Kalium iodatum

CATARRH.

ACUTE NASAL CATARRH.

Kali iodatum. Redness and swelling of the nose, with constant discharge of watery, acrid, colorless liquid.

Œdematous swelling of the eyelids with lachrymation. It is especially to be used after Mercury has done all it can, or fails; and more especially in syphilitic subjects who have been abused by Mercury. Such subjects are liable to repeated violent attacks of acrid coryza with bloated eyelids.

CHRONIC NASAL CATARRH.

Kali iodatum may be preferable, especially in those cases that have been abused by Mercury. In such cases we may have repeated attacks of apparently acute coryza, but otherwise there may be accumulations of very tenacious mucus in the nostrils, or discharges of greenish black, or yellow matter smelling foul, or like the Kali bich. may have ulcerations, but they involve the frontal sinuses and antrum rather than the septum. The remedy that forms a valuable trio with Kali bich. and iod. is—

PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS.

Kalis, viz., bichromicum, carbonicum and iodatum, have each of them very strong characteristics and may be indicated in any stage of the disease. The chief characteristic of the first is the ropy, stringy discharge from all the mucous membranes, especially the expectoration. It will hang down in long strings from the mouth to the floor. The remedy that comes nearest to it and is to be remembered, especially in bronchial consumption of the aged, is Hydrastis Canadensis. In Kali bichromicum cases there are almost always the prominent nose symptoms (see catarrh) present in greater or less degree. Pains from back to sternum or sternum to back, or sharp pain through apex of left lung (Myrtus, Therid., Pix liq., Sulph.). Cough is < 2 to 3 A. M. and when undressing (Hep.). Hoarseness < in the evening.

Kali iod. is no less important, and will often finish cases of acute bronchitis or pneumonia which would run the patient into consumption if not remedied. When there remains an obstinate cough after an acute bronchial or lung trouble, and there is profuse expectoration from low down, deep in the chest, as if it came from mid-sternum, with pain through to between the shoulders, and there are drenching, exhausting night sweats and weakness, there is no remedy better. In such cases there are two remedies that may compete with it, viz., Sanguinaria and Stannum. In all three the expectoration is profuse and thick, but in Stannum the matter tastes sweet, in Sanguinaria the matter is fœtid and offensive, even to the patient himself (Sepia and Psorin.), while with Kali hyd. it is salty (Sep.). With Kali hyd. and Stannum the expectoration is thick green, which is not so with Sanguinaria.

Sometimes with the Kali hyd. there is a frothy or soapsuds-like appearance of the sputa, but the heavy, green, salty expectoration is more characteristic. The frothy expectoration is found in œdema of the lungs and may occur in Bright’s disease. One of the most astonishing and conclusive proofs of the dynamic power of drugs as developed by Hahnemann’s process of trituration and dilution with percussion is

COUGH.

Character—Suffocative cough, later with copious green sputa, or frothy like soap-suds.

Concomitants—Stitches through sternum to back, or deep in the chest, < walking; purulent sputum; exhausting night sweats; rapid emaciation; great weakness. In persons who have been mercurialized or of a scrofulous diathesis.

These cases often run into phthisis pulmonalis. They generally begin as a hard cold, and end in pneumonia, or bronchitis, and “hang fire” in convalescence. Two other remedies should be also remembered here, viz., Sanguinaria and Stannum. In all three the expectoration is profuse and thick, but in Stannum the matter tastes sweet, while in Sanguinaria the sputa are very fetid, offensive to the patient himself (also Sepia and Psorin.). Kali iod. is salty tasting (Sep.). Carbo veg. has green expectoration sometimes, as does also Lycopod., but with the latter it is often grayish and salty, and with Pulsatilla the taste is often bitter like the mouth and taste generally.