Mercury.
CHARACTERISTICS.
Anaemia, loss of weight, multiform eruptions and other symptoms of primary and secondary syphilis. Plastic exudates about the joints, from the iris, into the pleura, peritoneum, meninges and cellular tissues. Infiltrated tonsils. Mumps, Foul and greasy perspiration. Foul diarrhoeal and choleraic discharges, or dysentery with mucus, blood and much tenesmus. Powerful germicide.
TOXIC EFFECTS
Anaemia, the blood is watery, deficient in red corpuscles, and contains much broken down issue. Rapid emaciation.1. Aching pains and soreness in the muscles, bones and joints. Neuralgic pains.2. Headache, fever with loss of memory or delirium.3. Loss of hair. Eruptions upon the skin that assume many forms: they may be pustular, vesicular, eczematous, or resemble measles or scarlet fever. Dermatitis with thickening of the deeper structures. Ulcers, especially upon the extremities. Discharges are excoriating.4. Swelling of the parotid, submaxillary and sublingual glands. Fetid breath, large flow of foul viscid salvia.5. Teeth tender and loose. Inflammation of the mouth. Gums and tongue swollen. Ulceration of the gums and cheeks.6. Vomiting with irritation, softening or ulceration of the gastric mucous membrane. Gastric pain, vomiting of mucus and even blood. Irritation, softening and ulceration of the intestines, especially the large intestine. The stools may be large, watery and foul smelling, or mucous and bloody with much tenesmus. Colic, tenderness of the abdomen. The flow of bile is lessened or wholly suspended.7. Effusions into the peritoneum. Edema of the extremities and the face. Infiltrations into the cellular tissue.8. Albuminuria and suppression of the urine.9. Tremors, paresis.10.
DOSE.
Hydrargyri cum creta (gray powder), 1/20 – 2 gr.
Hydrargyri chloridum corrosivum, (corrosive sublimate), 1/000 – 1/10 gr.
Hydrargyri chloridum mite (calomel), 1/20-1 gr.
Mass hydrargyri, (Blue mass), 1/2-3 gr.
Unguentum hydrargyri. One half to one dram may be rubbed into the skin daily. Of the above preparations, blue mass, gray powder and calomel in five to ten grain doses are purgative. Fro therapeutic purposes the minutes dose is now invariably used.
THERAPEUTIC USES.
Weakness and trembling of the muscles, especially of the mouth and tongue, in syphilitic basilar meningitis. (Minute doses of the chloride or gray powder).
Foul and greasy perspiration. Foul odor of the breath. Tongue swelled, showing imprints of teeth. (Second or third decimal trituration of mercury).
Parenchymatous tonsilitis. The glands are infiltrated with a plastic, unorganized exudate. (One tenth grain of the gray powder every half hour or hour).
Mumps. (Gray powder every hour or two).
Inflammation of the submaxillary and sublingual glands.5.
Diphtheria with anaemia, albuminuria, plastic exudates, cellular infiltrations and paresis. 1-8-9-10 (Second decimal trituration of corrosive sublimate every hour or two, or better, the cyanide of mercury in doses of the same size).
Membranous croup. (Second decimal trituration).
Ear feels inflamed internally and externally with cramp-like pain and feeling as if stopped by a swelling. 8. (Second or third decimal trituration).
Rheumatic and other inflammations of the joints with plastic exudation and infiltration of the cellular tissue. 2-8. (Apply oleate of mercury lightly twice a day).
Indurations threatening abscess.8. (Use the oleate locally).
Pleuritis, peritonitis and pericarditis where there is a tendency to fibrinous exudations. 8. (The oleate locally or the chloride in minute doses internally).
Anaemia of syphilis. Loss of weight. The blood is watery, deficient in red corpuscles and contains much broken-down tissue.1. (Doses must be incapable of producing physiological effects).
Indurated chancre with induration of the inguinal glands. (Minute doses to be continued for many months).
Syphilis. Weakness and rapid emaciation. Aching and soreness in the limbs and joints. Falling out of the hair. Eruptions remarkable for their variety and likely to be vesicular, pustular, eczematous or resemble the exanthematous diseases. Mucous patches.1-2-4-6. (Avoid doses large enough to cause toxic symptoms).
Syphilitic iritis and keratitis.8. (The chloride, one- thirtieth to one fifteenth grain with meals, or inunctions of the ointment).
Syphilitic chancres. Mucous patches about the mouth and anus, moist excoriating.4-6. (Minute doses internally, and a wash of calomel one grain to lime-water one dram, locally).
Syphilitic eruptions and indurations.4-8. (The oleate of mercury, size of bean, locally).
Congenital syphilis of children.1-2-3-4-6. (One-tenth to one grain of the gray powder three times a day).
Periostitis of the jaw, the teeth feel tender and elongated.6.
Violent vomiting of children from irritation or inflammation caused by indigestible food.7. (Gray powder or calomel in minute doses).
Cholera infantum. Nausea. Vomiting, copious and usually offensive diarrhoeal discharges.7. (One-fifteenth grain of calomel or one-tenth grain of gray powder every half hour).
Gastro-enteric irritation and inflammation of infants. Summer diarrhoea, the stools being spinach colored or profuse, foul and light colored.7.
Diarrhoea. Discharges are sour and colorless from lack of bile.7.
Flatulence, distention, thin or pasty light colored stools having a bad odor.7.
Chronic diarrhoea with softening of the mucous membrane of the intestines. 7 (Mercury with chalk)
Gastric ulcer. 7. (One sixtieth to one- thirtieth grain of the chloride before meals).
Bloody, slimy stools with much tenesmus. 7. (Minute doses, second or third decimal trituration, of the chloride are most effective).
Jaundice. Nausea, vomiting, pasty tongue and light colored stools. 7. (Minute doses calomel or gray powder)
Typhoid fever. Foul smelling diarrhoea. 7. (One tenth grain every two or three hours).
Desquamative nephritis. Dropsy, scanty urine, albuminuria. 9 (Small doses.)
Chronic inflammation of the external auditory meatus. 4-8 (Citrine ointment)
Obstinate psoriasis and eczema or the hands 4. (Citrine ointment. some danger of salivation).
Itching of pruritus ani, psoriasis or eczema. 4 (Calomel one dram, lard one ounce)
Scrofulous sores 4 (Calomel ointment)
Sycosis menti, chloasma, the various forms of tinea. (Five per cent. solution of the oleate of mercury in oleic acid with the addition of an eighth part of ether)
Chloasma and freckles. (Fifteen grains of the chloride to the point of water)
Wounds. (One part of the bichloride to from one to ten thousand of water)
Pediculi pubis (Apply a strong solution of the chloride with a fine-toothed comb).
