Rhododendron


Proving Symptoms of homeopathy medicine Rhododendron, described by Richard Hughes in his book, A Cyclopedia of Drug Pathogenesis, published in 1895….


Introductions

Rhododendron chrysanthum, Palls. Siberian rose. Nat. Ord., Ericaceae.

Provings

1. WAHLE proved tinct. in doses of 5 – 30 dr. Reeling sensation in head, brain feels as if enveloped in fog; while talking he easily forgets his subject, and can only recall it by an effort; dull in head and inattentive; head feels confused, as if he had been up all n. revelling (24 hours); head feels wild and confused (1/4 hours); weight and oppression in head; whole brain is painful, as if pressed too hard again skull; intense pain pressing from within outwards in right frontal bone; pressive beating in forehead, as if all would come out there, going off during rest (12 hours); pressive pain in left temple; pressive drawing pain under left temporal bone, outward pressing under right; pressive sore pain in right half of whole brain while sitting; shattering sensation in head while walking, as if brain were shaken from all sides, especially from above. Itching, pinching sensations about right eyebrow; pressive pain in right internal canthus, as from a grain of sand; shooting pain in right eyeball, as from a red – hot needle going in and out; dilated or contracted pupils; buzzing in left ear whole forenoon, loudest while whistling; pain in right ear as if pressed as under; a powerful stitch from within outwards in right ear; pinching in skin of dorsum of nose. Dull shooting pain in hollow tooth; greenish coated tongue with bitter taste, putrid bitter taste, taste as of straw, sourish, or simply bad; risings of oppressive wind after dinner, causing burning through whole chest and back to dorsal vertebrae; nausea, as from an emetic, with inclination for stool; violent splenic stitches, arresting breathing, in evening at rest; constant borborygmus; rumbling in abdomen after eating and drinking, followed by painless diarrhoea; pinching colic followed by a thin evacuation; abdominal integuments are painful, as if he had received repeated blows on them; intermittent stitches over left crista ilii, from without inwards; so soon as he gets out of bed in m. diarrhoea comes on; stools always look fermented; diarrhoea which does not weaken; a sort of lientery; brown pappy stool; stool leaving corrosive sensation in rectum; pappy stool, 20 hours after usual time; crampy pain in rectum, as from incarcerated flatus (10 hours); crawling in anus, as from ascarides; pinching jerking in glans during rest and movement; itching crawling under prepuce; urine clear, with greenish tinge; hot urine; urine cloudy after a while; diminished secretion of urine. Scraping in throat, with sensation as if tenacious mucus were hanging in the trachea which he could not getup; tickling in throat exciting cough; dry cough early in morning; he hawks up a quantity of white tenacious mucus; painful shooting on left side under ribs, extending to dorsal vertebrae (at rest); shooting pain in middle of left breast, felt as far as under left scapula, and increased by motion and by turning to right; anguishing pressive burning pain in chest, under ribs, not impeding breathing (44 hours); beat of heart stronger and more perceptible; oppression of chest. Beating pain along and beneath left clavicle; m. in bed paralytic rheumatic pain in right shoulder, on which he lies, sometimes extending below elbow, going off on turning to other side (19 hours); at similar time, on turning, pain as from sprain or chill in left scapula; when bending to right and backwards, he felt as if a knife had been plunged through left chest to back; violent pressive drawing pain about right scapula, waking him from morning sleep, and going off gradually on turning to opposite side (36 hours); pressive pain to left of lumbar vertebrae while at rest; shuddering sensation in lumbar vertebrae while sitting; pressive sacral and dorsal pains; anguishing sacral pains while sitting, going off on movement; sacrum painful while sitting, as if from too long stooping or lying on back. Pain as from strain in right hip – joint while walking; some painful stitches on left thigh, both in movement and at rest; knees threaten to break on going downstairs; on rising in m. legs (especially left) do not feel rested, it is as if he had taken a long walk the previous day; tearing stitches on outer side of left thigh while at rest; pain in right knee, as if part were sore internally, or as if he had received a blow on its inner surface; knees threaten to break, after the siesta, at same time he is indifferent and low spirited; weariness and uneasiness in legs, as if he had over – walked himself; in right sole a small painful spot, as if a corn were there; drawing pain all along right upper arm; violent pressive pain, as if in periosteum, on inner side of left upper arm; pinching pain at promontory of elbow; clawing sprain – pain in wrists; painful weariness in left wrist, felt only at rest; on small spot of metacarpal bones painful sensation as if an exostosis would form; convulsive pains in left phalangeal bones; paralytic pain in left thumb; sprain – pain in right thumb for several day; drawing, paralytic pain, now in one, now in another finger, now in metacarpal bones, now in forearm. Tottering gait, as if he had been long ill (1/2 hours); sensation over whole body, as if he had strained himself. He wakes early at the same time for several m. in succession, and cannot sleep again, his limbs feeling so strangely that he must stretch and toss about; sleep not good, he must toss about all n. from uneasiness in legs; trembling of arms and legs at night; dreams about fire, he remaining indifferent. Chilliness over whole body, especially m. in bed; feels wholly all day, least breath of air makes him shiver; as soon as he enters room from open air he experiences a feeling of warmth and anxiety in upper part of body. (STAPF’s Beitrage.)

2a. HENKE took tinct., 5 doses, of 6, 12, 12, 24, and 12 dr. respectively. Vertex pains on touching as if ulcerated; oppression of head, especially in frontal region, with pressive pains in left temporal region, both relieved for a time by laying head on table, and disappearing on moving about in open air; tearing boring pain in left temporal region; some short violent stitches in same (10 m.); scalp is painful to touch. Pimples on left side over outer part of eyebrow and under right corner of mouth, painful when touched; pressive shooting pain around left orbit, with spasmodic closure of lids of left eye; dampness of eyes and agglutination of lids; burning in eyes when looking at sunlight before getting up in m., also when looking intently at an object; right eye has burning pain and its sight seems dim, evening while reading. left nostril obstructed near root, with sore pain in right, and sense of accumulation of mucus in open air. Dry and burning lips; frequently recurring grumbling and tearing in anterior molars, now upper, now lower, now right, now left; contractive sensation along left stenonian duct (2nd d.); burning on tongue during inspiration; scraping and scratching in throat; it feels as though lined with mucus; empty eructations; gulping up of small quantity of bitter tasting fluid; pressive pain in stomach on stooping, and on pressing hand into part; pinching in epigastrium; pain in hypochondria as from incarcerated flatus; borborygmi; painful distension of abdomen; some penetrating stitches in abdomen; soft stools, but sluggish, only passed with effort; retention of stool. Violent shooting in right testicle, as if it had been sorely bruised – in evening while sitting, going off on movement, but returning when sitting down again; burning before and during micturition. Oppression and constriction of chest, with pain on bending body. Pain in sacrum, becoming intolerable on stooping. Weariness of muscles of right thigh while walking; fine tearing deep in knee, as if in bones, at rest and when flexing joint; outer border of right great toe excessively painful, at rest; in left arm feeling of weight and lassitude, as after excessive effort, going off on moving it; fine tearing as if in periosteum of right arm and elbow, only when at rest; itching which compels scratching, on right middle and ring fingers, with erysipelatous redness (7th d.) and later); coldness of 3 middle fingers, right; violent pain in middle joint of left little finger, impeding its movement. A short walk fatigues him much, and makes all limbs feel as if bruised; frequent yawning without weariness. At 6 p. m. great heat of head with cold feet (no thirst), intolerable outward – pressing headache, burning in eyes, dryness in nose and burning heat there on inspiration, lassitude and bruised feeling in limbs with depression of mind, n. was restless, almost sleepless, from vivid dreams and dry heat of body, towards m. he slumbered a little, and then a slight general sweat broke out, which alleviated his troubles (this fever returned for the two following evening, but in lesser degree). Gloomy mood, indifference to everything.

2b. Same took, first 10, then 20 dr. of 6th dil. Continued fine drawing – tearing close to as frontes, feeling like forcing and pressure, increased by wine (1/2 hours); continued pressive pain on left forehead, spreading to temple, similarly aggravated (1/2 hours); itching of scalp, as from vermin, for several e. Burning and dry feeling in eyes, especially in evening (5th d.). Tickling in left meatus auditory., which boring with finger changes to pain, for an h. Soon after taking drug, obstruction of left nostril high up, alternating during day with similar feeling in evening, lessened in outer air. Same toothache as before; burning at back of mouth as if catarrh would set in (30 hours); empty eructations; gulping up of rancid fluid, irritating throat; appetite very good, but soon satisfied (2nd – 4th d.); contractive pressure in scrob. cordis with dyspnoea, on several evening while walking; feeling of fulness, weight, and distension in abdomen, especially m. in bed and evening, with borborygmi, and much empty eructation and emission of flatus (10 m.); occasional feeling of qualmishness, as if diarrhoea would set in (10 m.); stools as before. In right testicles and spermatic cord drawing – stitching pain, going off on movement, – pain was sometimes like a needle – thrust, and spread in zigzags to perinaeum and anus, lasting some seconds and arresting breathing (6th d.); a few drops come out still after urinating, causing burning in urethra and shuddering through whole body (2nd d.); want of usual m. erections for several d. Fine tearing pain at lower end of sternum; pain in nape, as if tetanised; sacral pain, with fine drawing tearing, as on bone (20 m.). Fine tearing on right knee, diminishing on movement (4th day, on 5th spreading to shine – bone); pains in feet as from old chilblains; pain in muscles of upper arm, as after excessive exertion (1st d.); fine tearing deep in bones, from right elbow upwards and downwards along back of arm. Itching and gnawing at different spots on body, several evening on going to sleep. Ice – cold feet in a warm room, especially in evening, they cannot be got warm in bed, and frequently disturb sleep (3rd – 6th d.). Peevishness without apparent cause. (Ibid.)

Richard Hughes
Dr. Richard Hughes (1836-1902) was born in London, England. He received the title of M.R.C.S. (Eng.), in 1857 and L.R.C.P. (Edin.) in 1860. The title of M.D. was conferred upon him by the American College a few years later.

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.