74 
ON PREPARATIONS OF IRON. 
oxide, and united with an acid, it is soluble and susceptible of 
receiving useful applications. 
Syrup of iodide of iron. 
Jfc — Simple syrup, - 200 grammes. 
Liquid iodide of iron, - 1 grain. 
Each spoonful of this syrup contains 1 grain or 5 centi- 
grammes of dry iodide of iron. 
As soon as a solution of iodide of iron is placed in contact ' 
with atmospheric air, a part of the iron oxidizes, and a corres- 
ponding quantity of the iodine is set free. This circumstance 
modifies the action of the medicine in a bad manner and in- 
jures very much its use. 
Water, saturated with sugar, has the property of protecting 
the iron from oxidation; it is therefore under the form of sy- 
rup only that we can employ the iodide of iron. 
Saccharate of lime. 
J& — Simple syrup, - - - - lOOOgrammes. 
Quick lime, - 10 " 
Water, ----- 100 " 
Slack the lime with the water, and add the syrup to the 
mixture, boil for ten minutes and filter through paper, then 
add to the product four times its weight of simple syrup. 
It was Prof. Trousseau who used this remedy. He em- 
ployed it in chronic diarrhoeas and dysentery. 
Lactate of iron. 
As all pharmaceutists can procure lactate of lime at the 
price of 20 fr. for 500 grammes, the lactate^of iron may be pre- 
pared in every laboratory. The following is a simple process 
and succeeds well. 
Dissolve 500 grammes of lactate of lime in 2 killogrammes 
of boiling water; precipitate the lime by oxalic acid,which forms 
an insoluble oxalate and filter. The liquid obtained contains 
lactic acid, which being placed in contact with iron filings and 
heated for six or eight hfturs yields, on cooling,very white lactate 
