Synonyms. Miniodide of Mercury. Mercuric Iodide. Common name. Red Iodide of Mercury. Preparation.Triturations.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
Mind Low-spirited; disposed to cry (Ignatia, Natr. mur., Nux.m., Pulsatilla, Rhus tox.). Ill-humored in the morning.
Head Vertigo. Sensation as if bound by a tight cord in frontal region (Iodium, Mercurius). Heat and pulsation in vertex, especially in evening. Aching in the bones of the head, chiefly occipital.
Eyes Inflammation, with burning. Albuginea inflamed and painful.
Ears Itching in both ears (Baryta c., Hepars., Sulphur). Swelling of parotid and neighboring glands (Iodi.).
Nose Coryza, nose hot, swollen; much sneezing and running from the head (Aconite, Mercurius, Sanguinaria); hoarseness. Whitish-yellow or bloody discharge; affection of posterior nares, with raw sensation; nasal bones diseased; turbinated bones swollen. Hawks mucus from posterior nares. Crusty eruption on wings of nose.
Mouth Lips slimy and sticky on waking. Profuse flow of saliva, and aching of teeth in lower jaw (Mercurius). Taste bitter.
Throat Much phlegm in the throat and nose; hawks it out. sensation of a lump in the throat (Belladonna), with disposition to hawk it out;hawks up a hard, greenish;lump. Inflammation and swelling of left tonsil, velum elongated causing cough, next day both tonsils involved. painful swellings of tonsils and submaxillary glands. Diphtheritic patches, and superficial ulcers in the throat (Nitr.ac.).
Stomach Pain in the epigastrium on pressure.
Urinary Organs Increased flow of urine (Apis, Apocynum). “Head, red swelling in front of prepuce, and painless hard chancre in the center. Sarcocele of left testicle; syphilis. Bubo, discharging for years; indolent chancre.
Respiratory Organs Constriction across the chest. Catching pain under right breast. Sticking pain in heart.
Skin Pustules, with inflamed base, sore to touch; itching slightly scab over, but pus oozes.
Sleep Frightful dreams.
Fever Shivering, then feverishness, copious sweat at night. Fever with grippe.
Compare Belladonna, Lachesis, Mercurius, Mez., Nitr.ac., Kali bichromicum, Iodi. Belladonna follows well in scarlet fever.
Antidotes See Mercurius and Iodi.
THERAPEUTICS
This drug is a valuable remedy is sore throats, its action resembling the protoiodide. It differs in that the inflammation is worse on the left side, or, at least, begins on the left side, there is more glandular swelling and more fever and headache. Not so often useful in follicular tonsilitis as the protoiodide, but more often useful in true diphtheria, especially with great glandular swelling. During course of malignant scarlatina, swelling of parotids and neighboring glands; fauces and tonsils covered with large foetid ulcers, etc. Scrofulous ophthalmia; granulated lids; ulceration of cornea. Diphtheritic conjunctivitis. Old cases of granular lids and pannus. Colds in the head, acute coryza. Nasal Polypus. A valuable remedy in syphilitic ulcers. Bubo. Hunterian chancre. Old cases of syphilis, particularly in persons of lax fibre, scrofulous, and in those who have taken much Mercury. Sarcocele. Inflammations, erosions and ulceration of the os and cervix, especially of syphilitic origin. Yellow corrosive leucorrhoea. Chronic metritis. Laryngitis. Laryngeal phthisis. Goitre. Grippe, with fever, headiness, furred tongue. Bronchial catarrh.
ALLEN CORSON COWPERTHWAITE was born at Cape May, New Jersey, May 3, 1848, son of Joseph C. and Deborah (Godfrey) Cowperthwaite. He attended medical lectures at the University of Iowa in 1867-1868, and was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in 1869. He practiced his profession first in Illinois, and then in Nebraska. In 1877 he became Dean and Professor of Materia Medica in the recently organized Homeopathic Department of the State University of Iowa, holding the position till 1892. In 1884 he accepted the chair of Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and Clinical Medicine in the Homeopathic Medical College of the University of Michigan. He removed to Chicago in 1892, and became Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. From 1901 he also served as president of that College. He is the author of various works, notably "Insanity in its Medico-Legal Relations" (1876), "A Textbook of Materia Medica and Therapeutics" (1880), of "Gynecology" (1888), and of "The Practice of Medicine " (1901).