W. A. Puckner, Secretary.]
Saliodin is sold by the Saliodin Chemical Co., Scranton, Pa. In the literature and on the trade package the following “formula” is given:
This formula being indefinite and vague, the examination of saliodin was taken up in the Association laboratory.
From the analysis we calculate the composition of saliodin to be approximately equivalent to a mixture of:
Sodium salicylate | 57.54 |
Potassium iodid | 1.18 |
Potassium acetate | 30.00 |
| Matter volatile at 130° (oil of anise, oil of | |
gaultheria, moisture, etc.) | 8.10 |
Undetermined (extractive?) | 3.18 |
| ———— | |
| 100.00 | |
The analysis shows that the formula is not only indefinite and vague, but incorrect and false.
To emphasize the incorrectness of the published formula the following comment on its first two items is offered:
In the “formula” it is stated that 20 grains of saliodin contain approximately “salicylic acid (aceto-salicylate) Grs. XV.” The statement is not clear, but conveys the impression that 20 grains of saliodin contain an amount of aceto-salicylate, a salt of acetyl-salicylic acid (aspirin), equivalent to 15 grains of salicylic acid. But the chemical examination shows that it contains neither acetyl-salicylic acid, nor salt of acetyl-salicylic acid, nor even salicylic acid itself. In the place of these, the analysis shows that over half of saliodin is the common, every-day sodium salicylate.