Mercurius iodatus ruber

by Adolph von Lippe — Keynotes and Red Line Symptoms of the Materia Medica

Common name: red iodide of mercury.

It is useful in chronic syphilitic lesions in scrofulous subjects (Bl.).

Early stages of cold, especially in children (Acon., Bry., Rhus-T.) (Br.).

Phlegm in the nose and throat (Br.).

Tubercular pharyngitis (Arg-N., Bar-C., Calc., Hep., Iod., Kali-B., Lach., Lyc., Merc., Nat-M., Phos., Sil., Sulph., Tub.) (A.).

Disposition to hawk, with sensation of a lump in the throat (Br.).

Laryngeal troubles with aphonia (Am-Caust., Arg-N., Caust., Phos., Sil.) (Br.).

DIPHTHERITIC AND GLANDULAR AFFECTIONS OF THE 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 (A.).

Profuse saliva in the mouth (Kali-B., Merc., Nit-Ac.) (Br.).

HARD CHANCRES (Merc-P-I.).

Glands enlarged (Bad., Carb-An., Hep., Sil.) (A.).

CHRONIC SUPPURATING BUBOES (Merc., Sil.) (Br.).

Profuse, acrid, green leucorrhœa (B.).

Greenish, tough lumps from the pharynx or posterior nares (Kali-I.) (A.).

Wandering pains (Bell., Ign., Kali-S., Lac-C., Puls.) (B.).

Copious sweat at night (Calc., Hep., Nit-Ac., Sil.) (C.)

Turbinated bones swollen (Aur., Calc., Hep., Nit-Ac., Sil.) (C.).

AGGRAVATION: From swallowing; and at night.

AMELIORATION: From warm application.

RELATIONSHIP: Compare: Apis, Bell., Carb-An., Kali-B., Kali-I., Lach., Lyc., Merc., Merc-P-I., Mezer., Nit-Ac., Phos., Rhus-T., Sil. and Sulph.

Mercurius iodatus ruber across the other classic books

Mercurius iodatus ruber appears in 9 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.
“Biniodide of Mercury. (HgI2.) 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…”
Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“Mercuric iodide, HgI2. Biniodide of mercury (Hydrargyrum biniodatum). Preparation for use , Triturations. Authorities. Amer. Provers' Union, 1856, revised by Dr. Hering in monograph, in which the authorities are noted after the symptoms, provings with 1st to 30th dils.; 1 , Dr. Armor; 2 , Mrs. A; 3 , Dr. Cowley's…”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Bin-iodide of Mercury Diphtheria and ulcerated sore throats, especially on left side, with much glandular swelling. Chronic suppurating buboes. Hard chancres. Old cases of syphilis in scrofulous patients. Early stages of cold, especially in children. Fauces dark red ; swallowing painful. Phlegm in nose and throat…”
Boger (GA) — Which general headings this remedy belongs under — the analytical scaffolding.
“MOUTH and THROAT SIDE, left to right”
Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“THROAT. Glands. Left side. Cellular tissue. Empty swallowing. After sleep. Swellings. .................... Painfully heavy occiput. Granulated eyelids. Aching, sore malar bones. Slimy, sticky lips on waking. Dark, red fauces. Wrinkled tongue. SORETHROAT (l. to r.); tonsils or glands greatly swelled, yet little…”
Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“Mercurius iodatus ruber. Mercuric iodide. HgI 2 . Trituration. Antrum, pain in / Asthma / Coryza / Diphtheria / Eczema / Eyes, inflammation of / Hæmorrhoids / Laryngitis / Liver, syphilis of / Malaria / Nose, polypus of; diseased bones of / Parotitis / Post-nasal catarrh / Quinsy / Rheumatism / Spleen, enlarged /…”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Biniodide of Mercury. Hg I2. Introduced and proved by the American Provers' Union in 1856, monograph revised by Hering. Provings were made with 1st to 30th. CLINICAL AUTHORITIES. Diphtheritic conjunctivitis , Von Tagen (Arg. nit. externally), Raue's Rec., 1874, p. 75 ; Nasal polypus , Spranger, B. J. H., vol. 24, p…”
Kent — The mental and general picture — who the patient is, before what the remedy cures.
“Mercurius Iodatus Ruber (Bin-iodide of Mercury.) Again, if in a Merc. patient with diphtheria, tonsillitis, etc., the inflammation and pain begin on the left side, and incline to remain there or spread to the right, the bin-iodide is indicated. These two iodides have more rapid and greater induration beneath ulcers…”

Mercurius iodatus ruber in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Mercurius iodatus ruber in 430 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in EXTREMITIES (55), HEAD (55), THROAT (39), NOSE (29), ABDOMEN (25).

HEAD - HEAT - Vertex - 11 p.m.
MALE GENITALIA - ULCERS - Penis - hard
RECTUM - HAEMORRHOIDS - chronic
SKIN - ERUPTIONS - syphilitic
GENERALITIES - SYPHILIS
RECTUM - HAEMORRHOIDS
MOUTH - SALIVATION
NOSE - HEAT in - right
EYE - CHEMOSIS - yellow
EAR - ITCHING in - night
MALE GENITALIA - SARCOCELE
MOUTH - ULCERS - Tongue - indurated
EXTREMITIES - CRACKED skin, - Hands - palms of
FACE - ERUPTIONS - crusty,scabby - nose - wing,near the
MALE GENITALIA - PHIMOSIS - gangrene threatening
EXTREMITIES - PAIN - aching - Thigh - bone
LARYNX TRACHEA - INFLAMMATION, - larynx - syphilitic
FACE - ERUPTIONS - eczema - chin
MALE GENITALIA - GANGRENE - Penis - paraphimosis,from
NOSE - PAIN in - burning,smarting - posterior nares

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