An introductory lecture / delivered by John King ..., before the Eclectic Medical class, in Greenwood Hall, Nov. 10, 1852.

  • King, John, 1813-1893.
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An introductory lecture / delivered by John King ..., before the Eclectic Medical class, in Greenwood Hall, Nov. 10, 1852. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    with sodium and calcium, than with mercury, a mutual decompo- sition ensues, both of the calomel and the alkaline constituents of the bile ; the acid of the mercury combines with the sodium and calcium of the bile, forming chlorides of sodium and calcium, at the same time a portion of the phosphoric acid with which they were united, is disengaged and set tree ; while the calomel by being deprived of its acid, is reduced to an oxide of mercury— the black oxide, or protoxide, which is the natural oxide of this metal. In this form, the mercury is carried into the mass of the blood, to be from thence circulated to every part of the system. Com- bining with the phosphoric acid of the bones, a phosphate of mer- cury is formed, leaving the bone in a state of oxide of calcium, or common lime; the bony structure being thus chemically decom- posed, crumbles and exfoliates. A similar combination with the phosphoric acid of the nerves and brain, produces nervous debility, neuralgic pains, headache, loss of memory, &C; and, as the atmospheric changes influence mercury in any form, the individual can predict them with as much precision as the most delicate barometer. But, pure mercury, or mercury in its metallic state, has been found in various parts of the bodies of those who have used it as medicine;—how could this have been produced from its phos- phate ? We reply, not from the phosphate, but from the phos- phite of mercury, which salt, whenever found, is not permanent, but separates after a time, freeing the phosphorous acid, and leaving the mercury in its metallic state. Phosphorous acid maybe produced by any element capable of abstracting from phosphoric acid a part of its oxygen ; and when once formed, and coming in contact with the oxide of mercury, will form the phosphite of mercury, from which, eventually, the mercury will be precipitated or separated into its metallic state, and in which state it may remain in the system for an indefinite period of time. This explanation also affords a clue to an under- standing of the statement made by Dr. Goldsmith, in his Natural History, that those miners who have been condemned to labor for life in the mercurial ores, often transpire quicksilver at everv pore, befoie death releases them from their sufferings. Thus, we believe we have presented you with a correct ex- planation of the modus operandi of mercury. It may be thought by some, that we possess hereditary or innate prejudices against mercury and other deleterious minerals, and that, on the other hand, we are prepossessed in favor of our own remedial agents. To this idea, we must reply that, whatever may be our prejudices against the one, or our prepossessions in favor of the other, they are all honestly and candidly acquired; they are founded upon that kind of science whose basis is fact, derived from actual ex perience and observation. What we have said has been expres-