MERCURIUS-QUICKSILVER-HG.
Introduction
Metallic mercury is silver-white in color and at ordinary temperature is liquid, hence its name, liquid silver, or on account of it mobility, or quick silver.
Metallic mercury is occasionally found in nature, but it is obtained, for the most part, from Cinnabar, the red sulphide of mercury. This ore is heated and the mercurial vapors condensed by an elaborate series of cooling chambers. The metal mercury freezes at-40 degree F. or C., and boils at 662 degree F., but volatilizes at all temperatures above 66 degree or 68 degree F., and it is due to this latter fact that we meet with so many cases of poisoning amongst miners, furnace-men or other workers in mercury, and that our records concerning its physiological action are so complete.
Symptoms
Mercury produces in general profound anaemia, with degeneration of the red-blood corpuscles, loss of albumin and fibrin and diminished coagulability of the blood; with this there is a marked tendency to destructive action, as seen in the inability of wounds to heal and in ulcerations of mucous surfaces and of the skin.
Among the first observed effects of mercury is the increased secretion of saliva, which coexists with “fetor of the breath, swollen tongue, soreness of the teeth, a blue or dark slate- colored line along the margin of the gums with the teeth, soreness and sponginess of the gums, swelling of the parotid, sublingual and submaxillary glands, aching of the jaws and teeth, with general muscular soreness and some elevation of temperature. To this state are applied the terms acute mercurialismus ptyalism, or in common language, salivation ” (bartholow) ” and when this condition persists for a time, ulceration of the gums, mouth and teeth take place and inflammatory processes seize on the roots of the teeth.
” When patients were given large doses of mercury in former times, they were enjoined not to take water, since the chilling of the mouth and gums by cold water increased, in a very marked degree, the destructive action of mercury, so that, as this drug was used almost universally in the treatment of acute febrile disorders, the poor patients were not allowed the use of water” (Allen’s lecture).
This will explain the statement we still meet with amongst our older patients, that water is not permitted in fever, even when there is thirst.
“Throughout the whole digestive tract the mucous membrane becomes affected, from the action of mercury, with catarrhal inflammation; gastro-enteritis results, with inflammatory symptoms extending from the lips to the anus. Diarrhoea of course ensues, associated with colic and especially with tenesmus, and in older cases, haemorrhage. When the inflammation is violent and affects the lower portion of the intestinal tract, the symptoms are those of dysentery, the bloody stools being accompanied by a high degree of inflammations, secretion of mucus and with great straining. “The different preparations of mercury vary very much in intensity, and to some extent, in the character of the symptoms in inflammation of the gastro-intestinal mucous membrane. Calomel (Mercurius dulcis) seems to act more upon the upper part of the intestinal tract, causing diarrhoea with much green mucus and with very little straining, while Corrosive sublimate (Mercurius corr.) acts more upon the lower part of the intestinal tract, and the symptoms are more those of acute dysentery.
” Mercury produces inflammation of the liver and decreases the secretion of bile for this is certain, that after the first, the irritating effects of mercury, the bile becomes largely diminished and may even cease to be excreted, or at least to be poured into the intestine. The curative power of mercury over the liver which does not secrete the proper amount of bile, whether from intestinal inflammation or the occlusion of the common bile duct is undoubted. In both these cases mercury acts homoeopathically, and there is no doubt that its employment has been terribly abused” (Allen’s lecture).
A thing for us to keep in mind is the fact as to its retention in the system. Dunham says: “Metallic mercury has been found in every tissue of the body of those who have taken it as a medicine. Once introduced into the system it remains. In this connection we must remember that when mercury has been taken so as to produce its constitutional effects, and these have entirely disappeared, the may long afterwards be re-excited by the action of medicines, which, becoming decomposed in the system, from soluble compounds with mercury. One of these is the Iodide of potassium.”
On the kidneys “mercury produces a true parenchymatous inflammation. Frequently the interstitial tissue becomes involved, and chronic interstitial nephritis results.
“One of the most common and characteristic effects of mercury, in a general way, is its ability to produce profuse perspirations. All the mercury patients perspire easily without provocation or on the slightest effort. Indeed, persistent dryness of the skin is sufficient to contra-indicate mercury.
“On the tissues generally this powerful drug exerts the most destructive influence. It destroys the power of the system to repair lesions, so that cuts will not heal nor broken bones unite. In the bones it produces inflammation of the periosteum, which will lead on to destructive metamorphosis and death of the bone” (Allen’s lecture).
“Instead of the ulcerations and inflammations.” says Allen, in the Handbook, “nervous phenomena sometimes occur, paralysis- agitans, epilepsy, melancholia and a remarkable chorea,” and “one of the most singular phenomena in the whole range of drug action is exhibited in the power of mercury to produce tremors. Its action on the nervous system is one of the curiosities of mercury. These tremors usually affect the muscles which are under the control of the will. These muscles respond to electrical action and are variously affected. The spasms are chorea-like in nature, and small objects held in the hand, for example, will be thrown violently across the room in the effort to carry anything to the mouth or to lay it upon the table. The muscles will not respond to the will.
” Sometimes the tremors are so violent that the patient cannot lie in bed, the jerks will throw them out of bed, or throw them when attempting to walk. With all these nervous disorders the patient has the most perfect consciousness.
“Some of these tremors are wonderfully like paralysis- agitans, but yet they are different, at least I” (Allen) “have never been able to cure a case of paralysis-agitans by the use of any preparation of mercury, nor indeed do I remember ever succeeding with mercury in a case of chorea. These tremors are sui generis, and it is very doubtful if we meet with a similar condition in any natural disease” (Allen’s lecture).
In the Handbook, Allen says, in reference to chorea, that mercury “may be indicated by the general cachexia of the patient rather than by the character of the spasms.”
In mercury the long bones are attacked rather than the flat ones (the opposite of syphilis). The iris is never affected.
Much that I have given you has been taken from a lecture by Dr. T. F. Allen, and published in the ” Chironian” for 1889. The following is also taken from the same sources and is well worth quoting in detail, as it treats of a more of less mooted subject.
“I wish to call your attention,” says Allen, “to the remarkable fact, that among the thousands and thousands of persons who have worked in mines and factories, and have been poisoned by mercury, until their bones have decayed, no cases of syphilis is known, and these people are not at all particular about their associations, and are much more inclined to sexuality than others, because mercury positively excites the sexual desire. There people cohabit with the vilest of the vile, and the knowledge is widespread among them that they are proof against syphilis and prostitutes flock to the towns around the quicksilver mines and find profitable employment, who would not be tolerated in other mining regions,” and other miners are not especially squeamish either.
” If we examine into the matter we find the following interesting facts: that syphilis attacks different bones from mercury; that mercury attacks bones and joints that are rarely or never attacked by syphilis. Among a large number of workers suffering from caries, there was not a case of caries of the skull, tibia, clavicle of sternum, the bones which are particularly attacked by syphilis.
” Looking for a moment at syphilis, we find that one of the most characteristic symptoms, one that is most sure to occur, is iritis, and we find that among all the thousands of cases recorded of mercurial poisoning, there is not a case of iritis. Moreover, there has never been known an instance of ulcer of the glans penis among the cases of mercurial poisoning, nor has mercury ever produced any ulcer with indurated edges. Mercury does not produce an eruption like that of syphilis; it does not produce the hypochondria of syphilis; indeed, it may be said that among the provings and poisonings there is scarcely a symptom of syphilis.
