Introduction
Sodic nitrate, NaNO3 Nitrate of soda, cubic nitre.
Provings
1. WEIDNER, aet. 22, tall and robust, arterial constitution, took from June 25th to July 2nd 3ij 3vj without any peculiar symptoms except that whereas the venesection wound before taking the drug healed in 12 hours, that made after taking the drug was still suppurating on 3rd day, and that on the last 3 day, when taking 3ss daily, large quantities of urine were discharged, – on June 30th 3lxj, on July 1st 3lxxxij, on July 2nd 3lxxxxiv, whilst on same days only 3xxxix, lj, and xlij water were drunk. His pulse, which before the proving was 65, fell on 2nd day of the proving to 62, on 7th day to 52, and was always under 60. Soon after leaving off drug it rose again, and on the 5th day, was at its normal velocity. The blood drawn on June 21st and July 2nd gave the following result: 1000 parts blood showed – Before taking drug. After taking drug. Serum…. 456.3… 442.7 Dry residuum.. 47.2… 48.4 Ash…. 5.9… 6.8 Clot…. 491.3… 500.0 Dry residuum.. 207.8… 168.7 Ash…. 18.9… 14.8 Red sediment… 52.4… 57.3 Fibrin…. 3.21… 3.14 Water…. 731.6… 801.6 Dry residuum… 265.2… 195. 3 Fat…. 3.1… 1.7 Before taking drug, blood dark red, viscid; few colourless corpuscles, many elementary corpuscles; coagulated in 8 m.; separation of corpuscles very rapid, so that after 1 hours the clot seemed to be not much larger than 15 hours later. Clot very firm, buffy coat. After taking drug, blood in colour and consistency looked like expressed cherry – juice, many colourless corpuscles. Time given to coagulate 3′ 33″, separation of serum slower, clot firm, buffy coat thinner. During last days face thinner and paler. (Zaitsch. f. Erfahrungsheilk., i, pt. 4, p. 41; in Frank’s Mag.) 2. A. Lohr, aet. 29, very robust, arterial constitution, took at same time as W – in 8 day same quantity. The first bleeding did not affect him. After that of July 2nd, when walking, felt exhausted and weak, especially in knees. Slight derangement of digestion in latter day of proving. From June 28th tongue whitish, head slightly confused, painless rumbling in bowels occasionally; stool retarded. Little effect on quantity of urine, though more fluid was drunk than before. The sp. gr. increased from 1005 gradually to 1010, 1015, 1020 up to 1025. The colour at first became lighter, but soon as dark as before. Pulse before taking drug rose above 60, once only 54, afterwards never above 50, on 30th only 40. Six day after leaving off drug it was 54, on 10th day 58. before taking drug the difference of pulse when sitting and standing was 10 – 15, whilst taking it 4 – 8 only. Towards end of proving face paler and thinner. Examination of blood on June 21st and July 2nd showed the following result: 1000 parts of blood showed – Before taking drug…. After taking drug. Serum…. 435.5… 444.2 Dry residuum.. 52.7… 49.5 Ash…. 7.5… 9.3 Clot…. 507.8… 528.9 Dry residuum.. 199.6… 171.9 Ash…. 8.7… 11.0 Red sediment… 56.7… 26.9 Fibrin…. 2.12… 2.16 Water…. 735.8… 772.9 Dry residuum.. 262.1… 224.9 Fat…. 2.8… 1.9 Before, blood dark red and viscid, a good number of white corpuscles; time taken to coagulate 8 m., clot hard and elastic. After, blood like expressed cherry – juice, many and large white corpuscles, time taken to coagulate 4′ 59″, clot pretty firm. ( Ibid.)
3. C. GILLLMEISTER, aet. 23, strong, venous constitution, took in 12 day from July 10th to 22nd 3v in first 2 day 3ij, on 3rd day and after that 3ss daily. The analysis of blood drawn on July 6th and 23rd gave following result: 1000 parts blood showed – Before taking drug. After taking drug. Serum…. 403.1… 415.8 Dry residuum.. 44.5… 34.1 Ash…. 5.8… 5.8 Clot…. 492.2… 543.7 Dry residuum… 200.9… 158.6 Ash…. 24.3… 28.4 Red sediment… 104.8… 40.5 Fibrin…. 1.5… 2.1 Water…. 680.9… 210.5 Dry residuum.. 317.6… 210.5 Fat…. 3.5… 1.2 Before taking drug, blood dark red; many white corpuscles; time taken to coagulate 7′ 4″; clot moderately firm and elastic. After taking drug blood like cherry – juice; fewer but very large colourless corpuscles; time taken to coagulate 6′ 23″; clot very soft and friable. General sensations: Afterwards, for some day occasional extreme exhaustion; from July 21st this became permanent; every day this exhaustion increased, it was aggravated by every movement, he had the greatest difficulty in going upstairs. At same time great psychical laziness; head confused, appetite lost, the pulse, which was previously large and full, became daily smaller and softer, face paler, features sunken. This state reached its climax on July 24th after a small venesection the previous evening; it was less on 25th; and on 27th only felt after bodily exertion; head free, appetite resorted, but pulse still small; and weak. Pulse grew fuller on 28th, when the vein wound made 2 day previously was healed. Occasionally during the last 2 day some pain in bowels. Urine not increased in quantity was, white taking drug, much lighter, sp. gr. increased, sometimes turbid and depositing a slimy sediment. (Ibid.)
4. W. DEETZ, aet. 20, rather tall and thin, nervous constitution, with tendency to ebullitions of blood, took in 8 day from July 2nd to 9th. Pulse fell once to 63, normal pulse 75, diminished in fulness and tension. General sensations: on 4th day such exhaustion he could not take a long walk without repeated rests; it increased the following days, and on 9th became so great that he could hardly walk. At same time peculiar painful sensation in ankles and adductors of thigh. On 13th the exhaustion was still so great that after a short walk, evening, he had a fainting fit.
Urinary organs: In spite of profuse perspiration in the warm weather while taking the drug more urine present than fluid drunk, whereas before and after the opposite state occurred. Sp. gr. increased. On letting it fall on paper there remained behind very iridescent, crystalline scales. There was also frequent, often anxious, urging to urinate and increased mucous secretion, shown by turbid urine and copious mucous sediment. The great loss of water was also shown by a tiresome burning dryness in mouth and throat.
Analyses of blood drawn June 29th and July 9th gave following results: 1000 parts blood showed – Before taking drug. After taking drug. Serum…. 410.7… 448.4 Dry residuum.. 44.5… 47.1 Ash…. 7.2… 8.4 Clot…. 515. 6… 511.2 Dry residuum.. 259.5… 236.9 Ash…. 19.8… 27.0 Red sediment.. 73.7… 40.4 Fibrin…. 2.9… 2.5 Water…. 735.7… 757.6 Dry residuum… 261.4… 239.9 Fat…. 3.6… 2.6 Before taking drug, blood dark; a good number of white corpuscles, scarcely larger than the red corpuscles; time taken to coagulate 13’5″, clot firm. After taking drug, blood brighter many large white corpuscles and very pale red corpuscles; time taken to coagulate 7′ 15″, clot soft, friable. (Ibid.)
5. W. LAMBERT, aet. 20, tall and strong, nervous constitution, very excitable vascular system, very apt to perspire, took from July 10th to 20th 3iv 3ij, after a small venesection on June 25th. Normal pulse between 75 and 80, while taking drug almost always below 75, repeatedly 70 and less, down to 66. Pulse grew softer in latter days. General sensations: Exhaustion and disinclination for mental and bodily exertion, increasing quickly the next 2 day, constant drowsiness, sleep not refreshing. Health and strength gradually returned some day after leaving off drug. No alternation in urinary secretion or digestion; from 14th to 18th the stool, whatever its consistence, occurred with great straining; in the last days there was continual urging to stool. Analyses of blood of 25th June and 20th July gave following results: 1000 parts blood showed: Before taking drug. After taking drug. Serum…. 404.8…. 486.1 Dry residuum.. 44.5… 38.2 Ash…. 7.5… 7.7 Clot…. 540.5… 476.8 Dry residuum.. 179.3… 146.9 Ash…. 22.6… 25.8 Red sediment.. 54.7… 37.1 Fibrin…. 2.8…. 1.9 Water…. 744.8… 751.5 Dry residuum… 252.4… 246.6 Fat…. 2.9… 2.5 Before taking drug, blood bright red; along with deeply tinged corpuscles many white ones; time taken to coagulate 12′ 36″; clot firm, elastic. After taking drug, blood like cherry – juice; along with slightly coloured corpuscles, many white ones; time taken to coagulate 6′ 50″. clot soft, easily broken up. ( Ibid.)
6. BEUDER, labourer, aet. 43, very strong. Five years ago got severe ophthalmo – blennorrhoea, treated by 2 blood – lettings and mercurial ointment with extract of belladonna; was able to resume work in 14 d. There remained a thin spot on cornea. Slight generally worst in spring and summer. he got himself bled when his sight was bad and it improved. The last 2 years the sight was good; he was bled no more. The last 24 day the sight has been weaker, and he had exhausting painful diarrhoea. In 2 1/2 day he took 6 powders, each containing 1/2 gr. of opium. After 14 day he felt quite well. 1000 parts of the blood contained: Solid matter of the defibrinated blood. 205.000 Water thereof….. 795.000 Solid matter of the serum… 88.400 Water thereof….. 911.600 Blood – corpuscles….. 113.519 Albumen (dry) of serum…. 75.140 Extractive matter and salts thereof.. 13.260 Fat……. 0.265 Fibrin. a. Moist….. 7.570 b. Dry….. 3.081 Coagulum…… 487.160 Serum……. 512.820 Sp. gr. of serum….. 1026.7 The total quantity of blood taken amounted to 77 grms.; the first examination was on July 28th at 10.17 a. m. A moderate buffy coat was formed. After 2 1/2 hours the serum was decanted off; it was clear and the colour of urine. Coagulum very black, commences after 4 m. to redden slightly. After 8 m. the colour becomes light brown with some black places. The redness becomes gradually more intense. He took, July 31st, a tablespoonful every hours of the following mixture: – Natri nitrici, Sach. alb. 3j, Aq. dest. Soon after commencing this he had pains in abdomen difficult to describe. This was speedily followed by 3 diarrhoeic stools, when the pains ceased. Next m. a normal stool. On August 1st at 10:15 a. m., 83.2 grms. of blood were drawn. 1000 parts of blood contained: Solid matter of defibrinated blood.. 190.500 Water thereof….. 809.500 Solid mater of serum…. 83:60 Water thereof….. 916.400 Blood – corpuscles….. 103.487 Albumen (dry) of serum…. 69.305 Extractive matter and soluble salts thereof 14.295 Fat……. 0.250 Fibrin. a. Moist….. 8.000 b. Dry….. 3.341 Coagulum…… 458.910 Serum……. 541.090 Sp. gr. of defibrinated blood… 1053. Sp. gr. of serum….. 1025.2 The blood had a buffy coat. the serum is clear and wine – yellow coloured. After 2 1/2 hours it was separated from clot. More dissolved colouring matter than in first bleeding. the reddening of the clot went on quicker than in the former case. The black places fewer and much smaller. (BOECKER, Allg. Zeit. f. Hom., Suppl. 7,44.)
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.