ART. LXI.— ON THE PREPARATION OF THE IODURET AND HY- 
DRIODATE OF IRON. By A. T. Thomson, M. D. 
Precautions necessary in the preparation of the Ioduret and 
the Hydriodate. — One part of the iron wire should be rubbed 
in a porcelain or a Wedgwood's mortar, with about three or 
four parts of iodine, gradually adding distilled water, until 
fifteen parts of the fluid shall have been used: the whole 
is then to be introduced into a Florence flask, with an addi- 
tional portion of iron wire, and of distilled water. This excess 
of iron is a matter of indifference in the preparation of the 
hydriodate; and, in that of the ioduret, it is necessary for 
preserving the combination from decomposition, during the 
evaporation of the solution. These materials are next to be 
boiled together, until the fluid acquire a pale greenish color, 
when it should be filtered. This solution contains a hydriodate 
of the protoxide of iron ; and, if the exact quantity of the 
iodine be previously ascertained, so as to enable us to procure 
the solution of a definite strength, it may be kept in this state 
for medicinal use. Tn general, however, the solution is eva- 
porated to dryness ; and for this purpose it may be poured 
into a clean flask, containing a piece of iron wire sufficiently 
long to reach from the bottom to the surface of the fluid, and 
the boiling should be continued until the bulk of the solution 
be reduced to one-third. It must then be filtered : after which 
the evaporation should be continued to dryness. It is neces- 
sary to break the flask as soon as the mass is cold, in order 
to obtain the solid ioduret, which should be immediately trans- 
ferred to a dry bottle, fitted with an accurately ground stopper. 
The bottle should not hold more than two ounces of the pre- 
Vol. I.— No. 4. 39 
