deterge

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

deterge
    v 1: wipe away; to wash off or out, cleanse; chiefly in medical
         use: to clear away foul matter from the body; "This drug is
         powerful enough to deterge"

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Deterge \De*terge"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Deterged}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Deterging}.] [L. detergere, detersum; de + tergere to
   rub or wipe off: cf. F. d['e]terger.]
   To cleanse; to purge away, as foul or offending matter from
   the body, or from an ulcer.
   [1913 Webster]