Iodine

“ The iodine combined with starch amounts at the utmost to 7·5 per cent. The compound is most readily formed in the presence of water, and then produces a deep indigo-blue. Almost all other substances capable of penetrating starch grains, weaken the colour of the iodine compound to violet, reddish yellow, yellow, or greenish blue. These different shades, the production of which has been described by Nägeli with great diffuseness, are merely the colours which belong to iodine itself in the solid, liquid, or gaseous form. ”

“ When iodine acts kindly on the constitution, no other effect will be found to accompany its use, but a diminution of the tumor and a little nervous excitement, which is sometimes not so severe as to become disagreeable. The increase of appetite is a very frequent effect of iodine, and it is sometimes very troublesome, because it is extremely necessary not to indulge it. The diet of the patient should be good, but by no means full, which the occasional voraciousness of his appetite would lead him to adopt. ”

“ For detecting the presence of the iodine, M. Personne saponified the oil with an excess of caustic potassa, incinerated the soap, and treated the product of incineration with strong alcohol. The alcohol was evaporated, the residue dissolved in water, and to this, solution of starch and sulphuric acid were added. The quantity of iodine was estimated by the intensity of the color; it is too small to be estimated by the balance. ”

“ I give its use as furnished me by an old and experienced operator, and published in Humphrey’s Journal, vol. i. p. 180:
“As the process of using chloride of iodine may be of interest to some of our subscribers, I take pleasure in giving the following manipulation. To one ounce of chloride of iodine add two ounces of water; place this mixture in a coating-box, the same as quick stuff; coat the plate with dry iodine to a light yellow, or lemon color; then bring the coating to a deep pink over the chloride. The plate must be recoated over the dry iodine.” ”

“ An application of iodine to the skin covering the region that is about to be invaded by the knife of the surgeon, has been found much more efficacious and much more reliable than has the washing and the scrubbing with antiseptic solutions, soaps and other agents. ”

“ In a circular distributed by the manufacturer, it is stated that “I. G. O. is a saturated solution of Iodine Gas in petrolatum at 130 degrees with oil of eucalyptus. The heat of the body liberates the iodine and it is absorbed as free iodine.”
A sample of I. G. O., received from a physician, was examined. It was found to be a black ointment, green in thin layers, with a slight odor like crude petroleum. By the methods used for the examination of Iodex, I. G. O. was found to contain 0.59 per cent. of free iodin.— (From Reports A. M. A. Chemical Laboratory, 1919, p. 104.) ”

“ Such an agent is iodine. Its effects on the absorbent system are incontrovertible. They are as speedy as they are certain, and so powerful are they, that if the medicine be not duly and cautiously managed, we [Pg 35] have already seen what havoc may be the result. A few, a very few, cases have occurred to myself, in which the constitution was altogether insensible to its action; I believe a greater number have occurred to others ”

“ The paralytic symptoms continue to yield to the powerful influence of the iodine. When his meat is cut, he can now feed himself with the left hand;—can raise the right hand to the chin, and draw the right upper extremity up towards the body. He continues to hold his water. The iodine is increased to 30 drops, thrice a day—from this date to the 7th of May, the medicine was occasionally obliged to be intermitted and again commenced in smaller doses. At this period, however, the patient could walk from his bed room to the day ward with very little assistance. ”

“ Iod-Izd-Oil (Miller’s) is said to be an “Iodine Combination” made “from the same Soluble Soot Iodine as is IODUM-MILLER.” It is said to “liberate Free Soluble Iodine” when applied to the skin, mucous surfaces, etc. It is further defined as “Soluble Iodine combined with water-white Hydrocarbon Oil” and is said to liberate “Soluble Iodine 2 per cent.” While these statements suggest that Iod-Izd-Oil (Miller’s) contains the iodin-potassium iodid combination contained in Iodum-Miller, analysis indicated the oil to be a simple solution of iodin in liquid petrolatum. ”

“ Iodine preparations of various forms are very commonly used topically as an adjunctive treatment to internal medication in the treatment of a number of acute pathological conditions in veterinary patients. The object in adding local iodine applications to the handling of such conditions is varied. In some cases, the object of the practitioner is to hasten the correction of certain well-marked local manifestations of the disease with which the patient is afflicted. ”

“ Such persons expose themselves to ridicule when we see them reject a remedy so active [Pg 59] as iodine, and continue to trust, for the cure of the severest diseases to which the human frame is liable, to medicines allowed on all hands, and even by themselves, to be absolutely useless.
The value of iodine as a remedy, however, does not depend on the testimony of any individual, however high his name. Its use is established by a long series of facts observed by physicians and surgeons of different countries. ”

“ Before I proceed to the discussion of the special application of iodine, in a number of pathological conditions in animals, I would urge the veterinarian to give more thought to the forms and preparations of iodine of which he makes use. It is a rather common occurrence that a practitioner will allow agents of well-known therapeutic efficiency to be displaced, by others of doubtful activity, on account of a small difference in the cost of the same. ”

“ IODUM-MILLER carries a still greater per cent of Iodine in its basic combination....”
According to the label, the preparation is
“An Iodine for External and Internal use ... 45 drops equals 1 dr. by weight. Each drop equals the per cent. of iodine in 1 gr. potas. iodide.”
Iodum-Miller is a heavy, dark liquid having an odor characteristic of ether (ethyl oxid) . Qualitative tests revealed the presence of glycerin, free iodin, iodid and potassium. The specific gravity at 25 degrees was 1.284. Direct titration with sodium thiosulphate solution indicated the presence of 1.68 per cent. ”

“ These findings were taken to indicate that the iodine-containing fat is absorbed to some extent by the skin. It is generally believed that potassium iodide is not absorbed by the unbroken skin. Therefore it seems reasonable to suppose that the principal iodine effects obtainable from iodine ointment are those due to the free iodine contained in the preparation, supplemented to a slight extent by the iodine which is contained in the fatty ointment base.—Jour. ”

“ Indium is likewise distinguished by a straw-yellow oxide.
57. Iodine Yellow, Or iodide of lead, is one of those compounds whose presence on the palette should never have been allowed. Exceedingly brilliant, it is also utterly fugitive, destroyed by exposure or foul gas, and useless in admixture. We may state here that, whatever its colour, no pigment containing iodine can in the slightest degree be relied upon. One of the most unstable of substances, being slowly volatile even at common temperatures, iodine is or ought to be quite inadmissible as a constituent. ”

“ Likewise the French Pharmacopeia directs that 10 per cent. of potassium iodide and only 2 per cent. of iodine shall be used. Both of these pharmacopeias use water instead of glycerin as the solvent. Loose combinations of iodine and potassium iodide, such as are represented by the compound having the formula KI3, have been described. The quantity of potassium iodide prescribed by the U. S. Pharmacopeia for the preparation of iodine ointment is not sufficient to form such a compound as KI3 with all of the iodine directed to be used. ”

“ Iodine.—Jute absorbs iodine from its solution in potassium iodide. This action is characteristic of all lignified tissues, the quantity of iodine taken up being proportional to the amount of lignification. If the physical conditions remain the same, the amounts of iodine absorbed will be found to be constant for each particular fibre. This constancy points to the formation of a definite chemical compound, probably resembling the blue compound of starch and iodine. This property may be made available for the estimation of the {18} amount of mechanical wood-pulp in papers ”

“ EFFECTS OF IODINE.
The discovery of specific remedies has always, and most justly, been considered one of the most important benefits to be conferred on the practice of medicine. Much dispute has been carried on respecting their nature, but all are agreed about their existence. They have been defined by Dr. Young to be medicines which cure diseases, “without any perceptible connexion between the immediate effect and the benefit obtained.” While their operation is thus obscure, the mode of their employment, and their peculiar virtues, must be subjects of much doubt and uncertainty ”

“ The affection of the alimentary canal which we have described above, is plainly to be ascribed to the acrid operation of iodine on its mucous membrane. I have never witnessed it in any considerable degree when this medicine had not been taken internally. But I have seen slight pains of stomach, accompanied with copious bilious evacuations, attend its external use. These never proceed to the degree of violence which marks the internal exhibition. Indeed, it is rare to see them in any considerable degree disturb the comfort of the patient. It is not thus when taken into the stomach. ”

“ A bronchocele, to be benefited by Iodine, should consist of a simple enlargement of the gland, not of very long standing, nor painful to the touch. All scrofulous affections, whether of the glands, joints, liver, or other parts, are more or less benefited by the use of Iodine. Iodine has been used in simple enlargement and induration of various organs, particularly the uterus. Dr. A. T. Thomson speaks highly of its efficacy in ovarian dropsy.
It is probable that Chlorine, Bromine, and their compounds, closely resemble the preparations of Iodine in their therapeutic operations. ”

“ It is extensively used in India as a remedy for disorders of the liver.
The Iodine Bath is composed of the following ingredients: tincture of iodine, two drachms; iodide of potassium, four drachms; water, forty gallons. It should be prepared in a wooden tub. It reddens the skin. For children, a much weaker solution must be employed. ”

“ Ointments of iodine—which, for me, mean Iodex—have, by far, the most extensive field of application, and the uses to which an iodine ointment may be put have already been quite clearly indicated. I will, however, remark some of the points to be considered in using Iodex in such cases as spavin lameness and similar affections of the articulations.
In choosing, for treatment with Iodex, a case of spavin lameness, the practitioner should select only those cases in [Pg 61] which the horse warms out of the lameness; these cases can positively be cured by Iodex applications. ”

“ The iodine reaction is also applied to fresh tissues by pouring Lugol’s solution over a freshly cut surface, and is a good gross test for amyloid. In both microscopic and macroscopic preparations iodine gives a mahogany brown color to amyloid; other tissue is yellow. The iodine reaction may be intensified by placing the sections in a 1 per cent sulphuric acid; the brown color may be changed to blue, violet or green. ”

“ In choosing an iodine ointment for this use, the veterinarian should select a preparation in which the iodine exists free and uncombined with other agents, in a vehicle that is blandly penetrating and non-irritating. I can highly recommend Iodex, as fulfilling exactly these requirements. It can be applied freely and indefinitely, and, even when the course of treatment is exceptionally prolonged, the parts to which it is being applied show no sign of being irritated. With other preparations, it is often necessary to discontinue the applications for a time because of the local irritating effect. ”

“ Iodine solutions react with water to form hydriodic acid under the influence of the sunlight, and even at low room temperatures the iodine tends to volatilize from solution. They should, therefore, be protected from light and heat. Iodine solutions are not stable for long periods under the best of conditions. ”

“ Add 25 cc. of iodine solution from a pipette, allowing to drain for a definite time. The excess of iodine should be from 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the amount added, that is, from 100 per cent to 150 per cent of the amount absorbed. Moisten the stopper with a 15 per cent potassium iodide solution to prevent loss of iodine or chlorine but guard against an amount sufficient to run down inside the bottle. Let [Pg 180] the bottle stand in a dark place for 1/2 hr. at a uniform temperature. At the end of that time add 20 cc. of 15 per cent potassium iodide solution and 100 cc. ”

“ They possess all the virtues of iodine in a very remarkable degree, but they will be found to fail more frequently than the hydriodatic salts; and, if I may draw any [Pg 42] conclusion from the few trials I have given them, they are more apt to excite disorder in the system. I have generally ordered half a dram of the hydriodate of potass to be united to an ounce and a half of axunge, and desired the patient to rub in a dram of this ointment over the surface of the tumor, night and morning. When the tumor is painful, it is not necessary to rub in. ”