Euphorbia


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


Introduction

Including several varieties of spurge. Nat Ord., Euphorbiaceae.

Provings

HAHNEMANN, Chronic Diseases, part 3 of original, vol. of translation. Contains 281 symptoms from self and two others, obtained from “euphorbium,, ” gum – resin of evening resinifera (Berg), officinarum (left.)

2. Leaves, bark, succulent portions of stem, and thinnest portion of root wit bark of thick portions of E. amygdaloides (Left) were macerated in alcohol for 5 months, and pressed a August 16th, 1869, Mr. CROKER took 1 dr. of resulting tinct. with only local effect. On 19th took 20, on 22nd 30 dr. In 10 morning after last dose slight throbbings were felt in region of heart for 5 morning; afterwards, feeling of warmth, which seemed to radiate from stomach through chest, gradually subsiding in 10-15 morning. About noon (dose taken at 10) feeling of qualmishness when walking, lasting some time. At 7 p. m., difficult stool, arising from painful spasm of anus, both before and after evacuation; faeces small, lumpy, slimy. (Thinks he noticed same on 19th) When walking in evening, perspired much more than usual. 23rd. – Rheumatic pains in right elbow, just above insertion of triceps, worse on motion. 24th. – Took 40 dr. in 3iv of water at 8:30 a. m. In 10 morning, warm feeling in pharynx, oesophagus, and stomach, passing off in 1/2 hours., ending in feeling as if liver were excited, and then as it bowels would act. 10, slight stitch in splenic region when rising from sitting, followed by some uneasiness there. 3, dinner being delayed, sick feeling. 6:30, throbbing in right groin for 1/2 hour, ending in feeling as if liver were excited, and then as it bowels would act. 10, slight stitch in splenic region when rising form sitting, followed by some uneasiness there. 3, dinner being delayed, sick feeling. 6:30 throbbing in right groin for 1/2 morning. Pain as on 23rd, in both arms; urine hot in passing. 11, small, lumpy stool, with prolapsus for 10 morning, though there had been no straining. In evening who hard, white, itching, vesicular pimples on right foot; throbbing in both groins, and seething sensation in lymphatics of legs-chiefly from feet to knees; sense of fulness in lower third of right radius. 25th. – 50 dr. Symptoms of yesterday remain; when walking uphill in evening violent stitch in liver. 26th. – 60 dr. Fulness of chest only continues. (Thinks the boiled onions taken for supper on 25th may have dissipated other symptoms.) 27th. – Pimples are red, one has red areola 10:40, 70 dr. Same symptoms followed as before, with occasional stitches in liver, up to 31st. Between 9 and 10 of later day offensive diarrhoea, which recurred several times during next few day. September 1st. Boring pain in left tantrum, extending to floor of orbit, thence round to supra-orbital canal and up into head (for 1/4 hours)

2 b. Same prover later took 1 dr. of 3rd, and perceived a strong odour as of mice, which he had noticed in former experiment. A lady who took same dose in afternoon woke at night with similar odour – which in each instance was subjective only (M. H. Rev., xiv, 294)

3. Dr. BERRIDGE took 3 dr. of same tinct. August 16th, at 1:20. There was slight burning at back of throat soon after, and in evening, while riding in open carriage, sense of heat in

chest. At night took 8 dr., 12 on 17th, 16 and 25 on 18th. On 20th, prickings in back during stooping and when rising therefrom. 22nd -30 dr., with only slight local effect. 23rd. – 40 dr., same result. 24th and 27th. – 60 dr., same result. At 3:15 took 80 dr., and a meal being taken immediately after, no burning was felt; but at 3:15 took 80 dr., and a meal being taken immediately after, no burning was felt; but 3:15, while writing, pressing pain at irregular intervals just above right nipple, worse on stooping lasting 1 hour. In evening similar sensation slightly in left chest. 28th. – 100 dr., followed only by local burning and hoarseness. 29th. – 130 dr. Same heat soon after, and occasional qualmishness later in day. On 30th and 31st, and on September 1st took 3ij. Similar local effects followed, and he felt tired unusually early from exercise for some day. There were also occasional sharp pains in lumbar region. (Ibid.). 4. Dr. BROWN, who has tested the efforts on his own person of the root of the E. corollata (left), this ascribes its action: – After taking 25 gr. no effects were noticed for about 1 1/2 hours, when suddenly, with no premonitory symptoms of pain, a distressing sense of deathly nausea set in, accompanied in a few morning by faintness; then sudden and powerful vomiting, first of the food, etc., in the stomach, then of large quantities of water mixed with mucus, then of clear fluid like rice – water. In less than a morning after the vomiting commenced, great commotion in the bowels, followed immediately by copious watery evacuations, set in. This simultaneous vomiting and diarrhoea continued for nearly an hour at short intervals, all the while accompanied by great anxiety, a death-like sense of faintness and exhaustion, cool skin covered with beaded sweat, cold hand, feet, and nose, and great weakness. IN about 2 or 3 hours all these symptoms passed away, leaving only weakness as from hunger, not pain or distress, only a peculiar languor. During height of action pulse sank to 40. After taking 50 gr. effects were more intense, but lasted only a little longer. Taken in doses of 2 or 3 gr., every 2 or 3 hours, it causes languor, perspiration, and softness of pulse. (HALE, New Remedies, 2nd ed.)

5. Dr. TRUE made an infusion of 3ss of dried evening hypericifolia. (Left) to a pint of water, and rank half of it. ‘I experienced a sense of fulness in the frontal part of the head, and also through the lateral portions, with headache similar to that produced by cimicifuga, but not so severe; the pain seemed to centre at the crown of the head, but there was a feeling of heat above the eyes that was very characteristic; there was no ringing in the ears or vertigo, but the head symptoms were of that degree of positiveness, that it was with difficulty I could fix my mind on anything but the headache. The maximum of the feeling was about 2 hours after taking the medicine, and it subsided in about 3 1/2 hours, and was succeeded by a feeling of languor and drowsiness, which lasted several hour, but no sleep was produced by it. While the head symptoms lasted there was a feeling of unpleasant fulness and oppression at the epigastrium, and I was compelled to take physic the 2nd day for th constipation it had caused. ” (He also got the same epigastric oppression from 3ij of tinct. (Allen’s Encyclopaedia, iv, 246).

6. Of the euphorbium of the shops I took a few doses of 3 – 10 gr. during the day and this repeatedly. It occasionally caused slight pains in the bowels, confined to a small spot, but never either any vomiting or purging; and the pain when produced soon went off. I then gave it to others, but never more than 6 gr. Some of them said it caused pains, others that it had no effect, and others that it purged. This was slight, and it did not appear to be caused by the medicine. Different specimens were tried. They were all active, when applied externally after removing the cuticle; till, having one day taken 6 gr. of a finer and fresher specimen than the others, it caused a very severe pain at the pit of the stomach, and great tendency to faint, but no vomiting or purging. (VEITCH, Ed. Medorrhinum and Surg. journ., xlix, 487. 1838.).

Poisonings

A women pulled the cypress spurge (evening cyparissias, left), getting the juice on her hands and face. Seeing her next morning, I found right cheek much inflamed, and covered sparsely with fine vesicles filled with a thick white lymph. The erysipelatous inflammation was most marked in the malar region, being of a livid or dark-red hue, and extending along the outer and lower margin of the orbit. She complained of frequent sensations of chilliness, which induced her to a put a shawl about her shoulders, though it was midsummer. Next day only a slight roughness was felt on passing hand over cheek; but right wrist was somewhat inflamed, and abundantly covered with a miliary eruption. (E. H. SPOONER, M. D., N. Eng. Medorrhinum Gaz., iv, 317.).

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.