6b. External application of tinct, caused small itching vesicles, which burst and ended in desquamation with moderate redness. When the tinct was rubbed on the desquamated spots they became very red, and larger vesicles filled with lymph were developed, which turned to pus and ended with formation of scabs, lasting altogether 3 weeks. (N. Zeitsch. f. Hom. Kl., xii, 155.)
7. Dr. BUTE and his wife report following symptoms from handling plant: – Sudden violent stitches through lungs, 10 m. after breathing in vapour. Blackness before eyes when he looks at anything. Swelling of face with red eyes. Red spots on face, not removed by pressing on them. Feeling of rawness and burnt sensation on lips. Groups of vesicles come out on fingers and other parts of body; at first they itch, and then burn and feel sore. On swallowing sore pain down left side of throat. A group of vesicles behind left ear. The itching begins suddenly, sometimes in one place, sometimes in another, and then becomes permanent. Cramp in dorsum of foot. Sudden violent cramp in right ankle, as if it were squeezed. Swelling mostly on left side of face. Dislocation pain in right hip. Hard elevated pimples on hands, on which are vesicles, itching much. Violent itching on various parts of body like gnat – bites, eroding. The itching is worse after midnight and m. Violent itching in palms. Itching wheals deep under skin in palms. Rheumatic pains in left elbow – and shoulder – joints, worse on moving. Sudden sharp, startling stitches through lungs, waking him out of sleep. Dreams of murder and misfortunes, 1st n. Swelling in face, with red spots and wheals, always itching and burning after being rubbed. Red elevated wheals on various parts of body, especially face, neck and chest. The menses, which were nearly due, came immediately, discharge very clotted, like lumps of flesh. Rigor up back, without coldness. Goose – skin. Intolerable weight of head. Red eyes. Heaviness in the swollen face. On waking, m., the light is painful to eyes. dimness of eyes when reading. Forehead is so greatly swollen that it quite hangs over and feels heavy when going upstairs. (BUTE, Archiv, xv, I, 179.)
8. Dr. CLARY, Nov. 22nd, 1863, held a stick of Rh. v. in his hand for 1/2 m., and, a small piece its cuticle being shaved off, touched with his tongue the minute drop of juice which exuded. On the 30 th (nothing having been felt before) while at dinner tongue felt as if scalded, and p. m. this feeling extended over entire mouth and fauces, producing great dryness and stinging pain, which increased rapidly till he retired at n. At 2 a. m. severe griping came on; but being somnolent he remained in bed 2 hours longer, when he was suddenly forced from it and a larger watery stool shot out, with severe colicky pain. This was repeated 3 times during next 4 hours, after which all ceased. On rising, felt weak; no appetite; chills over whole body. During day (Dec. 1st), frequent stinging and itching about neck, chest and back. On m. of 2nd, found forehead swollen and red; during day this extended to whole head and face; upper lip terribly swelled; itching greatly increased, especially in septum narium; burning pains and swelling in eyes. Four haemorrhoids (he had had nothing of the kind for 2 years) protruded, with extreme itching and burning. No evacuation this d. Towards evening itching extended over whole body (though no eruption appeared), and at n. was so great that he could hardly endure it. After a sleepless n., in m. he found the vesicular eruption of Rhus on the forehead (then for first time recognising the cause of his troubles); and during this and following day it spread over trunk and extremities, especially bad on sexual organs; there were also transient shooting pains in sternum and chest; lameness and soreness of muscles, so that he could hardly walk; nausea and loathing of food; entire loss of taste and smell; pharynx and oesophagus became so irritable that it was painful and difficult to swallow; food caused pain in passing and seemed to stop midway, and cold water (thirst was urgent) produced same sensation in going down as very hot tea would, and same aching afterwards as sometimes follows the taking of ice – cold drinks. Haemorrhoids continued. On 5th dryness and pain came in larynx, with hoarseness, harsh dry cough, and constriction in chest. For more than 2 weeks there was pain over sternum; and itching, cough, haemorrhoids and lameness all continued for same time. (Amer. Hom. Review, v, 23.)
9. Dr. WHITE, besides gathering leaves, & c., of Rh. ven., rubbed juice upon his hands in several places, and allowed it to dry there. This was on Oct. 10th. On 12th a single vesicle appeared on back of finger, with thick cover and dark look. On 13th another, and on 14th three more, appeared on wrist. No fresh ones appeared till 19th, when a very large one came on thumb, and from 21st to November 3rd a number of fresh ones appeared, all itching and burning extremely. (Dr. White maintains that the Rhus eruption is essentially an eczema, not an erysipelas; differing from the idiopathic disease in that the vesicles are born such, instead of passing through an intermediate papular stage of development.) (New York Journ. of Medorrhinum, xvii, 225)
10. a. Dr. OEHME, robust, but with a very sensitive skin, made his first experiments with Rh. v. in 1858. On Sept. 15th he applied juice exuding from between bark and wood to an oval place on back of left forearm 1 1/2 in. long, 1 in. wide. This he repeated several times on that day and the next. From the 17th to the 29th he applied a tinct, he had now made to same spot 3 or 4 times daily, taking as often internally 4 dr. of the 1x dil. In 24 hours after first application of juice, there was slight inflammation and swelling at spot, with some soreness on pressure. These symptoms increased steadily but slowly during next 11 day, with occasional itching and burning. On 28th, epidermis could easily be removed with the nail, and then scabs would soon form; whole place red and much swollen – inflammation extending beyond limits of application. A fold of skin so affected was at least six times as thick as one on corresponding part of other arm, and left arm at this point measured an inch more than r. The redness was not circumscribed, but passed over into an eruption like measles. Itching and burning were felt mainly when arm was covered, and more on surrounding surface than in inflamed spot. By 30th swelling measured 5 1/2 in. in length. He took this day his last doses (3) internally, and ceased to make the local application. This day and the next he was wakened early in m. by the violent itching and burning. Inflammation was now (Oct. 1st) livid and phlegmonous, 6 1/2 in. long and 6 in. wide. Part felt very hot, and a thermometer applied to it found it 8 1/2 degree warmer than corresponding spot on other arm. It was hard, like board; but not painful, save for occasional drawing sensation, extending into hand, and feeling of tightness. Nerves in left axilla feel sore and are tender. Late in evening, irregular red spots appeared on left cheek. 2nd. – Swelling extends this m. from elbow to hand; spots on face larger and redder, somewhat elevated, and slightly burning; some swelling above left eye; two red spots and a blotch under right corner of mouth; measle – like eruption over 3rd – 5th metacarpal bones, and vesicles on fingers of left hand, appearing and disappearing very quickly, with most violent itching; transient itching at various places on body in m., and, p. m., vesicles there; frequent brief sensation of coldness creeping over back (this also on subsequent days); at noon, drawing pain in large nerves of arm, from axilla downwards. 3rd. – Symptoms as before; whole forearm seat of phlegmonous inflammation – 9 degree hotter than the other; appetite and general health unaffected. 4th. – Skin now peeling off inflamed part, some pustules on new skin; oedema of back of hand. 5th. – Arm now of normal temp., and swelling subsiding. 6th. – This m. another eruption of small pustules on same place, but a little larger than yesterday: area pulling again, and still somewhat swollen, more than the thickness of a fold of skin would account for, so that deeper parts also must have been affected. From this time skin of arm gradually returned to its natural condition, but remained very irritable, slightest rubbing causing profuse eruption of blotches, vesicles and small pimples. From 31st violent itching several n. in succession, especially on back, but in daytime on face, neck and hands, followed soon by eruption as above. From this time up to March, nearly every n., especially at midnight, he had severe itching, particularly on back; scratching aggravated it greatly, rubbing with a soft brush gave relief but it was entirely subdued by washing with cold water or snow. During the attacks, back was burning hot, and covered with blotches and pimples.
10b. O – again exposed himself, Aug. 8th, 1859, to influence of Rh. v. He peeled off bark and cut it up into very fine pieces. Being out of doors, mosquitoes troubled him during work; and he was frequently compelled to put hands to face in order to drive them off. He also chewed for some time a piece of bark, and passed water before washing his hands. 10th. – On rising, oedema under right eye; difficulty in looking down, with disagreeable sensation; red spots on face, especially left, and on upper chest; itching. During day face swelled. 11th. – A round group of hydroa vesicles, filled with yellowish serum, between nose and left corner of mouth, and another group under latter; left face somewhat swollen, and covered with red spots; left ear thick and red, posterior surface of it rough, some itching on lower part; nose and right face considerably swollen, especially close under eye, which is considerably irritated; rays of sun cause burning in face. Much itching of sexual organs, especially scrotum and prepuce; hydroa vesicles on back of some fingers of either hand. P. m., small yellowish vesicles on different parts of face; right nose and cheek much swollen, right nostril obstructed; oedema of face worse than yesterday, skin rough (not chapped) and uneven; on back of left hand and on fingers some efflorescence, which looks strikingly like itch; slight dull feeling in head. At 3 p. m. eruption like measles with unevenness of skin on back of left arm close above wrist, soon followed by blotches with violent itching and burning; discharge of a little water from left nostril, with sensation in nose as of a commencing cold; face hot; arms fall easily asleep. In evening much itching and burning on different places in face; feeling of dulness in head worse; burning in eyes and slight lachrymation. (HALE, New Remedies, 2nd ed.).
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.