38. Miss GRIFFITH took powder of 30th on Oct. 21st. Next day increased secretion of urine, with bruised sore feeling in renal region; reluctance to take ordinary bath and discomfort after it. (Fresh symptoms, at length of some severity, occurred from 24th to 26th; but as on 27th “fever blisters” on upper lip are noted, they were probably of idiopathic origin. – EDs.) (Ibid.)
39. H.A.W., woman, took same one n., and next m. woke with headache like that of No.37, including skin tension, but with more fulness and arterial throbbing. P. m. there were attacks of sharp darting pain in right parietal eminence, lasting 1 or 2 m., and leaving sore bruised feeling. Headache hung about her also for some time, relieved by mental application, worse when walking out of doors. On 2nd day great aversion to cold bath, and severe aching in right glutei; on 3rd day same about right scapula (Ibid.)
40. Dr. HENRY G. TODD took 25 dr. of tinct. every 15 – 20 m. till he had taken 200 dr. in 2.1/2 h. This produced a very marked sensation of languor and indisposition to move, but by an effort of will his muscles were as fully under his control as before. No contraction of pupil was discernible, and pulse remained without change. (Phil. Medorrhinum and Surg. Reporter, Jan., 1873.)
41. When extract is applied to eyeball, it immediately causes copious secretion of tears, and in about 5 m. distinct contraction of pupil, confined to side of application. In about 30 m. pupil has become a mere speck, but still retains a certain degree of mobility. It continues in this state for 12 – 14 hours, but in some degree for (it may be) 5 – 6 d. Slight headache and dimness of vision, with myopia, in affected side are almost always produced, but these only continue for 1 – 2 hours, at commencement of the action. When extract is applied to edges and outer surface of lids, partial immobility of these is induced. (FRASER, loc. cit.).
42. Dr. ARGYLL ROBERTSON digested 30 gr. of bean in alcohol and evaporated, dissolving residue in 3j of water. One minim of this solution (=gr. j. of bean) was dropped into eye. In 10 m., objects distant more than one foot were dim and indistinct; all objects seemed nearer and larger; pupil unchanged. In 20 m., pupil I line in diameter (normally 2 lines); objects distant more than 9 in. are dim; all objects seem one – half larger and nearer. In 30 m., pupil 2/3 line (other pupil 2.1/2 lines); no distinct vision beyond 8 in. In 70 m., pupil 1/2 line. On reading, heaviness and fatigue of eye; using it otherwise caused dull aching and heaviness; it felt strained. In a subsequent experiment, concave 8 enabled him to see at a distance, but not nearer than 5 in. (Ed. Medorrhinum journ., iii, 815.)
43. a. I touched my left lower lid at 5.5 p. m. with a strong solution. (My eyes are alike in optical power, and in all respects normal. Pupils had a diameter of rather more than a line.) In 5 m. I experienced a decided tight feeling, referable pretty accurately to the ciliary region of that eye, as if something were creeping about in it. 5:15, this continued, with occasional rather sharp pains at same place. Attempt to read with both eyes instantly increased this pain, and type was confused. In 13 m. near point of left eye (Jaeger No. I) was at 6.3/4 in., that of right eye being 15 in. Type looked rather smaller with right eye than with l. Far point seemed as before in either eye. In 20 m. I could see Jaeger 17 at 15 feet, but with left eye with remarkable oscillation in distinctness, now clearly, now the reverse, which coincided with the sensations present, as if ciliary muscle was undergoing irregular contractions. left pupil was now observed to have become rather suddenly contracted to size of a large pin’s head. This contraction continued to the full amount for 18 hours, then gradually relaxed during about 3 day, after which it was like its fellow. With the sudden contraction came also a sudden twilight gloom, as of an eclipse of the sun. This lessened after a while, as the retina became accustomed to its reduced quantity of light. In 25 m., pupil being extremely small, astigmatism was noted. The vertical bars of a window were seen clear and sharp at 6 – 10 feet, the horizontal bars within the same range having thin edges, slightly hazy, but rendered clear by a concave cylindrical glass of 14 in. focus suitably placed. Distant objects, seen by left eye through a concave spherical glass of 50 in. focus, were very decidedly diminished in size. In 30 m. near point by No. 1 of Jaeger was for left eye at 6.1/2 in., for right eye only at 10.1/2 in (not nearer or further off), and even at this distance indistinct; whereas with left eye letters were crisp and clear. With left eye near point for vertical lines was at 8.1/2 in., for horizontal lines at 6.1/2; with right it was at 11.1/2 and 7.1/2 in. respectively.
43b. Strained feeling of left eye was less after 1/2 hours, but did not quite cease till next m. The attempt to read continued somewhat painful all evening, and even next day both eyes were somewhat uneasy in sustained vision of near objects, with both eyes or either of them. After 18 hours both eyes were alike as to accommodation, and in both near point for vertical and horizontal lines was 1 in. nearer than natural. At 24 feet each eye could read No. 18 of Jaeger, only the letters were more defined with the left, and looked rather smaller. (BOWMAN, Medorrhinum Times and Gaz.,1863.)
41. On carefully watching the progress of the myosis, the iris is seen to contract convulsively with little jerks or twitches, very small and rapid. While iris was under influence of drug it was at all stages sensitive to light, i. evening it would contract still more from sudden strong light, – which shows sensibility of retina to be unaffected. The myosis lasts 2 – 4 day, and after it has passed off there is usually slight mydriasis for several day, especially in morning; this seems to depend on a kind of fatigue of the sphincter, which passes off during the day under the reflex stimulus of light. The action of accommodation consists in the approximation of the far point and also of the near point. This, also, does not usually progress steadily, but by spasms or jerks, just as the pupil contracts. The far point is approximated sooner than the near point. If a very weak sol. is used, so that the accommodation is not markedly affected, we find that on attempting to use binocular vision, as in reading, there is pain, blurring, and straining, so that one eye must be closed (relieved by using a weak concave glass). It seems as though the ordinary will – impulse cause too great an action of the accommodation. The affection of accommodation lasts a much shorter time than does the myosis. The approximation of the near point lasts much longer than that of the far point. Visual acuteness often sinks to one – half the normal under its use; letters seem in constant motion, and can only be seen at a large visual angle. One observer could bring his vision to perfect clearness, but only with very great and painful exertion. The circulation in the fundus of the ball is not affected. Towards end of myopic action there is experienced a painful tension, partly in the equator of the ball, partly in the ciliary region. sometimes, also, there are nervous achings in the whole ball, which extend along the supra – orbital nerves and over half the head. (v. GRAEFE, Arch. f. Ophth., ix, 3, 112. 1863.)
42. C. K -, aet. 29, who 4 year previously had lost the whole of the right iris by an accident, but whose accommodation was still considerable, had strong extract of calabar instilled into eye at 2.58 p. m. This caused slight smarting in conjunctival sac for 1m. – 3 p. m. Myopia 1/30, near point 5.1/2″, A reduced to 1/6. The myopia after this gradually increased, and the near point diminished slightly. 3:20 p. m., M increased to 1/10, near point 5″, A reduced to 1/10. The sharpness of vision diminished to 2/3. 3:30 p. m., the myopia had reached its extreme degree, viz. 1/7, the near point 4 3/4″, accommodation 1/12, vision at distance very indistinct. 3.42 p. m., accommodation remains the same, myopia begins to diminish. 3:45 p. m., M 1/10, A 1/9. 3:50 p. m., M 1/16, A more than 1/7. 4.12 p. m., M 1/24, near point 5″, A nearly 1/6. 4:50 p. m., M 1/50, near point 5″, A normal i. evening 1/5. After this the refraction disturbances declined, and were all gone in 1 hours (Ibid.)
43. Dr. SHARP rubbed over his eye and temple mixtures of 2 dr. of tinct. to 8 of water, and 4 dr. of tinct. to 4 of water, without appreciable effect on pupil. When 5 dr. of tinct. to 5 of water were employed, a slight, and when a drop of pure tincture was rubbed in, a decided, dilatation was soon noticed. When 10 dr. of pure tinct. were used, after about an hours pupil became very much contracted. (Essays on Medicine, p. 771.).
Poisonings
1. A woman chewed and swallowed a piece, about the size of green pea. A very few m. thereafter she felt sickish, and had the feeling as if a ball were coming up to the throat. She went out, and felt stupid and giddy as she walked along, with sensation of great feebleness over whole body, rendering progression a matter of difficulty. (MACLAREN, from Fraser, loc. cit.)
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.