166 INORGANIC AGENTS 



destroy lice and the acari of mange, when inhabiting circumscribed areas. 

 Itching in skin diseases, as chronic eczema and psoriasis, is relieved 

 either by blue ointment or the oleate of mercury. 



Hydrargyri Oxidum Rubrum et Flavum. 



The official ointments of the red and yellow mercuric oxides are pre- 

 scribed, as stimulant and antiseptic preparations, in chronic conjunc- 

 tivitis, corneal ulcers, granular lids and scaly skin diseases. They are 

 also employed on indolent ulcers, swollen glands and old granulating 

 surfaces. When used on mucous membranes, or raw surfaces, the official 

 ointments should be diluted with equal parts of lard. 



For chronic conjunctivitis, keratitis and ulcer of tiie cornea: 



Hydrargyri oxidi flavi gr.iv. 



Petrolati Sss. 



M. 



S. Apply to eyeball once daily with soft camel's 

 hair brush. 

 For eczema of lids, blepharitis and granular 

 lids, use twice strength and rub on edge of 

 lids twice daily. 



Hydrargyri Chloridum Corrosivum. 



External. — Corrosive sublimate is of value mainly as an antiseptic 

 on the unbroken skin. It is germicide in solutions containing 1 part to 

 500, or 1000, of water. Applied to mucous membranes, or raw surfaces, 

 it is antiseptic in solutions varying in strength from 1-10,000 to 1-1,000. 



In the larger cavities of the body, as the vagina, solutions should 

 not be used in strength greater than 1-5000 or 1-3000. Experiments by 

 Harrington and Walker go to show that corrosive sublimate is much less 

 active than commonly believed. A 1-1000 solution requires more than 

 ten minutes' contact to kill common forms of pus cocci, so that dipping 

 the hands for a few seconds in such solution does more harm than good 

 in inducing a false security which does not exist. They conclude by say- 

 ing that, as the result of their experiments, "corrosive sublimate in any 

 of the strengths commonly employed is a much overrated disinfectant, 

 and under the best of conditions is so uncertain in its action that it would 

 be of advantage to abandon its use altogether in surgery." Post & NicoU 

 wholly endorse this result. They find tincture of iodine, alcohol (over 50 

 per cent.), tincture of green soap, and 5 per cent, phenol kill all bacteria 

 in less than one minute. A 1.6 per cent, solution of lysol kills most germs 

 within one minute, while 1-500 corrosive requires more than 10 minutes to 

 kill almost any pathogenic microorganisms. These men are known to be 

 careful and trustworthy investigators and their findings agree with the 

 results obtained by many great surgeons. In view of the ease with which 

 corrosive sublimate combines with albumin, it is best not to rely upon this 

 agent for wound disinfection, but to employ normal salt solution for 

 cleansing, followed by lysol or chlorazene solution. Corrosive sublimate 

 is, however, still regarded as the antiseptic sheet anchor by many surgeons 



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