silver nitrate?

[nurse_lilyjaderose]

I just read something disturbing.... silver nitrate is used to treat Steven-Johnsons Syndrome. Why? I remember working with silver nitrate in chem class and it was not fun at all. The smell, and it hurt if you spilled it on your skin. Not really at first but in just a while it would tingle and itch.

Now granted I'm sensitive to chemicals.... but, why? Is it diluted? or did i work with another type of silver nitrate? Why would we use something like this to treat a wound?

Please shed some light!!

[ajbyars]

After the most part of his umbilical cord fell off, my son was left with what the pediatrician called a "granuloma", which he then cauterized with silver nitrate. I was assured that it was extremely rare that he would have any reaction to it. The next morning I noticed that the skin around his belly button looked like someone had burnt it. It was red and swollen and had tiny blisters. We called the ped and he was hospitalized for 2 days, taking rounds of antibiotic and blood work at just 3 weeks old. I have yet to find any information on the internet about silver allergies. All I can find are pages about nickel allergies. Can anyone help me?