CAMPETRODIN AND CAMPETRODIN NO. 2
Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry
The following report on Campetrodin and Campetrodin No. 2 has been adopted by the Council and its publication authorized.
W. A. Puckner, Secretary.
The following report of the A. M. A. Chemical Laboratory on “Campetrodin” and “Campetrodin No. 2,” sold by the A. H. Robins Company, Richmond, Va., was submitted to the Council by a referee of the Committee on Pharmacology:
Campetrodin and Campetrodin No. 2, Double Strength, are called “ethical medicinal specialties” by the A. H. Robins Company, Richmond, Va., which sells them. An advertisement in the Maryland Medical Journal (December, 1917) contains the following claim for composition:
“Campetrodin (Made in Two Strengths of Iodine). This preparation is an Oleaginous Solution of Iodine in Camphor.”
A booklet describing the “specialties” of the Robins Company contains the following in reference to Campetrodin: “Composition: Camphor, Iodine Element, Oleaginous Solvent.” From this it appears that the preparations are claimed to contain elementary (free) iodine in an “oleaginous solvent.” Since free iodin, as is well known, readily combines with fats, it was decided to determine the form in which the iodin was present in these preparations. The examination demonstrated that both preparations contained but a trace of free iodin. On steam distillation there was obtained from both preparations a distillate amounting to about 35 per cent. by volume which had an odor strongly suggestive of turpentine, while the residue contained the iodin and had the characteristics of an iodized fatty oil.