“a. The difficult and irregularity of the motions, which may be caused by a peculiar morbid condition of the large gut(especially of the sphincter ani), shown by the cutting pains around the navel.
“b. The remarkable diminution of the sexual power, especially by day.
“c. The abnormal appearance in the skin. Before the proving I had generally cold hands, now the hands are often warm, turgid, swollen, and disposed to perspire. The power of S.to irritate and disturb the functions of the skin was shown on several parts of the cutaneous surface by abnormal feelings(itching, burning, &c.) and formations(pimples, vesicles, &c.).
“d. The boring, aching, bursting pains in the frontal and malar bones, and the aching, heaviness, and bruised feeling in the limbs.” In 2d. pains in the frontal bone and restlessness at n. with vivid dreams were gone. The feeling of emptiness and confusion of head, the pains in pit of stomach, and the disorders of digestion, lasted till 7th Feb. The symptoms in the rectum and the irregularity of the motions remained. On left upper arm there appeared reddish pimples, similar to those that had previously affected thighs and right hand. 12th Feb. – In m. he again took 4 gr. of S., and there appeared confusion of head; aching in frontal bone; aching and feeling of weight in pit of stomach. At noon he had an uncommonly good appetite; at n. very vivid dreams, out of which he often awoke, and could not fall asleep again for a long time. 13th. – Without medicine. In m. confusion of head; aching in frontal region; aching in sternum and oppression of breath; after much effort a scanty evacuation. At noon uncommonly good appetite; disturbed night’s rest as yesterday. 14th. – In m. 4 gr. Same symptoms as on the previous day, and in addition several red itching pimples and spots on back of right hand. and several vesicles on upper lip, which burst and let out an acrid yellowish fluid; at same time tension in skin round mouth, which was covered with bran – like scales.
f. To the history of the symptoms he observed, the prover adds the examination of his urine, which gave the following results.
As regards the quantity. – “In order”, writes M -, “to decide the question as to the influence of S. in increasing or diminishing the secretion of urine, during the whole time of the proving from 20th to 31st Jan., 1846, I ate about the same quantity of food every day and measured the fluids ingested. The following results were observed;
Perd. of 24 hours. Quantity of fluid Number of emissions Total weight of taken. of urine urine. From 20 to 21 Jan. 56 oz. 6 50 oz. ” 21 ” 22 “….. 52 ” 6 32
” ” 23 ” 24 “….. 74 ” 4 38 ” ” 24 ” 25 “….. 60 ” 6 62 ” ” 27 ” 28 “….. 52 ” 6 37 ” ” 28 ” 29 “….. 63 ” 6 55 ” ” 30 ” 31 “….. 54 ” 9 41 ” “From these observations it appears that whilst I was taking the S. a quantity of urine corresponding pretty well to the food and drink taken was evacuated. It is generally assumed that a healthy man passes 48 1/2 oz. of urine in the 24 hours; but this is an over – hasty assumption, as many circumstances, but especially the quantity of fluid conveyed into the organism, have a great influence on the urinary secretion. During. my proving of S. my stools had very little fluid or watery constituents. I had never any disposition to perspire, I only do so after any violent bodily exertion, such as very rapid walking; and marked though the action of S. on my skin was, it never produced copious perspiration – hence no fluid could escape out of my body in that way. Only once, on 23rd Jan. I perspired profusely in consequence of walking rapidly, and to this circumstance I must ascribe it that from 23rd to 24th, although I took 74 oz. of fluid in my food and drink, the urinary secretion was so small, and only 38 oz. were passed. From my observations I conclude that from the 20th to the 31st Jan. the S. I was proving produced neither an increase nor a diminution of the urinary secretion.
As regards the physical and chemical properties. – “On the 22nd December 1845”, proceeds M -, “I examined the urine passed in the evening in regard to its chemical constituents. It had a very pale white wine colour, and almost the appearance of so – called spastic urine; when first passed, and after standing for some time, it was equally pure and clear, and had a sp. gr. of 1018, that is, less than the normal. It had a marked acid reaction. When a heated a slight cloudiness appeared which, however, went off on adding nitric acid, and hence was not owing to the presence of albumen. The addition of nitric acid caused an immediate deposit of urate of ammonia in fine grains, which on allowing the urine to stand, appeared in the form of a brownish – red sandy sediment. The urine treated with muriatic arid, and allowed to stand, after being well shaken deposited an increased quantity of uric acid. This was precipitated in a reddish sediment, or deposited itself on the inside of the glass cylinder, but it was frequently combined with ammonia. Evaporated to the consistence of syrup, then cooled and treated with nitric acid, it showed a smaller quantity of nitrate of urea than in the normal state. After the addition of ammonia there occurred a copious precipitation of earthy phosphates in increased quantity. Acidulated with a few drops of nitric acid, the addition of muriate of baryta showed the presence of a large quantity of sulphates. An equal quantity of urine, acidulated with acid, the addition of muriate of baryta showed the presence of a large quantity of sulphates An equal quantity of urine, acidulated with nitric acid, precipitated the normal quantity. Acidulated with a few drops of nitric acid, the addition of muriate of baryta showed the presence of a large quantity of sulphates. An equal quantity of urine, acidulated with nitric acid, precipitated the normal quantity of chlorides on the addition of nitrate of silver, and the presence of phosphate of soda in large quantity was demonstrated by the appearance of phosphate of soda in large quantity was demonstrated by the appearance of a thick greenish opacity, on adding a few drops of ammonia to the filtered fluid until it was neutralized. The uroxanthin was diminished. Urine of the same character as the subjected to examination, namely, with an increase of the sulphates, the urate of ammonia, the earthy phosphates, and the phosphate of soda, frequently occurs in rheumatic affections of long standing, and in chronic skin diseases. The m. and evening urine of 23rd Dec. had a sp. gr. of 1015 and 1016, little ammonia, much free uric acid, and nearly a normal proportion of sulphates. The urine examined on 24th had a sp. gr. of 1021, that of 28th 1010, and that of 31st 1021. As regards their constituents, however, they exactly agreed with the urine of 22nd. The urine passed in m. of 7th Jan. was of a dark sherry color, clear, deposited no sediment, had a strong acid reaction, and a sp. gr. of 10167. Boiling produced no change in it; the addition of nitric acid showed nothing abnormal. The earthy phosphates, sulphates, and uric acid were increased, the chlorides normal, the urea lessened. The m. urine of the 8th was pale bright yellow, clear, without sediment, acid; it had a sp. gr. of 1020. No change on heating it, or on the addition of a small quantity of nitric acid. A larger quantity of nitric acid caused a violent tint, showing the presence of uroxanthin. The earthy phosphates, the sulphates, the phosphate of soda, and the uric acid, were increased, the chlorides normal, the urea decreased. Quantitative analysis Water… 957.6 Solid Constituents. 42.4 ———— Total 1000 Solid constituents Urea.. 19:80 gr. Uric acid… 2:25 ” Fire – resisting salts..8:40 ” Extractive matter.. 11:95 ” ———– Total.. 42.4 Among the fire – resisting salts the sulphates were specially abundant. The m. urine of the 9th was of pale sherry color, clear, without sediment, sp. gr. 1021. No change from heat or nitric acid. The uric acid and all the salts increased, only the chlorides normal, the uroxanthin abundant, the urea diminished. Quantitative analysis. Water…. 956.3 Solid constituents..43.7 —— Total 1000 Solid constituents. Urea.. 18:40 gr. Uric acid.. 4:00 ” Fire-resisting salts16:25 ” Extractive matter.. 5.05 ——– Total 43.7 “The m. urine of the 14th had a sp. gr. of 1019; sulphates and uric acid were abundant. The m. urine of the 15th had a sp. gr of 1023, and a great deal of uroxanthin; otherwise quite similar to that of the previous d. From 20th to 31st Jan. I made almost daily quantitative and qualitative analysis of the urine. The m. urine was usually of a pale sherry color, clear, and without sediment; the urine passed after dinner or in evening was of dark sherry color. The sp. gr. on the 20th was 1015, and the following 5 day 1022. It had generally a strong acid reaction; heat caused no change, except a slight cloudiness on one or two occasions, which must be ascribed to the frequent presence of protein compounds. No change was caused by adding a few drops of nitric acid, but from an excess of the acid the urine assumed a brownish – violent color in consequence of the presence in abundance of uroxanthin. The urea was as a rule diminished, the chlorides generally normal, the earthy phosphates somewhat increased, the phosphates of soda and the sulphates much increased. The uric acid was deposited in much greater quantity than in the normal state, but was of very loose texture, and hence a large quantity weighed very little. Thus the urine of the 22nd contained in 1000 parts 943.6 of water and 56.4 of solid constituents, and among the latter the uric acid formed only the 0.365th part. The urine of the 28th was also of a bright yellow color, clear, without sediment, strongly acid, its sp. gr. 1016, but other wise resembling that of the previous days. The quantitative analysis showed in 1000 parts 961.6 of water, and only 38.4 of solid constituents. The uric acid was abundant. I took 25 grms. of urine, precipitated the sulphates, and obtained 0.15 parts of sulphate of potash, which consequently in the proportion of 1000 parts showed the presence of the considerable quantity of 5.6 parts. I allowed a quantity of urine to stand undisturbed for 24 hours in a glass cylinder; there occurred a great cloudiness, and there was deposited a cloudy, thick; bright red sediment. But as both cloudiness and sediment disappeared under heat, it was evident that it consisted of urate of ammonia. On heating recently emitted urine in an ammonia apparatus, the vapor arising tinged the litmus – paper blue, and the same reaction took place on adding caustic potash, which expelled the ammonia. Thus for 3 day there was free ammonia in my urine, which does not and should not occur in normal urine, and is to be ascribed to the action of the S. The urine of the 29th, 30th, and 31st was of a dark sherry color, clear, without sediment, had a specific gravity of 1018 – 1019, and was not changed by heat. The proper reagents demonstrated the presence of carbonate of ammonia; heated with nitric acid, struck a purple color. The urea was, as usual, small in quantity, the chlorides normal, the earthy phosphates abundant, the sulphates and the phosphate of soda very copious. The uric acid, which was deposited in great quantity, was combined with ammonia. In the urine of the 30th and 31st were traces of iron; there can be no doubt that it came from the blood by a peculiar process of excretion, probably induced by the excess of S.” – (Ibid.)
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.