74 
ON HYDRATED OXIDE OF IRON. 
previously neutralized by an acid.— Wittst. T iert. Schr. 1869, 112—114. From Pharm. 
Centralhalle, 1867, W. 41. 
ON HYDRATED OXIDE OF IRON SOLUBLE IN SUGAR SYRUP AND IN 
GLYCERIN. 
BY DR. H. KOEHLER AND DR. H. HORNEMANN. 
Fleischer’s capsules of saccharate of iron, and Wagner’s and Grossinger’s ferrum oxid. 
dialysatum, consist mainly of a very basic oxychloride of iron, have a styptic taste, 
blacken the teeth, and change partly into a gelatinous condition. Without knowing of 
Siebert’s method, the process of the authors is similar, but differs in the use of ferric 
chloride and caustic soda instead of the nitrate and caustic ammonia; both processes are 
still expensive, the former owing to considerable loss of alcohol. 
Equal weights of ferrum sesquichloratum solutum* and simple syrup are mixed, hy¬ 
drated soda is then added until the precipitate is entirely redissolved, the filtrate is mixed 
with a large quantity of distilled water and boiled for some time. The presence of the 
neutral salt NaCl is sufficient to precipitate the "hydrated oxide of iron in its soluble mo¬ 
dification; the precipitate is collected upon a filter, washed until the filtrate ceases to 
precipitate silver salts, dissolved with powdered sugar, the solution evaporated to dryness 
by means of a water bath, and the residue reduced to powder. 
‘ Thus prepared it has the following properties :— 
1. It yields with water a yellowish-brown, perfectly transparent, chemically indifferent 
solution, entirely free from styptic taste, and not precipitated by dilution with water or 
by boiling. 
2. Phosphates, carbonates, benzoates, succinates, tannates, sulphocyanides, ferrocv- 
anides, and arseniates of alkalies have no effect on the solution; precipitates are produced 
by sulphide of ammonium and tincture of galls. 
3. An aqueous solution of bibasic phosphate of soda does not produce a precipitate in 
the cold or on boiling. 
4. A minute quantity of a neutral salt added to the concentrated solution separates 
gradually the entire quantity of the hydrated ferric oxide; the same effect is instantly 
produced by diluting and boiling the mixture. 
5. Organic or mineral acids transform this modification of the oxide into the ordinary 
kind, the solution becomes lighter in colour, and is then affected by the usual reagents. 
6. Bitter principles, like salicin, cetrarin, etc., also digitalin and the vegetable alka¬ 
loids, particularly those of morphia, also small quantities of the volatile oils, separate 
the hydrated oxide in its soluble modification. 
By triturating the freshly precipitated oxide in a mortar, to promote the evaporation 
of the water, and testing the solubility in syrup and glycerin, Hornemann found that 
the oxide was completely soluble therein when it contained 7'2, 7-03, and 6‘6 equiv. of 
water, but did not yield a clear solution when it contained 5‘8 equiv. The authors con¬ 
clude that this soluble oxide of iron contains 6 equiv. of water of hydration. 
Regarding its therapeutical use, the authors state 
1. That it is resorbed is proven by its secretion through the kidneys. 
2. After its use for several weeks, in the form of syrup containing 2 per cent, oxide, 
or as troches, coating of the tongue, blackening of the teeth and constipation are not 
observed; the preparation agrees well with chlorotic women, weakened by hemorrhage 
in abortion, with reconvaleseents and weak children; if it should show a tendency to 
diarrhoea, it must be discontinued for some days. 
3. The preparation may be given with fresh milk of an alkaline reaction, with arrow- 
root, soups of meal and extract of beef, beef tea, coffee and chocolate, the taste of which 
is not affected. 
4. All kinds of wine may serve as vehicles; it may be added to the infusion of bitter 
remedies like gentian, juglans, quassia, menyanthes and Colombo, or united with their 
extracts; with cinchona it can only be given in the form of pills. 
* The preparation of the Prussian Pharmacopoeia contains 15 per cent. Fe. 
