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ETHEREAL SOLUTION OF IODINE 
ETHEREAL SOLUTION OF IODINE. 
By E. Thomson, M. D. 
TO the Editor of the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal. 
Sir, — I beg to offer to your notice a preparation of iodine, which 
is as yet unknown to the profession, except to a few in this lo- 
cality whose attention I have directed to its efficacy as a counter- 
irritant. I have employed it in my practice for upwards of ten 
years, and generally with the most satisfactory results, in the most 
of those cases where the use of the tincture is commonly indicated. 
It is applied in the same way as the tincture, by means of a camel- 
hair pencil rubbed over the part, until it begins to produce a burn- 
ing sensation in the part ; then cover it with a pledget of wadding, 
so as to prevent evaporation. For the first fifteen minutes the 
burning sensation is pretty severe, so as to alarm some patients. 
Yet it soon becomes tolerable, but usually continues to be felt for 
several hours. The next day the cuticle has a dry hardened feel, 
having the iodine color ; and great relief to deep-seated pain is 
obtained. In the course of two, three or four days, vesication will 
be observed around the edges of the superficial eschar w T hich has 
now commenced to suppurate ; and as the destroyed cuticle cleans 
off, a very copious discharge of purulent matter takes place, and 
may be kept up for two or three weeks under the popular applica- 
tion of a cabbage leaf, or oiled silk, which I usually apply on the 
second day. The surface of the sore assumes a fine granular ap- 
pearance, and heals without leaving a cicatrix. I have often 
thought that, in cases of chronic inflammation of the joints, this ap- 
plication is more efficient than the caustic issue, relieves pain 
quicker, and can sooner be repeated. 
I have frequently derived great benefit from keeping up a dis- 
charge from the chest in chronic affections of the lungs, making a 
sore the size of quarter or half a dollar at a time, and opening a 
new sore as the other heals. 
This solution is very simply prepared. I commonly use the 
sulphuric ether of the shops ; but the stronger the ether, the more 
efficient is the preparation. Hence the importance of obtaining a 
good article and in full strength. 
I commonly put a quantity of pure iodine into a phial, and add 
sulphuric ether until dissolved ; that is, the ether must be perfect- 
