Kalium Cyanatum

The Cyanide of Potash is much used in photography, and being for this reason

an accessible poison, numbers of cases of suicide and attempted suicide by its means have

occurred. It is from the symptoms observed in such cases that a great part of the pathogenesis is

built up; but it has also been proved by Lembke and others. The apoplectic and epileptic

symptoms of Hydrocy. ac. were reproduced in the salt, and one very pronounced symptom was

slow breathing. Loss of consciousness and vision occurred, and as consciousness and vision

returned, vision was double. Strong tetanic convulsions. In one poisoning case the fingers were

stretched out and spasmodically contracted. In another case, after the failure of all efforts to

restore the patient (a photographer) with ether injections and repeated washings out of the

stomach, he was placed in a hot bath and ice-cold water was poured over head and nape. Each

time water was poured on his head, the patient drew deep inspirations, which gradually grew

deeper and more regular till consciousness was restored. He complained of sharp occipital and

gastric pains. Convalescence was rapid, but a general muscular weakness and impairment of

• ▸speech lasted a long time (C.
• ▸D.
• ▸P.
• ▸).
• ▸The chief clinical uses recorded of K.
• ▸cy.
• ▸have been in

epithelioma of the tongue, apoplectic and epileptic conditions, respiratory disorders, rheumatism

• ▸of the joints, and neuralgias.
• ▸Cattell recorded in the early volumes of the Brit.
• ▸Jour.
• ▸of

• ▸Homeopathy (xi.
• ▸348) several remarkable cases of neuralgia cured by K.
• ▸cy.
• ▸I quote them from

Hering's Guiding Symptoms: "Agonising attacks of neuralgic pains between temporal regions and

ciliary arch and maxilla, with screaming and apparent loss of sensibility, as if struck with

apoplexy; pulse 84; face flushed." In this case the concomitants pointed to the drug. "Severe

neuralgia in temporal region and left upper jaw, daily at 4 a.m., increasing till 10 and ceasing at 4

• ▸p.
• ▸m.
• ▸; in the interval, anorexia, fever, headache.
• ▸" The symptoms were < in a room; < immediately

• ▸after meals (fulness); > by motion in open air.
• ▸E.
• ▸T.
• ▸Adams (4.
• ▸R.
• ▸, iv.
• ▸, 209) treated an inveterate

whiskey-drinker, 55, for a swelling on the right side of the tongue, excavated so deeply that the

first joint of the thumb could be laid in it. It had been pronounced cancerous. The patient could

• ▸take no solid nutriment and fluids only with great pain.
• ▸Under K.
• ▸cy.
• ▸, 1/200 gr.
• ▸doses, he

recovered rapidly, was able to walk, and to eat dry bread and cooked beef with comparative ease.

Persuaded by his former attendants to undergo operation, he died nineteen days after. Petroz was

• ▸the first to give K.
• ▸cy.
• ▸in cases of this kind.
• ▸A woman had cancerous ulcer of right side of tongue,

involving the root. With a view of relieving the woman's sufferings Petroz gave her gr. 1/100 of

• ▸K.
• ▸cy.
• ▸once in four days.
• ▸In a fortnight the suffering was diminished, the tongue appeared less

thick, and speech easier. In another fortnight the patient's countenance had lost its grey hue and

drawn features, and she could eat a crumb of bread. The case went on to complete and permanent

cure.

Disposition gentle-—Crossness almost uncontrollable on entering room; while cold

open air produces good spirits.—Inability to recollect certain words (aphasia) for several

days.—Lying on floor in a deep stupor.

General convulsions.—Sudden convulsive action of whole body, about ten

minutes after heart ceased to beat.—Sphincters rigidly contracted—Took some weak milk punch,

and smoked in afternoon; after which all symptoms vanished, and the effect of the medicine

seems to have been cut short by this slight irregularity.

Intense vertigo, so that all objects seemed to be moving around him.—Head drawn

backwards.—He was unable to tolerate any covering on head, whether in the cold or warmth,

because it caused the frightful headache, for months after the attack.—Gnawing pain across

temple.—Sharp pains in occiput.—Soreness of scalp over parietal regions.

Eyes fixed.—Eyelids began to open and shut alternately, eyeballs stared in different

directions (after a few seconds).—Eyes closed, but on raising lids the balls were seen to be in

uninterrupted convulsive motion.—Swelling of upper lids—Pupils largely distended, and

insensible to light.—Obscuration of vision, so that it was with difficulty that he distinguished the

features of those near him.—Loss of sight; as sight returned there was double vision.

Blew pure blood from nose about 10 a.m.; inside of nose feeling parched, hot, and dry;

blood drying in nose very quickly.

Severe neuralgia in temporal region, recurring daily at same hour. Pain in orbital and supra-maxillary region, with screaming and loss of consciousness.

Pallor.—Face livid and bloated ——Turned blue in the face.—Torturing neuralgic pains in

orbital and supra-maxillary region, recurring darts at same hour with much flushing of that side

• ▸of face.
• ▸—Twitching of face.
• ▸—Lips white (almost immediately).
• ▸—A reddish froth covered mouth

and nose.—There was noticed slight twitching of mouth when patient was spoken to in a loud

tone, as though sense of hearing were awakened, though stupor still continued.—Some difficulty

in using lower jaw in act of speaking.—Patient lay in a frightful tetanic cramp, jaws so tightly

closed that it was impossible to open them: eyes drawn completely back into orbits, face

distorted, nose pointed, mouth drawn outward, pulse imperceptible, and hands frequently

attacked with muscular twitches.

Lips and mucous membrane of mouth pale.—Slight frothing at the mouth.—A

peculiar astringent taste in mouth, as of alum or green vitriol—(Cancerous ulceration of r. side of

tongue).—Tongue has peculiar darkish ground seen through heavy white coating.—Power of

speech lost, but intelligence preserved.—Impediment of speech lasted a long time.

Ulcer of tongue, with indurated edges. Speech difficult. Power of speech lost but intelligence intact.

Astringent sensation in throat with nausea, lasting till after midnight Feeling of

constriction about fauces, with muscular tremors about throat; for one or two days afterwards

complained of great stiffness about throat——Patient was able to swallow as soon as a large

amount of fluid filled the pharynx; after every swallow the whole body was seized with

convulsive tremors and flushes of redness overspreading face.—Had no sensation of act of

swallowing.

Copious vomiting; followed by return of consciousness.—Sharp gastric

pains.—Pain at epigastrium of a griping, intermittent character—Epigastrium prominent, almost

immediately.—Severe burning in stomach.—Great sensitiveness of epigastric region.

A feeling as if bowels were about to act—Pains in abdomen; in groins, in

afternoon.

Bladder distended by a large amount of urine, which had to be evacuated

by a catheter.—Urine came away involuntarily.

Cough prevents sleep; respiration weak; cannot take deep breath.

Voice hoarse after the attack.—Loud mucous rattle-—Respiration

superficial——Slow and difficult breathing.—Respiration became very slow, only seven to the

minute; expiratory act prolonged; intervals between respirations remarkably long.—Respiration

nearly suspended, but thorax convulsively raised, at irregular intervals, far apart.

Stitches in heart and lungs. —Jerking stitches in heart on respiration.—Palpitation of

heart.—Pulse at times fifteen beats slower than usual.

Vague pain in nucha.—Very marked weakness in lumbar regions, with dull

pain and weakness of r. and 1. iliac region, while walking and during afternoon.

Sleepiness during day.—Restless, dreamful sleep all night; could not lie on one side

• ▸for any length of time.
• ▸—Dreams very lively, esp.
• ▸towards morning.
• ▸—During whole night, dreams

horrid and exciting; then waking up partially, and feeling tired of lying on that side, as after great

fatigue; turning on other side, another dream, waking, and turning again, and so on till morning.

Surface of whole body cold and moist.—Shiverings.—Coldness of extremities, which

were pendulous and without muscular power.—Extremities icy cold (almost immediately).—On

awaking from cat-naps has a chill, which, in fact, wakes him before he can get soundly asleep;

• ▸followed by a very slight sweat.
• ▸—Awoke about 6 a.
• ▸m.
• ▸, with heat and disagreeable feverish

perspiration over whole body, except legs below the knees, with flushed face.—Hands and face

covered with cold perspiration.

• ▸Apoplexy.
• ▸Asthma.
• ▸Cancer.
• ▸Cheyne-Stokes breathing.
• ▸Ciliary neuralgia.
• ▸Epilepsy.

• ▸Headache.
• ▸Neuralgia.
• ▸Rheumatism.
• ▸Speech, lost.
• ▸Tongue, cancer of.

• ▸Compare: Hcy.
• ▸ac.
• ▸, Amyg.
• ▸, Camph.
• ▸In periodic ciliary neuralgia, Cedron.
• ▸Neuralgia

• ▸gradually increasing and decreasing, Stan.
• ▸, Plat.
• ▸(also, according to Cooper, Sul.
• ▸—Sudden onset,

• ▸gradual decline, Sul.
• ▸ac.
• ▸).
• ▸Fingers spread out, Secal.

Compare: Platin; Stann; Cedron; Mezer; Mur ac.

Sixth potency and 200th.

Limbs rigid and convulsed.—Tetanic spasms of muscles of arms and legs.—Limbs

flaccid, with occasional slight general convulsions more like a shuddering than anything else.