Introduction
Hydrargyrum, an elementary body. (Mercurius vivus, Quicksilver.) Preparation for use, Triturations. Mercurius solubilis, Hahnemanni. Hydrargyrum oxydulatum nigrum (Ammonio-nitricum) N2O53Hg2O plus 2NH3. Precipitated black oxide of Mercury, with varying (according to temperature) amounts of Nitric acid and Ammonia. Preparation for use: Triturations.
Mind
Emotional. Mind easily agitated. Occasionally his mind seemed to wander. Frightful images at night. Hallucinations day and night. Hallucination of mind, especially at night, with desire to escape. Delirium; his speech was disconnected, and he would not answer questions; this delirium increased to a violent rage, so that the patient was obliged to be confined in a strait-jacket, with rolling of the eyeballs, clonic spasms, discharge of yellow, frothy liquid from the mouth and nose, and rattling in the trachea, followed by trismus and tetanus. Delirium. Delirium, like delirium tremens. Nightly delirium. Muttering delirium. Constant weeping (elder). Sadness. Low-spirited. Spirits depressed. Anxious. Attacks of frightful anxiety. Great excitability; easily frightened. Great irritability very irritable disposition. When in the state of tremor, his temper became more irritable, and anger, in turn, so increased the trembling, that he was obliged to sit down to save himself from falling. Ill-humor. Ill-humored; the patient was very fretful and peevish; easily excited. Ill-humor and great irritability. Fretful mood. Very fretful mood. Intellectual. Slow in answering questions (after thirty-six years). Thoughts wandering, and impulses whimsical (elder). Intellect affected; when asked to explain any statement, he becomes confused. Weakness of intellect and memory. Intellect very weak; shows every mark of imbecility; smiles foolishly; screams constantly without apparent cause; can speak only a few disconnected words; does not seem to understand the simplest questions, yet appears to know her sister with whom she plays, and repeats a few syllables of what the latter has said to her (younger). Loss of intellect and memory; a short of idiocy, which in a few years becomes permanent. Loss of memory. Complete loss of memory. Memory slightly affected; forgot the names of persons and places, and was frequently at a loss in endeavoring to recollect the persons to whom he had lent his tools. Memory weak. Weakness of memory and loss of will power. Increasing weakness of memory. Very poor memory (after thirty-eight years). Memory very much impaired. Forgetfulness, with impaired intellect. Very forgetful. Loss of consciousness. Stupor. Constant disposition to lie down; inclined to sopor, coma.
Head
Confusion and vertigo. Confusion of the head. Confusion and heaviness of the head. Vertigo. Vertigo, even to falling down. Vertigo only in the evening. Vertigo on ascending or descending steps. Vertigo with raging headaches. Attacks of vertigo, worse in the evening; if he was not lying in bed he would suddenly fall down, with flickering before the eyes, sometimes with complete loss of consciousness lasting several minutes; during these attacks he looked very pale and sometimes had nausea and vomiting; vertigo occurred even in bad and once in the morning he became unconscious and fell out of bed. Almost incessant vertigo. Great vertigo. Violent vertigo, so that sometimes he fell down like one intoxicated. Vertigo, frequently very violent. Giddiness. Occasional giddiness. General Head. Such trembling of the head as almost entirely prevents her from falling asleep. Constant rotary motion of head, even when lying on the pillow. Congestion of the brain. Fatal apoplexy. Heaviness of the head. Slight pain and heat about head. Headache, etc. Rose with a headache every morning. Headache, which keeps him awake, with twitching pain in the belly and back. Headache and vertigo, especially violent after a glass of beer. Frequent headache and vertigo. A great deal of headache. Great headache. Violent headache. Violent headache, with sensation as though he were pulled backward. Constant and violent headache having no fixed seat. Most violent headache. Frightful headache. Fulness, throbbing, and vertigo in head (after few minutes). The headache was usually violent day and night, generally described as a drawing rather than a tearing pain, involving sometimes the forehead, sometimes the occiput. Throbbing headache, with vertigo. Forehead. A good deal of pain in forehead. Pain in the left side of the forehead, aggravated by pressure upon the nodal point. Frontal headache, with fullness, soon passing to the occiput, with vertigo (after twenty minutes). Frontal bursting headache (after a few minutes). Bursting frontal headache, lasting several minutes (third day). Temple. Subacute aching above left temple (second morning). External Head. Falling of the hair. Itching of scalp (after a few minutes). Profuse falling of the hair.
Eye
Objective. Starting eye, with watery obscuration. Eyes swollen. Eyes sunken, surrounded by blue rings. Eyes sunken, surrounded by brown rings. Eyes inflamed with swollen inverted tarsi, and very sensitive to light. Blennorrhoea of both eyes. Soft cataract of the left eye (after some years). Keratitis and sclerotitis. Eyes weak. Eyes weak bleared. Lids. Eyelids jerked when the lids were closed. Conjunctiva. Chronic conjunctivitis, with a fine, rosy red injection around the cornea. Blennorrhoea of both conjunctivae. Pupil. Pupils dilated. Pupils greatly contracted, scarcely reacting at all to the light. (No case of syphilitic iritis, and no case of iritis of any form, has been noticed among the workers). Vision. Diminution of vision. Dimness of vision. Vision weak; examination with an ophthalmoscope showed an atheroma of the left arteria centralis retinae. Weakness of vision, so that he could with difficulty read No.7 of the test type. Mist before the eye; inability to read. Sight of left eye considerably impaired. Flickering before the eyes. Flickering before the eyes while reading, though the accommodation seems to be unimpaired. Play of colors before the eyes.
Ear
Burning in right ear (after few minutes). Paraplegia of the left ear. Hearing. Remarkable exaggeration of sensibility; the noise of a horse or carriage made him start to such a degree that several times he would have been run over had he not kept close to the walls or shop-fronts. He was then obliged to stop for fear of falling; he could not express the disagreeable sensation which the noise occasioned. Diminished hearing. Difficulty of hearing. Difficulty of hearing with roaring in the right ear. Deafness. Roaring in the ears. Violent roaring in the ears.
Nose
Objective. Nasal catarrh, with thin discharge; frequently with loss of smell and with hoarseness (after working fourteen days). Constant nasal catarrh. Complete nasal obstruction, right side, soon passing off, at 8 A.M. (second day). Subjective. Congestive fullness and stuffiness in nostrils, especially right side (after a few minutes). Pinching sensation in right ala nasi (after a few minutes). Irritation of nasal mucous membrane, as from catarrh (after twenty minutes).
Face
Objective. Dull-looking countenance (after thirty-eight years). Stupid expression of face (younger). Cadaverous appearance. Cadaverous countenance. Yellow, cadaverous face. Cachectic complexion. Face earthy-colored, puffy. Color of the face dirty- greenish. Pale-yellow color of the face. Sallow. Countenance sallow. Face pale; with a look of intoxication. Face pale and bloated (after thirty-eight years) Looked pale. Sickly, pale look. Face swollen. Wrinkled face, with a prematurely aged look. Twitching of the facial muscles. Face distorted by twitching of the muscles. Facial muscles slightly affected. Subjective. Pain, especially in the lower jaw. Tearing pains in the face. Cheeks. In one case the cheeks became thick. Lips. Deep fissures in the corners of the mouth. Trembling about the corners of the mouth, especially when talking. China Lower jaw of right side, after several years, was remarkably thin. Almost complete inability to move the lower jaw or chew. Unable to masticate (after nine days). Mastication painful and even impossible (second day). Inflammation of the lower jaw progressing to caries, with falling out of the teeth. Atrophy of alveolar process of the lower jaw. Periostitis of the lower jaw. In one case periostitis of the lower jaw without subsequent necrosis. Necrosis of the jaws.
Mouth
Teeth. Teeth black, loose. Teeth turn yellow and become loose. Thick gray coating on the teeth (after working fourteen days). Teeth dirty-gray, loose. Teeth foul. Teeth thickly covered with tartar. Carious teeth. Decay of the teeth; they become loose in succession, and at the age of thirty she had lost six; they fell out at the slightest shock (after six years); most of the teeth, especially the molars, were gone; those that remained were blackened, laid bare, loose and carious (after thirty-eight years). After a time, the teeth decay, become loose, of a grayish color, and fall out. Since going into the works, he has been obliged to have several teeth removed. All the teeth were loose. Teeth loose, discolored Teeth loose; at last drop out. The teeth, especially the anterior back ones, are loose, and would fall out. Looseness of the teeth, especially of the molars; they become denuded of the gum and turn black, with nightly pains in the teeth, jaws and head. Teeth very loose (after ten days). Falling out of teeth. Falling out of the teeth. Loss of nearly all the teeth; gum-boils formed close to their roots, and they soon after dropped out. All the teeth except the incisors have been lost, at least the crowns of the teeth, leaving only the roots, with very red gums, which are very soft. Disagreeable sensation in the teeth. Aching in right lower molar (decayed) at 4.30 P.M. (second day). Violent pain in the teeth (after six years). Aching in left lower molar (sound), Passing to upper molar (sound), at 6 P.M. (second day). Slight aching in left lower molar tooth (sound), (after two hours and a quarter). Violent toothache. Violent toothache with swelling of the gum and salivary glands. Toothache (drawing) in left lower molar (sound); (not experienced for several years), (after a few minutes). Gums. Gums much affected. Gums red, but without yellow coating on free border (eighth day). Gums red, swollen, and covered with thin white patches, easily removed from a non-ulcerated surface; to the left of and behind the second molar tooth, a red patch which has been covered by a white film. Gums much worn away, and coated of a dirty yellow (after ten days). Gums red, swollen, and covered on their free border with a dirty yellowish-white substance, which extends up to the tooth cavities. On removing this the subjacent surface is seen to be spongy and bleeding, without ulcerations. Gums red, and bleeding at the slightest contact, sometimes spontaneously (after six years). Of a deeper red, and slightly swollen (after eighteen years). Red bleeding in spots, but do not seem swollen; small ulcers on them at intervals (after thirty-eight years). The gum has a bright-red margin. The margin of the gum shows a bluish-gray color and seems inflamed. Gingival line. Gums swollen and of a livid red color. Gum swollen, with a light violet margin. Gums swollen, separated from the teeth. Gums swollen, painful. In 1822, two “eleves externes,” at the Venereal Hospital, were affected with a considerable swelling of the gums, which lasted all the time they were employed there. Merely withdrawing from the hospital sufficed to cure the complaint. I myself was troubled in the same way, while serving in the same capacity at the institution. After residing there for about six weeks, my gums swelled so badly that they were very sore, and bled at the least touch. I could not eat bread without pain, and my food was bloody when chewed. Nothing gave entire relief until I left the hospital. Gums frequently become soft and bleeding. Gums spongy and bleeding. Gums spongy, and covered with pultaceous exudation. Gums very spongy and partly destroyed. Gums ulcerated. Gums ulcerated, loose, spongy, offensive. Suppuration between the teeth and gum. Gums somewhat worn away, red, swollen, covered with white films; free edges entirely coated of a yellowish-gray (after nine days). His gums, without much sponginess, had been gradually absorbed, and most of his teeth had fallen out; ptyalism had never occurred. Atrophy of the gum, especially of the lower anterior portion. The gum atrophies, especially on the roots of the lower teeth, leaving the necks of the teeth bare. Gum atrophied and retracted below the alveolar process. Bleeding from the gums. Gums bleeds easily. Gum painful. Gums and mastication painful (second day). Gums sore. Tongue. Tongue black, with red edges. Tongue red, swollen. Tongue not swollen; gray patches on edges, and a thin dirty yellow coat on upper surface (after nine days). Tongue pale. Tongue white. Tongue white, tremulous. White-coated tongue. Coated tongue, showing the impress of the teeth upon the margin. Tongue thickly coated. Tongue swollen, and its movements difficult (second day). Tongue much swollen, and difficult to move (after eight days). Tongue much swollen, especially on the left side; its upper surface covered with a dirty-yellowish coating, and with gray patches on its edges; its movements are difficult. Tongue very much swollen, painful, and covered with foul ulcers, with constant oozing of blood as from a spongy tissue; these ulcers made swallowing very difficult. Tongue so much swollen that its movements are difficult and very painful it is very red, with a dirty-yellow coating on upper surface; shows marks of teeth, and has large gray patches on edges (after eight days). Great swelling of the tongue, especially of the right side, which was covered with superficial ulcers; the swollen portion of the tongue and mouth were hard to touch, the tongue and palate bright-red, extremely painful, submaxillary and cervical glands swollen and sensitive to pressure. Tongue very large, especially on right side; its edges show gray patches; in front it bears the marks of the teeth; its upper surface presents the dirty-yellow coating characteristic of mercurial poisoning; its movement are difficult (after ten days). Trembling of the tongue. Constant trembling of tongue. Great trembling of the tongue. Tongue looks healthy, and is not coated; but almost as soon as it is put out it begins to vibrate like a pendulum; at first in small arcs, which rapidly enlarge if the organ is kept protruded (after thirty-eight years). Tongue difficult to move. Tongue cracked with a dirty-white coating. Ulcers on the tongue. Long, pale ulcers on the edges of the tongue near its tip. The patches on the edges of the tongue begin to disappear, and the red elevations to show themselves (after twenty days). The ulcers on the edges of the tongue, which are 4 1/2 centimeters in length, are cicatrized in their anterior third. The posterior two-thirds of the left ulceration shows a granulated surface 3 millims. in breadth. The right ulceration has a granulated surface rising above the healthy mucous membrane, and about 3 millims, in length (after twenty-two days). The ulcer on the left border of the tongue has cicatrized; a white line marks the boundary of the cicatrix. The ulcer on the right edge of the tongue is not more than 3 millims. in length; it forms a raised granulated surface, with a white border, which cuts it transversely in several places, so as to divide it, as it were, into islets. This granulated surface projects above the white border, which is a true cicatrized edge (after twenty-five days). On the right border of the tongue, instead of the gray patch, a granulated surface stands out plainly open the healthy mucous membrane, which bleeds on the slightest touch, and has the white edging of a true cicatrix. There is a similar appearance on the left border (after sixteen days). Pain in the tongue, with blisters on the margin developing into ulcers. General Mouth. Mucous membrane of the mouth very much affected. Mucous membrane of the palate red, with an ulcer to the left of the uvula. The mucous membrane of the palate is intensely red and edematously swollen. The mucous membrane assumes a bluish-red appearance in one or more places, and becomes spongy; next day these spots become whitish, and the dissolution of the mucous membrane becomes evident; in a few hours the whitish-gray substance changes to a fetid ichor, flows off, and exhibits an irregular, shaggy, flat ulcer, with an almost spongy base, and sharply indented edges; the ichor is discharged in profuse quantity, the ulcer spreads rapidly in extent, without penetrating into the flesh, and is very painful; if the use of the metal be continued, and the ulcers left to themselves, they assume a dirty, foul appearance, and become rapidly phagedenic; blood is now discharged from the ulcers not actively, but oozing, out as from a sponge, and evincing a state of great debility; the bottoms of these ulcers often present unequal elevations and depressions, as if it had been corroded by insects; the breaking out of these sores is often accompanied by irregular and quick pulse, sleeplessness, restlessness, profuse night-sweats, great nervousness, and impatience from the slightest cause. Copper- colored redness and swelling of the gum and mucous membrane of the mouth, followed by excoriations of the inner surface of the lips and gums, and moderate salivation (after working fourteen days). Mucous membrane of the mouth livid, with moderate salivation, especially in the morning; gum red, elevated, with a grayish-red margin. Mucous membrane of the mouth pale, with numerous erosions. The mucous membrane of the lower, lip especially on the left side, is covered with large yellowish patches, which cannot be detached by the finger-nail. Buccal mucous membrane swollen, red, thickened, and covered on the cheeks, gums, and palate, with white patches which are easily detached from a non-ulcerated surface. The gray patches on the lower lip and inside the cheeks, and on the edge of the tongue, were bordered by a red line (after four days). On removing with a cloth the patches which extended from the lower lip over the inside of the cheeks, the mucous membrane was laid bare, and was seen to be rough and uneven, staining the cloth with a good deal of blood. Severe pain was thus caused (after six days). The gray patches have disappeared, leaving red spots. On the right cheek, near the labial commissure, is a reddish gray surface, as large as half a dollar, raised above the healthy mucous membrane. The red spots are true granulations, indicating ulceration of the mucous membrane; the gray places are remnants of the previous white patches (after thirteen days). Buccal mucous membrane swollen and painful (second day). Mucous membrane of inside cheeks swollen, especially on right side, where is a red patch which has been covered by a white film. The palate also shows some of these films. The mucous membrane of the lower lip presents thinnish white patches, bordered with red (after ten days). The white patches on the lower lip are replaced by a surface covered with small red elevations, having a thin gray coating between them. This granulated surface stands out in bold relief upon the healthy mucous membrane, and leaves blood on the cloth when touched; contact is very painful (after eleven days). Buccal mucous membrane lining the upper lip presents, near the right commissure, a thick white patch, bordered with red; the inside of lower lip is entirely covered with moderately thick, gray patches, also bordered with red. Mucous lining of cheeks swollen, especially on right side; it as well as the palate, shows thin white films (after nine days). Palate almost entirely covered by a thin false membrane, which can be removed from a non-ulcerated surface. Buccal mucous membrane partly covered with thin white patches, but in some places there are thick layers which cannot be wholly removed by the nail (after eight days). Patches on inside cheek, bordered with red (after ten days). Patches on right cheek has gone off and is replaced by a prominent grayish-red surface; the red points are evidently granulations; the gray points are remains of the false membrane (after eleven days). Granulations on the above places in left cheek; more apparent in right cheek (after twelve days). In right cheek a granulated surface, 1 millimeter in breath and 5 millimeters in length; around it the mucous membrane is red to the extent of 6 millimeters (after twenty-five days). Bad odor from the mouth. Mouth extremely offensive. Fetor from the mouth. Fetid odor from mouth. Mercurial odor very strong (after eight days). Odor from the mouth disagreeable, sweetish. Swelling of the gum, lips, and cheeks. Mucous membrane of the mouth swollen, elevated. Spongy swelling of the mucous membrane of the lower lip, with numerous pustules looking like swollen mucous glands; also the mucous membrane of the cheek and upper lip has a peculiar spongy appearance. Stomatitis in two-thirds of all the cases, sometimes with swelling of the cervical and submaxillary glands; in about one- half of the cases there were mercurial ulcers in the mouth; in one case, inflammation of the tongue; in another case, inflammation of the tonsils and formation of an abscess. Acute stomatitis. Violent stomatitis and salivation. Violent stomatitis; deep mercurial ulcers on the inner surface of the right cheek descending as far as the tonsil; as the mouth healed she was attacked with fearful tremor, so that she could not leave her bed nor speak a word. Frightful stomatitis. Soreness and sense of swelling in mouth. Pimples and swelling in mouth (second day). A breaking out, similar to the ulcers in diphtheritis, upon the right side of the mucous membrane of the mouth and tongue; swelling of the right submaxillary glands, and profuse secretion of fetid saliva. Ulcers in the mouth. In 1821, MM. F. and B., then students in the Hospital de la Pitie and attending to the treatment of prostitutes, were both attacked with inflammation of the gums, which could only have arisen from the discharge of their duties in the venereal wards. In M. B’s. case, there were even ulcers in the back of the mouth; they did not seem to him to be important, and he paid little attention to them until he perceived them to grow worse. He then consulted a distinguished practitioner, who pronounced the disease venereal and prescribed a course of mercury. As M. B. had never had syphilis, and had never been even exposed to, the contagion, he declined to follow this advice. His complaint lasted several months, and disappeared finally after he had left off treating venereal patients. In the same year, M. P., another externee at the same hospital, was likewise affected with a swelling of the gums, and also had ulcers on the mouth and back of the mouth, which, as fast as they were cured in one place, reappeared in another. He was finally relieved only by staying at home for some time. Numerous ulcers in mouth. Ulcers on left margin of tongue and on right cheek. Ulcers on the mucous membrane of the cheek. Superficial ulcers in the angle in front of the arch of the palate, sometimes left, sometimes right. Deep ulcers developed on the inner surface of the lips and cheeks, with elevated, eroded margins, with swelling of the tonsils and cervical glands (after working fourteen days). Inner surface of the cheeks deeply ulcerated and inflamed. On the mucous membrane of the lips were small whitish, deep easily bleeding ulcers, with somewhat elevated margins, and of a livid color. Foul ulcers in mouth, from which a copious and most offensive sanious discharge was constantly dropping. Small pigmented scar on the right side, between the hard and soft palate, with a mercurial ulcer. Saliva. Saliva increased. Salivation, etc. (third day). Slight salivation (after nine days). Long-continued slight degree of salivation. Moderate degree of salivation. Frequent salivation. An alarming illness broke out among the crews, all of whom were more or less salivated. The surgeons, purses, and three petty officers, who were nearest the place where it was stowed, felt its effects the most, their heads an tongues having swelled to the most alarming degree. Every rat, mouse, and cockroach on broad has been destroyed, and the symptoms of general salivation have appeared in a strong degree. Great salivation. Abundant salivation. Salivation very abundant; almost at its height (after eight days). Profuse salivation. Very violent salivation. Salivation, which caused the loss of all his teeth. Thirty-nine out of the forty-three patients were attacked with mercurial salivation; in some cases it assumed a severe form. Very offensive salivation. Ptyalism; has to spit a great deal (after thirty- eight years). Ptyalism, which wasted her to a skeleton. Smoking caused unusually profuse salivation. Bloody saliva. Taste. Bad taste. Bitter taste. Metallic taste. Strong metallic taste (after thirty-eight years). Unable to take soup, on account of a very salt taste which it seemed to have. Speech. Speech tremulous; for years. Speech slow. Speech impeded; (second day). Speech greatly impeded. Speech difficult; (after eight days). Difficulty in speaking and masticating. Speech difficult on account of the trembling of the mouth and tongue. The masseter muscles became contracted, so that speech was at times very difficult and almost impossible. Inability to speak plainly. Speech only partially intelligible. Speech scarcely intelligible. Could scarcely speak intelligibly, from the constant state of agitation into which they were thrown the moment they were addressed, or attempted to articulate. Speech stammering, etc. Stammering (since the tremor began), (after thirty-eight years). Speech stammering and usually very difficult. Speech stammering; at last unintelligible. Stammering, speech slow, difficult; entirely unable to speak on any excitement. Stammering like a child. Stammered badly. Dreadful stammering. Articulation somewhat indistinct (one). Difficult articulation, amounting to stammering; he could hardly be understood. Utterance embarrassed, indistinct, and hurried. Psellismus (paresis tremens of the organs of speech). Loss of speech.
Born in 1837in Westminster, Vermont. . He was an orthodox doctor who converted to homeopathy
Dr. Allen compiled the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica over the course of 10 years.
In 1881 Allen published A Critical Revision of the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica.