Introductions
Rumex crispus, L. Curled dock, yellow dock. Nat. Ord., Polygonaceae.
Provings
1. a. Dr. H. A.HOUGHTON, aet. 24, in perfect health, save for some acne on back, proved a tinct. made from root and leaves. Nov. 11th, 1851, took 6 dr. of 1st dil. in evening 12th. – Dull heavy headache from 10 a. m. till n., less severe after 2 p. m. 13th. – Slight headache during day 14th and 15th. – No symptoms. 16th. – Repeated dose in e. Very restless during night; dreamed of seeing friends. Heat and other symptoms of fever towards m., followed by sharp pain in abdomen increased by deep inspiration, which entirely subsided on rising. 17th. – Dull heavy headache during day, less severe p. m.; legs feel very weak when going up and down stairs in evening 18th. – Sharp cutting pain left breast came on at noon, and lasted an hours; dull heavy headache during day 19th. – Slight headache. 20th. – 25th. – No symptoms. On latter day took 10 dr. of same in evening 26th. – -29th. – NO symptoms. Repeated dose on latter in evening 30th. – Great coldness of lower extremities during forenoon. Repeated dose on going to bed. Again restlessness and dreams of friends. Dec. 1st. – Great coldness of legs as before; in evening cutting pain in abdomen, followed by diarrhoeic stool; legs weak again on stairs. 2nd. – Scraping in throat, with slight catarrhal symptoms, in e. N. as that of 30th – 1st; cold clammy sweat on legs during greater part of it, followed by symptoms of a severe cold with cough, which lasted during 3rd. 4th and 5th. – No symptoms. Repeated dose on latter evening without effect save restlessness on following n. 7th. – Repeated dose in e. Cold legs a. m. as before, also weakness in them; dull heavy headache with deep – seated soreness of eyes during day, worse a. m. 9th. – N. as before; headache as yesterday and weakness of legs. 10th. – Profuse perspiration on legs during latter part of 11th. – Aching pain in anterior part of lungs, coming and going several times in afternoon. Throughout proving bowels more or less constipated.
1b. Dec. 27th. – Took 15 dr. of tinct. in e. Sleep, head and legs affected next day as before, 3 n. following being very restless. 29th. – dull pain in abdomen before rising, continuing a short time thereafter, and followed by a diarrhoeic stool; slight headache during day 30th. – Sticking pain in left thoracic region in m. before rising, followed by dull pain in lungs; slight itching of legs in e. Jan. 1st. – After being costive for 3 days, this m. before rising sharp pain in lower abdomen, followed by two diarrhoeic stools, after which dull pain in abdomen lasting 2 or 3 h. Felt weak this day and next, on which latter he had dull headache during forenoon. Again constipation for 3 days, followed by natural stool on 4th. On 5th had a good deal of dull heavy headache, and epistaxis occurred on slightest picking of nose. On 7th, in evening, repeated dose. Headache and constipation during next 3 – 4 day were the only appreciable effect. On 16th, bowels having been regular for 3 day, took 20 dr. in e. Headache, weakness in legs, and some borborygmus and colic, with constipation, followed as before; and on 30th he notes that the pain in anterior chest has harassed him again, day and n., for 5 day past. It was accompanied by some headache and pain in stomach, also with belching of wind.
Four day after taking 1st dose of tinct. (Dec. 31st) he notes that back and shoulders and densely covered with small red pimples. This eruption continued till 5th, when it is said to be gradually disappearing. Itching was slight, and mainly felt on exposing back to air, as in undressing for the n. After 2nd dose eruption came again, with a few pimples on chest and, later, on limbs. The same thing followed 3rd dose, but thighs were this time thickly covered. (Phil. Journ. of Hom., ii, 706.)
2a. Dr. E. M. KELLOGG, aet. 26, proved a tinct. made with equal parts of expressed juice of root and alcohol. He was in perfect health and with no tendency to symptoms observed. March 30th, 1852, put 1 dr. into half a tumblerful of water, and took a tablespoonful on retiring, repeating dose each m. and evening till whole solution had been consumed. 31st. – Two hours after breakfast felt as if food had not digested. Unusually irritable temper. April 1st. – Like feelings after breakfast; in evening great lassitude and uneasiness, with stagnation of ideas and indifference to surrounding person and things. 2nd. – 10 a. m., slight dull frontal pain, with indisposition to thought. 12 m., great irritability of temper; muscular pain in thighs and legs, slightly increased on pressure. At 2 p. m. on this day and last voice suddenly rose several notes in pitch, and so continued for about 1/2 hours; to – day at 4 p. m. it sounded as if he had a cold in head. 7:30 p. m., very thirsty (unusual); great lassitude and weariness, with somnolency; shifts position constantly; legs feel tired, though he has done but little walking to – day; feet tender, with extreme sensitiveness of and shooting pain in corns; dull transient pain in teeth. 3rd. – Some coryza and obstruction of voice; dull aching pains in legs all day 4th. – Slight coryza with pain, p. m., especially in right leg. 5th. – Dull heavy feeling in head during evening; less appetite than usual. After retiring, late, lancinating pains in lower jaw at root of left canine tooth, and slight headache. 6th. – P. m., urine was less copious than usual, red and turbid, with flocculent deposit and oily surface; thirst during evening 7th. – Brick – dust sediment in urine, very marked and heavy. 8th. – Slept very uneasily; many kinds of dreams, magnifying trifles, disturbed him. Woke feverish, having frontal headache, dull and constant; heat of skin; full and frequent pulse; this was followed by sensation of cold, yet not a regular chill. Tongue coated white; slight nausea while dressing, and vertigo compelling him to lie down again; throat sore, with feeling as of lumps there when swallowing; thick yellow secretion from posterior nares; great pallor of face while standing. Fasted all day till evening, feeling empty and sunken, but without appetite; considerable pain in back p. m. and evening; “rheumatic” pains in front of both tibiae in evening 9th. – Slept well; woke in perspiration, free from pain save in right shoulder, and here it passed off in 2 h. There now came on a haemorrhoidal attack, with much itching of anus, and also of prepuce, which lasted after piles had receded. Appetite returned from 9th, and became even exaggerated.
2b. Same, June 1st, put 1 dr. of 3rd dil. in half a glassful of water, and took a teaspoonful m. and evening, repeating it twice or three times daily up to 6th. On 1st no symptoms, save heavy feeling in head during evening 2nd. – Woke with bitter taste in mouth. At 11 a. m. voice assumed nasal tone for a short time. On 3rd felt languid and weary (a very warm d.). On 5th, rheumatic pains in shins. On 7th, dull pains stomach; coryza with yellow expectoration from posterior nares. On 8th took 6 pellets of 6th dil. at midnight, m repeating dose next m. at 9. Irritable temper; during evening feeling of soreness and excoriation, with redness, at end of prepuce. 10th. – All m. feeling of rawness in upper throat, with secretion of phlegm. Repeated dose at 1 p. m. Increased redness, with itching, on prepuce. At 7:30 p. m. slight frontal headache, with shooting pains. 11th. – Took dose at 11 a. m. Preputial troubles and slight frontal headache continued this day and next. On 134th took another dose, and had epistaxis, tenderness of feet, and scanty stool. On Sept. 20th resumed use of 6th dil., taking 6 globules that m. and next m. and evening 21st. – P. m., weariness; aching in bones of legs. 22nd. – Rose in m. with bad taste in mouth and slight feeling of oppression in head. Took dose that evening, and repeated it daily till 27th without further effect; save that for several n. afterwards eyes felt as if lids were inflamed and dry (no visible signs of inflammation), and that on Oct. 4th he had a slight liquid motion at 4 a. m., desire for which was very urgent and woke him from sleep. (Ibid., p. 711.)
3a. Dr. JOSLIN, June 12th, 1845, took 6 glob. of 12th dil. at 10:45 a. m. In 10 m., pain at lower border of left axilla; empty eructations after dinner, with pain in right hypochondrium; pressive pain in one ear while walking. 13th. – Repeated dose at 8:45 a. m. At 11:10, shooting in left chest, just below middle, at angle of a rib. 14th. – took 6 glob. of 6th dil. m. and evening, without effect. 15th. – Repeated dose at 8.5 a. m. 4:30 p. m., pain in ascending colon while walking. 7 and 10, pressive pain in dorsal spine. 10:20, pressure in right occiput and temple. 11:15, pressive pain near inferior angle of right scapula. 16th. – Repeated dose at 10:20 p. m. Next m., just after rising, pressive pain in right ear. 10:45, remittent pain near insertion of right deltoid. 10:50, pain at inner side of arm. 11, great propensity to sleep.
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.