(From Hippokrates. Translated for The Pacific Coast Journal of Homoeopathy by S. W. Staads.).
WE can connect to what all physicians in their student days learned about quicksilver. In the treatment of syphilis a stomatitis of distinct character is common, unless great care is exercised. Three distinguished marks are characteristic for this Mercury stomatitis : much swelling of the mucous membrane, foul breath and salivation, which symptoms are the warning signals when using the orthodox course of Mercury inunction. No other remedy has these symptoms so pronounced.
The gums are spongy, swollen and bleed easily. There may be pyorrhoea and loosening of teeth. The tongue is also swollen and shows the imprint of the teeth. The mucous membranes are less red, more livid in this condition; the ulcers have a gray base. The tonsils are much swollen, and have a gray, ulcerating coating. In this condition of the mouth and throat it is no wonder that there is an intense, foul odour, which fills the entire room, and is caused by the decomposition of mucus and saliva.
To this is added another typical symptom: constant desire to s wallow in spite of resulting stitching pains. We meet the same tenesmus in Belladonna in which it is, at least partly, caused by the dryness of the mucous membrane aside from the swelling. Contrary to the Belladonna dryness, Mercurius has salivation. Also in other organs there is tenesmus and pointing to the choice of this remedy, viz. urethra and rectum.
When in a diarrhoea there is constant tenesmus not relieved by evacuations, so that patients hardly get away from the toilet, then Mercurius promises a sure cure of the intestinal catarrh. The cause of this tenesmus in the swelling of the mucous membrane. Even if a tumour of the rectum should cause this tenesmus, Stiegele saw relief from this aggravating symptom through Mercury, thus proving the pathological-functional action of quick-silver. A cure of the tumour, of course, is not to be expected by the use of Mercury.
Mercurius solubilis (Mercuramidonitrat NH 2 Hg 3 NO 2) can be considered the prototype of the Mercury preparations in use, and in its remedy picture,it hardly differs from the metallic quick- silver. When the acrid secretions and the spreading of the ulcerating processes become most prominent, which also increases the tenesmus, then Mercurius sublimatus is often preferred. The necrotic action is the basis of its remedial action.
In Mercurius cases we also may expect a chilly and feverish condition; Hahnemann mentions a “Mercurial fever”. The perspirations are peculiar in that they do not relieve, but rather aggravate the patients condition. Therefore, it would be contrary to good practice to make such a patient perspire, and he will soon tell us that he does not like to perspire for it makes him so weak.
These perspirations are usually of bad odour and stain the linen yellow. Furthermore, Mercury has distinct nocturnal aggravations of many symptoms, including the perspirations. If we meet such perspirations we may confidently give Mercury and it will reward the effort, no matter what the disease is diphtheria, bronchitis or arthritis.
All diseased mucous membranes under Mercurius are characterized by swelling and acrid secretions, which later may become bland and muco-purulent. Such secretions are very copious. Therefore, as to the eye, we find acrid lachrymation with spastic lid closure and ulceration; the nose is swollen, and the nostrils are sore with copious watery acrid or muco-purulent secretions.
In infectious urethral processes we again find, aside from swelling and acridity also the painful urging to urinate with the sensation of “not getting done”. In gonorrhoea of the urethra, vagina or rectum Mercurius can be of great benefit. It must also be used when the inguinal glands or testicles are involved. Mercurius iodatus rubber has a very good reputation in the treatment of acute involvement of the adnexa from gonorrhoea or other infection.
Mercurius is also indicated in threatening suppuration of glands or cellular tissue. No other remedy has this quick inflammatory infiltration accompanied by swelling and redness and threatening suppuration, not even Belladonna nor Hepar. The severe swelling from bee sting is edematous, hence of a different kind. Mercury is also a valuable remedy in acutely swollen glands of the neck, and may prevent suppuration. These swollen lymph glands are not especially painful, while Belladonna and Hepar are very sensitive.
A modality which separates Mercurius from other similar remedies is : intolerance to heat, hence such a patient should not have hot applications which he dislikes and they do not do him any good. To be sure, he also dislikes cold which aggravates his condition. This is illustrated by the fact that though Mercury can in many cases overcome the pain in periodontitis, if it is indicated, the patient will state that he cannot stand hot foods in the mouth, nor cold drinks, both cause pain.
In such cases Mercury will help in a few minutes. In the treatment of cellulitis one would not give Mercury if hot applications are not tolerated : here Hepar or Belladonna are indicated.
The proving picture of Mercurius resembles the syphilis complex so much, that pathological-anatomical comparisons find no difference. This has often led to severe differences between physicians in the unsuccessful treatment of syphilis with quicksilver, the one group claiming a quicksilver poisoning, while the other claims an insufficient dose. Theoretically both are possible. But such controversy can only exist when Mercury is considered a specific for lues.
To-day we know that such patients react unequally to Mercury, Salvarsan or Bismuth. There is no specific for syphilis, nor for any other disease. Nor can it be held that it is possible to disinfect the organism. In his pre- homoeopathic time Hahnemann took the view, that one disease was overcome by the other. This artificial remedy sickness he called Mercurial fever. Later this view was incorporated in his Homoeopathy, and he never had to recant. He always saw the essential in the assistance of the organism, and this was to be stimulated by proper medication.
Another similarity of quicksilver action we find in dysentery. A difference in the anatomic-pathologic picture is impossible also here, as Virchow has clearly shown. The inflammatory process in the colonic mucous membrane to the rectum is also found in Mercury, even a diphtheritic coating. The result is : stools of blood, pus, mucus, as also constant tenesmus, “cannot get done”.
These changes in the colon take place not only when Mercury is given by mouth, but also when administered parenterally, which proves that the agent finds its way to the rectal mucosa according to the law of organotrophy. Hungo Schulz points out that it is wrong to say : Quick-silver shows its action on those mucous membranes through which it is expelled, because if it is expelled, it must be re-absorbed in order to act. Therefore, we must accept the fruitful explanation offered by organotrophy.
Quicksilver has great affinity for Chlor, which explains some of its chef actions. The disinfectioning power of the sublimate originate from the fact that Hg12 is changed to Hg.CI. and Chlor is set free. In the presence of Chlor, Calomel (Hg.CI) again combines with a Chlor atom, thus again forming sublimate. That is why salt is added to sublimate for disinfection.
In the living organism there is also the possibility of such Chlor activity, for it is present in the body fluids. A similar change may also be supposed regarding oxygen, for it also similarly combines and splits. One is tempted to compare the action of action Chlor (as it appears to us in the Chlor fumes) with the quicksilver action, and to consider the power of the latter to destroy mucous membranes as a Chlor action.
Hg. has an intimate affinity for the Sulphur of albumen. By the absorption of Hg. it binds itself to the albumens, and is there deposited. Through splitting of this process of binding, it always again unfolds its action.
Mercury acts on all real glands : sudorific, mucous, salivary, gastro-intestinal pancreatic, lymph, etc. The liver deserves special mention, it enlarges, and under the stimulus of quicksilver it increases or diminishes its specific function : becoming abundant from mild stimuli, and scarce from strong stimuli. This reasoning belongs to the basis of remedy therapy. If the irritation from quicksilver differs in some respects from other agents, this can only be caused by mercury stimulating certain functions, while other agents affect other functions, or cell groups.
Furthermore, the picture is principally influenced by other tissues being also affected which were passed over by different agents. Therefore,it can be of essential significance if the blood vessels undergo changes which cause increased or decreased blood supply. Or a different note enters because the interstitial connective tissue is also drawn into the process. Both, i.e. the increased blood supply and the activating of the interstitial connective tissue, must be supposed in quicksilver intoxication.
