DERIVATION.--Made from zinc chloride and water. It should contain about
50 per cent, by weight, of the salt. Zinc chloride is used externally
only.
PROPERTIES.--A clear, colorless, liquid, odorless, having a very
astringent, metallic taste.
ACTION AND USES.--Is caustic and escharotic, used full strength or in a
strong solution; penetrates very deeply and causes deep sloughing; an
irritant and corrosive poison; mild medical solutions are antiseptic and
astringent; is also disinfectant and deodorizer. Can be used as a
caustic when indicated; used with caution, for granulations in chronic
ulcers and foot-rot in sheep; to slough out all kinds of fistula,
usually mixed with one or two parts of flour made into a paste with
water, two ounces in a pint of water is injected as a caustic into
fistulous tracts; two or three per cent solution or two to four drachms
to the pint of water is used for ordinary astringent purposes and as a
parasiticide.