MERCURIC CHLORIDE SOLUTIONS 301 



wound in cases of open joint. In conjunctivitis and keratitis 

 a solution containing one-tenth to half a grain per ounce 

 of distilled water is used as an astringent antiseptic. 



For most external purposes the B.P. liquor hydrargyri 

 perchloridi containing 10 grains in 20 ounces of distilled 

 water, will be found convenient. Two parts of sublimate 

 and four of glycerin form a ' stock solution,' which may be 

 diluted as required. Van Swieten's solution is composed of 

 one part mercuric chloride, 900 of water and 100 of alcohol. 

 Lotio hydrargyri flava, or yellow wash, is made with 40 

 grains corrosive sublimate and a pint of lime water. To 

 prevent accidents which sometimes attend the use of un- 

 coloured lotions, pastils, lotiforms, and compressed discs, 

 containing mercuric chloride and sodium chloride and col- 

 oured with magenta or methyl- violet, may be used. Wool, 

 lint, gauze, and other wound dressings impregnated with 

 corrosive sublimate dissolved in glycerin or water are 

 frequently employed. 



With suitable precautions, watery solutions are used for 

 disinfecting infected premises, and the carcases of animals 

 which have died of anthrax or other contagious disease. 

 Sublimate solution has, however, one great disadvantage 

 in that it is not volatile, but, on the contrary, coagulates 

 albumin, and so forms a protective surface layer, beyond 

 which the drug does not penetrate. Thus it is inferior to 

 phenol for disinfecting anthrax blood, fleeces, or other 

 material containing albumin. 



DOSES, etc. Horses and cattle take grs. v. to grs. viij. ; 

 sheep and large pigs, gr. j. ; dogs, gr. ^ to gr. ^. It is best 

 given freely dissolved in water or other simple fluid. To 

 relieve itching, especially amongst dogs, one grain corrosive 

 sublimate and one minim prussic acid are dissolved in an 

 ounce of water. An ointment containing one part of 

 sublimate to twenty or thirty parts of fatty matters is 

 sometimes used cautiously for skin complaints, and for 

 destroying skin parasites. 



Ammoniated mercury, or ' white precipitate,' is an opaque, 

 white, insoluble powder, made by mixing corrosive sublimate 

 solution with excess of ammonia solution, and washing and 

 drying the precipitate (NH 2 HgCl). It is devoid of irritant 



