It was probably Silvadene or a similar preparation with a different name. Basically, this is a sterile preparation of petrolatum (Vaseline) with silver. The petroleum jelly blocks air from irritating the nerve endings while the silver kills "germs." Silver preparations have been used in burn treatments for years. There may be something else used now, but silver-containing eye drops used to be placed in newborns' eyes immediately after birth to prevent blindness from possible contamination during birth.

CM