LUES VENEREA. 



and is tlicrefore obliged, if poffiblc, to take it by the mouth. 

 Hunter, p. 338. 



Mercury has two effeftj, one as a ftimulus on the confti- 

 tation and particular parts ; the other as a ' fpecific on a 

 difeafed aftion of tlie whole body, or of parts. The lat- 

 ter adion can only be computed by the difeafe difap- 

 pearing. 



In giving mercury in the venereal difcafc, the firft atten- 

 tion fiiould be to tiie quantity, and its vifiblc cffefts in a 

 given time, which, when brought to a proper pitch, are 

 only to be kept up, and the decline of the difeafe to be 

 watched ; for by this we judge of the invifible, or fpe- 

 cific effecSls of the medicine, and know what variation in 

 the quantity may be neceffary. The vifible effefts of mer- 

 cury affcft either the whole conftitution, or fome parts ca- 

 pable of fecretion. In the firft, it produces univerfal irri- 

 tability, making it more fufceptible of all impreffions. It 

 quickens the pulfe, increafes its hardnefs, and occafions a 

 kind of temporary" fever. In fome conllitutions it operates 

 like a poifon. In fome it produces a kind of hedlic fever, 

 that is, a fmall quick pulfe, lofs of appetite, rellleffncfs, 

 want of fleep, and a fallow complexion, with a number of 

 confequent fymptoms ; but fuch cffccls commonly diminiHi 

 on the patient becoiving a little accuftomcd to the medi- 

 cine. Mercury often produces pains like thofe of rheu- 

 matifm, and nodes of a fcrofulous nature. Huntei', p. 339, 



34°- 



The quantity of mercury to be thrown into the conftitu- 

 tion, for the cure of any venereal complaint, muft be pro- 

 portioned to the violence of the difeafe. However, we are 

 to be guided by two circumllances, namely, the time in 

 which any given quantity is to be thrown in, and the eftecls 

 it has on fome parts of the body, as the falivary glands, flcin, 

 or inteftities. For mercury may be thrown into the fame 

 conilitation in very different quantities, fo as to produce the 

 fame ultimate effeft ; but the two very different quanti- 

 ties mull alfo be in different times ; for inftance, one ounce 

 of mercurial ointment, ufed in two days, will have more 

 effeft upon the conftitution, than two ounces ufed in ten. 

 The effeas of one ounce, ufed in two days, on the confti- 

 tution and difeafed parts, are confiderable. A fmall quan- 

 tity, ufed quickly, will have equal effefts, to thofe of a 

 large one employed (lowly ; but if tliefe effefts are prin- 

 cipally local, that is, upon the glands of the mouth, the 

 conftitution at large not being equally ftimulated, the ef- 

 feft upon the difeafed parts muff be lefs, whicb may be 

 known by the local difeafe not giving way in proportion to 

 the effeCls of mercury on fome particular part. If it is 

 given in very fmall quantities, an-d increafed gradually, fo 

 as to fteal infenfibly on the conftitution, a vaft quantity at a 

 time may at length be thrown in, without any vifible efFeft 

 at all. Hunter, p. 341. 



Thefe circumftances being known, mercury becomes a 

 muck more efficacious, manageable, and fafe medicine, than 

 it was formerly thougl It to be ; but, unluckily, its vifible 

 effefts upon the mouth and the inteftines are fometimes 

 much more violent, thao its general effect upon the confti- 

 tution at lar^e. Thefe parts muft therefore not be ftimu- 

 l:ited fo quickly, as to hijider ilie neceffary quaiiiity of mer- 

 cury from, b&ing ufed. 



The conftitution, or parts, are more fufceptible of mer- 

 cury at 'firft than afterwards. If the mouth is made fore, 

 arid allowed to recover, a much greater quantity may be 

 thrown in, a fecond time, before the fame forenefs is pro- 

 duced. However, anomalous cafes occur, in which, from 

 unknown caufes, mercury cannot at one time be made to 



produce any vifible effefts ; but afterwards, the mouth and 

 inteftines are all at once aflfefted. Hunter, p. 342. 



Mercury occafionally attacks the bowels, and caufes vio- 

 L'nt purging, even of blood. Tiiis effeft is remedied by 

 intermitting the ufe of the medicine, and exhibiting opium. 

 At other times, it is fuddenly determined to the mouth, 

 and produces infiammation, ulceration, and an exceffivc flow 

 of faliva. To obtain relief in this circumftance, purgatives, 

 nitre, fulphur, gum-arabic, lime-water, camphor, bark, kali 

 fulphuratum, blifter?, &c. have been advifed. Mr. Pearfon, 

 however, does not feem to place much confidence in the 

 efficacv of fucli means, and the mercury being difconti- 

 nued for a time, he recommends the patient to be freely ex- 

 pofed to a dry cold air, with the occafional ufe of cathar- 

 tics, Peruvian bark, and mineral acids, and the affiduous 

 application of " aftrlngent gargles. " The moft material 

 objsdtion, (fays Mr. Pearfon,) which I forefee againft 

 the method of treatm.ent I have recommended, is the ha- 

 zard, to which the patient will be espofed, of having the 

 faliva fuddenly checked, and of fuffering fome other difeafe 

 in confequence of it. 



" That the hafty fupprcffion of a ptyalifm may be fi^il- 

 lowed by ferious inconveniences, has been proved by Dr. 

 Sylvefter, (Med. Obf. and Inq. vol. iii.) who publifhcd 

 three cafes of perfons who had been under his own care ; 

 tv/o of whom were afflifted with violent pains ; and the 

 third fcarcely retained any food in her Itomach for the fpace 

 of three months. I have feen not only p.ains, but even ge-- 

 neral convulfions, produced from the fame caufe. But this 

 fingular kind of metaftafis of the mercurial irritation docs 

 not appear to me to owe its appearance to finiple expofure 

 to cold and dry air ; becaufe I have known it occur in 

 diffe'-cnt forms, where patients continued to breathe a warm 

 atmofphere, but ufed a bath, the water of which was not 

 fufficiently heated. Cold liquids, taken in large quantity 

 into the flomach, or expofure of the body to cold and- 

 moifture, will alfo prove extremely injurious to thofe who 

 are fully under the influence of mercury ; whereas breathing 

 a cool air, while the body is properly covered with ap- 

 parel, has certainly no tftidency to produce any diftrefling 

 or dangerous confeqnences. 



" if, however, a fuppreffioii of the ptyalifm (Iiould be 

 occafioned by any aft of indifcretion, the remedy is eafy 

 and certain ; it confifts only in the quick introduftion of 

 mercury into the body, fo as to produce a forenefs of the 

 gums, with the occafional ufe of a hot bath." Pearfc'n on. 

 the Effed of Various Articles in the Cure of Lues Venerea, 

 edit. 2. p. 163, 164. 



Mercury, when it falls on the mouth, produces, in many 

 conftitutions, violent inflammation, which fometimes termi- 

 nates in mortification. In thefe habits great caution is 

 neceffary. The ordinary operation of mercury does not 

 permanently injure the conftitution; but, occafion.ally, the 

 impairment is very material ; mercury may even prc^duce 

 local difeafes, and retard the cure of chancres, buboes, and 

 certain effects of the lues venerea, after the poifon has been 

 deftroyed. Hunter, p. 342. 



When an immoderate and violent falivation is fuddenly 

 produced, the means in repute for lefi'ening this accident 

 are, bathing the feet in warm water, clytters, cathartics, 

 and blifters. The application of pounded ice to the jaw, 

 and waffling the mouth and throat with cold acidulated 

 gargles, are, perhaps, meafures as ferviceabie as any that 

 can be adopted. 



In the article Eretiii.'imu.S, we have def;ribed a dangerous 



ftate of the fyftcm, fometimes occafioned by the ufe of mer- 



cury, and producing death in the moil fudden and unex- 



(5 peded 



