Part 45

PROPERTIES.--White, deliquescent, satiny, neutral masses of a peculiar odor; also in a granular form. Soluble in water and alcohol.

DOSE.--Horses and cattle, ¹⁄₂ to 1 oz.; sheep and pigs, ¹⁄₂ to 1 dr.; dogs, 5 to 20 gr.

POTASSII CITRAS--POTASSIUM CITRATE

DERIVATION.--Neutralize potassium carbonate with a solution of citric acid and evaporate to dryness.

PROPERTIES.--White, granular, deliquescent powder, saline taste, neutral reaction. Soluble in water.

DOSE.--Same as potassium acetate.

ACTIONS.--Potassium acetate and citrate are the least irritant to the stomach of all the potassium salts. They are neutral and have no action on the gastric juice: are not antacid. They are changed into the carbonate of potassium and as such circulate in the blood. Are powerful direct diuretics, stimulate the renal cells direct and increase both the water and the solids of the urine, also diaphoretic; the citrate more than the acetate. They have a slight depressing action on the heart, and slightly expectorant.

USES.--Potassium acetate and citrate are indicated in irritation or inflammation of the kidneys and bladder and cause absorption of exudations (pleural effusion, for example) through their diuretic power. They are sometimes prescribed in fever on account of slight diaphoretic and powerful diuretic properties. They also stimulate bronchial secretions and make it thinner and are recommended accordingly in bronchitis. They are used in gouty conditions, Bright’s disease, fevers of all kinds, azoturia, dropsical conditions, pleurisy, ascites oedema of the legs, sheath, udder, etc., combined with tonics, as iron, etc.

POTASSII BROMIDUM--POTASSIUM BROMIDE

DERIVATION.--Potassium bromide may be obtained by adding a slight excess of bromide to a strong solution of potassium hydroxide, evaporating the potassium bromide and bromate to dryness, decomposing the bromate by fusing the mixture with charcoal and purifying the crystallization.

PROPERTIES.--Colorless, or white, cubical crystals, or granules; odorless and having a strong saline taste. Permanent in the air. Soluble in about fifteen parts of water and in about one hundred and eighty parts of alcohol.

SODII BROMIDUM--SODIUM BROMIDE

DERIVATION.--Sodium bromide may be obtained in the same manner as potassium bromide, sodium hydroxide being used in place of potassium hydroxide.

PROPERTIES.--It occurs in colorless or white, cubical crystals, or a white, granular powder, odorless and having a saline, bitter taste. The salt absorbs moisture from the air without deliquescing. Soluble in one and seven-tenths parts of water and in twelve and a half parts of alcohol.

ACTION OF POTASSIUM AND SODIUM BROMIDE.--They are distinguished depressants of the cerebral and spinal functions, also hypnotic, anaphrodisiac, antispasmodic and alterative. The bromide of potash, like all other potassium salts, is especially a cardiac and muscular paralyzant. They are very diffusible and slowly eliminated; long continued doses produce gastric catarrh. They reduce the number of respirations and the heart’s action and force; lessen activity of brain cells, producing sleep; diminish sensibility of peripheral nerves, causing anesthesia of the skin and mucous membrane.

USES.--The bromides, being particularly useful in the treatment of functional nervous diseases, do not possess nearly the value in veterinary medicine that they have in human practice. Consequently their use is limited mainly to canine disorders, as bromides have little influence upon diseases of horses. They are sometimes used as sedatives to the nervous system, to lower reflex activity, to produce sleep, to subdue excitement of the genital apparatus and to antagonize congestion of the brain. Used extensively in fits of dogs, twenty or thirty grain doses of the bromide of potash or bromide of soda dissolved in a tablespoonful of water; may be used per rectum if necessary in any convulsive or spasmodic condition. In strychnine poisoning, the bromide of potash may be used as an antidote in place of chloral hydrate or conjoined with it.

DOSES.--Horses and cattle, 1 to 2 oz.; sheep and pigs, 2 to 4 dr.; dogs, 5 to 60 gr.; average dose, 20 gr.

POTASSII CARBONAS--POTASSIUM CARBONATE--SALTS OF TARTAR

DERIVATION.--The solution resulting from the lixiviation of wood ashes is boiled to dryness and the resultant mass is the potash of commerce. This is purified to some extent by burning in ovens, forming pearlash, a mixture of the hydrate and carbonate. Water dissolves mainly the carbonate which is obtained by evaporation of the aqueous solution.

PROPERTIES.--A white, granular powder, odorless and having a strongly alkaline taste; very deliquescent. Soluble in water; insoluble in alcohol.

DOSE.--Horses and cattle, ¹⁄₂ to 1 oz.; sheep and pigs, ¹⁄₂ to 1 dr.; dogs, 5 to 20 gr.

POTASSII BICARBONAS--POTASSIUM BICARBONATE

DERIVATION.--Potassium bicarbonate is obtained by saturating a strong aqueous solution of potassium carbonate and carbonic anhydride.

PROPERTIES.--Colorless, transparent, monoclinic prisms, odorless and having a saline and slightly alkaline taste. Permanent in the air. Soluble in water. Almost soluble in alcohol.

DOSE.--Same as potassium carbonate.

ACTION AND USES.--They stimulate the production of gastric juice when administered before meals with bitter tonics, or after meals to overcome excessive acidity of the stomach; used in rheumatism and gouty condition to make blood alkaline and overcome lactic acid. Useful as an antacid in nettle-rash and other itching skin diseases. Internally and externally as a mild wash, two to four drachms to the pint. A solution of the same strength is injected to overcome acidity of the uterus in leucorrhoea, etc. Calculus made up of ammonium, magnesium and phosphates occur in the bladder and urethra of highly fed rams and wethers. For this use potassium bicarbonate one-half to one drachm, well diluted, conjoined with laxative diet and belladonna to dilate urethra; it is less certain as a diuretic than the acetate or nitrate of potassium.

POTASSII HYDROXIDUM--POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE--CAUSTIC POTASH

DERIVATION.--A solution hydrate is evaporated, and this is fused and run into moulds.