Synonyms

Potassium Chloride. Kali Chloratum. Kali Chloridum. Potassii Chloridum.

Common Names

Chloride of Potash or Chloride of Potassium. (N. B. - This drug must not be confounded with Kali Chloricum, whose synonyms are Potassium Chlorate, Potassse Chloras and Potasii Chloras. whose common name is Chlorate of Potash, and whose formula is K Cl O3. This has been proved, and the authors of the "Guiding Symptoms"" have deemed them sufficiently similar to Schussler's Kali mur. to incorporate them in their work. See Vol. VI, " Guiding Symptoms")

Chemical Properties

Formula, K Cl. Occurs in nature in mineral carnallite. It may be prepared by neutralizing pure aqueous hydrochloric acid with pure potassium carbonate or hydrate. It crystallizes in cubes, occasionally in octahedrons. The crystals are colorless or white, melt at a low red heat and volatilize at a high temperature without decomposition. It is soluble in three parts of cold and two of boiling water, and is insoluble in strong alcohol.

Preparation

The pure chloride is prepared by trituration as directed under Class VII, American Pharmacopaeia.

Physiologico - Chemical Data

This salt, according to Schussler, 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, becomes 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 hydrochloric acid formed by one part of chlorine from the K Cl 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 exudation 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 diphtheritic exudations, and hence is useful in such diseases as diphtheria, dysentery, croup, croupons pneumonia, fibrinous exudations in the interstitial connective tissues, lymphatic enlargements, infiltrated inflammations, cutaneous eruptions from bad vaccine virus, etc. The principal general characteristic symptoms are a white or gray coating at the base of the tongue, white or gray exudations, glandular swellings, discharges or expectorations 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

Patieut 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, discharge moderate. Onyx and hypopyon. Trachoma. Parenchymatous keratitis. Retinitis when exudation sets in.

Ears

Chronic catarrhal conditions of the middle ear. Deafness or earache from congestion and swelling of the middle ear or Eustachian tubes, with swelling of the glands, or cracking 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. Proliferous 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 swolleu. Snapping and noises in the ear.

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, thrash, 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.