SCROFULOSIS. — In scrofulous tions—so called—iodine fulfills a useful purpose. Lugol, who did so much to show the merits of iodine in this class of cases, is said to have obtained a large portion of recoveries by means of the solution bearing his name as far back as 1828. Bazin recommended it especially in early manifestations before the cal glands were too greatly enlarged, and when ulceration was not near at hand. All glandular enlargements, largements, and osseous disorders are beneficially influenced by iodine used ternally and externally simultaneously. Intravenous injection in cases of syphilis and of fants recommended. The solution used contains 1 gramme (15 grains) of iodine and 3 grammes (45 grains) of potassium iodide in 100 grammes ounces) of distilled water. The maximum dose is 5 cubic centimetres lluidrachms). Spolverini (111111. Med., May S, 1901).
RHEUXIATIS31.—In this disease iodide of potassium is a valuable remedy, but only in the subacute or muscular form, i.e., when the acute or inflammatory symptoms have passed. To give it dur ing the inflammatory stage is worse than useless. It may be used, however, in rheumatic pains devoid of inflammatory manifestations, lumbago, sciatica. Its efficacy is vastly increased in all forms of rheumatism by the addition of colchi cum. The following formula may be recommended:— 1 Iodide of potassium, 2 drachms Enough water to dissolve this. Then add:— Tinct. of colchicum - root, 3 drachms.
Syrup of orange-peel, enough to make 3 ounces.
M. Sig.: One teaspoonful to be taken every three hours.
The local application of iodine over the painful area, this being then covered with cotton wadding, greatly hastens the curative process.
GoirruE.—As shown in the section on GOITRE, iodine is of great value in this disease, and is now second only to thy roid extract when utilized in appropriate cases, namely: those suffering from the true hypertrophic variety. When the goitre is cystic, or the gland is but the seat of a neoplasm, benign or malignant, iodine is obviously useless.
Iodine has also been used with ad vantage in exophthalmic goitre.
Use of iodine by cataphoresis in an old case of goitre where subjective symptoms were very severe; 10 to 15 drops on cotton in cup-shaped electrode daily for three weeks,—intermission of three weeks —treatment persisted in for three weeks more.
The gland was reduced to about oue fifth the size it was when the treatment was begun, and, in spite of all further use of the remedy, remained stationary; but all of the subjective symptoms were gone, and the woman left in excellent health. Two other eases of chronic goi tre have been treated in the sante way, and with the same results. In cases of recent hypertrophy of the thyroid gland in young women, the enlargement rapidly disappeared under the use of this measure. McGuire (Virginia Med. Mouth. Review, Aug., '91).
Case of simple goitre in which, after failure of the iodine treatment, the use of glycerol extract of the thyroid gland resulted in complete cure. Sabrazes (Berliner klin. Woch., Feb. 3, '90).
SKIN DISORDERS.—Tineture of iodine applied over inflamed surfaces sometimes overcomes inflammatory disorders of the skin. Erysipelas, thus treated early, may be aborted; late in the disease, how ever, the results are not so satisfactory. It should be applied once daily. The pitting of small-pox may be greatly coun teracted by touching each pustule with iodine. In acne, psoriasis, pityriasis, and ringworm it is also used advantageously. In actinomycosis (q. v.) iodide of potas sium is the most efficacious remedy.
The writer has cured, with iodide of potassium, two cases of actinoinycosis in man, one a tumor occupying all the snbmaxillary region, and on the region of the CfCCUM, considered at first as a perityphlitis. The doses were 7 to 31 grains per day in the first case, and grains per day in the second case, for sixteen days. V. Berson (Wiener med_ Presse, Jan. 8, 93).