Introduction
Tenacetum vulgare, L. Tansy. Nat. Ord., Compositae.
Provings
1. Dr. BURT took 1 dose per day of the pure oil, – 1st day, 4 dr.; 2nd day, 6 dr.; 4th day; 6th day, 25 dr. Was in perfect health at commencement of proving. The following symptoms were observed: Confusion of thought; dullness of all senses fatigue of mind after least mental exertion. Dull frontal headache, with cutting pain in temples; severe frontal headache, with great fulness of head; 5constant dull heavy headache for a number of days. Agglutination of lids in m,.; dull aching pains in eyeballs. Stitches in internal ear; roaring of nostrils; profuse secretion of mucus in nose, with frequent coryza Mouth feels rough, tongue white – coated; flat insipid taste. roughness of throat; constant tickling sensation in throat as though he would cough, but was unable to cough throughout proving. constant eructation (tasting of oil) for 24 hours; eructations of sour air at n. Drawing cutting pains in epigastrium many times l dull pains in right hypochondrium, sharp pains in left; sharp sticking pains in whole umbilical region; hard dull aching pains in whole of bowels)constantly); frequent colicky pains at umbilical region throughout day, nd especially at 4 a.,., for 2 weeks; constant hard drawing pains in left groin. Diarrhoea from larger doses, with secondary constipation; soft papescent stools, preceded by sharp cutting pains in umbilicus. At first suppression, followed by profuse flow of urine; later, constant inclination to urinate with dull heavy pain in small of back; urine high – coloured primarily, very pale secondarily; urine very foetid. L. wrist very lame and sore in morning; constant dull aching in lumbar region for 8 day; severe attack of lumbago all one evening; great weakness of legs, with general prostration. (Medorrhinum inves., i,
63)
2. Mrs. B. -, dark complexion and fleshy. Jan. 13th, took one power of 30th dil. in morning; was then menstruating. Menstruation stopped entirely at noon and did not return; sleepy all p. m.; could not apply herself to anything; no appetite for supper but intensely thirsty; urine very scanty and cloudy. 2 a. m. woke with hiccough, which lasted an h. Slept uneasily until m., and woke with a sharp, darting, stitching pain low down in uterine region, which lasted until dressed. 14th. – another dose of 30th; slight rheumatic shooting pains in different parts of body. Extremely sensitive to noise; very nervous and low spirited; urine scanty; thirst and “laziness” continued; confused headache. 15th. – Another powder of 30th slept well; appetite better; urine still scanty and thick, pinkish, and cloudy; great thirst, and “so lazy; ” almost irritable; the children’s noise is almost unbearable. 16th. – Urinary symptoms increased; thirst continues, also nervousness and “laziness/” 17th. – all symptoms wore off. 18th. – a reaction came pm; felt as gay and ambitious as she had been depressed and lazy before. 20th. – commenced taking 12th dil. Rectum wore off. 18th. – a reaction came on felt as gay and ambitious as she had been depressed and lazy before. 20th. – commenced taking 12th dil. Return of the sharp pains in uterine region and the thirst. The depression of spits and laziness returned in a two-fold measure; could neither read, sew, study, think of her patient, nor even play backgammon. Urine took the other extreme and passed in large quantities, yet normal in n all other respects. Head felt dull, heavy and confused; shooting rheumatic pains; sore mouth, not quite aphthous. Left sub – maxillary glands swollen and sore. The laziness all through has not been a stupor but an uneasy desire to do something, yet nothing was the right thing. (Dr. A.K. Hills’ provings, Hom. times (N. Y.), VIII, 49.)
3. Miss A -, light hair and blue eyes; took one powder of 30th dil. four successive d. Pain and stiffness in r sterno – mastoid when turning head to left; lameness and soreness in base of brain; soreness and lameness in right leg, from inguinal region to knee; burning sensation in face; intense feverish heat throughout body; dull, darting pain through both shoulders and arms, and in back of neck, rheumatic in character. (Ibid)
4. Miss A -. blue eyes and brown hair. jan. 24th, 12 p. m. One powder of 30th dil. After about a 2 was very restless; could not sleep although sleepy; felt dull pain in limbs and hack, and general uneasiness which compelled frequent change of position; felt more comfortable on left side; about 5 slept, but dreamed of ridiculously unnatural things. Mouth and tongue very dry upon awaking. About 7 woke, with dull pain in hypogastric and iliac region, as if menses were about to appear; this pain continued all through m. with slight nausea; pain around waist and fro thence down to knee. Dull pain in temples particularly right, also in forehead; rest of head seemed unusually clear. Some soreness of upper teeth of right side upon closing mouth. A dull pain also through right lung from front to shoulder – blade. Lips quite dry, unless frequently moistened with tongue. None of these symptoms as perceptible while walking out of doors as in house. 26th. – One powder of 30th. Sleep quite restless; not much appetite in m., but quite thirsty. Same pain in uterine region. Looseness of bowels, with no pain. About 4 p. m. much headache and great nausea, especially in warm room which continued until eating, by which the nausea was partially relieved, but not the headache. Symptoms all more marked in a warm room than in open air. More severe pain in uterine region, back, and limbs: and nausea increased. Feeling of numbness on right lung, shoulder, and arm. 27th. – Great nausea soon after rising, continuing severe all day, with temporary relief from eating. Lips dry and parched; much thirst for cold water. Thoughts of eating unpleasant, but not eating, except sweet things, or soft food, like oatmeal, &c., which increased the nausea very much. Very little appetite for anything. Dull pain over whole head, especially temples and forehead; headache and nausea much increased in a close room, with excessive sleepiness. Bowels loose, yet no pain. Urine rather scanty. quite severe dull pain in lumbar region. P..m. feeling of sadness, with no case whatever, and desire to be let entirely alone. 28th. – Neuralgic pains in muscles of various parts of body, and in muscles of hips and neck a stiffness with every motion, which commenced in morning and continued all day 29th, 30th, 31st. – Very sleepy much of the time, especially in a warm, close room. Still frequent soft stools and constant urging in rectum, with pain while passing stool, but relief after; also constant dull pain in back and r side over liver. Feb. 1st – 5th. – Still same condition of bowels, which gradually decreased. Same constant dull pain in liver, which seemed sometimes to prevent lying on r side. 6th. – Pain in liver less, and bowels quite natural and free from pain. During all this time a feeling of weakness in abdomen, with disinclination to stand erect, and intense sleepiness, more especially between 11 a. m. and 2 or 3 p. m. Quite thirsty. Mind not as clear as usual. P. m. took one powder of 12th. 7th. – In m., menses appeared 3 day too soon, without much pain and quite scanty. Mind very clear. 8th. – Nausea all day, and increased flow, but watery. Stiffness of muscles of right shoulder and neck, which extended later in day down right side also. toothache, dull, in right lower molar. Mind still very clear; seemed able to accomplish anything intellectually. 9th. – rheumatic symptoms gradually wore off, and at n. were almost entirely gone. Menses very scanty and pale, almost ceasing at time. Toothache of right side at intervals during day. thirsty. 11 p. m., took another powder of 12th. 10th. – Menses very scanty and pale. Slight return of bowel symptoms. Little stiffness in neck and shoulder still remaining. Weakness of abdominal muscles, also tension, causing inclination to stoop forward. Nausea all d. Menses ceased. 11th. – Another powder of 12th. Nausea continued. Increase of bowel symptoms; sleepy. and inability some of the time to think; at other times mind felt unusually clear. 12th. 13th. – symptoms unchanged. 14th – Felt utterly tired out; in m. could not do anything from complete exhaustion 15th,16th,17th all this time no relish for any food; satiety after eating little, but thirsty; sweets and soft food very nauseating. As soon as she had eaten, pain in bowels, and urgent stool, which relieves the pain. 17th. – twitching in face over left malar bone at intervals during whole day 18th – 22nd. – Pain in liver and twitching in face continued about the same, then both gradually decreased until 24th, when twitching had all disappeared, and pain in liver nearly. bowels now rather constipated, yet urging quite frequent after eating, not so apparent while moving. During all this time an almost constant pain under right shoulder-blade. Several day after this, several small glandular swellings appeared in left axilla, which caused slight pain, but disappeared without any discharge. No more symptoms of any marked character not easily accounted for in some other manner. (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.