Caustic

( Med.) A medicine that burns or eats away the skin and flesh, making an open sore. The most important caustics are: the nitrate of silver ( lunar C. ), C. potash (pota a fusa), nitric acid ( aqua - fortis ), sulphate of copper ( blue -stone). See CAUTERY. Caus'tically, adv. In a caustic manner; severely. Caustic'ity, Causticne , n. [Fr. caustic ité.] Quality of being caustic; severity; cutting remarks. Cau's us, n. [Gr. kausos, heat.] ( Med.) A highly ardent fever. Cau'ten, or IMPERIAL, a river of Chili, has its source on the W. slope of the Andes, in Lat. 38° 44′ S., and falls into the S. Pacific Ocean at Lat. 38° 48′ S. Length abt. 180 m.