September 23, 1871.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
2-15 
rose d’Ocana. It would be interesting to have authentic 
specimens of the flowering and fruit-hearing branches of 
the trees, together with sections of the branches and 
trunk (the bark being in situ), for comparison with the 
species described by Ivarsten. 
The so-called False Cinchonas may be distinguished, 
according to Dr. Weddell, by their capsules, which are 
generally large, and having valves which separate from 
the apex towards the base. The flowers are relatively 
large, and devoid of perfume. It would be of some 
interest to have authentic specimens of the barks of 
those trees belonging to the genus Buena (Cascarilla or 
ladenbergia ), in order to ascertain whether they contain 
alkaloids or not. The barks ought to bo accompanied 
by flowering specimens. Some pounds of each bark 
would be required for chemical examination. 
Paha Riiatany. —This root, imported from Para in 
Brazil, is described in Pharmaceutical Journal I. 
(1870) 84. The plant yielding it should be ascertained, 
for which purpose good specimens, including entire roots, 
are requisite. 
Milk or Cow Tree of Para. —Specimens in flower 
and fruit of this tree, which is called Massaranduba, are 
required for the accurate determination of the species. 
Caoutchouc, or India-rubber.— All the Central 
American caoutchouc is presumed to be obtained from 
Castilloa elastica, the “ Ule-ule” tree. Are there any 
other species of this genus, or trees likely to be mistaken 
for Castilloa elastica sources of supply F In New Granada 
there is said to be a pinnate-leaved tree yielding caout¬ 
chouc—what is it ? 
Hevea (Siphonia) Braziliensis is the chief source of 
Para india-rubber, but other species yield it, as II. lutea, 
H. discolor, H.paucifolia and II. rigidifolia. It would be 
exceedingly desirable to know the relative yield of these 
several trees, and to obtain good specimens of them. 
In Pernambuco and Ceara there is much good india- 
rubber said to be the produce of Hancornia spcciosci, the 
“ Mangaba ” of the Brazilians. Reliable snecimens and 
information are desired. 
In British and French Guiana caoutchouc trees exist, 
good specimens of which, with their several products, 
should be collected. 
IODIZED COTTON. 
BY M. C. MbIiU. 
To render easy the absorption of iodine in such a 
manner that it shall not be released from its combina¬ 
tions too rapidly, and thus to avoid the irritation result¬ 
ing from the contact of a large quantity of iodine with 
the skin, is a problem, the solution of which has been 
sought in various ways. This want has been felt prin¬ 
cipally in external applications, where the action of the 
medicament requires to be continued during a length of 
time. Even before iodine was discovered, burnt sponge 
was used as a remedy for goitre, it giving off slowly 
some traces of iodine, when placed in contact with the 
skin. 
Certain compounds of iodine, such as iodide of am¬ 
monium and iodide of calcium, when exposed to the air, 
part slowly with their iodine under the influence of the 
oxygen of the atmosphere, but they are little used. The 
author, however, considers the iodide of ammonium to be 
a salt of great therapeutic value, ho having derived 
much benefit from some external applications of it. 
A verv old mixture, called the Collier de Morand contre 
le Goitre, consisted of equal parts of sal ammoniac, ma¬ 
rine salt and burnt sponge. This powder, spread on 
carded cotton, and afterwards covered with muslin, was 
applied to the goitre in the form of a sachet or a cravat, 
and renewed every month. Many other sachets are 
known in which a mixture of sal ammoniac and iodide 
of potassium occur as ingredients. 
Doubtless the association of sal ammoniac, or chloride 
of ammonium, with burnt sponge, at a time when iodine 
was unknown, had exclusively for its object to second 
the action of the burnt sponge by that of a substance 
1#ojsl son., in a hi^h device anulo gous solvent, anti- 
scrofulous properties. But probably modern pharma¬ 
cists, in reproducing the same association by mixing 
iodide of potassium with sal ammoniac, have been guided 
by the observation that this mixture gives off free iodino 
to the air exactly as if it contained chloride of potassium 
and iodide of ammonium. 
At first, it would appear that a solution of iodino in 
ether, alcohol or water—in the latter case combined 
with iodide of potassium— would furnish an easy method 
for the application of iodine to the skin. But this is 
not the case, for these solutions are very irritating, and 
often cause so much pain that their application is impos¬ 
sible except for a short time. If they be employed in a 
diluted form, it is necessary to remove the bandages fre¬ 
quently, which also causes irritation to the skin. 
A preparation of cotton with five per cent, of iodine, 
which the author has employed for two or three years 
with complete success, in cases of glandular swellings of 
the neck in scrofulous persons, appears to be exempt 
from this inconvenience. It colours the skin without 
irritating it, and produces a marked sensation of warmth, 
It parts little by little with its iodine, becomes dccolo'- 
rized, and requires to be renewed every two or three 
days, according to the locality to which it is applied. 
In losing its iodine it exercises all the properties of that 
metalloid, and when applied in the vicinity of wounds 
acts as a disinfectant. 
The iodized cotton i3 prepared in the following man¬ 
ner:—The iodine is reduced to a very fine powder in a 
porcelain mortar; this operation is facilitated by the 
addition of a few drops of ether from time to time dur¬ 
ing the trituration. A quantity of very dry carded 
cotton of good quality is then selected, in proportion of 
at least ten times the weight of the iodino. The cotton 
is introduced into a large-mouthed ground-stoppered 
litre flask in little flocks, and with each portion of cotton 
is added the proportion of iodine in such a manner that 
it becomes incorporated in the mass of the cotton. The 
flask is then closed, at first incompletely, in order that 
the air may escape when expanded by the warmth. It 
is next placed in a sand-bath or other apparatus, by 
which it can be raised to a sufficiently high temperature. 
The flask should be laid horizontally, and turned on its 
axis from time to time, so as to render the action of the 
heat uniform, and to obtain a homogeneous iodized 
cotton. When the warm air has been driven off, the 
flask is closed by the glass stopper, after which it gra¬ 
dually becomes filled with violet vapours, and the 
cotton takes the colour of burnt coffee. When this re¬ 
sult is acquired, the iodine is completely fixed in the 
fibre, and the operation is finished. Properly conducted, 
it should not occupy more than two hours. 
Not more than twenty grammes of dry cotton should 
be put into the litre flask, in order that the mass should 
! be permeable by the vapour of the iodine. Neither is it 
! advisable to exceed the proportion of ten per cent, of 
j iodine; that quantity is the extreme limit, and half that 
i dose is generally more than sufficient. 
The sand-bath may be replaced by a water-bath, if 
j care be taken to ballast the bottle in order to keep it 
under water. This mode is advantageous in pharmacies 
when operating upon small quantities ; but it is only 
suitable for the preparation of cotton containing not 
more than three per cent, of iodine. 
Even when the cotton has absorbed ten per cent, of 
iodine it retains in a great measure its tenacity. _ It is 
properly of a brown colour, but it becomes black if the 
temperature be raised too high, or the action ot the heat 
too much prolonged. 
If properly prepared, the cotton, upon exposure to the- 
! air, gradually loses its iodine, decolorizes, and becomes 
quite white. In order to preserve it, it should be placed 
