All this singular constitutional derangement had arisen from inhalation of the fumes of T.: the packages in the cabin were full of that narcotic; the sloop was laden with it. (Foreign Scenes, Edinb., 1825.)
7. During the burning of a tobacco manufactory at Toulouse a number of persons employed were overpowered by the smoke.
7 a. E. C. -, soldier, aet. 23, was brought into hospital in a condition of complete intoxication, face dark red, sparkling eyes, strong pulse, laboured breathing, relaxed limbs, cold extremities. He recovered consciousness during the transport to the hospital, when he was bled to 3vj. He was then instantly seized with horrible convulsions, stiffness of limbs, violent contraction of abdominal muscles, head drawn backwards, dyspnoea, distended blood-vessels in head. He recovered after 5 or 6 hours.
7 b. A -, soldier, aet. 30, became insensible and motionless, respiration apparently gone, pulse small and slow, face reddish- brown, great contraction of jaws, yellow mucus in mouth, flaccid limbs, complete loss of animal heat, cold and blue extremities. After camphor frictions and other means, his breathing returned and became regular; he passed from stupor into the merriest intoxication. He talked all sorts of funny nonsense, accompanied by convulsive movements and spasms of face. The eyes became small and like to close. He then fell asleep and awoke next m. quite well.
7 c. W. C. -, soldier, aet. 27, had been working all days in unpacking the tobacco.- Complete insensibility, loss of voluntary motion and respiration, pulse very slow and weak, contracted jaws, froth in mouth, face brownish red, imperfect tetanus, cold and blue limbs. He threw up a little whitish mucus, fell into a profound sleep, and awoke well next morning.
7 d. Julia B -, aet 30, had been exposed from 8 till 2 p. m to the fumes from the half burnt wet tobacco. At first felt unwell; headache constant cough with feeling of burning in larynx, great flow of watery mucus from nose, pain in stomach. Soon afterwards vertigo and cold sweat all over body. She tried to get away but fell down insensible and was brought to the hospital in this state: Loss of respiration, pulse hardly perceptible, cessation of brain functions, violet-coloured face stiffness and coldness of limb. On recovering her senses under treatment she complained of her stomach and made efforts to vomit-got tart em.-and vomited slimy matter. The pain in the stomach increased, frequent eructation, general convulsions with bending forwards of body and stretching of limbs, cried out with pain in stomach. Soon recovered under dry frictions (CANY, Rec. de Mem. deMedorrhinum, ii, 379; in Frank’s Mag. iii, 856.)
8. An infant of 7 days old was given at 8 p. m. two tablespoonfuls of water impregnated with tobacco – smoke, which was strong enough to make tongue of mother “smart dreadfully” when tasted. At 9 it was found with entire system flaccid, pallid, eyes closed, comatose; pulse imperceptible and heart’s action almost so; resp. spasmodic, deep, 6 per m.; deglutition almost impossible; temp. high. From this time till 4 a. m. stimulants were used extremely and internally, with artificial respiration for 5 hours of the time; at end of which patient having breathed spontaneously for 30 morning, suddenly expired P. M.,28 hours later – An unusual redness over entire surface. Ecchymoses about occipital and part of temporal regions. Lungs gorged with enormous blood. L. auricle and ventricle filled with fluid blood; right side empty. and Surg. Journ., xlvii, 461.)
9. The symptoms of mild poisoning by tobacco-smoking are – increased flow of secretion from eyes, nose, and mouth, with feeling of tightness in head as though a band were stretched round it, disturbance of vision, with tinnitus and vertigo. Palpitation and praecordial distress follow, and notably aching and feebleness of the arms. Then come nausea, eructation, vomiting, clammy sweat, (WOAKES, Deafness, 1879, p. 59.)
10. A man, aet 42 laid a wager that he would smoke during one afternoon 25 pipes in succession, though he was not accustomed to more than 3 – 4 per diem. He gained his bet, but after some hours he was seized with numbness followed by loss of consciousness, which did not return till after very violent and repeated vomiting. This was in its turn allayed by buttermilk; but for eighteen months after he had pains in head and vertigo which at times assailed him with great violence, and he took such a distaste to tobacco that the very sight of it made his head ache. (Journ. de Medorrhinum, 1757, p.68.)
11. May 24th, 1815, Mr. J. H. -, aet 19, unaccustomed till a day or two before to the use of T., smoked one and part of a second pipe without spitting partaking at same time of a little porter. He became affected by violent syncope, retching and vomiting. He returned home, complained of pain in head, undressed, and went to bed. Soon after he was taken with stupor and laborious breathing. He was found in this state by the medical attendant. The countenance was suffused with a deep livid colour; eyes had lost their brilliancy; conjunctive were injected; right pupil was exceedingly contracted; left was much larger than usual, and had lost its circular form; both were insensible to light. Hands were joined and rigidly contracted, as was whole body; arms were bound over chest. Breathing very stertorous, pulse 80 to 82, otherwise natural. There was no paralysis. He was bled from temporal artery with some relief, and an ipecacuanha emetic administered. Dozed during night. On morning of 25th patient was affected with syncope during efforts he made to get up and go to stool. At visit he complained much of pain in head and eyes; eyes and lids were red and suffused. Pulse 80, natural; tongue loaded and brownish; feet cold. Continued to doze. Bleeding repeated, this time from arm. On 3rd days he still dozed, complained of pain in head, nausea, and tendency to faint. Face more natural; pupils normal, contracting by light. A loose stool passed insensibly in bed. In evening he again became affected with a degree of stupor, spasms of hands, and stertorous breathing. Countenance was not livid. Treatment as at first. On morning of 27th patient was as on that of 26th, with dry and parched tongue; still dozing. Then forward to 31st he gradually recovered. “It is difficult to account for the symptoms observed in this case without supposing that those which occurred after the patient reached his bed were attributable to an attack of congestion of the brain accidentally developed by the sickness which the tobacco originated. Yet there is another case on record which presented symptoms closely resembling these; and it is the more remarkable because the same poisonous cause acted at the same time and equally upon two persons, of whom one was affected after the usual manner, but the other presented the following symptoms.”(He then quotes II, 1.) (STILLE(>)) (MARSHALL HALL, Edinb. Med and Surg. Journ., xii, 11.)
12. a. The case of the human organism against tobacco is made out by Dr. Richardson and others to be something as follows: – In smoking tobacco we take in carbonic acid and carbonic oxide, several ammonias, and an oily substance, which is crude nicotine. In this crude nicotine are nicotine proper, a volatile empyreumatic substance, and a bitter extract. The accomans and the nicotine especially are the substance which: 1. The ammonias, entering the blood, leave it too alkaline and fluid, thus interfering with its proper nutritive activity.
2. The stomach is debilitated and dyspepsia induced by the general influence of the drug. 3. The throat is made dry and red, the tonsils enlarged. 4. the and the morbid condition known as “smoker’s sore throat.” results. 4. The innervation of the heart is disturbed, its action being weak, irregular, and intermittent; palpitation, praecordial pains, faintness and vertigo are the consequence, forming the well-recognised symptoms of the “tobacco heart.” 5. The laryngeal and bronchial mucous membranes, if already irritable, are made more so. 6. Owning chiefly to the disturbance in the blood and heart, th processes of nutrition are slowed, and in the young may be seriously affected – tissue is degraded (Acton). 7. The sexual organs are at first stimulated, especially by cigarette – smoking, but are eventually weakened in power; “excessive smokers, if very young, never acquire, and if older, rapidly lose their virile powers” Acton). 8. Vision in impaired, especially if alcohol is used in conjunction with the tobacco, “tobacco amblyopia” being produced. 9. Muscular co – ordination is impaired, especially in the young; drawing – masters find that young smokers cannot draw a “clear straight line” 10. The antidotal effect of alcohol to tobacco leads to forming the habit of drinking. 11. The power of concentrating the mind, and perhaps of intellectual activity in general, is lessened. The Minister of Public Instruction of France, finding that smokers, as a rule, stood lower in their classes than non smoker, has forbidden the use of tobacco in the public schools.”Alcohol oppresses the well-nourished brain, though it soothes the exhausted one” (Richardson); in general, a person can do more intellectual work without tobacco than with it. All smokers can do more work without tobacco than with it. All smokers can do more work if the smoke moderately than if they smoke excessively.
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.