AmsS1ir;Sarm'}  Type  of  Blue  Iodide  Compounds.  463 
barium  compound  was  analyzed,  and  has  probably  the  composition 
expressed  by  the  formula  (C24H40O20I)s,  Bal2.  The  potassium  and 
sodium  compounds  are  soluble,  the  barium  and  zinc  compounds  are 
insoluble. 
ON  A  NEW  TYPE  OF  BLUE  IODINE  COMPOUNDS.1 
By  F.  Mylius. 
Iodocholic  acid,  (C20H40O5I)4,  KI  -j-  #H20,  is  obtained  by  adding 
a  concentrated  aqueous  solution  of  1  gm.  of  potassium  iodide  to  a 
solution  of  2  gm.  of  cholic  acid  and  0*8  gm.  of  iodide  in  40  c.c.  of 
alcohol.  The  mixture  is  gradually  diluted  with  water  until  the  blue 
substance  separates.  This  is  then  collected  and  washed  with  water. 
It  forms  a  matted  mass  of  bronze-like  lustre.  When  suspended  in 
water  (500  c.c),  an  indigo-blue  liquid  is  produced.  When  the  latter 
is  heated,  it  becomes  yellow  and  cholic  acid  separates ;  when  a  few 
drops  of  the  blue  liquid  are  poured  into  water,  the  blue  color  disap- 
pears in  a  few  moments,  and  the  solution  is  found  to  contain  free 
iodine.  The  substance  is  therefore  decomposed  by  excessive  dilution. 
Sulphurous  acid  decolorizes  the  liquid  with  separation  of  cholic  acid. 
The  solution  is  also  decolorized  by  adding  a  few  drops  of  soda  solu- 
tion, with  formation  of  sodium  cholate,  iodide,  and  iodate ;  on  adding 
hydrochloric  acid,  the  blue  compound  is  re-formed.  When  iodocholic 
acid  is  dried  in  a  vacuum,  a  dark,  lustrous,  crystalline  powder  is  ob- 
tained winch  dissolves  in  ether  containing  alcohol,  yielding  a  yellow 
solution ;  this,  when  evaporated,  leaves  a  yellow,  amorphous  substance 
which  is  anhydrous  iodocholic  acid.  The  latter  becomes  blue  in  pres- 
ence of  water. 
The  compound  (C24H40O5I)4,  HI  is  prepared  by  adding  a  small  quan- 
tity of  hydriodic  acid  to  the  brown  solution  of  cholic  acid  and  iodine. 
The  liquid  at  once  becomes  blue.  The  compound  is  isolated  in  a  man- 
ner similar  to  the  potassium  compound  which  it  completely  resembles. 
The  barium  compound  ,  (C24H40O5I)8BaI2,  and  the  zinc,  cadmium,  and 
ammonium  compounds  are  obtained  by  using  corresponding  iodides  in 
the  place  as  potassium  or  hydrogen  iodides. 
Salol  in  Sciatica. — Dr.  v.  Asehenbach,  of  Corfu,  reports  in  the  Fortschritt 
der  Med.  that  suffering  from  sciatica,  for  which  all  known  remedies  had  been 
tried  in  vain,  he,  in  the  evening,  took  a  dose  of  half  a  gram  of  salol,  and  at 
night  one  gram,  after  which  he  fell  asleep  and  remained  perfectly  free  from 
his  pains. — Am.  Praet.  and  Xews. 
1Ber.,  xx.,  6S3-688 ;  reprinted  from  Jour.  Chem.  Soc,  June,  p.  606. 
