Introduction
Nat Ord., Compositae. Carduus benedictus, the blessed thistle.
Provings.
1. One man, c, and two women, a and b, took from 20 to 50dr. of the mother tincture. No further information given.
1. a. 2nd days, pressure on forehead, especially when stooping, all day; eyeballs feel larger; ringing in ears; much mucus in mouth; dyspnoea; hoarseness; pain in trachea as if it were inflamed, the inspired air feels cold; coughs very frequently, it sound rough, like hissing. 3rd day, grey spots pass before eyes; breathes, quickly, must draw in air with an effort as the trachea feels closed up, each inspiration is like a low whistle, especially evening. Time not indicated: Heaviness in head for several day; pain in occiput; blackness before eyes for a short time; constant overflow of saliva for 6 days; feeling as if buccal cavity were contracted and narrowed for 8 to 10 days, beginning and declining slowly; sour taste, for 6 days, always getting worse and almost sulphurous, relieved for a while by eating evening bitter burning as though stomach was very much deranged; dysphagia; pain in trachea as if it were fatigued by long coughing; breathes quickly and laboriously; feeling as she were too tightly laced; cough increased till 6th day, when it became slighter, but she could not sing or talk long for several days; constant yawning and hiccough. (Prakt. Mittheil., 1826, p. 23.)
2. b. 1st day, immediately trembling in hands; chilliness, flushes of heat in face, after eating, through whole body, without thirst, dimness of sight and pressure on eyes, breath and palms quite hot; sweat in hands, then they got burning hot; flat taste, tongue sensitive as if swollen, much furred; limbs heavy as if paralysed; tension in tendons; knees feel weak while sitting, give way when walking; cross humour.-2nd day, sharp pressure in right temple, then in whole head, with heaviness, from noon till evening; jerking in left eyelid; in afternoon, pinching in bones of knee, neck, and hands, one after the other, burning and paralysed feeling, aggravated by pressure-Time not indicated; Vertigo on raising head, worse on stooping several day. Afternoon, sometimes a cutting pain over eyes; pressure in occiput, from crown; for several day pressure in eyeball as if it would come out; curious feeling in left eye as if it would be pressed outwards, rather agreeable; dim and whirling before eyes; feeling as if something were in ears, also as if something burst, like a bladder, and then humming; continued violent griping and tickling in nose, as though coryza were coming on, several day; nasty sourish taste and little appetite for many day; after eating eructation; mouth dry morning and evening with thirst; though stomach is full feels empty; drawing, cutting pain in abdomen all the time; larynx not free; constant dry cough; dull shooting in sides over hip, now right now left, at first only when stooping and moving, but afterwards at all times; when leaning on arms, burning in them, but they are not hot to the feel; when stretching a tension in interior of elbows, especially when they have been long flexed; contraction in elbows and arms; feeling in forearm, as if in the blood – vessels, like a long knife stab with continued burning; feet weak after sitting, soles feel sore when treading; joints moved with difficulty and frequently give way; pain of all the bones, especially when the limbs have been stretched; when pressed they feel bruised (the veins are painful and prominent), the knee is particularly painful till the 4th days; small red spots on finger for several successive day, then a yellow spot that lasts longer; burning under skin of face, afterwards in other parts; cold shuddering all over body, followed by urticarious goose – skin, miliary rash, painless, not pointed but hard, lasts several day, goes off slowly; for several day, shuddering chilliness with goose – skin, about noon or evening sometimes m. breath, lips, hands and feet hot; trembling all through body; anxiety, starting at every sound, fear, so that cold sweat breaks out. (Ibid.)
3. c. Soon, quivering movement in left canthus; tickling in left eye, very painful, with flow of tears, stitches in inner canthus. After 2 hours throat commences to be painful, voice, rough. – Time not indicated: Confusion of head, interrupted stitches, in temples, four times in succession more in left than right; flickering before left eye as if small fiery stars passed in front of it, removed by winking; toothache on right side, interiorly, drawing more than shooting; roaring in right ear, soon going off; tickling on surface of tongue near its root, lasts 5 m. and changes into shoots like electric sparks; appetite bad; nausea; swallowing is uncomfortable; slight pinching in abdomen for 6 m. throbbing below left breast, curious sounds on right side of navel. (Ibid.).
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.