Abstract: Cerium sulfadiazine and compositions containing a cerium sulfadiazine, particularly cerous sulfadiazine [Ce(SD).sub.3 ] wherein SD represents the sulfadiazine moiety, have been found to be useful in the treatment of burns. Cerous sulfadiazine is prepared by reacting an aqueous solution of sodium sulfadiazine with an aqueous solution of a cerous salt, such as cerous nitrate or cerous chloride. The resulting cerous sulfadiazine is formed as a white precipitate. The precipitated cerous sulfadiazine, such as made by reacting cerous nitrate with sodium sulfadiazine, upon washing and drying has a melting point of 248.degree.-255.degree. C.

Abstract: Zinc is essential in the complex process of wound healing. Zinc sulfadiazine promotes wound healing and controls infection. When taken into the body, such as by topical application to a wound surface, zinc sulfadiazine dissolves and its dissociation achieves a replacement of zinc lost in the body fluids, such as in the urine, after thermal or other trauma. Although both zinc sulfadiazine and silver sulfadiazine each effectively controls infection and enhances healing in burn wounds, the combination of zinc sulfadiazine and silver sulfadiazine, particularly in a single medicament, possesses enhanced efficacy.

Abstract: An aqueous hypertonic solution useful in the treatment of a human suffering from a burn injury and the like comprises on the basis of one liter of solution about 200-300 mEq sodium, about 145-215 mEq chloride, about 55-85 mEq bicarbonate or acetate or lactate, the mEq sodium to chloride ratio being 1.4. An example of the above hypertonic solution is an aqueous solution containing per liter 225 mEq sodium, 160 mEq chloride, 73 mEq acetate, about 5 mEq potassium and about 3 mEq magnesium, the solution having a pH of about 8.3, preferably having a pH of about 6.0 upon pH adjustment by the addition of hydrochloric acid.