In commerce this metal is often found alloyed with lead or even bismuth. The best method to purify the quicksilver is, to place it in a porcelain cup, and to place over it a dilute solution of the nitrate of mercury, causing this solution to boil for an hour over coal-fire, and constantly renewing the evapo- rating liquid. The lead or bismuth is absorbed by the solu- tion, and the mercury contained in the solution is set free and goes to the mercury underneath. In its natural state, quicksilver has but little dynamic effect upon the health of man ; but the preparations of mercury are very powerful. The preparations which have been most frequently em- ployed for several hundred years past, are calomel, corrosive sublimate, and the mercurial ointment. There are other innu- merable mercurial preparations, combinations of mercury and acids, etc., which I forbear mentioning. This is not the place to express an opinion in regard to the medicinal value of the preparations, were it for no other reason than that their pathogenetic effects upon the human organism have never been ascertained by systematic proving. From a careful examination, I feel authorized to assert that all of those preparations have something in common in their action upon MERCURIUS, ARGENTUM VIVUM. gj the organism, but that each of them has nevertheless some pe- culiar and more or less powerful and penetrating influence up- on the animal economy ; the mercurial salts especially exer- cise an action upon the system which is different from that of pure mercury, and frequently characterized by powerful sec- ondary effects, corresponding to the power of the acid. Even mercurial ointment produces different symptoms from those of the pure mercury, probably on account of the mercury in the ointment being bound by an acid * Homoeopathy rejecting all heterogeneous compounds, I was therefore induced to discover a method by means of which quicksilver should be enabled to exercise its pure, genuine cura- tive action upon the organism in a state of subversion. Even as early as the years 1787 and 1788, 1 tried to obtain the sesquioxyde of mercury by precipitating it from a solution of the nitrate of mercury prepared in a cold temperature, by means of caustic ammonia. The formation of the sesquioxyde had been imperfectly attempted in olden times by means of a mechanical shaking of the metal, or by rubbing it with crab- stones or liquid gum. This oxyde, which may be recognized by its black color and goes under the name of mercurius sol. Hahnemannis — mercurius oxydulatus niger — has indeed been preferred to all the mercurial preparations, on account of its milder action and its more powerful and more specific antisy- philitic action ; nevertheless a more careful examination has convinced me that this prepartion is not entirely pure, but that, the black color originates in an excess of caustic ammonia which had been required to precipitate the mercury from a so- lution of the nitrate of mercury containing nitric acid in ex- cess ; but that the nitrate of mercury with an excess of nitric acid contains yet some muriates and sulphates of mercury (which have aerid properties even in the smallest quantity),, being hidden from the eyes by the dark color of the oxyde, and being precipitated with it, and making it impure. To avoid this inconvenience I have described, in the second edition of my preface to mercury, the manner in which a pure mercurial oxyde can be obtained by means of caustic ammo- nia, as pure as the mercurial powder which is obtained by * John Bell wonders that he should never have been able to cure the venereal bubo by the mere application of the mercurial ointment, and that he should have been obliged to destroy the chancre by exter- nal means. And it is nevertheless true that the pure quicksilver, such as the mercurius solubilis (hydrargyrum oxydulatum nigrum) cures the bubo without using any other drug. VOL. III. 7 82 MERCURIUS, ARGENTUM VIVUM. shaking the original quicksilver for a long while, and is known under the name of (zthiops per se. Nothing can be objected to this last preparation except the tedious process of preparing it. The shortest and most efficient mode of preparing quicksil- ver for homoeopathic purposes is to triturate the pure mercury which is used for thermometers, in the manner which has been taught in the first volume of the chronic diseases. After tritu- rating one grain of mercury with one hundred grains of sugar of milk, a certain black appearance remains on the porcelain mortar, even when scraping it ever so carefully ; this appearance disappears entirely after the third trituration. One pellet saturated with the 30th potency, is entirely suffi- cient for all curative purposes. The subjoined symptoms belong to the mercurius sol. Hahnem.j which was pure enough to show the genuine effects- of mercury upon the healthy body. Quicksilver has been abused in every sort of disease by alloeopathic physicians. They either imagined that a milder remedy would not be sufficient, or they imagined indurations and obstructions which had to be removed by means of this pretended universal dissolvent, or the metal was given in the supposition that some syphilitic miasm was haunting the sys- tem of the patient. If disagreeable symptoms supervened by the repetition of the drug, the alloeopathic physician, so far from suspecting the improper use of the drug, charged the fault upon the disease, imagined that the drug had not been employed in sufficiently large doses ; these were then re- peated, increased, all the various mercurial preparations, even *the corrosive sublimate, were used in turns ; they were even assisted by mercurial ointments, and the life of the patient, or at any rate his constitution, was irreparably ruined. Inasmuch as we know now that almost all chronic dis- eases, without any exception (except of course genuine syphilis and sycosis) result from a more or less developed psora, and that even in those cases where syphilis and sycosis are compli- cated with psora, the latter is to be considered and acted upon in the first place, not by mercury, and still less by its acrid preparations, which make psora so much more incurable : this explains why the treatment of chronic diseases should have so signally and shamefully failed previous to that classifica- tion of the chronic miasms being known. Excepting the processes of depletion by the veins and bow- els, the frequent abuse of opium, as an anodyne and soporific, the abuse of China, as a means of suppressing intermittent MERCURIUS, ARGENTUM VIVUM. go fever, and giving artificial strength to the patient, in cases where the weaknesss resulted solely from the disease not being cured, and the vital humors of the patients having been squan- dered by the physician there have been no surer means in the hands of doctors, of abbreviating human life, than their favorite calomel and corrosive sublimate. How differently proceeds homoeopathy enlisted in the service of humanity ! No true disciple of homoeopathy prescribes mercury except alter the most careful investigation of the symptoms of the dis- ease ; only in pure, uncomplicated syphilis does he feel at lib- erty to exhibit the smallest dose of the above mentioned mer- curial preparation without hesitation. This rational use of mercury has nothing in common with the now fashionable method of exhibiting large doses of calo- mel (a mercurial preparation where mercury, on account of its combination with muriatic acid, acts very differently from the pure quicksilver) in almost every disease, generally combined with opium, without having a correct knowledge of the thera- peutic action of either calomel or opium, and without distin- guishing the cases where either the former or the latter or both together, are indicated. It mav well be said that 'the alloeopallnc practice has reached the climax of absurdity in the indiscriminate use of these two drugs. Corrosive sublimate is a little more known on account of the abuses which have been perpetrated with this drug. It is soluble in water and alcohol. I have found the smallest por- tion of a drop of the fifteenth or thirtieth potency sufficient to cure the common fall-dysentery, giving only one dose. Cinnabaris or vermilion has likewise peculiar symptoms some of which will be found below. Antidotes are: Hepar s., Sulphur, Camphor, Opium, China, or nitric acid. Electricity is said to antidote the effects of a slow poisoning by mercury, especially the tremblings of gilders. The following symptoms of the black oxyde of mercury are mostly primary symptoms ; a few are secondary effects, which may be distinguished by an absence of pain and inflammation for instance a kind of hard, cold, painless glandular swellings and a certain kind of cataleptic paralytic weakness of the muscles. This drug has been proved by Gross, Gutmann, Fr. Hah- nemann, Hartmann, Hornburg, Langhammer, Rummel, Hart. FROM NOACK AND TRINKS. This mercurial preparation has been invented by Hahne- 84 MERCURIUS, ARGENTUM VIVUM. mann himself; the proving which he has instituted with if, will be considered a model-proving in all ages. It is complete and thorough, exhibiting in a clear and distinct manner all the primary effects of the metallic mercury, as well as of its chemical compounds. All the symptoms have been obtained from large doses. This drug may be employed for the follow- ing affections : Catarrhal affections, especially when induced by cool evening-air. Great liability to cold. Abuses of Cin- chona, Plumbum and Sulphur. Acute rheumatism. Acute articular rheumatism, with inflammatory erysipelatous redness and swelling of the affected parts, and increase of the pains at nights. Chronic rheumatism. Acute gout, with inflamma- tory hot swelling of the affected parts, and nightly exacerba- tion of the stitching, tearing, and boring pains. Primary syphilis. Venereal bubo. (The soluble mercury brings on suppuration more rapidly than any other remedy.) Secondary syphilis. Syphilitic ulcers of the mouth, tonsils and fauces. Syphilitic iritis, even with formation of condylomata on the border of the iris. Nightly pains in the bones. Ramollisse- ment of the bones. Syphilitic caries. Syphilitic exanthemata: small suppurating vesicles, in clusters, on the calves and fore- arms, with violently burning itchings, spreading, bursting, dif- fusing into one another, and afterwards forming a general crust, behind which an excessively acrid ichor is secreted, which oozes out at the border, causing the ulcer to spread, and at the same time to penetrate more deeply into the flesh. Inveterate secondary and tertiary syphilitic conditions are cured less rarely by the mercurius solubilis than by the complete mercurial oxydes. Scrofulosis. Inflammation of the glands, character- ized by phlegmonous redness, swelling and stinging pain, worse in the evening and at night. Inflammation of the parotid glands, tonsils, cervical, axillary and inguinal glands. Mer- cury brings on suppuration of the glands more readily than any other drug. Scrofulosis combined with Syphilis. Inflam- mation of the periosteum and bones, characterized by stinging, boring, and gnawing pains, becoming intolerable at night, redness and swelling of the soft parts covering the bones, etc. Romollissement and curvature of the bones, and liability of the bones to breaking. Caries of the bones. Caries from me- chanical injury of the bones. Arthrocace. Dropsical condi- tions. Venous congestions to the head, chest and abdomen. Congestions to the chest and abdomen at the time of the menses. Congestions to every organ in one of the three great cavities of the body. Venous congestions to the head, chest, and abdomen. Trembling of the limbs, also when occasioned MERCURIUS, ARGENTUM VIVUM. 35 by the excessive use of spirituous drinks. St. Vitus' dance, in alternation with Ignatia, Stramonium, and Hyosciamus. Epilepsy. Scarlatina, with inflammation of the mouth and fauces, and suppuration of the tonsils. After-diseases of the measles. Erysipelas. Erysipelas neonatorum. Variola, es- pecially when there is a profuse flow of saliva during the suppurative stage. Smallpox, in the stage of maturation, affecting the whole of the mouth and intestinal canal ; in confluent smallpox, when the parts where the pocks are located are excessively swollen, with inflammatory fever ; in caries occasioned by smallpox. Varioloid. Varicella with inflam- mation of the throat. Zona. Crusta lactea and serpiginosa. Urticaria. Chloasma hepaticum. Dry itch, readily bleeding. Itch-like eruption on the abdomen and thigh, dry, elevated, scaling herpes, with violent itching and burning of the head, back, and limbs, especially at night. Herpes on the dorsum of one, and the ball of the thumb of the other hand, with dark redness of the skin, the outer border of the herpes scaling off constantly, and being somewhat redder, sharply circumscribed and somewhat elevated ; in the middle portion of the herpes small vesicles sprang up containing a yellow humor. Elevated spots like measles, more or less large, of the color of dark raspberries, with vesicles in the region of the wrist and ankle- joints filled with a thick, yellowish serum, and burning, which increased by friction, and especially at night. Suppurating herpes, becoming covered with thick crusts. — Herpes with burning. — Herpes prseputialis. — Intertrigo infantum, spreading sometimes beyond the folds of the skin. Peeling off of the skin of the hands and feet. — Diseases of the nails. — Rapidly spreading, spongy, bluish, readily bleeding ulcers, very painful to the touch, with depressions and elevations. — Scorbutic ulcers. — Benign and malignant suppurations. — Dropsy of the skin, when occasioned by scarlatina and affections of the liver. — Scurvy of every sort. — Nightly sleeplessness, brought on by orgasm of the blood, and itching of the skin. — Fever, with local inflammations, inclining to exsudations and suppu- ration. — Fever with venous local inflammation of parenchy- matous and glandular organs.— Fever with inflammation of the mucous and serous membranes, and the fibrous tissues. — Fever with rheumatic and catarrhal symptoms. — Tertiary intermittent fevers, with anticipating type, chilliness followed by burning heat, unquenchable thirst which commences soon after the chilliness; afterwards excessive exhausting sweat for many hours ; fetid smell from the mouth during the fever ; the apyrexia is characterized by debility, vertigo, sensation as of a 86 MERCUR1US, ARGENTUM VIVUM. plug being in the throat hindering deglutition, inflammation and painfullness of the gums, profuse secretion of saliva. — Nervous fevers with gastric symptoms, painful pressure and tension in the region of the liver, flat, putrid taste, want of appetite, nausea, vomiting of bitter mucus, and greenish-yellow, copious diarrhoea, vertigo, tearing and burning headache, espe- cially in the temples and hindering sleep, wakefulness, exces- sive irritability, restlessness, anxiety, delirium with thirst, burning heat of the whole body, or livid appearance of one portion of the buccal cavity, spongy and readily bleeding gums, dark urine having a putrid smell, brown clay-colored countenance, stupor, lying on the back with vacant looks.— Status biliosus with and without fever : yellow color of the skin, yellow tongue, bitter taste, bitter eructations, anorexia, desire for sour things, sensitiveness of the praecordia and region of the liver. — Mucous fever : Increased diminution of appetite, tongue coated white, painful dryness of the throat and fauces during deglutition, putrid taste and smell, nausea, tearing and burning pain in the temples, pressure and tension in the pit of the stomach and in the region of the stomach and liver, gulping- up of an acrid humor into the mouth, turbid, flocculent urine with mucous sediment, irregular stools with frequent urging, pale, livid appearance, debility, etc. Status pituitosus, with and without fever, characterized by a thick and dirty coating of the tongue, loss of taste, or else a flat, pappy, soaplike taste, anorexia, violent desire for spicy things, flat eructations, dryness of the mouth and throat, indolent, completely suppressed evacuations, or else slimy, diarrhoeic, fetid stools, great mental and physical debility. — Nervous fevers, when the following symptoms are present: Vertigo, violent headache, inability to think, humming in the ears, thick, dirty-yellow, slimy coating of the tongue, putrid taste, nausea, bitter vomiting, great sensitiveness and painf ill- ness of the pit of the stomach and umbilical region, burn- ing heat of the skin of the abdomen when touching it with the hand, yellow diarrhoeic stools, or putrid taste with a clear tongue, great sensitiveness of the pit of the stomach, pain in the region of the liver with distention of the place where the pain is felt, which is aggravated by pressure, retention of stool, or else slight gastric symptoms, retention of stool, intolerable pains in the epigastrium, especially at night, with restlessness, anguish, tossing about, complete sleeplessness, occasional de- lirium. — Typhus fever with bleeding from the gums, dark urine, copious green-yellow stools, livid countenance. — Typhus abdominalis in the first stage, with great debility, nausea, vomiting, violent headache, thick-coated tongue. — Typhus ab- MERCURIUS, ARGENTUM VIVUM. 87 dominalis in the first stage, in venous lymphatic individuals with lax constitution, pale-yellow countenance, violent head- ache, thick-coated tongue, bitter, pappy, putrid taste, little thirst, sensitiveness of the umbilical and hepatic region to pressure, distention of the abdomen, watery, copious, flocculent, some- what bloody evacuations, restlessness, anguish, tossing about in the bed, restless sleep, anxious dreams. — Febres lentse, hecticae, with rapid emaciation, and profuse colliquative night and morning-sweats. — Sweat after every slight bodily exertion, such as frequently appears during the period of convalescence from a heavy and exhausting illness. — Profuse, sour-smellin and fetid morning-sweats. — Profuse, colliquative and exhaust- ing sweats in catarrhal, rheumatic, febrile and non-febrile con- ditions, in influenza and its sequelae (sudamen or hydro febrilis.) such sweats affording no relief of the existing morbid symp- toms. Melancholy. Moria. Chronic vertigo. Vertigo caduca. Inflammatory affections of the head. Acute hydocephalus in' the inflammatory and exsudative stage. — Chronic hydro- cephalus. Retarded closing of the sutures and fontanelles. Catarrhal, rheumatic and arthritic headaches. Venous con- gestions to the head. Bloody tumors of the scalp in new-born babes. Tinea capitis, sicca et favosa. Porrigo with falling off of the hair. Baldness. Inflammation, redness and swelling of the eyelids, with a dull-cutting, aching sensation underneath,and dif- ficulty of moving them. Catarrhal, scrofulous and herpetic inflam- mation of the eyelids, with profuse secretion of mucus, forma- tion of crusts, scurfs and ulcers on the margin. Blepharophthal- mia glandulosa. Eclropium. Spasmodic closing of the eyelids. Inflammation of the lachrymal bone. Rheumatic ophthalmia with ulcers on the cornea. — Tearing and boring pains in and around the eyes, with evening and night-exacerbation, running, indistinct sight. — Iritis arthritica. Ophthalmia gonorrhoica. — Photophobia. Chromatopsia. — Muscae volitantes. — Hemeralo- pia. Amblyopia. — Otalgia. — Rheumatic stitching and tearing pains in the ears. — Inflammation of the external ear and the meatus auditorius. — Soreness, excoriation and ulceration of the concha and the meatus auditorius. — Hemorrhage from the ears. Purulent otorrhoea. — Otorrhoea purulenta. Scrofulosa, occa- sioned by carious destruction of the internal ear or the mastoid process. — Acute internal otitis. — Scrofulous caries of the inner organs. Catarrhal and rheumatic hardness of hearing, with sensation as if the ears were obstructed ; when swallowing or blowing they open as with a report. — Roaring, fluttering, and ringing in the ears. — Deafness. — Angina parotidea. — Inflam- mation and suppuration of the parotid glands in scarlatina and 88 MERCUR1US, ARGENTUM V1VUM. typhus abdominalis. — Inflammation of the nose. — Inflammation and hyperostosis of the nasal bone. Painful blisters on the nose. Blackish nose. — Ulcerated nostrils. — Ozama.— Clay-colored complexion. — Rheumatic faceache. — Neuralgia inframaxilla ris. — Crusta lactea, serpiginosa. — Yellow scurf in the face, with effusion of fetid humor, itching and bleeding when scratched. Spreading herpes in the face. — Itching, redness and swelling of the face, covered with papulae and pustules. — Dryness and rha- gades of the lips. — Soft red sores on the lips, emitting a watery, yellow fetid humor, forming crusts, bleeding when touched. — Caries of the antrum Highmorianum and the maxilla). Inflam- mation and suppuration of the submaxillary glands. — Rheu- matic toothache, tearing, boring, gnawing, stitching, especially in the roots of the teeth ; worse by eating and drinking ; relieved for a moment by cold water; becoming intolerable in the night, affecting the whole side of the head. — Tearing toothache, the tongue being painful as if burnt, with fetid odor from the mouth, and scorbutic condition of the gums. — Tearing tooth- ache with locking of the jaw. — Tearing and stinging toothache with ptyalism. — Painful feeling of dulness and looseness of the teeth, elongation, vacillation and blackening of the teeth. — Suppuration and ulceration of the gums. — Recession of the gums from the teeth. — The gums look spongy, and bleed read- ily. — Scurvy. — Dull toothache, with single stitching jerks dart- ing from the roots to the crown. — Pain in the teeth, as if the sockets were ulcerated. — Fetid odor from the month. Inflam- mation of the mucous membrane of the mouth. — Round, white burning vesicles in the mouth. — Aphtha). — Burning sores in the mouth. — Burning ulcers on the inner cheek, lips, and tongue, with fetid odor from the mouth. — Stomacace. — Inflam- mation of the tongue, of the papilla).— Inflammation and ulcer- ation of the Stenonian duct. — Stammering. — Aphonia. — A sort of paralysis after apoplectic symptoms. — Angina tonsillaris and of the throat. — Angina tonsillaris, the tonsils being covered with ulcers. — Ulceration of the tonsils. — Angina gangrsenosa. Angina uvularis et palatina. — Constant desire to swallow. — Painful dryness in the throat. Weak digestion. Slimy, bitter, putrid, sweet, metallic taste. — Painfullness of the region of the stomach when touched. — Venous congestion to the stomach. — Hepatitis, with stinging and burning pains, or aching stitching pains, constipation, chronic inflammation of the liver. — Indura- tion of the liver. — Jaundice. — Acute and chronic inflammation of the pancreas. — Cholera. — Venous congestion to the abdomen, characterized by distention, repletion after dinner, pain as if a leg were in the abdomen, sensation as if something living were MERCURIUS, ARGENTUM VIVUM. 89 in the abdomen, scanty papescent stool, little flatulence, retention of stool in spite of desire, and pressing. Atrophia meseraica of children ; the glands being hard as stone, and felt through the abdominal walls, with constipation or colliquative diarrhoea — Ascites with affection of the liver. — Inflammation, suppuration of the inguinal glands. — Tenesmus of the anus and rectum. Diarrhoea. Discharges of greenish bloody mucus. Diarrhoea of infants, occasioned by acidity in the primae viae, or dentition. — Dysentery with discharges of sanguineous mucus. Epidemic dysentery. Cholera. Diarrhoea in the suppurative stage of small- pox. Undigested, black, viscid, bloody stools. Watery sangui- neo-mucous discharges, with tenesmus, occasioned by a cold. Purulent diarrhoea, occasioned by ulcers in the intestines. In- flammation of the mucous membrane of the rectum and anus. Mucous and fluent haemorrhoids with burning at the anus. Cor- rosive itching of the anus and the genital organs, accompanied with haemorrhoidal tumors. Incontinence of urine. — Cutting and contractive pain in the region of the kidneys. — Colica ne- phritica from the ascension of calculi in the kidneys. Catarrh of the bladder. Dysuria and stranguria. Acute and chronic in- flammation of the urethra. — Gonorrhoea, inflammatory stage. — Haematuria with burning pains in the urethra, and syphilitic ul- cers. Haemorrhage from the urethra. (Edema of the prepuce. — Inflammation of the prepuce. — Phimosis and paraphimosis. — Inflammation of the inner surface of the prepuce, with redness and secretion of pus. — White, humid, spreading vesicles on the glans. — Balanorrhoea. — Eruptions on the inner and outer sur- face of the prepuce. — Orchitis. — Hard swelling of the testicles with shining hardness of the scrotum. Hydrocele, both as a primary affection and as a secondary affection of scarlatina. — Itching pimples, and tubercles of the labia. — Inflammation of the pudendum, commencing with a small induration, followed by an enormous enlargement of the hard, hot, dark-red, shining lip, painful to the touch, with shooting, burning, throbbing pains. — Lymphatic tumors of the labia. — Metrorrhagia. — Inflamma- tion of the mucous membrane of the vagina. — Corrosive, burn- ing fluor albus, caused by contact with syphilitic virus. Pro- lapsus of the vagina. Sterility of the female. — Easy concep- tion. Mastitis, to promote suppuration. — Soreness of the nip- ples. Corrosive watery coryza. Dry coryza with obstruction of the nose. — Catarrhal inflammation of the mucous mem- brane of the larynx. — Inflammatory catarrhal fever. — Chronic hoarseness. — Burning and tickling in the larynx. — Phthisis laryngea and trachealis. — Acute and chronic bronchitis.— In- fluenza.— Influenza with debility, hoarseness, pain in the head, 90 MERCURIUS, ARGENTUM VIVUM. neck and chest, profuse sweats, paralytic weakness, hoarse- ness, roughness of voice, dry scraping cough, exciting a feel- ing of soreness in the larynx, copious sweat affording no relief. Short dry and hacking cough. Rough dry cough, with feeling of dryness in the chest. Violent concussive dry cough. — Spasmodic cough. — Haemoptysis. Consumption of the lungs in the first stage. — Incipient tuberculous consump- tion. — Tuberculous phthisis, even when the tubercles com- mence to soften, with occasional fits of haemoptysis. — Asthma during motion. — Asthmatic symptoms and spasms of the chest, brought on by inspiring the fumes of copper. — Stinging, aching, burning soreness in the chest. — Pleuritic hydrothorax. Palpitation of the heart. Inflammation of the vertebrae. — Rheu- matic stiffness of the nape of the neck and neck. — Induration of the cervical glands. — Rheumatic and arthritic pains in the upper and lower limbs, with sweats which afford no relief. — Rhagades of the hands and fingers. — Panaritium in the in- flammatory stage ; mercury accelerates the formation of pus, diminishing thereby the wild and maddening pain. Exfolia- tion of the nails. Ischias, with boring pain along the whole course of the ischiatic nerve, worse at night. — Psoitis, when it is necessary to promote suppuration. — Scrofulous chronic inflammation of the hip joint in children, to prevent suppura- tion and caries. — Coxalgia. Spontaneous limping. — Shining, transparent swelling of the thighs and legs. — Inflammation and swelling of the knee, from wounding the capsule of the joint and the synovial membrane, by a blow with the axe. Swelling of the knee-joint, from repelled itch. — Gonagra. Local inflam- mation of the right tibia. Podagra. Hyperostosis of the tar- sus. Painful swelling of the metatarsus ; fetid profuse sweat of the feet. CALOMEL. Hartmann has cured by means of Calomel a case of ulcer- ated putrid quinsy, in a child of eight years, who had become attacked with febrile rheumatic symptoms, and afterwards com- plained of a scratching-burning sensation in the throat during deglutition ; an offensive smell came out of the mouth which became more putrid in proportion as one approached the child's mouth. The inner mouth and fauces exhibited a quantity of small, round, deep, livid-looking ulcers, descending down to the larynx, which might be inferred from the child talking with a hoarse voice. The first trituration of Calomel, one grain every four hours, afforded help. Inflamed, suppurating herpes on the hand, with inflammation of the lympathic vessels of that arm, intense fever, and strong full pulse. MERCURIUS, PILECIPITATUS RUBER. " 91 CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE. This is the most powerful of all mercurial preparations, and acts with equal intensity upon every part of the animal economy; it may be employed in the following affections : Acute and chro- nic rheumatism. Acute and chronic gout. Syphilis in the se- cond and third stage. Syphilitic ulcers of the mucous mem- brane of the fauces, tonsils, soft and hard palate ; ozacna syphi- litica with destruction of the vomer and the turbinated bones ; iritis syphilitica with condylomata on the margin of the pupils ; chancre on the skin, and syphilitic cutaneous ulcers ; syphi- litic tubercles of the skin ; corona veneris ; syphilitic herpes ; periostitis and syphilitic ostitis ; syphilitic caries. — Primary pha- gedenic syphilitic ulcers, with profuse and malignant suppura- tion. — Corrosive sublimate is the best remedy to arrest the de- structive process of the syphilitic virus in the vegetative sphere of the organism and the inferior tissues, even when the most persevering mercurial treatment had been without any effect ; it not only arrests, but also cures in the safest and most perma- nent manner the various effects of constitutional syphilis, sur- passing in this respect every other mercurial preparation. — Febris lenta. — Hectic symptoms, with short, fatiguing, loose cough. — Typhus cerebralis stupidus with torpor. — Arthritic iritis. — Amaurosis. Aphthas. Noma. Atrophia meseraica in- fantum. — Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the intes- tines. — Typhus abdominalis in the second and third stage, with sanguineous and slimy, fetid, disorganized stools with tenes- mus, cutting in the umbilical region, parched tongue, etc. Dys- entery. Secondary gonorrhoea. Tuberculous phthisis of the lungs in the first and second stage. MERCURIUS PRjECIPITATUS RUBER. It has been several times employed with brilliant success in primary and secondary syphilis ; in primary syphilis for suddenly spreading corrosive chancres, in secondary for invet- erate syphilitic cutaneous eruptions, ulcers of the throat, chan- cres on the skin, affections of the periosteum and bones. ANTIDOTES OF ALL THE MERCURIAL PREPARATIONS. Acidum nitricum, against violent pains of the bones, ulcers of the mucous membrane, hydrargyrosis combined with 92 ANTIDOTES. congestive symptoms and inveterate syphilis. Stoinacace mer- curialis ; scorbutic haemorrhage, ulcers in the mucous membrane of the mouth and fauces ; affections of the periosteum and bones. Acidum phosphoricuxM, for periostitis. Ammonicm carbonicum, has been recommended as an an- tidote by Hahnemann, without indicating the special symptoms. Arnica, against pulmonary haemorrhage occasioned by the abuse of mercury. Arsenicum ? Artemisia vulgaris, for hydrargyrosis combined with rheumatism and gout. Asa fcetida for caries mercurialis ? ozaena mercurialis? Aurum : this antidote was known already to Dioscorides and Paracelsus. Aurum muriaticum, for hydrargyrosis with cachectic symptoms and scrofulosis ; hypochondria and ozaena mercuri- alis ; mercurial induration and swelling of the testicles? Belladonna, against the congestions to the head brought on by mercury ; periostitis and ostitis, phlegmonous inflamma- tion of the glands. Camphora, has been recommended and employed as an antidote by Hahnemann without indicating the special forms. Carbo vegetabilis, in acute poisoning with the corrosive sublimate, and when gangrene is to be apprehended ; ulcers in the mucous membrane of the intestines ; stomacace mercuri- alis ; gangrene resulting from mercurial ptyalism ; mercurial ulcers having a scorbutic and gangrenous character, with burning nightly pains, etc. China, against excessive weakness consequent upon the loss of strength, and humors occasioned by mercury ; exces- sive irritation of the nervous system, lentescent fever, exces- sive sweats, excessive sensitiveness of the skin to changes of temperature, great liability to taking cold, affections of the periosteum and bones, mercurial caries, etc. CoNiuM,for cold glandular swellings, from abuse of mercury. Cuprum for mercurial ulcers 1 Dulcamara, for mercurial rheumatism, great liability to cold, mercurial herpes and impetigo. Electricity, for mercurial trembling of the limbs, mercu- rial neuralgia and paralysis ; hydrargyrosis combined with rheumatic and arthritic affections ; affections of the bones ; hy- drargyrosis with syphilis. Ferrum et aquae martiales, for mercurial cachexia, mercurial ulcers, periostitis (ferrum phosphoricum) ; hydrargy- rosis combined with torpid scrofula (ferrum jodatum) ; mercu-