Mercurius Precipitatus Albus
By Timothy F. Allen — The Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica
Hydrargyrum amido-bichloratum.
H. ammonio-muriaticum.
Ammonium cloride of mercury.
Formula (variable) HgCl + HgNH2 or 2NH4 ClHgCl2.
Preparation for use , Triturations.
Authorities.
1 , Giles, poisoning of a young woman by about 1/2 a drachm, Lancet, July, 1857; 2 , Greenhow, a woman, aged thirty, took a "penny-worth," Med. Times and Gaz., 1863; 3 , Graham, a man, aged thirty-five, took more than 2 drachms, Brit. Med. J., April, 1869.
FACE
MOUTH
- Great swelling of gums (second day), 1.
- Tongue much coated, 2.
- Tongue covered with thick greenish fur (after ten hours), 3.
- Salivation (second day), 1.
STOMACH
- Thirst urgent, 2.
- Considerable nausea, 2.
- Became very sick, and continued so (immediately), 1. [10.]
- Vomited violently (after half an hour), 2.
- Vomited much; the last matter vomited consisted of clear deeply blood-stained fluid (first day); frequent slight vomiting (second day), 3.
- Much pain at stomach, 1.
ABDOMEN
- After half an hour began to feel pain in the epigastrium, which gradually spread over the whole abdomen, 2.
- Great pain in abdomen (soon); continuing after taking any even liquid food, for more than a week, 3.
- Constant griping (first and second days), 3.
- Whole abdomen painful on pressure, 2.
STOOL
- One copious evacuation from bowels, containing mucous shreds in some quantities, and a good deal of dark blood (first day), Numerous scanty evacuations with a very large intermixture of blood. This continued until sixty hours after taking the poison. One very copious motion, consisting apparently of almost pure bile, the passage of which caused a great scalding of the anus (second day). This occurred again after the lapse of another forty-eight hours, the evacuations in the interim containing bile, and apparently scarcely any blood, 3.
RESPIRATORY ORGANS
PULSE. [20.]
- Pulse 88, moderately full, 2.
GENERAL SYMPTOMS
SLEEP
- Lies in a drowsy, semi-comatose state, 2.
FEVER
- Cold, clammy skin, and much congestion of the cutaneous vessels (after ten hours), 3.
- General surface of the body perspiring, 2.
SUPPLEMENT: MERCURIUS PRECIPITATUS ALBUS. Authority.
4 , Pharm. Journ., 2d Ser., vol. i, 1859-60, p. 532, Harriet Moore murdered her child with 20 grains.
- Immediately after some arrowroot the child was violently sick, and during the night shrieked as though in great pain. On the following morning he was found to have undergone a remarkable change, and in the language of one of the witnesses, had become quite an "old man," 4.