Homeopathic Materia Medica

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, James Tyler Kent

This remedy is recognized by most physicians by the copious ropy mucous discharges from all mucous membranes, but it is also a most important remedy in rheumatic affections of the joints with swelling, heat and redness, whenever these conditions wander around from joint to joint.

The bones all over the body feel bruised, and caries is reckoned among its symptoms. A marked feature of this remedy is the alternation between catarrhal symptoms and rheumatic pains. Exudations from mucous membranes, somewhat like croup, are found in the larynx, trachea and in the rectum. it is not surprising, therefore, that it has proved a very effective remedy in diphtheria. It emaciates, like the rest of the Kali salts. We have running through it the cachectic conditions, or malignant diseases with ulceration; and especially is it indicated when the ulceration period is present.

Ulceration: is a striking feature of this remedy. Its ulcers are deep; are said to be as if punched out and are very red. Gouty conditions are as common in this remedy as in the other Kalis. It is especially like Causticum with its cracking in the joints. Syphilitic conditions have been cured in the most advanced stages. It has the sharp stitching pains like Kali carb., it has one feature quite its own very severe pain in small spots that could be covered by the end of the thumb.

Pains: It has wandering pains from place to place, and wandering rheumatism in from joint to joint. There are pains in all parts. Pains are sometimes very violent; sometimes shooting; sometimes stitching stinging; again aching. Burning is a very marked symptom of the remedy. The pains appear rapidly and disappear suddenly.

Cold and warm: The patient is sensitive to cold. There is a lack of vital heat. In fact, he wants to be wrapped up and covered warmly, and many of his complaints are much better when he is perfectly warm in bed. All the pains and his cough are relieved from the warmth of the bed, and yet there are other complaints, like rheumatic conditions, that come on in hot weather.

The cough is better in warm weather and worse in winter. Catarrhal conditions of the larynx and trachea are worse in winter, especially in the cold, damp weather, like Calc. phos. when the snow melts. Sensitive to cold winds. Causticum, it ill be remembered, is sensitive to cold, dry winds.

The Kalis generally are sensitive to cold, dry weather, but Kali bichromicum throat troubles are continuous in the winter and during cold, damp weather, and are worse in cold, damp winds. It is a most useful remedy in septic and zymotic fevers.

Many of its symptoms are aggravated about 2 or 3 A.M., like Kali carb. Most of the symptom are worse in the morning yet some come on in the night. A marked feature of Kali. bichromicum is a feeling of great weakness and weariness. When the pain has passed off, if in the limbs, the limbs are felt very weary. Great prostration and cold sweat.

It has neuralgia every day at the same hour, showing its periodicity. Like the rest of the Kalis it has cured epilepsy. Ropy saliva and mucous discharges from the mouth during the convulsion has led to its use in epilepsy. The symptoms generally, especially the pains, are worse from motion, except the sciatic and some of the pains in the lower limbs, which are better from motion. The patient pulsates all over the body.

There are very few mental symptoms owing to the fact that the remedy has been proved only in crude form. It needs to be proved in potencies to bring out the mental symptoms.

Head: It has violent headaches and its headaches are mostly associated with catarrhal conditions. A Kali bichromicum patient always suffers more or less from catarrh of the nose, and if he is exposed to cold weather the catarrhal condition will turn to dryness; then will come on violent headache; also headaches during coryza.

Headaches during coryza when the discharge of the coryza slacks up a little. Headaches often begin with dim vision. Pains are violent. Headaches are better from warmth, especially warm drink; better from pressure; worse from stooping; worse from motion and walking; worse at night and still much worse in the morning. Pain is pulsating, shooting and burning. Headaches come on with vertigo. Headaches are often one-sided. It has been a very useful remedy in syphilitic head pains.

Pains over the eyes and in the forehead. It is very useful when the headaches are with retching and vomiting; when the pain is confined to a very small spot that could be covered with the thumb and is violent; when the headaches come periodically and with dizziness. Headaches are somewhat ameliorated in open air if it is not too cold. It has cured eczema of the scalp with thick, heavy crusts from which ooze a yellow, thick, gluey substance.

Eyes: Daylight brings on photophobia, There are sparks before the eyes; dim vision before the headache, as mentioned above. Rheumatic conditions affecting the eyes, hence it is said rheumatic affections of the eyes. Granular lids. Ulceration of the cornea. The ulcer is deep with pulsation in it. The eyes are much inflamed and red. The lids are red and swollen. Eyes and lids are injected.

Croupous inflammation of the eyes. Burning and itching in the eyes. Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes with copious flow of thick mucus. Margins of the lids are red and swollen. It has cured polypus on the conjunctiva, swelling of the lids and stringy mucus.

Ears: There are yellow, viscid discharges from the ears, with stitching pains and pulsating in the ears. Chronic suppuration of the middle, ear with perforated tympanum; eczematous eruptions on the ears, itching of the whole external ear.

Nasal passages: The symptoms of the nasal passages are very numerous. The most prominent are the catarrhal symptoms. It has catarrhal symptoms both acute and chronic, with copious, thick, viscid, yellow or white mucus. Foetid odor from the nose.

Troubled much with a sensation of dryness in the nose. Loss of smell, and the nose is obstructed nights with thick yellow mucus, too viscid to be blown out. Accompanying this catarrhal condition there is a hard pain at the root of the nose.

Ulcers form all over the nasal mucous membrane. There are ulcers, crusts, mucous plugs; must blow the nose constantly without success, but finally blows out large green crusts or scabs from high up in the nose. Sometimes they are drawn into the posterior nares.

There is burning and pulsating in the nasal cavities. When the nasal cavity is in this state of ulceration and catarrh there is shooting pain from the root of the nose to the external angle of the eye through the whole forenoon. Extreme soreness inside of the nose.

Expired air feels hot and causes a sensation of burning. He has snuffles and increased catarrhal conditions in damp weather. There are also burning. excoriating, watery discharges from the nose, as in acute catarrhal conditions. Coryza is fluent, excoriating, with loss of smell. With the chronic condition there comes perforation of the septum and pressing pains of the frontal sinus.

A very strange condition then is observed. Scabs form upon the nasal septum; when these are removed there comes photophobia, then dimness of vision, followed by hard frontal headache. The septum is sometimes destroyed by ulceration. Much thick blood is blown out of the nose. Now, it has cured these conditions when they were syphilitic. It has cured nasal polypus. It has cured lupus of the nose.

Face: The bones of the face are often very sore, with shooting pains in the malar bones. Pain in the malar bones on coughing. With the catarrhal conditions there is much suffering from the malar bones, like Merc. It has cured lupus exedens. It has cured ulceration of the lip. Swollen parotid is quite a common feature in its proving. It has cured impetigo.

The tongue: is smooth, shiny, sometimes cracked. This is especially observed in low forms of fever, like typhoid. The tongue is often coated, thick and yellow at. the base. Papillae raise on the dorsum of the tongue, making it look like strawberry tongue. Again the tongue is coated a thick brown. The provers seemed to be much annoyed by a sensation of a hair on the base of the tongue. It has produced and cured ulceration of the tongue; even when syphilitic, it is a useful remedy. Ulcers deep as if punched out; with stinging pains.

There is great dryness of the mouth; ropy saliva and mucus ulcers anywhere in the mouth; aphthous patches; ulcers of the roof of the mouth; even when these are syphilitic it is a most useful remedy; deep punched out ulcers.

The throat: symptoms are very numerous. I will only mention a few of the most characteristic ones. Inflammation of the throat in general, involving all the tissues in it, extending up into the nose, and down into the larynx, even with a high degree of ulceration with copious, ropy mucus.

It has cured diphtheria exudation in the throat when it is confined to the throat, and also when it has extended to the larynx. A marked feature of the Kali bichromicum throat is its oedematous uvula: This symptom, is also found in Apis, Kali i., Lach., Mur. ac., Nit ac., Phos., Sulph. ac., and Tab.

Deep ulcers in the throat and ulcers on the tonsils. Ulceration so extensive that it has destroyed the whole soft palate. Inflammation of the tonsils when they are swollen and very red, when the neck is swollen; inflammation of the tonsils with suppuration. In this sore throat there is quite commonly a shooting pain extending to the ears.

Throat: There are also enlarged veins in the throat. Like the sensation of the tongue as if a hair in various places in the fauces and nose. Dry, burning sensation in the throat is very common. Quite a characteristic symptom of Kali bichromicum is the intense pain in the root of the tongue, when putting the tongue out. It has much exudation in the throat that is not diphtheria, but resembles it.

The stomach: symptoms are also very numerous. There is aversion to meat and strange to say, he craves beer, which makes him sick, brings on diarrhoea. Food lies like a load in the stomach; digestion seems suspended; there is a pressure as of a load after eating and much foods eructations. Nausea comes on very suddenly, sometimes while eating, soon after eating; vomits all food and it is sour as if it had turned sour very rapidly; so that there is vomiting of sour, undigested food, bile, bitter mucus, blood, yellow mucus and ropy mucus.

It is a very useful remedy in nausea and vomiting of drunkards and beer drinkers. When a beer drinker has arrived at a point where he can no longer tolerate his beer but it makes him sick, Kali bichromicum is a useful remedy. In the stomach there is also soreness and coldness. It is a very useful remedy in ulceration of the stomach; and when such ulcer is cancerous it relieves the pain, stops the vomiting, makes the patient comfortable for a long time.

In other words, it palliates him. There are some pains in the stomach that are ameliorated by eating; nausea sometimes is ameliorated, but such is the exception. He has a faintness in the stomach which drives him to eat often. Chronic catarrh of the, stomach is a strong feature and perhaps is a condition that is generally present with Kali bichromicum patients.

Liver: There is pain in the liver, hard contracting pain extending to the shoulder, resembling Crot. h. Pain in the liver from motion. Dull, aching pain in the liver. It is a useful remedy in liver conditions associated with gall stones. It corrects the action of the liver so that healthy bile is formed and the gall stones are dissolved. Stitching pain in the liver, and also in the spleen, on motion.

The abdomen is very tympanitic, with tenderness. There are stitching, cutting pains. Sinking in the abdomen with nausea after eating, then comes vomiting, then comes diarrhoea. This is the order in which these symptoms generally appear. It is a very useful remedy in gastro-intestinal cases. Ulcers of the intestines in typhoid conditions.

This remedy has also a morning diarrhoea like Sulphur. It has diarrhoea in phthisis. It has diarrhoea in typhoid fever. Watery Stools. Stools are brown and watery, or may be blackish watery. There is often much tenesmus at stool. Chronic diarrhoea in the morning. Diarrhoea after beer like Aloe, China, Gamb., Lyc., Mur. ac., and Sulph.

Frequently there are clay colored stools. Again there are bloody stools, as in dysentery. It has both diarrhoea and dysentery after rheumatism has disappeared. It seems rheumatic conditions are inclined to alternate with diarrheic conditions. In hot weather it has diarrhoea and dysentery; in winter it has chest troubles and catarrh of the air passages.

There is pain in the abdomen before the stool much pain during the stool, cramping and tenesmus. After stool it has tenesmus like Merc. It has constipation with hard, knotty stool, followed by severe burning in the parts. Burning in the anus after stool. Prolapsus of the rectum. After dry hard stool there is burning in the rectum. Patient suffers from a sensation of a large plug in the rectum and there is great soreness in the anus. He suffers much from hemorrhoids which protrude after stool and are very painful.

Urines: Pain in the back with bloody urine. Shooting pains in the region of the kidneys, also aching in the region of the kidneys with urging to urinate in the day time. There is suppressed urine with aching in the kidneys. Ropy mucus in the urine. Pain in the coccyx before urination, relieved afterwards. Burning in the fossa navicularis during urination.

In the male the sexual desire is generally absent. There is a strong constricting or contracting pain in the end of the penis and much itching of the pubes. Deep punched, out chancres, very hard. Stitching in the prostate gland when walking. Ropy, viscid, mucous discharge from the urethra.

As there is much relaxation in the remedy during hot weather, it especially affects the woman. She suffers from prolapsus in the summer time, during hot weather.

It is a very useful remedy in the woman for subinvolution. In the menstrual flow there are often membranes that cause her to suffer. The menstrual flow is too soon, excoriates the parts, causes the labia to swell and itch. Like the catarrhal conditions of other mucous membranes, there is leucorrhoea that is yellow and ropy.

It has been a most useful remedy in the vomiting of pregnancy when the other symptoms agree and also where the milk becomes stringy.

There are numerous symptoms connected with the larynx and as is usual copious, thick, ropy mucus. Chronic hoarseness, rough voice, dry cough, swollen feeling in the larynx and sensation as if there was a rag in the larynx. Catarrh of the larynx, croup, cough when breathing, membranous croup, diphtheria, burning, smarting and rawness of the larynx, rattling in the trachea.

Now these symptoms come in the cold, damp weather, in the winter. They are associated with much coughing and uneasiness. Sometimes these symptoms are entirely relieved and he is comfortable in a warm bed at night; and he is worse always in cold weather; they come on when the cold weather comes in the fall and last all winter.

Chest: He has much wheezing when breathing; tightness at the bifurcation of the trachea.

Quite a characteristic pain in the chest is the pain from the sternum to the back, associated with catarrhal conditions and with cough. Cough is caused from tickling in the larynx and at the bifurcation; dry, frequent, hard cough; great soreness in the chest when coughing and breathing deep.

Cough with pain in the sternum through to the back. Cough with stitching pain in the chest. Loud, hard cough. When he wakes up in the morning he begins this hard coughing. He is often ameliorated by lying down and is ameliorated by the warm bed; is worse undressing, from exposure to the air, worse after eating, aggravated by taking a deep breath, ameliorated by getting warm in bed.

The irritation and the cough is increased very much exposure to cold air. The cough is also a choking cough at times; sometimes a hoarse cough. It is sometimes much like whooping cough, spasmodic and constrictive.

The expectoration connected with the chest cough is ropy, yellow, or yellowish green, sometimes bloody; sometimes expectorates quantities of clotted blood. There is much rattling in the chest, catarrhal conditions in the winter, last all winter, with rattling catarrhal conditions in old people, rattling in the chest.

It is a most useful remedy in phthisis and hemorrhages from the lungs and cavities in the lungs. There is a cold sensation in the chest which is generally felt in the region of the heart. There is a pressure in the chest after eating also near the heart or supposed to be about the heart and there is palpitation.

It has cured and been a very useful remedy in hypertrophy of the heart with palpitation. In all parts of the body there is chilliness, in the back, especially in the back of the neck. Stabbing pains in the neck and in the dorsal region. Sharp pains in the region of the kidneys. Dull ache in the back. Many of the symptoms in the back are of a rheumatic character and wander from place to place. The rheumatic pains are worse stooping, and, like other pains, worse from motion.

Pains: An exception to this is in the sacrum where there is an aching pain at night when lying and is better in the day time on motion. There is pain in the sacrum on straightening up from sitting. Pain in the coccyx from rising after sitting; pain in the coccyx on first sitting down and in the act of sitting down.

The limbs are stiff in the morning on rising and the pains wander about, especially in the joints. Rheumatic pains that wander about. Pains in the limbs are worse from cold and worse from motion. They are better from heat and better in rest. Periodical pains, coming at regular times. The bones feel sore to the touch or on deep pressure.

There is cracking in the joints. Rheumatic pains are very common in the shoulders; lameness; there is burning in the forearms; rheumatic pains in the elbows; weak feeling in the hands and fingers with much clumsiness; spasmodic contraction of the fingers. Bones. in the hands and fingers feel bruised and very tender to hard pressure. Rheumatic pains of the fingers are very common to this remedy. In the lower limbs we have marked rheumatic pains through to hips and knees, worse walking and on motion.

Then comes the exception: pains in the sciatic nerves very, severe, worse in hot weather; these are better in motion, better in the warmth of the bed, worse from changes in the weather and better on flexing the leg. Drawing pains in the tibia are very common. It has cured ulcers on the legs, deep as if punched out.

Burning on the ankles, soreness of the heels. It has cured ulcers on the heels.

The sleep is most restless. Starting in sleep and turning and tossing. Its chest symptoms are worse on walking.

Upon the skin we have pustules, boils, eczema, blisters, herpes, shingles, ulcers on the skin, tubercles, suppurating tubercles and eruptions that are syphilitic in character.

Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica (Kent's New Remedies), James Tyler Kent

The following symptoms have recently been cured by Kali-bi. They are found under Kali-bi. in Allen's Encyclopaedia of Pure Materia Medica, page 237:

Weakness of digestion, so that the stomach was disordered by any but the mildest food (chrome washers). Incarceration of flatulence in stomach and whole lower portion of abdomen (Zlatarovich).

Great feebleness of stomach in the morning (Lackner).

Feeling of emptiness in the stomach, though want of appetite at dinner (Marenzetler).

Feeling of sinking in the stomach before breakfast (Dr. R.Dudgeon).

The patient wakes in the night with great uneasiness in the stomach, and soreness and tenderness in a small spot to the left of the xiphoid appendix, which is very similar to symptoms in Drysdale's proving.

Sudden violent pain in the stomach, in its anterior surface, a burning constrictive pain (Zlatarovich).

The same patient complains of repletion after a mouthful of food, and he had taken Lycopodium without benefit.

There was also cutting as with knives, and he was unable to digest potatoes or any starchy food.

There were no catarrhal symptoms of nose or chest, and no thick, ropy, mucous discharges, therefore Kali-bi. was neglected. The stomach symptoms alone guided to its use, as he had no other symptoms of importance.

The relief is marked, and I think permanent.

It will be seen that I have made use of the language of the prover mostly, as it so perfectly describes the symptoms of the patients.

In looking over the proving, the patient underscored such symptoms as he had suffered from, and the remedy was furnished on these symptoms, which really lends value to the provings. Especially are these provings the more beautiful, as they are by several provers.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica, John Henry Clarke

Potassae bichromas. Potassic dichromate. Bichromate of Potash. Red Chromate of Potash. K2Cr2O7. Solution in distilled water. Trituration.

Clinical.─Acne. Anaemia. Asthma. Blotches. Bone, nodes on, exostoses. Bronchitis; croupous. Burns. Cachexia. Catarrh. Climacteric flushes. Coccygodynia. Conjunctivitis. Constipation. Cornea, opacities of. Coryza. Descemetitis. Duodenum, ulcers of. Dyspepsia. Ears, pains in; inflammation of, internal and external. Emaciation. Epilepsy. Epistaxis. Eyes, iritis; keratitis. Farcy. Gastric ulcer. Glanders. Gleet. Gout. Hay fever. Headache. Intermittent fever. Intestines, ulceration of. Lumbago. Lupus. Measles. Mumps. Neuralgia. Nightmare. Nodes. Nose, pressure at root of; soreness of. Ophthalmia. Ozaena. Polypus. Post-nasal catarrh. Pruritus vulvae. Rheumatism. Rhinitis, atrophic. Sciatica. Scrofula. Smell, illusions of. Sun-headache. Sycosis. Syphilis. Throat, hair sensation in; sore. Tobacco, intolerance of. Trachea, affections of. Ulcers. Urethritis. Warts. Whooping-cough.

Characteristics.─Kali bichromicum (with the other Chromium preparations, Chro. ac. and Chro. ox.) owes its introduction into the homoeopathic materia medica to the late Dr. J. J. Drysdale, whose monograph upon it, forming one section of the Hahnemann Materia Medica, and now occupying pp. 457 to 573 of Materia Medica Physiological and Applied, is the most complete account of the remedy which we possess. The Bichromate of Potash, which is manufactured in large quantities from chrome-iron-ore, is the preparation from which all other salts of Chromium are derived. The native association of Chromium with Ferrum is worthy of note. The Bichromate is largely used in the arts in dying, calico-printing, wood-staining, in photography, and as a solution for producing the current in electric batteries. Many of the most remarkable symptoms were obtained from workmen engaged in the preparation of the salt. Some of these had been noted before Drysdale took up the study of the drug. The first proving was published by him in 1844 in the British Journal of Homoeopathy. The following year it was proved by the Austrian Society. The effects of the drug show profound action on the entire organism, and characteristic features of the utmost value to the prescriber have been brought out, rendering the drug one of the most important members of the homoeopathic materia medica. Among these keynotes of Kali bi. four may be named as pre-eminent: (1) Discharges from mucous membranes of tough, stringy mucus, or muco-pus, which adheres to the part and can be drawn out in strings. (2) The occurrence of pain in small spots. In connection with this is another feature showing a sharply defined action: (3) Punched-out, perforating ulcers, occurring on skin, mucous membranes, and affecting bones (e.g. vomer, palate). (4) Alternating and shifting conditions: pains wander from part to part; rheumatic pains alternate with gastric symptoms, or with dysentery; headache alternates with blindness; fibrinous deposits extend downwards. Among other leading characters, scarcely less distinctive are: (a) The formation of plugs or clinkers on mucous membranes, especially in the nose. (This may be regarded as an advanced stage of the stringy mucous secretions.) (b) Still another Variety of this is the formation of false membranes as in croup and diphtheria, with hoarse, metallic cough; and the formation of casts of the bronchial tubes in fibrinous bronchitis. (c) Yet another characteristic mucous discharge is one of "jelly-like mucus." (d) Indigestion from drinking beer; loss of appetite; weight in pit of stomach immediately after eating; flatulence. (e) Among peculiar sensations the "hair sensation" is marked in Kali bi. It occurs chiefly on the back part of the tongue and in the left nostril.─It can hardly be questioned that Chromium is the predominant partner in the action of this salt, but it would be wrong to consider the Kali element as of no account, and it would be still more wrong to disregard the very large proportion of oxygen. It is as an oxydising agent and disinfectant that K. bi. is chiefly known in general medicine, and it is probably to the oxygen element that the ulcerating properties of the drug are largely due. One of its effects is "odourless stools," and the oxygen element is probably accountable for this. Another point in this connection is that the antidotes to poisonous doses of Kali bi. are the same as the antidotes to the acids. The Kali parallels must be sought chiefly in Causticum and Kali carb. The general resemblance is great, but the minute correspondences are not very striking. One possible point of correspondence has been pointed out. Storer (Med. Adv., xxv. 98), cured with Kali bi. a case of asthma in a man who noticed that the attacks were caused by and always followed coitus. The Kali bi. was prescribed on other indications, but this symptom must be noted for future verification. Kali c. has marked "< from coitus," and also from emissions; and Caust. has stupid feeling in the head the day after an emission." Caust. has many symptoms of disordered vision; though it has not the "blindness followed by headache, the sight improving as the pain becomes worse" of Kali bi. This is very characteristic and has led me to many cures. Both Caust. and Kali bi. have many symptoms of ulceration internal and external. Nash relates a good cure with Kali bi. A woman had deep punched-out ulcers with regular edges. One of them had perforated the soft palate and threatened the whole palate. It had a syphilitic appearance, and the patient had been long under old-school treatment. There was also a stringy discharge, but not to a great amount. In three weeks Kali bi. 30 made a cure which proved permanent; the local condition entirely healed and the patient's general state improved correspondingly. Apropos of syphilis Drysdale quotes a long series of cases of syphilis in all stages treated by J. E. Güntz with "Chrome water." This consists of an artificial aerated water containing in 600 grammes of water Kali bi. 0.03 grms., Kali nit. 0.1 grm., Natr. nit., 0.1 grm., Nat. mur., 0.2 grm.; this mixture is incorporated with carbonic acid under the highest pressure, at low temperature, and kept some time before use. The dose given was from half to two bottles daily (each bottle containing 600 grammes) in five doses, given on a full stomach. Even in this dilution the mixture was sufficiently disgusting in taste, and to some quite intolerable. A number of the Kali bi. symptoms were produced, but on the whole very notable and evidently specific curative action was observed. Out of 100 cases of primary syphilis 64 remained without constitutional symptoms. In secondary and tertiary syphilis "chromo-water" was also remarkably successful. In strictly homoeopathic practice Kali bi. has been no less successful, as its symptoms correspond to a great variety of the manifestations of that disease, especially keratitis and iritis, ozaena, bone-pains and nodes, sore throat, syphilitic rheumatism and ulcers. Like Causticum it has some sycotic symptoms as well, including asthma, early morning <, gleety discharge, and, according to Farrington, scabs on fingers, often about the nails, and on corona glandis. J. B. Garrison records the rapid action of Kali bi. in two cases of intermittent fever (H. R., iii. 105), on an indication given him by Martin Deschere. The latter once took by mistake an overdose of Kali bi., which was followed by vomiting of a large quantity of bright yellow water, tasting very bitter. Garrison's first case was a labourer, ill a month with fever, pains and paroxysm at 1 p.m. just before Garrison saw him he had vomited "a large quantity of bright yellow water." Kali bi. 1x, one grm. dissolved in a tumbler of water, a teaspoonful every two hours, cured at once. Case ii. was that of a woman who had been nine months under allopathic treatment, had not been out of the house for two months, and had been told she could not recover. Among other symptoms was this: Vomited much more than she drank: in the morning vomited a large bowlful of bright yellow fluid. The yellowness of Kali bi. secretions and excretions is noteworthy. Kali bi. is particularly suited to fat people; and Goullon (quoted H. R., vi. 267) gives the case of an enormously fat man of "formless colossal body" who complained of chronic accumulation of phlegm─he seemed fairly filled up with it, especially in the morning─for which all domestic remedies and mineral waters had been given in vain. Kali bi. 2x was ordered, a few grains in hot water every evening. In two weeks the patient could resume his walks. He felt easy on his chest, the accumulation of phlegm disappeared, his bowels became regular instead of constipated. H. W. Champlin (Med. Adv., xix. 393), cites a case of chronic rheumatism in an old over 70 confirming symptoms of Kali bi. She was restless and sleepless at night, and Rhus relieved this somewhat, but closer investigation brought out this: (1) The pains changed rapidly from one place to another, and (2) they occupied small spots that could be covered with the point of a finger. Kali bi. cured rapidly. Kali bi. also causes: Rheumatic-like or shooting and pricking pains here and there. In one prover (Drysdale himself) the rheumatic pains were <, and the gastric pains >, after eating. There were cramps in various parts; twitches in hands and feet; stinging pains all over. Pains in short jerks as if a nerve were suddenly pulled. Sudden pains. Pains appear and disappear suddenly. Diagonal pains; right mamma and left elbow; left forearm and right occiput; right knee and hip, left breast and shoulder; right axilla, left thigh; right big toe, left little finger; right forearm, left elbow; right foot, ankles, shin, left hip, arm, shoulder; right big toe and thumb; wrists and ankles. Shifting pains and sudden pains. "Indolence" is a characteristic of many conditions─indolent ulcers; indolent inflammation about and of the eyes; slow scrofulous or sycotic ophthalmia, soreness of the canthi, pustules round the eyes, lids adhering and puffed, whites of the eyes yellowish. The face is bloated and blotched; may be yellowish; acne accompanies headaches and gastric conditions. The tongue is thick and broad and takes the imprint of the teeth. The stomach symptoms are very distressing. Painful vomitings; sour, and mixed with clear mucus; may be bitter from the presence of bile; vomiting caused by every attempt to eat or drink, with distress and burning rawness about the stomach. This corresponds to the vomiting of drunkards, especially in beer-drinkers; also to gastric ulcer. The abdomen swells up immediately after a full meal. Food lies like a load as if digestion were suspended. There is aversion to meat; and longing for beer; and for acid drinks. It removes the chronic effects of drinking too much malt liquor, especially lager beer. Some of the workmen found they could not drink coffee as it made them worse, and they were obliged to take to tea instead. (This bears out Hering's dictum that "wine-drinkers should take coffee and beer-drinkers should take tea." Coffee antidotes wine and tea antidotes beer; so as Kali bi. corresponds to beer effects tea will be likely to agree with it better than coffee). Kali bi. causes great prostration, discomfort, debility, and desire to lie down. The neuralgic attacks sometimes recur every day, at the same hour. Epilepsy has been cured by it when there was flow of tough, stringy fluid from the mouth in the attacks. In very weak solutions (about 1 to 2,000) Kali bi. has been used with much success as a local application for ulcers, especially when they are very painful. Lord and Moore had good success in treating horses for farcy, using the remedy both externally and internally. In the cough of Kali bi. the stringy, difficult expectoration, and early morning < will generally indicate; or a pain from mid-sternum through to back. But there is also a cough caused by eating. W. J. Pierce (H. W., xxx. 567) records the case of James S., 40. For four months past, as soon as he swallowed food (not liquids), a tickling in throat excited a severe cough, which stopped only on vomiting, and was followed by a watery coryza. This was so distressing that for two months he had eaten only two meals a day. There was pharyngeal catarrh with stringy mucus hanging from naso-pharynx. Kali bi. 1, a tablet every two hours, was given. He had no more vomiting, and only coughed twice in the next five days, and was soon quite cured. Kali bi. is credited with the cure of a case of Descemetitis [inflammation of the internal (Descemet's) membrane of the cornea] with redness of right eye, brightness of the lid and lachrymation. Kali bi. removed the spots and relieved the other symptoms. Kali bi. is especially suited to fair-haired, fat persons, especially fat, chubby children; fat, sluggish people. Most of the symptoms appear in the early morning or are < then 2 a.m. heat in pit of stomach; awakes with oppressed breathing with a start. 2 to 3 a.m. croup; early morning cough; morning diarrhoea; 9 a.m. pain in head begins; goes off in afternoon. Shooting from root of nose to external angle of eye begins morning, increases to noon, and ceases towards evening (sun-headache). Affections of autumn and spring. Complaints of hot weather are particularly likely to want Kali bi., but at the same time there is "great liability to take cold in open air"; and "moderately cold air is felt very unpleasantly." Eruptions begin in warm weather (opp. Rhus). Open air > symptoms generally, especially vertigo; but < gastric complaints and chilliness. Uncovering <; wrapping up >. Warmth > cough; undressing < cough. Cold weather > itching of eruption. < By eating; eating = cough weight in stomach. Touch < most symptoms; but pressure >. But pressure = pains to shoot along sciatic nerve. Moving the affected part > the pain. Most symptoms are < at rest and > by motion. Stooping <; sitting <.

Relations.─In the ordinary text-books the antidotes to Kali bi. are given as the same as antidotes for poisoning by Acids: Bicarbonates of Soda and Potash, Magnesia, Chalk, Soap, Milk, Eggs; olive or almond oil, also the Hydrated peroxide of iron. But no very brilliant results have been recorded from any of these, and they would be useless unless administered almost immediately after the dose, so rapid is the action of the poison. Among the dynamic antidotes are: Ars.; Laches. (croup, diphtheria, etc.); Puls. (wandering pains). K. bi. antidotes: Effect of beer; arsenical vapour; Merc.; Merc. iod. I have found it the best general antidote to the effect of metallic poisoning among brass workers. Compatible: After Canth. in dysentery, when, though scrapings continue, the discharge becomes more jelly-like; after Apis (scrofulous ophthalmia); after Iod. in croup. It is followed well by: Ant t. in catarrhal affections and skin diseases. Compare: Oxygen Caust.; Kali carb. (fat subjects); Kali iod. (syphilis); Chrom. ac. (sudden pains, shifting pains, > motion, ulcerations, rheumatism); Bro. (croup, fair subjects); Mez. (bone diseases); Nit. ac, (syphilis); Phytol. (syphilitic bone affections); Spo. (cramp); Sil. (bone affections); Hippoz. (ozaena, glanders, farcy); Hecl. (nodes); Hydrast. and Ir. v. (viscous, tough secretions); Lach. Tereb. (glazed tongue); Kali ca., Caust., and Staph. (< after coitus); Sep. and Teucr. ("clinkers"); Puls. (wandering rheumatism; gonorrhoeal rheumatism; pains < in warm room; measles; catarrhal deafness; swelling of salivary glands); Thuj. (ozaena in sycotic subjects); Apis (scrofulous ophthalmia); Lach. (constriction of anus; sensation of plug in anus; diarrhoea brown, frothy, watery, spurting out in early morning and followed by tenesmus ani; dysentery, red, cracked, smooth tongue, blackish stools, typhoid cases; Lach. has more offensiveness, Kali bi. more jelly-like or stringy mucus) Coc. c., whooping-cough (mucus, clear stringy, Kali bi. yellow-stringy) Kaolin (membranous croup─with Kaolin there is internal and external soreness along course of trachea and upper part of chest -Farrington); Rhus (> of pain on moving affected part; Rhus has > by warmth; eruptions of Kali bi. begin in hot weather, those of Rhus in cold); Abies n., Bry., Nux, etc. (indigestion with sensation of weight in stomach); Graph. and Rhus (inflammation of external ears; Sul. (sensation of hair in throat).

Causation.─Indulgence in beer and malt liquors. Hot weather. Autumn. Spring.

SYMPTOMS.

1. Mind.─Ill-humour; low-spirited.─Listless.─Anthropophobia; taciturnity; misanthropy.─Vanishing of thoughts.─Aversion to mental (and bodily) exertion.─Weak memory.─Anxiety arising from chest.

2. Head.─Lightness in the head, across the forehead, on stooping; < morning.─Sudden attacks of giddiness, when rising from a seat.─Vertigo on rising up in bed (room seemed to whirl round); on lying down again it became < and was immediately associated with inclination to vomit.─Vertigo, with nausea, inclination to vomit; retching up of sour watery fluid.─Frequent, sudden attacks of vertigo when standing or walking.─Confusion and heaviness in head.─Headache in forehead, often only over one eye.─Soon after dinner a dull, heavy throbbing about eyes, as if head would burst; > by lying, or pressing head against anything, or in open air; < stooping or moving about.In morning, when waking, pain in forehead and vertex; later, extending to back part of head.─Violent pricking, stinging pain, from root of nose, extending over (l.) orbital arch, to external angle of eyes, with obscuration of sight, as if scales were before eyes; beginning in morning, increases at noon, and disappears towards evening.─Headache comes and goes with the sun.─Complete obscuration of sight is followed by violent headache, compelling one to lie down; with great aversion to light and noise; the sight returns with the increasing headache.─Stinging headache (in one temple).─Periodical attacks of semi-lateral headache, on small spots that could be covered with point of finger.─Morning headache.─Headache from suppression of discharge from nose (ozaena).─Bones of head feel sore.─Stitches in bones of head, as from a sharp needle.─Lancinating stitches in r. side of head, lasting but a short time.─Pressure on vertex, as from a weight.─Headache: > by warm soup; by pressure; in open air; by eating; < by stooping; by motion; by lying on it; at night.

3. Eyes.─Heaviness of upper eyelid on waking; it requires an effort to open it.─Eyelids burning, inflamed, much swollen.─Watering, itching and burning in eyes; heat in eyes and desire to rub them, with redness of conjunctiva.─Dryness; burning pain; itching.─The eyes are glued in morning; accumulation of yellow matter in angles.─Oedematous swelling of eyelids.─Large acute granulations of lids.─Large polypus springing from conjunctiva of upper lid.─Itching and redness of eyelids; tender to touch; tarsi seem rough, causing sensation of friction, as from sand on the eyeballs when moving them; feeling of sharp sand in eyes.─Conjunctiva reddened and traversed by large red vessels.─Rheumatic sclero-iritis with excessive pain and photophobia.─Syphilitic iritis.─Sequelae of iritis; pains pricking, stinging, wandering; < l.; chemosis; photophobia not commensurate with degree of inflammation.─Ulcers and pustules of cornea with no photophobia and no redness.─Corneal ulcers tend to perforate rather than spread laterally.─Dense long-lasting opacities.─Albuginea dirty yellow, appears puffy, with yellowish-brown points, like pin-heads.─Soreness in r. caruncula.─Photophobia; only by daylight; when opening lids they twitch.─Lachrymation and burning of eyes.─Small white, granular pustules on (l.) cornea, with pricking pain.─Brown spots on conjunctiva.─Obscuration of sight; objects appear yellow.─Various colours and bright sparks before eyes.

4. Ears.─Stinging in ears; from external meatus into internal ear.─Violent stitches in (l.) ear, extending into roof of mouth, corresponding side of head and neck, which was painful to touch; glands swollen.─External meatus of (l.) ear swelled and inflamed.─Stitches in l. ear and l. parotid gland, with headache.─Hard, painful swelling of parotid gland.─Discharge of fetid, thick, yellow pus from both ears (after scarlet fever).─Itching of lobe of (r.) ear (waking him at night).─Redness, heat and itching of external ears.─Violent tickling and itching in ears.

5. Nose.─Nose painfully dry; air passes with great case through it.─Nose dry, burning, stopped up, swelling; < in warm, > in cool air.─Great dryness of nose, with feeling of pressure in nasal bones; also extending along frontal sinuses with soreness and burning.─Tickling, like a hair moving or curling itself in top of l. nostril.─Sneezing (in morning).─Coryza, fluent; < in evening, in open air; in wind; obstruction in morning and bleeding of nose (r. nostril).─Coryza fluent, excoriating nose and lips; discharge of mucus streaked with light-coloured blood.─Profuse secretion from r. nostril; a spot in the r. lachrymal bone is swollen and throbbing.─Flow of acrid water from nostril, excoriating nostril and burning upper lip (r.).─Violent shooting pains from root of nose along l. orbital arch.─Pinching pain in bridge, > by hard pressure.─Pressure at root of nose.─Nose stuffed up.─Nasal speech.─The sensation of a hard substance compels one to blow the nose, but there is no discharge from the dry nose.─When blowing nose violent stitches in r. side of nose, and sensation as if two loose bones rubbed against each other.─Expired air feels hot in nose.─Scab on septum.─Septum ulcerates.─Round ulcer in septum.─Small ulcers on edge of (r.) nostril, violent, burning when touched.─Discharge of large masses of thick, clean mucus from nose; if that ceases he has violent headache; pain from occiput to forehead.─Watery secretion with great soreness and tenderness of nose.─Discharge of tough green masses from nose.─Discharge of hard, elastic plugs (clinkers) from nose.─Though accustomed to smoke, every inhalation through the nose caused a sickening sensation like sulphuretted hydrogen.─Sensation of fetid smell before nose.─Loss of smell.─Fetid smell from nose.

6. Face.─Face: pale; yellowish; red in blotches; flushed; anxious expression.─Acne.─Shooting in l. upper maxillary bone towards ear.─Shooting inward in l. malar bone with pressure, < in morning.─Sensitive painfulness, as if bruised, of bones of face.─Syphilitic eruption from root of nose to upper lip.─Lupus r. side of nose with troublesome itching.─Lupus; pustules; impetigo of face, with much itching.─Perspiration on upper lip.─Lower lip swelled, chapped.─Digging pain in rami of lower jaw.─Mumps r. side.─Parotids swollen.

7. Teeth.─Gnawing, dull burrowing, boring in roots of teeth.─Stitches in teeth extending to other parts, and alternating with wandering rheumatic pains.─Toothache not > by heat or cold, only momentarily > by pressure.─Gum of r. lower jaw much swollen, dirty white, extremely tender; teeth that side quite loose, will not bear slightest pressure; profuse ptyalism; gums of both sides unusually sensitive; cannot masticate any food; liquid food makes gums feel very sore and tongue rough.

8. Mouth.─Dryness of mouth and lips, > by drinking cold water.─Accumulation of saliva in mouth; saliva bitter, viscid, frothy, tasting salt.─Papillae very long on dorsum with a brown-coloured patch.─Sensation of a hair on back part of tongue.─Tongue coated, thick brown, as with thick yellow felt, at root; papillae elevated.─Tongue dry, smooth, red, cracked (in dysentery).─Ulcers with hard edges, smarting, at mucous surface of lips.─Painful ulcer on tongue.─Stinging pains in tongue.

9. Throat.─Sensation of a hair on back part of tongue and velum; not > by eating or drinking.─Erythema of fauces and soft palate, bright or dark red, or of a coppery colour.─Soft palate slightly reddened: uvula relaxed, with sensation of a plug in throat, which is not > by swallowing.─Deep-excavated sore, with a reddish areola, containing a yellow, tenacious matter at root of uvula; fauces and palate presenting an erythematous blush.─Posterior wall of pharynx dark-red, glossy, puffed, showing ramifications of pale-red vessels; on middle, towards l. side, a small crack, from which blood exudes.─Sharp, shooting pain in l. tonsil, towards ear; > by swallowing.─Burning in pharynx, extending to stomach.─In forepart of palate single circumscribed spots, of size of a barleycorn, coloured red, as if little ulcers were about to form.─Ulcer on roof of mouth, with sloughing (syphilis).─Pimples on uvula.─Oedematous bladder-like appearance of uvula; much swelling but little redness.─Ulceration of uvula and tonsils.─Throat pains more when tongue is put out.─Sensation as if an acid, acrid fluid were running through posterior nares over palate, causing cough.─Discharge of thick yellow matter through posterior nares.

10. Appetite.─Taste: coppery; sweetish; sour; bitter in morning.─Loss of appetite; increased thirst.─Longing for beer or acidulated drinks.─Aversion to meat.

11. Stomach.─Eructations of air, relieving an uneasiness of stomach as from wind pent up at great curvature.─Sudden nausea.─Nausea, with feeling of heat over body, with giddiness, rush of blood to head; < by moving about; in morning at sight of food; after meals; after stool; excited by drinking and smoking; > by eating; > in open air; with sweetish flat salivation.─Nausea and vomiting of mucus.─Vomits large quantities of bright yellow water.─Vomiting: of undigested food, sour; of bile; bitter; of pinkish, glairy fluid; of blood; with cold perspiration on hands; burning in stomach; heat of face.─Burning in stomach and stomach pit.─After eating a full meal, which was relished, a sensation as if digestion were suspended; food lies in stomach like a heavy load.─Pressure and heaviness in stomach after eating.─Giddiness, followed by violent vomiting of a white, mucous, acid fluid, with pressure and burning in stomach.─Swelling of stomach (in evening), with fulness and pressure; cannot bear tight clothes.─(Round ulcer of stomach, and duodenum.)

12. Abdomen.─Colic alternating with cutting pain at umbilicus, during night.─Sensitiveness of abdomen to least pressure.─Dull, heavy pressure or stitches in region of liver.─Stitches in region of spleen, < by motion and pressure.─Stitches in spleen extending into lumbar region.─Tympanites; whole abdomen feels bloated; followed by eructations.─Cutting in abdomen, as from knives, soon after eating.─Attacks of periodical spasmodic constriction of intestines, with nausea, followed by a papescent stool and burning in anus, with tenesmus.─Stitches through abdomen, extending to spinal column.─Chronic ulceration of mucous membrane attended with vomiting of ingesta, hectic and emaciation.

13. Stool and Anus.─Constipation, with debility, coated tongue, headache and coldness of extremities.─Scanty, knotty evacuations, followed by burning in the anus.─Stool in one mass of excessive hardness.─Stools dry, with burning at anus.─Constipation, with painful retraction of anus.─Very painful evacuation of extremely hard feces.─Periodical constipation (every three months).─Stools slate-coloured, bloody.─Stools: blackish, watery; yellowish, watery; clay-coloured, watery and lumpy; jelly-like; involuntary and often painless and odourless; bloody and extremely painful.─Papescent evacuations, with much rumbling in intestines.─Morning diarrhoea; wakes from urgent pressure to stool; the watery contents gush out, followed by violent tenesmus; she cannot rise on that account; later, burning in abdomen, nausea and violent straining to vomit.─Frequent bloody evacuations, with gnawing pain about umbilicus with tenesmus; tongue smooth, red, cracked.─Dysenteric evacuations of brownish, frothy water, with violent, painful pressing, straining and tenesmus.─Pressing and straining in anus, with tenesmus.─Periodical dysentery every year in early part of summer.─Sensation of a plug in anus (can scarcely sit down).─Soreness at anus, making it very painful to walk.─Fulness in haemorrhoidal vessels.

14. Urinary Organs.─During micturition heat in urethra.─During and long after micturition burning in glandular portion of urethra.─After micturition burning in back part of urethra (in bulbus urethrae; in glands of urethra; in fossa navicularis), with sensation as if one drop of urine had remained behind with unsuccessful effort to void it.─Stitches in urethra, esp. after micturition.─Frequent discharge of watery urine of strong smell, awaking him at night.─Continuous desire to urinate during day.─Painful drawing from perineum into urethra.─Urine with white film and deposit, with mucous sediment.─Violent pain in os coccygis; < when rising, after he sat long, to urinate.─Some time in passing urine.─Scanty red urine, with pain across back.

15. Male Sexual Organs.─Sexual desire absent; in fleshy people.─(Provoked by and following coition, asthmatic attacks.).─Stitches in prostate gland (when walking; must stand still).─Itching in hairy parts of genitals; skin becomes inflamed and small pustules of size of a pin's head are formed.─Constrictive pains at root of penis (morning, on waking).─Pricking and itching at glans.─Chancres ulcerating deeply.─Gleet, with stringy or jelly-like profuse discharge.

16. Female Sexual Organs.─Menstruation too early, with giddiness, nausea, and headache; suppression of urine or red urine.─Membranous dysmenorrhoea.─Swelling of genitals.─Soreness and rawness in vagina.─Leucorrhoea yellow, ropy; pain and weakness in small of back and dull pain in upper part of abdomen.─Subinvolution.─Prolapsus uteri, seemingly from hot weather.─Climacteric flushes.─Vomiting of pregnancy.─Milk as it flows appears to be stringy masses and water.

17. Respiratory Organs.─Respiration oppressed; wakens 2 a.m.─Sensation of choking on lying down.─Sensation as from ulceration in larynx.─Accumulation of mucus in larynx, causing hawking.─Hoarse, rough, or nasal voice.─Hoarseness (in evening).─Tickling in larynx; every inhalation causes cough (with hoarseness).─Cough caused by eating.─At dinner, after first mouthful, great tickling in larynx; > on eating more.─Cough in morning, with viscid expectoration.─Cough hoarse, metallic, with expectoration of tough mucus or fibrous elastic plugs (croup; membranous or croupous bronchitis).─Dry cough, with stitches in chest.─Violent, rattling cough, lasting some minutes, with an effort to vomit, and expectoration of viscid mucus, which can be drawn in strings to the feet.─(Expectoration sticks in chest so as to almost cause strangulation; it is found in croup, whooping-cough, catarrhs.─Snuffles of infants, particularly in fat, chubby, little babes, where there is a tough, stringy discharge from the nose, etc.─Cough, with thick, heavy expectoration; bluish lumps of mucus.─Hawking up of copious, thick, bluish mucus.─Expectoration with traces of blood.─Expectoration of yellowish tough matter.─Cough, with pain in sternum, darting to between shoulders.─Sensation of dryness in bronchi (in morning).─Dry cough after dinner.─Cough, with pain in loins, vertigo, dyspnoea, shootings in chest.─(Asthmatic attacks always caused by and follow coition).─Oppressed breathing, awakens at 2 a.m.; palpitation; orthopnoea: cold sensation and tightness about heart, lower portions of lungs oppressed.─"Stuffing" cough, with pain in chest and expectoration of yellow or yellowish green tough matter.

18. Chest.─Pressure and heaviness on chest, as from a weight; wakens with this sensation at night and is > after rising.─Stitches below sternum, extending to back.─Dull pain in r. side of chest over circumscribed spot, < on inspiration.

19. Heart.─Cold sensation about heart: tightness of chest; dyspnoea.─Sensation of pressure on heart (after eating).─Sharp, irritating, fixed pain in region of apex of heart.─Pricking pain in region of heart.─Palpitation.─Pulsation felt in arteries.

20. Neck and Back.─Stiffness of neck when bending head forward.─Sticking pain from ears to glands.─Swollen cervical glands and occipital glands.─Sharp, stinging pain in region of kidneys.─Pain in back striking through to sternum with cough.─Pain, as from a knife, through loins; cannot walk.─Violent aching pain, "like a gathering," in small spot in sacrum, a steady, throbbing pain, < at night hindering sleep; > in day when up, walking about, but unable to lift anything.─Pain in sacrum; cannot straighten himself.─Cutting in outer l. side of sacrum, shooting up and down.─Pain in os coccygis (in morning); < from walking and touching it.─Pain in coccyx while sitting.

21. Limbs.─Rheumatic pains in limbs.─Periodical wandering pains, also along bones.─Cracking in joints, < by motion.

22. Upper Limbs.─Rheumatic pain in both shoulders (< at night).─Stitches at lower angle of l. shoulder-blade.─Stiffness of shoulder-joint.─Sensation of lameness of r. arm (as if it had gone to sleep).─Burning pain in middle of forearm, extending to wrist.─Painful stiffness of r. arm.─Stinging pain in l. elbow.─Rheumatic pains in joints, esp. wrists.─Great weakness in hands.─Bones of hands as if bruised, when pressed, ulcers on fingers with caries.─Spasmodic contraction of hands.─Rheumatic pains in fingers.─Cracking of all joints from least motion.─Psoriasis diffusa of hands, degenerating into impetigo.─Ulcer under thumb-nail.─Pustules on roots of nails.

23. Lower Limbs.─Rheumatic pains in hip-joints and knees on moving─more esp. during day.─Pain in course of l. sciatic nerve, extending from behind great trochanter to calf of leg; > by motion.─Stitches in r. side of chest and l. sciatic nerve.─Pain in tendons of muscles of calf, as if stretched, causing lameness.─Soreness in heels when walking.─Heaviness of legs.─Pain in r. hip, extending to knee; > by walking and flexing leg; < in hot weather, by standing, sitting, or lying in bed; pressure = pain to shoot along entire nerve.─Pain in middle of tibia.─Sensation of dislocation in l. ankle.─Ulcers on previously inflamed feet.─Small irregular ulcers on leg.─Acute twinging pain in l. great toe; pricking and stinging pains in different parts of body; acute gouty pain in ball of r. great toe, four minutes after same pain in l.─Sore pain inner side r. great toe where the nail joins the flesh.

24. Generalities.─Pains which wander quickly from one part of body to another.─Periodical wandering pains in all limbs.─Sensitive painfulness of whole body (morning on rising).─Gastric symptoms supersede rheumatic symptoms; or they alternate with one another.─Liability to take cold in the open air; drowsy in open air.─Great debility, with desire to lie down.─Great prostration.─Drawing in various parts; in sheaths of muscles; near bones, as if in periosteum; in neck, back, and limbs; in morning on waking, > on rising.

25. Skin.─Hot, dry, and red skin all over body.─Dry eruption, like measles, over whole body.─Small pustules over whole body, similar to smallpox; they disappear without bursting open.─Pustules over whole body, appearing on inflamed parts of skin, as large as a pea, with a small black scab in middle.─Blood-boil on r. thigh; on r. side of spine, near the last rib; painful on the least motion.─Small pustules on roots of nails, spreading over hands to wrist; arm became red and axillary glands suppurated; the small pustules on hands secreted a watery fluid when they were broken; if they were not touched the fluid became thickened to a yellow, tough mass.─The eruption begins in hot weather.─Suppurating tetter (ecthyma).─The pustulous eruption resembling small-pox, with a hair in the middle, is more prominent on face and arms.─Brown spots (on throat) like freckles.─Blister, full of serum, in sole of r. foot.─Scabs on fingers, or corona glandis.─Ulcers, dry, form oval; have overhanging edges, a bright red, inflamed areola, hard base; movable on subjacent tissues; dark spot in centre; after healing the cicatrix remains depressed.─After an abrasion, a swelling like a knot, forming an irregular ulcer, covered with a dry scab and painful to touch; under skin is felt a hard, movable knot, like a corn, with a small ulcerated spot in middle, where it touches the cuticle; the hard knotty feel remains after the healed ulcer is covered with white skin.─Ulcers corrode and become deeper, without spreading in circumference.─Ulcers esp. painful in cold weather.─Ulcers on previously inflamed feet.─Ulcers on fingers, with carious affection of the bones.─Hands become covered with deep, stinging cicatrices.

26. Sleep.─Sleepiness and prostration, can hardly write.─Unrefreshing sleep; feels very debilitated, esp. in extremities.─Wakens in a start, with nausea or headache (2 a.m.), with heat and perspiration, accelerated pulse, palpitation of heart and dyspnoea; with anxiety, heat in pit of stomach, and spitting of blood; from frequent desire to urinate.─Woke with great oppression on chest (nightmare).─< After sleep.

27. Fever.─Pulse accelerated; irregular, small, contracted.─Great inclination to yawn and stretch.─Chilliness in the back and sleepiness; seeks a warm place.─Chilliness alternating with flushes of heat.─Chilliness, with giddiness and nausea, followed by heat with sensation of coldness and trembling, and periodical stinging pain in temples; without thirst.─Attacks of chilliness, extending from feet upwards, and sensation as if skull on the vertex became contracted, in frequently returning paroxysms.─Chill, followed in an hour by heat, with dryness of mouth and lips, which have to be moistened all the time; followed in morning with great thirst, but no perspiration.─Chilliness, esp. on extremities, and flushes of heat alternating with general perspiration.─Heat of hands and feet; nausea; pain in upper part of abdomen; dryness of mouth; sleeplessness, followed by perspiration of hands, feet, and thighs; ceasing for two hours, when they reappear.─Giddiness; violent, painful vomiting is followed by pain in forehead, burning of eyes, great burning heat of upper part of body and face, with internal chilliness and violent thirst.─Perspiration on back during effort to stool.

Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of Some of the Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica (Allen's Keynotes), Henry Clay Allen

Potassium Bichromate (K2Cr2O7)

Fat, light-haired persons who suffer from catarrhal, syphillitic or psoric affections. Fat, chubby, short-necked children disposed to croup and croupy affections. Affections of the mucous membranes - eyes, nose, mouth, throat, bronchi, gastro-intestinal and genito-urinary tracts - discharge of a tough, stringy mucus which adheres to the parts and can be drawn into long strings (compare Hyd., Lys.). Complaints occurring in hot weather. Liability to take cold in open air. Rheumatism alternating with gastric symptoms, one appearing in the fall and the other in the spring; rheumatism and dysentery alternate (Abrot.). Pains: in small spots, can be covered with point of finger (Ign.); shift rapidly from one part to another (Kali s., Lac c., Puls.); appear and disappear suddenly (Bell., Ign., Mag. p.). Neuralgia every day at same hour (Chin. s.). Gastric complaints: bad effects of beer; loss of appetite; weight in pit of stomach; flatulence; < soon after eating; vomiting of ropy mucus and blood; round ulcer of stomach (Gym.). Nose: pressive pain in root of nose (in forehead and root of nose, Stict.); discharge of plugs, "clinkers;" tough, ropy, green fluid mucus; in clear masses, and has violent pain from occiput to forehead if discharge eases. Ulceration of septum, with bloody discharge or large flakes of hard mucus (Alum., Sep., Teuc.). Diphtheria: pseudo-membranous deposit, firm, pearly, fibrinous, prone to extend downwards to larynx and trachea (Lac c. - reverse of, Brom.). Oedematous, bladder-like appearance of uvula; much swelling, but little redness (Rhus). Cough: violent, rattling, with gagging from viscid mucus in the throat; < when undressing (Hep.). Croup: hoarse, metallic, with expectoration of tough mucus or fibro-elastic casts in morning on awakening; with dyspnoea, > by lying down (worse when lying down, Aral., Lach.). Deep-eating ulcers in fauces; often syphilitic. Headache: blurred vision or blindness precedes the attack (Gels., Lac d.); must lie down; aversion to light and noise; sight returns as headache increases (Iris, Nat., Lac d.). Prolapsus uteri, seemingly in hot weather. Sexual desire absent in fleshy people.

Relations. - Compare: Brom., Hep. Iod. in croupy affections. After: Canth. or Carb. ac. has removed the scrapings, in dysentery. After: Iod. in croup, when hoarse cough, with touch membrane, general weakness and coldness are present; Cal. in acute or chronic nasal catarrh. Ant. t. follows well in catarrhal affections and skin diseases.

Aggravation. - Heat of summer; hot weather.

Amelioration. - Skin symptoms are better in cold weather (reverse of, Alum. and Pet.).

Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics, Eugene Beauharnais Nash

Affections of the mucous membranes with discharge of tough, stringy, adherent mucus, which can be drawn out into long strings.

Formation of jelly-like mucus on mucous membranes.

Round deep ulcers, as if cut out with a punch.

Diphtheritic membranes on mucous surfaces.

Migratory pains, which appear and disappear suddenly.

Pains appear in small spots, which can be covered by a silver dollar or the point of the finger, especially in the sick headache, which is preceded by blindness.

Yellow coating at base of the tongue; or dry, smooth, glazed, cracked tongue.

Rheumatism alternating with dysentery or diarrhoea.

Gastric complaints; bad effects of beer; loss of appetite; weight in pit of stomach; flatulence.

Nose; pressing pain in root of nose; discharge of "clinkers", plugs.

* * * * *

"Affections of any mucous membrane with discharges of tough, stringy, adherent mucus, which can be drawn out into long strings." No remedy has this more prominently than this one. Hydrastis comes near to it, and Lyssin may approach it when from the mouth or throat; also Iris versicolor.

But Kali bich. produces and cures this kind of discharge from nose, mouth, fauces, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, vagina and uterus.

And the action of the drug does not stop here but goes on to the formation of tough membrane, on the same surfaces. Again it causes and cures ulcerations of the mucous membranes. These ulcers are peculiar, "deep as if cut with a punch, edges regular". I remember one case of years ago in which such ulcers appeared in the throat of a woman. One had eaten up through the soft palate into the posterior nares, and the whole palate looked as though it would be destroyed by the ulcerative process if not speedily checked. The case had a syphilitic look to me and had been under the treatment of two old school physicians for a long time. I gave Kali bich. 30th, and to say that I was astonished at the effect (for it was in my early practice) is putting it mildly, for the ulcers healed so rapidly, and her general condition, which was very bad, correspondingly improved, that it three weeks from that time she was well to all appearance and never had any return of the trouble afterwards, or for years, at least as long as I knew her. I forgot to state that she also had the stringy discharge, though not so profuse as I have often seen in other cases.

I once cured a dog that had a sore mouth and throat, from which the saliva hung in strings, and dragged on the ground as he staggered along. People who saw him said he was mad, but I think not, as he did not snap or bite or have suffocating spasms.

Kali bichromicum is one of our sheet anchors in the treatment of disease of the mucous membrane of the nose. Not only in inflammations of an acute character, which are attended with stringy discharges, but also of a chronic kind known as "chronic catarrh". In these cases the patient often complains of much pressure at the root of the nose (Sticta pulm.), and especially if an habitual discharge becomes suddenly suppressed. Slugs and clinkers form in the nose, which form again and again after removal. Sometimes there discharge tough green masses or hard plugs. This process of chronic inflammation may go on from bad to worse, until ulceration sets in to such an extent that the whole septum may ulcerate away. I have known a case in which the apparently "punched out" ulcers ate a hole right through the septum. This may be syphilitic or not. If in syphilitic cases the destructive process should attack the bones, Kali bich. may still be of use, thigh I should expect to be obliged to resort to Aurum met. or some more deeply acting remedy.

I have likewise found in those troublesome cases of chronic post-nasal catarrh, where the dropping back into the throat is stringy, or those crusty or pluggy formations occur, this to be a good remedy, and it has gained me some fast friends.

In its formation of membranes in the throat it is as positive as any other remedy, and when the membrane extends downward into the larynx, causing membranous croup, I believe no remedy excels it. I have with it cured many cases of diphtheritic croup, and of late years never give it below the 30th Potency, because abundant experience has convinced me that it does better than the low triturations.

Kali bichromicum has been of use in the treatment of stomach troubles. The vomiting is often of the ropy character, and here also, as in nose, mouth and throat, we may have formed "round ulcers" But short of actual ulceration we have a form of dyspepsia, in which this remedy is very useful. It is often found in drunkards, especially beer drunkards. There is great weight in the stomach, fullness, a distress immediately after eating (like Nux moschata), but not like Nux vomica, which comes on two or three hours after, nor like Anacardium, which also comes on two or three hours after eating, and then the pain continues until he eats again, which relieves.

There are two appearances of the tongue which may be present in conjunction with these stomach troubles; one is a yellow coating at the base (Mercurius prot. and Natrum phos.), the other a dry smooth glazed or red cracked tongue. This latter tongue is found more often in connection with dysentery in which Kali bich. has sometimes done good service.

There is one kind of discharge which comes from mucous membranes of which I have not yet written, "jelly-like mucus." (Aloe socotrina). It may come from nose, posterior nares, vagina or anus. This is especially found in dysentery where the stools have by some other remedy changed from an appearance "like scrapings" to the jelly-like form. Of course leucorrhoeas of both the ropy and jelly-like variety come under this remedy and many fine cures have resulted from its use. It is no less so in affections of the respiratory organs, in coughs, croup, bronchitis, asthma, and even in consumption. The chromic acid element in this combination of Kali seems responsible for the ropy mucus, as no other Kali has it in any such degree.

There are a few more points about this remedy that ought not to be omitted. The pains are peculiar. They appear in small spots, which can be covered with the point of a finger. This is markedly so with the pains in the head. In sick headache often so. Farrington says: "There are quite a number of remedies having blind headache, but Kali bichromicum is the best of them." The blindness comes on before the headache; then, as the headache begins, the blindness disappears. (See Iris versicolor and Natrum mur.) Then the pain settles in a small spot, and is very intense. Again, the pains of Kali bichromicum appear and disappear suddenly. This is like Belladonna. Then, again, they fly from one place to another like Pulsatilla. There are five remedies having markedly wandering or erratic pains, viz.: Kali bichromicum, Kali sulphuricum, Pulsatilla, Lac caninum and Manganum aceticum. Kali bichromicum does not stay as long in a place as Pulsatilla does, nor is there so much disposition to swell. Kali sulphuricum is most like Pulsatilla in all its symptoms (see Boericke & Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies). The Manganum pains shift crosswise from joint to joint, while Lac caninum alternates sides, being worse on one side one day and on the other the next, etc. Then, again, Kali bichromicum alternates symptoms; for instance, rheumatic and dysenteric symptoms alternate. (Also, Abrotanum). Platina alternates back symptoms, with general mind and bodily symptoms.

Kali bichromicum is particularly adapted to fat, light-haired persons, or children disposed to catarrhal, croupy, scrofulous or syphilitic affections. Dr. Drysdale deserves much credit for what he has done for the profession by introducing this truly great remedy.