Menyanthes Trifoliata

[COMMON BUCK-BEAN, MAKSH-TREFOIL. NAT. ORDER, GENTIANACE^.]

This herb grows in low marshy ground and ditches; it is also cultivated in gardens on account of the beauty of its flowers, and is perennial. The flowers are white, deciduous, funnel-shaped; leaves tern ate like common clover. We make a dark green-brown tincture of the leaves.

The short pathogenesis which Hahnemann has left us of this drug shows that it is endowed, to some extent, with narcotic proper- ties, and that it likewise affects the ganglionic system sufficiently to develop a train of symptoms that represent with striking resemblance certain forms of fever and ague.

The stupefying action of this drug upon the brain is evidenced by by the following head symptoms which we will record under our customary

CEREBRO-SPINAL GEOUP.

Pressure in the forepart of the head and in the left temple, mingled with some stitches. Pressing in the head from above downward, for many hours. Pain in the temples as if they were compressed together, also with a few stitches in the occiput. Con- tinued heaviness of the head. Pain in the vertex as if the brain were compressed, attended with a sensation, on going up-stairs, as if some heavy weight were pressing on the top of the head. Stupefy-

MENYANTKES TU1F0LIATA; 345

ing headache, affecting principally the forehead, both during rest and. motion. A pressing-drawing ache, immediately over the root of the nose, and in the left side of the brain ; this drawing is likewise felt in the occiput. A few single stitches in the left side of the brain, in I he direction of the vertex. Burning stitches in the fore- head, and to some extent in the hairy scalp, with heat in the face. A stitch-like tearing at the right side of the forehead, near the temporal region.

These symptoms may occur as consensual symptoms in those forms of fever and ague to which menyauthes corresponds as a spe- cific anti-type. In our country, the cases of this disease which will yield to this drug, are comparatively few. At any rate, it is scarcely ever employed as a remedy for fever and ague by American physicians.

The people in Germany use it in the form of an infusion or de- coction.

The special senses are likewise affected by this drug, but we opine in a subordinate manner. We subjoin the leading symptoms of the

ORBITAL AND AURICULAR GROUPS.

Obscuration of sight. Contraction of the pupils followed by dila- tation. Pressure at a small point in one eye, with a sensation as if the sight would vanish, yet without any obscuration of sight. Sen- sation as if the eyelids were swollen. Tearing stitches in the inner canthi, with a now of tears. Occasional attacks of lameness of one or the other eyelid, so that he is unable to move it. Ringing and roaring in the ears. Dull stitches and a sort of tenesmus in the ears.

CHYLO-POIETIC GROUP.

This group presents a number of symptoms which are, however, destitute of any marked characteristic peculiarities, and are evidently of a consensual character. They may possibly occur as incidental to an attack of fever and ague, or rheumatic disorder. The com- mon effect of large doses is to produce catharsis and occasionally emesis. We note the following symptoms : Dryness in the throat.

Stitches in the pharynx impeding deglution. Bitter-sweetish taste in the mouth. Empty eructations. Quickly-passing nausea, with- out eructations.

A sudden heat in the stomach followed by violent hunger. Pressure in the stomach, followed by a sensation of cold- ness up the oesophagus, with violent nausea, for twenty minutes. Disposition to vomit with retching. Bumbling, pinching, cutting in the stomach and bowels, denoting the prcssnce of flatulence.

The

346 MENYANTHES TRIFOLIATA.

abdominal integuments feel sore ; some provers complain of a feeling of heat in the bowels as if diarrhoea were to set in. Constipation followed by a more easy stool. Frequent urging to urinate, with scanty discharge.

KESPIKATORY GKOUP.

Johannes Francus, in his " Historia Trifolii fibrini," informs us that this plant causes hoarseness and dyspnoea. Systematic pro rings with moderate doses have elicited the following symptoms : Nauseous smell, as of bad eggs, in the room as well as in the open air. When talking, his voice is rough and almost hoarser, and the ears are stopped up. Spasmodic contraction of the larynx ; he has to cough when drawing in air.

Sensation as if the sides of the chest were pressed together, with acute stitches through the chest, increased by inspiring air. When sitting bent forward, the chest feels sore as if bruised.

These chest-symptoms may form part of a rheumatic group for which the buck-bean may be specifically adapted.

FEVER GROUP.

Among the rheumatic pains for which this drug may prove a spe- cific, provided it is selected in accordance with all the consensual symptoms, we may mention the following, which we find embodied in Hahnemann's short pathogenesis : Various pains in the back, such as : Aching in the small of the back ; boring stitches near the left scapula ; a painful tearing between the scapulae, down the back. Stitches in the axilla, deltoid muscle, hip-joint, around the patella; also long stitches in the soles . of the feet.

Frequent attacks of a crampy, drawing pain in the interior of the left lower arm ; at last the four fingers become spasmodically drawn in, and the arm becomes so rigid that it cannot be moved in spite of every effort. Crampy pain in the muscles of the left lower arm extending to the palm of the hand, almost like paralysis ; this pain assumes the form of a pressure, or it is a drawing pain ; this crampy pain may even affect the fingers ; it is likewise felt in the lower extremities, legs, from below upward.

Painful twitching and jerking of single muscles and of the whole lower extremity. Dislocation-pain in the region of the knee-joint, from without inward, also from one ankle to the other.

NEURALGIC RHEUMATISM These symptoms, considered

in their totality, may constitute the features of a rheumatic attack,

MERCUIUUS. 347

a species of neuralgic rheumatism, for which menyanthes may prove an appropriate remedy, if the cephalic symptoms and the symptoms of the chylo-poietic group likewise correspond. The symptoms which characterize the fever and ague group to which menyanthes is homoeopathic, are the following: On getting up, early in the morn- ing, he experiences a feeling of coldness in the abdomen ; he feels cold creepings over the hack and along the sides, like a shuddering. A shudder creeps over him, without any internal chilliness, especially on the legs.

His hair stands on end in a warm room, for ten minutes. His hands and feet are icy-cold, the body is warm. During the feverish shuddering over the trunk and back, the pulse goes down to fifty-two beats. The cheeks feel hot, soon after he feels chilly.

After an evening walk, the temperature of the body is increased, but he does not feel thirsty, and a moisture breaks out over his whole body.

MENTAL GROUP.

In the affections to which menyanthes is specifically homoeopathic, the spirits become somewhat depressed. Our provers report: A feeling of apprehension in the precordial region, as if some accident were impending; ill-humor, indifference to social entertainments, unsociable and taciturn mood, sadness.

MEBOURIUS.

This famous metal is well known. In the books of medicine it is generally termed hydrargyrum, a name which is derived from two Greek words : udor (water,) and arguros (silver). It is also termed quicksilver ; the name mercury has been given to it in honor of Mercurius, the messenger of the gods, whose fleetness and volatile character mercury is supposed to symbolize.

Mercury is seldom found in a pure metallic state ; in such a case it is either found in the form of globules in the cavity of other ores, or combined with silver, silver-amalgam. The most important of quicksilver ores is the sulphuret of mercury or native cinnabar; most of the mercury of the shops is obtained from this source. The mines of Spain, Austria, South America and East India are exceed- ingly productive ; those of California are now said to be the richest mines in the wrorld.

No mention is made in the Old Testament of quicksilver. We

348 MERCUEIUS.

are told by d'Herbelot, author of a work entitled Oriental Library, that the ancient magicians of Egypt, in their attempts to imitate the miracles of Moses, employed wands and cords containing mercury which, under the influence of the heat of the sun, imitated the motion of serpents. Aristotle informs us that Daedalus, who lived about 1300 years before Christ, communicated a power of motion to a wooden Venus by pouring quicksilver into it. Pliny and Diosco- rides also speak of mercury ;

Dioscorides describes even the method of obtaining it from cinnabar. Dioscorides and Plinius believed that mercury destroyed the inner tissues by its weight. Galen, too, considered it a dangerous poison.

The Arabian physicians, Khazes, Avicenna and Aben Mesun, were acquainted with the red precipitate and corrosive sublimate. European physicians objected to the use of mercury until the Crusades brought them in closer contact with the Arabian phy- sicians. It was first employed for the itch and other cutaneous affections.

In 1493 mercury was first used externally for syphilis. Barba- rossa, a famous jjirate of Tunis and Algiers, was the first to hazard the internal use of mercury in syphilis. He contracted this disease several times, and cured himself with pills of quicksilver ground down with flour and turpentine.

Barbarossa communicated his recipe to Francis I., king of France, who was likewise affected with the disease.

To Paracelsus we are indebted for the more systematic internal use of mercurius in the treatment of diseases. Mathiolus, used the red precipitate internally for syphilis, and Wieseman used corrosive sublimate in the same manner and for the same disease in 1CG7. After this period mercury was likewise recommended for other diseases. Van Helmont, a disciple of Paracelsus, whose name has acquired great celebrity as a speculative thinker, sought to prove the anthelmintic virtues of mercurius.

Bertini used mercury as a remedy for inflammatory diseases and for small-pox. In this way mercury gradually became a sort of universal remedy, and such a favorite with the profession that so-called quack medicines even are accepted by the highest authori- ties, provided mercury was one of the ingredients. I have heard Dr. Mott recommend Swain's Panacea, ex cathedra, and it is a well ascertained fact — thanks to the analytical researches of Professor Hare — that this famous compound contains corrosive sublimate.

MEIIOURIUS. 349

ft

Mercury affects more or less every tissue in the human body; it affects

The nervous tissue, The serous membranes, The mucous membranes, The osseous system, The fibrous tissue, The dermoid tissue, The glandular system.

In Dieterich's treatise, entitled Mercurial Diseases, we find the poisonous effects of mercury described in a systematic manner; they are :

I. MEROUEIAL FEVER.— Dieterich distinguishes two kinds, the common erethic fever or fever of salivation, characterized by quick pulse, hot and dry skin, red gums, swollen tongue, salivation, loss of appetite, restlessness, headache, etc. ; this fever may continue as long as the poisonous effecs of mercury continue in the system, for weeks and even months. Another kind of fever is the adynamic mercurial fever, characterized by depression of strength, prsecordial anxiety, frequent sighing, partial or universal trembling, a small, quick pulse, a pinched-up and cadaverous countenance, a sense of coldness ; the tongue is seldom furred ; a sudden and violent exer- tion may sometimes prove fatal.

II. EXCESSIVE SALIVATION, mercurial ptyalism or stoma- titis. According to Pereira, "the first symptoms of this affection are slight tenderness and tumefaction of the gums, which acquire a pale rose-color, except at the edges surrounding the teeth, where they are deep-red. Gradually the mouth becomes exceedingly sore, and the tongue much swollen; a coppery taste is perceived, and the breath acquires a remarkable fetidness.

The salivary glands soon become tender and swollen; the saliva and mucus of the mouth flow abundantly, sometimes to the extent of several pints in the twenty-four hours. During this state the fat is rapidly absorbed, and the patient becomes exceedingly emaciated. The blood, when drawn from a vein, puts on the same appearance as it does in inflam- matory diseases."

It sometimes happens, either from the inordinate employment of mercury, or from some idiosyncratic affinity of the constitution to the action of mercury, that the mouth becomes violently affected ; the gums are tumefied and ulcerated ; the tongue is swollen to such

350 MKRCURIUS.

an extent that it hangs out of the mouth, incapacitating the patient from either eating or speaking; the salivary glands are enlarged, painful, inflamed, and the saliva flows out in an uninterrupted stream ; quarts of it are sometimes secreted in the course of twenty-four hours. In some cases the gums slough, the teeth loosen and drop out, and necrosis of the alveolar process takes place. The system becomes exceedingly debilitated and emaciated. The sloughing may extend to every portion of the buccal cavity, the inner walls of the cheeks, tongue, gums, throat even ; the saliva assumes the form of a viscid ichor, and the fetor from the mouth is intolerable.

A very frequent consequence of excessive mercurial salivation and the attendant ulceration and sloughing is contraction of the mucous membrane of the anterior arches of the palate, whereby the patient is prevented from opening the mouth except to a very slight extent. Pereira mentions two cases of this kind. In one case, that of a woman, it followed the use of a few grains of blue pill, admin- istered for the liver complaint. This patient remained unable to open her mouth wider than half an inch.

Several operations have been performed by different surgeons, and the contracted parts freely divided, but the relief was only temporary. In another instance, that of a child four years of age, it was produced by a few grains of calomel. Though several years have elapsed since, the patient is obliged to suck his food through the spaces left between the jaws by the loss of the alveolar process.

III. MEROUKIAL PURGING (mercurial diarrhoea). This purging is frequently attended with griping and discharge of blood. In some cases there is fulness of the left hypochondrium, burning pain and tenderness of the region of the pancreas, and the evacua- tions are frothy, whitish, tough and often greenish, at least in the commencement. These symptoms may fairly be referred to an affection of the pancreas analogous to that of the salivary glands. Dieterich terms it pancreatic mercurial ptyalism, or abdominal ptyalism.

IV. URORRHCEA MERCURIALIS, or excessive secretion of urine. This is a rare disease, but we shall afterward find, when we come to our systematic provings, that the action of mercury upon the bladder is to cause a profuse flow of urine, and that on this account mercury may be useful in diabetes.

V. HYDROSIS MERCURIALIS, or profuse sweating. This is another effect of mercury. The sweat is preceded by flushes,

MEECUEIUS. 351

anxiety, heat of the skin, quick and soft pulse. Mercurial sweat is clammy, and has a strong, fetid and often sourish smell.

VI. SKIN DISEASES. — Among the cutaneous diseases which have been regarded as part of the ill-effects of mercury, we find the following diseases recorded :

1. Mercurial Eczema, also termed mercurial erythema, or mer- curial lepra. This eruption consists of innumerable, minute and pellucid vesicles, giving the appearance of a diffused redness to the skin, and a sensation of roughness to the touch. Sometimes the eruption is preceded and attended by febrile disorder.

In two or three days the vesicles attain the size of a pin's head, and the serum which they contain becomes opaque and milky. It soons extends over the body, and is accompanied by tumefaction, tenderness and itching. It usually terminates by desquamation ; but in some cases a copious discharge takes place from the excoriated and tender sur- faces; and when this ceases, the epidermis comes off in large flakes; in some instances the hair and nails fall off, and the eyes and eye- brows become entirely denuded.

There is usually some affection of the respiratory organs indicated by dry cough and tightness of the praecordia. This eruption is often accompanied by dryness of the nose and fauces, and occasionally by more or less inflammatory irritation of these parts. The eruption first breaks out in the bends of the knees, on the inner surface of the thighs, on the scrotum, in the groin and in the axilla?. In a few days, the uncovered parts of the body become likewise invaded, tli3 recently formed vesicles con- taining a transparent fluid, whereas the fluid contained in the older vesicles becomes milky and turbid.

On the fourth day, the vesicles break, discharging a tenacious and rather badly-smelling fluid which stiffens the linen. The patient feels most comfortable, with his knees bent and raised ; the pulse is weak, and the tongue somewhat coated.

352 MEKCUKIUS.

MEKCUK1US. 606

The patients are easily drenched with sweat ; the exhalations have an offensive smell and the alvine evacuations are either retained or watery. The appetite is either gone, or else it becomes voracious. The gums are livid, detached from the teeth, of a dirty-black color ; the smell from the mouth is disagreeable, the mucous membrane of the fauces is bluish, spongy, traversed by injected vessels, with tear- ing pains in the limbs, and other constitutional symptoms. Accord- ing to Pereira, these two eruptions, mercurial itch and mercurial impetigo, are doubtful results of mercurial action, and should be ascribed to some other cause.

VII. INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS.—

This inflammation has been de- scribed by Van Amnion ; it is characterized by a peculiar lilac tint around the cornea and a pressure in the eye, and generally passes off as soon as ptyalism sets in. Pereira doubts the correctness of the statement that a conjunctivitis of this sort is attributable to mercury. Another form of mercurial conjunctivitis has the follow- ing appearances ; the conjunctiva of the ball of the eye and of the lids is inflamed ; the eyelids are swollen, red ; the canthi feel as if excoriated, with smarting pain in them, the margins of the lids are burning and itching, agglutinated in the morning ; they secrete a quantity of pus ; frequently the patient is not able to open his eyes until the pus has been washed off with tepid water.

The patient complains of a pressure and sense of friction in the eyes. The eyes are sensitive to light. A quantity of thin, white mucus is secreted from the nose ; the nostrils and upper lip are sore.

This manifests itself either as a venous inflammation of the membrane of Descemet, or as a venous inflam- mation of the parenchyma of the iris.

A burning-aching pain in the bottom of the socket, considerable photophobia, constant laclirymation, a variety of bright colors, sparks, fiery rings before the eyes, etc. Pereira thinks that these inflammatory conditions of the eyes are not legitimate effects of mercury, but should be attributed to some other cause.

VOL. II. — 22.

354 MEBCURIUS.

drawing and aching pain in the posterior part of the fauces, and great dryness in the nose inducing continual attempts to expel air tli rough the nose. In the morning, the patients hawk up a tena- cious, glassy mucus. The tonsils, curtain, uvula, and particularly the hack part of the fauces, exhibit a redness which varies from dark-red to bluish-red. Darker spots are seen here and there, with yellowish elevations of the size of a half pea in those spots ; these elevations are slightly-swollen mucous glands.

The other parts of the mouth are traversed by single vessels of a violet-bluish color, and surrounded by clusters of other varicose vessels. On the mu- cous membrane of the cheeks and on the inner side of the lips vesicles of a pale yellow color are seen which discharge a clear, tasteless lymph, after which the sore heals very rapidly.

MERCUE1US. 355

and symptoms of the murcurial disease are perceived in other tissues and systems.

356 MERCURIUS.

The Simple Mercurial Ulcer, or Ulcus Mercurials Simplex, is thus described by Dieterich : the mucous membrane assumes a bluish- red appearance in one or more places, and becomes spongy; next day these spots become whitish, and the dissolution of the mucous membrane becomes evident. In a few hours the whitish-gray sub- stance changes to a fetid ichor, flows off, and exhibits an irregular, shaggy, flat ulcer, with an almost spongy base and sharply-indented edges. The ichor is discharged in profuse quantity, the ulcer spreads rapidly in extent, without penetrating into the flesh, and is very painful.

If the use of the metal be continued, and the ulcers left to themselves, they assume a dirty, foul appearance and become rapidly phagedenic. Blood is now discharged from the ulcers, not actively, but oozing out as from a sponge, and evincing a state of great debility. The bottom of these ulcers often present, unequal elevations and depressions, as if it had been corroded by insects: The breaking out of these sores is often accompanied by an irregu- lar and quick pulse, sleeplessness, restlessness, profuse night-sweats, great nervousness and impatience from the slightest cause.

Ulceration of the fibrous tissue and of the absorbent glands has likewise been ascribed to the use of mercury.

MRRCUftlUS. 357

Peter Cataneo, an Italian, had worked for five years at the business of silvering mirrors, and was frequently compelled to desist from the employment until the effects of mercury had subsided. At length his tremors became general; gums sore, spirits depressed, bitter taste in the mouth, tongue white, pulse quick and small, but difficult to be felt on account of the constant tremor; cough and tightness of the chest; heat of the skin above the natural standard. He took sulphur as practiced at the mercu- rial mines with some little benefit; a grain of opium at bedtime, and for diet milk, gruel, fish and porter; for his sore mouth an acid gargle was employed. The ptyal- ism abated, the tremors subsided, and in the course of a fortnight nearly disappeared, leaving, however, a sad feeling of weakness which was successfully managed by generous diet and bark.

A remarkable case of mercurial trembling is related by Dr. Stokes in his Clinical Lectures at the University of Dublin.

358 MERCUEIUS.

4. Psellismus Mercurialis, or mercurial stammering ; a peculiar form of mercurial tremor.

5. Mercurial Paralysis; the tremor to which allusion was made just now, sometimes terminates in general palsy or in paralysis of the extremities.

6. Epilepsy and also apoplexy from softening of the brain are mentioned by Dieterich as effects of mercury.

8. Amaurosis is likewise said to have been caused by mercury.

9. Hypochondriasis, imbecility, loss of memory.

XI MERCURIAL CACHEXIA or hydrargyrosis. The milder grades of this disease are characterized by more copious secretions from the intestinal canal, liver and skin ; the urine is turbid, the alviue evacuations are darker and thinner, greenish, the cutaneous exhalations are clammy, smell disagreeably, the epidermis becomes relaxed and withered. There is a disagreeable odor from the mouth, a general feeling of malaise, the pulse is irritated, the patient feels languid and weary. The body and face are bloated, the face looks sallow and the milk in the breasts becomes hurtful to the child.

In the higher grades of hydrargyrosis the patient becomes emaciated, the digestive functions are ruined, there is alternate diarrhoea and constipation. The hair becomes dry and falls out; the eye loses its brilliancy, the face looks pale, sunken, sallow; the nose is pinched, the wings of the nose look grecnis.li or bluish, the lips are shrivelled and bluish, the gums recede from the teeth,

MERCURIUS. 359

aud look bluish-red ; the teeth lose their enamel, turn black and drop out. The mucous membrane of the fauces and mouth looks pale, bluish, dingy, the breath is offensive, the skin feels cold and clammy, and the cutaneous exhalations have a fetid smell; the patient is troubled with watery stools, he is apathetic, loses his memory and senses, and frequenty lapses into a state of imbecility. Death finally takes place, either by gradual dissolution and hectic fever, or after a rapid increase of all the symptoms, by the destruc- tion of all the organic tissues, or by paralysis of the brain and heart.

The mercurial preparations of which homceopathic physicians make use in their practice, are :

3. Mercurius corrosivus or corrosive sublimate.

6. Mercurius jodatus flavus or protoiodide of mercury.

7. Mercurius jodatus ruber or biniodide of mercury.

8. Mercurius praecipitatus albus or white precipitate.

9. Mercurius pra?cipitatus ruber or red precipitate.

10. Mercurius solubilis Hahnemanni or black oxide of mercury.

12. Mercurius vivus or pure, native quicksilver.

All the mercurial preparations should be kept in darkened bottles provided with glass stoppers, except the middle and higher attenua-

360 MEKCURIUS ACETATUS. — MERCURIUS BROMATtJS.

tions upon which the light no longer acts injuriously. We make triturations in the proportion of 1 to 10 or of 1 to 100, up to the 3d, or better still, up to the 6th, after which the potcntizing process may he continued by means of alcohol in the usual manner.