A slate-gray or bluish discoloration of the skin and deep tissues, due to the deposit of insoluble albuminate of silver, occurring after the medicinal administration for a long period of a soluble silver salt; formerly fairly common from use of proprietary preparations of silver-containing materials in the nose and sinuses. SYN: argyrism, silver poisoning. [G. argyros, silver]
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ar·gyr·ia är-'jir-ē-ə n permanent dark discoloration of skin caused by overuse of medicinal silver preparations
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n.
the deposition of silver in the skin and other tissues, either resulting from industrial exposure or following ingestion or long-term administration of silver salts. A slate-grey pigmentation develops slowly; this is accentuated in areas exposed to light. Deposition of silver in the conjunctiva, corneal epithelium, stroma, and Descemet's membrane is usually due to chronic exposure to silver compounds or instillation of eye drops containing silver.
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ar·gyr·ia (ahr-jirґe-ə) a permanent ash gray discoloration of the skin, conjunctiva, and internal organs that results from long-continued use of silver salts. Called also argyrosis.
Argyria.
Medical dictionary. 2011.