[edit] Mercurochrome & Tinctures Mercurochrome is the trade name of merbromin and (usually) of merbromin tinctures made of merbromin and alcohol or water (usually 2% merbromin to 98% alcohol or water). Its antiseptic qualities were discovered by Johns Hopkins doctor Hugh Young in 1919.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070201100417AAVMJkT
Many doctors today use a water-based iodine as an antiseptic, as it has one of the broadest germ-killing spectrums. The skull and crossbones on the label along with the word POISON in capital letters probably give a clue as to why this old school remedy is rarely found in home first aid kits anymore.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/31157/11-memories-not-so-modern-medicine
While no one's offered evidence of mass Mercurochrome poisoning, the medical literature contains scattered reports of mercury toxicity due to use of the antiseptic, and these days the burden of proof is on drug manufacturers to show that their products' benefits outweigh the risks.
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2518/what-happened-to-mercurochrome
Dear Cecil: I had skin surgery recently and was told to apply Mercurochrome to aid in scarless healing. The product, once widely available, is sold by only one vendor in Boise, and I'm told they manufacture their own. Another pharmacist told me they were not allowed to handle or sell it.
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2518/what-happened-to-mercurochrome
Mer·cu·ro·chrome. A trademark for a preparation of merbromin. A proprietary formulation of merbromin, which was once popular as a topical antiseptic. Mercurochrome was deemed ineffective for that purpose and removed from the US market in 1998; it continues to be widely used in other countries.
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Mercurochrome
But many of us Boomers begged mom to daub our cuts and scrapes with the relatively painless Mercurochrome in lieu of that nasty stinging Iodine. Sure it stained your flesh pinkish-red, but you could probably wear that temporarily as a battle scar.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/31157/11-memories-not-so-modern-medicine
I used that stuff for years and none of my kids died!. But more scientific minds agreed that the ban was a wise and about time! decision, since the main active ingredient in Mercurochrome is mercury.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/31157/11-memories-not-so-modern-medicine
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration put very strict limitations on the sale of Mercurochrome in 1998 and stated that it was no longer considered to be a GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) over-the-counter product.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/31157/11-memories-not-so-modern-medicine
Mercurochrome, Merbromine, Sodium mercurescein, Asceptichrome, Supercrome and Cinfacromin) is a topical antiseptic used for minor cuts and scrapes. It is no longer sold in the USA because of its mercury content. Merbromin is an organomercuric disodium salt compound and a fluorescein.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070201100417AAVMJkT
Medicines and medical practices have come a long way in a relatively short time. Here are some items that have vanished from medicine cabinets in the last few decades.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/31157/11-memories-not-so-modern-medicine
what is mercurochrome antiseptic
Mercurochrome antiseptic is a topical antiseptic used for minor cuts and scrapes. Mercurochrome is a topical antiseptic used for minor cuts and scrapes.