Potassii Chloras - Chlorate Of Potassium

Description

This section is from the book "Dental Medicine. A Manual Of Dental Materia Medica And Therapeutics", by Ferdinand J. S. Gorgas. Also available from Amazon: Dental Medicine.

Potassii Chloras - Chlorate Of Potassium

Formula

Kc103.

Derivation

Chlorate of potassium is obtained by passing an excess of chlorine through a solution of carbonate of potassa and slaked lime; the chlorine being converted into chloric acid by the hydrogen of the lime and the acid combining with the potassa, forming chlorate of potassium. It is in the form of colorless or white crystals, of a pearly lustre, altogether soluble in distilled water, and in twelve parts of cold and two parts of boiling water. It is inodorous, with a cool, saline taste, and when applied to animal fluids does not decompose them nor undergo any change, although perfectly soluble in such fluids. It is absorbed by the blood, and is eliminated by the kidneys.

Medical Properties And Action

Chlorate of Potassium is detergent, refrigerant, diuretic and stimulant, and its action as a refrigerant and diuretic is similar to that of nitrate of potassa. It improves the appetite, and on account of the large quantity of oxygen it contains, has been employed in contaminated conditions of the blood as an oxidizing agent. Although it may be administered with impunity in very large doses, yet excessive quantities have given rise to gastro-enteric inflammation, with fatal effects.

Therapeutic Uses

Chlorate of Potassium is employed in continued and typhoid fevers, neuralgia, croup, diphtheria, sore throat, chronic bronchitis, phthisis, scrofula, erysipelas, scurvy, mercurial salivation, etc., etc. Externally, it is employed in the treatment of ozaena, sore throat of scarlatina, pharyngitis, cancerous sores, ulcerated surfaces, fetid and scrofulous ulcers, etc., etc. Poisonous symptoms have resulted from the habitual use of chlorate of potassium, and several cases of death have been recorded.

Dose

Of chlorate of potassium, gr. v to every three or four hours; for children, gr. iij in sweetened water every four hours for a child three years of age; gr. v for one of eight or nine years, with due attention to the bowels and constitution, regulating the former and supporting the latter. In the case of teething children, gr. ij may be administered to a child of one year of age.

Troches of Chlorate of Potassium are prepared by a combination of chlorate of potassium, ; sugar, ; tragacanth, vanilla, gr. xxx; mixed together with water into a mass and divided into 480 troches, each of which contains gr. v of chlorate of potassium; useful for sore throat, etc.

Dental Uses

Chlorate of potassium is a valuable agent in dental practice as an internal and external resolvent and detergent remedy in the various forms of stomatitis - inflammation of the gums, aphthae and other ulcerative affections, gangrenous stomatitis, mercurial stomatitis, erysipelatous inflammation of the mouth, scurvy, ulcers of the gums, cheeks and tongue, abraded surfaces of mucous membrane, secondary syphilitic ulcerations of the mouth, indolent and scrofulous ulcers, etc., for such purposes being used alone in the form of mouth washes or gargles, or in combination with tannic acid, alum, borax, glycerine, etc. In the treatment of mercurial stomatitis, great benefit is derived from both its internal and external use. For the inflamed gums of teething children it is employed as a lotion, with beneficial effects. In the form of powder it is a useful application to ulcerated and abraded surfaces. A simple gargle or mouth wash may be made by dissolving one drachm of chlorate of potassium in four ounces of water, or half an ounce may be dissolved in a pint of water.

Dental Formulae

For Inflamed Gums after the Extraction of Teeth.

Potassii chloratis . . Tincture krameriae, Glycerini . . . aa f Aquae Rosae.....

Signa

To be used as a gargle 6 or 8 times daily, to harden the gums.

For Ulcers and Suppurating Wounds.

Potassii chloratis . . Glycerini.....

Signa

To be used as a lotion.

For Aphthous and Secondary Syphilitic Ulceration of the Mouth and Fauces.

Potassii chloratis . .

Aquae destillatae . . .

Signa

To be used as an antiseptic mouth wash.

For ulceration of the Mouth.

Bartholow.

Potassii chloratis . .

Acidi carbolici . . .

Aquae destillatae . . .

Signa

To be used as a lotion.

For Ulceration and Inflammation of the Gums and Mucous Membrane. Stocken. Potassii chloratis . . Sodii biboratis . . . Potassii nitratis . . . Aquae destillatae . . . Signa. - To be used as a gargle.