OFI^ICIAL INSPECTIONS 40. 97 



The three constituents are readily and accurately determined in 

 the chemical laboratory. For these numerous reasons tincture 

 of iodine has been from time to time purchased and analyzed. 



Properly prepared tincture of iodine carries 6.86 grams of 

 iodine, 4.9 grams of potassium iodide and 86.4 grams alcohol in 

 each 100 cubic centimeters. This weight of alcohol is equiva- 

 lent to 94.9 per cent by volume. 



The recent examinations are reported in the table on page 98. 



This table should be studied by the druggists of Maine for 

 it is illuminating on drug store practices. While improvement 

 has been made there is still room for marked improvement. 

 It will be noted that in no single instance did a sample carry as 

 much alcohol as it should. This may have been due to the alco- 

 hol itself not being 95 per cent strength. As the other ingredi- 

 ents are soluble in water the weakened alcohol does not affect 

 the amounts of iodine and potassium iodide. In every instance 

 where the iodine or the potassium iodide used in preparation of 

 the tincture has been tested by the Station chemists they have 

 been found to be of good quality. There is no apparent reason 

 other than faulty preparation or careless keeping to permit the 

 idoine going above J .2 grams or below 6.5 grams per 100 cubic 

 centimeters or for the potassium iodide going above 5.2 or below 



4.6 grams per cubic centimeter. Fifty per cent of the samples 

 were within these limits as regards iodine and 18 per cent as 

 regards potassium iodide. Eight per cent of the samples were 

 above these limits for iodine and -40 per cent above in iodide. 

 Forty-two per cent of the samples were lower in iodine and 18 

 per cent lower in iodide than the limit named. 



Whenever the iodine found was less than 6.25 grams per 100 

 cubic centimeters a letter of warning was sent to the dealer, 

 and if it fell below 6.1 a hearing was appointed. In a quite 

 extended investigation made in 1908 the tinctures of iodine on 

 sale varied enormousl}^, ranging from 9.12 grams to as low as 



1.7 grams per 100 cubic centimeters. Nearly 50 per cent of 

 the samples varied from the normal so greatly that prosecution 

 would follow if such goods were found today. While there 

 has been an improvement, and with one exception no sample 

 that was examined seemed to be wilfully adulterated, over 20 

 per cent deviated so far from the normal that hearings were 

 appointed and prosecutions followed. 



