Introduction
The metal so named, generally used as a nitrate – (UO2)”(NO3)2,6H2O.
Provings
1 a. A young man of 25, in average health, proved 2nd dec. dil. of a saturated solution of the nitrate. On June 6th, 1867, he took 1 dr., on 7th 2 dr., on 11th 5 dr., on 12th 6 dr. On latter day head heavy on waking; general languor; aching at occipital protuberance. Dry coryza; 1. nostril suffered (itching in nose Prover had ascarides.*)]. Stye in left upper lid. Constipation. In evening, occipital and frontal headache. 13th. – 7 dr. No appetite; urine acid, a trace of albumen. 14th. – 8 dr. Urine flocculent; very slightly acid. 15th. – 9 dr. Woke with occipital headache; vertigo twice in evening 16th. – 10 dr. (Prover continued increasing dose by 1 dr. every day or two till July 5th, when he took 22 dr.) ill temper, he is cross with everybody; stiffness in loins; urine quite normal. 17th. – Woke at 2 a. m. with urgent desire to evacuate bladder and rectum, and much borborygmus. A small soft stool. 18th. – A small painless ulcer, with one elevated side, in buccal aspect of left cheek, opposite left anterior upper molar. 19th. – Ulcer more tender, worse in evening 20th. – Inside of cheek very sore. 21st. – Ill humour; acne on forehead; cheek better. 23rd. – 10 micturitions in 24 h. In evening, pain shooting from right orbit to occipital protuberance. 25th. – Small quantity of phosphates in urine. 28. – Languid. 30th. – Saliva and urine highly acid; sore pain in vesical region in evening; burning in urethra. July 1st. – Desire to urinate again immediately after voiding bladder. 2nd. – Extreme languor on rising from bed; fishy odour of urine. 3rd. Hawking of very tenacious mucus. 4th. – Urine highly acid, but otherwise normal. 6th. – (Nothing was now taken till 11th inclusive.) On this day urine very cloudy; deep amber colour; slightly acid. 8th. – Much mucus in urine. On 12th took 24 dr.; no results observed. On 16th took 30 dr., and thereafter increased dose by 10 dr. daily, till on 24th he took 110 dr. Nothing is noted save dull aching in right temple immediately after last dose.
1 b. On 25th he took 5 dr. of the saturated solution. 26th. – M., urine was high-coloured and turbid; chlorides more abundant than normally; no lithates. At 11:45 p. m. took 30 dr. In 5 m. slight pain over left eye; tasteless eructations. 27th. – At 11 p. m. took 60 dr. At 12 p. m. pain over right eye; at 1 a. m. contracted feeling in throat, eructations. He micturated 12 times in the 21 1/2 hours after taking the dose, but only passed 31 oz. of urine in the 24 h.
1 c. Aug. 3rd, at 10:30 p. m., a bolus containing 1/4 oz. was injected into rectum. It was forcibly returned in 20 m., causing sharp colic and tenesmus, with raw feeling in rectum, followed during sleep by an unconscious seminal emission. 4th. – 20 oz. of urine have been passed between 10:30 p. m. and 6 a. m., sp. gr., 1015; copious chlorides, diminished phosphates. Urine was examined daily by Moore’s and Fehling’s test, for sugar; but none was found at any time. Sp. gr., whose normal average was 1026 and maximum 1032, had these numbers raised while taking drug to 1028 and 1038 respectively. Normal quantity of urine was 29 oz., maximum 37, minimum 24. While taking drug average was 32 oz., maximum 50 oz.; minimum was unchanged. (Dr. EDW. BLAKE’s provings, Hahnemann Materia Medica, Part II.)
2. A young woman, having chronic albuminuria, but otherwise in fair health, began 2x dil. July 21st, when she took 50 dr.; on 22nd she took 60, on 23 rd 100, and on 24th 110 dr. On 22nd she notes “A few small white vesicles, with red areolae, on hands and legs, which burn and itch; tight feeling round waist.” On 24th, “Debility, cold feeling vertigo; red spots on hard palate, which feels raw; breasts turgid, tender, with burning pain; pain in nape of neck, and all over abdomen.” On 25th and 26th she took 10 dr. of sat. sol. On 29th catamenia occurred. Before them, on 28th, she had heavy burning pain on right side of vertex; clothes felt very tight; fulness in head, with sense of blood flowing to it; cold feet; restless night; diarrhoea. Menses themselves were more copious than usual, with dark cloths; there was giddiness, faintness, great prostration, and drowsiness; shivering; vomiting, with much nausea, no appetite; diarrhoea, followed by perspiration and flushing of upper body; borborygmi, with violent pains in abdomen. (As far as appears, albumen was diminished in amount while taking drug; average quantity of urine in 24 hours was reduced from 46 to 40 oz., and sp. gr. raised from 1013 to 1015.8. – The figures given at the end of the proving are quite inconsistent with the statements made therein, and must be ignored.) (Ibid.)
3. G. C -, male, aet. 31, in good health. Urine was tested for 14 day before beginning experiment, and found normal. From Oct. 22nd, 1870, took 5 dr. of 15th dil. every m. fasting for another 14 d. No appreciable effects ensured. From Nov. 24th to Dec. 4th inclusive took 3rd dil. in same manner. On 28th he notes “Urine cloudy; more mucus than usual; here and there a cast (1/4 in glass); uric acid crystals; in 2 specimens out of 5 uncertain pus or blood cells. Feeling as of having taken cold (no exposure); headache in left temple; radiating pain from left side of ensiform cartilage, coming and going for last 2 day, worse when fasting; no appetite; flatus; slight constipation.” On 29th there was no action of bowels, and only a slight movement on 29th, but there was no stomach pain. This, however, returned Dec. 2nd, with occasional twisting, screwing feeling rather lower down, relieved by food. On the 4th he caught a violent cold, and omitted medicine till 16th, when (being quite well again) he began, and continued till 24th, a similar course of 1st dil. On 17th he notes “Urine deposits a thick mucous sediment; acid in passing, soon becomes alkaline and offensive; sediment contains a large quantity of uric acid and lithate of ammonia, with pavement epithelium. No sugar or albumen. Return of indigestion 15 m. before dinner, with gnawing sinking at cardiac end of stomach, not hungry or faint. Very restless at n. with shivering and heat.” 18th. – Urine much as above. Had some slight pain in head, similar to an old neuralgia from which he had been free for 4 years, but on left side, instead of right, as then; it was seated at post. border of temporal bone, and lasted from 2 to 4 p. m., followed by dull aching. 19th. – Awoke about 1 a. m. with return of pain in head, which lasted an hours and prevented sleep. Wall ill from pain during day 20th. – Cross and disagreeable; not feeling well all day, no particular symptoms. 21st. – Thick muco – purulent sediment in urine after standing all night; deposit consists of urates and mucus, no pus – corpuscles; phosphates more abundant than usual; no sugar. Headache in old place (r. side), severe till after dinner; came on gradually, soon relieved by food. Putrid eructation between 11 and 3. 25th.- Still muco- purulent sediment in urine after standing all n., it dissolved on boiling; phosphates more abundant; no albumen or sugar. No headache for 2 day; appetite good; bowels regular. Sp. gr. of urine showed a higher average (1028 to 1023) while taking drug as compared with normal state. (Ibid.)
4. Dr. Kock proved U. nit. on himself. After he had taken from 1/8 to 2 gr. his chief symptoms were vomiting, copious micturition, later scanty urine, stool only every 8 day, firm and dry. Bad appetite, dislike to cold food. Increased thirst, but could not take his accustomed beer, and his favourite beverage- punch-tasted sour and caused nausea, congestion of head and constant inclination to vomit. He felt very weak and weary, and every evening a feeling in the heel causing him to move it constantly, rest was intolerable. When smoking a cigar felt like a hair in fauces, making him hawk constantly, which brought up mucus; tiresome dryness in throat, so that he had to swallow his saliva constantly. (BUCHNER, N. Z. f. h. Kl., xviii, 170.) Dr.MAGDEBURG writes, “I have satisfied myself by my own experiments that after several weeks’ ingestion of small doses of Uran. mur. or nit. by healthy persons, sugar can be found in the urine”(see Brit Journ.of Hom., xxxiv, 70). On application being made to the author for the details of his experiments, it was found that he had passed away; so his statement must stand for what it is worth.–EDS.
Experiments on animals
1. Dr. BLAKE introduced Zss in solid from into stomach of a full-sized doe rabbit, Sept. 28th and 29th, 1867. On latter day coat looked rough. 30th. – At 9:30 a. m. Zss of a sat. sol. was introduced into stomach. In 1/4 hours urinated freely, sp. gr. 1033. Urinated again p. m. and at n. No sugar at any time. The Zss of sat sol. was repeated Oct. 1st and 2nd, and on n. of latter rabbit died. It was found lying on right side, with clear fluid flowing from mouth. P.M., 3rd, 10:30 a. m. – Rigor marked. Stomach largely distended with food; mucous membrane near cardiac orifice friable, with one haemorrhagic spot; increased vascularity of greater curvature. All other organs perfectly healthy; kidneys microscopically so proved. (Loc. cit.)
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.