Homeopathy LibraryMercurius Solubilis
Reason for use
Precipitated black oxide of Mercury, with Nitric acid and Ammonia.
N 2 O 5 3Hg 2 O + 2NH 3 .
(I have, in accordance with the usual custom, embraced both these preparations under the one head, their similarity being so great that no distinction is usually made in practice.
Most of the symptoms are obtained from the solubilis , and in order to facilitate the student's knowledge, I have as far as possible designated those obtained from the vivus by an asterisk, those obtained from both preparations by a double asterisk.
On account of the varying and doubtful composition of the solubilis , the vivus is usually considered the most reliable remedy, and has replaced the former to a great extent since Hahnemann's time, and even by Hahnemann himself in the latter years of his practice.
I find the vivus of most use in affections of the mouth, throat, and respiratory organs, and in glandular swellings, while the solubilis seems to act more decidedly upon the alimentary and genitourinary tracts, and upon the skin. ( Dr. A. C. C .)
acting upon these tissues by virtue of its presence in them.
Its special action upon each we may more clearly comprehend by a careful study of the characteristic effects, as given below.
The most essential feature of the action of Mercury is its remarkable resemblance to the effects of the syphilitic poison. Its chief characteristic is an aggravation of all the symptoms at night, and from the warmth of the bed. Dr. A. C. C.)
General Analysis.-
Mercurius acts profoundly upon the entire organism, affecting both the function and the substance of every organ and tissue of the body. Preeminently it operates upon the vegetative system, altering its functional power, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and decomposing and destroying its organic constituents.
Secretion and absorption are both increased, and the secretions, losing their plasticity, become thinner and more fluid, and at the same time acrid and excoriating.
On the organic system, Mercury acts more especially upon the mucous and serous membranes, the glandular system, the parenchymatous organs, the fibrous and osseous tissues, and the skin.
The first condition produced is one of excitation-swelling and inflammation, soon followed by reaction, and subsequent weakness and exhaustion, which betokens commencing organic decomposition.
The tissues above mentioned become the seat of destructive ulcerative processes, suppurations, and puriform collections, while there is, at the same time, a tendency to the deposition of new products, according to the character of the tissue involved.
Thus we see that Mercury penetrates the entire organism, and permeates every tissue, acting upon these tissues by virtue of its presence in them.
Its special action upon each we may more clearly comprehend by a careful study of the characteristic effects, as given below.
The most essential feature of the action of Mercury is its remarkable resemblance to the effects of the syphilitic poison.
Its chief characteristic is an aggravation of all the symptoms at night, and from the warmth of the bed.
Characteristic symptoms.
▲ Worse
In the evening and at night; from heat of bed; during perspiration; in wet weather; in cold evening air; in fall, with warm days, and damp, cold nights; during exercise; from lying on right side
▼ Better
During the day; during rest
The full Cowperthwaite text, by section
Mind
(Mercurius)
* Weakness of memory . (Agn., Ambr., Anac ., Kreos., Lach., Natr. mur., Nux m ., Phos. ac.)
Great anxiety, restlessness (Ars.), and apprehension, especially in evening and at night. (Acon., Ars., Calc. c., Rhus tox.)
* Answers questions slowly . (Phos., Phos. ac.)
Imaginary fears of dying, or of losing reason. (Can. ind.)
* Low muttering delirium. (Agar., Ailanth., Bell., Hyos.)
Wretchedness, and dejection of spirits.
Morose and suspicious.
Irritability and ill humor.
Hurried and rapid talking . (Bell., Hyos., Lach., Stram.)
Head
(Mercurius)
Head feels as if bound around with a cord. (Gels., Merc. bin., Natr. mur., Nitr. ac., Puls., Sulph.)
Head feels as if it would burst, with fullness of the brain. ( Acon., Bry., Cinch., Natr. mur. )
Pressive pain in left temple.
Tearing or drawing pains or stinging on one side of the head, extending to the ears, teeth, and neck.
* Constant rotary motion of the head.
The scalp is painful to touch (Cinch., Natr. mur., Nitr. ac.) ; worse when scratching, which is followed by bleeding.
Moist eruption on the scalp (Hep. s., Graph ., Lyc., Merc., Nitr. ac.), which eats away the hair ; yellow running scabs and excoriation.
* Falling out of the hair. ( Graph., Nitr. ac., Sep ., Phos.)
Tearing and stinging in the bones of the skull.
Sutures open ; large head ; precocious mental development.
Exostoses on hairy scalp, with feeling of soreness when touched ; worse at night in bed.
Eyes
(Mercurius)
* Eyes inflamed, with swollen inverted tarsi (Borax)) and very sensitive to light.
Heat, burning, redness, and pressure in the eyes. (Acon., Ars., Sulph.)
Lachrymation profuse, burning, excoriating.
Ulcers of the cornea, vascular and surrounded by grayish opacity ; pus between the corneal layers, onyx. Iritis, syphilitic ; throbbing, shooting pains ; worse from touch) at night ; hypopion.
Ciliary blepharitis, caused by working over fires or forges.
Lids spasmodically closed (Hep. s.) ; red, inflamed, swollen ; agglutinated in the morning. (Alum., Calc. c., Lyc., Puls ., Sil., Sulph .)
Eyes forcibly drawn together on attempting to look at anything ; cannot see distinctly.
Fog before the eyes (Kali carb., Lach.) ; also black points, flies, etc. (Agar., Cycl., Phos., Sulph .)
Intolerance of light and firelight . (Acon., Bell., Sulph .)
Ears
(Mercurius)
Inflammation of internal and external ear, with stinging, tearing pains ( Bell ., Puls .) ; bloody, offensive discharge . (Calc. c., Hep. s., Graph., Lyc.)
Ringing and roaring in the ears. (Cinch., Sulph ., Sil.)
Soreness and excoriation of the ears.
Hardness of hearing, with obstruction ; sounds vibrate in the ears ; obstruction momentarily better after swallowing, or blowing the nose.
Nose
(Mercurius)
Nosebleed during sleep ; during cough.
Coryza ; fluent, corrosive, with much sneezing ; offensive odor ; nostrils bleeding, scurfy ; nose red, swollen, shining. (Ars., Arum, Puls.)
Nasal bones swollen and painful to touch . (Alum., Aur ., Bry., Hep. s.)
Face
(Mercurius)
* * Paleness of face.
* Face earthy-colored, puffy . (Ars., Puls.)
Internal swelling of the upper lip. (Bell.)
Corners of the mouth ulcerated and painfully sore . (Ant. crud., Graph .)
Lips dry, cracked, and ulcerated. (Ars.)
* * Spasm and immobility of the jaws.
Mouth
– (Mercurius)
* * Teeth feel loose, fall out (Merc. cor.), * become black ; carious . (Staph.)
Pulsating, jerking toothache, extending into ear and head ; worse at night (Ant. crud., Bell.) and from warmth of bed . (Clem.)
* * Gums painful to touch, swollen, spongy, receding from the teeth (Carb. v., Nitr. ac.) ; edges whitish ; bleeding ; fetid odor from the mouth . ( Arn ., Hep. s., Iodi., Kali nit., Nitr. ac ., Kreos.)
Tongue * red and swollen (Bell.) ; * * ulcerated ; * black, with red eyes ( Ars .) ; * * swollen, coated white ( Ant. crud., Bry ., Nux v.) ; * moist, with intense thirst ; * * swollen, flabby (Natr. ars.) ; showing impress of teeth on margin ; * * movements difficult ; speech difficult ; stammering. (Caust., Hyos., Stram .)
Aphthae in the mouth . ( Borax , Hell., Hydras., Iodi.)
* Inflammation and superficial ulceration of the mucous membranes of the mouth. (Nitr. ac.)
* * Profuse salivation (Acon., Cinch., Euc., Iodi., Nitr. ac .) ; saliva fetid or tastes coppery.
Taste sweetish (Ars., Bry., Sulph., Coccus ) ; salty (Natr. mur.) ; * metallic ( Aesc., Coccul ., Coccus, Naja, Osm., Sulph .) ; slimy or putrid. (Arn., Rhus tox.)
Throat
(Mercurius)
* Uvula swollen and elongated.
Syphilitic ulcers in throat and mouth.
Painful dryness of the throat, with mouth full of saliva ; pressure on swallowing.
Suppuration of the tonsils, with sharp, sticking pain in fauces when swallowing. (Hep. s., Nitr. ac.)
* Angina, throat and fauces of a coppery red color, and swollen.
Inability to swallow liquids, which return through the nose. ( Lyc .)
* Glands swollen. (Arum, Aur., Baryt. c., Calc. c., Sil.)
Stomach
(Mercurius)
Excessive hunger or complete loss of appetite.
Violent empty eructations. (Ipec., Phos., Verat. alb.)
Extremely violent thirst. (Acon., Ars., Bry.)
Water collects in mouth, causing nausea and vomiting of a bitter substance.
Stomach burns, is swollen and sensitive to touch.
Weak digestion, with continuous hunger.
The stomach feels replete and constricted.
Abdomen
(Mercurius)
Stitches in hepatic region, interfering with breathing and eructations. (Acon., Ars., Bry., Chel., Cinch., Kali carb., Nux v.)
Region of liver swollen, sensitive, cannot lie on right side. (Bry., Chel .)
Abdomen hard, distended, and painful . ( Ars., Calc. c ., Cinch., Lach.)
* Chronic atrophy of the liver.
Complete icterus. (Chel., Nux v.)
Pressure on the abdomen, as from a stone. (Ars., Bry.)
Bruised feelings of intestines (Ferr., Nux v.) ; cannot lie on right side.
Violent colic, with cutting and stinging pains, as if caused by knives (Coni.), principally at night or in cool of evening ; colic from cold. ( Dulc ., Nux v.)
Inguinal glands swollen or suppurating . (Calc. c., Nitr. ac., Thuja.)
Stool And Anus
– (Mercurius)
Ineffectual urging to stool every moment, with tenesmus in the rectum.
Colic ; burning and tenesmus before, during, and after stool ; chilliness between stools. ( Rheum .)
Colic and diarrhoea caused by evening air.
Stools green or green mucus (Ars., Arg. nit., Bell., Ipec., Sulph .) ; * * bloody ; mucous and bloody (Canth., Nitr. ac.) ; slimy ; brownish ; whitish-gray ; acrid and burning fecal matter. ( Ars., Sulph .)
Discharge of ascarides and lumbrici. (Ferr., Spig., Sep.)
Urinary Organs
(Mercurius)
Burning in the urethra . (Acon., Ars., Canth., Coni.)
Frequent desire to urinate, with scanty discharge . (Apis, Coloc ., Digit.)
Sudden irresistible urging to urinate, passing large quantities. ( Kreos .)
Urine dark-red, turbid ; deposits a sediment.
Gonorrhoea, with phymosis of chancroids ; green discharge ; worse at night. (Merc. cor.)
Male Organs.- (Mercurius)
* Total loss of sexual power. ( Agn ., Arg. nit., Camph.)
Ulcers on the glans, with cheesy base ; chancroids. (Hep. s., Nitr. ac .)
Painful inflammation and swelling of the glans and prepuce.
Dragging pains in the testes and spermatic cord. (Berb.)
Feeling of coldness in the testicles. (Berb., Caps., Sulph.)
Testicles swollen, hard, and shining.
Female Organs.- (Mercurius)
Menses too profuse, with anxiety and colic.
Leucorrhoea always worse at night ; greenish discharge ; smarting, corroding, itching, burning after scratching. (Alum., Coni., Phos., Puls .)
Inflammation of the vagina, and still more of the external genitals, with rawness, smarting, and excoriated spots. (Carb. v.)
Itching of the genitals (Canth., Coni.), worse from the contact of the urine.
Prolapsus of the vagina.
Mammae swollen, hard with ulcerative pains ; suppuration. (Coni., Hep. s., Phytol., Sil.)
Respiratory Organs.- (Mercurius)
Hoarse, rough voice ; burning rawness in larynx ; fluent coryza and sore throat.
Shortness of breath, on ascending or walking. (Acon., Amm. c., Ars ., Calc. c.)
Short, dry, fatiguing cough, principally in bed, in the evening or at night ; caused by tickling in upper part of chest. (Hyos., Phos.)
Cough which sounds and feels as if everything in the, chest were dry ; with pain in chest and small of back. (Bell., Bry., Phos.)
Stitches in the chest ( Acon ., Bry., Kali carb., Phos.), right side, extending through to the back, on sneezing and coughing. (Sulph.)
Bloody sputum in tuberculosis.
Burning in chest extending to throat.
Rush of blood to the chest.
Sensation of dryness in the chest.
Suppuration of the lungs after haemorrhages, or after pneumonia.
* * Constriction of the chest.
* Emphysema of the lungs.
Heart
(Mercurius)
* Palpitation on slightest exertion. (Staph.)
Neck and Back.- (Mercurius)
* Swelling and inflammation of the glands. ( Baryt. c ., Bell., Calc. c., Iodi.) Bruised sensation of back and small of back.
Sticking in small of back on breathing.
Limbs
(Mercurius)
* Trembling of all the limbs (Coccul., Coni., Gels., Stram .), especially of hands and feet.
* * Involuntary jerking in the limbs.
* * Weakness and weariness in all the limbs ; unusual heaviness.
Drawing and tearing in all the limbs (Bry., Coloc., Led., Lyc., Sulph .), worse at night, in the warm bed ; with profuse sweat, which gives no relief.
Cold hands and feet.
Upper Limbs.- (Mercurius)
Cramp-like contraction of the hands and fingers.
Scaling off, and exfoliation of the finger nails.
Moist itch-like eruption on the hands, with nightly itching ; bleeding rhagades.
Lower Limbs.- (Mercurius)
Burning in the nates.
Soreness between the thighs and genitals. (Graph.)
Swelling of the backs of the feet.
Tearing in hip joint and knee, worse at night ; beginning suppuration.
Generalities
(Mercurius)
* * Great weariness and prostration ; * trembling.
* Involuntary trembling of the voluntary muscles, hands, tongue, etc.
* Breath and whole body smell foul.
Blood coagulates easily.
All discharges acrid.
Oedema of face, hands, and feet, with anaemia.
Whole body feels bruised, with soreness in all the bones. (Arn.)
* Boring pains in the exostosis at night ; bone pains . (Aran.)
Excitability and sensibility of all the organs. ( Cinch .)
Glandular swellings, with or without suppuration. (Hep. s., Graph., Nitr. ac.)
Cannot lie on the right side. (Reverse, Phos .)
Skin
(Mercurius)
Skin dirty-yellow (Ferr., Iodi.) ; jaundice. ( Cinch .)
Itching all over, worse at night, when warm in bed. (Alum., Clem., Mez., Puls ., Psor., Sulph .)
* * Eruption of watery vesicles.
Ulcers, bleeding readily (Asaf., Hep. s., Mez., Sulph.), base lardaceous ; margins everted like raw meat.
Ulceration very superficial and wide-spread.
Flat, painless ulcers, pale, covered with phlegm-like pus ; on the scalp, skin of penis, etc.
Primary and secondary syphilis (Nitr. ac.) ; round, coppery, red spots shining through the skin.
Herpetic and pustular eruptions, forming dry, scaly spots, or yellow crusts and acrid discharges.
Sleep
(Mercurius)
Excessive sleepiness day and night.
Sleeplessness. (Cimic., Cinch., Coff.)
Fever
(Mercurius)
Chilliness ; in open air ; between diarrhoeic stools ; in morning, or in evening after lying down, as from cold water poured over one ; not relieved by warmth of stove. Alternations of chilliness and heat. (Calc. c., Coccul.)
Attacks of heat at night. (Cinch., Phos.)
Sweat * * profuse at night (Cinch., Phos., Sulph.) on every motion ( Calc. c., Phos., Hep. s., Sep., Sil.) ; cold and clammy ( Ars., Camph .) ; fatty and oily (Bry.) ; * * offensive (Arn., Ars., Carb. an ., Sil.) ; stains linen yellow. (Carls.)
Sweat with all complaints, but giving no relief.
Hectic fever, especially of children ; irritative fevers.
Contra-indicated in typhoid fever, except for marked icteroid or scorbutic symptoms.- Hering .
Amelioration
Therapeutic Range.- (Mercurius)
Syphilitic, scrofulous, and catarrhal affections ; rheumatic and arthritic affections ; dropsical conditions ; affections of bones and glands ; diarrhoea and dysentery ; skin diseases ; neuralgia ; paralysis ; convulsions ; haemorrhages ; gastric and bilious derangements, including gastric and bilious fevers ; jaundice.
The therapeutic range of Mercury is so great, including, as it does, to a greater or less degree, almost every diseased condition to which flesh is heir, it would be impossible to attempt giving a list of the individual pathological states in which it is useful, more than is included above in a general way, and which also may be gathered from the drug pathogenesis herewith presented.
Compare
(Mercurius)
Amm. mur., Ant. tart., Ant. crud., Arg. met., Arg. nit., Ars., Aur., Bell., Calc. c., Cinch., Coni., Graph., Hep. s., Iodi., Lach., Lyc., Mez., Natr. mur., Nitr. ac., Phos., Puls ., Sil., Staph., Sulph ., Thuja ; Merc. follows well after Bell., Hep. s., Sulph., Lach. ; after Merc. follows Bell., Cinch., Dulc., Hep. s., Nitr. ac., Sulph. ; Merc. And Sil. do not follow each other well. - Hering .
Antidotes
(Mercurius)
Asaf., Bell., Carb. v., Hep. s ., Kali., Lyc., Nitr. ac ., Aur., Mez., Sulph., Iodi., Cinch., Staph., Lach., electricity.
Mercurius Antidotes.-
Ars., Cupr., Aur., Ant. crud., Cinch., Mez., Calc. c., Sulph.
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