noun
- A red or orange antiseptic dye formerly used as a topical disinfectant for minor cuts and wounds; also called mercurochrome.
Usage: dated; medical/pharmaceutical; largely discontinued in many countries due to mercury content concerns
Examples
- The nurse applied merbromin to the child's scraped knee.
- Merbromin was a common household antiseptic in the mid-20th century.
- The bright red stain of merbromin was familiar to generations of children.
- Many countries phased out merbromin due to health and environmental concerns about mercury.
- Before modern antibiotic ointments, merbromin was widely recommended for minor injuries.