526. 
ON  IODISED  OIL. 
current  of  steam  into  a  mixture  of  oil  and  iodine,  to  cause  a  com- 
bination of  the  metalloid  with  the  fatty  matter. 
It  has  been  said  that  this  method  of  operating  is  apt  to  cause 
the  formation  of  hydriodic  acd  ;  this  is  true. 
The  second- process,  that  of  M.  Berths  consists  in  dividing  the 
iodine  in  a  mortar,  adding  the  oil,  introducing  the  mixture  into  a 
flask,  which  is  heated  on  a  sand  bath  until  decolored  ;  the  opera- 
tion is  easily  performed,  and  the  iodised  oil  rarely  contains  hydri- 
odic acid,  but  in  avoiding  this  misfortune,  we  fall  into  another 
which  is  quite  as  serious;  indeed,  however  quickly  the  combination 
may  take  place,  it  still  requires  an  hour,  and  a  temperature  of  80° 
C.  (176°  F.)  Oil  of  almonds  exposed  to  this  temperature,  ac- 
quires the  property  of  very  quickly  becoming  rancid. 
Another  chemist  has  advised  the  dissolving  the  iodine  in  ether, 
so  as  to  hasten  its  combination  with  oil  of  sweet  almonds;  this  end 
is  attained  on  the  condition  of  leaving  in  the  iodised  oil  the  great- 
er part  of  the  ether,  for  if  w7e  wish  to  remove  all  the  ether,  it  must 
be  powerfully  heated,  and  for  a  long  time  ;  a  temperature  of  90° 
C.  (194°  F.)  continued  for  three  hours,  will  not  suffice  to  remove 
the  odor  of  the  ether  from  iodised  oil  thus  prepared. 
Having  been  struck  with  these  serious  drawbacks,  and  consider- 
ing the  influence  which  solar  light  has  on  many  compounds  of 
iodine,  I  determined  to  make  some  experiments  for  the  purpose 
of  ascertaining  whether  the  combination  of  iodine  with  oil  of 
sweet  almcnds  would  not  take  place  under  the  influence  of  the 
solar  rays,  and  I  have  been  perfectly  successful. 
The  following  is  the  very  simple  method  which  I  used : — 
Iodine,  2-50  grs. 
Oil  of  almonds,  500.00  « 
The  iodine  is  pulverised  in  a  porcelain  mortar  with  3  or  5 
grammes  of  oil ;  after  5  or  6  minutes  trituration,  the  remainder  of 
the  oil  is  added  by  degrees,  and  a  perfectly  limpid  liquor  is  ob- 
tained, of  a  red  color,  which  is  only  a  solution  of  the  iodine  in  the 
fatty  body,  but  it  is  a  complete  solution.  This  solution,  when 
exposed  for  15  minutes  to  the  solar  rays,  is  perfectly  decolored. 
The  iodised  oil  thus  prepared  has  the  odor  and  taste  of  pure 
oil  of  almonds  ;  it  does  not  become  rancid  more  quickly  than  that 
oil,  and  contains  no  hydriodic  acid. 
I  felt  disposed  to  think  that  the  combination  was  due  to  the  heat 
