Kalium carbonicum appears in 12 of the 13 classic books on Similia. Each was written to do a different job — here is what each adds on this remedy, with the opening of its entry.
- Allen HC — The keynotes that separate this remedy from its nearest neighbours.
“Potassium Carbonate (K2OCO2) For diseases of old people, dropsy and paralysis; with dark hair, lax fibre, inclined to obesity (Am. c., Graph.). After loss of fluids or vitality, particularly in anaemic (Cinch., Phos. ac., Phos., Psor.). Pains, stitching, darting , worse during rest and lying on affected side…”
- Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“Potassium carbonate, K2 O,Co2. Preparation for administration , Triturations with sugar of milk. Authorities. Note: Cases of poisoning caused by large doses of the crude substance, and presenting only the frightful and usually fatal effects of its caustic action are omitted; consult Boston Med. and Surg. J., 1862, Ed…”
- Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Carbonate of Potassium (KALI CARBONICUM) The weakness characteristic of all Potassium Salts is seen especially in this, with soft pulse, coldness, general depression, and very characteristic stitches , which may be felt in any part of the body, or in connection with any affection. All Kali pains are sharp and cutting…”
- Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“Muscles; ligaments: HEART. Uterus. LUMBAR. SEROUS and mucous membranes: CHEST (R. lower). Joints. Eyes. Blood. Left side. Cold: AIR. Water. Drafts. Changes after Overheating. Changes after exertion. Time: 2-3 A.M. Winter. Before menses. Lying: On painful or left side. Loss of fluids. After labor. Warmth. Sitting with…”
- Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“Potassium Carbonate. Potassic Carbonate. Salt of Tartar. Salt of Wormwood. Carbonate of Potassium. K 2 CO 3 Solution. Trituration. Amenorrhœa / Anæmia / Asthma / Axilla, perspiration of / Back, aching / Biliousness / Bronchitis / Catarrh / Change of life / Chilblains / Clavus / Cold / Consumption / Cough / Debility /…”
- Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Potassium carbonate. K 2 O, Co 2 . Provings by Hahnemann, Gersdorff, Goullon, Hartlaub, Nenning, Rummell and Robinson. See Allen's Encyclopædia, vol. 5, p. 281 . CLINICAL AUTHORITIES. Conjunctivitis and leucoma , Terry, N. A. J. H., vol. 25, p. 308 ; Blepharitis , Schelling, Raue's Rec., 1872, p. 66 ; Œdema of lids …”
- Kent — The mental and general picture — who the patient is, before what the remedy cures.
“The Kali carb. patient is a hard patient to study, and the remedy itself is a hard one to study. It is not used as often as it should be, and the reason is that it is a very complex and confusing remedy. It has a great many opposite symptoms, changing symptoms, and thus it is related to patients that withhold their…”
- Lippe (KN) — Only the symptoms Lippe considered reliable enough to prescribe on.
“Stinging pain in the muscles and in internal parts. Tearing pain in the limbs, with swelling and aggravation during rest. Great liability to catch cold after having been heated, and aversion to open air and air drafts. After exertion like exercise in walking attacks of faintness and trembling come on. Painful…”
- Lippe (MM) — The strict Hahnemannian reading — the symptom picture without clinical interpretation.
“Angry and irritable. Anxiety with fear. Becomes easily startled; great tendency to start when touched. Vexed and irritated mood; trifles vex one; noise is disagreeable. Dread of labor. Sudden attack of unconsciousness. Giddiness, as if proceeding from the stomach. Dulness of the head; confused, stupid feeling, as…”
- Lippe (Red) — Keynotes with the most-trusted ones marked as red-line symptoms.
“Common name: potassium carbonate. Adapted to weak, anæmic and easily exhausted patients, who are always tired and suffer from backache (D.). Swelling and induration of the glands (after contusions) (Con.). Sensation of hollowness in the whole body (Cocc.). Great liability to catch cold after having been heated…”
- Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.
“Stitching pains, very characteristic. Pain in lower right chest through to back. Anæmia with bloating, especially upper eyelids, which hang down like a bag of water. Backache, sweat, weakness very great; drops down in chair. Flatulence great; everything turns to gas. Heart weak, irregular, intermits. Modalities: < at…”