Mercury Compound Use Questioned

◆ A recent issue of The Medical Letter, published in New York, made this comment on using mercurial compounds as antiseptics: “There is little justification for the use of any of these preparations.” It said that they are not effective against bacterial spores. Among the compounds mentioned were merbromin (Mercurochrome), nitromersol (Metaphen) and thimerosal (Merthiolate). The publication said: “In view of the availability of more effective and less sensitizing antiseptics, however, there is little justification for using them as antiseptics for skin or mucous membranes or as instrument disinfectants.” It noted that minor scratches, scrapes and superficial cuts in relatively clean skin are best treated by washing them with soap and water.

Hazardous-Drug List Ignored

◆ The Food and Drug Administration issued a list of 369 drugs found to be hazardous or ineffective. The New York Times relates that the list “apparently is being ignored by a large number of doctors and their patients across the country.” In fact, the manager of one drug firm in Detroit reports that “as soon as the F.D.A. comes out with a list of drugs they’ve banned, we get a run on them.” Evidently, the warning simply did not mean much to some people.