HYDRARGYRI CHLORIDUM CORROSIVUM—CORROSIVE MERCURIC CHLORIDE—BICHLORIDE OF MERCURY—CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE
Reading edition
Origin.—Bichloride of mercury is obtained as a sulphate by heating a mixture of mercuric sulphate, sodium chloride and a little black oxide of manganese.
Properties.—Heavy, colorless masses; soluble one in sixteen of water, one in three of alcohol; hydrochloric acid or muriate of ammonia increases its solubility.
Actions.—It is a corrosive, irritant poison; it is occasionally prescribed as an alterative, antiseptic and hepatic stimulant; repeated doses or long continued produce mercurialism. Externally, it is used as an antiseptic, astringent, caustic and parasiticide. It is a most powerful antiseptic when five parts of tartaric acid are added to one part of bichloride of mercury, which prevents the formation of insoluble albuminates of mercury in the tissues which checks any further action of the drug. Hydrochloric acid equal parts serves the same purpose.
Uses.—For internal use milder preparations of mercury are preferred, and it is dangerous to use it for the production of mercurialism. For horses it has been prescribed in tetanus, chronic skin eruptions and swollen oedematous legs following repeated attacks of lymphangitis. Its chief use is that of an antiseptic externally for many surgical purposes, usually in the strength of one to five hundred, one to one thousand; for uterine injections, one to five thousand or one in ten thousand. Seven and a half grains to a pint of water makes a one to one thousand solution. Seven and a half grains to a quart of water makes a one to two thousand solution. Fifteen grains to a pint of water makes a one to five hundred solution. Instruments, sponges, towels as well as the hands are disinfected by washing in a one thousandth solution. But it is injurious to most metal instruments and irritates and roughens the operator’s hands. Best antiseptic for foul wounds, thrush, poll-evil, quittor and fistulous withers and nail punctures of the feet, a one in five hundred to one in one thousand solution to destroy the cryptogamic growths of ringworm, to kill lice and allay the itching of puritis and urticaria. Bichloride of mercury one part in one or two thousand parts of water is injected into the uterus in metritis, and in cases of abortion with good results. Contagious abortion is satisfactorily prevented by washing the aborted animal’s tail and external genital organs twice daily. All pregnant cows should be treated in the same manner. Warm solutions are much more active than cold.
A one in three to five thousand solutions are used in purulent conjunctivitis or wounds of the eye and lids, by frequently saturating absorbent cotton in the solution and holding over the eye by means of a clean cloth or bandage.
Doses.—Horse, 1 to 5 gr.; cattle, 2 to 8 gr.; sheep, 1⁄2 to 1 gr.; pigs 1⁄8 to 1⁄2 gr.; dogs, 1⁄60 to 1⁄10 gr. Not often given internally. It is the best of all the preparations of mercury for hypodermic use in syphilitic diseases.
Antidotes.—The white of eggs, stomach pump for horses and emesis for dogs; wheat flower, milk, etc.
HYDRARGYRI CHLORIDUM MITE—MILD MERCUROUS CHLORIDE—CALOMEL
Origin.—Calomel is obtained by heating a mixture of mercurous sulphate and sodium chlorid. Calomel is found native in Spain and Carniola, but in too small quantities for commercial value.
Properties.—Calomel is a dull-white heavy powder. It is inodorous, insoluble in water, alcohol or ether.
Actions.—Calomel is a cathartic, laxative, alterative, diuretic and vermifuge. Small doses are laxatives when repeated, large doses are cathartics, full doses irritate the stomach and produce emesis in man and dog. By stimulating the urea functions of the liver diuresis are produced, its action on the liver does not directly increase the secretion of bile, but removes it from the duodenum which reflexly increases its secretion. Repeated doses produce mercurial poisoning. It is an alterative when combined with opium, laxative in small repeated doses and cathartic in larger doses.
Uses.—Calomel is useful in gastric and intestinal catarrh, bilious diarrhoea, influenza lymphangitis and liver disorders which show themselves by a yellowness of the visible mucous membranes. It is a useful adjuvant cathartic conjoined with aloes or other cathartics. As a laxative or cathartic for horses give aloes and calomel; cattle and sheep, magnesium and sodium sulphate; for pigs, dogs and cats with jalap. Pure calomel is a specific for thrush. It is also useful in the treatment of moist skin and raw sores, mixed in equal parts with bismuth subnitrate it quickly dries the flesh and prevents itching.
Doses.—As a laxative vermifuge and alterative horses and cattle take 20 to 40 grs.; sheep and pigs, 5 to 20 grs.; dogs and cats, 1⁄16 to 1 gr., given two or three times a day with equal weight of opium which prevents griping and a too rapid removal by the bowels. As a cathartic, calomel is best conjoined with other medicines regulated by that of the medicine with which it is conjoined. A full cathartic for horses should consist of calomel 1 to 11⁄2 drs. with aloes 4 to 6 drs.; cattle, 11⁄2 to 2 drs. with magnesium sulphate or sodium sulphate 1 to 11⁄2 pounds; sheep, 5 to 30 grs. with magnesium sulphate 4 to 8 ounces; pigs, 5 to 30 grs. with sodium bicarbonate 1⁄2 to 1 ounce; dogs and cats 1⁄8 to 10 grs. with jalap 10 to 30 grains.
HYDRARGYRI IODIDUM RUBRUM—RED IODIDE OF MERCURY—BINIODIDE OF MERCURY
Origin.—Red iodide of mercury is obtained by dissolving in water separately bichloride of mercury and potassium iodide, and pour both solutions slowly and stirring actively.
Properties.—A scarlet-red, amorphous powder; odorless and tasteless; permanent in air, insoluble in water; soluble in one hundred and twenty-five parts of alcohol.
Actions.—Red iodide of mercury is a stimulant irritant, resolvent pustulant antiseptic and parasiticide.
Uses.—Mixed with one to eight parts of lard it is a blister used to reduce bony enlargements or bone-tumors as in splints, bone spavin, ringbone, sidebone and actinomycosis; it is also used with good results in reducing soft swellings, to arrest chronic inflammation and promote absorption of inflammatory deposits, as seen in sprained tendons, curbs, enlarged joints, bursae, etc. It is frequently used as a counter-irritant in sore throat, chronic cough and roaring. Mixed with cantharides the strength can be reduced as an irritant and less apt to permanently destroy the hair bulbs. It is used internally to arrest the growths of actinomycoses and scirrhous cord, but in those cases the benefits are derived from the potassium iodide which it contains, and I would recommend administering internally without the mercury.
HYDRARGYRI OXIDUM FLAVUM—YELLOW MERCURIC OXIDE
Origin.—Yellow mercuric oxide is obtained by the interaction of mercuric chloride and sodium hydroxide.
Properties.—Mercuric oxide is of a yellow color, similar to that of the yolk of egg, and is a completely amorphous powder; odorless, and having a somewhat metallic taste; permanent in the air, but turning dark on exposure to light; insoluble in water or alcohol.
Actions.—A stimulant caustic and anesthetic.
Uses.—The official ointment of yellow mercuric oxide is prescribed as a stimulant and anesthetic in chronic inflammation and ulceration of the eye (4 gr. of yellow mercuric oxide to 1 oz. of vaseline). It is also employed on skin diseases, indolent ulcers, swollen glands and granulated wounds.