Introduction
Oxalic acid, H2C2O4. Acid principle of sorrel and other plants: prepared on large scale by action of caustic alkalies on sawdust.
Provings
1. REIL, aet. 29, in good health and of simple habits. Made concentrated solution of acid in distilled water at 60, it contained gr. 50 to 3viij. From this made dilutions with distilled water in proportion of 1 to 8.
1a. September 28th, 1849, took at 7:30 a. m., fasting, 20 drops of 2nd dil., and repeated dose in evening. Next day took 30 drops in morning and evening. None but slight effects resulted. 30th., morning and evening, 40 drops. October 1st, morning and evening, 50 drops; 2nd, morning, noon, and evening, 60 drops; 3rd, morning, noon, and evening 80 drops; 4th, morning noon, and evening 100 drops. On 30th had pressive frontal headache, eyes and forehead smarting as if coryza would set in (which it did not). This lessened on 1st and disappeared on 2nd, leaving only aversion to mental exertion. After doses from 40-60 drops much rumbling in belly and increased discharge of flatus. Stools absent or difficult throughout.
1b. Took 1st dil. from 5th to 9th inclusive, 20,40,60,80, and 100 drops on successive days, three times a day. On 5th, pain in sacrum all day, relieved after difficult evacuation. Distension of abdomen this day and next. No stool on 6th; on 7th abundant soft motion covered with mucus; preceded for some hour by frontal headache. Stool the same next day; on 9th, after previous rumbling in abdomen, copious pappy evacuation with cutting pains. On 8th, empty feeling in stomach; pain across kidneys; at night unpleasant pinching around umbilicus repeatedly waking him up. On 9th, feeling of lassitude all day.
1c. From 10th to 13th inclusive took repeated doses of concentrated solution, from 10 drops to 50, without effect save flatulence and loose stools, with painful griping and twisting in stomach. October 14th. – Took six doses of 100 drops each every 2 hours; appetite good in spite of increasing pains in stomach. At 7:30 p. m., on going out, very severe bellyache, as if diarrhoea would set in; no stool; great lassitude. The urine passed in morning of 3th after standing 36 hour in a warm room was still strongly acid, and a mass of crystals had deposited in it, which under microscope and by the murexide test were recognised as uric acid. Traces of oxalate of lime were seen as a milk-white precipitate. 15th. – A tablespoonful every 2 hours; soon after the first dose a pappy evacuation; all other symptoms as yesterday. Pains in stomach increase a while after eating, whilst formerly the vanished after eating. 3 p. m., an uncomfortable diarrhoeic evacuation, like wise at 7 p. m., though in smaller quantity. At 5, soon after food, pains in stomach were more troublesome than ever, and at same time nausea with inclination to vomit before food was present. 16th. – A tablespoonful every 2 hours. (= about 3 gr.); on awaking early difficulty of swallowing with scraping sensation; tonsils and velum palati slightly reddened and covered with adherent mucus which can only be detached by violent effort. During previous night frequent awaking from stomach and urging to pass water. After each meal more acute stomachache and stronger inclination to vomit. Appetite previously good, to-day absent, although gnawing sensation in stomach often simulates hunger; at midday could, however, hardly swallow a few bites. Warm soup afforded relief, but after swallowing a few spoonfuls great urging to stool set in, which was thin, yellowish, slimy, and serous, and accompanied with tenesmus. The difficulty in swallowing increased after each meal. At 3:30 p. m. occurred second evacuation of same consistency, without blood but with much tenesmus. Towards evening pain in stomach and bowels became more acute, and obliged me to sit doubled up. As I had already noticed on taking my sweetened morning and afternoon coffee, the sugar in my tea seemed to increase the pains in the stomach. The tongue, in spite of the great loss of appetite, remained clean, moist, and uncoated. Throat still more reddened than in morning. The morning’s urine was strongly acid, deposited uric acid spontaneously, and contained oxalate of lime. 17th. – Nothing taken. Throughout night was disturbed by pains in stomach and abdomen, and burning in rectum; before midnight and at 7:30 a. m. two serous stools with a few streaks of blood and much tenesmus. Great prostration with feeling as if spine were too weak to carry body. The symptoms of angina, subjective and objective, were the same as yesterday. Cafe au lait with sugar increased the persistent stomach. 11:30 a. m. another serious evacuation, mixed with some blood; tenesmus. At midday little appetite; I took only some gruel, which relieved the painful sensations. In afternoon repeated but fruitless attempts to empty the bowls. Tenesmus during whole time Climbing the stairs was especially troublesome. Head clear as heretofore. Character of urine same as yesterday. 18th. – Nothing taken. Sleep last night frequently disturbed by pains in anus; angina better; appetite also better, although food taken caused pains round and below navel, after a lapse of 2 hours, that is, during its passage through the jejunum and ileum. Towards midday an evacuation, not so serous but still tinged with bloody slime; tenesmus; lassitude; urine as yesterday, although the oxalate of lime is less. 19th. – Nothing taken. Sleep good; still some burning in anus. Angina slight. Appetite good; no pain after food or sugar. Urging to stool, but no evacuation. Lassitude improved. Urine still acid. Oxalate of lime can still be perceived. 20th. – Nothing taken. Condition nearly normal, only some lassitude still; appetite and digestion good; no stool. On following morning, however, it occurred in normal mass and quantity, although still with some pain in anus. On the following days this symptom also vanished.
Roughly speaking I had during the last six days taken 10.1/2 ounces of the concentrated solution of oxalic acid, containing 65 grains of pure oxalic acid. Altogether, including the 1st and 2nd dilutions, I must have taken about 70 grains. The largest dose was 3 grains, or 18 grains per diem. lk (Hom. Vierteljahrsch., ii, 340.)
2. A young physician to whom I gave some oxalic acid to prove, without his knowing what it was, experienced the following symptoms, which I give in his own words:- “The 2nd dilution taken every 2 hours caused no noticeable change, except that after a 50-drop dose I had a somewhat sluggish motion and passed water somewhat oftener but perhaps in smaller quantity. With doses of from 80-100 drops, however, this symptom vanished. “Of the concentrated solution I took doses three times a day only, and rose from 7 to 50 drops without detecting any change in my condition. Then the stools became more pappy and viscid, and called for longer and harder straining than usual. I remarked a weakness in the legs and increased transpiration all over the body, especially in the axilla. These symptoms remained the same up to doses of 80 drops, when there was a slight degree of qualmishness without inclination to vomit and a feeling of emptiness in the stomach. The latter was deceptively like hunger and often led me to eat, without being in the least changed by it. Beyond this the weakness, which I had previously remarked only in the legs, spread over the whole body, so that work usually light to me exhausted me very much and left behind no slight degree of muscular fatigue. With 90 drop doses the nausea and feeling of emptiness in the stomach increased, accompanied by an uneasiness of the whole body, so that I did not dare to increase the dose.” (Ibid.)
3a. Dr. HERING took, May 2nd, 1844, at 11 p. m., gr. 1/10 of lx trit. In 1/4 hour pain pressing inwardly between vertex and occiput, on spot not larger than dollar on middle line. Sensation of slight numbness in left arm. A very violent contracting pain in outer tendon of left knee. Long and sound sleep at night 3rd day. – In morning very bruised and stiff, cannot leave his bed till late. Had dreamt much which he could not remember. Bruised and stiff feeling in back on rising; but a chronic sore-throat and haemorrhoidal uneasiness better than usual. Sour taste on rinsing mouth. Bleeding of gums to unusual degree while brushing teeth. At 9:30 a. m. internal sensation of heat, especially in face; pulse 108; urinates less than usual. At 11 hiccup continuing for some time, though he had eaten nothing substantial; and recurring for some hour whenever he thought of it. Face redder than usual. After walking out pain in testicles and spermatic cord, more in latter and worse right side. While writing in forenoon violent jerking pain in lunar side of right arm near metacarpus. During speaking, much mucus in larynx, with hoarseness; he has to expectorate more than usual. Sensation of fulness in face and excitement, with disinclination to conversation. 12:45. Pulse 88. During hiccup stitching pressure over right hip. In anus pain, like a dull slow stitch, often returning. Painful but slight pressure in right temple, and soon after in hollow of right knee; pain is somewhat jerking. Great appetite for food at 2 p. m.; 30 minutes after pulse 96. A quick jerk in metacarpal joint of left index finger, soon also on ulnar side of hand, then on right side of head. After rising from recumbent posture, pain in right lumbar region between last rib and hip. Greater love of his children, in one in whom this feeling always predominated; a decidedly expressed and clearly distinguished symptom, it being not traceable to any other cause. In afternoon violent starting at slamming of doors, excitement seeming physical rather than mental. Occasionally a pain in depth of ear, as in Eustachian tube, near throat; worst on right side. In evening, while sitting down after walking, violent itching on small spot of neck, right side of hairy scalp, left side of trunk, &c. Unwonted hunger at 11 p. m. 4th. – Again profound and long sleep; on rising quite stupid, lay down again and slept another hour. Usual pain in sacrum is absent; instead thereof bruised sensation in back from loins to shoulders. Thought is effected slowly and with difficulty; is hardly able to answer questions proposed to him. Scanty urination. Indolence; he can scarcely sit up, but wishes to lie down; yet is not sleepy. Pulse quicker than usual. Some heat, at first in face, later in left leg, as from external warmth. In lying a movement in the upper body, especially the head, like a fine rippling as of a stream. It seems to observe a rhythm, but not that of the pulse, than which it is three times faster. It is as if the blood was streaming through the smallest vessels, from below upwards and from within outwards. This feeling becomes plainer the more the thoughts are directed to it. On lying down also vertigo, like a swimming in the head towards left. After a nap numbness in occiput and erections. He had dreamt of rapid sliding walking, and of water being poured over him. Some urging to urine and stool while lying: on rising violent tenesmus in upper rectum, not as in diarrhoea but painful, almost like knife-stabs. On sitting down to stool pressing cutting pain from right upper rectum to anus. Stool pappy, light brown, clay-like. Scanty clear urine. After stool undefinable sensation in anus for 1/2 hour. Some jerking in writing as on 3rd. While yawning a pressive stitch in right hip, taking away his breath. Pain in nose. Yesterday and to-day peculiar tightness a sort of weakness. During forenoon nap a decided sour taste in mouth. Then, moreover, and also while walking later, pain in heart, from behind and below forwards. At 1 sensation in fauces as if there were acidity in stomach. Pain in heart is very violent, as of electric flashes coming from within. In afternoon again passage from bowels, pappy, thick and short, with subsequent sensation in anus as yesterday. During passage violent stitches in ball of left thumb, like knife stabs. The anal pains have to-day same character, but are much worse. After stool a heavy rumbling in right side of abdomen (caecum) and noise from flatulency. A stitching pain between right scapula and spine. On two following days same symptoms as on 4th, but less pronounced. On 6th had red points on glans penis, without itching or other sensation. For 2 or 3 days on rising from sitting posture a sort of dizziness, as if senses would leave him, but without whirling round.
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.