Kalium permanganatum
Potassium permanganate · Mineral
Kalium permanganatum is indicated in intense inflammatory and septic conditions of the upper respiratory tract, especially diphtheria and severe throat infections with sloughing tendency. It is also used for bites of serpents and other animal poisons, and as an antidote to morphine poisoning when given immediately by stomach lavage.
Key symptoms
- Intense irritation of nose, throat, and larynx
- Swollen uvula with fetor of breath
- Short hacking cough with raw larynx
- Bleeding from nose with nasal discharge
- Muscles of neck feel sore with swollen painful throat
- Septic conditions with tissue infiltration and tendency to sloughing
- Diphtheria with streaky blood in hawked material
Permanganate of Potassium (KALI PERMANGANICUM)
Intense irritation of nose, throat, and larynx. Diphtheria. Dysmenorrhœa. Bites of serpents and for other animal poisons. Septic conditions; tissues infiltrated with tendency to sloughing.
Respiratory
Bleeding from nose. Nasal discharge. Smarts and irritates. Constrictive, smarting sensation in throat. Larynx feels raw. Short, hacking cough.
Throat
Swollen and painful. Everything hawked up streaked with blood. Posterior nares painful. Muscles of neck feel sore. Swollen uvula. Fetor of breath.
Dose
Locally, 1 dram to a quart of water, to correct fetor in cancer, ulcer, ozæna, and other foul odors. Also as an injection in leucorrhœa and gonorrhœa. Internally, 2x dilution in water. Saturated solution locally in eruption of smallpox.
*Potassium Permanganate for Morphine Poisoning.--*Potassium permanganate is recognized as being the most effective chemical antidote in cases of morphine or opium poisoning, acting directly on the morphine and oxidizing it to less toxic substances. To be effective the permanganate must come in direct contact with the opium or morphine in the stomach; hypodermatic or intravenous injections are absolutely useless, as the salt would be decomposed by the blood serum at once. The approved treatment is administration of two to five grains of potassium permanganate in dilute aqueous solution as soon as possible after the poison is taken, this amounts to be increased if very large doses of the poison have been taken. Washing out the stomach with a quantity of 1 to 500 solution of permanganate is also recommended, using at least a pint of this solution either by a stomach pump or by enforced vomiting. Permang of Potash counteracts effects of alkaloids of many poisonous plants. Owing to its oxidizing powers if given before the alkaloid has been absorbed (Dr. Chestnut in Dept of Agriculture).
Kali manganicum. Kali hypermanganicum. Permanganate of Potash. KMnO4. Solution in distilled water. Trituration.
Clinical
Cough. Diphtheria. Gastritis. Ozæna. Salivation. Throat, sore. Uvula, swollen. Warts.
Characteristics
K. pm. is the well-known disinfectant, and has been chiefly used in medicine as a local application in diphtheria and other conditions where there are fetid discharges. A proving by H. C. Allen has brought out the fact that the medicine is homœopathic to both. There was intense irritation of nose, throat, and larynx, with sanious and bloody discharges, and constant inclination to swallow, although swallowing gave great pain. Profuse salivation and constant flow of ropy mucus from the stomach were among the noted effects. The uvula was swollen and red. Extreme fetor of the breath and sanious discharges from the nose and intense prostration appear to be the leading indications for it in diphtheria. (Kraft, who has used it largely in diphtheria, gives it in this way: A few grains are dissolved …
Classical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
