Common name.-Bromide of Potash. Preparation.-One part of Bromide of Potash is dissolved in ninety-nine parts of distilled water to meek the 2x dilution. Dilute alcohol is used for the 3x and alcohol for subsequent dilutions. Triturations are also used.
GENERAL ANALYSIS
The physiological action of this drug is not fully determined, yet it is quite probable that its chief action is upon the nervous system, affecting most prominently those portions of the spinal cord which receive and transmit reflex impulses, causing diminished reflex excitability of the nerve centers. It next acts upon the peripheral ends of the peripheral ends of the efferent nerves, causing paralysis and finally affects the cerebrum, causing dilated pupils, intoxication, weakness of mind, hallucinations, etc. The heart is directly paralyzed under its influence, while through spasms of the vaso-motor system it causes contraction of the blood vessels, followed by dilatation. It thus uses primarily a depressed circulation in the cranium and through out the body, lessening the blood supply, and thus causing, in connection with thee action upon the nervous system, functional paralysis of nearly all the organs and tissues of the body. The subsequent dilatation gives rise secondarily to congestion, exciting the depressed nerve centers to a morbidly increased action, both sensory and motor, giving rise to hyperaesthesia and convulsions, thus, according to Dr. Hale, becoming “homoeopathic to all the morbid conditions and symptoms in which it has been found useful by the allopathic school.” Upon the skin the action is quite characteristic. Aside from the peripheral anaesthesia before mentioned, it causes acne-like eruptions, especially upon the face, neck and shoulders, small boils, papules, pustules, and corroding ulcers.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind. Night terrors in children with shrieks in sleep, trembling, etc. Delirium, with delusions; thinks he is pursued, will be poisoned (Hyoscyamus); is selected for Divine vengeance; that her child is dead, et; fits of uncontrollable weeping. Delirium tremens; flushed face; horrid illusions (Belladonna). Melancholia, with delusions. Inability to express one’s self. Memory impaired; single words are forgotten or syllables are dropped; amnesic aphasia. Writing almost unintelligible from omission of words or parts of words; words repeated or misplaced.
Head Brain irritated, face flushed, pupils dilated, eyes sunken; rolls head; awakes now and then, screaming; extremities cold; cholera infantum. Active congestion; inflammation before effusion has occurred (Aconite, Belladonna).
Eyes. Vision dim; pupils dilated; squinting (Hyoscyamus). Gaze fixed; eyes sunken; lusterless.
Face. Face pale, but otherwise appeared as on drunk, with hallucinations, etc.
Mouth. Tongue red, dry, enlarged; red; later dry and brown; white, involving edges as well as dorsum. Difficult speech; action of tongue disordered (Gelsemium); stammering. Breath foetid, with white tongue.
Throat. Anaesthesia of mouth, throat end pharynx; chronic alcoholism.
Stomach. Thirst intense, with dry mouth. Sick and giddy; repeated retching and vomiting.
Stool. Discharges watery; cholera infantum, especially with cerebral irritation and collapse. Flatulent colic in children and hysterical women (Asafoetida).
Urinary Organs. Diabetes, urine loaded with sugar. Urine copious, pale, watery. Profuse, with abundance of phosphates. Dribbling of urine at beginning of stool. Incontinence of urine. Thin, yellowish urine.
Male Organs. Desire lessened even to impotence (Agn.). Seminal emissions, with depressed spirits, dull thought, backache, staggering gait; great weakness (Phosphorusac.)..
Female Organs. Painful flushings and congestion to head during climaxis (Sanguinaria)… Ovarian neuralgia from ungratified sexual desire; nervous unrest (Cimic..). Pruritus of vulva from ovarian or uterine irritation (Caladium). Subinvolution and fibroids have been cured.
Respiratory Organs. Paroxysmal, dry cough, at intervals of two or three hours; difficult respiration; followed by vomiting of mucus or of food; worse at night and when lying down; like whooping cough.
Heart and Pulse. Heart lacks energy; sounds even distant and feeble; slow. fluttering. Pulse accelerated, later becomes slower; slow, small, weak.
Generalities. Nervous, busy, must occupy one’s self; often in nervous women. Incoordination of muscles; nervous weakness; even paralysis of motion and numbness. Unsteady gait, reeling as if drunk, with rolling and staggering; as one walks with locomotor ataxia (Alumina). Weakness of extensors of legs and feet. Temperature lowered, with coldness of extremities; hands and wrists icy-cold and wet; cerebral irritation, in cholera infantum.
Sleep. Sleeplessness, especially in anaemic patients, or nervous persons who are exhausted but irritated (Coffeac.).
Skin. Acne of face, shoulders and chest in young, fleshy people of gross habits (Carb. an.). Large, indolent, painful pustules; boils (Hepars.).
Conditions. Especially adapted to large fleshy people, particularly children.
Compare. Aconite, Ambra gris., Belladonna, Camph., Gelsemium, Hyoscyamus, Nux v., Zincum met.
THERAPEUTICS
The clinical range of Kali brom. has already been pretty well outlined in thee forgoing symptoms, which need not be repeated. It may be indicated in acute mania; melancholia; brain fag, with numb feeling in head, as if he would lose his reason; cerebral irritation; cerebral anaemia; congestive headaches; migraine; delirium tremens; puerperal mania; insomnia; epileptiform convulsions (only palliative in true epilepsy), nervous excitement; irritation and congestion of cerebral meninges; ataxia; anesthesia, especially of throat from alcoholism; paralysis; tetanus; spermatorrhoea, impotence and other troubles, especially mental from sexual excesses; hypertrophied organs, including fibroids and subinvolution; ovarian and par-ovarian cysts; dyspepsia of drunkards; hiccough; cholera infantum; diabetes; paralysis of sphincters; pruritus; nymphomania; reflex cough in pregnant women; ovarian neuralgia, whooping cough, spasmodic croup recurring every night; acne; pustular eruptions; ulcerations.
ALLEN CORSON COWPERTHWAITE was born at Cape May, New Jersey, May 3, 1848, son of Joseph C. and Deborah (Godfrey) Cowperthwaite. He attended medical lectures at the University of Iowa in 1867-1868, and was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in 1869. He practiced his profession first in Illinois, and then in Nebraska. In 1877 he became Dean and Professor of Materia Medica in the recently organized Homeopathic Department of the State University of Iowa, holding the position till 1892. In 1884 he accepted the chair of Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and Clinical Medicine in the Homeopathic Medical College of the University of Michigan. He removed to Chicago in 1892, and became Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. From 1901 he also served as president of that College. He is the author of various works, notably "Insanity in its Medico-Legal Relations" (1876), "A Textbook of Materia Medica and Therapeutics" (1880), of "Gynecology" (1888), and of "The Practice of Medicine " (1901).