Varieties. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Mar.,  1875. 
"  Regarding  the  contents  of  the  iodine  in  the  '  caliche/  we  beg  to  say  that  some 
*  cah'che''  does  not  contain  iodine  at  all  j  other  contains  more  or  less.  According 
to  our  experience  in  this  business,  1,000  quintals  of  '  caliche'  yield  about  25  lbs. 
iodine."    (The  quintal  of  Castille,  Chili,  Mexico,  Peru  =  ioi"6i-lbs.) 
As  to  the  future  ])rice  of  iodine  (and  this,  of  course,  will  regulate  the  rates  for 
iodide  of  potassium  and  other  preparations)  a  great  deal  will  depend  upon  circum- 
stances, about  which  considerable  uncertainty  still  exists  5  but  from  such  facts  as 
we  have  it  would  seem  probable  that  extremely  high  figures  (such  as  ruled  in  1871 
and  1872 — 25^.  per  ounce)  are  not  likely  to  be  demanded  again. 
Much  depends — and  this  applies  to  every  commodity — upon  supply  and  demand. 
Now,  as  to  the  supply — it  would  appear  that  the  South  American  manufacturers 
will  be  able  to  furnish  it  in  considerable  quantities.  A  correspondent  sVates  :  "  The 
quantity  of  iodine  in  Peru  will  be  increased  during  the  present  year"  (1874)  5  and 
this  added  to  the  amount  made  in  Europe  Will  certainly  furnish  an  abunda-nt  sup- 
ply for  every  demand  likely  to  occur,  at  least  for  medicinal  purposes — hence  excess- 
lue  prices,  based  on  limited  production,  can  hardly  be  anticipated. 
lod  ine,  however,  is  also  employed  in  the  arts — by  color  makers.  The  require- 
ments of  fashion  are  somewhat  arbitrary  and  exacting,  at  times,  and  certain  shades 
of  color  become  extremely  popular,  so  that  immense  quantities  of  material  are  re- 
quired, occasionally  at  short  notice,  resulting  in  an  enhancement  of  prices.  Such 
has  been  the  case  In  years  past  with  corrosive  sublimate,  iodine  and  other  chemicalsj 
and,  of  course,  a  repetiti' n  is  not  impossible. 
Again,  the  quality  of  the  South  American  iodine  must  enter  Into  consideration. 
We  can  readily  appreciate  the  prejudice  that  must  exist  in  the  minds  of  those  so 
long  accustomed  to  use  Scotch  iodine,  against  any  new  material  j  but,  as  stated  in 
our  circular  No.  22,  "  It  has  been  acknowledged,  we  have  been  advised,  in  the 
London  market  to  be  equal  to  the  Scotch,"  and,  although  all  that  has  been  sent 
from  South  America  to  London  has  not  been  equally  pure,  It  generally  been  97 
975  pt^r  cent  pure,  and  it  can  be  bought  by  test.  We  do  not  see,  therefore,  why 
the  price  of  the  Scotch  iodine  (which  we  may  take  as  the  standard)  should  be  higher 
than  the  South  American,  and.  In  fact,  they  now  rate  about  the  same. 
It  must  be  expected  that  the  European  manufacturers  will  not  be  disposed  to 
relinquish  the  business  so  long  as  it  pays  a  profit  5  and  it  may  become  a  question 
who  cm  make  iodine  the  cheapest  and  control  the  market.  We  think  it  quite 
likely  that  iodine  can  be  produced  in  South  America  at  a  comparatively  low  cost, 
being  a  by-product,  extracted  during  the  process  of  manufacturing  nitrate  of  soda  : 
but  what  the  effect  of  a  great  fall  in  price  would  be  upon  the  producers  of  Peruvian, 
we  are  unable  to  say,  as  we  are  unacquainted  with  the  method  by  which  they  ex- 
tract it. 
Neither  can  we  spe:  k  definitely  as  to  the  cost  of  the  European,  but  in  our  circular 
No.  22  it  is  stated  :  "  The  production  in  France  is  certainly  less  now  than  last  year, 
and  two  factories  of  importance  are  closed  already,  and  others  threaten  to  follow, 
as  they  pretend  they  work  under  a  loss,  particularly  by  the  enormous  depreciation 
of  muriate  and  sulphate  of  potash."  It  is  generally  supposed  that  the  present  rates 
are  not  very  remunerative  to  the  Scotch  and  French  makers. 
If  the  Peruvians  can  produce  iodine  to  the  extent  indicated  by  advices  received 
from  South  America,  and  can  make  it  so  much  more  cheaply  as  to  afford  to  send  it 
