Mary,

My father was an old fashioned country doctor who used mercurochrome for
every cut I ever received.  The bottles he used were small square with a
threaded plastic black cap attached to an applicator tube not a dropper.  In
fact I still have one in my medicine cabinet at home and hope I never run
out.  In the 90's the orange variety was banned but they came out with a
clear type...it doesn't work all that well. The other alternative (which
also came in small bottles and was orange) was merthiolate, which always
stung.  The use of mercurochrome on cuts and popped blister resulted in
quick healing.  It also seamed to take away the pain to the wound.

Bill Liebeknecht
Hunter Research, Inc. 
Trenton, New Jersey


-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
[log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 12:29 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: mercurochrome


Has any one found mercurochrome bottles?  I have a small square bottle with
a 
glass dropper. The bottle/dropper are stained a pinkish red.  Ideas?  The 
bottle is from a late 1930s to early 1940s residential deposit.  I remember
my 
mom painting me red with mecurochrome as a kid but it seems like it came in
a 
round bottle.

Mary L. Maniery
PAR Environmental Services, Inc.
PO Box 160756
Sacramento, CA
(916) 739-8356