What Is Mercurochrome and Why Is It Losing Its Popularity?
Posted: Monday, March 08, 2010
by Carolyn Tytler
When I was young, I loved mercurochrome. Before it came upon the scene, my mother would splash alcohol or dab iodine on cuts, scrapes, minor burns or insect bites, and when those antiseptics hit an open wound, they stung!
Mercurochrome, on the other hand, was painless. True, it left an ugly orange-red stain on the wound and on the surrounding skin, but to a child, that wasn't really a serious consideration. If you were already suffering from one painful injury, the last thing you wanted was a stinging remedy.
In 1919, Doctor Hugh Young, of Johns Hopkins University, discovered merbromin's antiseptic qualities. The mercurochrome tincture is usually composed of 2% merbromin mixed with 98% alcohol or water. I'm sure my mother bought the water mixture.
The mercurochrome mixture was very popular during the mid-twentieth century with parents, doctors and teachers. It was commonly used for all the minor injuries to which children are subject. Among the younger set, the water solution was known by its own particular moniker, "Monkey Blood", while the less popular alcohol mixture was referred to as "Tiger Blood".
In 1998, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) became concerned about potential mercury poisoning resulting from the use of mercurochrome. There was also concern that the reddish-brown stain it left on the skin could mask inflammation which would indicate that the wound had become infected.
Mercurochrome was removed from the "generally recognized as safe" category and entered in the "untested" classification. This effectively halted its sale as a topical antiseptic in America, but it continues to be available on other countries.
Merbromin is presently used as a biological dye to mark tissue margins. It is also useful as a dye in industrial settings because it penetrates cracks in metal to disclose fractures.
Mercurochrome does not enjoy the popularity anywhere it did in the mid-twentieth century. There are more effective and safer methods to treat cuts, scrapes, minor burns and insect bites today.
Department stores and pharmacies offer a wide variety of First Aid products in any form you wish: creams, sprays or ointments. Those who prefer a liquid can splash on some hydrogen peroxide. It is readily available at a reasonable price. There are even Antibiotic Band-aids available.
Mercurochrome has gone the way of the milkman, the coal furnace, and cowboy movies on Saturday afternnoons and maybe it's just as well. Technology and Science have come a long way since then, and it's a well-known fact that you can't stop progress.
This Article has been viewed 2,163 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)My mom used to use mercurochrome on my cuts. I didn't really like the red stain because it reminded me of blood and made my cut look worse than it really was. Mom should have bought stock in the company that made the stuff for the number of cuts I got as a child.
I think we all got hefty doses of the stuff from the 1950s to 1970s. If it was at all harmful, we should have had some symptoms by now.
Nice accurate article .Young people haven't heard of the stuff .Got some fresh mercurochrome from my pharmacist today , 4% aqueous and also 2% ethanol tincture , 2 oz each , nothing heals better .
First of all Mercurochrome works much much better than any of today's topical treatments. So much for YOUR "progress". The FDA just like the EPA is corrupted by politicians and money. The government is the big lie that no one tells you about.
Old time discoveries and products are mostly effective and safe. There are cures for many things, but the government needs people to continue to be treated of their symptoms and NOT cured of their ailments. It is all about money my friends. The sooner you realize, the sooner Americans can correct the lies and mistakes.
Don't forget R12 (freon), CFC's, etc. All safe, just victims of government!
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.