“B. Iodine” products are marketed by the B. Iodine Chemical Company, Cincinnati, Ohio; John Bohlander, A.M., M.D., is said to be the discoverer. They consist of “B. Iodine,” “B. Oleum Iodine,” and “B. Aqua Iodine.” B. Iodine and B. Oleum Iodine were submitted to the Council.
In a circular submitted by the B. Iodine Chemical Company, B. Iodine is said to be “Nitrogen Hydrate of Iodin.” It is claimed that “coming in contact with water, H2O, a chemical change takes place forming Hydro Oxid of Iodin, the Nitrogen of the Nitrogen Hydrate of Iodin escaping, the balance taking up one of oxygen of the water. Its companion, the H2, escaping at the same time with the Nitrogen then combining with the remainder of the water to form the solution of Hydrogen Oxid of Iodin; so you can readily see that you really have a pure water of Iodin, nothing but the H, the O and the I.”—(From the Journal A. M. A., Feb. 1, 1919.)
B. IODINE
According to the circular, B. Iodine is soluble in alcohol, chloroform, and ether. Also it:
“Has odor, taste, melting and boiling point, same as regular Iodin, has a great affinity for water and will respond to all the tests of Iodin. Appears in a Bluish Black Granulated mass or Powder. When heated in vaporating dish will throw off large purple volumes of Iodin leaving a slight white crystalline precipitate, which on continuous heating will entirely disappear. With careful manipulation you can get prismatic needle point like crystals, looking like spores of glass, these dissolving in water will yield pure Iodin coloring the water Iodin.
“Pharmacologic, Therapeutical and Physiological Action: Same as Iodin, being of a colloidal nature has the advantage of being more readily absorbed and taken up by all cellular structure, thus getting a perfect cellular medication of Iodin.”
A sample of B. Iodine, marked “Nitrogen Hydrate of Iodin” was submitted by the manufacturers and this sample was examined.
B. Iodine was found to be a granular powder, almost black with a purple cast. It has an odor of iodin and dissolves in water readily. It is also quite soluble in alcohol, but not entirely soluble in chloroform and ether. Ether quickly dissolves iodin from B. Iodine, leaving a residue of a white granular substance. Chloroform acts the same as ether except that the iodin is dissolved out with some difficulty. On heating B. Iodine, vapors of iodin escape. If the heating is done on a water bath, a residue of a white granular substance, subsequently identified as ammonium iodid, remains. If heated in a bunsen flame, no residue remains. These tests all indicate that iodin is held in the form of a simple mixture.
Ammonia: B. Iodine when mixed with an excess of sodium hydroxid and warmed, evolves ammonia.
Iodine: 0.1567 gm. B. Iodine dissolved in water required 5.88 c.c. tenth-normal sodium thiosulphate solution indicating 48.28 per cent. iodin. 0.3721 gm. B. Iodine required 14.18 c.c. tenth-normal sodium thiosulphate solution indicating 48.37 per cent. iodin. The average is 48.33 per cent. iodin.