of insertion into arm. In afternoon frequent emission of flatus per anum. In evening there appeared a regular pulsating shooting in glans, with transient solitary fine stitches in orifice of urethra. There flowed probably also a drop of sticky mucus from urethra, as I found the shirt stuck together., Slip tolerable quiet excepting being awakened 3 times, when I perceived feeling in rectum as if I had taken cold, with involuntary emission of a small quantity of slimy fluid. 17th. – In forenoon, with exception of feeling of coldness and emptiness in stomach, nothing particular to relate. Directly after (a plain) dinner I noticed a considerable distension of abdomen, violent constriction of stomach, call to stool, yet without result, and after frequent ineffectual efforts 7 to 8 thin fluid evacuations with colic. Thereupon all pains ceased, and I felt again quite well. Quite n., vivid but not pleasant dreams. 18th. – Prostration in limbs; rumbling in abdomen; feeling of coldness in stomach, and 4 diarrhoeic painless stools. In e, distension of the abdomen; painful sensibility of whole lined alba; destined navel, sensitive to the touch. Restless n. 19th. – The whole forenoon remarkable weakness of body; heat of head with roaring in ears; oppression of chest and shortness of breath; feeling of coldness and emptiness on stomach; 3 thin fluid evacuations; loss of appetite. Afternoon, extraordinary sleepiness, so that in the moment of sitting down I already began to slumber. About 6 p. m., frequent chills, followed by heat and sweat, which lasted until 7:30 p. m. 20th and 21st. – The thin fluid stools continue. Vibration in muscles of back, right arm, and calves. Restless nights. 22nd. – 10 gr. After dinner distension of abdomen with emission of flatus. Towards 5 p. m. colicky urging to stool, without result; pressive feeling in stomach. About 7 p. m. 3 evacuations rapidly following one another, without relief. The whole n. feeling of soreness in bowels; constant waking out of very vivid unpleasant dreams. 23rd. – Flying stitches in r. Knee – joint; drawing pinching pain in left carpal joint, increased by contact, diminished by heat, No evacuation. Quiet n. Up to the end of the month, the flying stitches in joints, as well in upper as lower extremities, frequently as appeared. The above mentioned pinching and drawing pain in left corpus continued incessantly for several d. On the 5th day for the first time occurred evacuation, with straining and chills. The costiveness lasted for 3 weeks.
17d. My second proving with pure slat, of which I took, April 19th and every succeeding day up to 30th, 5 gr. dissolved in half a glass of water, furnished but a thin harvest. The phenomena subsequently observed were the following: – Shooting and tearing in shoulder and knee – joint; beating in pit of stomach, particularly after a meal; pinching pain in left forenoon; in region of navel sensation as if abdominal wall were pressed upon by a solid body from within outwards; costiveness; restless with vivid dreams.
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.