Mercurius Sulphuricus merc-sul.

Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica

H. C. Allen · Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica · homeoint.org / Medi-T HTML text; edition not stated by the mirror (first edition 1898, Allen d. 1909)

Keynote

Hydrothorax, if occurring from heart or liver diseases; dyspnoea, has to sit, cannot lie down. Extremities swollen; stool loose, watery, causing severe burning and soreness; burning in chest. "When it acts well it produces a profuse, watery diarrhoea with great relief to the patient; it is as important as Arsenicum in hydrothorax" - Lippe.

Relations

Compare: Ars., Cinnab., Dig., Sulph.

Homœopathic Materia Medica

William Boericke · Homœopathic Materia Medica · 9th edition

Common name

Turpethum Minerale--Yellow Sulphate of Mercury (MERCURIUS SULPHURICUS - HYDRARG. OXYD. SUB-SULPH.)

General

Watery stools, burning in anus. Sore tip of tongue. Œdema of legs. Sneezing from direct rays of sun. Diarrhœa early in the morning; stool bursts out in a hot stream of yellow matter. Intense evacuations, like rice-water. Scanty, clear, scalding urine. Intense dyspnœa; must sit up. Respiration rapid, short; burning in chest. Hydrothorax (Ars). Cardiac pain and weakness.

Relationship

Compare: Mercur acet (cutting in urethra when last drop is flowing out).

Text Book of Materia Medica

Adolph Lippe · Text Book of Materia Medica · homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML text (Lippe d. 1888; public domain)

Mind and Disposition

Low-spirited ; with chilliness and yawning. Ill-humor after eating.

Head

Sensation of giddiness while standing, after headache. Fulness in the head with occasional stitches. Soreness and heaviness through the head (after breakfast and when walking about).

Ears

Burning in the ears and in the face, after a chill. Swelling of the parotid gland.

Nose

Fluent coryza with sneezing. Swelling and soreness of the tip of the nose. Itching of the nose.

Face

Pale, anxious looking countenance. Burning heat of the face and ears after the chill.

Mouth and Throat

Gums black and ulcerated. The mouth is clammy and full of mucus in the morning. Burning, smarting, stinging pain on the tip of the tongue (left side, in the evening). Soreness, as if scalded on the tip of the tongue. The tongue is coated white heavily, yellowish at the root or the tongue, the enlarged papillæ stand up like red points, with flat taste in the mouth and a reduced pulse. Heat and sensation of constriction in the throat. Dryness of the tongue and throat. Burning in the mouth and throat. Ptyalism.

Stomach and Abdomen

Vomiting and diarrhœa. Coldness or burning in the abdomen.

Stool and Anus

After drinking coffee, pain in the abdomen as if diarrhœa would set in. Stools soft and earlier in the morning than usual. Sudden and violent pressing to stool while walking, compelling him to stand still, causing an anxious perspiration ; later the stools are forcibly gushing out in a hot burning stream of yellow water ; followed by great debility, hiccough and belching. After the diarrhœic stools sensation of fulness as from congestions to the legs, especially the feet, they feel numb when standing.

Urinary Organs

Diminished secretion of urine, does not micturate frequently but has constant pressure ; urine dark, becoming turbid with a scum on it. Increased secretion of urine, without a sediment.

Sexual Organs

Gonorrhœa and syphilitic diseases, with great congestions to the parts. Swelling of the testicles.

Respiratory Organs

Roughness in the throat, and hoarseness. Sensation of heat in the larynx. Increased expectoration of mucus from the larynx and trachea. Pain in the chest prevents him from breathing. Pain in the right side of the chest, extending to the scapula, can scarcely breathe, worse from 4 to 5 P.M. Pressure on the chest. Dyspnœa ; in children : Hydrothorax.

Extremities

Upper. Numbness in the left forearm and hand, later numbness in the right hand. Hands icy cold with blue nails. Stiffness in the arms. Lower. Pain in the knees and lameness, especially when walking. Foot-sweat with soreness at the ends of the nails. Ulcers on the ankles.

Generalities

Most of the pains feel as if a dull stick pressed on the parts and were moving in diverse curved lines, feels as if this pain were in the bones. Debility with sleepiness. Rheumatic pains.

Sleep

Frequent yawning and great sleepiness in the afternoon. Sleeplessness after midnight. Awakens with headache in the morning.

Fever

Chilliness running up the back, with yawning and depression of spirits, followed by dull pain in the forehead, burning in the face and ears and slight fever. Chilliness, restlessness and heaviness in the upper part of the abdomen, frequent yawning and diminished secretion of urine (in the afternoon). Chill with nausea from 10 A.M. till 2 P.M. Chill every other day. The whole body feels cold externally. Icy coldness of the hands. Painful burning over the whole body, especially in the face but not on the feet, with violent thirst.

Skin

Induration of the glands. Psoriasis : Lepra.

Conditions

In the sunshine sneezing. The dyspnœa and chest symptoms are worse in the afternoon. In hydrothorax it has proved a successful remedy where the dyspnœa and swollen extremities had yielded to no other remedy.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica

John Henry Clarke · A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · 1st edition (1900-02, three volumes); homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML digitization

General

Hydrargyrum oxydatum sub-sulphuricum. Yellow precipitate. Turpeth mineral. HgSO 4 2 HgO. [There is not a little confusion about the identity of this drug in the books. Turpeth is correctly given by Allen as HgSO 4 2 HgO. Hering, who proved and introduced it, calls it Turpethum and Turpeth mineral , but gives the formula HgSO 4 . The Pharmacopæia of the American Institute of Homœopathy describes the white sulphate, HgSO 4 , under the heading Mercurius sulphuricus, but says it is "mentioned in Allen's Encyclopædia ," Vol. vi., p. 325; whereas it is Turpeth , the yellow precipitate, which is there spoken of.] Trituration.

Clinical

Dropsy. Dysuria. Hydrothorax.

Characteristics

Lippe is the chief clinical authority for this medicine. He considers it as important as Ars . in dropsies of the chest. The symptoms on which it has been prescribed are clinical, and have been well confirmed. Among them is this: "Pain in right chest extending to scapula; he can scarcely breathe; < 4 to 5 p.m." When Merc. sul . acts well, says Lippe, "it produces a profuse watery diarrhœa with great relief to the patient." It is particularly suited to hydrothorax depending on liver or heart affections. Other confirmed symptoms are: Soreness of tip of tongue. Œdema of legs. Scanty and scalding urine, but clear. Among the Conditions of Merc. sul . the most peculiar is: < In afternoon; 4-5 p.m. > By profuse diarrhœa (dyspnœa). After diarrhœic stools there is numbness of legs.

Relations

Compare: Cinnabar., Æthiops antimonialis, and other Mercuries. Also in hydrothorax, Ars. < Afternoon, Lyc. Dropsy, Dig.

Mind

Low-spirited; with chilliness and yawning. ─ Ill-humour after eating.

Head

Sensation of giddiness while standing, after headache. ─ Fulness in head with occasional stitches. ─ Soreness and heaviness through head (after breakfast and when walking about.). ─ Violent itching of hairy scalp throughout the proving.

Eyes

Oppression over eyes. ─ Eyes < from sunlight.

Ears

Burning in ears and in face, after a chill.

Nose

Sneezing; in sunshine; with fluent coryza. ─ Swelling and soreness of tip of nose. ─ Itching of nose.

Face

Pale, anxious countenance. ─ Swelling of parotid gland.

Mouth

Gums and palate dark bluish (black), ulcerated margins. ─ Mouth clammy, and full of mucus in morning. ─ Burning, smarting, stinging pain on tip of tongue (l. side, in evening). ─ Tongue: Greenish yellow down middle; coated white heavily; yellowish at root; the enlarged papillæ stand up like red points, with flat taste in mouth and a reduced pulse. ─ Lips, gums, fauces, mouth, and tongue swollen; look dry and black. ─ Salivation.

Throat

Heat and sensation of constriction in throat. ─ Dryness of tongue and throat. ─ Burning in mouth and throat.

Stomach

Violent yellow vomiting. ─ Stomach so irritated nothing would stay on it an instant. ─ Pain; weight in stomach; tenderness. ─ Vomiting and diarrhœa.

Abdomen

Coldness or burning in abdomen. ─ Woke 1 a.m. with severe pains along duodenum to umbilical region. ─ Soreness in inguinal glands.

Stool and Anus

After drinking coffee, pain in abdomen as if diarrhœa would set in. ─ Stools soft and earlier in morning than usual. ─ Sudden and violent pressing to stool while walking compelling him to stand still, causing an anxious perspiration; later the stools are forcibly gushing out in a hot, burning stream of yellow water; followed by great debility, hiccough and belching. ─ After the diarrhœic stools sensation of fulness as from congestion to legs, esp. feet, they feel numb when standing. ─ Violent purging; rice-water motions, some yellow.

Urinary Organs

Diminished secretion of urine, does not micturate frequently, but has constant pressure; urine dark, becoming turbid with a scum on it. ─ Increased secretion of urine, without a sediment. ─ Urine scanty and scalding, but clear.

Male Sexual Organs

Gonorrhœa and syphilitic diseases, with great congestions to the parts. ─ Swelling of testicles. ─ Involuntary emission and lascivious dreams.

Respiratory Organs

Roughness in throat and hoarseness. ─ Sensation of heat in larynx. ─ Increased expectoration of mucus from larynx" and trachea.

Chest

Burning in chest. ─ Pain in chest prevents him from breathing. ─ Pain in r, side of chest, extending to scapula, can scarcely breathe, < from 4 to 5 p.m. ─ Pressure on chest. ─ Dyspnœa; in children; hydrothorax.

Upper Limbs

Numbness in l. forearm and hand, later numbness in r. hand. ─ Hands icy cold with blue nails. ─ Stiffness in arms.

Lower Limbs

Pain in knees and lameness, esp. when walking. ─ Foot-sweat with soreness at ends of the nails. ─ Ulcers on ankles.

Generalities

Most pains feel as if a dull stick pressed on the parts and were moving in diverse curved lines; feels as if this pain were in the bones. ─ Debility with sleepiness. ─ Rheumatic pains.

Skin

Induration of the glands. ─ Psoriasis: lepra.

Sleep

Frequent yawning and great sleepiness in afternoon. ─ Sleeplessness after midnight. ─ Awakens with headache in morning.

Fever

Chilliness running up back, with yawning and depression of spirits, followed by dull pain in forehead, burning in face and ears and slight fever. ─ Chilliness, restlessness, and heaviness in upper part of abdomen, frequent yawning and diminished secretion of urine (afternoon).

The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica

Constantine Hering · The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica · 1879–91

General

Sulphate of Mercury. Turpeth Mineral. Hg SO 4 .
Introduced by Hering, proved by himself, 3d trit. (MSS), Neidhard (App. N. A. J. H., p. 281), Raymond, Dake (N. A. J. H., vol. 3, p. 180), Berridge, Croker (N. Hom. Rev., vol. 14, p. 108).
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
- Hydrothorax , Lippe, Miller (Montreal).

Mind

Low spirited, with chilliness and yawning.
Ill humor after eating.

Sensorium

Giddiness while standing, after headache ; confusion in head.
Fulness in head, with occasional stitches.

Inner head

Dull pain in forehead.
Pain in head under coronal suture, on waking in morning, during forenoon confined to right frontal region ; pains dull, extending deep into brain, < when exercising.
Sharp pain in right parietal protuberance ; darting pains in other parts of head.
Soreness all through head, after breakfast and on moving about.

Outer head

Violent itching of hairy scalp.

Sight and eyes

Oppression over eyes, continuing for several hours.
Eyes < from sunlight.

Smell and nose

Sneezing : in sunshine ; with fluent coryza.
Swelling and soreness of tip of nose.
Itching of nose.

Upper face

Pale, anxious countenance.
Burning in ears and face, after a chill.

Lower face

Swelling of parotid gland.

Teeth and gums

Gums and palate dark bluish color ; ulcerated margins.

Taste, speech, tongue

Taste : pasty, insipid ; bad after rising ; brassy, metallic.
Tongue : tinged down middle greenish yellow ; furred, moist, swollen ; covered with dry black fur ; coated heavily white, yellowish at root ; enlarged papillæ stand up like red points, with flat taste.
Burning, smarting, stinging on tip of tongue (l. side in evening).
Soreness on tip of tongue.
Dryness of tongue and throat.

Inner mouth

Mouth clammy and full of mucus in morning.
Dryness in mouth and fauces.
Burning sensation in mouth and throat.
Soreness in mouth and throat ; salivation.
Tongue and inside of mouth red, inflamed, feeling raw.
Lips, gums, fauces, mouth and tongue swollen ; look dry and black.

Palate and throat

In throat : pain ; sense of heat and constriction ; burning ; scalding.

Hiccough, belching, nausea and vomiting

Constant sickness ; vomiting of ingesta.
Violent yellow vomiting, every ten minutes.
Vomiting and diarrhœa.

Scrobiculum and stomach

Pain in epigastrium and abdomen ; weight ; stomach tender to pressure.
Stomach so irritable nothing remains on it an instant.
Digestion impeded ; after supper, distressing feeling all night, that unless stomach was relieved a fit would ensue ; vomiting with relief.
Acidity of stomach.

Abdomen and loins

Coldness or burning in abdomen.
Awoke at 1 A. M. with severe pains along duodenum and down into umbilical region.
Much griped.
After drinking coffee, pain in abdomen as if diarrhœa would set in.
Soreness in inguinal glands.

Stools and rectum

Brown loose stools.
Stools loose, watery, causing severe burning and soreness of anus.
Very profuse watery evacuations (relieving dyspnœa). θ Hydrothorax.
Watery stools pouring from him and burning anus, like boiling water.
Diarrhœa early in morning ; stools burst out in a hot stream of yellow water.
Violent purging ; rice water motions, some yellow.
After diarrheic stools sensation of fulness as from congestion to legs, especially feet ; they feel numb when standing.
Hard, scanty and delayed stools.

Urinary organs

Urine : increased in quantity ; desire not as frequent as usual ; great urging, with inability to void usual quantity, late in afternoon ; scanty and scalding, but clear ; dark, becoming turbid, with a scum on it.

Male sexual organs

Involuntary emissions and lascivious dreams.
Gonorrhœa or syphilis, with intense congestion to parts.
Swelling of testicles.

Voice and larynx. trachea and bronchia

Heat and roughness in larynx, hoarseness.
Increased expectoration of mucus from larynx and trachea.

Respiration

Pain in chest prevents him from breathing.
Great dyspnœa ; has to sit ; cannot lie down ; breathing quick and short. θ Hydrothorax.
Dyspnœa in children ; hydrothorax.
Dyspnœa and chest symptoms, < in afternoon.
Mercurial fetor of breath.

Inner chest and lungs

Pressure on chest.
Burning in chest.
Pain in right side of chest, extending to scapula, can scarcely breathe, < from 4 to 5 P. M.
Hydrothorax ; dyspnœa, breathing quick and short, has to sit, cannot lie down ; swollen extremities ; stools loose, watery, causing severe burning and soreness of anus ; burning in chest. [Obs. "When it acts well it produces a profuse, watery diarrhœa with great relief to patient. It is as important as Arsen . in hydrothorax." --Lippe.].
Dropsy of chest, especially if occurring from heart or liver disease.

Heart, pulse and circulation

Pulse : 90, tremulous ; 130, tremulous and irregular ; slow and small ; regular, but small and weak ; reduced, with flat taste.

Upper limbs

Stiffness in arms.
Violent beating in left arm, commencing above elbow in course of brachial nerve and extending along radial nerve to wrist, followed by pain similar to that produced by a blow upon arm below insertion of deltoid muscle ; pain affected principally radial side of forearm, thumb, index finger, at 8.30 A. M.
Numbness of forearm and hand, also of right hand.
Shooting pains in wrists and along metacarpal bones.
Hands icy cold, with blue nails.

Lower limbs

Pain and lameness of knees, noticed particularly when walking.
Œdematous swelling of legs.
Ulcers on ankles.
Aching in calf of right leg.
Numbness in hollow of right foot.
Foot sweat, with soreness at ends of nails.
After four weeks, pains that remain are in limbs, especially legs, causing a weak, wearied feeling and pain and stiffness in right knee, especially when stepping down a step ; for a few days a bloated, hot feeling in feet, like rheumatic gout, and for two days a slight swelling and painfulness on inner side of left ankle, as if a boil was likely to form there ; a tendency for feet to become inflamed, as if likely to become blistered by boots, when walking, it seems at soles, especially outer toes ; it is rather of a burning character ; for two days the tarso-metatarsal joint of right big toe seemed inclined to inflame, as if rheumatic gout would set in.

Limbs in general

Tormented by pain and cramps in limbs at night.

Rest. position. motion

Has to sit, cannot lie down : great dyspnœa.
Standing : giddiness ; feet feel numb.
Stepping down a step : pain and stiffness in right knee.
Moving about : soreness all through head.
Exercising : pains extending deep into brain.
Walking : pain and lameness of knees.

Nerves

Debility, with sleepiness.
Sense of considerable weakness.
Uneasiness, late in afternoon.
Restlessness.
Pains all over, especially in lower part of back and limbs.

Sleep

Frequent yawning.
Restless night, with dreams and delirium.
Wakefulness after midnight ; dreams.
Dreams : of traveling amid perplexities ; lascivious ; vivid, of fires, exerting himself to extinguish them ; viewing a person hung and another cut up, seeing blood and mangled remains.
Awakes with headache in morning.

Time

Morning : pain in head on waking ; mouth clammy and foul ; diarrhœa early.
At 8.30 A. M. : violent pain in left arm.
During forenoon : pain confined to right frontal region.
At 1 A. M. : awoke with severe pain along duodenum and down into umbilical region.
Afternoon : great urging, with inability to void usual quantity of urine ; dyspnœa and chest symptoms ; uneasiness, chills.
Evening : pain on side of tip of tongue.
Night : distressing feeling in stomach ; pain and cramps in limbs ; restless, with dreams and delirium ; excessive sweat.
After midnight : wakefulness ; dreams.

Fever

Creeping chills ascending back ; when they reached neck a general shudder ensued.
Chilliness running up back, with yawning and depression of spirits, followed by dull pain in forehead, burning in face and ears and slight fever.
Chilliness, restlessness and heaviness in upper part of abdomen, frequent yawning and diminished secretion of urine (in afternoon).
Chills : with nausea, from 10 A. M. to 2 P. M. ; late in afternoon ; from 12 M. to 1.30 P. M. ; every other day.
Skin cold and clammy.
Whole body feels cold externally.
Icy coldness of hands and blueness of nails.
Burning heat of face and ears after a chill.
Painful burning over whole body, especially in face, but not on feet, with violent thirst.
Excessive sweat at night.

Attacks, periodicity

Every ten minutes : violent yellow vomiting.
From 4 to 5 P. M. : burning in chest, extending to scapula.
From 12 M. to 1.30 P. M. : chills.
From 10 A. M. to 2 P. M. : chills, with nausea.
For several hours : oppression over eyes.
Every other day : chills.
For two days : a slight swelling and painfulness on inner side of left ankle ; tarso-metatarsal joint of big toe seemed inclined to inflame.
For a few days : a bloated, hot feeling in feet.

Locality and direction

Right : pain in frontal region ; sharp pain in parietal protuberance ; numbness of hand ; aching in calf of leg ; numbness in hollow of foot ; pain and stiffness in knee ; big toe as if rheumatic gout would set in.
Left : side of tip of tongue pains ; violent beating in arm ; pain and swelling of inner side of ankle.

Sensations

Most pains feel as if a dull stick pressed on parts and was moving in diverse curved lines, feels as if this pain was in bones.
As if diarrhœa would set in ; as if stools were boiling water ; as if a boil was likely to form on ankle ; as if feet were likely to become blistered by boots ; as if rheumatic gout would set in in foot ; all over, especially in lower part of back and limbs.
Pain : in head under coronal suture ; in throat ; in epigastrium and abdomen ; in chest ; in left arm ; in knees ; in right knee ; on inner side of left ankle ; in limbs.
Severe pain : along duodenum and down into umbilical region.
Sharp pain : in right parietal protuberance.
Violent beating : in left arm.
Darting pains : in parts of head.
Shooting pains : in wrists and metacarpal bones.
Occasional stitches : in head.
Aching : in calf of right leg.
Cramps : in limbs.
Dull pain : in forehead.
Painful burning : over whole body.
Heat : in throat ; in larynx.
Burning, smarting, stinging : on tip of tongue.
Burning : in ears and face ; of mouth and throat ; in abdomen ; of anus ; in chest ; in feet.
Soreness : all through head ; of tip of nose ; on tip of tongue ; in mouth and throat ; in inguinal glands ; of anus ; at end of nails.
Raw feeling : of tongue and inside of mouth.
Distressing feeling : in stomach.
Constriction : in throat.
Oppression : over eyes.
Dryness : of tongue and throat ; in mouth and fauces.
Confusion : in head.
Fulness : in head ; in feet and legs.
Pressure : on chest.
Lameness : of knees.
Stiffness : in arms ; in right knee.
Numb feeling : in legs and feet ; of forearm and hand ; in hollow of right foot.
Coldness : in abdomen.
Itching : of hairy scalp ; of nose.

Tissues

Induration of glands.
Rheumatic pains.

Touch. passive motion. injuries

Pressure : stomach tender.

Skin

Psoriasis ; lepra.

Relations

Antidoted by Hepar .
Compare : Sulphur , with which Merc. sul has many symptoms in common, more even than with Cinnb., Arsen . and Digit . in hydrothorax, especially occurring in heart or renal disease.

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica

James Tyler Kent · Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica · homeoint.org / Séror HTML text (Kent d. 1916; public domain)

Lecture

Merc. sulph. will sometimes help, when you have a case of hydrothorax with quick, short breathing, etc., and burning of the chest.

If you go to an old case of hypostatic congestion, with dropsy, or a case of dyspnoea from hydrothorax, when the Merc. base is present. you will be astonished at the action of this sulphate.