A trivalent metallic element; atomic no. 83, atomic wt. 20.98037. Several of its salts are used in medicine; some contain BiO+, rather than Bi3+, and are called subsalts. [Ger. Wismut, weisse Masse, white mass]
- b. oxide used for the same purposes as the subnitrate.
- b. oxycarbonate SYN: b. subcarbonate.
- b. oxychloride basic b. chloride, used for the same purposes as the subnitrate. SYN: b. chloride oxide, bismuthyl chloride.
- b. oxynitrate SYN: b. subnitrate.
- b. salicylate b. subsalicylate.
- b. subcarbonate used for the same purposes as b. subnitrate, but has lower toxicity. SYN: b. carbonate, b. oxycarbonate, bismuthyl carbonate.
- b. subgallate used internally in diarrhea and externally as an astringent and protective dusting powder.
- b. subnitrate a basic salt, the composition of which varies with the conditions of preparation; used internally as an intestinal astringent and externally as a mild astringent and antiseptic; the metal is used as an electron microscope stain for nucleic acid s. SYN: b. oxynitrate.
- b. subsalicylate used as an intestinal antiseptic.
- b. tribromophenate, b. tribromophenol used externally as an antiseptic.
- b. trichloride BiCl3; addition of water results in formation of b. oxychloride. SYN: butter of b..
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bis·muth 'biz-məth n a heavy brittle grayish white chiefly trivalent metallic element that is chemically like arsenic and antimony and that is used in alloys and pharmaceuticals symbol Bi see ELEMENT (table)
bis·mu·thic biz-'məth-ik, -'myü-thik adj
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bis·muth (Bi) (bizґməth) a silver-white metal, atomic number 83, atomic weight 208.980. Its salts have astringent, antacid, and mildly germicidal properties and are used to treat diarrhea, nausea, indigestion, and other gastrointestinal conditions; they were formerly used in the treatment of syphilis but have been superseded by antibiotics. Excessive ingestion can cause bismuth poisoning; see under poisoning.Medical dictionary. 2011.