ON PREPARED IRON. 
89 
ART. XXII.— ON PREPARED IRON. 
To the Editors of the Journal of Pharmacy, 
Gentlemen: — Having been led, by some remarks made 
by Professor Meigs on the subject of anaemia, to examine 
M. A. Raciborski's work, entitled " De la Puberte et de 
1'Age Critique Cher la Femme, &c," I found that he re- 
commended a number of the preparations of iron, but spoke 
mere decidedly in favor of a preparation of pure metallic 
iron; as it proved, in his hands, much more successful than 
any other of the preparations, from its perfect insipidity, 
and from some peculiar inherent power. At p. 253, he says 
that "MM. Quevenne and Miquelard, who recommend the 
employment of iron thus obtained, regard it as combining 
the two advantages most sought after in ferruginous medi- 
cation: very great activity, and absolute insipidity." Also, 
at p. 272, after referring to the lactate of iron, as prepared 
by M. Gelis at La Charite, that he " prefers the metallic 
iron, as prepared by the method of MM. Quevenne and 
Miquelard, as it has the immense advantage of being en- 
tirely insipid ; and from this circumstance may be readily 
administered in any form : for this reason we have employ- 
ed it for two years past almost exclusively, and always with 
complete success." It consists of metallic iron in a perfectly 
impalpable state ; being a blackish powder, with a slight 
metallic lustre, and without odor or taste. It has a strong 
affinity for oxygen, and, from this circumstance, should be 
kept in a dry place, and in a glass bottle, with an air-tight 
stopper. It is prepared by placing a small portion of any 
of the oxides of iron (the higher oxides are most easily re- 
duced) in a gun-barrel, and passing hydrogen over it when 
heated to a low red-heat. To reduce it perfectly, the pro- 
cess should be continued for some time. The oxygen of the 
iron unites with the hydrogen and forms water, which is 
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