Also with calcium we arrive at the constantly recurring demonstration that a purely quantitative conception is not able to express the physiologic or pathologic effectiveness of a substance, if the state of form is not considered at the same time. Further quantitative alterations first gain meaning when one compares their values at the various sites of action of the body, if one recognizes further the trends of wandering. Because, for example the calcium of the serum has three ways of removal: (1) in to the tissues, for the most part into the bones where it serves definite functional needs or is stored; (2) into the intestine, and (3) to the kidney. The last two ways of excretion mentioned certainly serve a different task. Disturbances in calcium economy can only be decided from alterations in amount and state of serum calcium, when one knows at the same time the wherefrom and whereto.
ION ACTIONS OF CALCIUM
The calcium action in the organism proceeds for the most part from Ca Plus Plus ions. The maintenance of the physiologic state of the body colloids is not only joined to the presence of calcium but also an optimal ratio of the calcium ions to the remaining cations (Na: K: Ca: Mg approximately as 100:1.7: 1.1: 0.5). We conjecture the special actions of the calcium from disturbances in excess or deficiency of this optimum.
In the lyotropic series of cations which are arranged according to the swelling influence on the hydrophile colloids, calcium stands at the end and is designated as the most de-swelling. Among the physiologic cations, calcium is the most precipitating principle. (Likewise, the formation of relatively poor soluble salts of calcium has the same basis in the marked water combining capacity of this atom; the chemical way of union is dependent upon the same atom property as the physical; the transition between the two types of combination are flowing). Likewise, the divalence makes calcium a suitable opposite to the swelling and solvent influence of the univalent cations, Na and K. On the other side the precipitating power of calcium is such that it is still easily reversible, a thing which is no longer the case, for example, with barium. Exactly as the solubility of calcium salts under the conditions of the organism stands at the border of reversibility, this is also true of the precipitation of hydrophilic colloids through calcium ions.
So calcium ions are especially suitable for opposing a resistance against the one-sided swelling and solution tendencies of the alkali-ions, and for delimiting and thickening the surface of colloid structures, particularly the cells.
On this form-giving and form-maintaining of bio-colloids, which is indispensable for their functioning, is based the general necessity of calcium for the organism.
The thickening hypothesis for calcium action of H. Meyer is nothing new. Sundelin once said: Calcium opposes the action of the alkalies which liquidify and obviously works opposite, tonic, drying, contracting. But this hypothesis is now supported through a great number of experiments which have taken their departure from the ground-laying investigations of J. Leob.
Single examples of this calcium action on single cells are: the segments of sea leech loosen themselves from their band and separate from one another when they are transferred from sea water to a calcium free isotonic salt solution. But on the other side an excess of calcium ions is also damaging. According to J. Loeb an increase in calcium salts in sea water disturbs the vital activities of mesenchymal cells of certain sea animal eggs so that skeletal building is delayed or depressed. So even here we find the important function of calcium in skeletal formation and that too much or too little calcium conditions entirely the same disturbances. Also in functional respects the cells will be shifted through calcium to the opposite of Na and K. Sea leech eggs whose oxygen use is increased in isotonic NaCl solution, as in NaCl and KCl solution, will easily again be brought to the normal through calcium salts. The hemolysis which is conditioned by potassium ions will be depressed through Ca ions; likewise the hemolysis through the narcotics and hypotonic salt solution.
The thickening action of calcium is decisive for the permeability of the cell-limiting surface for water, for other ions, and also for poisons.
The narcotic action of magnesium salts will be removed through calcium salts, and the fever of sodium chloride and adrenalin will be suppressed through calcium salts. The frog kidney can only retain glucose when calcium is present in the perfusion fluid in definite concentrations. Frog extremities become edematous in a perfusion of the vessels with a solution of sodium chloride if it contains too little calcium. The excretion of injected fluorescein in the anterior eye chamber is markedly reduced through doses of calcium. Artificially produced inflammation (mustard conjunctivitis, pleural exudates) will be depressed by the previous injection of CaCl2. The last, however, has not been confirmed by Levy and Tainter and Deventer.
Beyond the thickening of the tissue cells, a lessening of the permeability of the capillaries is very probable. The action of calcium on inflammation (for example, skin exanthemata and eczema) need not always be a direct influence on the receptive organ cells and capillaries but can also be obtained by means of the regulating vegetative system.
Similar influences of calcium are effective in muscle and nerve systems. Without calcium the skeletal muscles would be found in constant contraction. Likewise calcium dampens the irritability of the nervous system. The over-irritation up to paralysis of the muscle and nerves from a one- sided potassium influence can be avoided through the insertion of calcium ions into the nutrient field.
Calcium introduced into the lateral ventricles of the brain induces a sleep-like state with a marked fall in blood pressure, slowing of pulse and respiratory depression. The irritability of the brain surface can be reduced through rinsing with calcium solutions. By using the calcium-binding citrate solution the irritability of the motor centers increases strongly. Oxalic acid poisoning equals calcium withdrawal and strongly increases the general irritability of the nerves. Calcium causes lessening of reflexes by an increase of excitation of the spinal cord columns.
On the surviving heart a relative calcium increase in the nutrient fluid effects increase of the systole (increase in size of contraction, that is, positive inotropic action) and finally standstill in systole. (Potassium preponderance equals increase in the diastole and finally standstill in diastole) Langendorff and Hueck, Gross.
The calcium ion is necessary for the effectiveness of a positive tropic stimulus. The negative inotropic action of muscarine, that is, vagus excitation, can be removed through calcium salts (just as with small doses of atropine). Here calcium acts as a vagus depressor. The frequency of the surviving heart is increased by calcium (positive chronotropic action. The stimulus formation and irritability is increased so far the action corresponds either to a vagus depression or a sympathetic stimulation. But by surpassing a calcium optimum the number of beats from the sinus is reduced. Furthermore the calcium influence is revealed much more prominently on single parts of the heart according to Kolm and Pick; accordingly the appearance of calcium contracture is united with the presence of potassium, and on the heart washed free from potassium, CaCl,, causes diastolic cardiac standstill. CaCl2 (as BaCl2) stimulates the automatic ventricular centers (systolic contracture which can be removed by potassium, and on the other side the status of the ventricle placed, into a state of preparation for contracture through previous treatment with calcium, can be converted by potassium at the sinus node).
But the observations on acute calcium poisoning in man often stand in contrast to these experimental studies on surviving hearts.
Soon after the injection of calcium the pulse frequency lessens, the pupil narrows (also vagus stimulation!), the respiratory frequency decreases, breathing deepens and later, following the initial vagus excitant action, there is a weakly expressed excitant action on the sympathetic. After the injection of CaBr2 in large doses, there is observed in man, sinus bradycardia and often extrasystolic arrhythmia, also a vagus excitation. Lloyd found after the intravenous injection of large doses of CaCl2 on himself, the pulse rate fell to almost one half, auriculo- ventricular conduction was delayed, then a sinus auricular block appeared, followed by loss of consciousness. The calcium bradycardia can be removed or avoided through the injection of atropine, that is, also a vagus action. But in pathologic processes a tachycardia is also observed after calcium injections.
The blood pressure has been found partly increased and partly decreased after calcium injections. In the increase the peripheral vasoconstrictive action of calcium probably participates, an action which has been proven microscopically (Krowarz).
Leeser, a Consultant Physician at the Stuttgart Homeopathic Hospital and a member of the German Central Society of Homeopathic Physicians, fled Germany in 1933 after being expelled by the German Medical Association. In England Otto Leeser joined the staff of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital. He returned to Germany in the 1950s to run the Robert Bosch Homeopathic Hospital in Stuttgart, but died shortly after.
Otto Leeser wrote Textbook of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Leesers Lehrbuch der Homöopathie, Actionsand Medicinal use of Snake Venoms, Solanaceae, The Contribution of Homeopathy to the Development of Medicine, Homeopathy and chemotherapy, and many articles submitted to The British Homeopathic Journal,