EXTERNAL APPLICATIONS OF LEAD. An excellent application to burns is white-lead paint (carbonate of lead and linseed-oil), especially if the surface is not very large and there are no fears of a dangerous amount of absorption. The official ointment of the carbonate of lead may be preferred.
Lead lotion (liquor plumbi subace tatis), diluted with 3 or 4 parts of water. is a good application to eczema, -where there is much weeping. It is also val uable when combined with laudanum (lead-water, 4 parts; laudanum, 1 part; water, 16 parts) as an application to in flamed surfaces, bruises, sprains, fract ures, blisters, scalds, excoriations, and fissured nipples.
The acetate of lead is also an excellent application for the dermatitis produced by poison-ivy (Rhus toxicodendron), as the lead precipitates the non-volatile oil of the pois.on. For this latter pur pose Hare advises that S grains of lead acetate should be dissolved in a pint of alcohol and used as a wash; cooling applications should follow, but ointments should be avoided, as they dissolve the poisonous oil and spread the irritation.
Lead acetate is a useful application. In pruritus pudendi the lead-water, or cerate, may be used. Helva recommends the application of equal parts of lead plaster and linseed-oil for sweating feet. They should be applied on linen and wrapped around the feet every third day. Nitrate of lead is used, in powder, in the treatment of onychia.
In gonorrhcea and leucorrhcea a solu tion of lead acetate (3 or 4 grains to the ounce of water) may be used as an in jection. Lead preparations should never be used in eye-lotions, as they are apt to deposit the lead in the tissues of the cornea and leave permanent white patches, especially if ulcer of the cornea is present.