Mercurius Praecipitatus Albus
Clarke - Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · John Henry Clarke · 2,289 chars · source ↗
General
Mercurius Praecipitatus Albus.
White Precipitate. Mercurammonium chloride. NH2HgCl. Trituration.
Clinical
Dwarfism. Eczema faciei.
Characteristics
The symptoms of Merc. praecip. alb. are taken entirely from poisonings. The most peculiar symptoms are: Green tongue; bilious stools scalding anus; and the old-mannish appearance of a child poisoned with it. Mossa (H. R., ix. 28) relates (1) a case of chronic eczema of the face in an elderly man, a moistening eruption < in winter and from exposure to cold; vesicles on a reddened, swollen skin dry into scales which exfoliate; eyelids, especially lower, oedematous, corners reddened; lachrymation; ear involved; itching and burning on head preventing sleep.
Merc. praecip. alb. 3 gr. i. every third day. First the burning itching ceased. Then formation of blisters abated. Exfoliation continued a long time, but the skin finally became normal.
(2) Girl, 2, eruption on face and large part of scalp, covered with thick yellow crust, matter exuding from cracks. Offensive odour; swollen cervical glands. Merc. praecip. alb. 3 gr. i once in three days cured in four weeks.
Relations
Compare: Dwarfish children, Bar. c., Syph. Eczema, Mez., Aethiops. ant.
Face
Face: much flushed; greatly swollen.—In one night a child (poisoned with 20 gr.) had undergone a remarkable change; had become in appearance "quite an old man."
Mouth
Gums much swollen.—Tongue: much coated; thick greenish fur.
Stomach
Thirst urgent
Nausea and vomiting
Vomits deeply blood-stained fluid
Much pain at stomach.
Abdomen
After half an hour pain began in epigastrium, gradually spreading over whole abdomen
Great pain in abdomen; continuing after taking any, even liquid, food, for more than a week
Constant griping
Whole abdomen painful to pressure.
Stool And Anus
One copious stool with mucous shreds in some quantities, much dark blood
Numerous scanty stools with much blood
Almost pure bile causing great scalding of anus.
Generalities
Slight subsultus.—Collapse.—During the night the child shrieked as from great pain, in the morning it had changed to the appearance of an old man.
Sleep
Drowsy, semi-comatose.
Fever
Cold, clammy skin, much congestion of cutaneous vessels.—General perspiration.