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Iodine

A chemical element oily fluid, insoluble in water; boils at 415° Fahr., and has a specific gravity of 1.200; found both in the animal, vegetable, and known also as essence of mi mirbane.

The mineral kingdoms, but exists in greatest method of preparing it is as follows: Place 10 abundance in sea-weed. It is principally parts fuming nitric acid in a tubulated retort manufactured from the mother-waters of kelp. capable of holding 3 times the quantity; ap- Iodine is usually met with under the form of semi-crystalline lumps, having a metallic Iodine is usually met with under the form of ply beat sufficient to produce gentle ebullition . semi-crystalline lump, having a Insert a glass tube through the upper neck of lustre, or friable scales, somewhat resembling metallic gunpowder. It has a greyish-black color, a of its vapor.-Striking a blue color with hot, acrid taste, and a disagreeable odor not starch; this test is so delicate that water much unlike that of chlorine. It fuses at containing only Tooooo part of iodine acquires 225° Fahr., volatilizes slowly at ordinary tem- a perceptible blue tinge on the addition of peratures, boils at 347°, and when mixed with starch.-Nitrate of silver causes a white prewater rapidly rises along with its vapor at cipitate in solutions containing iodine. It 212. It dissolves in 7000 parts of water, and strikes a blue color with opium and narceine. freely in alcohol and ether. It may be crys- Iodine in combination, as it exists in iodic tallized in large rhomboidal plates, by expos- acid and the iodates, does not strike a blue ing to the air a solution of it in hydriodic acid. color with starch, without the addition of Iodine, like chlorine, has an extensive range of affinity; with the salifiable bases it forms compounds termed IODIDES, IODURETS, or HY- DRIODATES; and it destroys vegetable colors.