Ointment of iodine contains 4 per cent. of iodine, 1 per cent. of iodide of potas sium, 2 per cent. of water, and 93 per cent. of benzoated lard.
Potassium iodide, white colorless crys tals, slightly bitter saline taste, soluble in water and alcohol. Dose, 5 to 30 grains, but well diluted.
Potassium iodide is better borne if it is given immediately before eating, but it may be administered during or after a meal to avoid its coming in contact with the mucous membrane of the stom ach and so being absorbed too rapidly. Editorial (N. Y. Med. Jour., Sept. 1, '94).
Potassium iodide should not be ad ministered soon after a meal, since the iodine will form the inert iodide of starch.
Sodium iodide; same properties as the iodide.
Iodide of sodium preferred to that of potassium on the ground that it is less apt to produce nausea, loss of appetite, and emaciation. It also contains more iodine in the proportion of 10 to 9. R. Cory (Brit. Med. Jour., May 26, 'SS).
The only substitute for iodide of potas sium which has given satisfaction is the iodide of rubidium. While possessing the same advantages as the iodide, it is not as unpleasant to the taste and is bet ter tolerated. The dose and its indica tions in therapeutics are the same.
The new product—iodide of rubidium —is better tolerated than iodide of po tassium. Neisser (Then. Monats., No. 5, '94).
Series of experiments demonstrating the great value of iodide of rubidium as a substitute for the iodide of potassium or sodium. In syphilis it restores haem oglobin, increases the number of blood corpuscles, and increases the body weight. Oolombini and Pasquini (Jour. des Prat., Oct. 15, '98).
Solution of arsenic and mercuric io dide (Donovan's solution) contains 1 per cent. each of the arsenic iodide and the mercuric iodide. Dose, 1 to S drops, well diluted.
Ammonium iodide; colorless plates, having a bitter taste. Similar to iodide of potassium. Dose, 3 to 5 grains, well diluted.
Strontium iodide; colorless plates; bitter saline taste; become yellow on ex posure to the air. Soluble in hot and cold water. Similar to the iodide, but thought to be less irritating to the in testinal tract. Dose, 5 to 10 grains well
diluted.
Iodomuth—nsed for dressing wounds, discharging surfaces, etc.—is clean, ef fective, and practical, as well as scien tific. Iodomnth is a new preparation of bismuth, containing 25 per cent. of iodine. It is reddish brown in color, thoroughly antiseptic, and sedative, without the unpleasant odor of iodo form and like preparations; it is supe rior to boric acid, in that it is more hmmostatic. llarpur Sloan (Phila. Med. Jour., May 11, 1901).
lodipin, a combination of pure iodine and oil of sesame, passes through the stomach unchanged, and is partly split up by the pancreatic fluid and bile and partly absorbed as chemically-intact io dine in the intestine. It is thus partly stored up as iodipin, and the contained iodine is slowly liberated. It may be used either by subcutaneous injections or by the month. Iodipin is said to act as powerfully as, and even more so than, potassium iodide, and to produce no symptoms of iodism. It is especially used in bronchial asthma, fibrous phthisis with asthma, and syphilis of the lungs. Zirkelbach found that, when iodide of potassium has produced iodism, iodipin could be used without danger. Lewitt (Deutsche med. IVoch., May 16, 1901).
Physiological Action.—When applied to the skin, iodine turns it a yellowish brown. At first it acts as a slight irri tant, but when the applications are too frequently repeated, or the preparation is too concentrated, the superficial struct ures may undergo a process of active flammation, which usually subsides, how ever, when the applications are stopped.
While a definite portion of the iodine is absorbed by the skin, the efficacy de pends largely upon the strength. As the ordinary tincture contains but 7 per cent. (although alcohol will absorb 10 per cent.), many practitioners apply a solu tion which is too weak to be efficient. The tincture spreads over a large area of skin, and its local effects are impaired. The following solution of iodine dries rapidly as it is painted on the skin, and is of such strength that only one or at most two coats need be applied:— 1i Alcohol, 40 parts.