ORTHOFORM 253 



of sodium hydroxide, on iodine, dissolved in a solution of 

 potassium iodide. Contains 45.8 per cent, of iodine. 



Properties. — Light reddish, or tawny-brown crystalline 

 powder. Possesses peculiar iodine-like odor, and is insol- 

 uble in water, soluble in ether, fats, and slightly soluble 

 in alcohol. Aristol is inferior as an antiseptic to either 

 iodoform or iodol. It is used with some benefit in dry 

 skin diseases, as psoriasis, in powder or ointment. Other 

 antiseptic dusting powders include acetanilid, bismuth sub- 

 nitrate, salol and boric acid. Acetanilid has been shown 

 to be a good antibacterial agent. It is cheap and may be 

 applied pure, and it is an efficient substitute for iodoform. 

 A few cases of poisoning have been reported following its 

 extensive surgical use. Bismuth subnitrate and salol may 

 induce poisoning when used over large surfaces. They are 

 dessicants and feeble antiseptics. Boric acid is harmless 

 and mildly antiseptic. 



Orthoform. Orthoform. 



Orthoform is the methyl-erster of meta-amido-para- 

 oxy-benzoic acid. It occurs as a white or dirty yellow, light 

 powder, sparingly soluble in water and alcohol but more 

 so in glycerin and solutions of the mineral acids. It may 

 be combined with iodoform, aristol, boric acid, salicylic 

 acid, carbolic acid, turpentine and iodine without incom- 

 patibility. 



^cfiow.— Externally, othoform exerts a powerful anes- 

 thetic effect on raw surfaces, but has little action on intact 

 mucous membranes and none on the unbroken skin. It is 

 also a mild antiseptic, of about the same value as boric acid. 

 It is but feebly toxic and poisoning does not occur unless 

 large quantities are applied over abraded surfaces. In the 

 dog 15 grains per 2 pounds of body weight have proved 

 toxic when given by the mouth ; and 7|- grains per 2 pounds 

 of live weight are required to induce fatal poisoning. It 

 appears to be a cerebro-spinal paralysant in these large 



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