# Kali Bichromicum (HMT)

## Remedy Classification
- **Type:** Remedy
- **Alternative Names:** Bichromate of Potash
- **Miasm:** Tubercular Miasm
- **Temperament:** Neutral
- **Aggravation Time:** Neutral/Anytime

## Keynote Indications
Kali Bichrome is deeply related to the mucous linings of the trachea
and the upper respiratory passage.  Kali Bichrome, Kali Carb, Kali
Iodide and Kali Sulph have one thing in common, their illnesses and
pain are specific to certain areas of the body.

Sometimes, the affected area may just  be the size of the thumb.  Even
the nasal cold begins from pain over a tiny localised area, mostly on
the left side.  These symptoms of Kali Bichrome are now well known
and proven.  Long ago, I also used to suffer from headache, felt
mostly at a tiny specific point, such as the temple. It could be
alleviated with the pressure of a t humb.  Similarly, the cold also used
to start from a small area inside the left nostril.  Both were cured by
Kali Bichrome.

In Kali Carb, the pain and the sick ness affect larger areas.  In Kali
Bichrome, there is widespread throbbing from the head to the toes.
Whichever side the patient rests hi s head on a pillow, the throbbing
follows. The patient cannot sleep.  Th is is the characteristic of all
potassium salts, much more so in Kali Bichrome.

The bones hurt as if scraped or badl y beaten.  In Eupatorium, all the
bones hurt deep inside.  In Kali Bichrome, the bone pain is
superficial like a graze.  Catarrhal c onditions alternate with joint
pains.  These rheumatic type pain s should be handled carefully.  In
case these are suppressed with some  strong allopathic medicines, it
will prove harmful instead of being beneficial.  A more serious illness
may ensue. Kali Bichrome is also useful for the treatment of
rheumatism.  This medicine should be used to treat those patients in
whom catarrhal conditions appear, when the body aches get better. If
the cold is suppressed with some powerful medicines, rheumatic pains
return. Kali Bichromeshould be  remembered, wherever this
alternating situation is found.

Kali Bichrome is very good in the treatment of diphtheria.  However,
it cannot be compared to Muriatic Ac id, which of course is the best
treatment of diphtheria and also  alleviates the profound physical
weakness of the patient.  The feelin g of weakness is associated with
all Potassium salts.  For example, Kali Phos is used as a nerve tonic.
Similarly, analogous use of Kali Ca rb is unique in vitalizing the
muscles and the body.  The heaviness of the legs disappears and it
becomes easy to sit down and get up.  Kali Bichrome is also of similar
nature.  If the patient presents the symptoms of Kali Bichrome, he will
immediately respond to Kali Bichrome in that the body will feel light
and active. All Potassium salts are a useful tonic for the muscles and
nerves.  In all these salts, there is a tendency to develop sores.  One
tends to develop ulcers in the stomach  when the acidity  is too high.
Whenever ulcers are found in the stomach or intestines or anywhere in
the body, one must try to correlate the patient’s symptoms to some
Potassium salt.  There was a patient  who had an old deep ulcer on his
foot.  I treated him with Kali Iodide.  The ulcer healed in no time.
Before this treatment, the patient had been treated in the best military
hospitals without any success.  I had also prescribed Potassium Iodide,
since all his other symptoms were those of Potassium constitution.

Kali Bichrome is also very useful in the treatment of the diseases of
the stomach.  The peptic ulcer and cancer rarely present in a patient at
the same time.  Either the patient is suffering from the ulcer or cancer
of the stomach. The Kali Bichrome  patient usually suffers from
stomach ulcers.  If the symptoms  of Kali Bichrome are found along
with the stomach ailments, then  the patient should be treated
immediately with Kali Bichrome in order to pr eclude any grave
situation.

The ulcers of Kali Bichrome are very deep and their edges are raised.
However, this symptom is not diagnostic per se.  This symptom is
found in other remedies also.  On e particular symptom of Kali
Bichrome resembles that of Causticum i.e. the cracking sound from
the knees on walking, standing or sitting.  Cracking is painless,
though, definitely worrisome.  Causticum is considered to be the most
effective treatment for this problem, though Kali Bichrome is equally
good.  However in Kali Bichrome, the patient feels a burning
sensation and feels the cold.  The feeling of cold and the burning
sensation is found in all Potassium salts.

Like Belladonna, the symptoms of Kali Bichrome come on suddenly
and disappear equally fast.

Kali Bichrome is also very useful in the treatment of infectious
fevers.  Since the body of the patient is cold, he feels comfort when
confined to a warm bed.  The symp toms aggravate during the latter
part of the night and exacerbate at about the same time the next day
also.

Kali Bichrome is famous for the treatment of epilepsy, especially
when the sputum is of the patient is thready.

The headache associated with Kali Bichrome is relieved by taking hot
drinks.  The headache aggravates at  night and becomes most intense
after midnight.  The thready discharge from the eyes , being a
symptom of Kali Bichrome, will also respond very well to it.

In Kali Bichrome, the aches and pains are mostly on the left side,
though they may also occur on the ri ght side.  However, the headache
and the neuralgic pain of the face invariably affect the left side.  The
headache is associated with nausea and returns after a lapse of a few
days.  Kali Bichrome is also very beneficial in the treatment of
migraines (hemicrania).

Kali Bichrome is useful in the treatment of eczema over the scalp .
Though, if the eczematous area is scaly and the discharge is yellowish
and offensive, then these are the symptoms of Mezereum. Another
resemblance to Mezereum is that when the nasal symptoms subside,
the eczema flares up and vice versa.

In Kali Bichrome, the nasal cold begi ns at a small specific area deep
inside the nose.  The bacteria settle at the junction of the nose and
throat (nasopharynx), resulting in the production and emission of a
foul smell.  These symptoms are common to both Kali Bichrome and
Mezereum, though the latter works only  locally, while Kali Bichrome
affects the entire body.  Moreover, in Mezereum, the symptoms of
feeling hot or cold do not exist.

Kali Bichrome is also useful in the treatment of various eye
conditions, such as photophobia, the appear ance of spots of different
colours before the eyes, blurring of  vision, affection of the retina and
formation of corneal ulcers.  The wounds and ulcers of Kali Bichrome
pulsate.  If the corneal ulcer pulsates painfully, Potassium Bichrome
must be administered at once for immediate relief. Kali Bichrome is
also very effective in the treatment of boils forming on the upper
eyelids and the puffiness of the lower eyelid due to swelling.

The symptoms common to ear, nose, jaws and lips (i.e. face area) are
as follows:

The ears discharge sticky material along with a throbbing sensation in
the ear.  When the condition b ecomes chronic, the eardrums may
perforate.  The sense of smell also becomes dull.  When the discharge
settles inside the nose, it causes pain as well as difficulty in breathing.
The symptoms aggravate with humidity.  A piercing type of discharge
runs from the nose.  Persistence of this discharge results in the
perforation of the septum of the nose (the dividing wall between the
two nostrils).  One strange symptom is that when the discharge sticks
to this septal bone and then ha rdens, and scraping it affects the
eyesight.  Furthermore, there is pa in over the forehead and the eyes;
the nose bleeds, and upon coughing, the molar teeth (i.e. large hind
teeth with deep roots) hurt.  During the headache and nasal catarrh, the
lower molar teeth on that particular side hurt as if these are the root
cause of the pain, though in fact this is caused by the nerve root pain.

Kali Bichrome is also beneficial in the treatment of ulcers of the lips
and inside the mouth.   Cistus is also of use in this condition,
especially for the ulcer of the lower lip.  Dulcamara is effective
against ulcers of both the upper and lo wer lips as well as against skin
conditions that tend to spread quite fast.  It also affects the sweat
glands (pyretic glands).

In Kali Bichrome, the nose tends to  bleed and blebs (polyps) form
over the lining of the nose.  It is also beneficial in the treatment of the
tuberculous infection of the facial  skin and the mucous membranes.
By the grace of God, both these c onditions have been successfully
cured with it.

In Kali Bichrome, the tongue becomes covered with a thick coating,
which is whitish near the tip and yellowish at the back, with some
dirty patches here and there.  The tongue exhibits a peculiar type of
glare, not found normally.  Sometimes , near the gullet, small nodules
form resembling a strawberry in co lour and shape.  The resulting
roughness of the surface of the tongue can be felt in the throat.  Kali
Bichrome is also very useful in the treatment of ulcers over the
tongue, inside the cheeks and the r oots of the teeth.  Along with the
inflammation of the throat, sores develop causing pain in the nasal
passages, as well as the part of the throat behind the nose.  The
tenderness is localised to one area, though the pain is felt over a much
larger area.

The important homoeopathic remedies used in the treatment of
inflammatory swellings  similar to those of Kali Bichrome are
Lachesis, Kali Iodide, Nitric Acid, Phosphorus and Sulphuric Acid.

There is a strong tendency towards the formation of ulcers.  Swelling
of the tonsils, when severe, causes a lot of pain with the swelling and
redness becoming externally visible in the upper part of the neck.  The
patient feels as if a hair is stuck in  the throat.  In Tarentula, such a
feeling is widely spread in other parts of the body.  In Hepar Sulph,
the feeling is of something sticking.  The ailment concentrates at the
root of the tongue causing severe pa in and the formation of hardly
visible sores.
There is a tendency towards nausea and vomiting:   The vomited
material consists of undigested f ood mixed with bile and blood.  The
expectorated phlegm is in the form of sticky threads.  Kali Bichrome
is considered to be the best treat ment for the nausea of alcoholics.
Kali Bichrome may also be used for the treatment of ulcerative
colitis.  Chronic ulcerative colitis is a very obstinate condition for
which no effective cure has been discovered so far.  Kali Bichrome is
also useful in the treatment of ga stritis resulting from exposure to
cold.  The stomach becomes weak and hypo functional.  The secretion
contains a lot of mucus.  The patient feels indisposed.

In Kali Bichrome, the liver pain is referred to the right shoulder.  It
is an ominous sign found in cancer of th e liver and the gall bladder.
The patient complains of severe pain at the shoulder, which must be
treated with Kali Bichrome. Kali Bichrome is of great use in the
treatment of this vexing pain caused by stones in the gall bladder  or
cancer of the liver, and re ferred to the shoulder.  The shoulder itself
has no problems of its own.  The gall bladder stones and the liver
disorders must be treated with Ka li Bichrome without any delay.
Often, it dissolves and then expels these gallstones, obviating the need
for surgery.  Stones of the gall bladder result from increased viscidity
and the altered composition of bile.  Once the chemistry of the bile is
restored, it gradually dissolves th e stones.  I happen to come across
many patients suffering from gall bladder stones.  Due to the scarcity
of time, I cannot afford to achieve an individual diagnosis of each and
every patient.  I, therefore, treat them with a combination formula,
rather than using one single homoe opathic remedy.  By the grace of
God, the prescription has proven to be  very effective in most of the
patients.

Kali Bichrome is one component of that formulary, which is detailed
as follows:

Kali Bichrome, Lycopodium, Cholesterinum and Natrum Sulph, all in
30 potency.
Besides these, Mag Phos 30, Co locynth 30 and Diascorea 30
combined toghether may be used to  relieve the associated biliary
colic.

In addition to these, a herbal medicine, Ospafell, available from
Germany, is also famous for the cap ability of dissolving the stones in
the gall bladder.  For additional benefit, it may al so be used in
homoeopathic form as an adjunct.

In Kali Bichrome, a patient feels pain at the time of passing stools or
even on movement.  The peristaltic movement s of the gut at the time
of defacation cause piercing pain over the liver as well as over the
spleen.  A lot of wind forms in the belly, causing distension.  The
entire body aches lightly while the inte stines feel sore.  A feeling of
weakness and sinking sensation over the stomach precede diarrhoea.
Nausea, vomiting and then diarrhoea; this is the pattern in Kali
Bichrome.  Diarrhoea starts in the morning (like Sulphur).  Kali
Bichrome is very useful in the treatment of morning diarrhoea  in
which the stools are clay coloured.

Sometimes, rheumatic pains alternate with dysentery  instead of
nasal catarrh.  With the onset of dysentery, body aches disappear and
the body feels light.  There is cramping before, during and after the
passage of stools.  The rectum also prolapses.  Piles become swollen
and painful. Kali Bichrome should also be remembered for treating
backache associated with the passage of blood in the urine .  In Kali
Bichrome, the urine may contain strings of mucus and urination is
preceded by pain over the coccyx (ta il end of the spine).  This is
typical of Kali Bichrome.

In women patients of Kali Bichrome, the uterus related ailments
aggravate during the summer .  The menstrual discharge becomes
acidic and causes burning.  Periods start before time.  Kali Bichrome
should be remembered to treat the passage of thread-like strands in
the milk while breast-feeding .  If the milk tends to clot , then
Phytolacca would be the best reme dy, which is also useful in the
treatment of vomiting during pregnancy.

Kali Bichrome is very useful in the treatment of permanent loss of
voice.  Kali Bichrome is very effec tive in relieving wheezing due to
the retention of sticky phlegm a nd constriction of the trachea and
upper respiratory passages, commonly seen in asthma.  Kali Bichrome
is also useful in the treatment  of whooping cough.  The catarrhal
complaints of Kali Bichrome become worse in the wet, wintery
season.  The patient develops diarrhoea in the summer during the
rainy season.  He feels comfort lyin g down in the bed.  The phlegm is
greenish in colour and contains bloo d clots.  Both Kali Bichrome and
Kali Carb are very useful in the treatment of tuberculosis of the
lungs.  Potassium salts are very deep ly related to the formation of
cavities in the lungs and coughing of blood in the sputum.

In Kali Bichrome, like Kali Carb and Ipecac, there is a feeling of chill
over the back.  In Kali Carb, this feeling is confined only to the lower
part of the back, while in Ipecac and Kali Bichrome it stretches all the
way up to the neck.  The rheumatic pains aggravate on movement, like
in Bryonia.  The pain is worse in the morning.  On getting up and
walking, the pain gradually dissipates .  Rest at night offers relief,
though by morning, the pain becomes concentrated in one area from
where it then scatters on movement.

All sorts of skin diseases may be found in Kali Bichrome, such as
eczema, blisters and boils.  If skin  conditions are forcibly suppressed
with some strong ointments they may affect the mucous linings of the
intestines.  Therefore, in a patient exhibiting symptoms of Kali
Bichrome, one should desist from external use of medicines.

Antidotes: Arsenic, Lachesis, Pulsatilla
Potency: 30 to 200.

## Symptoms by System