Mercurius vivus
Anhang
http://hpathy.com/homeopathy-papers/quicksilver-unfolded-facts/
[Dr. Bhaskar Sarkar]
Quicksilver: The Unfolded Facts: some of the many aspects of Mercurius.
Mercurius is one of the most useful remedies
in homoeopathy without which we could not progress in our practice. In this
article I have tried to encompass all aspects of it to
create a full picture. Hahnemann ranked mercury (first) for Syphilis,
as he did Sulphur
for Psora and Thuja for Sycosis. It is the king
of anti-syphilitic remedies. But he also
warned that mercury is no more a panacea for the syphilis than Sulphur for Psora or Thuja for Sycosis, otherwise there would be no truth in similia similibus.
One of the more extensively proven and widely used remedies in the Materia Medica.
The pathogenesis of mercury is found in the proving of Mercurius vivus and Mercurius solibulus., two
different preparations, but not different enough to make any distinctions
in practice as stated by Dr. Kent. Even Clarke supports this fact in his
dictionary by saying - “no pains have been taken to keep distinct Mercurius sol and Mercurius vivus and
I do not find it practicable to attempt to separate them.”
Mercurius is one of the “drugs of frequent
use.” which we could ill do without. It finds its place, accordingly, in every
little pocket case of a dozen domestic remedies: and
no physician would sally forth on his rounds without “Merc” in his portable armory. It
has its unique position in the treatment of alike the lightest and most serious
diseases.
HISTORY, ANCIENT MYTHS AND USES
It is commonly known as quicksilver and was formerly named hydrargyrum.
The ancient Romans named the metal Mercury because of the quick
movements of Mercury droplets on a smooth surface reminded them of the cunning
and resourceful God Mercur.
The planet Mercury probably received its name because it moves so
quickly across the sky and is elusive to observe. In Greek mythology Mercury
was personified as Hermes - the messenger of the Gods who often led men astray.
He was quick to act on an idea and ready for mischief.
In the middle Ages a Mercurial ointment termed unguentum
saracenicum was widely used in the treatment of skin
diseases like scabies and leprosy. When syphilis made its entrance into 16th
century Europe it was soon claimed that the sores could only be washed away
with “quicksilver”.
Mercury was prescribed for so many illnesses that doctors became known
as “Quicks” (because they were prescribers of
Quicksilver). From this the word “Quack” is derived. Mercury therapy persisted
until well into the 20th century, until the hazards of mercury
toxicity became better understood.
POISONING
Highly toxic, mercury is most poisonous when inhaled but dangerous
amounts can be ingested and absorbed through the skin over time. Our
homeopathic knowledge of Mercury comes partly from the proving’s
carried out by Hahnemann and others and also from the extensive toxicological
knowledge that has been built up over the centuries. The symptom picture gained
is similar to many common diseases and Mercury is thus a frequently prescribed
homoeopathic medicine. Now see some common effects of the poisoning as
mentioned below:
Excessive salivation
Muscular tremors.
Metallic taste in the mouth,
Abdominal pain with vomiting
and bloody diarrhoea.
Respiratory symptoms and
kidney damage, emotional instability with irritability, lack of confidence.
Insomnia, loss of memory, slow
reflexes.
In recent times, workers in
the hat making industry were poisoned by mercury because it was used to convert
animal fur into felt. Poisoning known as “mad hatter’s disease”
(nervousness, tremor and
personality changes.)
Pink disease or acrodynia is another disease caused by mercury poisoning
The FDA (Food and Drug
Administration) in the U.S. has admitted that children have been exposed to
unsafe levels of mercury through vaccines containing thimerosal,
a preservative which is 50%
ethyl mercury.
In dentistry the amalgam used
commonly today in fillings is made from equal parts of mercury and an alloy
containing silver, copper and tin.
Minimata
disease is produced due to eating of fish poisoned by mercury.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
In order to understand Mercurius as a patient,
one must understand the element Mercurius.
Brilliant silver white metal
At ordinary temperature it is
liquid. (Only metal) but when temperature is reduced it take solid form.
It is a heavy, grayish black powder of slightly acrid, metallic taste.
Insoluble in water, alcohol,
or ether.
Mercury is the heaviest of all
known liquids weighing nearly 14 times as much as an equal volume of water.
Stone, iron and even lead can float on its surface
Compared to other metals, it
is a poor conductor of heat, but a fair conductor of electricity.
Freezing point is of -38.83° C
and a boiling point of 73° C both the lowest of any metal.
It is always restless, but
when it is quite still you can see yourself in it better than in a mirror. If
you twirl it around in a bowl, it continues to twirl for almost half an hour.”
He also says of it, “It gives itself over to other metals” but otherwise
“adheres to nothing in its surroundings.”
USES
It has many uses including in thermometers, barometers, street lighting
and signs, and electrical apparatus, in pesticides, dental preparations,
paints, batteries and mirrors.
It can be compared to the physical state of the Mercury. If you break a
thermometer, you discover that mercury seems to exist in a state somewhere
between a liquid and
a solid. It flows like a liquid, yet it tends to retain its own shape to
some extent like a solid. If you try to pick up it with fingers, it seems to
escape from you; it does not allow itself to be gasped like a solid, and it
will not also stick like a liquid. In its physical state Mercurius
is erratic in function, just as it is unstable and inefficient in its
pathological state.
SYNONYMS - Hydrargyrum, Quicksilver, Metallic
mercury, Black oxide of Mercury, Mercurius solubilis Hahnemanni.
Scholten writes that its name, Hydrargyrum (watery silver, or quicksilver), describes its
tendency to scatter away in all directions.
PROVER - It was introduced by Hahnemann and proved upon himself, also
others like Hering, Gross, Fr. Hahnemann, Hartmann,
etc.
PROVING - It first appeared in 1st
edition Materia Medica Pura containing 342 symptoms, in 2nd edition-
1424 symptoms, 3rd edition - 1450 symptoms.
In homoeopathy both metal and black oxide of mercury have been proved. The
former is called Mercurius vivus
and the latter Mercurius solubilis
of Hahnemann.
Hering said that “the symptoms of the solubilis, obtained by regular proving, and the effects of
the vivus, gathered from toxicological reports
carefully sifted and clinically verified, are sufficiently similar to be placed
under one arrangement”; though where possible, he places an “s” or a “v” to
show to which especially the symptom belongs:
and Clarke in his dictionary follows Hering.
While Allen’s Encyclopedia gives Dictionary
follows Hering. While Allen’s Encyclopedia
gives symptoms under each preparation separately.
SOURCES - mineral kingdom.
FORMULA - 2(NH2Hg2)NO3, H2O [12th: group of periodic table]
PREPARATION - prepared by the process of trituration
under class VII (old method). Triturated in glass mortar and pestle.
SPHERE OF ACTION:
Boericke “Every tissue of the body is more
or less affected by this powerful drug; it transforms healthy cells into
decrepit, inflamed, and necrotic wrecks; decomposes
the blood, producing a profound anemia.”
Mercury affects the whole system penetrating every organ and tissues but
selects more particularly the following 16 tissues for its special center of action.
Lymphatic glandular system
Salivary gland
Pancreas
Liver
Kidney
Mucous membrane(intestinal)
Intestinal canal
Mucous membrane(air passages)
Eyes
Serous membrane
Periosteum
Bone
Blood
Skin
Sexual organ
Cerebrospinal-system
APPEARANCE: Light haired complexion with lax skin and lax muscle.
[16] Steady emaciation with trembling
and great restlessness - can’t find peace in any position.
This condition is seen in old mercury takers and in syphilitics who have
been mercurialized.
[Clarke] “Mercurius is a great solvent: it
dissolves metals out of their ores and it dissolves living tissues, inducing
excessive emaciation.
TEMPERAMENT - nervous and sometime melancholic
DIATHESIS - scrofulous
RELATION TO HEAT AND COLD - sensitive to heat and cold
AILMENTS: mortification, from insult, from egotism, from bad effects of
sugar, insects stings, vapors of arsenic and copper,
suppressed foot sweat, suppressed gonorrhea
and or syphilis.
MIND: Instability
There is lack of reactive power coupled with an instability or
insufficiency of function. A healthy person has a defense
mechanism, a reactivity which enables them to create
a stable, efficient equilibrium upon exposure to both physical and
mental stimuli in environment. But in Mercurius this
reactive power is weakened, so he becomes unstable
and wavering in functions. The lack of defensive power results in
sensitiveness to everything. He is < by everything- heat, cold, outdoor, wet
weather, change of weather warmth of bed, sweats, various foods, etc.
Slowness of action of mind
The patient is slow to answer questions (Phos.
and Phos-ac.). He is slow to comprehend what is
happening, or what is being is asked to him. This is at first not a confusion
of mind, or poor memory, but actual slowness incomprehension, a kind of
stupidity. Calc. carb is obviously having slowness of
mind but Calcarea is an intelligent person. Mercurius is both slow of mind and poor in comprehension.
Inefficiency in action
Mercurius is one of the remedies that is
characterised by hurriedness and restlessness, but it is a hurry in which the
person does not accomplish anything. A task which normally takes half an hour
the Mercurius patient will take one and half hours to
do. (Nux-v. Tarant.
Nat-m.).
Impulsivity
Mercurius patients are impulsive in nature
because the mind of the Mercurius patient is full of
vulnerability to stimuli from within and from without
How the impulsiveness develops - According to MORRISON, this patient
during the ill state becomes very introverted, withdraws himself from others.
They seldom show their internal emotion to others and have an instinctive reserveness about expressing themselves. This continued
introversion may take the form of impulsiveness, so strong
as to have an impulsive desire to strike or even to kill an offending
person, including loved ones - but that these intense feelings almost never are
revealed to others.
Desire to kill a person who is contradicting her. She has the impulse to
commit suicide or violent acts and she is fearful that she will lose her reason
and carry the impulse out.
Hastiness
A marked feature running all through the Mercurius
is hastiness hurriedness, restlessness
.this spells, comes in cold cloudy weather or damp weather, < at night.
Lack of concentration
He is unable to keep his mind concentrated purely in a particular
direction. The healthy person is able to focus on a subject or task despite of
many random thoughts.
But the Mercurius mind does not have the
strength for such concentration.
Mania:
Uncovers at night. Tears and scolds, much to herself. Frequently spits,
spreads the saliva out licks some of it again. Often licks cow-dung and the mud
of ponds.
She takes little stones in her mouth without swallowing them.
Greediness:
Mercury easily builds amalgams with gold and other noble metals. Mercurius has a similar liking for the precious, i.e. for
money. Some Mercurius patients can be fairly greedy
or cheap and since Mercurius seems to lack boundaries
and stability, some of them develop the habit of gambling to increase their
wealth, which in most parts of the world is considered a weakness of character
or amoral behavior.
Other strong mental characteristics:
Uncontrollable desire to
travel far away, changes the place constantly. Mercurius
enjoy travelling, hoteling and high life. To enjoy
such a life, one requires a fluid state and Mercs
have it.
They will speak lies without
being affected emotionally.
Mercurius
are domineering types and they enjoy
Mischievousness, mistrustful.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS: Dr. Hering describe characteristic
symptoms as = symptoms not found under more than one remedy.
So here are some of them:
OFFENSIVENESS
He is an offensive patient, of mercurial odors.
The breath especially is very fetid, and it can be detected on entering the
room; it permeates the whole room. The perspiration is very much offensive;
it has a strong, sweetish, penetrating odor.
Offensiveness runs all through; offensive urine, stool and sweat; the odors from the nose and mouth are offensive. When Mercurius is used in large doses the patient salivates and
gives off these odors.
Dr. Kent: One who has once
smelled a salivating patient will remember the mercurial odor.
I remember when I was a student; almost every room had the mercurial odor. Mercury was given till the gums were touched and
salivation was produced. That odor is often an index
to the use of Mercurius.
INTOLERANCE TO HEAT and COLD
Mercury is used in testing the temperature, and a Mercurius
constitution is just as changeable and sensitive to heat and cold. Therefore
such patients are called “human
thermometers”. < extremes of temperature/both heat and cold; Both symptoms
and the patient <: in a warm atmosphere/in the open air/in the cold;
PERSPIRATION
They are very profuse and do not relieve like the sweats of inflammatory
diseases generally do, but on the contrary the complaints increase with the
sweat. (Tilia).
More sweat at night. Sweat stains the linen yellow, very offensive,
strong and sweet penetrating odor. Fatty and oily
perspiration.
In short, in any disease in which this profuse and persistent sweating
without relief is present, Mercurius is the first
remedy to be thought of.
SALIVATION:
Salivation is very marked.
Profuse salivation during sleep. Bloody and viscid. Saliva, may be soapy
and stringy having a putrid odor and metallic taste.
TREMOR AND PARALYSIS:
Tremor runs through the remedy. It’s a general tremor which can also be
seen during the mercurial poisoning. It has been used with benefit in paralysis
agitans.
Tremors of the head, of the extremities especially the hands and thus
the patients is having difficulty in writing, eating, lifting things. Jerking,
twitching and trembling.
The motions of the tongue are disorderly and the child cannot talk.
Convulsions, involuntary motions which can be momentarily controlled by will.
The restlessness is extreme.
ULCERATION:
There is induration with ulceration. A
tendency to ulcerate runs through the remedy. Ulcers are found everywhere, in
the throat, nose, mouth, and on the lower limbs.
Ulcers sting and burn and have a lardaceous base with an ashy-white
appearance, looking as if spread over with a coating of lard (fatty). It looks
like a diphtheritic exudate, and Mercurius
has diphtheritic exudations on inflamed surfaces.
Ulcers Large bleeding, margins everted like
raw meat and their bases covered with a caseous coat,
< heat of bed, heat or cold application.
GLANDULAR AFFECTION:
It is pre-eminently a glandular remedy. Induration
is general; inflamed parts indurate. The glands are inflamed, and swollen; the
parotids, sub-lingual, lymphatic glands of the neck, groin and axilla are all affected; the mammae
swell and there is inflammation and swelling of the liver.
Suppuration: it is indicated in later stages of inflammation when it
merges into suppuration. It does not prevent formation of pus but rather helps
it and should, therefore be used when you are convinced of the formation of
pus.
DD.: Bell. indicated for the inflammatory stage.
Hep.: it comes between Belladonna
and Mercurius. It is indicated where inflammatory
stage is just over and suppuration is about to start.
Sil.: it follows Mercurius
when the Mercurius has done its work. It prevents
further suppuration and tends to hasten the process of suppuration.
Nash says, “In low potencies it hastens suppuration; in high aborts
suppuration, as in quinsy.” Cold abscesses when slow to suppurate with other
characteristics call for Mercurius. (Calc.)
DISCHARGES: all discharges are
very offensive, thick, greenish- yellow.
Ear- green, offensive, acrid
pus from ears.
Nose- greenish yellow acrid
stinking discharges. Coryza would be acrid watery.
Stool- slimy stool
Urine- Quantity of urine
voided is more than the water drunk.
Leucorrhoea - acrid, burning,
itching with rawness< night
CHARACTER OF PAINS: pain all <
at night, nocturnal syphilitic pains. It also has stinging pain like Apis, although difference lies in their thirst.
A FEW CLINICAL CONDITIONS:
DYSENTRY: stool slimy, bloody,
with colic and fainting tenesmus during and after not
>stool. The more the blood the more indicated. “never-get-done” feeling.
(opposite of Nux-v. and Rhus
t.)
OTORRHOEA: offensive otorrhea of bloody and purulent with lots of furuncles
noticed at the external ear.
Dr. J.T. Kent - a case of cerebrospinal meningitis, the head was drawn
back and twisted to one side. It begins with otitis
media which was suppressed.
Dr. Kent got the history and symptoms of Mercurius.
Merc established the discharge in 24 hors, the torticollis subsided and the child made an excellent
recovery.
RHEUMA: joints with much
swelling < heat of the bed, uncovering, night with characteristically
profuse sweat. Attacks the upper limb.
TOOTHACHE: sore pain on touch
and from chewing, crown of the teeth is decayed with gum bleeding and alveolar
abscess. Pulsating, tearing < damp wet weather or evening air, warmth of the
bed, from cold or warm things > rubbing
PNEUMONIA: r. side < lying
on right side, at night ; with chilliness and cough of two paroxysm.
PARALYSIS AGITANS: discussed earlier under
trembling.
FEVER: Gastric and bilious
fever< night with profuse nocturnal sweat. Debility, slow and lingering.
With creeping chilliness.
STOMATITIS: sore mouth with
salivation; tendency to ulceration of all the forms, especially late and
superficial ulcers on the gums, tongue, throat, inside the cheeks with profuse
salivation; irregular in shape. Edges undefined, lardaceous base.
SKIN DISORDERS: every little
injury suppurates (silic., hepar.,
graph). Dry itch which bleeds after scratching. Constantly moist skin. In boils
and abscesses itching < warmth of the bed. Vesicular or pustular
eruptions, with yellowish brownish crust and offensive discharge.
FEMALE DISORDERS: Mammae painful at every menstrual period, as if they would
ulcerate. Milk in breast of non-pregnant woman instead of menses, in breast of
boys or girls.
GUIDING SYMPTOMS:
Desire and aversion: desire
for milk; for sweets but they disagree; beer
Aversion to meat; to wine and
brandy; to coffee; to greasy food; and to butter. (I- single thick line in Hering guiding symptoms )
Great thirst for large
quantities of cold water, with profuse saliva in the mouth. Sweetish metallic
taste.
The tongue is moist,
salivated, large, flabby, showing imprint of teeth.
All the discharges from the
body are offensive. The breath is putrid, sweat offensive, offensive urine, and
stool. Acrid nasal secretion smelling like old cheese.
All the complaints are
aggravated from sunset to sunrise.
Weakness of the memory, absent
minded, obtuseness of sense and imbecility are characteristics of Mercurius.
Strong desire to commit murder
even to her loved husband.
MIASMATIC VIEW:
Syphitic miasm
especially the secondary symptoms are much prominent. Though there is presence
of psoric and Sycotic
symptoms abundantly in Mercurius.
NOTE :
“E.B. Nash says in his book
“leaders in homoeopathic
therapeutics” in connection to treating tonsillitis- “ right here let me
warn against giving Mercurius too low, for it will
hasten suppuration instead of aborting it. If anyone is skeptical
as to the efficiency of the very high potencies, I invite him to a test in just
such a case.”
INSTANCE GIVEN IN ORGANON OF MEDICINE BY DR. HAHNEMANN REGARDING THE TREATMENT
WITH MERCURY:
In FN of § 40 - cure of
complex disease by Psora and syphilis - by best
mercurial preparation judiciously alternated with remedies for Psora, each given in the most suitable dose and form
In FN § 41 - in suitable dose
mercury cures veneral disease homoeopathically.
In FN § 246 - Dr. Griesselich discovered that a single dose of Mercurius metal Xo frees the patient from resistance to
Sulphur.
A single dose of metallic
mercury is sufficient in pure syphilis.
2 or 3 doses of Mercury are
given at every 6 or 8 days where slightest Psora is
complicated.
GENERAL MODALITIES:
WORSE BETTER
· Night · Coitus
· From sweating, lying on
right side.
· When heated, by bed or
fire, to head.
· from heat and cold,
· Changing weather, cloudy
weather, damp, cold air.
· wet feet, before stool,
during and after stool
· warmth of bed
· from damp, cold , rainy
weather
· Moderate temperature,
rest.
REPERTORIAL APPROACH:
Boeninghausen in his repertory of antipsoric remedies written 1832 mentioned 52 drugs. Among
50 antipsoric drugs were, 1 Antisycotic-Thuja
and 1 Antisyphilic- Mercurius.
COLLECTION OF SOME SINGLE MEDICINES FROM DIFFERENT REPERTORIES:
KENT’S REPERTORY OF THE HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA:
MIND - DELUSIONS, - water, - sees flowing Mercurius
(Hering too has same rubric)
MIND - SPITS in faces of people - on the floor and licks it up Mercurius
MIND - PRECOCITY Mercurius
MIND - FAECES - swallows his own - licks up cowdung,
mud, saliva: merc
MIND - SUSPICIOUS in daytime: Mercurius
MIND - SPITS in faces of people - on the floor and licks it up Mercurius
MIND - desires to pull ones nose in the street Mercurius
MIND - KILL, - desire to kill the person that contradicts her Mercurius
MOUTH - SPEECH - stammering and quick: Merc
MOUTH - SALIVATION - night - 1
h.: Merc
MOUTH - SALIVA, - offensive at night: Mercurius
HEAD - HYDROCEPHALUS with sweat: Mercurius
PERSPIRATION - SPOTS, in: Mercurius
EXTREMITIES - MOTION - Lower Limbs, chorea like - slow Mercurius
EXTREMITIES - MOTION - Upper Limbs,automatic -
idiotic manner Mercurius
FEMALE GENITALIA - PROLAPSUS of uterus > coition: Mercurius
SLEEP - DREAMS, - pins,of Mercurius
SLEEP - DREAMS, - cutting - of seeing a person cut up Mercurius
PHATAK’S A CONCISE REPERTORY OF HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES: [25]
A - Abscess - chilly, within Mercurius
C - Craving - bread and butter: Mercurius
C - Chill creeping: Mercurius
D - Desires to pull nose of strangers Mercurius
L - Leucorrhoea > coition: Mercurius
M - Mammae - milk present in boys: Mercurius
M - Mammae - milk present instead of menses: Mercurius
S - Spitting, spits - on the floor and licks it up: Mercurius
T - Travel desire, to a far away place: Mercurius
U - Uterus prolapse > coition: Mercurius
U – Uncertain: Mercurius
BOGAR BOENNIGHAUSEN CHARACTERISTIS AND REPERTORY:
MIND - Nose, grasps others Mercurius
MIND - Mouth, puts things into Mercurius
MIND - Licks up things Mercurius
MIND - Illusions, delusions, visions, etc. - mouth, puts stones into Mercurius
SWEAT - Sweat, sweatiness - yellow (staining) - indelible Mercurius
AGGRAVATION AND AMELIORATION IN GENERAL - Sleep - when, amel. MERCURIUS
SLEEP - Waking - waking - saliva Mercurius
COUGH - Expectoration, taste of - feces, like Mercurius
GENITALIA - Male organs - discharge from - greenish MERCURIUS
ANUS AND RECTUM - Black Mercurius
STALLWARTS CASES TREATED BY MERCURIUS:
Clarke had treated many cases
of rheumatic fever by Mercurius 12c potency without
requiring any other remedy.
Mrs McA,
aged about 47 yrs. Having most excruciating pain caused by two large ulcers on
her left leg, on the anterior aspect, about midway between knee and the ankle,
had been dosed with calomel seven years ago for disease of liver. Some few
months after she noticed a small pimple on the leg, which, on being broken
produced a foul ulcer, very painful; this was followed by others. the present
ulcer have been in existence for one year about, and presented the following
symptoms and appearance: Deep foul ulcers; grey colored
slough; thin, ichorous pus, edges are raised, swollen
and inflamed, the veins in their vicinity are varicosed;
pain rather worse on getting warm in bed and on the motion, or touching it, in
fact nothing seems to relieve it. Both cold and hot applications are producing
aggravation. The pain on pressure is intolerable; sharp pain, shooting pain, or
lancinating. Acid -30 has been given without any
benefit. Mercurius -1000, one powder dry on the
tongue, one powder of sac lac daily. In addition the
limb was firmly strapped and a bandage applied over all. One week after the
pains had nearly disappeared. And at the expiration of six months, the ulcers
were entirely healed. Only two doses of Mercurius Sol
were given. - Dr. J.G. GILCHRIST
CONCLUSIONS:
Homoeopathy is a holistic system of medicine; not a single disease is
developed without derangement of the vital force. Our method is to study Mercurius with different approaches so that we can perceive
from all aspects.
[N.M. Choudhury] “Mercury has been long known
to be a medicinal substance and amply abused by the old school of practice. In
their hands it has done more damage than good to humanity and as such it has
been an object of dread to the layman. In the hands of homoeopath on the other
hand, used as it is on a fixed law and prepare as it is on the harmless
principle of attenuations, it has been a potent therapeutic agent distributing
heath, happiness and like to the ailing multitude.”