A mercuric salt of salicylic acid in which one atom of mercury is combined with one molecule of salicylic acid.

Properties : Mercuric salicylate is a white amorphous powder, tasteless, odorless and neutral to litmus paper. It is nearly insoluble in water or alcohol, but soluble at the ordinary temperature in solutions of sodium hydroxid or sodium carbonate with the formation of a double salt.

Incompatibilities : Mercuric salicylate is incompatible with iodids and (probably) other halogen salts.

Action and Uses : Mercuric salicylate is used as an antiseptic and for producing the internal actions of mercury. It is much used by hypodermic or intramuscular injection in the treatment of syphilis.

Dosage: Mercuric salicylate is given by intramuscular injection in a 10 per cent, suspension in liquid paraffin; 0.6 c.c. or 10 minims of this suspension are injected once in four days. It is held by some clinicians that the introduction of sufficient mercury by the mouth to eradicate syphilis thoroughly is practically impossible.