NITRO-MURIATIC ACID.

Acidum nitroso-muriaticum; Acidum chloro-nitrosum

. NO2Cl2 (or Cl2

NO)

Aqua regia.

A mixture of three parts of Hydrochloric and one part of Nitric acid.

Preparation , Dilutions with distilled water.

Authorities.

1 , Dr. J. C. Morgan, Hahn. Month., 6 (1870), p. 186, took 2 drops of 1st dec. dil. at 11 P.M. first day, 1 drop at noon, second day, took two sips of a solution of 3 drops in 2 ounces of water, third day; 2 , Dr. C. Winslow, ibid., took 1/10 of a drop of 1st dil., three times first day, twice second day; 3 , Dr. M. M. Walker, took 2 drops of 30th dil. (one dose); 3 a , same, repeated same dose; 4 , Dr. Graves, Lond. Quart. Journ. (N. Am. J. of Hom., 1, 518), effects of fumes of the concentrated acid, in a woman.

HEAD

• Headache and great sleepiness, at 1 P.M., increased were worse at 3 P.M., but continued through the evening till I retired at 11 P.M. (third day), 3a.
• Slight frontal headache, with some dizziness (after first dose), 2.
• Peculiar sensations in the temples, as if brain were distended; a feeling of pressure on the temples (one hour after second dose, first day), 2.
• While leaning to left side, sudden sticking ache in left temporal region, preceded by twitching of anterior fibres of temporal muscle (after five minutes, second day), 1.
• Arose at 7 A.M., with feeling as I arose from a lying position as if the brain was all in the occiput, making it feel heavy (third day), 3.

FACE

• Lower lip has a blister on the inner side as large as an incisor tooth, which I first noticed at 1 P.M.; while eating dinner, at 2 P.M., could not help biting it; for several hours after, whenever I closed my teeth, I would bite it; the inside of lower lip was also somewhat swollen, and this blister the most pointing part (fourth day), 3a.

MOUTH

• Immediately a sense of pressure of fulness in the parotid, submaxillary, and sublingual glands, in the order named, with some increase of saliva; on left side, increased more and more towards zygoma and malar bone; less on right side (first day), 1.
• My mouth filled with saliva (soon after the fluttering of heart), which I spat out; my mouth continued filling as rapidly as I could spit for about ten minutes, when it decreased in quantity, but continued in a less and less degree for one hour, or from 2 to 3 P.M. (ninth day), 3a.

THROAT

• While writing at a very low table, spasmodic tremulous contractions in pharynx, in the vicinity of the levator palati muscles (after half an hour, second day), 1.

STOMACH. [10.]

• Evacuation of flatus, and eructation of the same; since first dose, easier than common (second morning), 1.

ABDOMEN

• Sensation from left hypochondrium to rectum as of desire for stool, following the course of the large bowel, on rising at 7.30 A.M. (second day); on rising (third morning), 1.
• Slight colic in lower region of abdomen (one hour after third dose, first day), 2.

STOOL

• After breakfast, a free, loose, yellowish, pappy stool (third day), 1.
• Have been troubled more or less with constipation since I began the proving; this evening, at 7 P.M., had desire for stool; after much urging was unable to pass anything owing to constriction of sphincter ani; on pressing with finger at the end of coccyx, expelled a small amount of fæces (twelfth day); desire for stool, at 8 A.M.; after much urging with rectus abdominis, expelled a small amount of fæces, notwithstanding the constriction of the sphincter ani (thirteenth day), 3a.

URINARY ORGANS

• Immediately, sensation in penis, afterwards in bladder (whilst writing), of desire to urinate; later a sort of languid aching through hips and thighs (front) and small of back (having rested arms on thighs); after a short delay, passed a quantity of normal, somewhat pale urine (third day), 1.

RESPIRATORY ORGANS

• The fumes caught her breath, and produced inflammation of the larynx and of the bronchial tubes, which nearly proved fatal, 4.
• Inspiration more easy than usual (second morning), 1.

HEART AND PULSE

• Some palpitation of heart (one hour after second dose, first day), 2.
• Fluttering of the heart, while eating dinner at 2 P.M. (eight day); while eating dinner, at 1.30 P.M.; at a quarter before 2 P.M., started for the cars, was a few minutes late, and had to run part of the way; after running slowly half a square, was taken with fluttering of the heart, so I had to stop running and walk, then it gradually passed off (ninth day), 3a.

NECK AND BACK. [20.]

• While taking a cold bath, took a pain in right side of back, about the position of the rhomboideus major muscle, rheumatic, i. e. , catching, muscular pain, on twisting and lifting the limb, at 7.30 A.M. (fifth day), 1.
• Heavy pain in quadratus lumborum muscle (third day), 3.

EXTREMITIES IN GENERAL

• Sticking in dorsum of right hand to third knuckle; afterwards successively, the same on dorsum of left forearm and hand, then in back of both thighs, when walking, at 7.30 P.M.; directly after, while still walking, a sharp, stitchlike drawing pain in front of right forearm, beginning and worse and most persistent at commencement of biceps tendon, above elbow (third day); the pains (especially of the upper extremities) recurred quite frequently, up to the morning of the fourth day, 1.
• A sort of languid aching through hips and thighs (front) and small of back (having rested arms on thighs), (third day), 1.

INFERIOR EXTREMITIES

• While sitting, a glow, with languid feeling, from calf to sole of left lower extremity, continuing as heat in the sole; within a few minutes, sensation as if perspiration would break out, while sitting (third day), 1.
• On walking in the room, a cramp momentarily felt in hollow of right foot (after three-quarters of an hour, second day), 1.

GENERALITIES

• Very much worn out by much hard study and little exercise; felt mentally and physically depressed, like I did previous to having typhoid fever, three years ago; worse from 10 to 12 A.M.; at 12.30 went to gymnasium, and after moderate exercise felt very weak, but improved in about an hour after (eighth day), 3a.
• A pricking sensation in the muscles between the fourth and fifth metatarsal bones of the right foot, at the same time a similar pain in the region of the bladder; both were quite light (after four hours and a quarter), 3.
• Took breakfast at 8 o'clock (ate bread and butter, and bread and milk), which did not seem digested at 2 o'clock, when I ate dinner (second day); food or regular meals seemed to be much longer in digesting (third day), 3.

SLEEP

• Slept unusually well (first night), and felt the next morning better than usual, 2. [30.]
• Very sleepy, with headache, at 1 P.M.; headache and sleepiness increased, and were worse at 3 P.M., but continued through the evening till I retired, at 11 P.M. (third day), 3a.

FEVER

• A chilly sensation passed over me, which commenced in the rectus femoris muscle, passed upward over the body to the face (after ten minutes), 3.
• While sitting by the stove reading, chilliness, commencing at all points on a line drawn around the chest and over the arms at the lower part of the sternum, passed upward over the shoulders, up the neck, face, and head, converging at the vertex, at 1 P.M. (second day), 3a.
• Slight feverishness (first and second days), 2.
• Sensation as if perspiration would break out, while sitting (third day), 1.

CONDITIONS

• Aggravation.
• ( After breakfast ), Free, loose, yellowish stool.
• ( Cold bath ), Pain in right side of back.
• ( On eating dinner ), Fluttering of the heart.
• ( Moderate exercise ), Feeling of weakness, but improved soon after.
• ( Leaning to left side ), Sticking ache in left temporal region.
• ( Sitting ), By a stove, line of chilliness through the chest, arms, lower part of sternum, shoulders, neck, face, and vertex; a glow, with languid feeling from calf to sole of left lower extremity; sensation as if perspiration would break out.
• ( Walking ), Sticking in back of both thighs; sharp stitch in front of right forearm; in room, momentary cramp in front of right foot.
• ( Writing ), At low table, spasmodic, tremulous contractions in pharynx; sensation in penis and bladder of desire to urinate.

SUPPLEMENT: NITRO-MURIATIC ACID. Authority.

5 , H. Scott, M.D., Amer. Med. Recorder, vol. i, 1818, p. 84; the acid used was formed my mixing three parts of the Nitrous acid with one of Muriatic acid.

• Bombay, April 27th, 1798. I bathed in a bath which was merely acidulous. It covered the whole body below the head. I staid in half an hour, and it was nearly of the temperature of the body.

April 28th. Bathed again, keeping the bath at the same temperature or making it rather higher, and of the same strength in regard to acid. I staid in it half an hour. I still feel no material effects from the bath. Pulse after bathing 76. The only apparent action of the acrid is on such animal matters as are unprotected by life, with which it forms an acid soap.

29th. Bathed again, and continued as before, for half an hour in the bath. To-day the bath was hardly as hot as the body. About half an hour after bathing yesterday, I became sensible of an odd sensation about my gums, my jaws, and my teeth.

30th. Bathed again, and staid half an hour in the bath. It was rather warmer than my body. Since yesterday I have been sensible of some uneasiness in my throat on swallowing. I feel a disposition to salivation at times, but I am otherwise well. My gums, both above and below, are somewhat reddened. I was for some time disposed to ascribe these effects to imagination, but they have continued all this day, and leave me no doubt of their reality. I am in good health.

May 1st. Since yesterday I have felt some pain in my throat, especially on swallowing. This pain seems to follow the course of the œsophagus. During the whole of this forenoon, I had a sense of burning over the root of my mouth and down the gullet. This sensation is like what arises from having chewed an acrid vegetable substance; and is so unpleasant, that unless it leaves me by to-morrow, I shall bathe no more. To-day I bathed as usual, staying in the bath for half an hour. It has been to-day, and is, in general, so acid as to make my skin smart a good deal in many places.

• 2d. My mouth, etc., though not in the least ulcerated, is somewhat painful. I am sufficiently convinced of the great power of this bath, and shall bathe no more. My digestion is improved, and I feel that my liver, unclogged by disease, is doing its office with facility, which for some time past has not been the case with me.

6th. I have not bathed again, but I still feel the effects of the bath in my mouth. My appetite is now good, and I sleep with tranquillity, which I had not done of late. With all this, my pulse is quicker than usual, and I am sensible of some degree of languor. It is however, to be observed, that the weather is very hot, the thermometer being, during the day, in the shade, from 92° to 96° of Fahrenheit.

June 6th. For a fortnight after giving up the bath I was sensible of some of its effects upon my mouth, and my pulse remained too quick. I am now remarkably well. My liver seems to be sound, and I have experienced a happier change than I even did from Mercury. Mere sponging the skin with Nitro-muriatic acid, sufficiently diluted with water, gives rise to the very same effects with bathing. Fifteen or twenty minutes may be employed in the sponging, though I found that a much less time does produce very material effects. When the bathing or sponging is carried to a considerable extent, and when the system is much under its influence, a sense of weakness comes on occasionally; some nervous irritation and restlessness are felt, a taste of metal (generally compared to that of copper) becomes sensible; a sense of pain occurs in some parts of the palate or mouth, which is not permanent, but comes and soon goes off again. At length little specks or small ulcerations, extending no deeper than the cuticle, are seen on the interior surface of the mouth and over the tongue, so that some degree of excoriation or rawness is at last produced. This is attended by a considerable discharge of saliva, with an increase of the feeling of lowness or depression. These effects resemble those of Mercury, but they are not the same. The excoriation from the Nitro-muriatic acid never reaches deeper than the cuticle; it never gives rise to fetid ulcerations of any kind, nor does it produce the least offensive smell of the breath nor in the mouth. The effects of it in this way are surprisingly fugitive. At one hour the discharge of saliva may be excessive; the next it will stop, and perhaps suddenly come on again. The excoriations in the mouth generally go away in a day or two if the remedy be discontinued, and appear no more. While the mouth in this way is affected by the acid, the teeth partake of uneasiness; but I never saw this in a considerable degree, nor have I known any injury done to the teeth or their sockets. These last-mentioned effects are seldom met with to the extent that I have described, and need not be excited unless some peculiar circumstances require an unusual power, such as the symptoms of syphilis. I have lately added more and more of the Muriatic acid in proportion to the Nitric, and the effects have proportionately increased. I now make use of equal parts of the acids. It sometimes very suddenly increases the secretion of bile, and this effect may be kept up for a length of time. It increases the perspiration, and often to a great extent. Whether the acid be applied to the inner surface of the stomach, or to the external surface of the body, the effect is the same in kind, though not in degree, 5.