POTASSIUM CARBONATE, K2 CO3.
Introduction
First proved by Hahnemann, who speaks of its use in the 30th.
Symptoms
The most characteristic symptoms of Kali carb. are, the aggravation from cold air, the general time of aggravation for the various conditions, from 3-4 A.M., and the character of the pains, which are spoken of as sharp, sticking, or as stitches. While it is probable that our patients will not stop to differentiate between sticking and stitches in describing their sensations, the word stitches corresponds to my understanding of the pain of this remedy more closely than does the other; but, with this proviso, we will use them as synonymous or interchangeable when speaking of this drug.
Kali carb. is, in general, indicated in conditions of weakness, soft pulse and mental indifference, but with no increase of temperature, and is to be thought of prominently in those cases where a chronic catarrhal condition is engrafted upon a consumptive tendency.
The patients are anaemic (15), with great sensitiveness to cold air (5) and dread of drafts, with relief from getting warm (10) or in the warm air, with a tendency to cough and to sharp chest pains and usually with aggravation while at rest and relief while moving about (10).
The skin is dry and there is a lack of perspiration (186); the hairs is dry and falls out on the temples and it has cured dandruff (53) especially when the anterior portion of the scalp is affected.
A symptom calling for Kali carb., irrespective of what the diseased condition may be, is a puffiness or swelling, a bag-like swelling of the upper lid or between the eye-brow and lid. This swelling, which is spoken of as a marked characteristic of the remedy, will often lead us to prescribe it even if we do not know, at the time, that the rest of the symptoms correspond.
Among the eye conditions Kali carb. is to be thought of in muscular asthenopia (72) after various diseases, especially when associated with this swelling of the upper lid.
In the ear it is useful for chronic inflammation of the middle ear and more or less suppuration, with sticking pains from within outward, and especially backward, with involvement of the Eustachian tube (65) and with roaring in the ears (65), and usually associated with catarrhal conditions of the nose and throat.
The nose is red externally (145) and dry internally (143), with obstruction from fetid mucus, the wings sore and crusty (143). We also have nosebleed recurring in the morning (9 A.M.) (142), or on washing the face (142).
In the toothache calling for Kali carb. the pains are sticking, tearing extending into the head, with aggravation when eating (187).
The gastric symptoms, too frequently overlooked, point prominently to a condition of atonic dyspepsia (178). There is distention of the stomach and abdomen after eating (177), even if they have eaten only a little, with sour (178), acid or burning eructations and heartburn (179); “everything she eats or drinks seems to be converted into gas” (Hering) (177), and accompanied by a weak, sinking sensation in the stomach (179); or we have a sensation of a lump or load in the stomach (179) after eating. Frequently there is a feeling of throbbing or pulsation in the stomach (181). With any or all of these conditions there is soreness and sensitiveness to touch of the epigastric and abdominal regions (12).
It is of value in the dyspepsia of old people or those of deficient vitality, with these symptoms, and in gastritis from drinking too much ice-water (177), with a sensation as if the stomach were full of water. In the gastralgia calling for this remedy, we find sharp cutting or sticking pains, worse from eating or from motion (178) and after midnight, 3-4 A.M. (176).
In the abdomen we have these same general symptoms of distention, stitches, etc., and it is of value for chronic inflammation of the liver, dropsical effusions (11) and even peritonitis, always with soreness and sensitiveness to touch, sharp, sticking pains, little or no fever, great aggravation from cold air and in the early morning.
The diarrhoea calling for Kali carb. is usually painless and light colored, and it is essentially a chronic condition (58) due to a long-lasting dyspepsia or liver trouble, and usually associated with the puffiness under the eye-brows.
It is of value for constipation and haemorrhoids (88), stools large (35), from inactivity of rectum, and light-colored, with sharp cutting pains during and burning after stool.
There is frequent urging t urinate, especially at night, but there is a loss of power in the bladder (21) and one must wait and strain (200) for some time before the urine will start and then it flows but slowly.
While menstruation is usually delayed (136), it may be indicated when the menses are too early and too profuse (135). It is of value in suppression of the menses (135), with dyspeptic symptoms, pains in the stomach and bloating of the abdomen, swelling of the upper lids and general sensitiveness to cold; also for violent colicky pains in the abdomen before the menses, or for dysmenorrhoea in women who menstruate freely.
It is a remedy to be thought of in threatened abortion (13), with backache, a feeling as if the back were broken; in puerperal metritis (155); and in suppression of the lochia (153), with the sharp cutting pains and little or no fever.
Hering says that Kali carb. is “adapted to fleshy, aged, people,” but if you catch them young, the patient is tall and thin, with deficient vitality and more or less anaemia (15). She has a dread of open air (5) and of cold weather and is constantly catching cold (5) from the least exposure or seemingly from no cause at all. She will have another cold and cannot account for it and will have a cough, with stitches in the chest during or at the end of the cough. Hahnemann says,”readiness to take cold; lack of perspiration and inability to perspire” (Chr. Dis.) (186).
There are numerous remedies to be thought of where one catches cold readily, but other things being equal, I look upon Kali carb. as the one most frequently indicated, as a prophylactic, so to speak, or to get the system in such condition that one will not catch cold without there is good and sufficient reason for it.
I know that it is the custom to make light of a cold, but while our patients can recall the inconvenience connected with one, if they were made to realize the evil that results from many a neglected cold, they would be inclined to consider it more seriously and take greater precautions against exposing themselves.
Physicians appreciate this and there are many who dread to have a patient ask them to prescribe for a cough, as they feel that it is a difficult matter to cure. The reason, as it seems to me for the dislike shown by doctors for these cases is, that because of our anxiety to cure our patients we get discouraged if they do not get well immediately; while we know to the contrary, we have let our patients impress their ideas upon us and we feel that we have missed our vocation if we cannot cure promptly such a simple thing as a cold.
Let us remember that the earlier a fresh cold is treated, the quicker it will be cured; and if seen in time, one remedy will often be all that is needed. Let us also remember that the stronger the hold the cold had obtained, the longer the time that will be needed to effect the cure.
If patients will do their part of attending to every illness, including a cold, at the beginning, it will be an easy matter for us to do our part of curing them quickly; but do not fail to impress upon them the fact that a case of long standing will take a correspondingly long time to effect a cure, and that every additional cold will put the case back just so much; this is particularly true as regards catarrhal conditions.
Kali carb. is a prominent catarrhal remedy.
We have catarrhal stricture of the oesophagus (147), with a sensation of a lump which cannot be swallowed of a sensation of a stick or sticking pains extending the whole length of the oesophagus on attempting to swallow.
We notice these sticking pains in the pharynx also and there is frequent call for the remedy in chronic atrophic catarrh of the pharynx (149), worse from cold air (189) or on becoming cold, with sticking on swallowing as if a fish-bone had lodged there (190).
The expectoration under Kali carb. partakes, to a degree, of the stringy character of that found under Kali bich., but it is less tenacious and much less profuse. There is frequent hawking or a constant need to clear the throat, but the mucus seems to be neither completely loosened nor raised. The mucus is difficult to raise, as it remains adherent to the pharynx or trachea, or when loosened after much effort it is apt to slip back again before it can be expectorated (70)
The cough is regularly worse in the early morning hours, 3-4 A.M. (40), and this time of aggravation is characteristic of all Kali carb. conditions. We have cough with sharp sticking pains in the chest (49), or as often noticed, the cough ends with a stitch in the chest. Along with the cough there is sensitiveness to cold air (5), and while the patients are worse during the winter months, there is no especial aggravation during wet weather.
