13. Dr. HEADLAM GREENHOW has observed in brass – founders, who are exposed to the fumes of deflagrating zinc, and irregular kind of intermittent fever. The attack commences with malaise, a feeling of constriction or tightness of chest, sometimes accompanied by nausea. These are followed in evening or at bedtime by shivering, sometimes succeeded by an indistinct hot stage, but always by profuse sweating. The sooner the latter follows the setting in of the cold stage, the shorter and milder is the attack. Headache and vomiting frequently, but no means always, are present. The attacks are ephemeral only, but are sometimes of frequent occurrence, – slight causes, such as getting into a cold bed, or any trifling derangement of health, being apt to excite a paroxysm in those already predisposed to it. ( Medorrhinum Times and Gaz., 1862, i, 227.)
14. SCHLOKOW observed the effects of zinc on the workmen who extracted it from the ore by a kind of distillation, whereby the oxide was deprived of its oxygen by great heat in a clay retort, and deposited as metal in a kind of receiver. Those who had worked at the business for a long time suffered from chronic and obstinate catarrhs of the business for a long time suffered from chronic and obstinate catarrhs of the respiratory organs and disorders of digestion. Enlargements of liver and spleen were frequent, nd tendency to intestinal catarrh. The complexion of face and skin in dirty grey, on the gums is a narrow dark line, and the victims look older than their age. Some of them suffer from night blindness accompanied by xerosis conjunctivae. After 10 or 12 years of this work, the workmen complain of pain in sacrum, and there is increased sensitiveness of lower extremities. They complain that their soles are too sensitive to the smallest unevenness of the floor, and every stone causes them pain; they have burning in feet which disturbs their sleep; they have a feeling as if the skin of their legs was too short, and as if mice come running about on them; they have formication and creeping in lower extremities. Some complain of chilliness in the tibiae and burning in skin; if a fold of skin is raised up, that cause a pain as if cut with a knife. There are various pains in thighs, not very severe. In this stage they generally have the feeling of a girdle or hoop round the body. Later gone – to – sleep feeling, numbness and furriness or legs; they feel their feet cold, but to touch they are quite warm. The sense of touch in the lower extremities is generally lowered, so that they do not feel the ground properly when they step on it. Pricks with a pin are felt in some parts of skin of lower parts of body indistinctly, in other very acutely. Sometimes the dorsum of foot or anterior tibial surface is over – sensitive, whilst the abdominal integuments and genitals have diminished sensitiveness. The reflex irritability is increased on the greater part of the skin of lower extremities. The knee – jerk is usually exaggerated; blows upon patella and tendo Achillis cause reflex contraction in almost all the muscles of the body. There is usually a diminution of the muscular sensibility, so that the control over some muscles is lost. The patients walk stooping, in order to be able to follow the movements of their legs; when they shut their eyes they soon begin to stagger, and would fall unless supported. In the dark they are quite lost, because then they are not masters of their extremities. But when lying or seated they can move their extremities properly. Later their gait becomes wide, stiff, spasmodic, hurried and uncertain; they put down the whole sole when they tread. They turn and go upstairs with difficulty; with every movement of the legs their occurs muscular trembling, especially in thighs and nates; this is excited by the smallest mechanical shock and lasts a long time. The nutrition and size of the muscles do not suffer; their irritability by induction current seems to be increased. As the disease advances there occurs a paralytic weakness of the muscles of the lower, and lastly of the upper, extremities, shown when attempts are made to lift the legs, and to move them sideways, to bring the knees together; the power of pressure of hand is diminished, and the resistance of the muscles to passive movements is weak. ( Deutsche med. Wochensch., 1879, p. 17, 208.)
15. In workmen employed in casting brass the following symptoms occur: Anorexia, pressure and pain in stomach, inclination to vomit, oppression of chest and cough, pain in forehead, tinnitus aurium, prostration, shivering. After 2 or 3 hours there occurs cold sweat, often preceded by great heat. Next m. all these symptoms are gone, but the health of the workmen is usually undermined by the gradual development of asthma and other chest affections. (BLONDLET, Jour. de Medorrhinum, 1846.)
16. REOBOULLEAU observed in the workmen in a brass foundry, and on himself after he had been several times in the foundry, the following peculiar anguish symptoms: At first feeling of weight and painfulness in hypochondrium and loins, prostration, oppressed breathing, anorexia; later rigor with general malaise, pale, tired weak gait, irregular pulse, sometimes nausea and vomiting; at length the pulse became large and full, general heat came on, face became red and animated, the skin warm and moist; the patient fell into an uneasy sleep, disturbed by anxious dreams which exhaust him, until at length copious sweat terminated the attack in from 8 to 10 h. As a rule, the attack begins towards the end of the day’s work, lasts all n., and ends in m., so that the workmen can again return to their work. ( Gaz. Medorrhinum de Paris, No. 40 1847.)
17. Whilst preparing flores zinci the room was filled with the vapour of the zinc, and caused the following symptoms: – From that day oppression of chest, vertigo and headache. The next n. sleepless and following day cough, vomiting and stiffness of limbs; 3rd day strong taste of copper in mouth, salivation, severe pressure in stomach, and pain in bowels. The vertigo was so severe that he could not stand up. After copious stool the symptoms became ameliorated, and fever set in, followed by profuse perspiration, which removed the morbid symptoms; but general weakness of body remained for 3 weeks. (FLFES, Rust’s Mag., xxi, 2, 563.).
Experiments on animals
1. According to the experiments of Orfila and others, the sulphate inflames the mucous membrane of the stomach, after having produced active vomiting with epigastric pain. Vomiting is still the most prominent symptom, even when a solution of the salt is thrown into the most prominent symptom, into the jugular vein of a dog. (STILLE, po. 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.