It has several well-marked general symptoms, which may guide to its use in many chronic conditions where in it is best administered in single doses of a high potency (30 and upwards). A. Aggravation of symptoms from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. B. Tendency of symptoms to pass from right to left. C. Amelioration of symptoms by movement, and by open air. D. Tendency to intestinal flatulence and marked deposit of urates in the urine.
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM- Chronic Catarrh, and, perhaps, Bronchitis, with much general weakness; chronic superficial Ulcerations in the throat, soft palate, tonsils, and pharynx, having a tendency to spread. “Chronic Pneumonia, with purulent foul smelling expectoration; early stages of Phthisis Pulmonalis, when supervening on Bronchial Catarrh, with much free mucus expectoration.” Especially it seems to have power over growth of germs other than those of Tubercle, super added to the original affection.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM-Water-brash, Acidity, Heart burn; for Water- brash, particularly in elderly persons, it may be considered almost specific. Flatulence in the intestines, with tympanitic distention of the abdomen; Constipation with torpor, sense of warmth and dryness of he bowels, and Gravel in the urine; Enteritis of infants, from indigestible good; chronic Congestion of conquerable sleep after dinner, followed by great exhaustion.”
URINARY SYSTEM-Frequent or painful urination, the urine being cloudy, depositing a sediment, and sometimes mixed with mucus and blood; excessive urination; disturbing the patient at night Catarrh of the Bladder; spasmodic Retention or Incontinence of urine in children; Strangury dependent on the presence membrane; Gravel (lithic acid deposits).
SKIN-Eczema; Intertrigo; Favus; chronic Inflammation of the skin; sallowness; cold extremities.
68.-Mercurius-Mercury.
We have several preparations of Mercury, the principal of which are -M. Solubilis Hahnemanni, the black oxide of mercury, first prepared by Hahnemann; M. Vivus, quicksilver; M. Corrosives, Corrosive sublimate, or bichloride of Mercury; M. Iodatus, or Bin-iodatus, Iodide of mercury. The general effects of all are so under one signature-MERCURIUS. The main distinctions between different forms of combinations of the drug are pointed out at the end of the Section, and occasionally in the paragraphs.
LEADING USES-General unhealthy condition, the secretions being foetid, the complexion sallow, the skin generally pale and dull, and the system liable to Ecchymosis, passive Haemorrhages and effusions; mind closing its power, the patient becoming irritable, with trembling, wasting, and an ill-nourished appearance. The glands enlarge and tend to suppuration or disorganization, the mucous membranes and the skin are disposed to ulcerations, generally unhealthy, and the secretions from the former are abnormal and excessive and the perspirations from the latter copious, and sour or foetid.
Congestions of the head, lungs liver, bowels, etc., accompanied by chills, and followed by slight fever, heat dryness of he mouth and throat, restlessness, etc., aggravated in the evening and night. Dropsy of the extremities, Ascites, when accompanied by Jaundice, liver disease, or general cachexia, with sallow, yellowish greenish and cold skin, feeble and slightly hurried pulse, thick and foul-smelling urine, Constipation, with dry, light-coloured faeces. Rheumatism, the pains being hard, aching, or crushing pains in the bones, with coldness, or chilliness, followed by slight fever; local Rheumatism, chronic, or during Rheumatic fever, the parts perspiring freely without relief: Rheumatism, with profuse, sour sweats, not relieving the symptoms; sub-acute periostitis, in cachetic patient; Scurvy.
The following are general indications for Mercurius- Impoverished, pale, sallow, or unhealthy appearance; bilious or liver derangement: offensive breath; impaired appetite; liability to derangements of the mucous membrane-Cold in the head, Inflammation of he eyes, of air, unfavorable change of weather, etc.; increased susceptibility to impressions sensitiveness to cold and damp, with chilliness in febrile conditions, the fever is slight, with somewhat quickened, soft, full, and easily compressed pulse, and the precursory chills are slight; the symptoms generally are worse in the evening and at night; there is chronic perspiration, especially a night, or clammy sweat on the least exertion, which never relieves the symptoms of pain; also weariness, coldness of the extremities, depression of spirits or enfeebled mental power, irritability, restlessness, etc.
Mercurius, however, is not adapted to patients who have been previously drugged with large and long continued doses of Mercury: Hepar-Sulph., Ac.-Nit., Carbo.-veg, or some other remedy is then more suitable.
NERVOUS SYSTEM- Trembling of the hands and feet, or of he body generally, in cachetic individuals, from exposure, want, etc.; Imbecility, Softening of the brain, Paralysis, Chorea, and Hydrocephalus, following on long-lasting disease; syphilitic Paralysis; wakefulness at night, and disturbing dreams, with drowsiness by day; sleeplessness with beating at the pit of the stomach, profuse sweats, and depression of spirits.
HEAD-Headache from cold, as in Catarrh, with sense of tightness round the head, irritation of the eyes, heaviness over the nose and in the jaw-bones, running discharge from the eyes and nose, chilliness; rheumatic headache, with pains in the bones of the skull, tearing in the scalp, or sensation as if the skin were tightly drawn over the skull, pains in forehead, hot face, the head feeling full and tight, with sensitiveness, flushed, swollen, hot face, copious flow of saliva, vomiting of bile, etc.
EYES-Inflammation of the eyes from cold, with smarting and burning agglutination of the lids, sensation as of sand in the eyes; Chronic Sore eyes in unhealthy subjects Tubercular and syphilitic Conjunctivitis, and Iritis; chronic Inflammation and swelling of the Meibomian glands.
EARS-Otitis, with severe pains discharge of foetid pus, or pus and blood, buzzing and fluttering noises, worse at night; Earache and partial deafness, from cold, with much noise in and much- purulent discharge from the ears, swelling of the glands, offensive breath, etc.
NOSE-Swelling and inflammation of the nose, going on to Suppuration or Ulceration, and discharging foul pus; formation of crusts in. he nostrils; mucopurulent discharge from the nose; syphilitic Ozaena.
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM-Cold in the head-“running cold” -sneezing, lachrymation, tightness of the head, and chilliness; hoarseness with dryness of the throat; Cough, with yellow mucus of muco-pus of a sweetish or saltish taste; dry, hacking, shacking cough, with dryness and tightness of he chest, worse at night, relieved for a time by drinking cold water, and a sense as though the cough would be lubricated. Dr. Small states that he finds no remedy acts o promptly and satisfactorily in removing a hoarse cough, with much tickling in the larynx, as Mercurius- Viv.3x. It is also excellent for the Cough of Chronic Bronchitis and Tuberculosis, with similar symptoms; expectoration of muco-purulent matter symptoms; expectoration of muco-purulent matter and blood, in cachetic patients, or following Scarlet fever, etc.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM-Mouth, etc.-Inflammation and ulceration of the mouth, tongue, faeces, and tonsils, with swelling of the glands, and slight fever; Sore mouth of nursing women; Thrush; Cancrum Oris; low inflammation and swelling of the tongue; scurvy, sponginess and bleeding of the gums; cracks at the taste, whitish or yellowish coating on the tongue, slim state of the mouth, and offensive breath. For Sore mouth with deep painful fissures or ulcers, Merc-.Cor. 3 is an excellent remedy. Salivation, simple, or in pregnant women: Mumps; swelling of glands after Scarlet fever.
Teeth-Toothache-the teeth are loose and feel sore, the gums swell and are sensitive, the pains are throbbing or Jerking, worse at night, accompanies are throbbing or jerking, worse at night, accompanied by Salivation, and often perspiration, and a general sense of chilliness; Gumboils with similar symptoms. Throat-Sore throat, with aching pain which makes swallowing difficult, or with pain as if a sharp body were sticking on the throat. with pale or bluish-red swelling great sense of dryness and occasionally, a sense as of hot vapour rising in the throat; a form of chronic or sore throat, with hawking of tenacious mucous, and tendency to ulceration; syphilitic sore throat, with similar symptoms; sore, ulcerated, putrid, dangerous throat of Scarlatina Anginosa, with swelling and induration or suppuration of the parotid, submaxillary, or sublingual glands, from cold with soreness and heat; and sometimes Salivation; Mumps. Stomach- Burning in the pit of the Stomach, with soreness; oppression after food; Dyspepsia from torpor of he liver, with bilious vomiting, constipation, offensive urine, depositing brownish sediment; acute gastritis. Pancreas-Fullness in the left hypochondrium, with burning pain, and tenderness in the region of the pancreas-frothy and watery Diarrhoea or whitish rough, and greenish evacuations. Liver-Chronic Congestion, enlargement and induration of the liver, with aching, dull pain, oppression, patient being unable to lie on the light side, and general bilious symptoms;torpid liver, deficient secretion of bile, pale, costive and offensive motions, less of appetite, depression of spirits; Cirrhosis; Chronic Jaundice, with Constipation pale and dry faeces, deep-yellow urine, soft and feeble pulse; simple Jaundice, especially in children.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."