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ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

application, the wound or ulcer over which it is formed invariably heals.”Dry lint will, in general, be found the best dressing for sores touchedwith the nitrate.

Nitrate of silver was proposed by Mr. Iligginbottom as a topicalremedy for external inflammation. It may be applied with great advan-tage to subdue the inflammatory action of erythema, of paronychia orwhitlow, and of inflamed absorbents. In some cases it is merely neces-sary to blacken the cuticle ; in others, Mr. Higginbottom recommends itto be used so as to induce vesication. In what way it subdues inflam-mation—in other words, its methodus medendi —is completely unknown.

Bre tonneau and Serres {Arch. Gen. de Med. viii. 220 and 427) recom-mend the cauterization of variolous pustules by nitrate of silver, in orderto cut short their progress. It is principally useful as a means of pre-venting pitting, and should be employed on the first or second day of theeruption. The solid caustic is to be applied to each pustule after theapices have been removed. This cctrotic method has also been employedin the treatment of shingles (herpes zoster): in one case the disease wascured in a few hours {Arch. Gen. de Med. xviii. 439). Some good rulesfor its application have been laid down by ltayer {Treatise on SkinDiseases, by Willis, p. 260).

In some diseases of the eye nitrate of silver is a most valuable remedialagent. It is used in the solid state, in solution, and in ointment: thesolution may be used as awash or injection, or applied by a camel’s hairpencil. In deep ulcers of the cornea, the solid nitrate should be applied,—in superficial ones, a solution (of from 4 to 10 grains of the salt to anounce of distilled water) may be employed (Mackenzie, On the Diseasesof the Eye, 2d ed. 578). There is one drawback to the use of this sub-stance in ulcers of the cornea, as well as other affections of the eye ; viz.the danger of producing dark specks in the cornea, or of staining theconjunctiva (Jacob, Dubl. Hosp. Rep. v. 365). In both acute and chronicophthalmia, Mr. Guthrie {Lond. Med. ancl Rhys. Journ. lx. 193, lxi. 1)employs this salt in the form of ointment (Arg. Nitr. gr. ij. ad gr. x.;Liq. Plumbi Subacet. gtt. xv.; Ung. Cetacei , 3j.) Of this lie directs aportion (varying in size from a large pin’s head to that of a garden pea)to be introduced between the lids by the finger or a camel’s hair pencil.It causes more or less pain, which sometimes lasts only half an hour, atothers till next day. Warm anodyne fomentations are to be used ; andthe application of the ointment repeated every third day. In acute cases,two or three applications will arrest the disease. With this treatment,blood-letting, and the use of calomel and opium, are preceded or con-joined. (For some judicious remarks on this practice, consult the articleOphthalmia, by Dr. Jacob, in the Cyclop, of Pract. Med. iii. 201).While many surgeons hesitate to use nitrate of silver in the first stage ofacute purulent ophthalmia, all are agreed as to its value in the secondstage of the disease, as well as in chronic ophthalmia. Besides the dis-eases of the eye already mentioned, there are many others in which theoculist finds this salt of the greatest service, as a caustic, astringent, orstimulant. (Vide Dr. Mackenzie’s Treat, on Diseases of the Eye ; andMr. Ryall’s paper, in the Trans, of the King and Queen’s College ofPhys. v. 1).

In inflammatory affections and ulcerations of the mucous membrane ofthe mouth and fauces, nitrate of silver is sometimes a most valuable