12. A man, aet. 56, took by mistake, April 29th, 3 p. m., a teaspoonful of tinct, nux vom. Rademacheri, which is only half as strong as the ordinary tinct. At 12:30 a. m. another teaspoonful. he had a restless n. and peculiar drawing on dorsum of feet and in soles. – 30th, 8 a. m., a teaspoonful. 8:15 a. m., alternate heat and chills, head hot. On trying to rise from chair, he could only stand, but could not raise his feet to take a step; next drawing and stiffness of masticating muscles and nuchal muscles; the movements of eyes are difficult from stiffness of the ocular muscles; drawing and pricking as with needles on dorsum, and soles of feet and in toes; a similar sensation in arms and hands. he looked somewhat heated, skin rather moist; legs could be moved when seated, but could not sustain body. He got coffee and camphor. 9:30 a. m., better, with assistance could walk into next room. Urine passed in a stronger stream than for years. 2 p. m., quite well. (LEMBKE, N. Zeitsch. f. hom. klinik., xiii, 152.)
13. Post – mortem examination of a woman, aet. 26, who had committed suicide with 3j pulv. nucis vom. Body very stiff, head drawn forwards and to left, flexed and contracted arms and fingers of both hands, jaws firmly closed, dark violet spots on face upper part of chest, and traces of vomited grayish mucous masses. P. m. suggillations in various parts, flow of bloody mucus from nose. Meningospinal vessels slightly congested; vessels of arachnoid not perceptibly injected, in this cavities a little reddish serum, where it covers the left lobe a reddish – black serous infiltration. Brain substance soft, grey and while substance well defined. On cutting through it many bloody points seen; in lateral ventricles half tablespoonful or reddish serum; lobes on their upper surface; pia mater very red and injected; cortical substance very dark, white copious, clear, dark red fluid; vessels of dura mater slightly injected; the thoracic portion of spinal cord very soft compared with the other parts; the grey central parts traversed by visible blood – vessels. Larynx, trachea, and bronchi filled with blackish – violet, slimy, viscid fluid; their m. m. blackish – violet, their capillaries not injected; posterior parts of lungs almost black, crepitating strongly, and on being cut through a large quantity of black fluid blood escaped. Heart flabby and very large; on its surface near right border 8 to 10 ecchymosed points like flea – bites irregularly grouped and close together; one isolated spot near left border 1/2 inch from apex; its cavities contained black fluid blood, as also the large arterial and venous trunks. In pharynx blackish blood slightly staining its walls. Stomach and intestines distended with gas; in former a blackish – brown spot towards the inner surface of spleen; several injected venous trunks under serous membrane. In stomach a clear, beef – tea – like, grayish liquid. its m. m. throughout whitish, with some brownish – red marbled marks. In the part of the saccus caucus ventriculi corresponding to the external brown spot the same venous clusters in the m. m., which showed a red spot as big as a florin, very dark and punctated, growing paler towards circumference. Throughout the intestinal canal m. m. whitish; some of the grayish fluid seen in stomach was found in the duodenum, none in jejunum, Liver healthy; spleen very soft, very easily brokenup, and containing much black fluid blood. A cyst as large as a pigeon’s egg in left ovary, filled with clear colourless serosity. (OLLIVIER, Arch. gen. de. Medorrhinum, viii, pt. i, 17; also in Frank’s Mag.)
14. A man, aet. 45, of nervous – bilious temperament, took June 13th, 9 p. m., a considerable quantity (12 sous’ worth) of coarsely triturated Nux v. Almost immediately violent convulsions. When brought to the hospital his features were altered, general bruised feeling, strength much diminished; convulsive fits of 1 to 2 m. duration at frequent in travels, extremely pronounced stiffening of all muscles, jaws fast closed, great restlessness, uninterrupted cries and requests for speedy relief, pulse not altered (emetics and purgatives given). At n. hearing and sight extremely sensitive, the convulsive fits were renewed by touching him and by the slightest noise; during fits pulse frequent and agitated; he is bathed in perspiration. – 14th, 7 a. m., quieter, the convulsive fits rarer, shorter, and slighter, but still excitable in the same way, a feeling of relaxation and prostration in limbs (pot. calm. 3iv, Opium gr. vj). 9 a. m., cessation of convulsions. This state of quiet continued all day, also next n., and on the 15th there only remained a general feeling of pain and weakness. evening, complained of pain in epigastrium, skin dry, pulse quick. – 16th, 6 a. m., pulse small, almost imperceptible, dryness of skin, redness of border of tongue,. acute pain in epigastrium, extreme prostration, with unimpaired mental faculties. died at 10 a. m. in a state of general clammy sweat but no stiffness of limbs. P. M. (after 48 h). – In lateral ventricles of brain about 3j fluid, in cavo arachnoideae os spinal cord a considerable quantity; the posterior part of the membrane studded with numerous irregular cartilaginous plaques. Liver large. Gastric m. m. has several red and black spots, contains some spoonfuls of slimy, bloody, brownish fluid; duodenum filled with a yellow slimy fluid, without a trace of inflammation, the redness and injection of its m. m. goes off towards jejunum, the redness and injection of its m. m. goes off towards jejunum. It middle part contracted, its walls thickened, and ulcers on the m. m. corresponding to the contracted part. Bladder small, contracted, slightly injected, and containing a spoonful of puriform fluid. Some adhesions betwixt pleura pulmonalis and costalis, lungs full of blood, especially at the base. Heart normal. Considerable stiffness of limbs; almost all the skin violet, especially in depending parts. (BOUILLAUD, journ. univ. et hebd., xiv, 396; Frank’s Mag., iv, 629.)
15. A young woman took by mistake a quantity of rat poison consisting of coarse powdered nux v. She was soon unable to walk, and fell down without losing consciousness. When seen was lying in bed with pale face, expression of indifference, anxiety, alternately laughing and crying, eyes wide open, pupils contracted. Breathing irregular, superficial, pulse irregular, small, not hard or quick, skin cool, forearms half relaxed, hands and fingers moving convulsively, lower extremities immovable, stiff, all the muscles hard, tetanically contracted. No pain, no nausea. Respiration became every instant more difficult, and she complained she was suffocating. She got 5 gr. tart. em. After 10 m. no feeling of nausea, a cup of tea was given, and throat irritated with a feather until vomiting ensued. She then got various medicines. The symptoms gradually subsided, but the slight continued pain for 3 day, and she had a bruised sensation and tired and painful feeling in thighs as though she had had a long walk. (BASEDOW, Hufeland’s journ., lvii, i, 86. 1828.)
16. A man for suicidal purpose took, Feb. 7th., 9 a. m., about 2/3 of an oz. of powdered Nux v. After I hours he felt his feet and soon afterwards his legs and thighs growing cold and stiff. he went to bed; then there came on an indescribable pain in back and loins, soon followed by tetanic convulsions. At same time nausea, inclination to vomit, but without vomiting. After being 1 hours in bed his body was covered with profuse warm perspiration, though the legs remained cold, damp, and stiff. When seen at 4 p. m. was bathed in sweat, very anxious and repentant of his foolish act. The legs were stretched out and stiff. The arms also felt cold and crampy, but were still at patient’s command. breathing oppressed. Pulse very quick, 65 to 70, full. On touching him he had immediately a convulsive fit. he could with difficulty put out his tongue, which was furred white. His expression was anxious, his speech stammering and interrupted by convulsions in extremities and back |(opisthotonos). After a clyster of Glauber salts the violence of the fits subsided somewhat. He remained perfectly conscious. he slept restlessly, and next m. felt very exhausted, but he could get up and move slowly about the room. He complained of pain and prostration in back and sacrum, fetid odour from mouth, the sensibility of the lower extremities somewhat dulled. Urine turbid, with dirty yellow sediment. – 9th. Convulsive movements quite gone, only painful feeling in back and loins remains. Tongue still loaded, no appetite. – 11th. Quite well. (LEVIE, Schmiat’s Fabr., xxx, 296. 1841.)
17. A few day ago I received an urgent call to go and see a patient who had been suddenly seized with cramp, and who appeared to be in a dying state. This was about 4 p. m., and he had been attacked about 1/2 hours before that. On reaching the patient I found him labouring under the following tetanic symptoms, viz. drawing, crampy pains in back of neck, with paroxysms of internal stiffness and rigidity from nape downwards. the paroxysms varied in intensity. l during the mild attacks the muscles of the neck alone were affected, when he could walk about and speak freely. During the more severe attacks not only the muscles of the neck but those of the chest and throat were affected, causing great difficulty of breathing and choking sensation, especially when attempting to swallow anything, also the muscles of the head, and especially of the forehead, causing a contraction of the eyebrows, and giving him a peculiarly sullen expression of countenance. During the most severe attacks all the muscles of the back and legs were affected, and the entire body became rigid and curved backwards; at times he was unable to keep his seat on the chair, and when he attempted to get on his feet he could scarcely stand or move his legs, his muscles were so rigid. Each paroxysm lasted 1 – 2 m. He always made an effort to move about when the attacks came on, and to rest the affected parts. Having learned the cause of the complaint I at once gave him camphor every few m. In the course of 1/2 hours the spasms gradually lessened in severity, and disappeared altogether in about 3 h. Shortly after he was suddenly seized with violent strangury. the efforts to urinate were constant and most painful, without being able to pass a drop. for this he got opium, which speedily gave him relief. Next day, with the exception of a little fatigue and shakiness, he was quite well. This patient had been labouring under some slight nervous affection, for which he applied to a well – known orthodox professor in Edinburgh, who sent him a prescription for 60 (!) pills, each containing 1 1/2 gr. Nux v. Of these, one was to be taken 3 times a d. The tetanic symptoms came on after taking the second pill. The first was taken in the m., the second at 3 p. m., and in 10 m. after that the cramps in neck and back came on. (COCKBURN, Month. Hom. Rev., ii, 49.)
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.