Introduction
Mercuric sulphide, cinnabar, vermillion, HgS.
Provings
1. HAHNEMANN, Mat. Medorrhinum Pura, vol. i of original, vol. ii of translation. Contains 41 symptoms from self.
2. A girl, aet. 15, lymphatico – sanguine, took every m. 20 centigr. of cinnab. 3x. The 11th day an eruption came out on l. upper and forearm, of isolated vesicles the size of a pea, or of vesicles in groups on a deep red base. (ANDRIEU, Jour. de la Soc. Gal., viii, 143.)
3. A man, aet. 22, took every other day 20 centgr. of same preparation. The 21st day there appeared redness, pain, and swelling like erysipelas on left cheek and half of nose. There was also redness and swelling of the left eyelids. The 5th day of the appearance of the symptoms fluctuation was perceptible at middle of the erysipelatous swelling. But this was absorbed without bursting. (Ibid., 144)
4. A third person (no particulars) took same dose in same way. The 20th day there occurred smarting, heat, and burning in nasal fossae with swelling of m. m. For 8 day there flowed from nose a large quantity of yellow mucus mixed with blood. The redness extended to upper lip, and vesicles appeared there. (Ibid.)
5. A man, aet. 25, took every m. 20 centigr. of same preparation. The 17th day there occurred violent itching at anus, calves, and wrists without any eruption. This lasted for 27 day (Ibid.)
6. Dr. SMITH ARMOR, Jan. 25th, 1851, 6 hours after taking 1 gr. of 3x trit. had rumbling through abdomen below transverse colon, which lasted about 1 1/2 hours 26th. – Took 2nd dose in m., and in 3 or 4 hours after, abdomen below transverse colon felt hot, tongue was covered with white fur, and there was beating burning in both temples, which he felt all day (DR. (>) NEIDHARD’S provings, in Metcalf, op. cit.)
7a. A.J. BREWSTER, aet. 26, enjoys good health; took Jan 11th, 1851, at bedtime, 20 pellets of 6th dil. 12th. – In m. sense of general prostration; great weakness of all limbs; feeling of depression and weakness of whole system as after a severe illness; indisposition for mental labour; head feels weary as from long mental application, – a dull heavy ache in front of head, going backwards, mostly over right eye and temple, with heat in head. Occasional darting pains through head from without inwardly; eyes watery and dull, with sharp sticking pain in inner canthus of left eye, as of a sharp stick being stuck in lower lid. Loss of sleep during fore part of n. Restless and tossing about during whole n. with anxious dreams, which he is wholly unable to recall after waking. Nausea, with occasional throbbing in left hypochondrium. Abdomen distended; stools hard and too large. Dull aching in bones of forearms and legs. Numbness in left arm from elbow to end of little finger, passing off on using arm, and returning again while at rest. In m. appetite greatly impaired. Feels better in open air and after dinner. Pulse 60. Skin moist and cool.
7b. Jan 22nd, took, at 10:45 a. m., 5 gr. of 3rd trit. 3:15 p. m., felt sharp steady pain in forehead, mostly in right orbital region; soon after felt sharp throbbing in left hypochondrium in region of spleen. At 10 p. m. felt dull aching pain in bones of forearms and legs. 25th. – Took at 11 a. m. a dose of 3x trit. In 1/2 hours felt sharp aching pain in right supra – orbital region, shooting backwards and downwards to ear and side of neck. Front of head very hot. Pain is worse in warm room and on moving eyes and scalp. Chilliness in warm room. Uneasy indescribable feeling in abdomen. Numbness of left arm from elbow down to end of little finger. 10 p. m., pain in head increased to a heavy stupefying ache, aggravated by thinking, reading and pressure. Tenderness of epigastric region. 26th. – In m. symptoms all better. 8 p. m. pains in head return, with numbness and heavy aching in arms, knees, and lower legs. 27th – 11 a. m., pains in head return again, with disposition to fall asleep (while trying to listen to a lecture) several times, notwithstanding his making a great effort to keep awake. Constrictive feeling in umbilical region. Urine tinged yellow. Pains all aggravated in e. Better in open air and after eating and sleeping. (Ibid.)
8. Dr. J. P. DAKE, dark hair, subject to indigestion, costiveness, and a dull heavy feeling in fore part of head. Jan. 28th, 1851, took 5 gr. of the 3x trit. at 11 p. m., about 1/2 hours before retiring. Ten m. after he felt a warm glow through his legs, which was soon succeeded by dull pain in left arm just above elbow, and by occasional darting pains in lower extremities. There was also dull pain in lower dorsal portion of spine, continuing only for a short time. A space about the size of a quarter of a dollar, just above and between supra – orbital regions (root of nose?), felt as though pressed upon by a cold metallic body, while within the cranium underneath there seemed to be more warmth than usual. (A dull pain felt before in left temple and side of forehead disappeared.) Urgent desire to urinate. Although intending to sit up and study longer, yet feeling wearied in body and confused in mind, he soon retired. Upon lying down there were rumblings in abdomen, and pains passing from epigastric to pubic region. There was also some nausea and uneasiness in stomach. Every little noise about the house troubled him, as though it were something serious. Although accustomed to dream much, yet he had more troublesome dreams than usual. He awoke and started up several times without purpose; once with heavy pain in fore part of head. Upon arising at 7 a. m. he felt a little giddiness and pain in forehead, with sensation of soreness in eyeballs. These passed away soon after breakfast. (Before noon, acidity of stomach, general headache, and heaviness of eyes came on somewhat as usual, only much aggravated). The power had taken the 3rd cent, trit, previously, and felt nearly the same symptoms as those recorded above, but did not ascribe effect to med. In one of his dreams he saw a spider as large as an ox. (Ibid).
9. Dr. JOHN H. HENRY, aet 22, healthy, light hair, from the 6th dil. (The prover has taken the medicine repeatedly, and alleges himself always to have experienced the same symptoms. We have noted them down bonafide as they were given to us, although some have expressed a doubt about them, because there were so many and so distinct. This Prover is, however, unusually sensitive to the action of all medicines, and we could not do more than to express to all our provers the awful responsibility they underwent in diverging even in the slightest degree from the most accurate and truthful statement. N). 9a. Pain in region of causality; sensation of sticking over secretive region, which increases and becomes a numb pain extending to right temple (time and locality), with feeling of warmth on right side. Disposition to sleep during d. The pain extends from one temple to the other across the os frontis from right to 1; is mild in forehead, but violent in the organs of locality and time both. and day and on rising in m. Before going to bed there is a drawing pain in head, extending from crown to occiput, inclining to r. Pain deep as if in centre of head.
9b. Pain from right lachrymal duct around eye to temple. Drawing sensation from right inner canthus across malar bone to ear. Sensation as if there were something in eyes, lasting 3 d. Feeling as if eyelids were enlarged or puffed, as if muscles were too short, when looking up to the wall. Pain from inner canthus of left eye across eyebrows (organs of size, colour, order, calculation). Itching of lids of both eyes.
9c. Itching of nose with bleeding after blowing it; the blood is very dark. The itching is caused by pimples at right nostril.
9d. Taste as of tobacco or coffee in mouth. Pricking sensation in mouth and fauces. Small spot on left side of tongue, which itches. Small sore on roof of mouth. Itching on left side of face.
9e. On turning head, pain in right side of neck below sterno – mastoid. Pain in back part of neck, when head is thrown back, extending to occiput. The muscles at back part of neck seem as if contracted. General pain all over back down to loins, worse after every dose of medicine, aggravated on drawing a long breath.
9f. Pain in upper part of left and right lung; an inward soreness over heart, extending along left arm on taking a long breath. Mucus which is thrown up tastes like old tallow mixed with coffee. Pain under lower point of the sternum, extending to left side under short ribs.
9g. Pain along left arm, particularly in little finger, third finger and thumb; on supinating forearm, pain is worse at elbow, – it feels as if the “crazy bone” were struck; the least twitch causes elbow – joint and shoulder to crack. Itching in palm of right hand. Pain in little finger of r hand. Itching in joints of right hand. Pain in knee – joint, worse at noon, while walking. Drawing in all muscles of lower extremities on under surface. Sore feeling of ankle, attended with heat and itching over whole leg.
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.