MANGANESIUM. 83 



Preparation. 



Liquor Potassao Pennanganatis. 4 gr. to 1 

 fl.oz. Dose, 2 to 4 fl.dr. 



Mancjanesii Oxidum Nigrum is also used in making Liquor 

 Chlori and Hydrargyri Perchloridum. 



ACTION AND USES. 

 1. IMMEDIATE LOCAL ACTION AND USES. 



Externally. Permanganate of potash is an irritant or even 

 escharotic in the pure state, stimulant in the form of the 

 solution, and has a healing effect upon scars and wounds. The 

 principal applications, however, are independent of its physio- 

 logical action on the human tissues, and due to its influence as 

 an antiseptic, disinfectant, and deodorant, that is, to its action 

 on the processes and products of sepsis, fermentation, and 

 decomposition. By its power of giving up oxygen freely, the 

 permanganate either destroys the ferment or organism on which 

 these processes depend, or forms chemical compounds with 

 the materials on which they flourish (the tissues, plasma, 

 pus, etc.), incapable of decomposition: it is thus an antiseptic. 

 By similarly oxydising the products of decomposition already 

 begun, it so alters their chemical properties as to deodorise and 

 decolorise them, and possibly destroys also the power of 

 further infection which such products generally possess : it is 

 thus u disinfectant. Permanganate of potash may therefore be 

 : s a dressing for foul ulcers ; but other substances, 

 possessing special advantages, are generally preferred for this 

 purpose. 



Internally. This salt is employed as a mouth- wash in foul 

 condition of the teeth and mouth, as a garglo in putrid sore- 

 throat, and as an injection in infective and foul discharges, 

 such as gonorrhoea, vaginitis, ozoena, and cancer of the uterus. 



2. ACTION IN THE BLOOD, SPECIFIC ACTION, AND REMOTE 

 LOCAL ACTION. 



Nothing is definitely known of the action of permanganic 

 acid on the blood, tissues, or organs of excretion. It isditlicult 

 to believe that any portion of the salt escapes decomposition 

 before absorption, unless given in poisonous doses; and the 

 oxide of manganese, into which it is converted, is believed \<> 

 be inert. The internal administration of the potash salt for 

 some sxipposed effect on infective fevers or iratmr. nous pro- 

 cesses must therefore be useless. It has recently been used as 

 an emmenagogue in amenorrhoea. 



