Introduction
Including Salix, willow; Salicinum, C13H18O7, an alkaloid derived therefrom; and Salicylic acid, obtained from this and other sources (HC7H5O3), with the alkaline salicylates.
Provings
I. Dr. T. C. DUNCAN, July 17th, 1867, chewed a small piece of bark of Salix purpurea, left (which had a peculiar astringent taste), and at 8:30 p. m. took 3j of an infusion; in a few moments after latter full dizzy feeling in head, commencing just in front of ears and passing up to vertex like a wave. It only lasted a few m., but he had to sit down and keep quiet till it passed off. At 9 repeated dose with same result but in lesser degree. He rested poorly than n., woke often; first too hot, then chilly, at last-towards m.-in a profuse perspiration. Very nervous and despondent all next day; aching in right acetabulum; taste of undigested food; flatulence; pain in abdomen; dullness of intellect; swelling of right parotid; urine slightly acid (showed excess of triple and earthy phosphates and some epithelium); bowels loose (twice); circulation torpid.(N. Y. State Hom. Soc. Trans., 1870, p. 328.)
2. Dr. D. gave same dose of infusion to a patient with hemorrhoids (which it removed). She felt same peculiar head symptoms as himself; and all next day was nervous and very irritable, bowels moving twice, with gripings in abdomen. ( Ibid.)
3. Dr. E. D. WRIGHT took in one day 3ss of tinct. of Salix nigra, L. He noticed, on Ist day, soreness of gums and looseness of bowels; on 2nd day muscles were sore and lame, and skin over temples tender to touch; he was feverish and disposed to lie down and sleep. (Amer. Obs., 1875, p. 177.)
4. RANKE took 96 grms. of Salicine in 3 days, and at another time 220 grms. in 3. weeks. Only effect noticed was flickering before eyes, and, on 3rd day of first experiment, persistent ringing in ears. (ALLEN’s Encyclopaedia, viii, 473.)
5. BUSCH gave a woman 8 doses of 0.3 grm. each; they produced confusion of head, and fog and sparks before eyes for 5 days (Ibid.)
6. I took 10 gr. one afternoon, and in evening suffered from malaise and chilliness. I slept well, and woke in m. apparently all right. By 10 a. m., however, I felt the malaise coming on again. There was headache; fugitive pains all over body; and fever. At noon my temp. was over 101. This continued all d. I slept well at n., and next day was quite well. On another occasion, about a month after, I brought on a less severe attack of the same kind with a similar dose. (NANKIVELL, Annals of Brit. Hom. Soc., viii, 364.)
7. We tested the effects of Salicine in 3 sets of experiments, each on 3 healthy lads. To the first two we gave large doses and produced decided symptoms; to the third we gave at first smaller doses, and increased them gradually till he took 3iij daily, producing scarcely any symptoms.
7 a. Lad, aet. 10, convalescent from belladonna poisoning. Observation from Aug. 7th to 9th without medicine showed pulse to range between 68 and 88, resp. between 16 and 24; average temp. of 3 day was 98.4, 98.7, 98.7. On 10th he took 30 gr. in 3j of water. Felt sick almost directly, and had hard work to keep from vomiting; this sensation, however, soon passed off. He complained also of frontal headache. 10:50, repeated dose. Again immediate nausea, soon passing off; then (11:10) severe headache, so bad that he shut his eyes, and buried his face in his arm; face was much flushed and conjunctivae slightly injected; there was also giddiness. At 11:40 these symptoms had almost left him, and at 12:30 he made a good dinner. Pulse and resp. were unaffected. Temp. remained more stationary than on previous days; and instead of rising after dinner and tea it slowly and continuously declined (but only o.4). The day’s average was 98.3. 11th. – At 9:40 a. m. took 60 gr. in 3ij of water. 9.52, flushed; complains of frontal headache. 9:55, headache severe; flushes readily; dull, heavy, with apparent muscular weakness; tingling, like pins and needles, in right ankle. 10.4. pain only over left brow; still dull and heavy, and inclined to flush. 10:15, headache same, worse on movement; is very dull, says he feels rather sleepy; decided muscular weakness; lies in a semi-stupid state, with eyes closed, and answers questions slowly; pulse much softer; twitchings of leg and (slightly) of arm, which he cannot control. 10:30, in much the same state, but there is no headache now, and pulse is a little fuller and stronger. 10:45, still dull and weak; crying, but has no pain; pulse recovered. By noon the boy was lively, and looked himself again. Pulse and resp. continued normal. Temp. fell from time of taking dose till at 11 fall was 0.8; by 12 it had recovered; but again there was no rise after dinner, and one of 0.2 only after tea. On 12th no medicine was taken, but the slight depression in temp. continued, day’s average being 98.2, and no rise being caused by dinner.
7 b. Lad, aet. 9, convalescent from pneumonia, temp. having become normal 10 day previously. He was kept in bed, and his temp. taken hourly in rectum. For 2 day he took no medicine, and condition was normal; pulse ranged from 66 to 84, resp. 18 – 28. On 3rd day, Sept. 21st, he took 30 gr. 6 times, but without any appreciable effect; temp. fell after Ist dose 0.4 in 1 1/2 hours, and remained depressed for about 3 hours, when it rose to its original height in spite of continuance of medicine. On 22nd he took same dose 8 times, at hourly intervals from 10 a. m. Between 1 and 2 it was noticed that his face was flushed and perspiring; he looked dull, and there was some tremor when his hand was held out; pulse was large, soft and compressible. These symptoms continued for rest of day, tremors being more marked in e. Next m. at 5 he vomited twice, bringing up remains of food. He took no breakfast. At 9 a. m. looked heavy and dull; was deaf, and could only hear watch when laid on ear; tingling in right ear near surface; no tinnitus, and no headache; did not seem to understand question as well as formerly; a little tremor of lips in speaking, and voice thick; breathing laboured, and trunk shook a little during act; hands trembled while held out, and small spasmodic movements of whole upper limb occurred at intervals, also slight jerks and tremors of lower limb when raised from bed. 9:30, feels sick but does not vomit; grasp of hands weaker (on previous evening it was strong); speech a little jerky, voice husky, words not well laid hold of, lips and tongue not being used with natural freedom; eyes heavy and half shut; mouth wide open; rather thirsty; pulse soft and compressible. 1:30 p. m., great muscular irritability, on tapping muscles they contract. 4, pulse of better quality; expression brighter; much less deafness; breathing less laboured, more thoracic than diaphragmatic. 8, less irritability of muscles; manner still dull, and boy is heavy and sleepy. Pulse, which was 88 on m. of 22nd, had by 1 p. m. become 104, and for rest of day ranged between 108 and 116; on m. of 23rd it was 112, whence it mounted up till at 1 p. m. it had reached 140, it then steadily declined to 116 in evening (5 – 8 p. m.), and 96 at midnight. Resp. varied in proportion. 24th. – No more drug taken. 10 a. m., deafness less, still looks dull, and unless spoken to lies with eyes half closed, and very often is asleep; muscular irritability still present, though less than yesterday. 3 p. m., pulse still compressible; breathing less laboured but thoracic; tremor of hands and arms when held out; boy looks brighter, and can now hear watch at 4 in. Appetite fair. Pulse to-day began at 100, and rose to 108 at 2 – 3 p. m., falling by night to 82; resp. corresponded. 25th. -Boy looks much brighter, but his face is very pale; there is a little tremor of hands when held out, and a trace of irritability in muscles of back; less deafness; eyes less heavy – looking. 4 p. m., can now hear watch at 1-2 ft. Three stools between 3 a. m. and 1 p. m. Pulse 74-100; resp. 22-26. 26th. – Condition today practically normal. Effect on temp. was a very slight and temporary depression on Ist day of taking. drug, not maintained by its continuance; on 2nd day no depression, but a rise of 0.6 between 9 a. m. and 1 p. m.; same on 3rd day, and on both a lessening of diurnal range (at expense of usual evening fall). By 4th day temp. had returned to its condition before experiment had been begun. This shows that even very large doses depress temp.very little, and subsequently, instead of lowering temp., the drug produces slight fever…..This slight fever may, we think, be due to catarrh of the stomach caused by the medicine, which, in so many instances, excites vomiting.. Urine, several times examined, was neutral or only slightly acid, and contained abundance of S., and on 26th a dense white precipitate of phosphates.
7 c. To a lad aged 10 S. was given for 26 days in increasing doses 4 times daily, beginning with 20 gr., and going on till 180 gr. were taken during d. Boy got up and spent day about ward. These large doses had no appreciable effect on temp., but pulse was quickened (88 – 100). On 5th day he complained of slight deafness, and on 10th day it is noticed that the deafness had increased a little, but 2 days later it had disappeared. Beyond these disturbances of pulse and hearing, medicine produced no apparent effects, the boy eating well, sleeping well, and indeed appearing in all respects quite well. (RINGER and BURY, Journ. of Anat. and Phys., xi, part 4.)
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.