Kali Bichromicum - Key Information and Uses

KALI BICROMICUM DR SHILPA S PATIL DEPARTMENT OF HOMOEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA KLEUHMC

INTRODUCTION Source : Mineral kingdom. Common Name : Bichromate of potash, red chromate of potash, Potassium bichromate, Formula : K2Cr2O7 Proved by : Dr J J Drysdale of London. Duration of Action : 30 days.

DESCRIPTION Oxydising agent and disinfectant. Anti syphilitic remedy. Large, orange red, transparent, crystal or crystalline powder, odourless, taste metallic, stable in air, soluble in water, insoluble in alcohol, commonly prepared from chrome iron ore.

CONSTITUTION Best suited to fat, light haired, sluggish persons, to fat chubby children, to scrofulous and syphilitic diseases. Fat chubby, short necked children disposed to croup and croupy affections. Miasmatic background all 3 miasms, but dominated by syphilitic miasm. Temperament nervous and irritable. Thermal Relationship Chilly.

AILMENTS FROM Hot weather. Alcohol. Beer. Spring after hot days.

SPHERE OF ACTION I. Mucous M. Copious Viscid, Ropy Mucorrhoea, Ulceration. II. Liver. Congestion, Hypertrophy, Fatty Degeneration. III. Kidneys. Tubular Inflammation, Ulceration, Albuminuria. IV. Skin. Pustular Inflammation. V. Fibrous T. Periosteum. Acute Inflammation, Hypertrophy.

GUIDINGS SYMPTOMS Affections of mucous membranes - eyes, nose, mouth, throat, bronchi, gastro-intestinal and genito- urinary tracts. Discharge of a tough, stringy mucus. Complaints occurring in hot weather. Liability to take cold in open air. Rheumatism alternating with gastric symptoms.

Pains in small spots, shift rapidly from one part to another, appear and disappear suddenly. Neuralgia every day at same hour. 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.

Ulceration of septum, with bloody discharge or large flakes of hard mucus. Cough violent, rattling, with gagging from viscid mucus in throat < when undressing. Deep-eating ulcers in fauces, often syphilitic. Prolapsus uteri, seemingly in hot weather.

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

Headache 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. 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 Headache from suppression of discharge from nose (oz na). Bones of head feel sore. Headache: > by warm soup; by pressure; in open air; by eating; < by stooping; by motion; by lying on it; at night.

Ulcers and pustules of cornea with no photophobia and no redness. Corneal ulcers tend to perforate rather than spread laterally. Dense long-lasting opacities 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.

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.

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.

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.

Mouth.Dryness of mouth and lips, > by drinking cold water. Accumulation of saliva in mouth; saliva bitter, viscid, frothy, tasting salt. Papill 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; papill 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.

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. dematous 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.

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.)

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.

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 diarrh a; 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 h morrhoidal vessels.

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 urethr ; 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.

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, &c. 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, dyspn a, shootings in chest. (Asthmatic attacks always caused by and follow coition). Oppressed breathing, awakens at 2 a.m.; palpitation; orthopn a: 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.

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.

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.

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 dyspn a; 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.

Aggravation Heat of summer, hot weather. Amelioration Skin symptoms are better in cold weather, by lying down.

RELATIONSHIP Compare Hepar sulph. Antidotes Merc, Merc iod Antidoted by Ars, Lach, Puls. Follows Well Ant tart, Calc, Iodum.