3a. The leaves when chewed cause burning of tongue, lasting a long time, much saliva; if the chewing is persevered with, or repeated several times in day, the tongue becomes inflamed, excoriated, the papillae red and elevated, very painful, fissures appear on tip of tongue, taste is lost, the whole anterior part of tongue feels rough, as if from an astringent; these symptoms are aggravated by all food. Teeth painful and on edge, gums red, painful, bleed easily when touched. These symptoms last 8 to 10 day, especially the loss of taste and astringent feeling on tongue.
3b. If the whole flower is chewed the burning pain of tongue lasts longer.
3c. If the leaves are crushed and applied to the sides of the fingers, after 1/2 hours itching commences which increases gradually, the skin becomes red; after 12 hours blisters appear where the redness had been. The crushed flowers produce the same effect, only quicker. The blister, when opened, gives exit to a yellowish acrid serum. Beneath the blisters is a superficial but obstinate ulceration, which does not heal under 3 or 4 weeks.
3d. The green plant, if pounded in a mortar in a confined space, irritates nose and eyes, causes sneezing and lachrymation.
3e. The bruised leaves swallowed after dinner caused severe pains in various parts of abdomen, with faintness; the internal parts of the abdomen were affected with spasmodic agitations long continued, coming on about 4 hours after the drug was swallowed.
3f. On taking 2 dr. of the juice after dinner there was burning all through oesophagus, and the spasmodic pain, even worse. The pain in oesophagus lasted 6 day, and was aggravated by salt foot, wine, vinegar or sugar in tea of coffee. (KRAPF, Experim. de nonnullorum Ranunculorum venenata qualitate, 1766, 14.).
Poisonings
I. SCHARF relates that two Italians, who had eaten the plant as salad, had pains in stomach, anxiety, inactivity of intestinal canal, distortion of eyes, twitchings in face and limbs, risus sardonicus, cold sweat, and death. (Ephem. nat. cur., dec. 3, ann. 2, obs. 87, p. 106, in Wibmer, left c.)
2. TISSOT relates that a carter applied the plant externally, and after a few hours large blisters rose, involving the whole arm, with fever, talking nonsense, cerebral inflammation, a kind of canine rabies; and at last mortification of the arm ensued. (Epist. med., 317, in Wibmer, left c.).
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.