19. Dr. WATZKE made 7 provings with salt.
19a. The first I began on March 2nd, 1843, at noon fasting with 12 globules of 39th attenuation (prepared according to Hahnemann’s directions). 5 hours later, as well as the following day (3rd), I took early in m. and in evening, 20 of such globules. I repeated same dose fasting early on m. of 4th. during these 3 d. I observed the most rigid homoeopathic diet. On the 3rd, afternoon, I noticed, as |I walked over a stone bridge, a very transient fit of giddiness. It was as if the stones beneath my feet were sinking down. On same day a few hours later, I was seized, while walking in the street, with some long stitches in right knee (which came and wet slowly). I had, moreover, during these 3 day, each day a few small more watery than pappy evacuations. I am, however, not inclined to bring these phenomena in causal connection with the medicine exhibited, because they bear a stamp foreign to that of salt, and may be explained partly – the vertigo and the stitches in the knee – as the result of the intense observation paid to myself, partly – the evacuations – as the consequence of the unusual mode of living induced by the strict regimen. On the 9th I took at 4 and 8 p. m. each time a teaspoonful of the 3x trit. I repeated same dose following day n. and e. No trace of any medicinal action whatever appeared thereafter. Just as fruitless in results was the third experiment, with 5 dr. of the 21st dil. taken on m. of 11th. On the 13th, 8 a. m., I took 3 drachm of crystallized salt, dissolved in a tumbler of water. I repeated the dose on 14th at 8 a. m. and at 3 p. m. On the 13th and 14th, in forenoon no other phenomena showed themselves besides increased thirst and somewhat more frequent micturition. On the 14th in evening a fluid evacuation without straining and pin in belly occurred. 15th. – Feeling of roughness in throat, not lasting long; in m. and after dinner two small fluid evacuations, also without straining or pain in belly; after the stools smarting in anus, which continued whole afternoon. Pressive pain in vertex, which likewise occurred after dinner, must not be ascribed to the salt, as I am frequently affected in a like manner after disturbed n. and continued exertion of the brain. The 16th and 17th I took each m. a teaspoonful of the 6th trit. [ I purposely interrupted the experiment with the unsuccessful dilutions by interpolating instead the raw material, in order to ascertain whether it were possible to create a sensibility to the smaller doses by means of previous large ones. ] I perceived afterwards no trace of any drug symptoms. The same result followed after I had taken on 18th, 19th, and 23rd on each occasion a teaspoonful of the 5th trit. Also after 3 teaspoonful of the salt trit., 24th., evening, no indications of medicinal action were present. On the 1st April at non, shortly before dinner, I took 3 drachm of salt dissolved in a glass of water. Soon after dinner, proceeded by borborygmi, two watery stools quick, y succeeding each other, without straining and almost without griping in belly., When out walking shortly after the painless pressing outwards (lasting 5 m.) occurred in middle of belly a few fingers’ breadth to right of navel, resembling that which pregnant female complain of some times, as if some part of the foetus pushed against the place. Also, whole abdomen was extraordinarily tense and distended. In riding in a carriage I was seized with frequent painful stitches in left thigh. In evening of same day, sensitiveness of external wall of chest, great prostration, indolence of mind, unconquerable sleepiness. I was, contrary to custom, at 10 p. m. no longer able to read. In lying in bed considerable painfulness of spinal column, which was increased when I lay on my back. On following m. about 4 o’clock, in driving a few stitches in left maxillary joint. On same day (2nd) I took at 8 a. m. I drachm of common salt in half a glass of water. In afternoon, on walking, tensive pain in right popliteal space, as if tendons were too short, lasting several m., almost obliging me to limp; thereon sitting suddenly a few very sensitive stitches in right great toe. On 3rd, early in m., again 3j. In course of forenoon frequent violent stitches from back and partly from chest towards middle of arm, as if produced by drawing sparks from an electrophorese. In evening troublesome distension of abdomen, which occurred also, though in a less degree, on previous e. Restless n., full of vivid exciting dreams, with frequent tossing in bed. On 4th, 9 a. m., again 3j. In forenoon faintness, slight pressure in stomach, tension in abdomen as if I had eaten too much, threatening of retching in throat, inclination to vomit. On same day, 1/2 hours after dinner, another drachm,. In afternoon, a scanty fluid evacuation with some straining; in evening tension in inguinal region. At bedtime (10 p. m.) again 3j. 5th and 6th. – I took each m. 3ij; on 7th, shortly before dinner,. With exception of slight tension in bowls and a few loose stools no symptoms showed themselves during these 3 d. On 8th, 11 a. m., I again took in a glass of water, this time, however, with almost invincible loathing. Immediately thereon, inclination to vomit, with eructations of air and some accumulation of water in mouth. The inclination to vomit continued 1/2 hours, and it was only with effort that could keep from vomiting. It was better after a plateful of clear soup. Thereon, commotion, gurgling, rumbling, and griping in belly, hastily call to stool, and an evacuation, which during the several m. that it required, brought away a great quantity of a thin, fluid, almost watery, stuff, with noisily violence and great flatulence. An hours later there followed a similar, only shorter and less violent stool, with burning in anus; it returned to a slight extent once more 4 hours after. No other phenomena showed themselves. On 9th, 8 a. m., I tried again 3j. In afternoon I was seized in left calf and left natis with sensation as if I had fallen on those parts. On following day, on which no med. had been taken, there occurred tension in the bend of right elbow, as if arm had been exerted too much. April 15th, 16th, and 17th, each day 3j The first drachm created (an hours after) urging to stool accompanied by slight griping and commotion in belly and almost fluid evacuation. The other 2 drachm caused no more looseness.
b. The phenomena developed in me during the proving by common salt led me to believe that is action upon me is just as transient as superficial. I deceived myself, however. It proved to be more permanent and powerful than I wished. [My proving of common salt does not furnish exactly a particular support to the hypothesis that a medicine requires another special impressionability (disposition) than that of general human frailty, in order to unfold its actions on the organism. At the same time it provided me with the key to the secret how to become drug-diseased. It could not be easy for anyone to show themselves less susceptible to small as well as large doses of common salt than I showed myself at the beginning of my experiments. The small doses made none or almost no particular impression; the larger were ejected by the organism in the shortest way and in all possible haste. And yet the medium doses, used continuously for a longer period, developed the salt disease in me almost to complete cachexia; and of all the medicines which I have hitherto proved, none created ultimately such a deep penetrating tenacious action in me as common salt. ] Soon after my last proving there appeared remarkable weakness and prostration of the body. I was not able to make any usual rounds in the suburbs on foot. the painful tension, already noticed in the former experiments, here and there in the joints as if the tendons were too short, or as if I had been struck there, occurred now more frequently. The tensive pain in the groin and popliteal space was sometimes so great that in walking in the street it was with bubble that I could get on for a few m. The irregularity in respect to the time and repetition, and with regard to the quality of the evacuations, which I observed during the whole course of my proving (with the larger quantities), continued far into May. I had, namely, now no evacuation, now only one in. the day, now two, three, even four. these were sometimes soft, sometimes quite fluid, sometimes hard. Frequently they were followed by smarting in anus. At same time I had continuously rather a small appetite, no quiet sleep, very vivid connected dreams, looked badly, got much thinner and was unusually depressed. The indifference to the absence of salt in my food showed itself in a strongly pronounced manner long and continuously. For some weeks my food could scarcely contain too little salt. Strongly salted things suited me remarkably ill. A very small portion of salted herring which I ate one evening resulted in commotion in the bowels, distension, loss of appetite, and a very uneasy sleep interrupted by frequent drinks. Towards middle of the month of May a peculiar very troublesome periodical affection of the urethra and rectum developed itself, for which I knew no other cause than the considerable quantity of salt which I had taken. There occurred frequently during the day, though irregularly, often several times in an hours, often at intervals of 5 and 10 m., often only in 2,3,4 hours, sensitiveness of urethra not increased by external pressure, contractive pain in the part and in rectum, with urging to urinate and to stool. The urine was clear, in sufficient quantity, and passed without pain. After micturition, as a rule, the urging to stool disappeared. The latter could in general be suppressed, but still threatened several times in the course of the d. The stool was soft, more fluid, without previous griping, not accompanied or followed by straining; moreover there was not kind of discharge from the urethra and no affection of the sexual organs present. The affection just described disappeared completely by the end of May with the use of colocynthin. Whether the sensibility and swelling of the testicles which appeared subsequently from June 7th to 10th, and the tension in the inguinal region connected there with – this tension was aggravated by movement and was accompanied with stitches from sacrum towards groin – whether symptoms be further effects of salt I will not take upon me to decide positively. (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.