14. A young woman was attended by a midwife, who gave her for defective labour pains a few corns of ergot, whereon the most violent pains ensued, much stronger than any she had had before experiment. She then suddenly was seized with a kind of insanity, doubled her fists and caught hold of the midwife’s head, and the child was born amid the most violent labour pains. (HENRICHSEN, Hufeland’s Tourn., xlv, 5, 96.)
15. A midwife gave a large quantity of ergot to a woman in her confinement. Twenty-four hours after the waters had come away, hours found her lying on the bed, apparently dying; her extremities were cold, she had cold sweats, especially on face, intermittent spasmodic pulse, violent thirst, great anxiety, could not open eyes, when forcibly opened they were found to be staring and fixed, face and neck very swollen, she answered little or not at all to questions. In spite of her weakness the labour pains continued to be strong and very rapid. This state of things had lasted 24 h. The external genitals were much swollen, hot, blackish red, the labia majora hung down to middle of thigh, were dry and oedematous, as were also the left minora, the rectum was prolapsed at least 3 inches. (Ibid., 99)
16. A woman, aet. 27, pregnant for 6th time, received from the attending midwife, who was getting impatient, 3j of powdered ergot. In a few m. very painful contractions came on, and soon there was a great degree of excitement, congestion towards head, and irregular movements of whole frame, especially limbs. The medical attendant found her very excited, with wild look, indistinct vision, and swelled face; head very uncomfortable. Then came nausea, and vomiting of a yellowish – green frothy mass; patient complained of burning pain in hypogastrium and of disagreeable feeling of numbness and creeping in extremities. Vagina was hot; os uteri open nearly an in., its lips thick but soft. The waters had escaped unnoticed. (Arch. Medorrhinum de Strasbourg, July, 1835.)
17. A lady of delicate constitution was delivered of a healthy male child at 6 a. m. after at 6 hours labour. Profuse haemorrhage ensued. On attempt being made to remove placenta, it was found adherent; and on force being used she fainted. 3j of ergot was infused in 3viij of boiling water, and half given immediately and the rest 5 m. after. This caused some contractions of the uterus, and the haemorrhage was arrested. she remained thus till next day at 11 a. m., when the infusion was given at 1/2 hours intervals till she had taken 3xij. Uterus was excited by first dose to contract forcibly two or three times, but then relapsed into its former torpidity; placenta, however, became detached, and was removed. All this while patient was in a state bordering on insensibility; pulse 65, full; limbs covered with cold sweat. In a little while eyelids, lips and throat began to swell, and the tears to flow profusely; Schneiderian membrane became very irritable and inflamed; great difficulty in breathing through nose; injected conjunctiva. Lips and eyelids looked puffy, as if stung by bees, and gradually put on a livid appearance. Patient could by this time scarcely swallow; voice was low; she complained of not being able to move the jaw, and soon could only be got to say “Yes” or “No” She had previously complained of pain in all the nerves, and feeling of emptiness in head. Ammonium carb. in water was given. She gradually recovered power of speaking, but complained of emptiness in head and of great acuteness of hearing, every word, even spoken in the gentlest tone, re – echoing in her head, and thrilling through every nerve in her body. In a few hours all the above symptoms disappeared, save redness and swelling of eyelids, which was still faintly perceptible next m. (HULSE, N. Amer. Arch. of Medorrhinum and Surg. Sc., ii, 84.)
18. a. In a tedious first labour 3ij of ergot were given in 2 doses. Dr. Johnson saw patient 6 hours afterwards, and found her in a state of incomplete coma, with livid face and muttering delirium, pulse 70 and reduced to a thread. She was delivered by forceps, and remained 30 hours delirious and in a state of semi – stupor. She was afterwards threatened with peritonitis, and had a bad recovery.
18 b. In another case in which ergot was used largely, Dr. Johnson saw complete gangrene of external parts, and death, occur 6 day after labour. In a third he witnessed extensive sloughing of vagina, without any other probable cause. In neither of these two cases were any instruments used. (Lond. Medorrhinum Gaz., xiv, 606.)
19. After an instrumental labour, where much uterine inertia was displayed and expected, uterus being well emptied, and binder applied, 3ij of fluid extr. were administered, and-by a misunderstanding-3ss more given every 1/2 hours till 3ij besides had been taken. Patient was now found with bluish face, apparently in great pain, pupils dilated, pulse quick, very weak, and occasionally irregular; there was dyspnoea, nausea, buzzing in ears, and at times a tendency to syncope; skin cool and clammy. Under stimulants she soon recovered. (KEATING, N. Y. Medorrhinum Record, 1880, ii, 318.)
20. BARBIER had to treat at Neuville a woman suffering from ergotism. The disease was occasioned by her having taken several drachms of ergot to assist labour. Soon after delivery she had violent pains in the ends of her fingers, and she had swelling of lymphatic vessels, especially of the arms, which ended in the loss of the ends of some of her fingers. (LEVRAT-PERRTTON, Recherches sur l’emploi ther. du Seigle ergote, quoted in Ibid.) In the Lancet, Sept. 17th, 1870, Mr. J.R.Begg reports a case of “idiopathic gangrene” of the four extremities, nose, and ears. The patient had suffered for years from coldness of extremities; but during labour, 5 weeks before present attack, had taken 66 grs. of ergot in infusion.–EDs.
21. A brunette, aet. 41, married 22 years, no children, had uterine fibroids 8 years, and previously 3 attacks of pelvic cellulitis. Tumours were discovered in 1881, since which date she had been taking ergot almost constantly, either as fluid extr. or in suppository. Dose of fluid extr. gtt. xv to 3j, ter die. It controlled haemorrhage and reduced size of tumours. In addition it had a peculiar effect, which was uniform whether taken by mouth or suppository, more marked under full doses of extr. After taking it 3 day she was peculiar depression of spirits; feels like crying all the time. On 4th day is ill – tempered and displeased with everything, and wants to quarrel; will lie in bed and cry all d. Her natural disposition is just the opposite. Effect here noticed occurred constantly following the ergot, and was undoubtedly produced by it. (D. W. PRENTISS, M. D., Tourn. of Amer. Medorrhinum Assoc., xii, 912.)
22. Dr. NEGRI gave ergot, generally in 3 to 5 grain doses, for menorrhagia, leucorrhoea, &c. “The effects”, he writes, “on the general system have not been constant, or the same in different individuals who took it, and none of an alarming character. The greater number of patients complained of giddiness and headache, which followed in general only the first doses of the medicine, and did not last long. A few complained of sickness; and others of a general sense of prostration all over, ‘from the head to the tips of the fingers and toes. ‘ Some women with menorrhagia and leucorrhoea complained of pains in hypogastric region and loins, and some even of a sense of bearing-down of the womb. A woman who had a chronic ulcer on her right foot complained of excessive pain in it since she began to take the secale, and others complained of pains along the thighs and legs.” (Lond. Medorrhinum Gaz., xiii, 362.)
23. Dr. RANDALL gave ergot at the rate of 3ss a day for amenorrhoea in 7 cases. The only incidental symptoms produced were headache, increased heat of body, and occasional pain in hypogastric region. (N. Engl. Journ. of Medorrhinum and Surg., v, 162.)
24. TROUSSEAU and MAISONNEUVE treated 13 cases of menorrhagia and metrorrhagia with ergot. Its hemostatic action was invariably preceded or accompanied by uterine (not intestinal) colics. The other incidental effects produced by it were mainly cerebro-spinal in their seat; they were dilatation of pupils headache, vertigo, and sleepiness. They came on later than the colics, but lasted longer. The mydriasis was most constant. Headache and vertigo were irregular as to frequency and severity, – the latter was sometimes sufficient to simulate drunkenness. They also occasionally observed nausea and vomiting; pruritus, numbness, and lassitude of limbs. There was no sign of irritation of stomach or skin. (Bull. de Therap., iv, 100.)
25. WRIGHT treated a woman for metrorrhagia with 3ss doses for a fortnight with nothing but beneficial results. But 5 day after increasing doses to 3j 4 times a day she complained of being excessively nervous and irritable; sparks appeared to flash before her eyes; her head was sometimes heavy and throbbing, and then again so light and giddy that she could scarcely stand. She remarked further that on waking in m. she felt a peculiar tingling all over body, sometimes even painful. (Ed. Medorrhinum and Surg. Journ., liii, II.)
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.