224 
REVIEW— IODINE AND ITS COMPOUNDS. 
tending to make its exit by the kidneys, although, for a sub- 
stance possessing a tendency to form soluble combinations, 
this does not carry very much weight; and that it may be 
discharged through the bowels. With a view of throwing light 
upon this latter supposition, Mr. Cogswell made the following 
experiment : — A young setter-dog commenced with taking half 
a grain of iodine twice a-day, in the form of pill. The dose was 
gradually raised, and by the fourth day amounted to a grain and 
a half, when the animal began to betray a much sharper appe- 
tite (an effect it is said to have on man, and, as a consequence, 
to increase the embonpoint ). He also suffered the saliva to drop 
involuntarily, and voided both his urine and faeces in greater 
abundance. On the ninth day, his daily allowance of iodine had 
risen to four grains, which quantity, lastly, was quadrupled by the 
seventeenth day, when (seventy-three grains having been taken 
in all) the drug was discontinued. On the day succeeding the 
last exhibition, the animal scarcely retained any power of loco- 
motion, and in the act of walking, or rather crawling, kept one of 
the hind feet constantly uplifted. He took little food, and what 
he did take was with little apparent appetite. In a couple of 
days, however, he began to revive and walk with less difficulty; 
and after the lapse of five days from the cessation of iodine, when 
the symptoms arising from it were much abated, he was destroyed 
by prussic acid. 
About the middle of the experiment some of the urine was 
collected, and found to contain iodine in the combined form to a 
highly appreciable extent. 
During the whole period no vegetable aliment was given. 
The brain, the spinal chord, the stomach, the muscles of the 
thighs, and the blood, were examined respectively, for the pre- 
sence of iodine, by digesting each substance, in a state of fine 
division, in water which contained a little aqua potasses, pouring 
off and evaporating the opaque liquor, and igniting the residue 
in a platinum capsule ; after which the ash was boiled in water, 
and this fluid treated with starch and sulphuric acid. The blood, 
with the brain and stomach, thus presented a trace, and but a 
trace, of iodine ; none, however, was discovered in either the 
spinal marrow or the muscles. 
The above experiment is, obviously, not calculated# to in- 
dicate the exact amount of iodine contained in the tissues, on 
account of the application of heat during the analysis. It may, 
nevertheless, afford a hint for the guidance of future inquiry. 
P. 
