calomel

/'kæləmel/

Thân thiện

The doctor prescribed calomel for the patient.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A white, tasteless, and odorless powder: Calomel is a chemical compound, specifically mercurous chloride (Hg₂Cl₂), that appears as a fine white powder.
   • A medicinal substance used as a purgative: Historically, calomel was used in medicine as a cathartic to induce bowel movements.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The 19th-century doctor prescribed calomel for the patient's ailment.
  • Calomel was a common ingredient in many historical remedies.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Medical Context: Calomel is primarily discussed in historical or medical history contexts, as its use has been largely discontinued due to the toxicity of mercury.
  • The dangers of mercury poisoning led to the decline of calomel's use in medicine.

Variants and Related Words

• Mercurous chloride: The systematic chemical name for calomel.
• Cathartic: A type of medicinal substance used to purge the bowels; a category that included calomel.

Synonyms

• Mercurous chloride (chemical name).
• Purgative (describes its function, not a direct synonym for the substance itself).

Notes on Meaning

• The term "calomel" refers specifically to the chemical compound mercurous chloride. Its primary historical meaning is tied to its use as a medicine. It is not used in modern therapeutic contexts and has no other common meanings in general English.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a tasteless colorless powder used medicinally as a cathartic

Từ đồng nghĩa

• mercurous chloride