PERMANGANATE  OF  POTASSA, 
141 
ON  SOME  OF  THE  USEFUL  APPLICATIONS  OF  THE 
PERMANGANATE  OF  POTASSA. 
By  G.  F.  Girdwood,  M.  D. 
I  had  lately  a  distressing  case  of  cancer  of  the  os  uteri  under 
treatment :  the  pain  was  often  agonising,  and  the  discharge  so 
offensive  as  to  add  bitterly  to  the  sufferings  of  my  patient,  who 
possessed  a  keen  sensibility.  It  was  a  case  in  which  I  felt  the 
want  of  some  deodorant  and  escharotic  combined,  and  was  in- 
duced to  try  the  permanganate  of  potash.  I  employed  it  as  a 
lotion  (20  grains  to  the  pint)  injected  frequently  during  the  day. 
and  was  much  pleased  with  the  comfort  given  to  the  patient  by 
it. 
I  was  next  induced  to  try  it  in  the  case  of  a  naval  officer  of 
rank,  afflicted  with  cancer  of  the  breast.  Here  also  the  applica- 
tion has  been  most  servicable.  Its  application  as  a  powder, 
sprinkled  on  the  sloughy  mass,  or  as  a  lotion  ( 10  grains  to  the 
ounce)  to  the  surface  of  the  wound,  has  not  been  attended  with 
pain.  From  a  gaping  sore,  in  most  offensive  condition,  it  has 
occasioned  the  wound  to  assume,  in  some  parts,  a  disposition  to 
granulate.  The  odor  of  the  apartment,  previous  to  the  em- 
ployment of  the  permanganate,  was  so  offensive  as  seriously  to 
compromise  the  comfort  of  the  family.  This  inconvenience  is 
entirely  removed 
I  was  consulted  in  the  spring,  respecting  a  most  unhealthy 
eroding  ulcer  on  the  thigh.  It  was  one  of  those  foul  ulcers  met 
with  in  constitutions  broken  down  by  syphilis  or  intemperance, 
and  where  the  dyscrasis  is  so  great  as  to  baffle  the  ingenuity  of 
the  profession  to  restore  the  healthy  action  in  the  system.  The 
permanganate  was  here  applied  as  a  lotion,  and  was  most  effica- 
cious in  removing  the  slough,  cleansing  the  sore,  and  inducing 
healthy  action. 
An  elderly  female,  long  afflicted  with  caries  of  the  tibia, 
which,  from  the  offensive  odor,  prevented  her  performing  the 
duties  of  her  position  in  life  with  any  comfort  to  those  around 
her,  has  enjoyed  perfect  freedom  from  this  annoyance  ever  since 
she  has  had  recourse  to  the  permanganate  as  an  application  to 
the  leg. 
[Dr.  Girdwood  then  details  cases  of  scrofulo-syphilitic  and 
