*[From the Report of the Committee on Materia Medica presented to the Massachusetts Homoeopathic Medical Society. Drs. J. H. Woodbury, H. L. Chase, Conrad Wesselhoeft, Committee.]

First Proving. Third Attenuation.

Mr.——, twenty-six and a half years of age, of phlegmatic temperament, hair dark brown and straight, blue eyes, fair complexion, medium stature, and muscular development. Had formerly been accustomed to smoking; which habit has, however, been abandoned for some time. Habits otherwise very abstemious, and accustomed only to simple diet; making use of neither tea nor coffee habitually.

Dec. 13th, 1859. — Took one grain of the third centesimal trituration at a quarter before twelve, p.m., after smelling of the phial containing the trituration.

1. Feeling in the nares, like that before sneezing, with a drawing pain in the cheek-bone.

2. Dec. 15th. — In the morning, just after rising (up to which time a dose had been taken night and morning), sharp stitch in right shoulder, which occurred several mornings in succession; and was also felt at various other times during the day, though not so well marked.

3. The sleep at night had been restless; confused dreams, which he cannot remember after waking, for two nights.

4. For two days, desire to find fault; crossness almost uncontrollable on entering the room; while the cold, open air produces good spirits.

Here the symptoms ended, and nothing more occurred which could be set down as a symptom. Did not renew the proving until Dec. 15th, 1860; up to which time, various circumstances made farther proving of this preparation impracticable.

Second Proving. First Attenuation.

The symptoms of the third attenuation not having appeared sufficiently marked, on Dec. 15th, 1860, took one grain of first centesimal trituration at ten, a.m.; and continued taking a dose morning and night for four days.

1. Dec. 17th. — While riding in the cold air, felt slight shooting pains in the forehead, over the eyes, particularly the left; pains shooting from below upwards in the forenoon.

2. At four, p.m., while walking briskly in the open air, headache in the forehead, dull, pressing, but confined to a small space over the frontal bone.

3. Restless, dreamful sleep all night; could not lie on one side for any length of time.

4. While walking, and during the afternoon, very marked weakness in the lumbar regions, with dull pain and weakness of right and left iliac region.

5. Dec. 18th. — At eleven, p.m., severe rheumatic twinges on the inner side of right knee, lasting only a second; the weakness across lumbar region continues.

6. Rheumatic twinges in the knee continue, and have assumed the character of continued pain over the whole right knee; while the twinges continue at intervals of a few minutes for an hour after going to bed, and are felt again the next morning after rising.

7. Dec. 19th. — All the forenoon, feeling of lassitude; less appetite for meals, though food relishes; but ate less than usual.

8. Towards evening, the feeling of lassitude changes into moroseness.

9. At seven, p.m., while walking out of doors, feeling of crossness. Carries on a kind of conversation within himself, as if quarrelling with some one with whom ho had previously disagreed. Thinks of what he will reply, in case certain things are said to him. (This state of mind is really painful. There are occasional remissions of it, and there is really no cause for it.)

10. As a general thing, for the past few days, easily provoked, and impatient at trifles.

11. Dec. 20th. — During the whole night, dreams horrid and exciting; then waking up partially, and feeling tired of lying on that side, as after great fatigue; turning on the other side, another dream, waking, and turning again; and so on till morning.

12. Perfectly bright and well on waking and rising.

Dec. 21st. — Took some weak milk-punch, and smoked, in the afternoon; after which all the symptoms vanished, and the effect of the medicine seems to have been cut off short by this slight irregularity.

Third Proving. First Attenuation.

Mr.——-, nearly twenty-four years old, brown, fine hair, slightly curly; blue eyes; temperament slightly choleric; complexion fair; short, rather muscular development. The following symptoms:

Jan. 15th, 1861. — Took the first dose at eleven o'clock, twenty minutes, p.m.

1. Lay awake fifteen to twenty minutes after taking the medicine; then slight dull pain in right groin, which disappeared after a few seconds, and then re-appears in back of head, aching about twenty minutes, just before going to sleep.

2. Had lively dreams but awoke only once during that night, and then continuing the dream had before waking, very lively, quick and rushing.

3. Jan. 16th, ten, a.m. — Slight dull pain in the left groin, near top of hip-bone, which passed in intervals of one or two seconds to both thighs, chest and top of head.

4. In the morning of same day, head seems light, and also the tongue, with pleasure and power to talk.

Up to this time, and previous to taking the medicine, had a dull, painful feeling in the back after nocturnal pollution, with dread of head-work or any exertion. Had a headache on the 14th, leaving the head dull. All of which symptoms were replaced by those of Jan. 16th (Nos. 3, 5).

5. Feels stronger than before, and more inclined to work.

6. Had occasion to get angry, but could not; felt more like laughing instead.

7. After being quite awake and bright all day, became sleepy early in the evening, and wakeful again at nine, p.m.

8. All the symptoms seem slightly worse in the morning and towards evening. At ten, p.m., Jan. 16th took second dose.

9. Soon afterwards, anxious feeling in the chest; slightly nervous; and then slept soundly until two o'clock, a.m.

10. Rushing dreams, very clear and distinct, from two o'clock until morning.

11. Jan. 17th, eleven, a.m. — Oppressive headache on top of head, the pain moving about, sharp and tearing for five minutes; then head feels dull; which passed away unawares.

12. Feel light in head, and also in tongue, as if I could speak with ease; and can do so. Wish for opportunity to speak in the morning.

13. Appetite good; but no hunger before eating.

14. Immediately after meals, especially dinner, quite a painful feeling of fullness in region of esophagus; also feeling of much accumulation of wind in the stomach, with desire to raise it; tried to, but could not. This became particularly noticeable in the forenoon of Jan. 17th, and continued all through it.

15. The above symptom became still worse after dinner than ever before, with painful soreness of the esophagus. Feelings in the stomach are very troublesome, with a pressure upwards. Had these symptoms slightly and occasionally a few days before taking the medicine.

16. Phlegm from nose bloody, in stripes of clear blood, at ten, a.m.

17. Four, p.m. — Became weak in the lower part of legs, below the knees, extending to a part of each foot; sometimes felt in the knees, but not in the ankles.

18. Felt at the same time a desire to walk; but could not walk with ease and pleasure; the legs feel heavy.

19. The trouble in stomach passed off with eructation of much wind, coming up easily and in voluntarily, leaving only slight soreness about the esophagus at four, p.m.

20. Jan. 17th, half-past six, p.m. — Weakness of legs passed off; can feel nothing of it.

21. Felt very sleepy at eight, p.m.; could not keep awake.

22. Became wakeful again at nine, p.m., slept soundly all night.

23. Dreams very lively, especially towards morning.

24. Jan. 18th. — Memory seems weak today.

25. Pains in legs in different places, with weakness below the knees.

26. Want to walk; but legs feel heavy from four to six, p.m.

27. Slept soundly all night.

28. Dreams were clear, very lively, and practical, with very satisfactory feeling after waking and in regard to dreams.

29. Jan. 19th. — Awoke about six, a.m., with heat and disagreeable feverish perspiration over whole body, excepting legs below the knees; with flushed face.

30. Moved with quickness and precision on rising.

31. Sometimes cannot think clearly and to the point in the forenoon.

32. Seemed to lose all thought for a moment only; the same sensation again half an hour afterwards.

33. At two, p.m., became very sleepy.

34. Affected easily by cold draughts of air, producing crossness.

35. Weakness in lower part of legs, extending to part of feet and ankles, but without pain.

36. Legs feel heavy, but with a disposition to walk, in the latter part of the afternoon.

37. All day in good disposition of mind, with light-heartedness, jocularity and brightness of feelings.

38. Jan. 20th. — Awoke at four, a.m., after unconsciously having had a seminal emission; then fell asleep, with an an indistinct dream and horizontal erection; strong sexual desire, producing a tendency to seminal emission.

39. Awoke about six, a.m., with dry heat and perspiration.

40. During morning and forenoon, feel painfully weak in back and loins.

41. Symptoms continue to appear worse morning and evening.

42. Memory appears better; disposition gentle.

Jan. 22d, quarter before twelve, p.m. — Took one-grain dose; had taken some brandy, and smoked tobacco, during the day previous to taking the medicine.,

43. Slept well all night, awaking with clear head at six, a.m., Jan. 23d.

44. At half-past seven o'clock, head began to feel full, and had dry feeling, with tension across nose and inner corners of the eyes; also around the mouth.

45. The discharge from the nose at this time was bloody, in stripes.

46. Blew pure blood from the nose about ten o'clock, a.m. Inside of nose feeling parched, hot, and dry; blood drying in the nose very quickly.

47. Prickly feeling in the eyes; worse in the inner corners.

48 At ten, a.m., very severe, dull, tearing pain in the bowels, beginning in the region of the bladder, and running quickly over whole abdomen towards outer surface; but also, in the bowels, tearing, rolling, and cutting, which extended as far as the stomach. It lasted about five seconds; then it ceased slightly for a moment, and then again increased; and lastly passed away quickly, leaving no sensation.

49. Pain in right groin at nine o'clock, a.m.; passing into loins, and passing off towards twelve o'clock.

50. Sleepiness during the day.

51. Pain in right groin, made leg feel stiff at quarter-past one, p.m.

52. While walking, felt stiffness and pain in legs, as if from blow on the thighs, at two, p.m., lasting all the afternoon.

53. At four, p.m., pain in left groin while standing.

54. Pain in both groins while walking, at five, p.m.

55. Slight weakness in lower part of legs, below the knees; passing away soon.

56. Talked all the evening; but could not find words easily

57. In the night, felt pain in left groin and hip-bone.

58. Jan. 24th. — In the morning, lazy and sleepy, find disinclined to work.

59. Slight, oppressive headache on the top of the head, in the forenoon.

60. Pain in the groins in the afternoon.

61. All symptoms seemed severer in the morning and toward the evening.

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