Mercurius

Mercurius.
Quicksilver. (The Element.)

Best adapted for light-haired persons; skin and muscles lax. In bone diseases, pains worse at night; glandular swellings with or without suppuration, but especially if suppuration be too profuse (Hep., Sil.). Cold swellings; abscesses, slow to suppurate. Profuse perspiration attends nearly every complaint, but does not relieve; may even increase the suffering (profuse perspiration relieves, Nat. m., Psor., Ver.). Great weakness and trembling from least exertion. Breath and body smell foul (Psor.). Hurried and rapid talking (Hep.). Catarrh: with much sneezing; fluent, acrid, corrosive; nostrils raw, ulcerated; yellow-green, fetid, pus-like; nasal bones swollen; < at night and from damp weather. Toothache: pulsating, tearing, lacerating, shooting into face or ears; < in damp weather or evening air, warmth of bed, from cold or warm things; > from rubbing the cheek. Crowns of teeth decay, roots remain (crowns intact, roots decay, Mez.). Ptyalism; tenacious, soapy, stringy, profuse, fetid, coppery, metallic-tasting saliva. Tongue: large, flabby, shows imprint of teeth (Chel., Pod., Rhus); painful, with ulcers; red or white. Intense thirst, although the tongue looks moist and the saliva is profuse (dry mouth, but no thirst, Puls.). Mumps, diphtheria, tonsillitis with profuse offensive saliva; tongue large, flabby with imprint of teeth; mapped tongue (Lach., Nat., Tarax.). Diphtheria: tonsils inflamed, uvula swollen, elongated, constant desire to swallow; membrane thick, gray, shred-like borders adherent or free. Dysentery: stool slimy, bloody, with colic and fainting, great tenesmus during and after, not > by stool, followed by chilliness and a "cannot finish" sensation. The more blood, the better indicated. Quantity of urine voided is larger than the amount of water drunk; frequent urging to urinate. Nocturnal emissions stained with blood (Led., Sars.). Leucorrhoea: acrid, burning, itching with rawness; always worse at night; pruritis, < from contact of urine which must be washed off (Sulph.). Morning sickness; profuse salivation, wets the pillow in sleep (Lac. ac.). Mammae painful, as if they would ulcerate at every menstrual period (Con., Lac. c.); milk in breasts instead of menses. Cough: dry, fatiguing, racking; in two paroxysms, worse at night and from warmth of bed; with utter inability to lie on right side. Affects lower lobe of right lung; stitches through to back (Chel., Kali c.). Suppuration of lungs, after haemorrhages of pneumonia (Kali c.). Ulcers on the gums, tongue, throat, inside of the cheek, with profuse salivation; irregular in shape, edges undefined; have a dirty, unhealthy look; lardaceous base surrounded with a dark halo; apt to run together (syphilitic ulcers are circular, attack the posterior parts of mouth, throat, and have well-defined edges, are surrounded with coppery hue, and do not extend from their primary seat). Trembling extremities, especially hands; paralysis agitans. Ailments from sugar, insect stings, vapors of arsenic or copper. Diseases occurring in winter.

Relations. - Follows well: after, Bell., Hep., Lach., Sulph., but should not be given before or after Silicea. If given in low (weak) potencies hastens rather than aborts suppuration. The bad effects of Mer. are antidoted by Aur., Hep., Lach., Mez., Nit. ac., Sulph., and by a strong (high) potency of Mer., when the symptoms correspond. Compare: Mezereum, its vegetable analogue for bad effects of large doses or of too frequent repitition. Mercury is < by heat of, but > by rest in, bed. Arsenic is > by heat of, but < by rest in, bed.

Aggravation. - At night; wet damp weather (Rhus); in autumn, warm days and cold, damp nights; lying on right side; perspiring.

Materia Medica