Kalium Muriaticum Homeopathic Medicine described by VERMEULEN Frans
Kali-m.
What is the use of such terrible diligence as many tire themselves out with, if they always postpone their exchanges of smiles with Beauty and Joy to cling to irksome duties and relations?
[Helen Keller]
Signs
Potassium chloride.
CHEMISTRY Potassium chloride occurs in nature as a saline residue associated with rock salt, and around volcanic vents, or as the mineral sylvine or sylvite. Occurs also in sea water and in many mineral springs. Named after the Dutch chemist Sylvius de la Boë [1614-1672], sylvine is generally colourless, although yellow, reddish or blue varieties also exist. This soft, hygroscopic mineral dissolves readily in water. It melts in the flame of a candle with a purplish light. The powder is odourless, and white or crystalline. Due to its hygroscopic properties it has to be stored protected from moisture. One gram of it dissolves in 2.8 ml water, and in 1.8 boiling water. Potassium chloride is extracted from the brine of natural salt lakes.
USES Potassium chloride is used in photography; in buffer solutions; in electrode cells; as a fertilizer, and as a salt to fight snow and ice. Used as a salt substitute by people on sodium-restricted diets. As E508 used in foodstuffs as a gelling agent; serves also as a yeast food in the beer-brewing industry to improve brewing and fermentation.
TOXICOLOGY The powder causes respiratory tract irritation and delayed pulmonary oedema when inhaled, and gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea when ingested. Laboratory experiments have resulted in mutagenic effects.
MEDICINE Potassium chloride is a prescription drug used to replace potassium in people with low blood levels of potassium, to prevent potassium depletion in specific diseases or resulting from specific drug therapies, and to help lower mild high blood pressure in some people. Potassium chloride is also contained in some supplements and in salt substitutes.
SIDE EFFECTS Abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea, vomiting, and nausea are the most common adverse reactions to potassium chloride as an oral potassium supplement. Less common side effects include confusion and anxiety; arrhythmias and low blood pressure; difficult respiration; weakness and dizziness; heaviness of legs; tingling in hands or feet; black, bloody, or tarry stools; urticaria; and swelling of lips, tongue, or face.
HOMOEOPATHY The drug picture of Kali muriaticum is based on the theoretic conceptions and clinical reports of Schüssler, who declared it one of his twelve tissue salts and placed it into connection with fibrin. His assumption that disturbances in its molecular action cause fibrinous exudations has been adopted by homoeopathy, resulting in ‘fibrinous exudates from mucous membranes and serous surfaces’ as leading indications for Kali muriaticum. Schüssler explained its action as follows: “When the cells of the epidermis lose molecules of Kali m. in consequence of a morbid irritation, the fibrin comes to the surface as a white or whitish-grey mass; when dried, this forms a mealy covering. If the irritation has seized upon the tissues under the epidermis, then fibrin and serum are exuded, causing the affected spot on the epidermis to rise in blisters. Similar processes may take place in and below epithelial cells.” Considering them “sufficiently similar”, Hering amalgamated the symptoms of Kali chloricum [potassium chlorate] and those of Kali muriaticum [compiled by Schüssler] under the name Kali muriaticum in his Guiding Symptoms. Clarke, on the other hand, thought it best to keep them separate.
KALIUM MURIATICUM PROVINGS •• [1] Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy – 75 provers [including 20 controls], in three units, 1970-72. A reproving with 30 provers was conducted during the period between 1972-74. The proving was conducted with potencies in descending order, that is: starting with 1M, and followed by 200c, 30c, 12x, 6x, and 1x; doses were taken thrice daily.
“In order to obtain the effects on a cross section of the populace of the country, three units were selected in three different States, i.e. Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh. This gave us the opportunity to study the variations in effect, if any, due to constitutional, temperamental and climatic differences and also due to differences in food habits and other environmental factors.”1
1 Muzumpar, Augustine, and Thakur, Proving of Kali Muriaticum; Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, New Delhi, revised edition, 1986.
Affinity
EPITHELIUM [throat; Eustachian tubes; middle ear]. Mucous glands. Occiput [l.]. Muscles. Joints. Shoulder [right]. * Left side. Right side.
Modalities
Worse: Open air. Cold drinks, drafts. Heat of bed. Lying. Night. Dampness. Motion. Sprains. Fats. Rich food. During menses.
Better: Cold drinks. Rubbing. Letting hair down.
Main symptoms
* Common traits of all Kali’s: conservative, regular, proper, down to earth.
M Quarrelsome with members of the family.*
• “Dreams of dead bodies and murder committed by her relatives; followed by anxiety and insomnia.”*
Rage and fury at slightest provocation.*
M Desire to remain silent, calm, quiet, idle, and in lonely places.*
Aversion to noise, to study, to talk, to company, to friends, to be disturbed.*
M Duty and care.
• “The group analysis shows the concepts ‘duty, closed, optimism, work and task, family’ for Kali and ‘self-pity, care, nurturing, mother, attention, self-awareness’ for Muriaticum. This shows the theme: The duty to be a good mother and to take care of the family. This situation can originate in a family where the eldest daughter has to help from an early age in bringing up her younger brothers and sisters; she becomes like a second mother to them. A variation on this theme could be the opposite: If I do my duty, I will be well taken care of. This is the situation in many ‘third world’ countries. The children there are seen as a security for old age. … Another variation is having a very duty-conscious mother. The mother takes her caring role as a duty, which she undertakes with great dedication. This could mean that she does everything herself, while she lets the children play. It could also happen that she thinks that the children ought to help in the house and that she gives everyone a task, which has to be completed; there is no arguing about that.” [Scholten]
G Fat food <. • “All the stomach and abdominal symptoms are worse after taking fatty food, pastry, or any rich food.” [Boericke] Diarrhoea after fat food. G Increased thirst. From dryness of mouth and throat.* G Coldness < or >.*
Headache, burning eyes, and itching of skin > cold air / applications.
Coryza < cold air. Roughness and itching of face < washing with cold water. Toothache < drinking cold water. Backache < cold. G WHITE, sticky, thick, slimy SECRETIONS. [ear, eye, nose, base of tongue, dandruff, leucorrhoea, expectoration, white cheesy lumps from tonsils]. G TOUGHNESS – fibrinous exudations and discharges, too readily clotting blood. Hence embolism, indurations, hard swellings. [Clarke] G Convulsions. • “Schüssler’s specific or chief remedy in epilepsy, especially if occurring with or after suppression of eczema or other eruptions.” [Clarke] P Bursting frontal headache.* < Stooping; walking; sunlight. > Hard pressure [tightly bandaging head]; closing eyes; rest.
And Dim vision.
And Flushed face.
And Thirst.
P • “Sensation as if things come nearer to the prover while looking at right-hand side.”*
P Deafness from swelling of Eustachian tubes.
And Swelling of glands, or cracking noises on blowing nose or swallowing.
GLUE EAR.
P Tonsillitis when the patient can ONLY SWALLOW by TWISTING his NECK.
P Hyperacidity.* Heartburn; sour eructations.
< After eating. > After stool; after urination; after vomiting; when fasting.
And Excessive salivation.
And Poor or diminished appetite; easy satiety.
P Cough.
Cough affecting the eyes.
Cough and protruded appearance of eyes.
Cough and sensation as if eyes would be forced out of head.
P Urticaria, itching, burning after scratching; > undressing and cold applications.*
* Symptoms from Kali muriaticum proving by Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy.
Rubrics
Mind
Anxiety about trifles [1]. Indifference to pleasure [1]. Inclination to sit still [1].
Head
Empty feeling in head, with epistaxis [1*]. Heaviness, occiput, as if full of lead [1], as if head would sink backwards [1]. Pain, > cold applications [1*], < motion [1*], < thinking of pain [1*], < warmth [1*], > washing with cold water [1*]; forehead, > closing eyes [1*], < sun [1*], > washing with cold water [1*].
Eye
Pain, burning, > closing eyes [1*], > cold applications [1*], < heat [1*], < opening eyes [1*]. Vision Sparks, when coughing [1], when sneezing [1]. Ear Discharge, offensive, like rotten eggs [1*]. Nose Coryza, > daytime [1*], < at night [1*], < cold air [1*], > warmth [1*]. Odours, imaginary, of ammonia [1*].
Teeth
Pain, < open air [1*], < cold water [1*], < pressure [1*]. Throat Pain, < cold drinks [1*], > warm drinks [1*].
Stomach
Appetite, wanting, during menses [1*].
Abdomen
Pain, left hypochondrium, > after eating [1*], < exertion [1*], < sudden movements [1*], extending to left side of back [1*]. Bladder Urination, involuntary, at night, 4 a.m. [1*]. Cough In cold night air [1*]. Talking loud < [1*]. Chest Coldness, in region of heart [2]. Pain, heart, extending to axilla [1]. Limbs Pain, burning, palms of hands, > rubbing [1*]; burning, soles of feet, comes and goes suddenly [1*], < rubbing [1*]. Sleep Sleeplessness, from feeling of warmth all over body [1*]. Dreams Falling from a height [1*]. As of weight on chest, preventing one to speak [1*]. Skin Itching, > daytime [1*], < at night [1*], > cold [1*], < touch [1*], < warmth [1*]. Generals Exposure to sun > [1], < [1*]. * Symptoms from Kali muriaticum proving by Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy. Food Aversion: [1]: Fats; meat; cooked food [*]. Desire: [2]: Cold drinks; vinegar. [1]: Fried food [*]; rice [*]; spicy [*]; sweets [*]; tea [*]; tobacco [*]. Worse: [2]: Fats. [1]: Beer; cold drinks; pastry; rich food; spicy; wine. Better: [1]: Cold drinks. * Symptoms from Kali muriaticum proving by Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy.