DERMATOL, AIROL, ORPHOL 225 



bismuth salts applied to wounds have sometimes given rise 

 to toxic symptoms. These are salivation and swelling of 

 the gums and tongue, then vomiting and diarrhoea, and 

 albumin has generally been found in the urine (Cushney). 



Internally, the oxynitrate and carbonate are astringent, 

 antacid, protective, and absorbent. The subnitrate mixed 

 with equal parts of charcoal and salol forms an excellent 

 dressing for otorrhcea of the dog, and cracked heels in horses. 

 It allays irritation in dyspepsia, vomiting, and in gastro- 

 intestinal catarrh. It acts by its oxide and by its acid, which 

 is antiseptic. The salicylate is a more powerful antiseptic 

 than the subnitrate. In the bowel it is rapidly split up into 

 salicylic acid and bismuth oxide. But as free salicylic acid 

 irritates the mucous membrane, bismuth benzoate, which is 

 not irritant, is usuaUy preferred as an intestinal disinfectant. 



DOSES, etc. Subnitrate, Horses, 3iJ- to 3J V - or more ; 

 dogs, grs. v. to grs. xxx., in mucilage, milk, or bolus. 



Salicylate or benzoate, foals and calves, grs. xv. to grs. xl. : 

 dogs, grs. v. to grs. xv. ; The B.P. liquor bismuthi et am- 

 monii citratis, containing three grains of bismuth oxide in 

 each drachm, is a convenient preparation for special cases. 



Dermatol, or bismuth subgallate, prepared from bismuth 

 trinitrate, glacial acetic acid, and gallic acid, is a bright 

 yellow powder, odourless, tasteless, and insoluble. Dermatol 

 is absorbent, astringent, and feebly antiseptic. It is em- 

 ployed externally as a dry dressing for wounds. Two parts 

 each of dermatol and zinc oxide, and twenty parts of vaseline 

 form an ointment, which promotes cicatrisation of cracked 

 heels. Internally, dermatol has been prescribed for diarrhoea 

 and gastro-intestinal catarrh. Doses, dogs, grs. v. to grs. x. ; 

 calves and foals, grs. x. to grs. xx. Xeroform (bismuth 

 tribromophenol) is a neutral, odourless, tasteless, and in- 

 soluble yellow powder, containing about fifty per cent, of 

 bismuth oxide. It is employed as a substitute for iodoform, 

 and occasionally as an intestinal antiseptic. Airol (bismuth 

 oxy-iodo-gallate), alight-greyish, or yellow powder, tasteless, 

 odourless, and insoluble in water, alcohol, or ether ; has been 

 used as a substitute for iodoform, and by Frohner as a pig- 

 ment, made with airol, glycerin, gum and talc, for dressing 

 small surgical wounds. Orphol (bismuth beta-naphthol), a 



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