Kalium bromatum
Potassium bromide · Potassium bromide. · Mineral
Poor memory, sadness, and loss of mental capabilities are often noted in those for whom Kali. brom. is most appropriate. The remedy has an affinity with the nervous system, and may be prescribed following a stroke, epilepsy, or other seizures. Great physical restlessness, with characteristic traits such as frequent wringing of the hands or fidgeting of the feet, is a typical accompanying symptom, as is numbness in the skin and the mucous membranes, especially those of the throat.
At its most extreme, the state of mind associated with this remedy can develop into depressive delusions with a sense of being pursued for imagined wrongdoings. Fear of insanity and feelings of suspicion and rage may occur, developing in extreme cases to psychosis, mania, paranoia, autism, and retardation, which Kali. brom. may treat. It may also ease intense sexual feelings that progress to sexual addiction.
In addition to its association with nervous symptoms, Kali. brom. is used for skin symptoms such as acne (especially on the forehead), psoriasis, rosacea, pustules, cysts, eczema on the legs, cold, numb skin, and crops of small boils. The skin tends to be blue and mottled in appearance, and may scar following skin eruptions.
The remedy may also be used to treat female reproductive organs that develop ovarian cysts, tumors, or fibroids, and for symptoms triggered during menstrual periods, such as epilepsy. In men, Kali. brom. may be given for excessive sexual appetite or impotence.
Key symptoms
- General failure of mental power with loss of memory
- Profound melancholic delusion; religious depression
- Night terrors; horrid illusions and active delirium
- Acne on face and chest; nodular skin eruptions
- Loss of sexual desire; anesthesia of mucous membranes
- Epileptic convulsions; apoplectic attacks
- Amnesic aphasia; cannot speak spontaneously
- Suicidal mania with tremulousness
- Numb feeling in head; brain-fag
- Fear of being poisoned; delusions of conspiracy
Worse (aggravation)
Better (amelioration)
Bromide of Potash (KALI BROMATUM)
Like all Potash Salts, this weakens the heart and lowers temperature. Brominism is caused by it. General failure of mental power, loss of memory, melancholia, anæsthesia of the mucous membranes, especially of eyes, throat, and skin; acne; loss of sexual desire, paralysis. Leading remedy in psoriasis. Nodular form of chronic gout. Symptoms of apoplectic attacks, uræmic or otherwise; somnolence and stertor, convulsions, aphasia, albuminuria. Epilepsy (with salt-free diet).
Mind
Profound, melancholic delusion; feeling of moral deficiency; religious depression; delusions of conspiracies against him. Imagines he is singled out as an object of divine wrath. Loss of memory. Must do something-move about; gets fidgety (Tarant). Fear of being poisoned (Hyos). Amnesic aphasia; can pronounce any word told, but cannot speak otherwise. Night terrors. Horrid illusions. Active delirium.
Head
Suicidal mania with tremulousness. Face flushed. Numb feeling in head. Brain-fag. Coryza with tendency to extension into throat.
Throat
Congestion of uvula and fauces. Anæsthesia of fauces, pharynx, and larynx. Dysphagia, especially of liquids (Hyos).
Stomach
Vomiting, with intense thirst, after each meal. Persistent hiccough (Sulph ac).
Abdomen
Sensation as if bowels were falling out. Cholera infantum, with reflex cerebral irritation, jerking and twitching of muscles. Green, watery stools with intense thirst, vomiting, eyes sunken. Prostration. Internal coldness of abdomen. Diarrhœa, with much blood. Green, watery stools. Retraction of abdomen.
Urinary
Sensibility of urethra diminished. Urine profuse, with thirst. Diabetes (Phos ac).
Male
Debility and impotence. Effects of sexual excesses, especially loss of memory, impaired co-ordination, numbness and tingling in limbs. Sexual excitement during partial slumber.
Female
Pruritus. Ovarian neuralgia with great nervous uneasiness. Exaggerated sexual desire. Cystic tumors of ovaries.
Respiratory
Spasmodic croup. Reflex cough during pregnancy. Dry, fatiguing, hacking cough at night.
Extremities
Fidgety hands; busy twitching of fingers. Jerking and twitching of muscles.
Skin
Acne of face, pustules. Itching; worse on chest, shoulders, and face. Anæsthesia of skin. Psoriasis.
Sleep
Restless sleep. Extreme drowsiness. Sleeplessness due to worry and grief and sexual excess. Night terrors. Grinding teeth in sleep. Horrible dreams. Somnambulism.
Modalities
Better, when occupied mentally or physically.
Dose
A few grains of the crude salt to the third trituration. Remember the unstable character of this salt. Said to be much more active if salt is eliminated from the diet.
Bromide of Potassium. Potassic Bromide. K. Br. Solution. Trituration.
Clinical
Acne. Aphasia. Apoplexy. Asthma. Cholera infantum. Chordee. Colic. Diabetes. Emissions. Epilepsy. Erythema nodosum. General paralysis of insane. Hæmorrhoids. Impotence. Laryngeal crises. Laryngismus. Locomotor ataxy. Nightmare. Nose, eruption on. Ovaries, affections of. Paralysis. Paralysis agitans. Polypus (rectal). Psoriasis. Screaming. Sebaceous cysts. Seborrhœa. Self-abuse. Sensibility, loss of. Sleeplessness. Somnambulism. Speech, affections of. Syphilis. Tetanus. Urine, incontinence of.
Characteristics
Kali bro. has been proved, but the greater part of the pathogenesis is made up of symptoms observed in allopathic overdosings, to which are added symptoms cured in the practice of homœopaths. In old-school practice K. bro. has been given in epileptic and other convulsive affections rather with the idea of overwhelming disease than of curing it. The effect has been in numberless cases to reduce or prevent the …
Potassium Bromide. (KBr)
Adapted to large persons inclined to obesity; acts better in children than in adults. Loss of sensibility, fauces, larynx, urethra, entire body; staggering, uncertain gait; feels as if legs were all over sidewalk. Nervous, restless; cannot sit still, must move about or keep occupied; hands and fingers in constant motion; fidgety hands (fidgety feet, Zinc.); twitching of fingers. Fits of uncontrollable weeping and profound melancholic delusions. Loss of memory; forgets how to talk; absent-minded; has to be told the word before he could speak it (Anac.). Depressed, low-spirited, anxious, "feel as if they would lose their minds." Inco-ordination of muscles (Gels.); nervous weakness or paralysis of motion and numbness. Restlessness and sleeplessness due to worry and grief, loss of property or reputation, from business embarassements (Hyos.). Night terrors of children (Kali p.); grinding teeth in sleep, screams, moans, cries; horrible dreams, cannot be comforted by friends. Somnambulism …
Mind
Loss of memory; had to be told word before he could speak it.
Mind
Night terrors of children, with screaming; cannot recognize nor be comforted by friends; sometimes followed by squinting.
Heart and Pulse
Weak intermittent heart, must be busy with her hands (fidgety hands).
Extremities
Fidgety hands, in constant motion.
Sleep and Dreams
Night terrors of children; grinding teeth in sleep; moans; cries; horrible dreams.
Generalities
Loss of sensibility; body generally; also fauces, larynx, urethra, etc.
- Sleeplessness, especially in anaemic patients, or nervous persons who are exhausted but irritable.
Phatak's chapter on Kalium bromatum is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
