Ether, 40 parts.
Iodine, 20 parts.
The rapid evaporation of this mixture prevents it spreading, but if covered with a piece of gauze it will blister. It is valu able in synovitis and cervical adenitis. Iodine poisoning was not observed to oc cur from the external application of this solution. C. A. Elsberg (Phila. Med. Jour., Nov. 4, '99).
When taken internally, iodine, as well as its salts, is eliminated by the kidneys, and tends to irritate these organs when large doses are administered. At first the flow of urine is increased; later on it is decreased, and the proportion of urea may also be greatly diminished. It fre quently causes albuminuria, and ne phritis has been ascribed to the influence of the iodides, but the evidence that ne phritis was not already present before the administration of the remedy has not been made clear in the cases reported. Notwithstanding Haig's view to the con trary, increase of the products of metab olism, urea, etc., in the urine, has been noted by many observers, and it is prob able that contracted kidney, a condition now known to be present in most cases, in part accounts for Dr. Haig's views. See and other observers have claimed that iodine accumulates in the system, and that its elimination occurred irregu larly. Kiiss ascribes to this fact the ma jority of the deleterious symptoms often attending its use.
Case in which a man with traumatic periostitis of the tibia was given iodide of potash. In addition to the usual symptoms of iodine poisoning there was a large albuminuria, with fatty and granular casts. No iodine was fohnd in the urine, which had a specific gravity of 1026 and a dark color. Gerson (Miinchener med. Woch., June 1, '89).
Arterial tension varies with the uric acid that is circulating in the blood. Some twenty drugs, or rather groups of drugs, all diminish the excretion of the uric acid in the urine, and at the same time produce also relaxed arterioles, lowered arterial tension, and diuresis. Iodides can be classed with these drugs. This action of iodides on the solubility of the orates, and so on the contraction of the arterioles, enables us to explain all their most important effects in phys iology and pathology. A. IIaig (Brit. Med. Jour., Jan. 14, '93).
Iodine, according to Kiss, accelerates the cardiac action in persons in whom the circulation is quiet. Haig, as shown,
connects the arterial tension with the amount of uric acid circulating in the blood. The majority of authors recog nize the existence of dilatation of the capillaries and smaller blood-vessels, but the reports upon this point are exceed ingly contradictory. A general retro spect of the views advanced would tend to show that the quantity administered has much to do with the problem, large doses tending to increase arterial press ure.
Iodized water and solutions of iodine or iodides do not affect the blood-press ure when injected into the veins. Solu tions of iodide of potassium, introduced in the same manner, act like potassium and increase it. In larger doses they provoke a fall in blood-pressure. Iodide of sodium proves less dangerous in this respect, and in large doses produces a temporary increase of pressure, followed by a period of gradual diminution. The effects of the iodides in the treatment of arteriosclerosis may possibly be ex plained by their beneficial influence on general nutrition. Prevost and Binet (London Med. Recorder, Sept., '90).
Iodide of potassium dilates the vessels somewhat more than does digitaline, and increases considerably the peripheral cir culation, as well as the circulation of the arteries which supply nourishment to the heart. G. See (La MCA. Moderne, July 2, '91).
Study of the effects of iodide of potas sium upon the blood of fifteen patients and four healthy persons before and after taking iodide of potassium. The effects of the medicament in doses of from 15 to 30 grains a day on non-syphilitic patients and on healthy persons is, dur ing the first two or three days of its ad ministration, to increase the number of young corpuscles and to diminish the number of overmature white corpuscles in the blood, and, at the same time, to increase the number of those breaking up. As to the total number of corpuscles per cubic millimetre, the effect of the iodide appears to be to cause an increase, but a slight one. Administered to syph ilitic patients, the iodide produces an increase in the number of overmature elements and a decrease of the immature white corpuscles and those which are breaking up. T. V. Ishumin (Inaug. Dissert., No. 120, '94).