Am.  Jour.  Phariri. 
April,  1893. 
Europhen. 
187 
cent,  of  the  tartar  operated  upon.  This  salt  is  collected  and  utilized 
in  a  fresh  operation. — Bull,  Soc.  Chim.,  Parts,  series  3,  ix-x,  p.  68  ; 
Chem.  News,  March  10,  1893. 
EUROPHEN 1 
By  Dr.  Eichoff. 
In  July,  1 89 1,  Eichoff  gave  a  favorable  account  of  the  action  of 
europhen,  which  is  the  iodide  of  isobutylorthocresol.  It  is  an 
amorphous  yellow  powder,  with  a  slightly  aromatic  smell,  not  solu- 
ble in  water  and  glycerin,  but  very  soluble  in  alcohol,  ether  and 
chloroform.  It  is  soluble  too  in  collodion  and  oil.  Eichoff  reported 
a  series  of  cases  in  which  he  had  used  it  with  great  advantage  in 
ulcers  for  the  most  part  specific,  scrofuloderma,  and  lupus  exedens* 
In  some  cases  he  employed  simply  powdered  europhen,  in  others  he 
used  ointments  of  various  kinds,  containing  usually  5  per  cent,  of 
europhen.  No  good  consequence  followed  its  use  in  gonorrhoea, 
psoriasis,  parasitic  diseases,  and  urticaria. 
He  also  injected  a  1-5  per  cent,  solution  of  europhen  in  olive  oil, 
each  injection  containing  of  a  grain.  This  gave  rise  to  no  pain 
or  local  troubles.  After  the  injection  of  larger  doses,  patients  com- 
plained of  pain  in  the  head  and  liver,  and  he  advised  that  at  first  the 
smaller  doses  should  be  used,  though  afterwards  the  amount  might 
be  increased.  The  injections  of  europhen  were  chiefly  used  in 
syphilitic  affections  and  lesions,  and  seemed  to  be  of  value. 
In  the  Titer ap.  Monat.,  for  January,  1893,  Eichoff  points  out  that 
many  observers  have  confirmed  his  views  as  to  the  utility  of  euro- 
phen. After  further  experience,  however,  he  is  inclined  to  abandon 
its  subcutaneous  use  in  syphilitic  ailments,  since  the  benefit  it  causes 
is  only  temporary,  but  as  an  external  application  in  syphilitic  soft 
ulcer,  he  finds  it  of  very  great  advantage.  After  washing  the  ulcer 
he  applies  the  powder,  covering  the  whole  with  wadding.  Where 
the  surface  of  the  ulcer  is  raised,  he  first  touches  it  with  nitrate  of 
silver.  He  points  out  that  it  must  not  be  used  with  or  soon  after 
a  sublimate  solution,  for  then  irritation  is  set  up,  owing  to  the  iodide 
of  mercury  formed.  In  scrofuloderma  and  lupus  exedens,  he  used 
either  a  3  per  cent,  ointment  or  the  powder,  and  found  cicatrization 
follow.    It  was  of  no  service,  however,  where  the  lupus  and  scrofu- 
1  Medical  Chronicle,  February,  1893,  p.  331. 
