Homeopathy LibraryKali Muriaticum
Boericke - The Twelve Tissue Remedies of Schussler · William Boericke · 16,690 chars
General
Synonyms. — Potassium Chloride. Kali Chloratum. Kali Chloridum. Potassii Chloridum.
Common Names. — Chloride of Potash or Chloride of Po- tassium. (N. B. — This drug must not be confounded with Kali Chloricum, whose synonyms are Potassium Chlorate, Potassae Chloras and Potash Chloras, whose common name is Chlorate of Potash, and whose formula is K CI 03. This has been proved, and the authors of the " Giciding Symptoms'''' have deemed them sufficiently similar to Schiissler's Kali mur. to incorpor- ate them in their work. See Vol. VI, " Guiding Symptoms."}
Chemical Properties. — Formula, K CI. Occurs in nature in mineral carnallite. It may be prepared by neutralizing pure aqueous hydrochloric acid with pure potassium carbon- ate or hydrate. It crystallizes in cubes, occasionally in octahe- drons. The crystals are colorless or white, melt at a low red heat and volatilize at a high temperature without decomposi- tion. It is soluble in three parts of cold and two of boiling water, and is insoluble in strong alcohol.
68 THE TWELVE TISSUE REMEDIES.
Preparation. — The pure chloride is prepared by trituration as directed under Class VII, American Pharmacopoeia.
Physiologico - chemical Data This salt, according to Schiissler, stands in a chemical relation to fibrin ; disturbances in its molecular action cause fibrinous exudations. Without the presence of this salt no new brain-cell formation would take place. This salt is found in the blood corpuscles, muscles, nerve and brain-cells, as well as in the inter-cellular fluids.
In its physiological character it is closely related to the sodium chloride, many of the properties of which it shares. If the cells of the epidermis, in consequence of any irritation, lose molecules of Kali mur., fibrin in the form of a white or whitish-gray exudation, is thrown off. This, in drying, be- comes a mealy eruption. If the irritation extends to the tissues beneath the epidermis, both fibrin and serum will exude, and the involved part of the skin will be pushed up in the form of blisters.
Similar processes can take place within and amongst epithelial cells. If the integrity of the affected tissue is again restored by the administration of Kali mur. molecules, then a reabsorption or throwing off of the exudation occurs. Either result is attained probably by the production of hydro- chloric acid formed by one part of chlorine from the K CI with hydrogen. The action of this hydrochloric acid consists in dissolving the fibrin in the formative (nascent) state.
General Action Kali mur. corresponds to the second stage of inflammations of serous membranes when the exu- dation is of a plastic character. If leucocytes remain after the absorption of the fibrin of a plastic exudation, Natrum phosph. is serviceable. Kali mur. answers to croupous or diph- theritic exudations, and hence is useful in such diseases as diphtheria, dysentery, croup, croupous pneumonia, fibrinous exudations in the interstitial connective tissues, lymphatic enlarge- ments, infiltrated inflammations, cutaneous eruptions from bad vaccine virus, etc.
The principal general characteristic symp- toms are a white or gray coating at the base of the tongue, white or gray exudations, glandular swellings, discharges or expectora-
KAU MURIATICUM. 69
tions of a thick, white, fibrinous slime or phlegm from any mucous surface, or flour-like scaling of the skin, torpor of the liver, etc.
Kali mur. is one of the most useful and positive of all our remedies in the hands of the aurist — chiefly suited to the second or later stages of catarrhal states.
Guiding Symptoms and Characteristic Indications.
Mental Symptoms — Patient imagines he must starve.
Head and Scalp. — Headache with vomiting, hawking up of white, milk-like mucus. Sick headache with white-coated tongue, or vomiting of white phlegm, arising from a sluggish liver, want of appetite, etc. In meningitis as a second remedy. Crusta lactea. Dandruff.
Eyes
Discharge of white mucus from the eyes, or yellow, greenish matter and yellow, purulent scabs.
Specks of matter on the lids.
Superficial, flat ulcer of the eye arising from a vesicle.
Blisters on cornea.
Feeling of sand in the eyes.
Iritis.
Cataract, after Calc. fluor.
Ulcers of asthenic type, tedious cases, redness not excessive, dirty-white, yellow, dis- charge moderate.
Onyx and hypopyon.
Trachoma.
Paren- chymatous keratitis.
Retinitis when exudation sets in.
Ears
Chronic catarrhal conditions of the middle ear.
Deaf- ness or earache from congestion and swelling of the middle ear or Eustachian tubes, with swelling of the glands, or crack- ing noises on blowing the nose or swallowing.
Deafness due to throat troubles, white tongue, etc.
Deafness from swelling of external ear.
Moist exfoliation of epithelial layer of the tympanic membrane.
Granular conditions of external meatus and membrana tympani.
Excessive granulations.
Prolifer- ous form of middle ear inflammation, stuffy sensation, deafness and naso-pharyngeal obstruction.
Closed Eustachian tubes.
" When Politzer bag fails to open tubes, after a few doses of Kali muriaticum they may be inflated easily." (R.
S.
Cope- land).
Retracted membrana tympani.
Walls of external meatus atrophied.
Seems to act more on right Eustachian tube.
Glands about the ear swollen.
Snapping and noises in the ear.
JO THE TWELVE TISSUE REMEDIES.
Nose — Catarrh, phlegm white, thick.
Stuffy cold in the head, whitish-gray tongue.
Dry coryza.
Vault of pharynx covered with adherent crusts.
Nosebleed in the afternoon.
(Holbrook.)
Face
Cheek swollen and painful. Faceache from swelling of face or gums.
Mouth
Aphthae, thrush, white ulcers in the mouths of little children or nursing mothers.
Canker, excoriation and rawness of the mouth.
Swollen glands about jaw and neck.
Tongue
For the swelling in inflammation of the tongue.
Coating of tongue grayish-white, dryish or slimy.
Mapped tongue.
Teeth
Gumboil before matter forms. Toothache with swelling of the gums and cheeks.
Throat
The sole remedy in most cases of diphtheria, with Ferr. phos.
Gargle also with same.
Mumps, swelling of the parotid glands.
Pharyngitis, throat swollen, spots or pustules appear with gray or whitish exudation (follicular).
Hawks up offensive, cheesy, small lumps.
Pain on swallowing.
Syphi- litic sore throat.
Second remedy in tonsillitis as soon as swelling appears.
Tonsils inflamed, enlarged so much can hardly breathe.
Grayish patches or spots in throat.
White deposits.
Tonsils spotted gray or white.
Adherent crusts in vault of pharynx.
Gastric Symptoms
Want of appetite.
Biliousness with gray or white tongue.
Dyspepsia and indigestion, with a whitish-gray tongue, sick feeling after taking fat, pain and heavy feeling on the right side under the shoulder.
Fatty or rich food causes indigestion.
Indigestion with vomiting of white, opaque mucus ; water gathers in the mouth.
Gastritis when caused by taking too hot drinks.
Pain in the stomach, with constipation, vomiting of thick, white phlegm, or dark, clotted, viscid blood.
Bitter taste with obstinate constipation.
Jaundice with these symptoms.
(Holbrook.)
Abdomen and Stool
Jaundice if caused by a chill resulting in catarrh of the duodenum, stools light in color.
Sluggish action or complete torpidity of the liver, pain in right side,
KALI MURIATICUM. J I
pale yellow evacuations, constipation and furred tongue.
Typhoid or enteric fever, looseness of bowels, flocculent evacuations.
Abdominal tenderness and swelling.
Typhus, with constipation.
Small white thread worms, causing itch- ing at the axm.s(Natr.phos.).
Flatulence, abdominal swelling, etc.
Second stage of peritonitis, typhlitis and perityphlitis (see clinical case under typhlitis).
Constipation, light-colored stools denoting want of bile, sluggish action of liver, or oc- curring in consequence of some primary disturbance, espe- cially where fat and pastry disagree.
Diarrhoea, after fatty food, and in typhoid fever, with pale yellow, ochre or clay-colored stools, white or slimy stools.
Dysentery, purging, with slimy stools.
Hemorrhoids, bleeding piles, blood dark and thick, fibrinous, clotted.
Urinary and Sexual Organs
Acute cases of inflammation of the bladder, in the second stage, when swelling has set in and discharge is thick, white mucus.
Chief remedy in chronic cystitis.
Inflammatory affections of the kidneys.
Dark colored urine, deposit of uric acid.
The principal remedy in gonor- rhoea and orchitis, resulting from a suppression of the same.
In bubo for the soft swelling, and in soft chancres it is also he chief remedy (3X).
Chronic stage of syphilis with char- acteristic pathological conditions.
Gleet combined with ec- zema, visible or latent.
Menstruation too late or suppressed, checked or too early, excessive discharge, dark-clotted or tough, black blood, like tar.
Amenorrhcea, menses sup- pressed.
Periods too frequent.
Leucorrhoea, discharge of milky-white mucus, thick, non-irritating, bland.
Ulceration of the os and cervix uteri, with the characteristic discharge of thick, white, bland secretions.
Chronic congestion of the uterus, hypertrophy, second stage (see Calc. fluor).
Pregnancy
Morning sickness with vomiting of white phlegm.
Puerperal fever, chief remedy.
Mastitis, gathered breast, to control the swelling.
Respiratory Symptoms
Doss of voice, hoarseness from cold, tongue white.
Asthma with gastric derangements, mucus white and hard to cough up.
Bronchial asthma, second stage
72 THE TWELVE TISSUE REMEDIES.
of bronchitis, when thick, white phlegm forms.
Cough in phthisis, thick, white, milky sputa.
L,oud, noisy stomach cough ; cough short, acute and spasmodic, like whooping cough, expectoration thick and white.
Protruded appearance of eyes, white tongue, croupy, hard cough, harsh and barking.
In croup the principal remedy for the exudation.
Pneumonia, second stage, white, viscid expectoration.
Pleurisy, second stage, with plastic exudations and adhesions.
Wheezing rales, or rattling sounds of air passing through thick, tenacious mucus in the bronchi, difficult to cough up ; hard cough.
Child grasps at throat during a coughing spell.
Circulatory Organs
Embolism, blood in a condition favor- ing formation of clots, which act as plugs.
Second stage of pericarditis, plastic exudation, adhesions, etc.
Palpitation from excessive flow of blood to the heart in hypertrophic con- ditions.
Back and Extremities — Glands of neck swollen.
Rheumatic fever, exudation and swelling around the joints.
Acute articular rheumatism.
Rheumatic gouty pains, if worse on motion and if tongue be coated white.
Rheumatic pains felt only during motion or increased by it (Ferr. fthos.).
Nightly rheu- matic pains worse from warmth of bed ; lightning-like from small of back to feet ; must get out of bed and sit up.
Hands get stiff while writing.
Chronic rheumatism and swelling, when all movements cause pain.
Chronic swelling of the legs and feet, painless, itching violently.
Second stage of hip- joint disease.
Ulcers on extremities, fibrinous discharges, bunions.
Tenalgia crepitans, creaking of the tendons on the back of the hand.
Chilblains on hands or feet or any part.
Nervous Symptoms
The specific or chief remedy in epilepsy, especially if occurring with or after suppression of eczema or other eruptions.
Should be persisted in for some time.
Tabes dorsalis.
Sleep
Startled at the least noise.
Somnolence.
Restless sleep.
Febrile Symptoms
Congestions and inflammations, second stage of any organ or part of the body.
The second remedy in
KALI MURIATICUM. 73
gastric, enteric or typhoid fever.
In puerperal fever, the chief remedy for the exudation ; also in rheumatic fever.
In scarlet fever, with Ferr. fikos., suffices to cure most cases.
Typhus fever, for the constipation.
Intermittent fever, with charac- teristic accompaniments of this drug.
Scarlet fever, as pre- ventive.
Catarrhal fever, great chilliness, the least cold air chills him through, has to sit close to the fire to keep warm and is chilly.
Better covered up in bed.
(Holbrook.)
Skin
Abscess, boils, carbuncles, etc., in the second stage, when interstitial exudation takes place, and to cause swelling to disappear before matter forms.
Acne, erythema, eczema and other eruptions on the skin, with vesicles containing thick, white contents.
Albuminoid eczema, or other skin disease, arising after vaccination with bad vaccine lymph.
Eczema from suppressed or deranged uterine functions.
Dry, flour-like scales on the skin.
Obstinate eczema, crusta lactea, scurfy eruption on the head and face of little children.
Its use in obstinate eczemas has been repeatedly verified.
Burns of all degrees (externally also), blisters, etc.
Bunions, chil- blains, eruptions connected with stomach or menstrual de- rangement.
Erysipelas vesiculosa, the principal remedy.
Herpes, shingles, lupus, measles, hoarse cough and glandular swellings, also for after-effects.
Pimples on the face, neck, etc.
Smallpox, principal remedy ; controls formation of pus- tules.
Ulcers with whitish, flour-like coating, or fibrinous, white discharge.
Sycosis, primary remedy.
Ingrowing toe- nail.
Warts on hands.
Tissues
Anaemia, _ as an intercurrent if skin affections be present.
Hemorrhages, dark, black, clotted, or tough blood.
Effects of blows, cuts and bruises, for the swelling.
Dropsy, arising from heart, liver or kidney disease, from obstruction of the bile-ducts, from weakness of the heart with palpitation.
Whitish liquid is drawn off ; white mucous sediment in the urine and white tongue.
Fibrinous and lymph exudations in the interstitial connective tissues not becoming absorbed.
Chief remedy in glandular swellings, follicular infiltrations.
Proud flesh, exuberant granulations.
Scrofulous enlargement of the
74 THE TWELVE TISSUE REMEDIES.
Glands
Scurvy, hard infiltrations.
Second remedy in sprains, strumous conditions.
Bad effects of vaccination.
Syphilis.
Modalities
All the stomach and abdominal symptoms of this drug are worse after taking fatty food, pastry, or any rich food. The rheumatic and other pains are increased and aggra- vated by motion.
Homoeopathic Data
Hering's Guiding Symptoms, Vol.
VI, contains a complete resume of symptoms of this drug, but unfortunately they are mixed up with symptoms of Kali chloriciim with no distinguishing sign, rendering the collec- tion of symptoms less valuable for purposes of study than would be the case had they been kept separate.
Administration
Triturations and dilutions.
Schussler's preference is for the 6x or i2x, though latterly he has given lower potencies.
In diphtheria he recommends a gargle of the 3x, 10 or 15 grains in a tumbler of water.
Its external appli- cation is also recommended in burns, boils, carbuncles, skin affections, warts, etc., to be applied on lint dressings.
Relationship
Corresponding as it does to the second stage of all inflammatory troubles, immediately upon appearance of exudation, its nearest concordants are Bryon., Mercur., Apis, Thuja, Spongia, Iodine, Pulsat., Rhus and Sulphur.
Analyses of the following drugs show them to contain Kali mur. in quite considerable quantities (homceopathically con- sidered) : Phytol, Sanguin., Stilling., Pinus Can., Asclep., Ailanth., Anis. stell., Hamam. virg., Cimicif., Berber. Most of these possess many symptoms in common with Kali mur. When full chemical analyses shall have been made of the various drugs, vegetable and animal, we shall be able to com- pare the symptoms of each drug with those of its component parts. Compare in Eustachian tube troubles Merc. dulc.
In syphilis follow with Kali sulph. and Silicea. In lupus, Calc. phos.
In Schussler's Therapeutics Kali mur. assumes a role much like Sulphur in pure Homoeopathy, as a deep-acting remedy with eradicating tendencies, useful as an intercurrent, and to prepare the way for other indicated remedies. Kali mur. is
KALI PHOSPHORICUM. 75
frequently followed by Calc. sulph., which latter completes the action of the former. Kali mur. follows Ferr. phos., when the true lymph-exudation of ripening interstitial inflammation sets in. It also supercedes Natr. mur. when the deeper layers of epithelium, adjoining the connective tissue base- ment, are involved, and even suffer exfoliation, causing a white-coated tongue and an opaque-whitish secretion. (Morgan.)
Kali mur. may be compared with the chlorate, Kali chlor.^ the most poisonous of all the potash salts, a violent irritant of the whole gastro-intestinal mucous membrane, producing gan- grenous ulceration. Compare in aphthae, dysentery, epithe- lioma and nephritis. See Allen's Handbook.