ON  THE  IODINE- WATER  OF  DR.  ANDERS. 
395 
iodine  in  water  has  been  finally  settled  by  Dr.  Henry  Anders, 
for  the  benefit  of  mankind." 
It  was  declared  in  those  publications,  "that  Dr.  Anders,  after 
continued  experiments,  during  a  period  of  nine  years,  had  at 
length  succeeded  in  producing  a  chemical  combination  between 
pure  water  and  iodine,  without  the  addition  of  any  other  sub- 
stance." The  solubility  of  the  iodine  in  water  is  not  the  dis- 
covery of  Dr.  Anders,  it  is  not  his  merit ;  such  was  known  as 
early  as  1812,  to  the  discoverer  of  the  iodine,  Mr.  Courtois,  of 
Paris,  in  France.  The  only  question  is,  how  much  pure  iodine 
can  be  dissolved  in  a  certain  quantity  of  pure  water  ? 
According  to  Gay-Lussac's  experience,  one  part  of  iodine  re- 
quires 7,000  parts  of  water  for  its  solution ;  according  to  Jacque- 
lain  and  others,  5,000  parts  ;  and  by  my  own  experiments,  made 
recently,  I  find  that  5,600  parts  of  pure  water  are  required  for 
the  solution  of  one  part  of  pure  iodine,  at  a  temperature  of  from 
+8  to  12°  R.,  equal  to  from  +50  to  59°  F.  But  Dr.  Anders 
asserts  that  by  his  invention  or  discovery,  a  solution  can  be 
obtained  containing  f  of  one  grain  of  iodine  in  one  ounce  of  water  ; 
that  is,  one  part  for  only  640  parts  of  water,  certainly  a  very 
remarkable  difference  between  his  estimate  and  the  foregoing. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  iodine  maybe  dissolved  in  a  less  quantity 
of  water  than  from  5,600  to  7,000  parts,  provided  the  water 
contains  sal  ammoniac,  or  nitrate  of  ammonia,  or  the  slightest 
quantity  of  iodide  of  potassium,  or  iodide  of  sodium,  etc.,  etc.  ; 
and  further,  with  respect  to  the  discovery  of  the  French  apothe- 
cary Dubauque,  from  10  to  15  grains  of  iodine  can  be  quickly 
dissolved  in  10  ounces  of  water  containing  only  a  few  grains  of 
tannic  acid.  (See  Journal  de  Pharmacie,  Juillet,  1851,  xx.  34.) 
This  is  a  matter  perfectly  settled  by  different  chemists. 
The  iodine  water  of  Dr.  Anders,  in  the  advertisements,  is 
announced  in  the  most  extravagant  terms,  as  a  cure  for  a  host 
of  diseases,  at  which  we  need  not  be  surprised  from  our  every 
day  experience.  The  motive,  of  course,  is  evident.  It  is  un- 
necessary for  me  to  make  any  further  remarks  on  this  notable 
discovery,  said  to  be  the  greatest  of  the  century.  The  value  and 
judicious  use  of  iodine,  in  various  diseases,  without  recourse  to 
the  pretended  iodine  water,  is  well  known  to  enlightened  physi- 
cians ;  it  is  another  thing  with  a  credulous  and  unscientific 
public. 
