Dwarfism. Eczema faciei.

The symptoms of Merc. præcip. alb. are taken entirely from poisonings. The most peculiar symptoms are: Green tongue; bilious stools scalding anus; and the old-mannish appearance of a child poisoned with it. Mossa (H. R., ix. 28) relates (1) a case of chronic eczema of the face in an elderly man, a moistening eruption < in winter and from exposure to cold; vesicles on a reddened, swollen skin dry into scales which exfoliate; eyelids, especially lower, œdematous, corners reddened; lachrymation; ear involved; itching and burning on head preventing sleep. Merc. præcip. alb. 3 gr. i. every third day. First the burning itching ceased. Then formation of blisters abated. Exfoliation continued a long time, but the skin finally became normal. (2) Girl, 2, eruption on face and large part of scalp, covered with thick yellow crust, matter exuding from cracks. Offensive odour; swollen cervical glands. Merc. præcip. alb. 3 gr. i once in three days cured in four weeks.

Compare: Dwarfish children, Bar. c., Syph. Eczema, Mez., Æthiops. ant.

Face: much flushed; greatly swollen.─In one night a child (poisoned with 20 gr.) had undergone a remarkable change; had become in appearance "quite an old man."

Gums much swollen.─Tongue: much coated; thick greenish fur.

Thirst urgent.─Nausea and vomiting.─Vomits deeply blood-stained fluid.─Much pain at stomach.

After half an hour pain began in epigastrium, gradually spreading over whole abdomen.─Great pain in abdomen; continuing after taking any, even liquid, food, for more than a week.─Constant griping.─Whole abdomen painful to pressure.

One copious stool with mucous shreds in some quantities, much dark blood.─Numerous scanty stools with much blood.─Almost pure bile causing great scalding of anus.

Slight subsultus.─Collapse.─During the night the child shrieked as from great pain, in the morning it had changed to the appearance of an old man.

Drowsy, semi-comatose.

Cold, clammy skin, much congestion of cutaneous vessels.─General perspiration.