142 INORGANIC AGENTS 



nitrate after thorough cleansing with ether, or alcoETol and na^htha^ to 

 remove dirt and sebaceous matter. In 2 to 6 per cent, solutions silver 

 nitrate is curative in moist patches of eczema in- dogs. 



Fissures in the skin occurring in sore teats of cows are cured by the 

 application of fused silver nitrate. 



Uses Internal. — To insure purity, only the crystals should be em- 

 ployed internally. Silver nitrate is not of much value for internal use 

 except in the digestive tract. Pills containing the silver salt are sometimes 

 given to dogs with diarrhea and ulcer of the stomach. Dysentery may be 

 treated by enemata containing 12 grains of silver nitrate to the ounce of 

 water. If this treatment is followed by much irritation, injections of salt 

 and water should be used afterwards. 



Protargol. (Non-official.) 



Protargol was first introduced into medicine by Prof. Neisser, in 

 1897, as a local remedy for gonorrhea in man. It is a fine, yellowish- 

 brown, soluble powder, a combination of a protein substance with silver; 

 odorless, and possessing a strong metallic taste. 



Protargol has recently superseded silver nitrate (which contains 64 

 per cent, of silver) to some extent in medicine because, containing less 

 silver (8.3 per cent.), protargol is decidedly less irritating, is not pre- 

 cipitated by albumin or solutions of sodium chloride, does not discolor 

 the skin and more than equals silver nitrate in certainty and efficiency of 

 action. 



Protargol is particularly applicable in veterinary medicine as a 

 bland but powerfully penetrating antiseptic and mild astringent in the 

 treatment of inflammatory conditions of the conjunctival membranes. 

 The drug does not cause the pain, redness, swelling and lacrimation which 

 follows the use of silver nitrate; nor does it lead to the formation of 

 fibrinous coagula and the production of false membranes and opacities 

 of the cornea seen after the application of silver nitrate. 



A 10-per-cent. solution of protargol induces less flushing of the eye 

 and discomfort than a 1-per-cent. solution of silver nitrate, and the irri- 

 tation of a 2 or 4 per cent, solution is not, as a rule, more than would be 

 produced by one-half grain to the ounce solution of zinc sulphate 

 (Cheney). 



Protargol is indicated in acute catarrhal and purulent conjunctivitis 

 in from 1 to 400, or 1 to 200 aqueous solutions ; usually in one-half per 

 cent, solution in the catarrhal form, two or three times daily, applied with 

 a camel's hair brush or by instillation; and in the purulent variety, in 2 

 or 4 per cent, solution with a pledget of absorbent cotton on a probe, or 

 with a camel's hair brush, in conjunction with frequent boric acid irriga- 

 tions. Kingston reports favorable results in purpura hemorrhagica in 

 horses from the intravenous injection of one ounce of a 6-per-cent. solu- 

 tion of protargol twice daily. 



Argyrol. (Non-ofiicial.) 



Argyrol represents one of the numerous organic silver compounds, 

 this preparation containing as much as 30 per cent, of the metal combined 



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