238 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles* 



it constantly occurs also as an essential constituent in the inhabit- 

 ants of our rivers and in land animals. 



As it was shown, about the same time, by Meyrac, Marchand and 

 others, that the distribution of iodine is much more considerable than 

 had hitherto been supposed, it could excite no surprise that it should 

 be found in the animal organism ; here, as everywhere in nature, it 

 was to be regarded as the constant companion of the chlorine 

 compounds. 



Chatin, however, regards iodine not as an accidental, but as an 

 essential constituent of the organs ; and according to his statements 

 with respect to the quantities of it contained in eggs, milk, &c, he 

 appeared to be perfectly right in so doing. According to Chatin, a 

 hen's egg contains more iodine than 1 litre of milk, whilst this again 

 contains more than our usual articles of food and beverage. He also 

 considers iodine to be of importance in the respiratory process. Nor- 

 mally the air contains 1'500 milligrm. of iodine in 4000 litres, and 

 during respiration 4 '5 are said to disappear. Fourcault, who has 

 occupied himself with the study of the causes of goitre and cretinism, 

 examined the air in those places where these diseases are indige- 

 nous •, in these localities he found the atmosphere free from iodine, 

 and concluded accordingly that the deficiency of iodine was the 

 principal cause of goitre and cretinism. Chatin immediately proved 

 that the air of the Alps was much poorer in iodine than the atmo- 

 sphere of Paris ; he found less iodine in the valley of the Rhone 

 than in that of the Seine, less still in the valley of the Isere, and a 

 constant diminution towards the Alps. He only met with it again 

 in the plain of Piedmont, after it had eluded his investigations on 

 the French side of the Alps. 



As therefore the influence of iodine appears to be of the greatest 

 importance to the development and continuance of the animal or- 

 ganism, the author regarded the testing of Chatin's statements as of 

 sufficient importance to undertake it himself with great care. 



Goitre does not occur in Gottingen, whilst in some of the neigh- 

 bouring villages, in Lengden, for instance, it is very frequently met 

 with. If the want of iodine in the air were the cause of the evil, it 

 might be expected that a difference would be presented between the 

 quantity of iodine contained in the air of Gottingen and that of 

 Lengden. The author therefore examined first the air of Gottingen ; 

 he allowed 4000 litres of air to pass in small bubbles through a stra- 

 tum of solution of caustic soda 18 inches in thickness, adding quick- 

 lime to the solution from time to time to remove the carbonic acid 

 which was taken up by it. The apparatus was so arranged that the 

 passage of 4000 litres of air required nearly a whole week, so that 

 no iodine could be lost. Nevertheless, on testing for iodine, a nega- 

 tive result was obtained, so that an investigation of the air of Leng- 

 den must appear perfectly unnecessary *. 



The author has sought for iodine in cow's milk and hen's eggs 



* The same result was obtained by Mr. S. Macadam of Edinburgh (see 

 Chem. Gaz. for Aug. 2, 1852), with whose researches the author does not 

 appear to be acquainted. — Ed. 



