Hydrargyrum oxydatum sub-sulphuricum. Yellow precipitate. Turpeth mineral. HgSO42HgO. (There is not a little confusion about the identity of this drug in the books. *Turpeth is correctly given by Allen as HgSO42HgO. Hering, who proved and introduced it, calls it *Turpethum and *Turpeth mineral, but gives the formula HgSO4. The *Pharmacopoeia of the American Institute of Homoeopathy *describes the *white sulphate, HgSO4, under the heading Mercurius sulphuricus, but says it is “mentioned in Allen’s *Encyclopaedia,” vol. vi., p. 325, whereas it is *Turpeth, the *yellow precipitate, which is there spoken of.) Trituration.
Clinical
Dropsy. Dysuria. Hydrothorax.
Characteristics
Lippe is the chief clinical authority for this medicine. He considers it as important as *Arsenicum in dropsies of the chest. The symptoms on which it has been prescribed are clinical, and have been well confirmed. Among them is this: “Pain in right chest extending to scapula, he can scarcely breathe, worse 4 to 5 p.m.” When *Mercurius sul. acts well, says Lippe,” it produces a profuse watery diarrhoea with great relief to the patient.” It is particularly suited to hydrothorax depending on liver or heart affections. Other confirmed symptoms are: Soreness of tip of tongue. oedema of legs. Scanty and scalding urine, but clear. Among the *Conditions of *Mercurius sul. the most peculiar is, worse In afternoon, 4-5 p.m. better By profuse diarrhoea (dyspnoea). After diarrhoeic stools there is numbness of legs.
Relations
*Compare: Cinnabar., Aethiops antimonialis, and other Mercuries. Also in hydrothorax, Arsenicum worse Afternoon, Lycopodium Dropsy, Digitalis
SYMPTOMS.
Mind
Low-spirited, with chilliness and yawning. Ill-humour after eating.
Head
Sensation of giddiness while standing, after headache. Fulness in head with occasional stitches. Soreness and heaviness through head (after breakfast and when walking about.) _ Violent itching of hairy scalp throughout the proving.
Eyes
Oppression over eyes. Eyes worse from sunlight.
Ears
Burning in ears and in face, after a chill.
Nose
Sneezing, in sunshine, with fluent coryza. Swelling and soreness of tip of nose. Itching of nose.
Face
Pale, anxious countenance. Swelling of parotid gland.
Mouth
Gums and palate dark bluish (black), ulcerated margins. Mouth clammy, and full of mucus in morning. Burning, smarting, stinging pain on tip of tongue (left side, in evening). Tongue: Greenish yellow down middle, coated white heavily, yellowish at root, the enlarged papilla stand up like red points, with flat taste in mouth and a reduced pulse. Lips, gums, fauces, mouth, and tongue swollen, look dry and black. Salivation.
Throat
Heat and sensation of constriction in throat. Dryness of tongue and throat. Burning in mouth and throat.
Stomach
Violent yellow vomiting. Stomach so irritated nothing would stay on it an instant. Pain, weight in stomach, tenderness. Vomiting and diarrhoea.
Abdomen
Coldness or burning in abdomen. Woke 1 a.m. with severe pains along duodenum to umbilical region. Soreness in inguinal glands.
Stool & Anus
After drinking coffee, pain in abdomen as if diarrhoea would set in. Stools soft and earlier in morning than usual. Sudden and violent pressing to stool while walking compelling him to stand still, causing an anxious perspiration, later the stools are forcibly gushing out in a hot, burning stream of yellow water, followed by great debility, hiccough and belching. After the diarrhoeic stools sensation of fulness as from congestion to legs, especially feet, they feel numb when standing. Violent purging, rice-water motions, some yellow.
Urinary Organs
Diminished secretion of urine, does not micturate frequently, but has constant pressure, urine dark, becoming turbid with a scum on it. Increased secretion of urine, without a sediment. Urine scanty and scalding, but clear.
Male Sexual Organs
Gonorrhoea and syphilitic diseases, with great congestions to the parts. Swelling of testicles. Involuntary emission and lascivious dreams.
Respiratory Organs
Roughness in throat and hoarseness. Sensation of heat in larynx. Increased expectoration of mucus from larynx and trachea.
Chest
Burning in chest. Pain in chest prevents him from breathing. Pain in right side of chest, extending to scapula, can scarcely breathe, worse from 4 to 5 p.m. Pressure on chest. Dyspnoea, in children, hydrothorax.
Upper Limbs
Numbness in left forearm and hand, later numbness in right hand. Hands icy cold with blue nails. Stiffness in arms.
Lower Limbs
Pain in knees and lameness, especially when walking. Foot-sweat with soreness at ends of the nails. Ulcers on ankles.
Generalities
Most pains feel as if a dull stick pressed on the parts and were moving in diverse curved lines, feels as if this pain were in the bones. Debility with sleepiness. Rheumatic pains.
Skin
Induration of the glands. Psoriasis: lepra.
Sleep
Frequent yawning and great sleepiness in afternoon. Sleeplessness after midnight. Awakens with headache in morning.
Fever
Chilliness running up back, with yawning and depression of spirit is followed by dull pain in forehead, burning in face and ears and slight fever. Chilliness, restlessness, and heaviness in upper part of abdomen, frequent yawning and diminished secretion of urine (afternoon).
