Balm of Gilead

A fellow classmate here at GIAL introduced me to an escharotic salve. She has used it for treatment of topical malignancies and let me borrow it for the weekend. I photocopied the instructions for use but didn't, upon reflection and research, find it necessary to use it at this time.

In the area of research, I checked the Intox toxic chemical database for reference to the salve's main ingredient, zinc chloride. On the FDA website, I found reference to use of zinc chloride in canned asparagus but in minute proportions. It is generally recognized as safe for human consumption, when used properly. There is an archived mention of a Mohis cancer paste, dated October 21, 1947 but here's all that the reference on this page says:
40 I 21-Oct-47 WISC ALUMNI RES FDTN MOHIS CANCER PASTE; ZINC CHLORIDE FIXATIVE
A related page lists this compound as inactive, but it doesn't say why it would be inactive.
The National Institute of Health site lists zinc chloride as a hazardous substance.
The quackwatch website has a section on alternative cancer treatment methods which makes mention of alternative uses of escharotic paste.
One alternative site is dedicated to the use of salves in external cancer treatment and refers to historical success rates.