Mercurius Sulphuricus, Drarg, Oxyd, Sub-Sulph appears in 8 of the 13 classic books on Similia. Each was written to do a different job — here is what each adds on this remedy, with the opening of its entry.
- Allen HC — The keynotes that separate this remedy from its nearest neighbours.
“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…”
- Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“Mercuric sulphate (in part) SO4Hg2 HgO. Hydrargyrum oxydatum sub-sulfuricum. Præcipitatum flavum. Turpeth mineral. Preparation , Triturations. Authorities. Emotional. Delirium at times (after two nights), 3. Depression of spirits (first day), 4. Intellectual. Increased clearness and vivacity of mind, in evening (first…”
- Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“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…”
- Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“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). Low spirited, with…”
- Kent — The mental and general picture — who the patient is, before what the remedy cures.
“Mercurius sulphuricus (Sulphate of Mercury. Turpeth mineral.) 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…”
- Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.
“Low-spirited; with chilliness and yawning. Ill-humor after eating. 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). Burning in the ears and in the face, after a chill. Swelling of the…”
- Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common name: sulphate of mercury. It is as important, as Arsenicum, in hydrothorax. When it acts well it produces a profuse, watery diarrhœa with great relief to the patient). Hydrothorax, occurring from heart or liver diseases (Dig., Phos.) (A.). DYSPNOEA: HAS TO SIT, CANNOT LIE DOWN (Ars., Lyc., Sulph.) (A.). Short…”
