CAUTERIZATION 89 



cure of cancer, consisting of ranunculus acris, eight parts; 

 ranunculus flammula, eight parts ; and arsenicum trioxidum, 

 one part ; Luke's ointment consisting of two grains of arsenic 

 to one ounce of spermaceti ointment ; and the French arsen- 

 ical paste consisting of red sulphide of mercury, seventy 

 parts, dragon's blood, twenty-two parts, and arsenic trioxide, 

 eight parts. 



These cauterant pastes are smeared over the growth and 

 sometimes bound to it with bandages. After several days 

 the dead cauterized surface separates from the underlying 

 living parts and comes off en masse in the form of a black- 

 ened, scab-like body. A second, third or fourth application 

 may be necessary to thus remove, piece by piece, the entire 

 growth. 



Cupric sulphate is an excellent caustic for fistulous tracts. 

 In its desiccated form it is wrapped into small tampons with 

 tissue paper and packed, tampon after tampon, into the tract 

 until completely filled. The patient will manifest pain after 

 application of copper sulphate, but the pain is not lasting. 

 The cauterization and final separation of the cauterized tis- 

 sues requires from five to eight days. When this is removed 

 the tract is submitted to ordinary antiseptic treatment until 

 cicatrization is complete. In quittor, fistula of the withers 

 or poll evil if the necrotic center is still retained in the depths 

 of the tract a second or a third application may be found nec- 

 essary. 



Mercuric chloride. — This chemical may be used dry or 

 in solution. Dry, it is used in the form of triturates or in 

 tampons like cupric sulphate. It is, however, much more 

 powerful than the latter and should be used with much 

 greater caution, especially when the tracts approach synovial 

 membranes. In solution for the purpose of wiping out fistu- 

 lous tracts, especially of quittor, Hughes recommends the 

 following mixture which has gained quite a local reputation 

 in the cure of. that foot disease: Mercuric chloride one-half 

 ounce, hydrochloric acid, C. P. one ounce, and alcohol seven 

 ounces. This strong solution may be freely injected into 

 tracts if the precaution is taken not to allow the overflow to 

 cauterize the surrounding skin. After a few injections at 

 intervals of two or three days the walls of the tract and cav- 

 ity slough out and leave a healthy surface ready to heal, pro- 

 viding there is no remaining slough to perpetuate the sup- 

 purating process. 



Mercuric oxide, is a potent caustic, and although it pos- 

 sesses no special virtue as such, it is mentioned here because 



