Does Potassium Thiocyanate have medical uses?

[cinejerk]

Looks like potassium thiocyanate medicine??
Found this on ebay. Looks like lilly brand potassium thiocyanate tablets???
Anyone know what this is for? Would this be good for photographic uses?
Or are there a bunch of inert fillers in this?
The seller doesn't have a clue.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Lilly-E...0?hash=item518988a1b6&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

 

[ic-racer]

If you are a "Snake Oil" salesman, or enjoy religious hijinx:

Dilute aqueous KSCN is occasionally used for moderately realistic blood effects in film and theater. It can be painted onto a surface or kept as a colourless solution. When in contact with ferric chloride solution (or Iron (III) Chloride), the product of the reaction is a blood red solution. Thus this chemical is often used to create the effect of 'stigmata'. Because both solutions are colourless, they can be placed separately on each hand. When the hands are brought into contact, the solutions react and the effect looks remarkably like stigmata.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Thiocyanate is used in some toothpastes. It is also apparently used in some cosmetic applications.

It apparently has some other medical uses, but I have no idea what the capsulles are for. A filler that created a suspension would be harmful to film or paper if used in a developer or fixer.

PE

 

[Kirk Keyes]

My Merck Index (1996) says it's a "hypotensive". I suspect there are better drugs out there than KSCN for that these days... Merck doesn't mention toothpaste! But I remember you found that Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash both contained it.

 

[cinejerk]

I can't really tell from the pics but if those pills are 100% KSCN I wonder what the results would be of ingesting one?? Probably not good ;-(
That's what makes me think they are probably not pure. Not to mention how old they are.