The remedies for iodic poisoning are to wash out the stomach by the copious use of demulcent drinks; to administer freely of starch either pure, or in the form of flour mingled with large quantities of water; afterwards to clear out the bowels by a mild cathartic, also accompanied with starch; and, when the poison has been removed, to obviate irritation by opiates given by the mouth and rectum, and inflammation, if existing, by antiphlogistic measures adapted to the urgency of the case. Care must also be taken that the patient do not die of debility, from the want of nutriment.

2. Mode Of Operation

It has been already stated that iodine is a local irritant, and operates through this property on any surface to which it may be applied, whether the skin, the air-passages, or the alimentary mucous membrane. But it also affects the system through absorption. Of this there is no doubt whatever. indeed, the preparations of iodine enter the circulation with extraordinary facility. it is stated that it has been detected in the urine of a dog poisoned with it, four minutes after its exhibition. it is absorbed from all the surfaces, and even rapidly from the skin, when used in the form of bath. After internal or external use, it has been detected in the blood, the solid tissues, and the different secretions, as the urine, saliva, tears, etc. The milk of nursing women contains it; and it has been found in the urine of sucklings, after administration to the mother. Readily as it finds access to the circulation, it no less readily escapes, especially by the kidneys and salivary glands; and the urine and saliva are the secretions in which it is always sought for, when proof is wanted of its having entered the system.* It probably never enters the blood in the uncombined state; but always in the form of an iodide or iodate, or of both. A few days after its exhibition, the signs of its presence usually disappear; or at least only traces are discoverable in the urine, which vanish wholly in a short time.

After entering the circulation, it no doubt acts as a general irritant, and hence is thrown off rapidly by the emunctories. It does not, like some of the metals, appear to form durable compounds with the tissues, or to be deposited in them in a permanent state. The facility with which it forms compounds soluble in the blood precludes such a result.

Mode of Alterative Action. But does not iodine produce other effects than those of a mere irritant? Its medicinal efficiency, in doses insufficient to produce sensible effects in health, would seem to give an affirmative answer to this question. Nevertheless, it appears to me that we can approach to a solution of the problem of its alterative action, without attributing to it any extraordinary or mysterious power. its almost universal diffusion in nature renders its habitual presence in the system, in a certain degree, necessary in health, though not in quantities to give evidence of its existence to ordinary chemical examination. it is not at all an improbable supposition that, like chloride of sodium, it is one of the constituents of the system, favourable, if not essential to perfect health. in this view of its physiological influence, it does not seem probable that it has any special or extraordinary influence on the system, such as that of mercury, arsenic, etc., which are quite alien and repugnant to the animal economy. its effects may, I think, be best explained, by supposing it to be a special stimulant to that function of the body by which all its parts are undergoing constant disintegration and renewal, and which may be regarded, for want of a better term, as the nutritive process. Under its influence the disintegration and renewal go on more rapidly than in health; and hence, as well as from its direct stimulant influence, may result an increase of the secretory functions in general. The results of the disintegration of the tissues must be thrown off by the emunctories as they enter the blood. Under ordinary circumstances, no emaciation occurs, because deposition takes place as rapidly as disintegration; but if digestion be interfered with by irritation of the stomach and bowels, then the waste is not duly supplied; and hence the emaciation which has been noticed under such circumstances. it will be seen, when we come to the therapeutic part of the subject, that the most beneficial and extraordinary influence of iodine may be explained on this principle. if these views are correct, the apparent increase of absorption does not result from a direct stimulant influence on the absorbents themselves. Emaciation is not produced by increase of absorption; but the absorbents are stimulated by the increased rapidity of the disintegrating process, or dissolution of the ultimate organic structure, which affords them and the venous radicals materials for removal.

* From the experiments of M. Cl. Bernard, it would appear that iodide of potassium has a strong tendency to escape with the saliva, even more so than with the urine. He injected this salt and ferrocyanide of potassium into the jugular veins of a dog. The iodide was almost immediately detected in the saliva, and continued to be eliminated with it for several hours; while it did not appear in the urine until two hours after the injection. The ferrocyanide, on the contrary, never appeared in the saliva, but was found in the urine about seven minutes after the injection, and remained in it so long as the experiment was continued. The experiment was repeated several times, with the same result. (Arch. Gen., 5e sér., i. 6.)

While thus disposed to escape by the saliva, and after a time by the urine, it would appear, from the observations of Schottin, to be little disposed to pass off by perspiration. Though given in the quantity of half a drachm daily, it was not found in the sweat until the fifth day. (Brit, and For. Medico-chir. Rev., July, 1855, Am. ed., p 172.)

This disposition of iodine and its compounds to escape by the salivary glands is observed very quickly after its absorption, considerably before any can be discovered in the urine. Some interesting inferences may be drawn from this fact. The elimination by the salivary glands is probably one cause of the continuance of its action on the system. The iodide, being swallowed with the saliva, is again absorbed into the circulation, to be again secreted with the saliva as before. M. Bernard gave iodide of potassium to a dog, and at the end of several weeks could detect evidences of its presence in the saliva. Being secreted and swallowed with the saliva, it was reabsorbed and again eliminated by the salivary glands, and thus a round was maintained which kept the system probably much longer under the influence of the medicine than if it had escaped solely by the kidneys. Besides, may we not plausibly ascribe some of the effects of iodine on the mouth and throat to this unceasing presence of the medicine in the mouth and fauces? (Note to the third edition.)