Mercurius Vivus

[NATIVE QUICKSILVER.]

SKIN DISEASES. — Mercurius vivus is a favorite preparation with some practitioners in the treatment of skin diseases. Its path- ogenetic record contains a large number of skin symptoms, such as : dry eruptions, which smart and bleed easily when scratched ; moist eruption, which burns intensely after scratching; eruptions on the scalp, moist, of unpleasant odor, causing the hair to fall off ; sores and fissures in the corners of the mouth. All of these symptoms depend upon a scrofulous or syphilitic taint and are characterized by a tendency to perspire freely, by intense itching and burning, which

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is greatly relieved by the external application of cold, and intensely aggravated by heat. Sucli a patient will feel comfortably upon first retiring, because contact with the cool bedding soothes the irritation ; as soon, however, as the bed becomes warm, the itching becomes in- tense and the patient, awakened from a refreshing slumber, spends the greater part of the night in perfect agony. The following is a case in hand :

J. G., about sixty years of age, applied to me on Oct. 19, 1868, for relief from a troublesome itching of the body and limbs. The skin was covered with crusts and papulse, the former no doubt caused by the frequent and severe scratching which the latter had undergone. The eruption made its appearance over two years ago, first as very small elevated spots on the back of the wrists, gradually extending to the other portions of the body.

The itching was intense. In the language of the patient, " When I first get into bed the cool sheets feel so nice that I go to sleep at once; but after sleeping half an hour I am awakened by the terrible itching and must get out of bed to walk the floor, until the sheets get cool again." Mercurius vivus200, one dose each night for three successive nights, was followed by immediate improvement, and the administration of the same remedy still higher (30m Fincke), at a later date, was followed by a complete cure.

(Dr. R. W. Martin, in Hahn.

Monthly, August, 1S69.;

PERI-CEMENTITIS.— Dr. H. S. Chase recommends mercurius vivus highly in peri-cementitis when the following symptoms occur: sound tooth, sore on pressure ; decayed teeth and dead roots, soie on pressure ; the teeth are not sensitive to cold water ; slight swelling of the gums about the affected tooth ; pain worse on lying down and in wet weather ; pain increased by pressure over the maxillary sinus ; discharge from the nostril of the affected side; in lymphatic, scorbutic and rheumatic constitutions.

Peri-cementitis is cured in from one to eight hours by two grain-doses of the third decimal trituration of mercurius vivus. (Dr. H. S. Chase, in Am. Jour. Horn. Mat. Med., February, 1868.)

ANTIDOTAL TREATMENT.— Among the poisonous effects of mercury, the most formidable are :

Salivation We combat this disorder with gargles of lukewarm water, acidulated with nitric acid ; a strong infusion of alum is like- wise serviceable ; sage-tea may be resorted to. If the gums are simply affected, powdered alum may be rubbed upon them three or four times a day. If the salivation is accompanied with a good deal of pain, the mouth may be rinsed with a solution of opium, in the proportion of one hundred drops to a cupful of water.

Another admirable remedy for mercurial ptyalism is the chloride of potash, of which from five to ten grains in solution may be given internally three or four times a day, using it at the same time as a gargle in the proportion of one hundred grains to a cupful of water.

424 MERCUKIUS VIVUS.

Eczema This distressing eruption may be accompanied with high fever, in which case we give aconite. Trousseau and Pidoux advise the use of emollient and gelatinous baths and general embrocations with a soapy compound of one pound of lime-water and three, four or five ounces of almond-oil. Baths in which from half a pound to two pounds of the acetate of lead have been dissolved are likewise recommended by these gentlemen.

With our aconite perseveringly applied, the acute mercurial eczema loses a good deal of its danger, and its annoying character is more readily controlled. In chronic mercurial eruptions and ulcers, hepar sulphuris is very efficient.

Trembling or tremor, mania, epilepsy and other nervous disorders we may relieve by the use of opiates, principally belladonna, hyoscy- amus and opium. These medicines may be given internally, a few drops of the tincture in a tumblerful of water, and an ointment of the same drugs may be rubbed upon the spine, more particularly in the region of the medulla oblongata and the upper and middle portion of the spinal column. If the lower limbs are much affected, the ointment may be applied to the whole of the vertebral column.

ISTux vomica may likewise prove useful for mercurial tremor and paralysis. Hahnemann recommends electricity for mercurial tremor, neuralgia and paralysis.

Mercurial cachexia or hydrargyria — The remedy in this affection is the hydriodate of potash; in torpid scrofulous constitutions the iodide of iron has been found eminently useful. According to Dieterich, gold and the muriate of gold are the most efficacious antidotes in chronic mercurial poisoning. Dieterich considers the use of iron dangerous, if the mercurial symptoms are complicated with syphilis. Eicord, on the contrary, thinks iron highly advan- tageous, even when syphilitic symptoms are present.

In mercurial bone-diseases, gold and muriate of gold are recom- mended by Dieterich, especially if the nasal cartilages are involved. For mercurial periostitis he recommends phosphoric acid and phosphorus.

In mercurial caries, asafcetida, silicea and the hydriodate of potasli proves the best means of cure.

Belladonna, iodine and the hydriodate of potash for glandular swellings.

If gangrene threatens, pulverized charcoal may be administered ; arsenic may likewise prove useful.

For mercurial rheumatism we give guajacum or aconite.

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For mercurial purging the acetate of lead.

For mercurial neuralgia and spasms, the sulphate of zinc may likewise prove useful.

For mercurial haemorrhage, arnica and iron are indicated.

For debility and slow torpid fever we give china, veratrum and arsenic, also iodine.

Lastly we may commend to your attention the fact that one set of mercurial preparations has been successfully used by eminent practitioners in counteracting the poisonous effects of other mer- curials.