ORIGIN.--Potassium permanganate may be obtained by the interaction of
potassium chlorate, potassium hydroxide and manganese dioxide.
ACTIONS.--Potassium permanganate is a powerful oxidizing agent and
readily yields up its oxygen in the form of ozone; hence it is an
antiseptic and deodorizer. Full strength it is a mild caustic. Diluted
it is astringent.
USES.--Potassium permanganate is advantageously used to deodorize and
disinfect foul smelling wounds, the nostrils in eczema, nasal gleet, the
mouth in aphthae, throat when ulcerated, diphtheria, the uterus in
metritis, retention of placenta and leucorrhoea. It is sometimes given
internally in puerperal, erysipelas and septicaemia, also to cleanse
hands or instruments. Potassium permanganate is used as a prophylactic
in solutions of one in five thousand in poultry.
Potassium permanganate acts as an oxidizant much more freely upon some
organic substances than upon others, by virtue of which fact it is a
valuable antidote, notably in the treatment of morphine-poisoning and of
snake-poisoning. In the former condition it acts only upon the alkaloid
in the stomach, but should be given frequently during the continuance of
the symptoms in order to destroy any morphine which may have been
eliminated from the blood into the stomach. In snake-poisoning a
concentrated solution of it should be injected freely and immediately
into the part which has been bitten. Potassium permanganate is one of
the best medicines with which to sterilize the hands before operating. A
saturated solution is used for this purpose and the stains may be
removed from the hands by washing them in saturated solution of oxalic
acid, or in a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid.
DOSE.--Horses and cattle, 15 gr. to 1 dr. in one pint of water; sheep
and pigs, 5 to 10 gr. in half pint of water; dogs and cats, ¹⁄₂ to 11
gr. in capsule with kaolin. For poultry it should be diluted one part to
five thousand parts of water.
As an antiseptic and deodorizer for disinfecting newly cut or old foul
smelling wounds and for surgical purposes one drachm to half an ounce of
the drug to one pint of water.
As an eye wash use about one in two thousand to one in one thousand.
For uterine injections use one in five thousand to one in two thousand.
As an antidote for opium, morphine or weed-poisoning it can be
administered by the mouth or hypodermically. When given for these
purposes the amount of potassium permanganate should equal that of the
poison taken.