Manganum-act. + -c.

Manganum-act

(old abbr.)
Mang.
And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents like the Arabs,
And silently steal away.
[Henry W. Longfellow]
Signs
Manganese.
CLASSIFICATION Hard, brittle, silvery metal of group 7 of the Periodic Table, with chromium as neighbour in group 6 and ferrum in group 8. Isolated in 1774 by the Swedish chemist Gahn. Manganese minerals are widely distributed; oxides, silicates, and carbonates are the most common. Large quantities of manganese nodules have been discovered on the floor of the oceans. Pyrolusite, romanechite and rhodochrosite are among the most common minerals. The main mining areas are South Africa, Australia, Gabon, and Brazil. Rhodonite is used in jewellery. Manganese is the twelfth most abundant element in the earth's crust. Its name derives from L magnes, magnet, from the magnetic properties of pyrolusite. Pyrolusite has been mined from ancient times in Magnesia, a district in Thessaly, and was known as 'black magnesium'. [Magnesium was called 'white magnesium'.]
FEATURES It is reactive when pure, burns in oxygen [with an intense white light], reacts with water and dissolves in dilute acids. It combines with oxygen, nitrogen and other nonmetals when heated, but not with hydrogen. Salts of manganese contain the element in the +2 and +3 oxidation states. Manganese[II] salts are the more stable. It also forms compounds in higher oxidation states, such as manganese[IV] oxide [manganese dioxide, a black oxide] and manganate[VI] and manganate[VII] salts. Manganese colours glass an amethyst colour, and is responsible for the colour of true amethyst. Manganese metallurgy is very similar to iron metallurgy except that a higher temperature [over 1200o C] is required for the reduction of manganese oxide.
USES Manganese is the fourth most used metal in terms of tonnage, being ranked behind iron, aluminium, and copper. It is used as a critical ingredient for high-strength steel production; alloyed with aluminium in the manufacture of beverage cans; in ceramics; as a colorant for bricks. The dioxide occurs naturally as the black mineral pyrolusite, or is made artificially. Man has been familiar with pyrolusite since ancient times. In the first century AD, Pliny the Elder mentioned already the wonderful ability of the black powder to decolourize [purify] glass. In the Middle Ages it was called 'glass soap' for this property. The dioxide is now used as a depolarizer in dry cells; in the manufacture of drying black paints; as a drier for paints and varnishes, printing and dyeing textiles; to decolourize glass that is coloured green by impurities of iron; for making amethyst glass; for painting on porcelain, faience and majolica; as a catalyst in the production of artificial flavours like vanilla. Manganese sulphate is widely used as an end product in fertilizers and animal feed. The organomanganese compound MMT is used as an antiknock additive in unleaded gasoline in some countries, but is currently banned for that purpose in the U.S. Potassium permanganate is one of the best known manganese products. It is a powerful oxidising agent with bactericidal and algicidal properties, which enable it to be used in purifying drinking water and treating waste water. It is also used for odour control, including deodorization of discharges from paint factories, fish-processing plants, etc. Permanganate has a variety of other applications as an oxidant.
DAMPING Alloys with high manganese content are produced for their specific sound-proofing capacity. "While 'dumbness' is clearly a shortcoming in a bell, it is fine in such 'sonorous' parts as tram wheels, rail joints and many other things that can produce unnecessary rumbling. 'Mute' alloys can considerably lower the harmful noise level in forging and stamping shops. The greatest ability to 'keep quiet' is displayed by alloys consisting of 70% manganese and 30% copper."1 Interesting in this context is the Manganum symptom "Everything affects the ears." When manganese is added to steel, it forms an unusually hard steel that is very resistant to shock. This makes such steel ideal for use in rifle barrels, bank vaults, railroad tracks, and earth-moving equipment. Given the shock-absorbing properties of manganese, the modality 'worse by jar' should, homoeopathically, have more emphasis than it has now.
ESSENTIAL Manganese is widely distributed throughout the animal kingdom. It is essential to all species. In marine animals, the highest manganese content is found in sponges and the lowest in fish. Plants in general are the best source, for the element exists in the soil in a wide range of oxidation states. Decrease in soil pH increases its availability, as manganese deficiency is related to high soil pH [above 7.5] and toxicity is associated with low soil pH [below 5.5]. Plants vary considerably in their sensitivity to manganese, and plants sensitive to deficiency are equally sensitive to toxicity. Some plants accumulate manganese without detrimental effects. Deficiency symptoms in plants can be easily confused with iron deficiency.
PHYSIOLOGY An average 70-kg person contains between 12 and 20 mg manganese, which mainly is found in blood, bone, muscle, and liver. Manganese concentrates in mitochondria so that tissues rich in these organelles have the highest concentrations of it. Biological half-time in the body is 37 days. It readily crosses the blood-brain barrier and its half-time in the brain is longer than in the whole body. Manganese forms part of a number of enzymes, such as those involved in sugar metabolism, and in the production of thyroxine. It improves utilization of iron, helps in the synthesis of cholesterol and fats, and is important for the production of breast milk and sex hormones, promoting fertility and male potency. It is a cofactor of the vitamins B, C and E. The element is essential for the development and maintenance of healthy bones. Gastrointestinal absorption is less than 5 percent. Absorbed manganese is primarily excreted through faeces [via the bile]; little is excreted in urine.
FOOD Best natural sources of manganese include whole grains, nuts, legumes, buckwheat, fruit [particularly blueberry, boysenberry, lingonberry, grape, and pineapple], fennel, green leafy vegetables, egg yolk, and tea. Extremely rich in manganese are seaweed and avocado. In tea-drinking countries, an average one-third of the daily manganese requirement is obtained from this beverage. Certain tree species, such as oaks, hickories, and red cedar, contain high amounts of manganese. Meats and fish are poor sources of manganese. Mother's milk reportedly protects infants against the pollutant manganese; children raised on formula absorb five times as much manganese as breast-fed babies. Manganese suppresses serotonin, the body's natural tranquilizer.
DEFICIENCY Manganese is called the 'maternal mineral' because manganese deficiency in females causes a reduced maternal caring for her young. Low blood and tissue levels of manganese are reported in: diabetes; heart disease; atherosclerosis; myasthenia gravis; rheumatoid arthritis; schizophrenia; epilepsy; anaemia. Excessive copper intake, or Wilson's disease, may cause manganese deficiency. Antacids as well as calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc supplements can reduce the absorption of manganese. Marginal deficiency may arise when processed or refined foods form a large part of the diet. One case of human deficiency has been reported, concerning a man who lived for four months on a manganese-free diet. Symptoms include dizziness, bone problems, reduced growth of hair and nails, weakness, hearing problems, ear noises, weight loss, abnormal gait, and skin problems.
TOXICOLOGY Exposure to manganese dust or fumes is a health hazard. A common effect in men who are exposed to high levels of manganese dust in air is impotence. Potential symptoms of overexposure are parkinsonism [involuntary movements; postural changes]; asthenia, insomnia and mental confusion; lower back pain; vomiting; malaise and fatigue. "Industrial toxicity from inhalation exposure, generally to manganese dioxide in mining or manufacturing, is of two types: The first, manganese pneumonitis, is the result of acute exposure. Men working in plants with high concentrations of manganese dust show an incidence of respiratory disease 30-times greater than normal. Pathological changes include epithelial necrosis followed by mononuclear proliferation. The second and more serious type of disease resulting from chronic inhalation exposure to manganese dioxide, generally over a period of more than 2 years, involves the central nervous system. Chronic manganese poisoning [manganism or manganese madness] produces a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by irritability, difficulty in walking, speech disturbances, and compulsive behaviour that may include running, fighting, and singing. If the condition persists, a masklike face, retropulsion or propulsion, and a Parkinson-like syndrome develop. The outstanding feature of manganese encephalopathy has been classified as severe selective damage to the subthalamic nucleus and pallidum. These symptoms and the pathological lesions, degenerative changes in the basal ganglia, make the analogy to Parkinson's disease feasible. In addition to the central nervous system changes, liver cirrhosis is frequently observed. Victims of chronic manganese poisoning tend to recover slowly, even when removed from the excessive exposure. Metal-sequestering agents have not produced remarkable recovery; L-dopa, which is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, has been more consistently effective in the treatment of chronic manganese poisoning than in Parkinson's disease. The oral absorption of manganese is increased by iron deficiency which may contribute to variations in individual susceptibility."2 As additional symptoms of chronic manganese poisoning Leeser mentions spontaneous laughing and crying, increased salivation on speaking, monotonous speech, nystagmus, trembling of the tongue, limitations of the visual field, and walking on the metatarsal phalangeal joint. A peculiar symptom is "writing in small letters without the ability to make them larger." Leeser doesn't expect much of the homoeopathic employment of manganese in such conditions. "But neither here [sequella of encephalitis lethargica] nor in the usual paralysis agitans have healing or improvements been reported with manganum. If one recalls that these represent severe organic injuries and also that the end state in chronic manganese poisoning does not improve, then he will not place his hopes too high in the expectations of a possible therapy in spite of the similarity."3
CJD The incidence of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease [CJD] in humans and of scrapie in sheep has been linked with high levels of manganese and low levels of copper in soil, water or air. Clusters of CJD have been discovered downwind of large ferromanganese and glass factories in Slovakia and around a missile production plant in Tucson, USA. A higher incidence of scrapie [degenerative viral disease affecting the CNS of sheep] appeared in certain volcanic areas of Iceland. Tests carried out by the British chemist Dr David Brown showed that not only could manganese replace copper in the brain proteins, but it transformed them into the protease resistant isoforms which are found in brains affected by Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy. It is argued that the symptoms of CJD and BSE ['mad cow disease'] closely resemble those of 'manganese madness' [manganism].
VIOLENCE "Massive overexposure produces 'manganese madness' which may initially be marked by violence, criminal acts and a state of mental excitement; later, neurological impairment slowly develops, with signs and symptoms which resemble Parkinson's disease. The behavioural effects of marginal levels of manganese toxicity have not been described. Recently, Gottschalk and his associates consistently found elevated hair manganese in a population of violent male offenders, suggesting that marginal manganese toxicity may be associated with violent criminal behaviour. Compared to the hair manganese levels which they found, people exposed to levels of manganese pollution which are known to be toxic possess hair values that are two to six times higher. Elevated hair manganese levels have also been reported in hyperkinetic children, and men with a history of childhood hyperactivity have an increased rate of antisocial and drug use disorders. In rats, chronic manganese exposure initially produces hyperactivity with an increased tendency to fight. While any hypothesis concerning the behavioural effects of marginal manganese toxicity in humans is highly speculative, these findings suggest that marginal manganese toxicity may promote overaggressive behaviours in adults."4
PROVINGS •• [1] Hahnemann - 14 provers; method: unknown.
[1] Venetsky, Tales about metals. [2] Leeser, Textbook of Hom. MM: Inorganic Medicinal Substances. [3] Klaassen, Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. [4] Werbach, Nutritional Influences on Aggressive Behaviour; website.
Affinity
INNER EAR; Eustachian tubes. Larynx and trachea. Lower limbs. Periosteum [joints; ankles; shins]. Heels. Skin. Eyes. Blood. Gall bladder. * Right side. Left side.
Modalities
Worse: Varies with the weather. Touch. Cold. Damp. Night. Talking. Feather bed. Stooping. Motion. Straining at stool. Reading. Laughing.
Better: Lying down. Open air. Expectoration.
Main symptoms
M Great irritability.
• "Everything she even thinks of makes her fretful."
• "In the morning wrinkled forehead, and surly and cross at every trifle; even the talking of others made him angry."
• "Embittered mood, he could not forget injustice done to him; he fostered resentment for a long time." [Hahnemann]
M Anxiety > LYING DOWN.
• "Anxious, apprehensive, fearful and restless but perfectly comfortable while lying ... He gets up, and the anxiety and restlessness come over him again." [Kent]
M Sadness > sad music.
Likes to listen to classical music, esp. organ music.
• "Low-spirited, so that the most joyful music does not cheer him up, but he is, as it were, refreshed by the saddest music." [Hahnemann]
G Chilly.
• "Constant coldness and sensation of coldness in the feet, esp. when walking; the coldness ceases when sitting, but is renewed on walking." [Hahnemann]
G < COLD DAMP weather. [headache, deafness, chronic dryness of nose, cough, hoarseness, loss of voice] • "Every cold rouses up a bronchitis." [Boericke] G < Cloudy weather. < Dry weather. G < NIGHT [esp. sore pain in bones and joints]. G > LYING.
All symptoms subside on lying down; esp. cough, tickling in the air passages.
G Extreme SORENESS of BONES [or every part of the body] when TOUCHED.
• "Bruises remain sore for a long time and Arn. fails to relieve." [Mathur]
[The plant Arnica montana has a relatively high manganese content.]
Sensitiveness of knuckles and heels to pressure.
G ANAEMIA.
Pernicious anaemia.
G Loss of power.
• "The loss of power is most apparent in lower extremities, causing him to stagger and be inclined to run forward when he attempts to walk. The arms were also affected, but in a less degree. He complains that in speaking he cannot make himself heard by persons at a moderate distance; there is no difficulty of articulation, but weakness of voice. No deficiency of sensibility anywhere, intellect and external senses unimpaired, but there is an expression of vacancy in countenance, apparently from paralysed state of facial muscles." [intoxication; cited in Hughes]
G Growth.
Growing pains and weak ankles. [Boericke]
[Manganese is essential for normal skeletal growth. Manganese deficiency in animals results in skeletal abnormalities. All plants require manganese for growth and reproduction.]
P EARS.
• "Everything affects the ears." [Boger]
• "Pains extend to and concentrate in ears from other organs." [Clarke]
• "Itching in the ears from talking, from swallowing, from laughing, or doing anything that brings the throat into operation." [Kent]
P Impaired hearing, as from stoppage of ears.
> Blowing nose.
< or > according to change of weather.
Deafness < damp weather. P Voice. • "The symptoms in the upper air passages are expressed even more distinctly with manganese than with iron. Common with iron here is the characteristic modality that the cough is better on lying down. Dryness, roughness and constrictive sensation in the larynx, a deep cough without expectoration, on the other hand, easy expectoration in the morning without much coughing, expectoration of small yellow-green lumps of mucous or bloody sputum. ... Besides the catarrhal symptoms which involve the throat and larynx, there is still another trend of action on the larynx in manganese, that of innervation of the vocal cords. The weak and monotonous voice of chronic poisoning has been mentioned. Therefore the use of manganese is worthy of note not only for the catarrhal huskiness in professional speakers but also for the voice disturbances conditioned more by nervous factors." [Leeser] Can't make himself heard. P Rheumatism with glistening red swelling of the joints. Rubrics Mind Anger from hearing other people talk [1]. Anxiety, > lying [1], < motion [1]. Confusion while sitting [1]. Delusions, he has just been awakened [1]. Hatred of persons who had offended him [1]. Irritability from music [2]. Aversion to joyous music but immediately affected by the saddest music [1/1]. Restlessness, > while lying [1/1]. Sadness, > sad music [1/1].
Head
Coldness, vertex, even when covered [1/1]; vertex, in small spots [1/1]. Empty sensation > pressure with hand [1; Sep.]. Pain, on breathing deeply [1], with confusion, unable to collect one's senses [2], from laughing [1], from pressing at stool [1], > walking [1], > warm room [3], extending to eyes [1].
Eye
Dryness, on looking at bright light [3/1]. Pain, when looking steadily at near objects [2; Echi.].
Vision
Dim, on exertion of eyes [1], > looking steadily [1; Aur.]. Lost, on looking long at an object [1/1]. Black sparks when looking at light [1/1].
Ear
Itching, when laughing [1/1], when swallowing [1; Sil.], when talking [1/1].
Hearing
Impaired, > blowing nose [2], in cold wet weather [2].
Nose
Coryza, during wet weather [1]. Obstruction, in wet weather [2].
Teeth
Pain, > biting on elastic substance [1/1], extending to other parts [3]; sensation as they were being pulled out [2].
Stomach
Eructations, empty, during menstrual colic [1/1]. Sensation of fulness > after eating [1; Arg-n.; Ferr.]. Pain, after cold food [2], on motion [1].
Larynx
Constriction, larynx, from scratching auditory canal [1]. Voice, hoarseness, in open air [3], during coryza [3], from overuse of the voice [2], from singing [2], from talking [2], during cold wet weather [2].
Cough
Dry, > lying on back [2/1], when reading aloud [2].
Limbs
Coldness, nates, before menses [1]; feet, > sitting [1], while walking [1]. Pain, joints, alternating sides [1], from taking cold [2], < touch [2]; sore, feet, heels [2]. Perspiration, on joints only [2]. Dreams Danger, of death [1]. Prophetic [1]. Reconciliation [1]. Perspiration Profuse, with dyspnoea. Skin Itching, < perspiration [3], of perspiring parts [3]. Food Desire: [1]: Beer; milk; sour milk; sour. Worse: [2]: Cold food. [1]: Apples; coffee; cold drinks. Better: [2]: Hot food; warm drinks.