Introduction
Sarracenia purpurea, L. Huntsman’s cup, pitcher plant. Nat. Ord., Sarraceniacae.
Provings
I. Dr. PORCHER proved (1847) dried root, which had been rolled into pills of 3 gr. each. Of these he took 60 between 10 and 12 p. m., upon a comparatively empty stomach. It caused frequent and copious emission of urine, which was limpid and colourless. There was, after an hours, feeling of emptiness in stomach; and after going to bed ascending and descending colon felt as if in rolling motion, with much borborygmus. There was tenderness of epigastrium on pressure; also feeling of congestion about head, and irregularity of heart’s action, lasting several d. Sleep that n. was much disturbed; pulse next m. 100. Appetite on following day was unusually active, but there was pain in stomach as after inflammation, or like that felt in muscles after a limb has been overtaxed. (Dr. Porcher had previously taken 140 gr. of the fresh root, with very similar effects.) (HALE, New Remedies, 2nd ed.)
2. a. Dr. T. C. DUNCAN, Sept. 11, 1866, took 3ss of cold infusion (1 to 10). Full feeling through head, just above ears; slight soreness of whole pectoralis major, and pain running up right trapezius, with wave-like motion; heat in right lumbar region; pulse 70, full; bloated feeling about umbilicus. 12th. – Pulse 76 on waking; pain in left eyes, as if congested, for 10 m.; dull heavy feeling in forehead for about 2 hours, causing great depression of spirits; pain, also wave – like motion, in femoral muscles; sticking pains in ears, transient, but often recurring; a strange lameness in lower third of femur. 2 p. m., bone-pains in tibia and fibula, intermittent, with constant soreness on pressure, which at 4 was felt also for 1/2 hours in frontal bone. 6, face feels hot; paroxysms of pain in right shoulder – joint; pain in left carpus and tarsus. 9, pulse 68; hands feel hot; warm all over, but fresh air makes him very chilly, and increases the bone-pains. 13th. – Awoke at 3 p. m. with urging to urinate,-urine already beginning to dribble, from fullness of bladder; felt hot and feverish, lips and mouth parched, head dull and heavy; pain and soreness in sacrum; bone- pains in arms. Woke again at 7:30 from very unrefreshing sleep feeling very feverish; pulse 80, small; sore all over, especially deep in bones; dull heavy headache, especially frontal; eyes felt swollen and sore; dullness of mind; much flatus. 2 p. m., very chilly in open air, feet and hand cold; head hot and sore, with full feeling; pain in back, very perceptible on ascending stairs; knees feel weak, arms and back tired and sore all over; disinclination to do anything, wants to lie down all the time; losing appetite. 6, a good deal of pain in back, deep – seated; brain very dull and memory poor; pain in angle of ribs, for 1/2 hours; pain in hip-joints, felt most when standing up after lying. 14th. – N. better, he feels clearer and more buoyant; bone-pains still present in some degree; soreness at back of right orbit for about 10 m. 15th. – Some dysenteric diarrhoea, with a good deal of tenesmus; took a dose of podophyllum, which quieted it. 17th. – Appetite extra good since 14th. Symptoms had gradually grown less, and to-day he felt quite well,
2 b. On 17th, D – took 3j of decoction and 3j of tinct., Tinct.was prepared by macerating dried root in alcohol for four weeks. p. m. 18th. – Woke with dry mouth. At noon, some pains in condyles of femur; 3 p. m., aching sore pain n. l. humerus; 9, warm sensation passing up back into head; pain in right patella and metatarsal bones; some frontal headache; urine scanty, sp. gr. 1026; pulse 64, full. 19th. – Awoke in a fright; head hot and aching, a dull heavy feeling; tongue dry; skin feels hot and dry; pulse 68, small; soreness in all bones of extremities. 12 m., mind despondent; headache continues; pains in hip-joints; transient pains in bowels; coldness of extremities when idle or still; head and body warm; appetite poor; bones of both arms ache; dull heavy soreness in all bones; pulse 61, very small. Urine still scanty, sp. gr. 1024. 20th. – Tired and unrefreshed on waking; head dull, aching at coronal region; tongue coated brownish-white, mouth dry; urine acid, clear and pale, still scanty. 21st. – But little pain this morning; urine normal. (Ibid.)
3. a. C. THOMAS, aet. 17, in good health, took, June 18th, 1866, 10 dr. of same tinct. twice in day without effect. 19th. – Took 4 such doses. Slight palpitation a. m. 20th. – Awoke at 5 a. m. (usual h.) unrefreshed; by 7 this sense of weariness had passed off. Borborygmus and some pain in bowels, with constipation; slight headache. Took 10 dr. again 4 times this day 21st. – Woke at 4 feeling quite unrefreshed, though he had slept soundly; after being up an hours or two, felt better. Pulse, 68 on 2nd day now 72; urine scanty, limpid 1025; constipation continues. Took this day 2 doses of 10 dr. each and 2 of 20 dr. 22nd. – Awoke at 4:30 feeling as yesterday; all symptoms in status quo; pulse 74, urine 1028. Took 4 doses this day of 25 dr. each. 23rd. – Awoke at 5 as before; urine copious and a little cloudy (from mucus), 1030; pulse 78. Severe headache p. m. for about 2 h. Doses were taken as yesterday, and same were repeated up to 26th inclusive. 24th. – Waking as before; pulse 78, strong; urine 1030, condition as yesterday; bowels moved today, first time since proving began, stool very hard, dark and covered with mucus. 25th. – Symptoms same in every respect; pulse 79; urine 1034; borborygmus; sensation of dryness in mouth and throat, not relieved by drinking. 26th and 27th. – Same waking; urine 1030; pulse 78 – 9. 28th. – Another stool; urine 1025, pulse 76; feeling much better. 29th. – Feeling well; pulse 70, urine 1020; bowels moved. July 2nd. – Well in every respect; pulse 68, urine 1019, bowels regular, sleep refreshing.
3 b. In July proved cold infusion (as II, a). On Ist day took 15 dr. twice, and on 2nd day same every 2 hours, without effect. 3rd day-Feeling unrefreshed, though sleep was sound. This day and the two following took 20 dr. every 2 h. Lassitude all day 4th day-Sleep still unrefreshing, and very dreamful. Took 30 dr. every 2 h. Lassitude persists, general malaise; bowels freely opened to – day for first time. 5th day-Still feeling dull and heavy; headache for an hours; free perspiration; difficulty in concentrating attention; forgetfulness. 6th day-No new symptoms. 7th day-Took 50 dr. every 2 h. Slight headache; felt very unfit for work and study. On 8th day took 60 dr. every 2 hours and on 9th day 75 dr. Same feelings, with little appetite. No stool from 4th till 10th day, when it was copious, dark and foetid. From 11th day began to feel much better, and by 15th day was quite well. (Ibid.)
4. Dr. G. H. BUTE gives following symptoms as results of a partial proving: – want of memory; dull feeling in head, as if stunned or stupefied, or as if benumbed; soon after taking drug headache and want of recollection, with numbness of arms and weakness of lower limbs on going upstairs, then sudden shock through head like an electric shock, after which senses feel as if paralysed; 12 hours after taking drug sudden “stroke” from right side of head downwards to right shoulder, and subsequent feeling of crawling, weakness and numbness in right shoulder and arm; pain in forehead with stitches over eyes; dull pain at back of head, evening in bed.; by drawing jaw towards left side, feeling arises as if air streamed into left ear, with whistling therein; feeling of pressing inward at pit of throat, accompanied by headache; just after taking drug, cramp-like pressure about lower oesophagus, as if it remained sticking there; pain in umbilical region; menses came on at once, prematurely; bruise – like pain of muscles and bones of chest; pain extending from left shoulder downward to lower ribs; numb feeling in muscles of arms and hands; gnawing pain in bones of same; itching stitches on right shin-bone; general feeling of being unwell, which causes restlessness; in sleep he dreams he hears music, and thereupon awakens and still seems to hear it (Hahn. Monthly, ii, 424.)
5. Dr. OEHME took a few dr. of 1x dil. several times a day for a few d. Frequent sensation of considerable pressure in stomach, lasting once for several hours; sense of fulness in abdomen, with slight pain in various parts, as if from flatus; frequent sensation just above inguinal ring as if hernia would protrude (he had an incomplete inguinal hernia, which however had never given him any inconvenience); sensation in anus as if stool would come. Same symptoms appeared during a proving of 2nd dil., made soon after the other; bowels also were irregular and costive. A week later, he took 3rd dil. in same manner as Ist, and same symptoms recurred; also disagreeable sensation in anus as if it were stopped up with a plug, or filled with wind. A proving 10 years later yielded similar results. (Ibid., xi, 535.)
6. Dr. CIGLIANO obtained following effects from provings, but their manner and subjects are not stated:
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.