Thiersch's Solution:—
| Salicylic Acid | Drams | 1/2 |
| Boracic Acid | Drams | 3 |
| Sterile Water | Pints | 2 |
Thiersch's solution is a good, mild antiseptic solution, or wash.
Solution of Bichloride of Mercury (1 to 1000):—
| Bichloride of Mercury | Grains15 | |
| Common Salt | Grains | 15 |
| Sterile Water | Pints | 2 |
Bichloride of mercury is one of the most powerful and poisonous drugs. Solutions made from it should never be used without special directions from a physician. In much weaker solutions than the above it is one of the best antiseptic washes known. It is used to disinfect wounds, for douches, and for various other purposes, but always by special direction of a physician.
Other solutions.—Frequently mothers are directed to use solutions in the proportion of 1 to 500, or 1 to 1000.
This means that there will be one part of the drug, or of the liquid medicine, to 500, or 1000 parts of water. For example if you were asked to make up a solution of bichloride of mercury in the strength of 1 to 4000, you would use one ounce of bichloride of mercury to four thousand ounces of water, or one grain of the mercury to four thousand drops of water,—one grain being equivalent to one drop.
Sometimes solutions are made up on the percentage basis. For example, a five per cent. solution of carbolic acid. In this case it would be necessary to take five ounces of carbolic to one hundred ounces of water, or five drops of carbolic to one hundred drops of water.