7. A robust man – servant, aet. about 20, swallowed by mistake instead of chalk, for heartburn, 5 – 6 drachms pl. carb. After some hours violent burning pains in gastric region and vomiting for several h. After 24 hours complained of violent pains in abdomen, especially in scrob. cordis and umbilical region. Face red and puffed, eyes sparkling and projecting, tongue dry and, together with rest of mouth, red; thirst, with desire for cold water. Abdomen distended and very sensitive to slight pressure. Stronger pressure relieved pain. Vomiting had ceased for several hours, constipation. He soon recovered. (SCHUBERT, Casper’s Woch., No., 36, 588, 1844, in Frank’s Mag., i. 277.)
8. A pregnant young woman swallowed, Oct. 8th, about 3iij white lead. In afternoon ate a cake, and felt well till 8 p. m. She then complained of nausea, vomited several times. Seen next m., she was found to be suffering from inflammatory pain and jaundice. In n. of 10th she gave birth to a dead 7 months child, and following m. she died. – P. M., 30 hours after death. Features very much distorted, skin dirty yellow, joints movable. Bloody frothy ichor escaped from nostrils in large quantity, and from genitals to such an extent that the bedclothes were saturated with it and several oz. had fallen on floor. The mouth, too, from which the tongue – point protruded, was filled with bloody ichor; the gums discoloured. Abdomen distended and of stony hardness, external genitals swollen and discoloured, brain markedly bloodless, pleura contained about 8 oz. bloody water, lungs distended, filled with frothy decomposed blood, heart empty, very soft, of dirty brown colour, m. m. of trachea dark cherry colour. Pectoral muscles very soft and brown coloured, the blood that exuded was black and of greasy consistence. Small intestines pale, large intestines of dirty blue colour, small intestines in several parts visibly narrowed and contracted, oesophagus pale, stomach, externally and internally, blackish – brown. Stomach and small intestines contained several ounces of viscid dark fluid. Colon contained a mass of thickish faeces. Liver dirty brown, very soft, gallbladder empty, spleen filled with black tar – like blood, pancreas discoloured, both kidneys very soft and full of blood, bladder empty. Blood in vena cava ascendance black and tar – like. (CASPER, Ibid., 1935, No. 29, 458, in Frank’s Mag. i, 277.)
9. A girl, aet. 13, burnt both hands so that epidermis came off. Wounds were dressed with ung. ceruss. After 4 day she had frightful convulsions that lasted some hours, constipation, suppression of urine, and drawing in of abdomen. She soon recovered. (BRESSLER, Ibid., 1837, No. 8,87, in Frank’s Mag. i., 227.) [Several cases in which colic, muscular spasms and other sturnine symptoms have resulted from the local application of Goulard’s extract, may be read in Percival On the Poison of Leal, 1774, pp. 11-17, EDS ]
10. Five members of one family were poisoned about the same time with vinegar that had been kept in earthenware pot glazed with lead; 3ix of the remaining vinegar contained gr. v of Pl. acet.
10a. The mother, previously quite healthy, had been confined to bed for 3 months before the doctor saw her. Her malady had commenced with obstinate constipation, vomiting, and frequent retching, and these symptoms still continued, though she was occasionally pretty well for 3 or 4 days at a time. For the last 8 days she had obstinate constipation in spite of purgatives and clysters, violent pain in umbilical region and back, difficulty of passing, urine, no appetite, dry tongue, great thirst, drawing pains in extremities, abdomen usually drawn in. Still occasional vomiting of the small amount of food she took; transient paralytic affections, such as immobility of arms and legs, inability to speak, insensibility of limbs, absence of mental power, &c. It was long before she recovered, and even now she is not so well as she was previously.
10b. At about the same time the eldest daughter fell ill with the same symptoms, which, however, came on more gradually; her pain in umbilical region was much more severe, and towards the end there came on vomiting, which could hardly be allayed, but she had no paralytic symptoms. The second daughter, a very healthy robust girl, had similar symptoms some weeks later. Everything she vomited tasted like liquorice, though she had not taken any. She recovered after a few weeks.
10c. The third daughter and the father had only frequent pains in the bowels, inclination to vomit, and slight constipation. (HOHNBAUM, Hencke’s Zeitsch. f. Staatsarzneikunde, xiii, hours i. 152, in Frank’s Mag., iii, 308.)
11. Miss A -, aet. 23, had been troubled for some day with her eyes; she could not see anything distinctly, and objects appeared double except when she was very close to them, but there was no pain or photophobia. She was otherwise well, save for some lassitude, weary feeling in back, and slight tendency to constipation. Treatment was without effect, but change of air on two occasions benefitted, improvement ceasing on return home, and lassitude become more pronounced. Lead was now discovered in the drinking water, and on ceasing the use of this, symptoms permanently departed. (v. TUNZELMANN, Brit. Journ. of Hom., xxxii, 17.)
12. A servant (cook) in a neighbouring house had (June 11th) been ill 3 weeks. She was unable to retain any food on stomach; there was constant nausea, and even when no food was taken frequent vomiting of greenish watery fluid, especially at n. Skin had a yellowish tint; conjunctivae also decidedly yellow; tongue furred, coat at back being very yellow; horrible taste in mouth and foetor of breath; abdomen normal and painless; bowels very confined. She was extremely debilitated. Nothing did good till hydrastis 3 was given, which checked vomiting greatly, and under its continued use bowels became regular. By July 21st vomiting had quite ceased, but it returned from time to time, nausea never leaving her. On Aug. 9th she complained of loss of power in hands, which led to drinking water being examined, and found to contain about gr. 1 1/2 of lead to the gallon. Its disuse, with change, soon restored patient to health. (Ibid.)
13. Mother of No. 11, subject to rheumatic pains for some years, had latterly suffered much from palpitation, with distressing craving for air, especially at n. Medicines did little, till lachesis 5 was given with considerable benefit. On Aug. 14th she complained of considerable lumber aching with lassitude, and secretion of a large quantity of watery urine, with pellicle on surface (which she had noticed occasionally for a year past). This, examined, was found of fatty nature, with a distinct metallic luster. Urine itself was normal, but after standing for an hours deposited a light flaky sediment, showing under microscope a few mucous corpuscles and one cell of renal epithelium containing several fat – globules. Just at this time the plumbic contamination of the water was discovered, and with its disuse symptoms soon subsided, but up to Oct. 18th there was still some aching in back, and diuresis. (Ibid.)
14. In the house adjoining that in which No. 12 lived, the housekeeper complained in Feb. of swollen ankles, and said they had been in that state for 3 to 4 weeks. She had sallow complexion, and suffered from nausea, but otherwise appeared to be in good health. The anasarca extended about halfway up the legs. Urine was found normal. Arsenicum 6 reduced the swelling, but it returned 6 weeks later, again to yield to same remedy. The presence of lead was now discovered, but 4 day after the use of the drinking water had been stopped she was suddenly seized with loss of power in hands, having felt numbness in them during previous n. Lachesis 6 was given, and next day there was some improvement in hands, but she felt numbness of legs also, with which later some neuralgic pain was conjoined. All passed off in a fortnight.
15. The mistress of the above consulted Dr. v. T – frequently from Feb. onwards, on account of troublesome and constant diarrhoea, at times accompanied by much colic and tenesmus. She had lived in India for 12 years, and had had dysentery there. Various medicines were given, with some benefit; but bowels continued to act 3 or 4 times a day, stools being quite liquid; no blood was passed, but mucus sometimes. About the time of the lead being discovered, the abdominal pain had become more continues. Improvement began as soon as poisoned water was stopped, and complete recovery speedily ensued. (Ibid.)
16. A son of No. 15, aet. 12, tall and very thin, had had a bronchial catarrh, from which a loose cough remained. On examining his chest Dr. v. T – found evidence of consolidation in left apex, but no breaking up of lung tissue. He was very weak and much constipated. Latter symptoms increased so much that fissure of anus occurred. As soon as use of poisoned water was stopped, improvement was so rapid that in a month he looked almost as if nothing had been amiss. There was at no time any rale moist or dry, and there was very little cough; but the upper left chest scarcely rose in inspiration, and the respiration was very harsh, almost bronchial. (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.