sb. and a. Med. [ad. mod.L. vesicant-, vesicans, pres. pple. of vesicare: see next and -ANT. So F. vésicant, Pg. vesicante, It. vessicante.]
A. sb. An application employed to raise blisters; a vesicatory.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 459. Vesicants. Simple. Roots, of thapsia, and pellitory of Spaine. Seeds, of mustard.
1836. Penny Cycl., VI. 249/1. The terebinthinate solution may be used as a most efficacious vesicant.
1871. Garrod, Mat. Med. (ed. 3), 417. The pustulants induce a still deeper action, and are sometimes of greater value than vesicants.
B. adj. Causing, efficacious in producing, blisters; vesicatory.
1826. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., IV. xlviii. 468. There appears no particular affinity between the Predaceous and Vesicant beetles.
1857. Henfrey, Elem. Bot., § 531. Polygonum Hydropiper, a common native weed, is very acrid, even vesicant when fresh.
1864. Garrod, Mat. Med. (ed. 2), 54. It is astringent, irritant, vesicant, or even escharotic, according to the mode of its application.
