Introduction
Spiraea ulmaria, L. Queen of the meadows. Nat. Ord., Rosaceae.
Provings
Ist day, 5 and 6 a. m., 2 dr. tinct. of root; 8 a. m., 4 dr. 1, 5, 8 p. m., 5 dr. No symptoms during d. Long of falling asleep at n., with restlessness, frequent waking and tossing about, nonsensical dreams, not remembered on waking. – 2nd day, 7, 10 a. m, 5, 9:30 p. m., 8 dr. After the first dose warm feeling in gullet throughout the whole oesophagus to scrob. cordis, where it is concentrated. Burning sensation of heat in a small spot beneath ensiform cartilage, as though he had swallowed something acrid or hot. After the 3rd dose, evening, this feeling became more marked, was almost like heartburn. The urine passed yesterday evening became turbid as if mixed with clay; it has a fine skin on its surface, which looks like grease, and breaks up on agitating the fluid. The colour of the urine is bright yellow, nearly straw-coloured. – 3rd day, 5, 7 a. m., 4:30, 8 p. m., 10 dr. One hours after passing urine it shows a flocculent cloud suspended at top of fluid, which after 2 hours sinks to the bottom of the vessel. The feeling of heat is to – day less in stomach than esophagus, in the region of the manubrium sterni, and is more burning, worse after every dose. In the interval from one dose to another this feeling sometimes diminishes so as to be hardly noticeable, but returns immediately after the dose.- 4th day, 6, 7, 10 a. m., 4:30, 8 p. m., 12 dr. The urine passed yesterday turbid, cloudy, as if mixed with clay; on its surface an iridescent skin, on which are scattered reddish grains, which when collected have the appearance of sand, and give out a crepitating noise when crushed with a knife, and then form a brick-red powder. The urine passed this m. is brighter than yesterday’s, but has the same cloud. The urine soon after being passed turns like whey, and after some hours deposits a bright, flocculent sediment, which when collected on a filter is slimy and of rose-red colour mixed with a number of red sand grains. Part of this was put into a tube and mixed with nitr. ac., which dissolved the slime with evolution of inodorous froth, the fluid became bright yellow, the sand grains fell to the bottom unaltered. Another portion of this slime was mixed in a glass tube with sulph. ac; this dissolved the slime and the sand grains completely, and the fluid became of a dark brown colour, no froth was developed, but the fluid soon began to smell like putrid urine. A third portion was mixed with hydrochl. ac., but no change was observed. Symptoms were the same as yesterday. – 5th day, 6, 7:45, 10 a. m., 5, 8 p. m. 20 dr. The urine passed to-day is brighter than yesterday’s, and before growing cold, a cloud is formed at upper part. In addition to the burning feeling in the esophagus at the level of the manubrium sterni observed every day there is now a pressive feeling just like that which is felt too bit a morsel is swallowed. e. g. too big a lump of hard-boiled egg. Two stools, instead of the usual one; that passed m. is unsatisfactory, the feces are not hard but lumpy, in balls like hare’s droppings, and of normal colour. The evening stool was followed for a long time by a prickling contractive feeling in anus. During day frequent eructation of inodorous air. – 6th day, 6, 8, 10 a. m., 4, 10 p. m., 20 dr. The burning in esophagus goes off during n. and returns immediately on taking the medicine; this feeling is ameliorated a little by drinking and eating, but not by empty swallowing. The urine passed this m. is darker than yesterday’s, and the cloud forms as soon as it cools. Pulsating headache in left frontal protuberance like pressure and fullness, aggravated by stooping and sneezing, better in open air. Feeling as if the blood rushed into face, with hot feeling of face and eyes. Something hot seems to mount up to eyes, causing smarting and burning and a feeling as if tears would come, but they do not. The headache is especially felt on shaking head, at same time the hot feeling of body is increased, as if the blood flowed quicker through its vessels. Pulse 90, hard and tense. The stool does not come till 4 p. m. A small hard stool like goat’s dung comes after much pressing and straining, as the feces can scarcely be extruded from the rectum. Headache relieved towards e. Pulse 66, compressible, weak. Several times evening, a feeling as if a stool would come, at same time a stitch from vesicle region to rectum, which is strongly closed, and it is only after long straining that some incarcerated flatus can be discharged. Frequent discharge of very fetid flatus. Prickly shut-up feeling in anus, especially e. Before going to bed a stool, one half of which is hard, the other soft and rather thin, along with prickling, eroding, burning, and smarting in anus, lasting a considerable time; during the stool a sensation as if the anus opened insufficiently. Burning at orifice of urethra when urinating during stool. Rumbling and pinching in hypogastrium when at stool. – 7th day, 6, 8, 11 a. m., 4:45, 10 p. m., 25 dr. The burning and pressure in esophagus extremely bad to – day, it feels as if the esophagus were forcibly compressed at the indicated part, at same time much eructation of inodorous air; the feeling is ameliorated on eructating and by eating, but in the same place there is a feeling as if a large hard body were forcibly pressed through. Great prostration, p. m., with stretching of limbs and yawning; very vivid dreams during the midday siesta, which, however, he does not remember when he wakes. Confusion and heaviness of head, as after thirst, with pressive pain in both frontal protuberances, pain as if full, increased by moving and shaking head; it is as if something flowed to and fro in brain. Pulse 62. The urine passed on 5th day had no sediment, only cloudiness; that passed on 6th day also no sediment, but red sand was deposited on its surface, and the cloud that sank to the bottom was studded all over with numerous sand grains, which gave it the appearance of frog’s spawn. The urine passed on 7th day was of the same character. Tobacco smoking is not relished, it is as though he had not smoked for a long time, as after a long illness. The headache went off after a walk. After the headache had lasted all day all over the forehead, it becomes concentrated under the left frontal protuberance, and then goes off after a walk in cold air. The urine passed yesterday is still quite clear to-day, and shows no trace of decomposition, though it had stood all the time in a warm room. After the midday siesta a peculiar indefinable discomfort in the whole body, something like after illness or the premonitory symptoms of a fever, a kind of unsteadiness in walking and movement; this went off in evening after walking in open air. A small stool, evening, at first of large then of thin feces, but not hard; after stool prickling and contraction in anus. After lying down at 11 p. m., as he was on the point of going to sleep, when in half slumber, a feeling as if his senses left him, with indescribable heavy feeling in head like vertigo; at same time a sensation as if all the blood receded from his head, with prickling feeling in face, hence sudden waking up, after which he could not get to sleep till long after midnight, at same time tiresome burning itching in hairy scalp. He did not get to sleep till towards m., vivid dreams about all his acquaintances, hardly remembered on waking. In bed, m., strong erections and great lasciviousness. The urine passed to-day while still warm has a cloud in it, is lighter coloured than on the 6th and 7th day, but darker than on 5th day – 8th day 8, 10 a. m.,, 1, 6, 11 p. m., 25 dr. The burning sensation in the usual place in esophagus is to-day more pressive, with sensation as if it were too narrow there, though swallowing was not impeded, it extends to the fauces and to the stomach, where a peculiar sinking sensation is felt. On breathing the air of the room it feels very cold, and it is as though he chewed peppermint. Confusion and heaviness of head. After a small meal fullness in upper part of abdomen and under false ribs. Frequent and copious eructations of air. After eating, rumbling about navel, with heavy feeling in hypogastrium and forcing down in rectum with discharge of inodorous flatus, immediately followed by a small broken-up stool, with increased heaviness in abdomen. Exhaustion, prostration, cramp with drowsiness, he must lie down and sleep for some hours, p. m., refreshed after the sleep. Heaviness in lower extremities as if full, p. m., especially when going upstairs. In flexor muscles of forearms feeling as if cramp would come on when grasping and lifting light objects; heavy things cause actual cramp; this goes off p. m. At 7 p. m. cough without cause, at first dry, afterwards loose, with tickling and scraping in throat, which lasts long after the cough. Slight drawing toothache in left molars, he cannot tell whether in upper or lower row. Formication and prickling in rectum, with feeling as if it were drawn in. Feeling of strong closure of anus, with formication, prickling and shooting, more when walking than when sitting. Frequent call to stool, which goes off suddenly. Towards evening the feeling of coldness in fauces and in the above – mentioned spot of esophagus is especially noticeable, and does not go off when eating. At 1 a. m. he feels remorse for a slight fault committed long ago, with the most frightful stings of conscience and horror of himself; he cannot quiet himself, must get up and walk about. – 9th day, 7, 9, 12 a. m., 5:30, 9:30 p. m., 25 dr. Woke at 4 a. m. with pains all through head, as if a hoop encircled and squeezed head, with heaviness of head. On shaking head, felt as though brain waggled to and fro. He then went to sleep again and woke at 7 a. m. with the same headache, which went off on getting up, but heaviness and confusion of head remained. The urine passed on 5th day is beginning to decompose, but is not turbid. That passed on 6th day is like that of the 7th day; that of the 6th and 7th day is like that passed to-day. That passed on 8th day has besides the cloudiness a whitish skin, glittering like grease. That passed to-day has a cloud, though still warm. After washing in cold water, which was very disagreeable, sensation as if the head became large; this feeling came from the cheeks upwards, at same time the pressure and burning in esophagus became worse and almost intolerable; immediately afterwards an attack of vertigo with hot feeling in cheeks. Pulse small, contracted, hard, 100. The above-described cold feeling in esophagus extends to both sides of chest anteriorly under the nipples and in upper part of esophagus, at same time tightness of chest, making him breathe deeply. The urine passed yesterday becomes turbid and like whey after 24 hours, it has a slimy flocculent sediment of dirty rose colour. At 1 p. m. a small half broken-up, half normal stool. After a slight meal rumbling in hypogastrium and slight pinching, after which a feeling of desire to go to stool, but only inodorous flatus is passed. After all eating and drinking much eructation of air. At 5 p. m. he feels very warm in the room, which is at its usual temperature, and he has flushes of heat in different parts of the body, particularly head, shoulders, and chest, as if sweat would break out; the forehead is moist. The veins in his hands swell, the hands burn and are moist. Pulse full, large 76. Very great heat of face like rush of blood into it, with burning of ears, which are red; face rather red. After 1/2 hour perspiring skin all over body, with moist forehead and hands. After another 1/2 hour weight and confusion of head. At 10:30 p. m. a small hard stool with burning and pain in anus during and after it, and a feeling as if anus were drawn up into rectum, and as if something hard still lay there. Towards evening the urine passed is quite clear and lemon-coloured. – 10th day, 6 a. m., 30 dr. After rising, m., the eyes, especially the left, are full of mucus, which dries in crusts on the canthi and lashes; at same time sight as indistinct as if through a veil, better when he winks and rubs them; watering of left eye, which feels sore and hot. Sclerotic very red. The lemon – coloured urine passed last evening has grown quite turbid to-day (6 a. m.). The pressure and burning in esophagus and fauces continues in the same degree. as yesterday. – 11th d. No med. The urine passed on the evening of the 9th day is quite turbid and whey-like, flocci sparkle in it, which sink very slowly to the bottom; it is quite putrid to-day. The urine passed the same m., and that passed on the 8th day, are not decomposed. The cloud that has sunk to the bottom is sprinkled over with a quantity of red sand grains. The urine passed on the 9th day is of the same character, and has besides a whitish greasy film on its surface, on which are a number of red sand grains. The urine passed on the 10th day is of the same colour as that of the other days, i.e. rather dark yellow, has the same cloud at the bottom, but neither skin nor sand. After waiting a week he recommenced the proving. 12th day,6, 8, 10 a. m., 30 dr.; 9 p. m., 60 dr. No symptoms except repeated eructations of air. – 13th day, 7, 11 a. m., 5 p. m., 60 dr. Irresistible drowsiness and heaviness in all limbs, with confusion of head. Rising of heat to head and redness of face. Increased heat of whole body, with weight, the hands feel full, heavy, and hot. During and after midday siesta wakes up but cannot open the eyes for a long time, owing to lids being as heavy as lead; at same time frontal headache as after a debauch, which continues after getting up; pressure and fullness of forehead. Towards evening the headache is mostly confined to left frontal protuberance. At n. lascivious dreams and an emission. – 14th day, 6 a. m., 1, 6:30 p. m., 60 dr. All the symptoms of yesterday gone this m. One hour after taking the dose weight and confusion of head, like commencing headache. Warm feeling from fauces to stomach. Hot feeling in esophagus opposite manubrium sterni. Pressive headache and fullness in forehead, worse in the room than in open air. During and after a meal hot feeling in whole body and rush of blood to head, with slight outbreak of sweat on head, chest, back, and hands. Veins of hands very distended. Increased redness of face. Immediately after the dose the appetite went away, and only returned at 9:30 p. m., but was satisfied with a small quantity of food. The headache left at 8 p. m. (BOJANUS, Hom. Vierteljahrsch., xiv, 113.).
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.