Introduction
The dark brown paint secreted by the cuttle-fish, Sepia officinalis.
Provings
I. HAHNEMANN, Chronic Diseases, part of v of original, vol. of translation. Contains 1657 symptoms, of which 160 are from five fellow-observers.
2. a. I have myself observed certain effects of S. I used the 3rd trit., intermingling some doses of the 12th dil. The action of the drug showed itself in a peculiar fermentation of the blood, slight fever, disagreeable sense of nausea, ebullition in all the vessels, heat at stomach and in the lungs, noises in the ears, troublesome dreams, determination of blood to head. But the most remarkable effect was the being awakened with a start by violent beatings of the heart, slow and regular, as in hypertrophy, felt strongly in the head, and producing a slight feeling of anxiety. After about a. m. this ceased abruptly, and it felt as if the cardiac pulsations were entirely arrested. I anxiously sought to feel the heart beat at its normal place, and did not recover calmness until I had felt it return under my fingers. This was at 4:30 a. m.
2 b. I had taken the previous evening a dose of the 4th dil., and had left a contractive sensation in forehead, followed by peculiar itching there. Next m. I found at same spot a vivid rose-red eruption, formed of little round spots encircling like a coronet the roots of the hair. At noon it was still visible on the right side. On the chest, where I had felt a similar itching, little yellow spots appeared. (On another d. I experienced persistent irritation at nucha, with sensation to touch as of the presence of small elevations.) The itching was considerable, very different from that caused by insects, returning instantly after scratching; it seemed as if the finger were unable to disperse the ebullition of blood concentrated at this point; it gave me the impression of an internal irritation without external cause. I experienced also at the apex of the chest slight drawing pains, which went immediately to the forehead, becoming there dull and pressive in character. I felt also great feebleness of legs when walking, and a general moisture in the alimentary canal. (KRUGER, Bibl. Hom., Aug., 1878, p. 235.)
3. Miss K. de G -, M. D., healthy but delicate, took from Dec. 5th, 1874, 3rd trit. n. and m. for a week. On 6th had 4 stools during day, with slight pain in transverse colon and some tenesmus. (Bowels were always remarkably regular.) On 7th day still pain in colon, and stool about every 2 hour, natural till p. m., when it became diarrhoeic, with tenesmus before and during it, and afterwards burning of anus and intense feeling of bearing down of rectum. On 8th no action of bowels. Several pimples appeared on cheeks and wrists, very sore, pustular, like chicken – pock. Constant hunger, chiefly for sweet things and meat. From 8th to 10th there was headache on waking, better after moving about; and sleep was unrefreshing, leaving tired aching feeling all through body. For 10 weeks after proving this last continued, also constipation, pimples on cheeks, and continual hunger, especially for sweets. (This proving was conducted by Dr. W. Owens, who saw prover daily. The above is her own record. To his interrogations she adds that she had pain all over bowels, with sense of fullness and soreness; pricking at rest of eruption before pimples first appeared, and burning and soreness in them subsequently. When they opened, blood and pus were discharged, and pitting remained. She declined to repeat proving with a higher potency on account of the annoying eruption.) (Trans. of Amer. Inst. of Hom., 1875, p. 177.)
4. a. J. F. FRANTZE, student took 3rd trit. every 3 hours from Nov. Ist. First symptoms noted occurred after 4th dose-a peculiar wave-like sensation extending through body, and down arms and legs to near their extremities, then sudden expansion with sharp rheumatic pain, lasting but a m., and then subsiding. On 2nd day pains in various parts of body; severe pains over eyes, alternating from one to the other; swelling and burning of eyes, to which a flow of tears affords relief. Later, itching in various parts of body, relieved by scratching, after which there is pinkish colour; pain constantly between shoulders and down back; stiffness of back of neck; inclination to sigh; profuse nose-bleed several times; intolerable itching inside nose, which is sore on scratching.
4 b. On 5th began to take 30th trit. (no information how). Wandering pains, especially drawing and expanding pain at side of neck; pain in hip, worse on walking; dull and drowsy; full feeling in head. (Ibid., p. 179.)
5. WILLIAM DIETZ, student, proved 3rd trit. Nov. 2nd, took 4 doses. 3:30 p. m., heavy pressing pain over left eye, extending towards sides of head. 4, sense of great fullness deep in left orbit; headache confined to left side, better in evening, increased by shaking head, better in open air. 3rd. – Woke at 7 a. m. with darting – pressing pain in right eye, lasting about 15 m., when it changed to left eye; occasionally darting pains from left eye over side of head to occiput. Took medicine 5 times to- d. Heavy pressive pain or fullness all day in left orbit and head, with occasional darts; better after meals. 4th – Felt well on waking at 7:15. About 8 had some pain as yesterday, and it lasted all day; both eyes heavy, with tendency to keep them closed; indisposition to mental labour, which aggravates headache. 5th. – Same doses and same headache. 6th.- Took 6 doses of 200th dil., but though he awoke with headache, it had gone by midday and p. m. he felt quite well. Repetition of latter doses 7th to 10th produced no symptoms. (Ibid., p. 181.)
6. a. E. CRANCH, M. D., et. 23, in perfect health. Urine in average quantity about 40 oz.; sp. gr., a. m. 1029, p. m. 1022. Dec. 17th, 1874, took 1 gr. of 3rd trit. every 1/2 hour, beginning at noon, and next 2 days took same every h. On 19th urine was 45 oz.; sp. gr., 8 a. m. 1032, 6 a. m. 1030. It deposited after a few hours a white filmy sediment, not removable by water alone, or by acetic acid; but nitric acid, and also caustic potash and ammonia, proved solvent to it. Desire to pass urine was more urgent than common. 20th. – Urine looks turbid, and smells badly; sp. gr. at 8 a. m. 1031. At 9:30 a. m. slight but decided tingling in urethra, about 1 in. back from head of penis. No other symptoms.
6 b. Jan. 14th, 1875, took 40 gr. of same between 8:30 and 11 p. m. He then passed 3ij of urine, sp. gr. 1031, which next m. was found of slightly acid reaction, and had deposited a white adherent film. Sediment at bottom of a test – tube was slightly pinkish; it dissolved by slight heat (not by nitric acid), and displayed under microscope amorphous particles and, after 48 hours, crystals of uric acid. He awoke this m. (15th) with dull headache, which ceased on rising. Between 8:15 a. m. and noon took 30 gr. At 9:45 p. m. slight dull headache through both temples, and tired feeling; tingling at meatus urinarius. 16th. – Urine of last n. has a heavy white deposit, showing same characters as before. No headache, but uncommon upright to urinate. At 8:15 a. m. passed 15 oz. of urine, sp. gr. 1021. At 9:45, having been constipated since 14th, a sudden violent aching in anus came on, and continued (relieved by fast walking) till when feces began to pass. Slight aching at neck of bladder just after micturating, and tingling in urethra later; occasional slight twinges of headache in sides of head; unaccountable feeling of weariness; hungry feeling in stomach as soon as 2 hours after a meal; slight aching in region of kidneys. On 17th and 18th some tingling in urethra; on 19th well. (Ibid., p. 196.)
7. Dr. C. WESSELHOEFT gave 3rd trit. to 5 women students.
7a. Miss A.S. M -, taking 14 gr. in 5 day, had no symptoms whatever.
7b. Miss JULIA H. S -, whose “general condition was exceedingly languid in the morning,” took drug for 4 days, and after 2nd day experienced unusual clearness of intellect, greater strength, and general feeling of bien-entre.
7c. Mrs. M – took drug once or twice a day, April 23rd to 25th. On m. of 24th feeling of prostration and “goneness” principally in stomach; craving for food; inclination to take a long breath; sense of weight in chest as from outward pressure; everything seemed an exertion. On 25th same prostration, and n. was disturbed by unpleasant dreams. On m. of May 21st took another dose, and reports “Tired feeling all over, lasting all d. Prolapsus uteri, with inclination of fundus to left side, producing a numb feeling in entire lower half of left side of body, with constant dull aching there and in pelvic region, latter somewhat relieved by recumbent posture, especially when lying on right side. Tenderness of os uteri.” On 23rd took another powder, and had same symptoms as on 21st, with-in addition-sharp piercing pain in lower lobe of right lung, coming in paroxysms, and so severe as almost to make her cry out.
7 d. Miss C. H – took same at n. for a week. No symptoms save general clearing and improvement as in 7 b.
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.