The attenuations are prepared from mixture consisting essentially of mercury(II)- amidonitrate and metallic mercury.
Of the great range of various Mercury preparations, produced both from native quicksilver (Mercurius Vivus) and from its salts, the one which has earned itself a
special reputation is Mercurius Solubilis Hahnemanni, although others are in use, such as Mercurius Cyanatus, e.g. in throat conditions and diphtheria, Mercurius Bi- iodatus in mucosal conditions, and Mercurius Sublimatus Corrosivus and Mercurius Praecipitatus Ruber in conditions of the periosteum and bones.
All Mercury preparations have a certain common symptomatology, e.g. the aggra- vation at night, foetid mouth-odour, glandular swellings, sensitivity to cold air, tongue coated and taking imprints of the teeth, and copious sweat, which is found to a particularly marked extent in Mercurius Solubilis.
In particular the swollen, flaccid tongue, showing imprints of the teeth (cf. Cheli- donium, Podophyllum, Arsenicum and Rhus Toxicodendron), may be found with al- most unfailing regularity in febrile illnesses. The Mercurius tongue is moist, with vi- olent thirst, and in many cases there is salivation which can be viscous, like soft soap, and there is a repulsive mouth odour which infests the whole sick-room. How- ever, it is not necessary for there to be any illness of the mouth present, such as stomatitis or gingivitis, or of the throat, such as tonsillitis, or either a sinus condition or a disease of the liver or gall-bladder. The state of the tongue or the mouth odour may be present or suggested in such conditions as hydronephrosis, for which Mer- curius Solubilis is likewise an important remedy. Usually the characteristic sweats of Mercurius Solubilis are also present, which are copious and do not relieve.
The main indication for Mercury preparations of any kind, but especially for Mer- curius Solubilis, is suppuration, particularly abscesses, boils, impetigo, moist and suppurating eczemas, carbuncles, inflamed swellings, pyuria, empyema, sinusitis with purulent discharge, purulent otitis media, bronchitis with tendency to yellow- ish, purulent expectoration, and influenza with severe fluent coryza and purulent se- cretion. Also an indication for Mercurius Solubilis are acute inflammatory condi- tions of the mucosa, such as dysentery with mucous, bloody stools, cutting pains and tenesmus, the latter also being an indication for Mercurius Sublimatus Corrosivus. Mercurius Solubilis is also indicated for styes and Meibomian cysts, if there is a strong sensitivity to touch and photophobia, likewise an aggravation at night and from warmth. Here it is best prescribed in alternation with Hepar Sulphuris.
Serious eye conditions such as scleritis with atrophy and possibly also glaucoma, react especially well to Mercurius Solubilis. Further indications include appendici- tis, bleeding haemorrhoids with inflammatory symptoms, liver conditions with foetid mouth odour, imprints of the teeth on the yellow-coated tongue and a tenden- cy to empyema of the gall-bladder. Also cystitis with mucous urine, gonorrhoea and consequences of gonorrhoea with violent inflammatory symptoms, orchitis, epi- didymitis, ophoritis, salpingitis, whitlow, and especially eczemas, both chronic and acute and those of a scrofulous kind.
It should also be borne in mind that Mercurius Solubilis can be a good remedy for disorder of brain function. Pink disease is well-known. Thus Mercurius will influ- ence slow, awkward speech as well as the familiar mercurial tremor with trembling of the tongue (Hatter’s shakes). Mercurius Solubilis will also have a beneficial effect on rheumatism of the joints, and muscular rheumatism with night sweats and red-
ness of the joints, as well as on measles with violent fluent coryza, eye inflamma- tions and diarrhoea.
A particularly important modality is the aggravation at night and from the warmth of the bed, which applies not only to suppurations but also to a wide variety of skin diseases.
Mercurius was formerly regarded as one of the most important preparations in the treatment of syphilis. With the recent availability of the abortive treatment with mega-doses of penicillin, this has receded into the background. In spite of this, it is recommended to supplement treatment of syphilitic conditions with Mercurius Sol- ubilis; in secondary and tertiary syphilis, however, mercury preparations are particu- larly recommended (with or before penicillin treatment).
Apart from Mercurius Solubilis, Mercurius Cyanatus is also frequently used, par- ticularly in diphtheritic conditions; likewise Mercurius Iodatus Flavus, which is characterised by a thick yellow coating at the base of the tongue, which is also often found in liver diseases as well as in diphtheria.
Mercurius Sublimatus Corrosivus, the sublimate, is particularly effective in dis- eases of the mucosa and skin, and also especially in dysentery with violent intestin- al tenesmus. Mercurius Sublimatus Corrosivus is also the remedy of preference in gonorrhoeal sequelae, especially a thin, greenish discharge, and also in discharging fistulas of every kind.
The beneficial action of Mercurius Praecipitatus Ruber on bone conditions and on periosteal affections, such as exostoses, including those of the heel, should also be mentioned and also where cerebral abscess or arachnoiditis is suspected.
Note should also be made of the tendency, peculiar to the mercury preparations, towards shivering, which is found in incipient influenza and infectious diseases, as well as in the early stages of suppurations such as tonsillitis and tonsillar abscess, and possibly also in whitlows etc. This symptom is just as typical of Mercurius as are the sweats which do not relieve and the aggravation from warmth of the bed.
Also in use is Mercurius Biiodatus, which is recommended (like Kalmia) in syphilitic iritis, and also in chronic suppurations of the middle ear and in chronic nasal catarrh, in psoriasis, acne rosacea and chronic eczemas with significant hyper- keratosis.
Further Mercury preparations which may be mentioned are Mercurius Dulcis (Calomel), recommended in otitis media, liver and gall-stone problems and in mas- sive occurrences of ascarides; and also Cinnabaris (Mercurius Sulphuratus Ruber).
Cinnabaris has a special reputation in post-syphilitic conditions and is recom- mended in corneal affections, syphilitic iritis and in ulcerative destruction of the nasal septum, chronic blepharitis, ulcer of the lower leg and sycosis barbae.
Mercurius Nitrosus is particularly suited as a skin and eye remedy, e.g. in tubercu- lar conjunctivitis and keratitis, also in blepharitis with stabbing pains and sore edges of the eyelids, and also in stubborn condylomata.
If we sum up the most essential symptoms of Mercurius, the following character- istics emerge:
- Tendency towards suppurations of all kinds. Tonsillitis. Sinusitis. Appendicitis. Empyema thoracis. Suppuration of the bones. Osteomyelitis. Periosteal affec- tions. Scleritis. Iritis. Conjunctivitis. Ulcer of the lower leg. Hydronephrosis, cys- titis, pyelitis. Otitis media. Acne vulgaris.
- Aggravation of all complaints at night, especially from warmth of the bed. Copi- ous sweats which do not give relief.
- Tongue has a thick mucous or yellowish coating, showing the imprint of the teeth, with severe thirst. Glandular swellings. Foetid mouth-odour.
- Sensitivity to cold air.
- All reaction phases, which extend, and in which Belladonna, initially indicated, does not act sufficiently, or there is a tendency towards suppurations or superficial inflammations of the mucosa.
The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Mercurius solubilis Hahneman- ni, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for mercurius solubilis Hahnemanni: mucosal inflammations of the respiratory passages, the gastrointestinal tract, and the urinary and reproductive organs; skin diseases; inflammations of the tonsils, lymph glands, liver, and kid- neys; inflammations of other glandular organs; ostealgia and rheumatism; enervating diseases; cerebral angiosclerosis.
