Mercurius Dulcis

Mercurous chloride, HgCl. Calomel. Hydrargyrum chloratum mite.

Preparation for use, Triturations.

Authorities. 1, Hahnemann, R. A. M. L., 1, 422 ; 2, Spens, effects of “a few powders,” in a case of erythema, Ed. M. and S. J., 1805 ; 3, Helbig, effects of purgative doses taken for experiment, Obs. Phys. Med., 1680, from Wibmer; 4, Vagnitius, effects of 15 grains in a healthy child, from WibiTier ; 5, Harder, effects of 15 grains, Apiar. Obs., 43, p. 192, from Wibmer; 6, Pierer’s Annal., 1827, a woman took 14 drachms (from Wibmer); 7, omitted; 8, Ascberson, from Kussmaul, effects of 4 grains, in a man ; 9, George, effects of 1 grain at night, and 2 grains next morning, in an infant, Brit. Med. J., 1833, 12, p. 569; 10, Roberts, effects of two teaspoonfuls of Calomel (at least 1 ounce), in a girl of nineteen, Lond. Med. Gaz., 1838 ( Am. J. Med. Sc., 23, p. 199); 11, Champion, effects of 2 grains, Bost. M. and S. J., 18, 361 (from Trans. Roy. Coll. Phys.); 12, Brford, effects of inunction for a week, in a case of iritis. Am. J. Med. Sc., 1857, vol. 33, p. 314; 13, same, effects of Calomel internally and externally, in a case of violent ophthalmia ; 14, Blair, effects of three doses of 3 grains each, a do.«e every other day, in a hoy aged sev^en, Ed. M. and S. J., Ang. 1859; 15, Clough, effects in a girl, suffering from an injury to the head, Bost. M. and S. J., 32, 517 ; 16, Strong, case of periodically recurring salivation, Bost. M. and S. J., 54, 439 ; 17, omitted ; 18, Dr. D. S. Kimball, in (MS., effects of various potencies, 3d to 30th, taken for catarrhal troubles, especially affecting the ear.

Mind p. 267

Considerably agitated (after two hours)

Apprehensiveness,f

Some headache (second morning)

Slight headache (after five hours)

Pain or heaviness across the forehead (second evening)

Eyes p. 267

Gummy secretion on the edges of the eyelids; next day, increase of the eye symptoms, with some smarting and indistinctness of vision, as from matter on the cornea

Slight redness of conjunctiva

Photophobia, and dryness of the eyes

Eye symptoms aggravated after exercise and being heated from exercise

Ears p. 267

Itching in the meatus auditorium externus

A few light twinging pains, or shocks, in the left internal ear, awaking me from sleep (seventh night)

Sudden fluttering in the left ear for a few minutes

Nose p. 267

Dryness and incrustation in the nostrils, worse in the night

Soreness in the right nostril

Face p. 267

Face flushed

* Pallicl as a corpse (two hours after second dose)

Slight swelling of both cheeks

Exfoliation of lower jaw, and death

Mouth p. 267

Teeth. Looseness of teeth

The teeth became loose, and several came out

Uneasy sensation on gnashing the teeth (second evening)

Gitnis. Gums spongy

To^if/ue. Tongue thickly coated (second morning)

Tongue covered with a white creamy fur

Tongue had a narrow streak of fur down the centre (after nine hours)

Tongue so tumid that speech was entirely gone

Sensation on the tongue as if scalded

General 3Mouth The xvhole inside of the moxUh, tongue and all, had a very black appearance, emitting a constant flow of a dark putrid saliva, of intolerable fetor. The greater part of the mouth and tongue mortified ; and part of the tongue, the under lip, and part of one side of the face, sloughed off, presenting a most horrid spectacle to behold

* Inflammation of the lips and tongue

Interior of cheeks inflamed and tender; a quantity of bloody puriform matter came away from right cheek

* Whole mouth filled with xdcers

Dryness in the mouth, with thirst

Saliva Salivation

Copious salivation (after two days)

Violent salivation

Saliva flowed continually, so that his dress was completely soaked

For the last eighteen years, and since the first salivations, she has had regular returns of the salivation without exception, in October and February of each year; it often returns on the same days of the mouth as at first, sonietitnes a few days later

Taste. Unpleasant taste in the mouth on first awaking (third morning)

Throat p. 268

* Excessive ulceration of throat

Difficulty of swallowing

The throat and face became immensely swollen

Stomach p. 268

No appetite whatever (second morning)

Uigeut thirst (after five hours)

Slight nausea and faintness, which had not prevented her from partaking of a luncheon of bread and salad, with a little ale (soon)

* Vomiting

Vomited twice after each dose of the mixture (eleven hours and a half)

Profuse vomiting and diarrhoea

Vomited the milk and water she had been drinking, without any appearance of Calomel (after six hours)

Copious vomiting, immediately; on examining the egesta by letting it stand to settle, and then pouring off the upper part, and testing the sediment with lime-water, I could detect no traces of Calomel. I now gave her half a tumbler of lime-water, mixed with an equal quantity of warm water, every three or four minutes, and she vomited seven times in the course of the next half hour; everything she had eaten since taking the Calomel came off her stomach; still, however, there were only slight evidences of the Calomel, a few blackish specks here and there

Weight and pain at the epigastrium, and in the right side (after two hours and a half); relieved after a few minutes by vomiting up a thick ropy stuff, consisting of Calomel, entangled in a quantity of mucus

Abdomen p. 268

Violent pain in the abdomen

Severe griping pains (after eight hours and a half)

Some tenderness of the abdomen (after nine hours)

Some slight tenderness of the abdomen on firm pressure (second evening)

Rectum and Anus p. 268

Teased with a frequent tenesmus (second morning)

Excessive tenesmus (after four days)

Burning pain in rectum (after four days)

Soreness around the fundament (second morning)

Stool p. 268

Watery diarrhoea (fourth day)

* Symptoms thoroughly dysenteric (after four days)

Constant disposition to stool; the discharges ■were small and consisted of mucus and blood, colored with bile, in the evening; about 10 a.m., he had had two large bilious evacuations, succeeded by these small ones; he had to be up every ten minutes, and felt as if it would be a relief to discharge the whole contents of his abdomen (fourth day)

Gripings, abdominal fulness, burning pain in the epigastric and umbilical regions, followed by copious serous discharges for three or four evacuations in quick succession ; the discharges became gradually less, and in the course of seven or eight hours were very small, and composed of bloody mucus, attended with tenesmus, and excessively frequent attempts to evacuate, and constant desire to do so (after four or five days); these symptoms required active treatment for two or three days before they were subdued

Bowels opened four times between 5 and 6 oclock (after six hours); a quantity of black particles similar to those precipitated from the vomited matters adhered to the vessels

Two dejections of a greenish fluid from the bowels

Has had two stools of a dark-green color, and accompanied with some griping pain (second evening)

Bowels have been opened once; the stools watery, green, and small, without any admixture of the black matter noticed yesterday (second morning)

Passed a stool tinged with blood during the night

Urinary Organs p. 268

Urine increased (second day); diminished (third, fourth, and fifth days)

Sexual Organs p. 269

Stinging and itching just back of the corona glanclis

Respiratory Organs p. 269

Foul or putrid breath/®.

Fetor of breath so strong that it could be noticed at a considerable distance from the bed/

Asthma/.

Chest p. 269

Pulse quick and hard, but otherwise there was not much fever

Pulse full, hard, and about 90 (alter five hours) ; small, hard, 100 (after nine hours)

Pulse 90, small and hard (second morning)

Extremities in General p. 269

Trembling of the hands and feet

Superior Extremities p. 269

Rheumatic stiffness and catching ain in the muscles of legs and knee-joint

Cramps in the legs, at night

General Sympfoius.

In a convulsive paroxysm, presenting as frightful appearances as ever ushered in the most malignant disease

Tired and sleepy, at 10 a.m.,’®.

Languor (second evening)

So much prostration that I was uneasy as to its results (after inuuctiou)

Appeared occasionally faint

Was uneasy

Restlessness of the whole body

Upper Extremities p. 269

Erythema commencing in the pubic regions and extending like a scarlet redness over the whole body within twenty hours, without pain or fever, lasting two days

It commenced with considerable redness and swelling of the face, and extended only over the face, neck, shoulders, and upper part of back ; terminating in a serous exudation and desquamation of the cuticle

Numerous round, deep, eroding ulcers in the mouth and fauces, on the face, genitals, and other parts of the body, w^ith white bases and inflamed, extremely painful margins, with a persistent fever and constant heat, with night-sweats, sinking of strength, tearing pains in the limbs, and trembling/.

Itching and tingling in the skin, especially of the scalp and face

Sleep and Dreams p. 269

Sleepiness, in the morning

Slept during the night, from 3 to 8, and is disposed to sleep at the present time (second morning)

Rather unpleasant dreams

Fever p. 269

Temperature of the body low (two hours after second dose)

Quite disposed to perspire

Conditions p. 269

Aggravation.

(Night), Dryness, etc., in nostrils.

(Exercise), Eye symptoms.