166 
Iodoform. 
{Am,  Jour.  Ph\km. 
April  1, 1871. 
is  the  result  I  have  arrived  at.  It  is,  of  course,  well  known  that  the 
purgative  principle  of  castor-oil  has  been  ascribed  by  Soubeiran  to 
the  existence  of  a  supposed  oleo-resin,  and  that  the  ricinoleic  acid  is 
extremely  acrid.  I  find  when  the  oil  is  saponified  that  this  acrid 
principle  is  either  entirely  or  partially  liberated,  and  does  not  con- 
tinue masked  as  it  is  in  the  oil  in  its  natural  state,  nor  neutralized,  as 
might  be  expected,  by  the  alkali.  It  is  to  this  fact,  I  think,  we  must 
look  for  any  active  property  this  soap  may  possess ;  and  here  I  must 
leave  the  matter  for  the  further  investigation  of  the  medical  and 
pharmaceutical  professions.  The  physical  properties  of  the  soap  are 
in  its  favor  for  use  in  medicine.  It  has  a  clean  yellowish-white  color, 
is  free  from  smell ;  it  soon  becomes  dry,  hard  and  is  easily  powdered; 
it  has  no  tendency  to  soften  or  deliquesce  on  exposure  to  the  air.  In 
proof  spirit  it  makes  a  perfectly  clear  and  colorless  solution,  with 
only  a  little  sediment.  I  shall  forward  a  specimen  to  the  Society  for 
the  inspection  of  tho^e  who  may  feel  interested. — London  Pharm. 
Journ.,  February  25,  1871. 
,  ,  IODOFORM. 
By  J.  Henry  Carstens,  M.  D. 
As  to  some  of  the  readers  of  the  Revieiv  the  mode  of  preparing 
this  article,  while  to  others  its  therapeutic  uses  may  be  of  interest,  I 
may  be  allowed  to  write  a  few  words  about  this  compound,  which  has 
•come  into  such  sudden  and  extensive  demand. 
Teriodide  of  formyl,  or  sesquiiodide  of  carbon,  as  it  was  formerly 
called,  has  a  chemical  composition  of  CHI3.  It  was  discovered  in  the 
year  1822,  by  SeruUas,  who  procured  it  by  adding  chlorinated  lime  to 
an  alcoholic  solution  of  iodide  of  potassium.  Claimed  by  Dumas  to 
be  analogous  to  formic  acid,  the  iodine  taking  the  place  of  the  oxygen 
(also,  chloroform  and  the  like  preparations). 
A  good  method  for  making  this  compound  is  given  by  Wittstein. 
Two  parts  of  carbonate  of  potassa,  two  parts  of  iodine,  one  part  of 
alcohol,  and  five  of  water,  are  mixed  in  a  retort,  which  is  then  heated 
Joj  means  of  a  water-bath,  till  the  contents  are  pei:fectly  colorless. 
After  the  retort  has  cooled,  the  liquid  is  poured  into  a  beaker  and 
allowed  to  settle.  The  yellow,  scaly  mass  is  then  collected  on  a  filter, 
washed  thoroughly  with  water,  and  dried  between  filter-paper.  Reac- 
tion (according  to  new  nomenclature) :  6  (K2CO3)  H-  16  I  -f-  2  (CgH^ 
