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ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.
tells us that on one occasion he gave it to a young lady, whose proprietyof conduct he had no reason to doubt, and that she miscarried after usingit for three weeks. I have known it given for a bronchocele duringpregnancy without having the least obvious influence over the uterus.
(e.) In gonorrhoea and leucorrhcea it has been employed with successafter the inflammatory symptoms have subsided.
(/'.) Inhalation of iodine vapour has been used in phthisis and chronicbronchitis. In the first of these diseases it has been recommended byBerton, Sir James Murray , and Sir Charles Scudamore. I have repeat-edly tried it in this as well as in other chronic pulmonary complaints,but never with the least benefit. The apparatus for inhaling it has beenalready described (see p. 51.) The liquid employed is a solution ofioduretted iodide of potassium, to which Sir C. Scudamore adds thetincture of conium.— {Med. Gaz. vol. viii. p. 157.)
iff.) Chronic diseases of the nervous system, such as paralysis andchorea, have been successfully treated by iodine, by Dr. Manson.
[h.) In some forms of the venereal disease, iodine has been found a mostserviceable remedy. Thus liochond (quoted by Bayle, op. cit .) employedit, after the usual antiphlogistic measures, to remove buboes. De Sallecured chronic venereal affections of the testicles with it. Mr. Mayo[Med. Gaz. vol xi. p. 249), has pointed out its efficacy in certain disor-ders which are the consequences of syphilis, such as emaciation of theframe, with ulcers of the skin ; ulcerated throat; and inflammation of thebones or periosteum,—occurring in patients to whom mercury has beengiven.
(i.) In checking or controlling the ulcerative process, iodine is, accord-ing to Mr. Key (Medtco-Chirurg. Trans, vol. 19), one of the most power-ful remedies we possess. “ The most active phagedenic ulcers, thatthreaten the destruction of parts, are often found to yield in a surprisingmanner to the influence of this medicine, and to put on a healthy granu-lating appearance.”
(A.) Besides the diseases already mentioned there are many others inwhich iodine has been used with considerable advantage: for example—chronic skin diseases, as lepra, psoriasis, &c. (Cogsw 7 ell, Essay, p. 81) ;—dropsies [ibid ); in old rum-united fractures, to promote the depositionof ossific matter [Med. Gaz. vol. vi. p. 512,1830); in chronic rheumatism ;but in this disease iodide of potassium is more frequently employed. Asan antidote in poisoning by strychnia, brucia, and veratria, iodine has beenrecommended by M. Donne ( Journ. de Chim. Med. tom. v. p. 494),because the compound formed by the union of these alkalies with iodineis less active than the alkalies themselves; as an injection for the cure ofhydrocele, Velpeau {Med. Gaz. vol. xx. p. 90), lias employed a mixture ofthe tincture of iodine with water, in the proportion of from one to twodrachms of the tincture to an ounce of water : of this mixture from oneto four ounces are to be injected and immediately withdrawn ; lastly, tocheck mercurial salivation iodine has been successfully used.— [Med. Gaz.vol. xiii. p. 32, and vol. xx. p. 144.)
Administration. —Iodine is rarely used alone, but generally in combi-nation w'ith the iodide of potassium: formulae for the conjoint exhibitionof these I shall give when describing the iodide : at present I shall con-fine myself to those preparations into which iodine alone enters.