Acetarsone

/ˌæsɪˈtɑrsəʊn/ noun

Definition

A chemical compound containing arsenic that was historically used as a medicine to treat certain infections and diseases.

Etymology

From acetic acid + arsenic, combined in the early 20th century when chemists were developing arsenic-based pharmaceuticals that were less toxic than pure arsenic.

Kelly Says

Acetarsone represents a fascinating period in medical history when arsenic was actually prescribed as medicine—it sounds backwards now, but doctors realized that certain chemical forms of poison could kill dangerous parasites without killing the patient.

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