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blackwash

blackwash

9.9
An old medicine applied to skin sores caused by syphilis
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : ungüento antisifilítico
  • In 19th-century medicine, blackwash was applied to skin lesions caused by syphilis.

Examples

  • The physician prescribed blackwash in an attempt to soothe the patient's sores.

  • In the 19th century, blackwash was commonly used to treat skin lesions related to syphilis.

  • Historical records mention the use of blackwash as a topical remedy for certain infections.

  • The doctor recommended using blackwash for the treatment.

  • Have you ever heard of blackwash in medical treatments?

  • Historical records mention the use of blackwash as a remedy for treating syphilitic sores.

  • The physician advised the patient to apply blackwash to alleviate the sores caused by syphilis.

Synonyms

black lotion
vsblackwash
  • Archaic
9.9

A liquid medicine with mercury applied to skin sores, once used for syphilis

is limited to treating syphilitic sores rather than many skin conditions
antisyphilitic
vsblackwash
  • Archaic
8.9

A medicine that treats syphilis

is a single topical mixture for sores rather than a general drug

Surface Forms

blackwash singular
blackwashes plural

Morphology

blackwash = black + wash (semi-transparent) = black + wash

Formally a compound 'black' + 'wash' (a dark liquid), but the sense refers to a specific historical medicinal mixture, so the precise medicinal meaning is specialized and not directly inferable by learners.

Etymology

Blackwash comes from the two simple words black and wash, meaning a dark liquid you put on skin or a surface. Long ago doctors used a black liquid on sores, so the name simply means a 'black wash' used as a remedy.