Introduction
Veratrum album, L. White Hellebore. Nat. Ord., Melanthaceae.
Provings
1. HAHNEMANN, Mat. Medorrhinum Pura, vol. iii of original, vol. ii of translation. Contains 315 symptoms from self, 154 from 5 fellow – observers, and 247 from authors.
2. Sept. 24th, 8 a. m., 2 gr. of root. No effect. – 25th, 8 a. m., 4 gr. 9 a. m. and later, pressure in sinciput; repeatedly heat streaming through back into occiput, pressure in ankle- joints and legs, also in shoulders. – 29th, 8 a. m., 6 gr. 9 a. m., pressure, heat, heaviness in sinciput, compression in right ankle-joint; feeling of coldness and burning and shooting in mouth and tip of tongue; burning in oesophagus and stomach, coldness through back, a peculiar feeling of coolness in head, especially sinciput, stiffness in nape, nausea, heaviness in legs and right arm as if numb. 11 a. m., repeated vertigo, head hot, numb, and stupefied; stiffness in chewing muscles; pulse very slow, even when waking; pain in muscles of 1., then of right upper arm; frequently bright spots fly before eyes; pupils at first contracted, at noon very dilated, vision sometimes indistinct; stiffness and pain in right calf, great heaviness in legs; weariness and drowsiness even when walking; persistent numbness in left arm, with pain and stiffness in its muscles; twice sharp burning in left nostril. Until 2 p. m. very frequent attacks of coolness through head, especially when rising from seat, with great pressure on crown, pain in arms, loss of sight, coolness through arms, then feeling in head as of a cold wind blowing through it. 4 p. m., symptoms mostly gone, the cold, very slow pulse. In evening head heavy, confused, this lasts next d, and repeated tearing in muscles of left leg. – 30th. Stool very costive. – Oct. 10th, 2 gr. 9 a. m., scraping in throat, great coldness in back, sharp burning in tip of tongue, pressure in forehead, all which symptoms disappeared within 1 hours – Nov. 9th, 8 a. m., 4 gr. 9 a. m., stiffness in nape muscles, pain in muscles of right upper arm, burning in stomach, nausea, heaviness and numbness of head for several h. During forenoon repeatedly cold feeling in head, followed by heat. – 10th, 8 a. m., 4 gr. At 8:30 a. m. feeling of heat and burning in stomach throat, and tongue, together with a feeling of coolness as from peppermint lozenge; this continues till noon. 9 a. m. and later coldness in back 11 a. m., feeling of coldness in head, numbness of right arm. – 11th, 8 a. m., 4 gr. Soon burning in stomach, lasting a considerable time, nausea; great coldness in back, cold hands; later great heat in back from 10 till 11 a. m., burning in throat and tongue, head confused, hot; this lasts till 1 p. m. – 13th, 7 a. m., 4 gr. 8:30 a. m., drawing and stiffness in calves, then in muscles of left arm; great heat of head, burning and shooting in tongue. 11 a. m., coldness alternating with heat in back, lasting 1 h. Heaviness, numbness of head, till 2 p. m., attack of vertigo. During all the proving the stool was normal. – Feb. 14th, 1862, 8 a. m., 4 gr. After 1/2 hours head hot and heavy, pressure in forehead, coldness through back; persistent pain in right shoulder joint; scraping in throat, shooting and burning on tongue; feeling of coldness in mouth as from peppermint; much eructation of air for several h. Constant coldness in back and cold hand, blue nails; the coldness goes from back through shoulders to arms, and occurs frequently. 9 a. m., burning in stomach, lasting till 11 a. m. Much saliva in mouth for several h. At noon, numbness of right arm several times; feeling of a cool current of a air through head; weariness when walking; pulse slower even then walking. (LEMBKE, N. Z. f. h. Klin., vii, 73.)
3. a. Dr. SCHELLING took, 31st Jan., 1844, 9 p. m., 1st dil., prepared from dry root. Long of falling asleep, owing to unusually cold feet; they were warm when he went to bed, but gradually got colder. After 4 hours’ quiet sleep woke with cold feet, shivering and drawing up the thighs; thereafter cutting burning in cardiac region and precordium. Rumbling in belly. – Feb. 1st., m., Zj of 1st trit. Cold hands and feet after breakfast. 8 a. m., shooting and tensive pain in right shoulder. The shooting is first slight, but increased every minute, and spreads from the shoulder to back, making movement difficult, even breathing is painful; pain relieved by pressing part with hand. On by hawking and coughing. Shooting in right shoulder and neck, stiff walking. E., after eating peas great discharge of flatus. In bed the painful sensation from both feet to knees as if a cold wind blew on 2nd, m., tension and shooting in nape, in both shoulders and between fauces, and yet dryness and heat there. Watering of eyes. Much yawning, and eructation of air, often renewed after dinner and in afternoon, with pressure in stomach and tension in upper part of abdomen. Stomach feels too full after eating but little. When common hernial distress, with rumbling of flatulence. E., vomiting of bitter sour brown mucus mixed with bits of food, 2 hours after a cup of feet warm, noisy discharge of inodorous flatus. Slept quietly from 11 till 4 a. m. Work in m. with pain in nape and shoulders. – 3rd, 8 a. m., hungry; the attempt to remain without food is prevented by much yawning and malaise, after taking a cupful of milk and bread he passed all the forenoon without discomfort, except the pain in nape and shoulders. Mucous secretion in mouth and flatulence after dinner. E., cold feet, flatulence. After supper and a glass of wine increase of mucus in mouth. Unusually copious secretion of mucus in mouth, fauces, an throat, he spits up large lumps of mucus without coughing. At n. sleep disturbed by painfully cold feet with frequent waking and change of position. – 4th. Stiffness of shoulders and pain in nape, great itching in thighs, on rubbing them small pointed pimples on skin. On waking the eyelids are stuck together and difficult to open. 8 a. m. and evening a dose of 1st dil. Great increase of mucus in throat and fauces, large blue masses like barley-corns are expectorated. Pain in nape and shoulders less. Tensive pain in sacrum and shooting in 4th cervical vertebra. After eating constant expectoration of mucus from mouth and throat. Disposition gloomy, sad, can hardly speak. E., after a glass of wine constant expectoration of mucus for 1/2 hours, with cold hands. At n., though the feet were warm, could not get to sleep for a long time, constantly changes position, the knees commence to get cold. 10 p. m., drawing in thighs, then cold feeling as from snow – water through limbs down to feet, with great restlessness till 3 a. m. In the m. 2 hours of restless sleep. – 5th. On waking violent shooting and tearing in right shoulder, in neck, an occiput, aggravated by movement. Tension and tearing on right side of neck, which is drawn awry, and is worse on movement, relieved by pressure. 7 a. m., another dose of 1st dil. Great feeling of hunger frequent diminution of the mucous secretion, pain in shoulder less. After dinner slight pressure in stomach. E., cold hands and feet (after smoking). Sleep restless from 12 to 3 a. m., then pain in shoulder. – 6th. Out of spirits in forenoon, disinclined for work, dull. E., after fatiguing walk and leaping violent cramp in both calves on their outer side for 1/2 h. Sleep quiet, feet warm. – 7th. No symptoms. Pain in shoulders and mucous secretion only in m., and slight. All day quite well.
3 b. Jan. 19th, 1856, 2 dr. 12th dil. in water and spirits of wine, 3 tablespoonfuls in the d. Nausea and dulness frequently during day, restless, out of spirits. Long of getting to sleep at n., dreams. – 21st, m., needle pricks in right toe frequently during day, with weakness. Frequent sneezing, catarrh, much mucus in nose, dry, smarting cough, especially evening, with shivering; pain in sacrum, shoulders, and back, shooting, tensive. – 22nd. After restless sleep, pain in shoulders, cramp in feet. M. weary, unrefreshed by sleep, stupid in head, on attempting to get up sinks back in bed, overcome by sleep, dreaming half-sleep with perspiration and heat. All day very disinclined for exertion. – 23rd. Headache, giddiness, stupefying pressive pain in head, shooting in left side of forehead, little appetite, loathing at food, yawning, nausea, dry cough, with painful stiffness of back, nausea and weariness making him lie down. – 24th. Quiet n. Dreams without perspiration. M. very drowsy, head heavy and giddy on rising. After breakfast tearing pressure in scrob. cordis and middle of chest, with spasm of stomach and eructation. Shooting in temples, burning in eyelids. Irritable humour, disposed to anger, when disturbed at work. – 25th. At noon uncommon drowsiness, so much so that when conversing and making no effort to speak the head sinks down, the eyelids close, and the thinking power is lost. All p. m. wary, heavy, giddy in head, unfit for all work. More cheerful after a glass of wine.- 26th. Sleep full of dreams at n. In m. weary, also after breakfast and sleepy. Falls asleep while reading, p. m. Diarrhoeic stool, evening ( Allg. h. Ztg., 1xxxiii, 19.)
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.