MANGANESE. — Manganese (manga mim) is a very hard brittle metal. having inctallie lustre, and a whitish-gray, mrtallic fracture. In the metallic state ;I is not used in medicine.
'Manganese dioxide (peroxide or bi nrxide), or black oxide of manganese ,mangani dioxidum, IT. S. P.), is found native. containing at least 66 per cent. r.f pure dioxide. It occurs as a heavy, I tick powder. and is soluble in hot min (mil acids. Dose, 2 to 15 grains.
Manganese sulphate (mangani sulphas, . P ) occurs in transparent pale-rose r.,T,ryescent prisms having a bitterish, astringent taste, and is soluble in 0.8 parts of water. Dose, 5 to 15 °Tains.
Potazsium permanganate (potassii per rnar.ganas. -1". S. P.) occurs in dark-pur ple. slender. opaque prisms, haying a blue. metallic' reflection, and a sweet, with astringent after-taste, and is solu ble in 16 parts of cold water and 3 parts or boiling water. Permanganate of pot ash is incompatible with all oxidizable substances, particularly organic ones.
Dose, 1/., to 3 grains.
The liquor ferri mangani peptonate (non-olTicial) is very generally used. Dose, 1 to 4 drachms.
Physiological Action. — The physio logical action of manganese is not estab lished. Once thought to be a chalybeate equal to iron, it failed to sustain the reputation, and is rarely employed by the profession in the treatment of anm mia and chlorosis. Especially has it been ostracized since Gahn demonstrated that there was considerable doubt as to whether it entered the circulation at all, while there was nothing to show that it was taken up by the blood-corpuscles.
Poisoning by Manganese. — ACUTE POISONING.—In toxic doses manganese causes intense gastro-enteric inflamma tion and death by convulsions. In smaller doses it lowers the action of the heart, diminishes the pulse-rate, and lessens the blood-pressure.