Introduction
Lactuca virosa, L. Strong-scented lettuce. Nat. Ord., Compositae.
Provings.
1. Man, robust and healthy, made several experiments.
1a. In Feb., evening, he took 10 dr. of tinct. Immediately slight vertigo; in 10 m. hammering burning pain, transient, at a small spot in right chest; on retiring, sensation as if body swam in bed; sleep profound, but full of dreams; m., in bed, flying pinchings in epigastrium; after 8 hours on rising, head empty, with pressure from within outwards, in forehead and orbits; 2 hours later some dull shoots, and afterwards tension in left ear; p. m., while sitting, painful vibration in limbs. Without note of time, -weight and pressure in occiput; vision a little troubled, with burning in eyes; after a soft stool, pressure in anus; after moderate exercise slight bubbling and oppression in chest; when he sneezes, whole chest feels sore; sense of heat in some fingers, leaving weakness in them; drawing in arms, especially from elbows.
1b. In March took 20 dr. in m. during first hours some dull shocks in temporal region; soon after, slight burning in throat, dull drawing in right elbow; in 1/4 hours transient pinching above eyebrows; in 1/2 hours humming and fulness in head, stool, with feeling of weakness and general lassitude, he would like to sleep, yawns and has flow of saliva into mouth, of acid taste; in 3/4 hours sense of pressive weight in abdomen after breakfast; in I hours biting pain in inner angle of left eye; in depth of chest sense of constriction, with weight, oppression, and heat, increasing and diminishing periodically through day; in 21/2 hours desire for stool, with feeling of great weakness, -stool is, however, scanty and difficult; in 8 hours nausea and cramp at pit of stomach; on Ist day transient drawing in anus; after working a short time in his room, felt as poorly and weak as after great fatigue; dull drawing and sense of weakness in right arm; on 3rd day, great oppression of chest, with periodical pains at various points. Coryza which leaves in nose a sore feeling, with dryness.
1c. In April took 30 dr. Soon, sneezing with sore pain in chest. In 1/4 hours sense of creeping and tension in face; in 1/2 hours painful pinching in belly after breakfast; spasmodic tensive pain in muscles of right side of neck; in 3/4 hours eating bread and butter leaves bitter taste in mouth; soon after, on sneezing, violent painful burning in chest, which afterwards changes into pressure; in I hours stool with general weakness, yawning, desire for sleep, and watering of mouth; in 2 hours dull shoots in right chest, which leave there sensation as of convulsive twitching; on Ist day frequent eructations, and dull drawing in left upper arm; on Ist and 2nd day burning pain in lids, especially of right eye, with disturbed vision and dilated pupils; frequent eructation. 1d. In July took 20 dr. m. Soon after, pressive pain, with sensation of enlargement in globe of right eye, and weakness of eyes; in 1/2 hours and 3 hours twitching in left thigh; in I hours dull and weighing-down pain in occiput; in 2 hours tearing pain in right forearm, followed by sense of paralysis in little finger; in 3 hours same in right temporal region; in 5 hours sudden development of a painful spot near crown, pain aggravated by pressure; from Ist to 4th day considerable collection of urine in bladder, causing pressure there; on Ist day sense of fermentation in chest, causing sudden but transient oppression, followed by spasmodic pains externally; on 2nd and 3rd day slight cuttings and pinchings at different parts of abdomen. 1e. In Sept. took I gr. of milky juice triturated with milk- sugar. In some m. heat of face, with sense of swelling and tremor of lips; in 1/4 hours constriction and pressure in upper part of chest, with oppression and desire to yawn and stretch; in 20 m. tension in muscles of neck, both sides; in 1/2 hours acrid and sour eructations. Without note of time, -vertigo and heaviness in limbs; compressive pain in occiput; slight and transient heat in eyes; paroxysmal drawing in ears; salvia more copious than usual; dull shoots in lower part of right chest, going towards back; frequent attacks of oppression of chest, as if weight were upon it, obliging deep breathing (yawning and stretching relieve momentarily); painful twitchings in hands; dull drawing pain and sense of stiffness in right leg, ascending sometimes to haunch; drawing and stagnant feeling in right leg, especially in repose. 1f. In Dec. took 3 gr. of spirituous extract in water. Soon after, vertigo and weight in head, especially at back, lasting a long time; some sharp shoots under left false ribs; much eructation; in 1/2 h. Same from right hypochondrium to back, leaving dull pain; in r hours sense of fermentation rising from abdomen to chest; whole chest is full, painful, as if bruised, and he feels a slight tremor there; while sitting bent forward, frequent desire to breathe deeply; in 2 1/2 hours stool, preceded by urging and pinching; in 8 hours slight quivering of lips; on rising from seat, tension in hams and thighs as though they were broken; in 10 hours pressive pain from within outwards, continuous in left temporal region, sometimes extending through whole head; on Ist day slight burning in eyelids while writing; humming in ears, evening in bed; pressure and fulness at pit of stomach; periodical pinchings above umbilicus, increased by crossing thighs (also 2nd and 3rd d.); strong pressure in middle of chest, and at other parts of it, with constriction (also 2nd d.); strong pressure in middle of chest, and at other parts of it, with constriction (also 2nd d.); dull shoots from left chest to scapula; pressure and 2nd day less appetite for dinner; during and after meal, strong pinchings and cuttings in epigastrium. forcing him to bend double; insufficient stool; sense of pressure and tenesmus in vesical region; dull drawing at root of penis (also 3rd d.); tickling in throat, compelling cough several times; cold feet (also 3rd d.); but little sleep, without particular agitation; 3rd day, a pinching in bowels caused by flatulence; on the first days, collection of viscid mucus in throat and increased secretion of urine; 5th day, repeated severe stitches through spleen. Without note of time, -some acrid eructations p. m., oppression of whole chest, constrictive and dully lancinating pain, fixing itself in upper part of left chest, whence periodically it spreads farther; in walking in open air, strange sense of weight on chest; a constrictive pain periodically traverses back in different directions; lethargic sleep at n., he cannot awake in morning; extreme vexation at trifling cause. 1g. In Jan. took 4 gr. of same. In 1/2 hours vertigo in a warm room and sensation as if head were too full; after some hours, in open air, he feels extraordinary lightness; in 8 hours urging to urinate, with periodical drawing in glans, traversing whole body; in 12 hours, after slight mental strain, pressive frontal headache, involving eyes; on Ist day, in m., vertigo on moving briskly upper part of body, and, while at rest, trembling and pulsation of head; all p. m. pressive weight in occiput; slight periodically troubled for a moment by a slight cough shakes head painfully, and for a long time leaves there murmuring and pressure; some dull shocks in hypochondria, especially right; on 2nd day painful erections in m. in bed; wakes with pressive frontal headache. 1h. One tablespoonful of fresh juice, with water, taken on different occasions. Soon after dose, uncertain and staggering gait; within 1/2 hours, head as if too large, dilated, with slight vertigo; sense of coldness in region of stomach, not disagreeable; during first hours mental work impossible; sense of tension and pressure in occiput, with heat in forehead and cold hands. Ist day, very painful drawing at a spot on right parietal bone, hurting when touched; viscid phlegm in throat; frequent disgusting eructation which causes transient cold feeling in oesophagus; dull shocks and shoots in right hypochondrium, more rarely in left; soon after food, gurgling in abdomen and sometimes slight pinching; sense as of fulness in abdomen, especially right, impeding respiration, relieved by emission of wind either way; stools and urine more copious; sometimes slight burning in urethra, especially at orifice (also 2nd d.); a little roughness and some scratching in throat; respiration oppressed, with need to breathe frequently and deeply (also 2nd d.); periodical drawings in different parts of body (also 2nd d.); great sleepiness, with frequent yawning; momentary chills run along back and head, face being warm; great oppression of chest wakes at times during n., he sits up in much anxiety, and in m. is very fatigued. (SEIDEL, Journ. f. Arzneim., ii.)
2. ERNST, aet. 34, took 20 dr. of tinct., and observed, -in I hours, weight in head, with flying shoots in (especially l.) forehead; in 3 hours dull headache. Without note of time, – frequent need of breathing deeply. (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.