Iodum

Lecture XLVIII — Halogens — Bromine and Iodine; and Spongia

Iodine.

So much for Bromine; now for Iodine; and first let me speak of the symptoms arising from its abuse. Iodine is an absorbent; it has the property of causing absorption, particularly of glandular structures- Its absorbent properties extend to other tissues, involving, finally, even nervous structures. We find, for instance, in persons who are poisoned with Iodine, great emaciation. With the female, the mammary glands become atrophied and the ovaries, too, no doubt. With the males, the testicles surfer in the same manner and there is the inevitable progressive loss of sexual power. The skin becomes dark yellow and tawny, dry from deficient action, the sclerotica become yellow, yellow spots appear on the face and also on the body. There is excessive appetite, he is anxious and faint if he does not get his food. He is relieved while eating and yet he emaciates despite the amount of food he eats. Sooner or later the nervous system becomes involved and he is afflicted with tremor. He becomes nervous and excitable; every little annoyance, which would be unnoticed in his normal condition, causes trembling. He has a longing for the open air, as if the cold fresh air gave him more health. This gives a fair idea of the condition to which the patient is reduced by the over use of Iodine. One of the best antidotes to £his state is Hepar. Some cases require Sulphur. The individual symptoms decide.

Now compare Iodine with Bromine in chest affections. Iodine is indicated in pneumonia, more so, perhaps, than Bromine. It is especially useful when the disease localizes itself, that is, when the plastic exudation* commences. There is a decided cough with great dyspnoea, difficulty in breathing, as though the chest would not expand (and here the trouble is situated in the chest itself) , and blood-streaked sputum. You will find some portions of the lungs beginning to solidify. You may also give it later in the disease, after the stage of hepatization, in the stage of resolution, when instead of absorption *Under Mercurius and Iodine, exudates are plastic; Bryonia, serous and plastic; Hepar, purulent.

and expectoration of the exudate, slow suppuration appears with hectic fever and emaciation; the patient feels better in the cool open air than he does in the warm room.

Phthisis pulmonalis sometimes calls for Iodine. You here find it indicated in young persons who grow too rapidly, who are subject to frequent congestion of the chest, who are rather emaciated, and who suffer from dry cough, which seems to be excited by tickling all over the chest. The patient cannot bear the warm room. Expectoration is tough and blood-streaked. There is a well-marked feeling of weakness in the chest, particularly on going up stairs, The patient has a very good appetite, and is relieved by eating.

The nearest remedy to Iodine here is Phosphorus, which is also well adapted to phthisis in the rapidly-growing young.

Iodine is also indicated in enlargement of the heart, whether or not accompanied by disease of the valvular structures. There is palpitation of the heart, particularly after any manual labor. It is suited especially to dark-complexioned persons, with dark hair, etc. The heart feels as if it were being squeezed by a firm hand. At other times there is excessive weakness in the chest, with '

' goneness '

' or exhausted feeling. The patient can scarcely talk or breathe, so weak does he feel. This shows that Iodine acts on the connective tissue. In valvular affections there is a feeling of vibrat'ion over the heart, just such a sensation as you get when stroking a purring cat. Spigelia has that same purring, vibrating feeling over the region of the heart.

Now let me give 5^ou the difference between Iodine and Bromine in scrofulous affections. Iodine causes induration of the glands more marked than does Bromine. They are hard, large and usually painless. There is a characteristic of Iodine which is universal, and that characteristic is torpidity and sluggishness. The very indolence of the disease is suggestive of Iodine. It also produces atrophy of the glands. The mammae waste away and the testicles dwindle. We find it indicated in scrofulosis of children, when they emaciate rapidly, despite a ravenous appetite. They are hungry all the time. They cry for their dinner, they feel better while eating, and yet they do not gain any flesh. They are always better in the open air and worse from any confinement in the warm room. The mesenteric glands are enlarged, and you have what is known as tabes mesenterica. This indicates Iodine, particularly when you have these other symptoms present together with excessive mental irritability.

We find Iodine causing a rather singular diarrhoea. In such cases the spleen is enlarged, quite hard, and very sensitive to the touch. The liver, too, must be affected, because the stools are whitish; sometimes they are wheylike. This last symptom you will often find connected with obscure disease of the pancreas. Iodine has such an affinity for glandular structures, that it, no doubt, attacks the pancreas as well as other glands.

We also find Iodine affecting the ovaries. It is indicated in ovarian dropsy. In such cases as this, the single fact that Iodine has helped in ovarian dropsy must not lead you to give Iodine in every case of that trouble. Other remedies have proved themselves useful. Apis, Colocynth, and other drugs, have cured cases, and they have sometimes failed. If the whole picture of the patient calls for Iodine, it is your duty to give that drug, but not unless such is the case. It must be given for weeks or months before it will bring about absorption of the tumor.

We also find Iodine indicated in cancer of the uterus, particularly with profuse haemorrhages. The leucorrhoea is characteristic, being yellowish and very corrosive. This, in conjunction with the other Iodine symptoms, sallow, tawny skin, ravenous appetite, etc., makes Iodine the remedy which will relieve many cases and cure some. In this connection we have other remedies to remember, and notably among these, Hydrastis, which has cured epithelioma, and may be a remedy for uterine cancer. I have, however, had no personal success with it. It has been used both externally and internally, when indicated by symptoms which have already been given you in another lecture; especially has it marked goneness at the epigastrium, and palpitation after every motion.

There is a substance, or remedy, known as Lapis albus. It is one of Grauvogl's remedies. He, at one time, went to a certain spring, the waters of which, it was claimed, would cure tuberculosis, scrofulosis, and even cancer. On examining the spring, he noticed that the water had gradually worn a crevice in the rocks. He took away a piece of this rock over which the water was falling, and made triturations of it. With this he cured several cases of goitre, and also several cases of scirrhus. This rock has been analyzed, but the analyses differ so that I hardly know which one to recommend.

Iodine is sometimes indicated in rheumatic joint affections, with effusion and emaciation. Hydrarthrosis yields, according to Jahr, Jousset HAIX>GKNS. 511 and others, to Iodine. In acute cases, compare Apis; in the chronic, Sulphur.

Both Iodine and Bromine are of some use in ulcers. Iodine, for instance, is useful in ulcers rather of a scrofulous form, with spongy edges, and discharges of a bloody, ichorous, or even purulent character. Now, Bromine is somewhat similar. It is useful in ulcers which have a carrion-like odor, with threatening gangrene. The surrounding skin has a greenish-yellow hue. That is the form of ulcer to which Bromine is especially adapted.

Now, a few words about Chlorine. I do not know much about it as a medicine. It may be given in a crude form by allowing the gas to be absorbed by ice-cold water, and thus it may be prepared for the cases to be enumerated. Chlorine, and in fact all its combinations, seem to have a special affinity for mucous membranes. Hence we find it indicated in catarrhs. Chlorine produces a watery discharge from the nose, with a thin, excoriating coryza, making the nose sore, both inside and about the alse. On examining the mouth, you find it, too, affected with a low grade of inflammation. Chlorine here produces small, putrid-smelling ulcers, yellowish-white, which are aphthous in character.

Chlorine is indicated in scorbutic states of the blood, as are all the chlorides. We find under Natrum ??iur. and Kali chloricum the same kind of stomacace, with excessive foetor of the breath. We find Chlorine also acting on the nervous system, probably through the blood. It is indicated in typhoid conditions; the patient has a fear of becoming crazy, or that he will lose his senses. He is very forgetful; he cannot remember names, etc. There is a constant fear of some impending disease. There is also, under Chlorine, a peculiar painful sensation in the vertex, passing down the left side of the body. This is a precursor of typhoid fever. It is worse after eating. In such cases Chlorine will often modify the fever. Chlorine is also indicated in impotence, but when this impotence has been produced by inhalations of the fumes of Chlorine, Lycopodium is the proper antidote.

Chlorine is a very good antidote to Sulphuretted hydrogen.