180 INORGANIC AGENTS 



tion has also been used with reported success (and the use 

 might apply to canine practice) in human medicine as a 

 non-irritating astringent and antiseptic agent internally in 

 .5 gm. doses, twice or thrice daily, in pills, for the relief of 

 haemorrhages and ulcerations of the alimentary canal, in 

 diarrhoea and in purulent inflammation oE the genito-urinary 

 tract. 



Akgteol. 



Argyrol represents one of the latest of the numerous 

 organic liver compounds, this preparation containing as 

 much as 30 per cent, of the metal combined with a proteid 

 substance obtained from wheat. It occurs as a brownish 

 powder, soluble in less than its own weight of water, forming 

 dark-brown solutions which stain clothing black, but the 

 stains may be removed by solutions of corrosive sublimate. 

 Like protargol, it is not precipitated by the salts of the tis- 

 sues, nor does it coagulate albumin, so that its action is not 

 neutralized by the tissues — as is the case with silver nitrate, 

 and thus, unlike the latter, it possesses a penetrating power 

 when applied locally. Argyrol is used in from 2 to 50 per 

 cent, aqueous solutions for the same purposes to which 

 protargol is adapted. Solutions of argyrol should be 

 freshly made.* 



Soluble Silveb. 



Soluble silver, known also as Colloidal Silver, or more 

 commonly as Gollargol, is an allotropic form of metallic 

 silver (87 per cent, silver) wholly soluble in water, and dis- 

 covered by Lea about 1890. It may be used intravenously, 

 subcutaneously, by inunction (as Crede's ointment, see 

 below), and by the mouth, if first dissolved in the pro- 

 portion of five parts of collargol with one part of white 

 of egg in one hundred parts of water ; or it may be given 

 in pill with sugar of milk.t When given intravenously 

 — which is the most effective mode of administration — 



* Recently (1906) the Therapeutic Comm. of the Brit. Med. Aasoc. has found 

 argyrol without any bactericidal action whatever, while protargol is markedly so. 

 Argyrol has almost superseded the latter, and its curative effect is therefore at 

 present a mystery. 



+ Collargol has been also given mth benefit hy the rectum (H., 3 l.-ii.; in 01. 

 water; D., gr. ii.-iv. in I ii.-iii. water). 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



