Mercurius Corrosivus

Authorities. 87, W. B. Herapath, M.D., Lancet, 1845 (2), p. 650, an epileptic woman swallowed a scruple of the bichloride in solution ; 88, M. Wade, ibid., 1848 (1), p. 500, fatal poisoning of Mr. M., jet. twenty-one years, by rather more than a drachm ; 89, H. Gatch Carey, M.D., Med. and Slug. Reporter, vol. ix, 1856, p. 209, Mr. S., a3t. twenty-three years, swallowed about 170 grains dissolved in Spirits of nitre, and died in thirtysix hours; 90, John G. Bingham, M.D., Amer. Med. Times, vol. iv, 1862, p. 347, a child, set. eighteen months, swallowed an unknown quantity, ami died in twenty minutes; 91, G. S. Valer, M.D., Philad. Med. and Surg. Reporter, vol. xxvi, 1872, p. 248, Mrs. S., jet. forty years, took over 1 fluid ounce from a bottle containing pure alcohol, with more of the substance than it could hold in solution; 92, Q. C. Smith, M.D., Pacific Med. and Surg. Journ., Feb., 1875, p. 448, Mrs. W., set. sixty-seven years, took about a tablespoonful of the strength usually prepared to kill vermin, and died after twenty-three days; 93, C. A. Libby, M.D., U. S. Med. Invest., New Ser., vol. vi, 1877, p. 72, a hoy, set. three years, swallowed an unknown quantity ; 94, R. T. Gore, Lancet, 1878 (1), p. 146, a woman injected some into her vagina; 95, Maschka, S. J., 178, 288, a girl drank a large quantity ; 96, D. G. Woodbine, M.D., Pub. Mass. Horn. Sac., vol. iv, p. 149, a woman, set. twenty-two years, took a fatal dose; 97, Chas. T. Southworth, ]\I.D., New Orleans Med. and Surg. Journ., vol. xvi, 1859, p. 675, Mrs. S., set. sixty-three years, was occupied fifteen minutes in anointing with an alcoholic solution of the perchloride a bedstead infected with hugs.

Mind p. 580

Inexpressible anxiety

Indecent exposure of person ; threw off the bedclothes, and attempted to walk about the room, when she was not able. She had, previous to taking the drug, been modest and retiring ; now she seems to have no regard for herself. She cared not who was present when she desired to use the vessel, and threw off her clothing, as if no one were in the room ; was cross and petulant

Coma (eighth day)

Head p. 580

Dull frontal headache was noticed first on the fourth day after taking the drug, and continued the same on alternate days, until the tenth day. On the tenth day the headache was continuous. She said the pain commenced down in the throat, and extended up through the Eustachian tubes to the frontal region. Fifteenth day, frontal headache

Eyes protruding

Eyes p. 580

Features pallid (after five hours and a half)

Face flushed

Countenance pinched, anxious, and of a bluish-white hue (after half an hour

First day, face dry and hot. Second day, face bloated. Fourth to seventh day, face much swollen and very red. Eighth day, much less oedema in face. Ninth day, face pale and slightly swollen. Tenth day, face swollen more. Twelfth day, face much swollen and red. Sixteenth day, face pale and features sunken

Throat p. 580

Sloughing of the gums, lips, and tongue (fifth day)

Swelling of the gums and salivary glands, with profuse ptyalism

Tongue was frequently thrust out

Breath had a gangrenous odor ^twenty-first day)

Dark blood and brickdust-colored froth almost constantly dribbled from the mouth for several days before her death

A white streak extended from the angle of the mouth to the lower edge of the jaw on one side, and the dorsum of the tongue and throat were also corroded

The mucous membrane of the mouth and pharynx was destroyed, and blood slowly oozed from these surfaces, which were extremely tender

The vitality of every part of the mucous membrane with which the caustic solution came in contact appeared to be destroyed

Violent burning pain in tbe mouth, throat, oesophagus, and stomach

Styptic, acid, metallic taste (after half an hour)

Ptyalism (third day)

Saliva copiously flowing from her mouth (after half an hour)

Ptyalism and swelling extending over the mucous membrane of the niouth, the inner surface of the cheeks, and the tongue, palate, and throat (second day)

Third day, complains of very sore throat. It is swollen and much ulcerated. Inside of the cheeks and border of the gums much ulcerated. The ulcers are of a grayish color. Breath very offensive, so that it is very difficult to make a thorough examination. Fourth day, dry patch on end of tongue, the remaining portion bein coated white. Fifth day, the throat feels better. Sixth day, throat fee, sore, but not so difficult to swallow. Eighth day, throat sore, with pain on swallowing, extending up the Eustachian tubes. Mouth the same. Bloody mucus from the j)posterior nares. On the ninth day difficulty of deglutition much increased. Eleventh day, slight salivation, snapping noise in the throat when almost asleep, which wakens her. Twelfth day, no improvement. Thirteenth day, almost impossible to swallow; the throat is tilled with glairy, sticky mucus, the ulcers appear much the same. Fifteenth day, sordes on the teeth, tongue dry, breath offensive. Sixteenth and seventeenth days, the same

Burning and constriction of the throat (after half an hour)

Intense pain in thi-oat and stomach (after a shor t time)

Difficulty of deglutition,®h

Deglutition and expectoration difficult and painful

Stomach p. 581

Much thir*st,®h

Constant nausea (after five hours and a half )

During the latter stages, nausea and tenesmus wer’e almost constant, the fluids consisting wholly or in part of blood

Severe retching, and the head was thrown back, and tossed from side to side

Violent retchings, with great pain (after a short time),®®

Vomiting (in two minutes)

Violent vomiting of mucus and bilious matter,®h

First day, violent r-etching and vomiting of food and dark looking matter, followed by yellow bile. Second day, vomited a gr-eat quantity of bile in the early part of the day ; sensation of lump and pain in the pylorus ; constant desir’e for cold water, which is very repulsive, and almost immediately vomited. Third day, constant nausea, with occasional vomiting of bile. The sensation of pain and lump in pylorus gone; thirst for hot or cold drinks, but nothing tastes natural, on account of a br-assy taste in the mouth. Fourth day, no nausea. Fifth day, stomach sensitive to pressure-e; thirst for cold water in large quantity. Sixth day, much the same. Seventh day, swelling and pain in the pylorus, and hiccough. Eighth day, the sensation of pain and swelling in the pylorus gone; vomited once; great tenderness over the stomach and bowels. Ninth day, gr-eat flatulence after taking milk ; the stomach ver-y sensitive to the slightest pressure. Eleventh day, much the same. Twelfth day, anything liquid or solid produces distr-ess and pain. Fourteenth day, cannot take anything into the stomach. She remained thus until death, on the seventeenth day

Spontaneous vomiting supervened almost instantly

After the first hour, the fluids thrown up consisted of those taken to abate the thirst, which was not imrnoder-ate, mingled with blood (after five hours and a half)

After oil and milk wer-e taken, she vomited and passed bloody matter from the bowels; and these symptoms, accompanied with pain, continued with greater or less severity until death

Vomiting occurr-ed in a few minutes, the fluid ejected consisting of a white froth, with a considerable quantity of blood. Complained of much pain in the i-region of the stomach. Countenance pale and anxious; surface of body gener-ally cold, especially tbe extremities; pulse scar-eely to be distinguished; tongue dr-y

Constant pain along the whole length of the alimentary tract (twenty-first day)

Burning, griping, and tearing pains of the stomach, accompanied by deathly nausea, but by no vomiting (after half an hour)

Abdomen p. 581

First day, sharp pain, with rumbling in the bowels and profuse bilious discharges. Second day, a great many bilious and slimy stools during the twenty-four hours. Third day, frequent slimy

cc ac? bilious stools in the morning early, with tenesmus; no stool in the afternoon ; bowels are a little sensitive to the touch, and are very flat. Fourth day, no stool. Fifth day, three bilious, slimy stools in the early part of the day ; bowels sensitive to pressure. Sixth day, diarrhoea continues, but is growing less. Seventh day, a good many dark-brown and slimy stools day and night, which continued until the thirteenth day, when it was less frequent, until the fifteenth day, when two haemorrhages of the bowels occurred within fifteen minutes of each other, after which the discharges were involuntary until death

Constant disposition to evacuate the rectum and bladder (after five hours and a half)

Diarrhoea (first and second day)

Violent purging

Dysentery and tenesmus (fifth day)

The frequent small, bloody, alvine discharges emitted an intensely putrid odor, so offensive that the attendants could scarcely remain in the room (twenty-first day)

About forty minutes after taking the poison, the {)patient passed a natural motion from the bowels, which was followed by a considerable quantity of fluid blood

Urinary Organs p. 582

Urine suppressed (third day)

Three half pints of urine ami blood were evacuated, the latter fluid predominating (after about forty-five minutes)

Second day, a very small quantity of urine was passed, after which there was complete suppressit)n of the urine for five days. Eighth day, a good deal of acute pain in the region of the kidneys; passes a small quantity of urine. Specific gravity 1013 ; reaction acid ; looks as if a few drops of milk were stirred in the urine. The common tests of heat and nitric acid show an albuminous deposit. Squamous epithelium in the deposit on the eighth day. Ninth day, has passed no urine for twelve hours, and suffered much acute pain in the kidneys. Tenth day, urinates more freely than for several days. Specific gravity 1010. Examination of the sediment under the microscope reveals wdiat appears like a granular cast, urine still albuminous. Fifteenth day, until death, involuntary discharge of urine ; great tenderness to pressure in the region of the kidneys

Sexual Organs p. 582

Intense pain in the vagina and abdomen, with a copious discharge of thin watery mucus

Menses reappear for a day or two, she having just completed her regular menstrual period at the time the drug was taken. On the thirteenth day the menses reappear slightly

Respiratory Organs p. 582

Second day, loose rattling cough, with almost complete a})conia ; raises a good deal of grayish-looking and saltytasting phlegm. Fourth day, loose rattling cough. Sixth day, voice improving. Eleventh day, cough loose and rattling. Fifteenth day, breathing short. Sixteenth day, sighing respiration

Short and laborious res])iratiou (after half an hour)

Great dyspnoea (after five hours and a half)

Respiration embarrassed (ninth day)

Respiration irregular and sighing (twenty-first day)

Chest p. 582

Chest often violently expanded

Congestion of the lungs (ninth day)

Heart and Pulse p. 582

The pulse was small, weak, and beating 60 to the minute (after half an hour)

Pulse quick, small, and contracted

Pulse 120, very w^eak and irregular (twenty-first day)

Pulse at the wrist perceptible only occasionally (after five hours and a half)

Lower Extremities p. 582

Myalgia of the thighs; coldness of hands and feet on the ninth day. Sixteenth day, lies with feet drawn up

Generalities p. 582

Jactitation and trembling (eighth day')

Convulsions feiglith day)

I found him in the sixth convulsion, fearfully distressed, and every part of the patient was drawn up, his feet, legs, arms, and hands wei'e closely contracted, the hands being so clasped that it was impossible for me to open one finger ; face flushed a bright scarlet, cheeks and forehead hot; but around his mouth it was marble white, and under his eyes it had a purple shade; pupils dilated ; eyes rolled up so that you could only see the pupils by pressing the lid up as far as possible. He remained in this condition about five minutes. After remedies he vomited fresh blood, perhaps half a teaspoonful each time, mixed with the egg. After six hours the pulse was Flo, face flushed, tongue dry, with a very red streak in the centre, and very thirst. About 12 oclock that night blood began passing the bowels, and shreds of membrane, with great tenesmus. In the morning the stomach and bowels were sore to pressure

She fell to the ground in a faint, became collapsed, insensible, with a very small pulse

First day, unconscious; pulseless at the wrist; constant restlessness and tossing about. Second day, fully conscious, but spoke with difficulty; pulse 120; myalgia. Third day, continued restlessness; pulse 120. Fourth day, pulse 100. Sixth day, pulse 80. Seventh day, pulse 88. Eighth day, pulse 88, refuses to talk. Ninth day, pulse 100. Tenth day, myalgia. Eleventh day, pulse 96. Twelfth day, pulse 100 ; myalgia. Thirteenth day, pulse 88. Fourteenth day, pulse 100. Sixteenth day, pulse not countable ; is not inclined to talk; great debility and emaciation. Seventeenth day, had a fainting spell; heart stoppedfor a few seconds, her eyes half closed, and died on the seventeenth day after taking the poison

Restless (after five hours and a half)

In a state of almost hopeless collapse (after five hours and a half)

Prostration (ninth day)

Extremely prostrated (twenty-first day)

Great prostration and violent pain (fifth day)

Stomach p. 583

First day, the skin had a very dry, harsh feeling to the hand. Second day, great coolness of the surface all over the body. Third day, skin warm all over, but hottest on the face. Fourth day, high fever. Sixth day, great itching of the skin, which looks dry and shrivelled. This itching, with variations in the temperature, continued until death

Sleep p. 583

First and second days, scarce any sleep day or night. Third day, slept a little during the daytime. Fourth day, slept better. For the next seven days she had short naps and unpleasant dreams. Fourteenth day, had very restless nights for the last three nights. Seventeenth day, sleeps with eyes half closed

The whole surface was cold, and bathed in a profuse clammy sweat (after half an hour)

Skin, even when dry, felt cool to the touch (twenty-first day)

Artificial heat was required to keep her feet and limbs warm

Surface and extremities cool (after five hours and a half)

Begged for cold water often to drink, and to be poured on her body and head, and expressed partial, temporary relief when her body was sponged with cold water; saying without water, she was burning up, inside and out (twenty-first day)

Febrile excitement in the evening (sixth day); continued (seventh day)

Cold sweats