Mercury group of homeopathy remedies

Mercurius is named after the roman god mercurius, the god of trade and science. The planet mercurius is named after the same god. Mercurius is sometimes called hydrargyrum, means ‘watery silver’. Its shine and colour are very similar to silver, but mercury is a fluid at room temperatures. The name quick silver is a translation of hydrargyrum, where the word quick describes its tendency to scatter away in all directions.

The droplets have a tendency to conglomerate to one big mass, but on being shaken they fall apart into countless little droplets again. It is used to ignite explosives, like mercury fulminate, the explosive character is one of its general themes.

 Uses

1. Mercury dissolves gold, silver, natrum and kali.
2. It is used in amalgam fillings (a mixture of mercury, silver, tin and zinc).
3. It is also used in mercury switches,-aligner and -batteries, as well as in barometers, thermometers, blood pressure gages, lights and ultra violet lamps.
4. Agriculture- manufacturing bactericides, pesticides

• Fatal dose –1 to 2 grms
• Fatalperiod– 3 to 5 days
• Tt – give egg- whites, milk or animal charcoal to precipitate mercury.
• Symbol-     Hg
• Series-        6
• Group       II B
• At no         80

Important remedies

• 1. Mercurius Solubilis —    Merc sol-Hahnemann’s soluble mercury- not pure mercury, contains ammonia and nitrate
• 2. mercurius- hydragerum / merc vivus-  quick silver
• 3. Mercurius corrosivus —  corrosive sublimate
• 4. Mercurius dulcis –   calomel
• 5. Mercurius iodatus flavus  — Merc  protoiodatus- iodide of Hg
• 6. Mercurius biniodatus —  Merc iodatus ruber-     Merc-I- r
• 7. Mercurius aceticus —    Merc-a
• 8. Mercurius cyanatus
• 9. Mercurialis perennnis  – Dog’s Hg
• 10. Mercurius Sulphuratus rubber(merc sulphide)  —   Cinnabaris
• 11. Aethiops mercurialis mineralis- (black sulphide)
• 12. Mercurius Sulphuricus   —-     Merc-sul

The provings of quicksilver, or metallic Mercury, and the Soluble Mercury of Hahnemann have been separately placed in Allen’s Encylopaedia, but according to Farrington  no essential differences between them. Mercurius solubilis is not a pure mercurial preparation. It contains some Ammonia and some Nitric acid. There are only traces of Nitric acid, however, and yet these traces must modify its symptomatology somewhat, but to what degree he doesn’t know. The provings of the “solubilis” are excellent. They are complete, much more so than those of the “vivus.” These latter are collected more from poisoning cases and from clinical cases than from actual provings. If, then, the symptoms are clearly placed in the Encyclopedia under Soluble Mercury, he advised to use that preparation.

Characteristic features of mercury group

Constitution

• The majority of Mercurius people are male, but both sexes appear relatively androgynous. Being a highly mental type, the face is angular, and is usually youthful in appearance.
• The eyes are often penetrating, and the eyebrows tend to be strong and straight.
• The hair is usually dark and straight, but can be any colour, and tends to be either thin or unruly.
• Most Mercurius people are slight in build, but some become fat through over-indulgence.  Type: male, dark hair, overweight, small weak chin; robust or weak or aristocratic

Diathesis – Scrofulous

Temperament – Easily frightened nature with hurried and rapid speech

Miasm – Syphilis-traces of Psora and Sycosis  

Sphere of action

• LYMPHATIC Glandular SYSTEM.Paralysis.; Congest’n.; Ulcer.
• SALIVARY GLANDS.Salivation; Excessive Fetor.
• PANCREAS.Salivation; Conges.; Inflamma.; Hypertrophy.
• LIVER.Secretion of Bile Greatly Increased; Jaundice.
• KIDNEYS.Congestions; Inflammat’n; Albuminuria; Diabetes.
• MUCOUS MEMBRANE. (INTESTINAL.)Conges.;catarrhal Inflam.; Haemorrhage
• INTESTINAL CANAL.Increased Peristalsis; Catharsis.
• EYES.Congestion; Inflammation; Effusion.
• SEROUS MEMBRANES.Inflammation; Effusion.
• PERIOSTEUM(fibrositis).Congestion.; Inflammtion.; Rheumatism.
• BONES.Inflammation; Caries; Nightly Bone-Pain.
• BLOOD.Decomposed; Fibrine, Albumen, Red cells, decreased.
• SKIN.Vesicular and Pustular Eczema; Jaundice.
• SEXUAL Organ., FEMALE.Menorrhagia; Amenorrhoea; Miscarriage.
• CEREBRO-SPINAL SYSTEM– mercurial palsy, tremors

Mental features

1) Destructiveness, elusiveness and restlessness are 3 grand features of Hg

2) Essence- position of power is being threatened. Struggle is an active process Struggle followed by exhaustion- compared to acidums

3)Fight is the theme till decomposition occurs- both mentally & physically

4) Exaggerated power: tyranny
They want to hold to to power at any cost, but they feel they are being threatened. This makes them overreact in an effort to maintain control. They become dictatorial and will not tolerate any contradiction or insult. Their thirst for power turns them into real tyrants, using the techniques of: ‘divide and rule’.

5) Exaggerated responsibility
The responsibility for their task is very important to them. They feel they are the only one who is capable of taking this on and they dare not hand over to anyone else out of fear that it might all go wrong. That is why they get so angry when someone takes over without asking them first. They are also hard workers, can be workaholics.

6) Suspicious
Their exaggerated control and dictatorial behaviour doesn’t make them very popular. There are enemies all over the place and they don’t know who they can trust anymore.  The only way to cope is by planning all sorts of intrigues themselves. It is a typical picture of paranoia.

7) Manipulation– trying to mislead other people so they can remain in control.

Repeating old strategies as a means of holding on to power

Repeating tricks to hold on to power: manipulation

8) The decline of the empire – strategies and tricks no longer it is working – gradual decay- in physical level also- in the form of ulcers, caries, syphilis etc

9) isolated by enemies- attacking him- but no courage to attack them because of fear of death— which results in trembling of hands, voice- stammering.

10)Betrayal is the strong theme of mercury. They are mistrustful

10) Failure state- feels that he had committed a crime

11) sexuality- sexual maturity at an early state-perverted desires

12) Expressions

 Sluggishness,  incomprehension,  weak memory,  restlessness,  mistrustful

Mental: absent minded, confused, no thoughts, no ideas, forgetful, lack of concentration, rigid, mistakes in speaking, insane; mania.

Contacts: closed, withdrawn, silent, timid, agg.- talking, slow in talking, clear, direct, reserved.

Fears: heights, falling, murder, death, suicide, heart disease, stroke, insanity, people, crowds, enemies, religious, devil, God, cat, thunder, poverty, looked at, fire, pension, accidents, murder.

Dreams: heights, falling, suicide, attacked, threatened, violence, murder, war, fights, angels, hell, vulnerable, travelling, cracking walls, falling of a revolving platform, brakes not working.

Delusions: superior, angels, alone, everyone is his enemy, criminal, being in hell.

irritability: checked, obstinate, irritable, cynical, quarrelsome, angry, aggressive, furious, murderous impulses by stabbing people with a hot iron in their stomach, agg. injustice, agg. offence, agg. minor insult.

Mood: haughty, suppressed (!), laughing alternating with crying, restless, hasty, indifferent, discontented, sadness, gloomy, desperate, wants to be dead, suicidal with knives, crying.

A/F– disaster, hurt, humiliation, too much responsibility, loss of position, business or power.

Physical features

1) Locality: right.

2) Perspiration: profuse, agg. night, stinking, putrid, aggravates – non relieving sweat

3) Time modality: agg. 9 pm, agg. night (3).

4) Congestive:

• Merc is basically inflammatory group of remedies.
• Every inflammation begins with congestion and Merc has it forcefully in its pathogenesis.
• This congestiveness has to be differentiated from Aco, Bell or Ferr-ph.
• These three drugs have congestion in their first stage of inflammation.
• Merc presents a furtherance of activity where suppuration has supervened.
• An abscess in Merc is of spreading congestion-more red, more painful, more throbbing, and with adjacent lymphadenopathy.

5) Catarrhal:

• Merc causes inflammation of mucous membranes resulting in profuse, thin, slimy, acrid, burning, foul or thick greenish-yellow discharges.
• Merc covers simple to malignant catarrhs in its pathogenesis.

   6)  Exudative:

• Exuding the ichorous fluid, pus etc. through affected lesions like boils, abscesses, carbuncles, sinuses, fistulae etc. is the characteristic of Merc.
• The exudation is usually offensive in nature.

 7)Ulcerative:

•  Merc has ulcerations; of the mucous membranes, esp. of mouth and throat.
•  The syphilitic miasmatic dimension is responsible for recurrent and non-healing ulcerations; ulcers based on deep pathologies, or metabolic basis. Syphilitic phagadenic ulcers.

 8)  Destructive:

• Merc transformshealthy cells into decrepit, inflamed and necrotic wrecks.
• Merc is destructive both at body and mind levels.
• Its lesions resemble those of syphilis.
• Merc’s action is similar to that of the toxins of infectious diseases.
•  Inflammations of malignant types, and prostration.
• Appropriate Merc salt can be thought of in cases where perforation threatens

   9)  Glandular: 

• Merc has increased glandular activity, esp. of salivary and mucous glands produces increased salivation.
•  Lymphatic system is esp. affected with all the membranes and glands.
•  Merc has concomitant lymphadenopathy with skin lesions like boil, abscess, ulcer etc.
• Syphilitic miasm is responsible for even malignant glandular affections and fevers.
• Based on scrofulous diathesis, it also covers tubercular glandular affections. Chronic suppurating glands; cold abscesses are dealt with Merc.

10) Scrofulous:

• Tuberculous disease of lymphatic nodes and of bone, with slowly suppurating abscesses.
•  Merc decomposes the blood, producing a profound anemia.
•  It thus affects the nutrition and prepares a ground for scrofulous affections.
•  Syphilitic activity further leads to cachexia.

 11) Scorbutic:

•  Merc has spongy and bleeding gums.
• When the general condition is impaired and metabolism affected because of malnutrition, scorbusis may get developed.
• Scorbusis may be a precursor of metabolic diseases like DM.

 12) Anaemic:

Merc through decomposition of blood, and through bone-narrow depression causes profound or aplastic anemia.

•  Hemorrhages, metabolic disorders, hepatic and renal toxicity cause anemia.
•  Hence Merc constitution is emaciated, pale with dark ring around eyes.

 13 . Rheumatic:

• Rheumatic diathesis is one of the features of Merc group.
• It has both acute and chronic dimensions.
• Mercs are sensitive to both heat and cold – human barometers and they come down with acute joint swellings and pains consequent to weather changes. ‘Redness’ indicates Merc.

14) Offensive

• Merc is filthy, mentally as well as physically.
• All discharges smell horribly.
• The decomposition, the debris, the slough, the suppuration; smell emanates from the body.
• Mercs are, hence, recognized to an observant physician.

 15. Sensitive 

 Mercs are very sensitive to weather changes, hence termed as ‘human barometer’.

•  The inflamed part is very sensitive and depicts all characters of inflammation.
•  The reactivity pattern is exhibited well.
•  Sensitivity attracts environmental stimuli; hence modalities or sensory stimuli / inputs are usually available.
• Sensitivity is also present at mind level.

16) Tremulous

• ‘Trembling’ is a marked characteristic of Merc. Paralysis agitans – Parkinsonism –come under pathogenetic action of Merc.
• Syphilitic expressions with a lot of pathologies at nerves, spinal cord, and brain resulting in inco-ordination are responsible for tremulousness.

 17)  Dropsical:

• Dropsy due to anemia, hepatic, renal  or cardiac affections are covered by Merc.
• Edematous swellings in the affected parts characterize Merc.

18)  Agile

• Merc is basically an‘active’ group.
• We get rapid development of symptoms leading to destruction.
• When active disease processes are present, Merc group is indicated.
• It is less indicated for remnants or for exhaustion stage.
• That work is allotted to other groups like Carbon etc. Usually full-blown acute or chronic diseases are found in Merc group because of increased sensitivity and susceptibility.

 18. Chaotic

• The aberrant immune response as expressed in autoimmune disorders give the character of chaos.
• Under severe infection, the system becomes prey and behaves in an eccentric way.
• Tubercular miasma actively dominates the scene.
• The agile character allows the system to go into chaos.

19. Debilitated

• The sway of disease processes under tubercular and syphilitic miasmatic activities depletes the energy.
• The system can’t continue for long and succumbs.
• Anemia, malnourishments add to the state of debility.
• Discharges produced do not ameliorate and further deplete the energy.

20)  Syphilitic

• Merc and syphilis are knot together since antiquity.
• Merc has in its pathogenesis all stages of syphilis-primary, secondary and tertiary.
• Low states and phagadenic condition from syphilitic poison.
• Destructive effects on nerves.
• It covers both acute and chronic phases.
• Discharges which system develops as defense do not help and syphilitic march is continued.

21) pains– burning and throbbing pains

22) A/F- Suppression of  discharges, abuse of crude mercury, bad affects of sugar, stings, vapors of arsenic or copper, suppressed syphilis, winter diseases.

23) GENERAL MODALITY

 Aggravations –

• both extremes of heat and cold, changing climate, drafts of cold, cold damp, cloudy, autumn.
• Night,
• sweating – during & after
• lying in all positions except lying on rt side– dyspnoea
• loss of Sleep
• Swallowing – throat.
• Dentition
• Sweets, coffee

Amelioration –

•     moderate temp and  altitude,
•     Sleep, rest

Individual drugs 

MERCURIUS — Quicksilver

• In bone diseases, pains worse at night; glandular swellings with or without suppuration, but especially if suppuration be too profuse (Hep., Sil.).
• Profuse perspiration does not relieve; may even increase the suffering
• 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 Crowns  decay, roots remain
• fetid, coppery, metallic-tasting saliva.
• Tongue: large, flabby, shows imprint of teeth
• Mumps, diphtheria, tonsillitis with profuse offensive saliva; constant desire to swallow;
• Dysentery: stool slimy, bloody ,with colic and fainting
• Leucorrhoea itching with rawness; always worse at night;
• Mammae painful, ulcerate at every menstrual period
• 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.
• Aggravation. – At night; wet damp weather (Rhus); in autumn, warm days and cold, damp nights; lying on right side; perspiring.      Mercury is < by heat of, but > by rest in, bed.       Arsenic is > by heat of, but < by rest in, bed.

Mercurius corrosivus

• Corrosive sublimate.
• HgCl2
• Diseases of men, syphilitic; ulcers, with corroding, acrid pus; Bright’s disease.
• Dysentery and summer complaints of intestinal canal, occurring from May to November.

Tenesmus: of rectum,  not >> by stool (< by stool, Nux); incessant, persistent; stool hot,  scanty, bloody, slimy, offensive; shreds of mucous membrane and terrible cutting, colicky pains. More the pain merc cor is indicated and more blood merc sol is indicated

Tenesmus: of bladder, with intense burning in urethra; urine hot, burning, scanty or suppressed; in drops with great pain; bloody, brown, brick-dust sediment; albuminous.

Gonorrhoea: second stage,  greenish discharge,  < at night; great burning and tenesmus.

Mercurius biniodide

• Mercurius iodatus ruber
• Biniodide of Mercury MgI5
• Diphtheritic and glandular affections of left side; fauces dark red; solids or liquids painful when swallowing; exudation slight, easily detached; cases attending epidemic scarlet fever, ulcers on fauces or tonsils; glands enlarged; greenish tough lumps from pharynx or posterior nares.   Tubercular pharyngitis.

Mercurius dulcis  Calomel  Hg2Cl2

•  Catarrhal affections of mucous membranes, especially of the eye and ear.Catarrhal inflammation of middle ear (Kali m.).   Eustachian tube closed; catarrhal deafness and otorrhoea in psoric children; deafness of old age (Kali m.). Acute affections of prostrate after maltreated stricture.       Deafness and catarrhal affections of nares, throat, and pharynx, from mercurial amalgam fillings. Diarrhoea: of children; stools grass-green; like chopped eggs; profuse, causing soreness of anus.  

Mercurius iodatus flavus

• Iodide of mercury— Hg2I2.
• Diphtheritic and throat affections where the cervical and parotid glands are enormously swollen; membrane begins on or is < on right side; < by warm drinks, and empty swallowing (Lach.).
• Tongue: thick, yellow coating at base (Kali bi._ golden yellow coating at base, Nat. p.; dirty or greenish-gray coating at base, Nat. s.); tip and edges red; right side of throat and neck most affected.
• Constant inclination to swallow
• For Hunterian (hard) chancre, secondary symptoms rarely follow if given in proper dose; great swelling of inguinal glands, no disposition to suppurate. 
• Mammary tumors, with tendency to much warm perspiration and gastric disturbances. 

CINNABARIS  (mercuric sulphide)

• For certain forms of ciliary neuralgia and ulceration upon a syphilitic base, this remedy is most effective.
• Sleepless during night.
• Eyes
• Pains from lachrymal duct around eye to temple, from inner canthus across brows to ear. Severe shooting pain in bones of orbit, especially running from inner to outer canthus in the bone. Redness of whole eye.
• Lids granulated; canthi and lids red.

MERCURIUS SULPHURICUS

• Sulphate of Mercury.
• HgSO4.
• 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.
• Desires: alcohol, drugs, bread and butter, sweet, cold water.
• Aversion: meat, eating, sweet, butter, alcohol, coffee, fat.
• Food: agg. drugs, amel. eating, agg. fasting.
• Menses: agg. menses, agg. pregnancy, agg. during and after giving birth.
• Sleep: sleeplessness (3), on left side.
• Physical: agg. rest, agg. sitting, agg. lying, amel. walking, amel. motion, agg. dark, amel. pressure, amel. rubbing, agg. touch.
• Weather: cold; agg. cold or warm(3!); amel. open air; agg. gloomy, cloudy agg. dry