Mercurius sulphuricus

by James Tyler Kent — Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica · 1905

Historical reference for practitioners and students. The statements below reflect the named author’s homeopathic teaching and do not establish treatment effectiveness. This text is not medical advice and must not replace appropriate diagnosis or care.

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 present. you will be astonished at the action of this sulphate.

Mercurius sulphuricus across the other classic books

Mercurius sulphuricus appears in 9 of the 27 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 — A compiled symptom record drawing on proving reports and other named observations.
“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…”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Turpethum Minerale--Yellow Sulphate of Mercury (MERCURIUS SULPHURICUS - HYDRARG. OXYD. SUB-SULPH.) 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…”
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…”
Hale — The introduction story — early pathogenetic and clinical evidence for medicines new to Hale's generation.
“(Mercurius Protosulphide.) Pharmacology. — This is known as the -Black sulphide of mercury, Black Sulphuret of mercury, and the Subsulphuret of mercury. It is a black, impalpable powder, having none of the metallic lustre of mercury, and in its combination loses the characteristic appearance of the mercurial particles.”
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…”
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…”

Mercurius sulphuricus in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Mercurius sulphuricus in 121 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in EXTREMITIES (24), MOUTH (23), STOOL (9), SLEEP (8), CHEST (7).

EXTREMITIES - SWELLING
CHEST - OEDEMA,pulmonary
CHEST - DROPSY
RESPIRATION - DIFFICULT - afternoon
EYE - PHOTOPHOBIA - sunlight
EXTREMITIES - SWELLING - dropsical
MOUTH - PAIN - sore
ABDOMEN - COLDNESS
RECTUM - PAIN - burning - stool - during
LARYNX TRACHEA - IRRITATION in air passages - Trachea
RESPIRATION - ACCELERATED
STOOL - YELLOW
CHEST - PAIN - burning
STOOL - WATERY
FACE - DISCOLORATION - pale
RESPIRATION - DIFFICULT
CHEST - PAIN - afternoon - 4 to 5 p.m. right side
CHILL - TIME - 10 - to 2 p.m.
COUGH - PAROXYSMAL - consisting of - two coughs - in quick succession
EYE - PAIN - drawing - standing,while

Search all 8 classical repertories

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Med Merc-c Merc-cy Merc-i-f Mez Mill Mosch Mur-ac

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