PREPARATION  OF   IODIDE  OF  IRON. 
7 
Or  make  a  mixture  as  follows : 
$    Iodinii,  x    gr.  xij. 
Ferri  Hydrog.  Redacti,  gr.  viij. 
Mellis,  Iss. 
Ext.  Taraxaci, 
Aq  .Menthae  gvj. 
M.  ft. 
Observe  the  same  rule  in  combining  the  iodine  and  iron  as  in  the 
former  prescription,  before  the  water  is  added. 
The  average  dose  is  one  of  the  pills  or  a  tablespoonful  of  the 
mixture  three  or  four  times  a  day. 
It  is  to  be  observed  that  the  iron  is  given  in  a  proportion  a 
good  deal  larger  than  would  be  enough  to  form  the  iodide,  as  the 
chemical  equivalent  of  iron,  being  not  much  more  than  one-fourth 
that  of  iodine,  gr.  viij.  of  the  former  would  be  enough  to  neutral- 
lize  3ss.  of  the  latter.  I  nevertheless  use  the  quantities  as  given 
above,  for  two  reasons  ;  first,  because  the  tonic  effects  are  much 
increased  by  the  addition  of  iron  in  an  uncombined  state  ;  and 
secondly,  as  an  effectual  method  of  preserving  the  salt  from  de- 
composition by  the  absorption  of  oxygen ;  this  process  would  be 
constantly  setting  iodine  free,  but  by  observing  such  a  precau- 
tion, the  free  iodine  is  constantly  taken  up  by  the  uncombined 
iron.  For  the  same  purpose,  apothecaries  have  long  been  in  the 
habit  of  keeping  a  mass  of  metallic  iron  (as  a  watch-spring)  in 
their  syrups  of  the  iodine  of  iron. 
The  directions  given  for  insuring  the  perfect  combination  of 
the  elements  are  highly  important,  as  otherwise  the  presence  of 
free  iodine  would  be  liable  to  produce  a  corrosive  action  on  the 
coats  of  the  stomach. 
One  or  other  of  the  above  formulae  may  be  used  in  all  cases 
where  the  tonic  alterative  and  diuretic  effects  of  the  iodide  of 
iron  are  indicated.  The  dose  prescribed  contains  very  nearly  a 
grain  of  the  salt  and  may,  of  course  be  increased  or  diminished 
at  the  discretion  of  the  physician.  I  have  myself  used  them 
with  considerable  success  in  cases  of  secondary  syphilis,  where 
the  vital  and  assimilative  functions  have  been  much  impaired  by 
long  continued  disease.  I  have  found  it  especially  serviceable 
in  those  cases  of  ascites  and  anasarca  which  result  from  long  con- 
tinued intermittent  and  remittent  fever ;  in  these  cases  I  use  the 
second  formulae,  substituting  syr.  scillee  §L'  for  the  honey.  The 
