Introduction
The pure precipitated metal.
Provings
1. C. HERING, April 5th, 1850, while triturating and soon, after, felt pressure on right forehead in boundary line of hair, covering small spot, and lasting 30 – 60 m. At noon, sudden stinging pain in metacarpal bone of left middle finger. 10 p. m., a first hard then mushy thin stool with protrusion of anus. Strong inclination to use forcible language and violent expressions. 6th. – Several of above symptoms were repeated. 7th. – Last n. again severe pain deep in left hand, burning and boring, as if part were shattered; it woke him. Towards m. peculiar pain in left side, never felt before, disappearing on turning. Heavy, tired in limbs, inert and undecided, in m. Sensation in. arms as if it were going to sleep. Pain in rectum with retained stool; no urging for its evacuation. 11:30 a. m., took a teaspoonful of the black water obtained from washing out the mortar after making the 1st trit. In 1/2 hour very painful dulness in head, and stitches running to and fro in its left side; sudden twitching in right wrist and metacarpal bones. Pain in rectum increased till 1 p. m., when it ceased after a soft stool. P. m., felt worse; violent digging pain in right side, 2 – 3 in. to right of epigastrium, then passing pain under left ribs. Slight inclination to stool as if diarrhoea would set in, while walking in evening; it also seems to him, repeatedly, as if he had grown much taller. Dulness in occiput lasting entire evening; burning on small spot in left groin (same in right face in m.); increased urging to urinate, and he passes more; very tired when walking, he reels on coming into room; burning in nose as from horse – radish, followed by watery discharge. 8th. – Thin stool, with quick and violent urging, as if diarrhoea would set in. left arm as if “gone to sleep” for 1/2 hour at 11 a. m. While sitting still, constant painless twitching which crooks finger, till noon. Frequent painful pressure in cardiac region and low down in left chest, occurring at intervals. Constricting sensation in right head, at noon, through entire inner left head at 1 p. m. Right corner of mouth pains as if sore. Edges of eyelids feel dry. 9th. – Dryness of fauces and tongue; tongue looks redder in middle. Took another swallow of the rinsings at 9 a. m. Burning and itching on spots below right shoulder – blade, also on various places on right thigh and leg. for several day two pimples on scalp behind left ear, running a slow course. Eyes dry and itching nearly every evening; rubbing gives no relief. Short violent stinging pain in left metacarpal bones and thumb. Again ill – humoured, drowsy and lazy in e. After stool with much pressing, sense of fulness in anus. (All stools since proving commenced, save on 8th, occurred in afternoon or e.). 10th. – Drowsiness and fatigue again in evening, but later; he is very much exhausted and disinclined to work, lies and goes to sleep if he can. Itching over whole body while undressing at n. There are small pimples in various places, besides those behind ear, painfully sore. 11th. – For nearly a week has had same kind of dream every n., viz. of buildings which he was viewing or exploring. For several day, and especially this day, sensitiveness of a left incisors and feeling as if it was a dead foreign body. Very painful contraction of muscles of right neck, felt several times during proving. Vesicles on eyelids and pimples in whiskers. 12th – 15th. – Aversion to beer. Frequent headache as before, inwardly, in places size of apple or fist, or dull crooked stitches. Right arm and hand often get numb in n. ( N. A. J. of H, N. S., ix, 136.)
2a. Mrs. C – took 3 dr. of 4th dil., June 16th, at 6:30 a. m. Noticed no symptom till 6 p. m., when after a walk she had dull heavy pain in left eye and back of orbit, lasting 1 hours; it grew severe in spreading over body and vertex, and then disappeared. 17th. – At 5:45 a. m. again 3 dr. Towards 8, after walk, pain in left eye and temple and around ear. During dinner same, and slight unpleasant sensation around left eye. 18th. – Four dr. at 5:30 a. m. Colic before rising, afterwards pain in right temple. 7:30, while walking, pain in right hip. 9:15, pain in right thumb, then in forefinger, first in then in left temple, in right shoulder and arm, then again in right temple. In after – part of day similar pains, shifting and transient, most frequently in temple and longest lasting there. 19th. – At 3 p. m. overpowering sleepiness lasting 1 hour, passing off with pain in left temple. With these symptoms closed, and 6 globules of 5th, then of 6th, for 3 mornings, produced no more. Her next period came several day too soon.
2b. July 12th, took 4 dr. of 4th at 6 a. m. 7:30, while walking in open air, dull pain in temple and orbit, dull gnawing pain in left hip. 10, while walking, pain round left eye extending beyond right eyebrow; after sitting awhile, congested feeling in right chest; very marked tension in temples; pain in right wrist extending into forearm; pain in temples and on vertex, lasting several h. Took another dose before retiring. On following days sensation as if heads of femora expanded or were pressed out of their sockets, especially on left side, not noticed when walking but when pressing down as it for a stool. ( Ibid.)
3. Dr. RAUE, April 8th, 1850, took dose of 3rd trit. in m. Painful drawing in neck and shoulders, and down left arm, of short duration. Fluttering pain at seat of “cautiousness,” right side, between a stinging and a pressing, passing off on touching or fixing attention on it. 11th. – Repeated dose. Pressing pain in left renal region, as if urine had been retained too long, worse while sitting; pressure rather relieves it, but it gets worse afterwards. Frequent urging to urinate; aching in bladder. Aching along edge of ribs and in diaphragm. In evening mental effort irksome; pain in kidney very marked. 12th. – Still some renal pain while sitting; also in left trapezius, as from lying on it too long, worse when turning head to left 13th. – Vesicle inside under lip near left corner. 14th. – Deep – seated pimple on right cheek near ala nasi, red, not painful; a few lightning – like stitches in right shoulder, almost making him scream; stitches in right chest in region of nipple, running deep in, worse from taking deep breath; drawing pain in left forearm, as if lame, more on radial side. While walking in open air, stitches in chest and lameness in arm disappear, but he feels aching in left groin at every step. On returning to room, again painful drawing in right shoulder, and fleeting stitches on inner side of clavicle. 15th. – took a third dose. Pimple on right neck, of some day standing, begins to itch and burn; one near right canthus burns and bites when touched. Rheumatic pains in right shoulder in e. In afternoon dull pressing headache, as from sitting up stiffly too long. Stool no longer daily, but every other day 17th. – At approach of stool, dull stitches or dull aching twitches in left side of rectum; stitches through bladder and painful weakness. 18th, 19th. Pimples on cheeks. 20th. – On bending forward while sitting, flying stitches from mid – chest towards shoulders; very tired in evening (at which time nearly all symptoms appeared or were more felt). Frequent micturition; bladder feels full, and yet but little urine passes. (Ibid.)
4. OSCAR TIETZE, April 10th, 1850, at 9:30 a. m., took dose of 3rd trit. Prover was troubled at times with symptoms of tapeworm. P. seemed to stir these up, and after its influence had subsided, he felt nor more of them for over a twelve month. Besides these, he had tensive pain in right knee, of short duration; sensation as of impending stiff – neck, and immediately after at level of lower border of scapula pain as if from pressure with a dull body, – this is again followed by the stiffness; peculiar pain in throat when swallowing, as if bread – crumbs had lodged there, disappearing and returning suddenly, relieved for a time by eating; pressing in suprasternal fossa; isolated short stitches in leg; neuralgic pains in body here and there; stitches through urethra to glands; pressing in bladder, as if it was full or urine; small stitches above knee, like flea – bites; itching in eyelids, has to rub them, more left than right; stitches in fingers, first left then right; frequent urging to micturate, with scanty discharge. Last symptom continued for next 2 day (Ibid.)
5. Dr. PEHRSON, April 25th, 9 a. m., took gr. of same. An hour later, dulness in frontal region, as if a heavy load were lying on brain; each expiration is accompanied by feeling as if this load was pushed forward from occiput to forehead (it occupies more the central portion of the brain, temples being free). Pain had reached its climax in 1 1/2. h., then abated gradually, and was gone in 3 hours (Ibid.)
6. Dr. COXE proved 3rd trit. on a woman, aet. 29, who had had a headache for some d. She took 1st dose at 10 p. m., Nov. 16th. Slight pains and itchings in various parts followed almost at once. At 7 a. m. next day took another dose. Variations in headache, with great irritability, occupied forenoon; p. m., sensation as of flea – bites in various spots, and at 2:30 violent throbbing throughout body, preventing siesta for a time. Repeated dose in evening, and m. and evening till 8 doses altogether had been taken. After 3rd dose itchings as at first; after 6th, return of irritability with headache. After 8th, during m. twitching pain in left hip – joint; in evening, pain at hypogastrium, and at 2 a. m. pain in cardiac region. On 6th day, in m., pain above left knee, extending thence into chest. On 7th day, sharp colic in hypogastrium before stool; pain and soreness in liver; aversion to any exertion. Headache continued off and on all the time. (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.