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.