Zincum

Zinc

Zinc. Zinc, Fr.; Zink, Ger.

Zinci Oxidum

Zinc oxide. A yellowish-white powder, insoluble in water, but soluble in dilute sulphuric and muriatic acids without effervescence. The solutions, when neutral, yield white precipitates with ferrocyanide of potassium and hydrosulphate of ammonium. Dose, gr. ss—grs. v.

Zinci Carbonas Precipitatus

Precipitated zinc carbonate. A light, white powder, odorless and tasteless, and insoluble in water or alcohol.

Ceratum Zinci Carbonatis

Cerate of carbonate of zinc. (Not official.) (Carbonate, oz ij; ointment, oz x.)

Zinci Sulphas. Zinc Sulphate

Zinc sulphate. In colorless crystals, which effloresce on exposure to air. It is soluble in water, and the solution affords white precipitates with ammonia, chloride of barium, ferrocyanide of potassium, and hydrosulphate of ammonium. The precipitate thrown down by ammonia is wholly soluble in an excess of the alkali. Dose, gr. 1/4—gr. vj.

Zinci Acetas

Zinc acetate. In micaceous crystals, which effloresce in a dry atmosphere. It is soluble in 2·7 parts of water, and its solution yields white precipitates with ferrocyanide of potassium and hydrosulphate of ammonium. The salt is decomposed by sulphuric acid, with the escape of acetous vapors. Dose, gr. ss—gr. ij.

Liquor Zinci Chloridi

Solution of zinc chloride. An aqueous solution, containing about 50 per cent by weight of the salt.

Zinci Chloridum

Zinc chloride. A white deliquescent salt, wholly soluble in water, alcohol, and ether. Its aqueous solution yields with nitrate of silver a white precipitate, insoluble in nitric acid. (These preparations are for external use only.)

Zinci Valerianas

Zinc valerianate. A white anhydrous salt, in the form of pearly scales, having a faint odor of valerianic acid, and a metallic styptic taste. It dissolves in one hundred parts of water, and in forty of alcohol of the specific gravity of 0·833. Dose, gr. 1/4 —gr.j.

Unguentum Zinci Oxidi

Ointment of zinc oxide. (Zinc oxide, 200 grm.; benzoinated lard, 800 grm.)

Antagonists and Incompatibles

Lime-water, the alkalies and their carbonates, nitrate of silver, and the vegetable astringents, are incompatible with zinc-salts. The acetate of lead is also incompatible, but a solution containing sulphate of zinc and acetate of lead, notwithstanding the double decomposition which ensues, is an effective injection in gonorrhoea. With valerianate of zinc, acids, many of the metallic salts, soluble carbonates, and vegetable astringents, are incompatible. The antidotes to be used in cases of poisoning by the zinc-salts are lime-water, mucilaginous drinks, milk, tannic acid, the carbonated alkalies, common soap, etc.

Synergists

The mercurial, silver, antimonial, and copper preparations favor the action of the zinc-salts.

Physiological Actions

The preparations of zinc are active in proportion to their solubility and power of diffusion. The chloride, the sulphate, and the acetate, are the most active, and in the order in which they are placed; the carbonate and the oxide being insoluble, have very feeble diffusive power, and possess consequently very slight activity. The chloride is a very active escharotic. Applied to the denuded integument, it sets up decided inflammation, and produces an intense burning pain, followed by sloughing. Owing to its great affinity for water and power of combination with albumen, it penetrates deeply and widely, and the eschar which it produces is thick, hard, and white. The dried sulphate of zinc (deprived of its water of crystallization by heat) is also feebly escharotic when applied to an open wound. Solutions of the sulphate and acetate act locally as astringents by combining with albumen.

The soluble salts of zinc have a styptic metallic taste, which is very disagreeable. The sulphate of zinc is a very prompt and efficient emetic, acting without much preliminary nausea, and without much constitutional depression. It is a specific emetic; it acts to produce emesis when injected into the veins. Long-continued use of the sulphate, even in small medicinal doses, may excite ulceration of the mucous membrane. The oxide and carbonate, although insoluble and inactive, slowly produce systemic effects. The chloride is a powerful irritant poison, causing heat and a sense of constriction of the throat, a strong metallic taste, burning at the stomach, nausea, vomiting, great depression of the pulse, coldness of the surface, cold sweat, cramps of the legs, etc. The mind is unaffected. In a few instances nervous symptoms have followed, besides the cramps, and in one notable case there was loss of the senses of taste and smell.

All of the salts of zinc, when long continued, may produce a train of symptoms not unlike those caused by lead, viz., emaciation, pallor, loss of strength, constipation and colic, muscular weakness and trembling, paralysis, etc. The oxide in large doses, and used for a long period, has produced wasting, a fetid breath, gastro-intestinal catarrh, weakness, and feeble mind.

The zinc-salts most probably exist in the blood in the form of albuminate, and in close relation to the red blood-globules. They manifest much less tendency to accumulate, and are excreted much more rapidly than mercury, lead, and copper. They diffuse out of the blood chiefly by the liver and intestinal glandular apparatus, and are found in great quantity in the faeces. To a slight extent they are also excreted by the kidneys.