Albuminate 
of Iron. 
BY 
W. BLAIR STEWART, A.M., M.D., 
Instructor in Medicine in the Medico - Chirurgical 
College, Philadelphia. Reprint from "The American Therapist," 
March, 1893. 
ALBUMINATE OF IRON. 
By W. Blair Stewart, A.M., M.D., 
Instructor in Medicine in the Medico-Chirurgical College, 
Philadelphia. 
Synonym.-Ferri Albuminas. 
Physical Properties.-Albuminate of iron 
is an amorphous, reddish-brown, slightly 
alkaline, chemical preparation which is 
placed on the market in the form of small 
scales and irregular lumps. It is irregular 
in fracture, translucent, and, under the 
microscope, presents itself as a beautiful 
reddish-brown body, containing a small 
amount of granular matter. Many speci- 
mens show a spiral marking under the 
microscope, due to fracture in carrying; 
a freshly prepared specimen will not pre- 
sent this peculiarity nor any granular 
matter. When ground in a mortar, it is 
reduced to a fine, brown powder. Im- 
properly prepared specimens show many 
pure lemon-yellow, or white scales, which 
may contain much granular material. It 
has a glutinous taste, and should not be 
salty. 2 
A practical study of a freshly prepared, 
pure preparation shows valuable physical 
and chemical properties. It is practically 
insoluble in distilled water, hot or cold; 
but a small amount may be held in sus- 
pension for a short time. It is insoluble in 
all acids, dilute or concentrated, ether or 
chloroform; readily soluble in all alkaline 
mixtures, giving a beautiful, clear, reddish- 
brown solution. It is freely soluble in 
water which has been rendered slightly 
alkaline by water of ammonia, caustic 
potash or soda. 
Almost any alkaline solution can be 
added to a solution of albuminate of iron. 
Liq. potassii arsenitis will mix with it in 
all proportions without change. Bichloride 
of mercury will cause a white precipitate 
of albuminate of mercury. If sufficient 
potassii iodidum is added to dissolve the 
bichloride of mercury, it can be mixed in 
almost any proportions. Acids and aci- 
dulated preparations can not be combined 
with it, as they always cause a precipitate. 
If these precipitates are not new chemical 
compounds, they can be redissolved by 
rendering the solution alkaline. In all 
poor preparations, when the solution is 
heated to the boiling point, an odor similar 
to glue is given off; but the odor from a 
good preparation is bland and agreeable. 3 
No precipitate should form when heat is 
applied to the solution of a fresh prepara- 
tion; it simply becomes frothy for a short 
time. Alcohol and alcoholics can be 
added in all proportions, provided they 
are first rendered alkaline or neutral in re- 
action. 
Albuminate of iron does not undergo 
oxidation nor decomposition when ex- 
posed to the air. When powdered albu- 
minate of iron is heated in a glass tube, 
water is given off first, which is strongly 
alkaline in reaction; next, dark, irritating 
fumes, which will not support combustion 
and which smell like burning meat; a dark 
carbonaceous ring is deposited on the cold 
portion of the tube, and a dark carbona- 
ceous ash is formed which, if heated 
strongly in a flame, is soon reduced to a 
dark white or black oxide of iron, proved 
by appropriate tests. 
Chemistry.-Crudely expressed, albu- 
minate of iron is formed by making a so- 
lution of fresh egg-albumen and gradually 
adding to it a neutral solution of oxychlor- 
ide of iron. Precipitation will not be com- 
plete unless the solution is neutral in re- 
action. Albuminate of iron is precipitated 
as a brown, amorphous, flocculent sub- 
stance; is collected on a linen cloth; thor- 
oughly washed with distilled water, and 4 
dried at a moderately low temperature. 
When dried, it consists of irregular scales 
and needles of a beautiful brownish-red 
color. 
The following is the formula given for 
making liq. ferri albuminas: 
"Thirty-five parts of dry egg-albumen 
are dissolved in one thousand parts of 
water. The solution is strained and 
poured into a mixture of one hundred and 
twenty parts of a solution of oxychloride 
of iron and one thousand parts of water 
in a thin-stream, with stirring. 
"A very accurate neutralization with 
very dilute soda-lye (five parts of this lye 
for ninety-five parts of water) may be 
necessary to completely precipitate the 
albuminate of iron formed. After the 
precipitate has all settled and the super- 
natantfluid has been decanted, it is washed 
by repeated mixing with water and allow- 
ing to settle, until the supernatant fluid, 
on being acidulated with nitric acid and 
mixed with a solution of nitrate of silver, 
opalesces only feebly. The sediment, 
gathered on a linen straining cloth after 
the supernatant fluid has been poured off, 
is poured into a sufficiently large bottle 
(previously weighed) together with three 
parts of soda-lye (sp. gr. 1.170) previously 
diluted with fifty parts of water, and dis- 
solved by shaking. Add to this solution, 
one hundred and fifty parts of alcohol (sp. 
gr. 0.830), one hundred parts of cinnamon 
water, two parts of aromatic tincture and 5 
a sufficient quantity of water to make the 
total weight of the fluid amount to one 
thousand parts. 
"This solution contains approximately 
four parts of iron in one thousand parts. 
It is a reddish-brown fluid of extremely 
slight alkaline reaction with a weak taste 
of cinnamon." 
Some writers have made assertions that 
there is no true chemical compound called 
an "albuminate," but they fail to produce 
the experimental evidence whereon their 
conclusions have been based. There is 
not the least question of a doubt that a 
chemical reaction takes place when egg- 
albumen is added to a solution of oxy- 
chloride of iron or bichloride of mercury. 
It is claimed that a mere coagulation takes 
place resulting in coagulated albumen 
which carries down with it the salt of 
mercury or iron in its original state. Let 
us test the reaction. Take a fresh solution 
of egg-albmen and cautiously add to it a 
dilute solution of oxychloride of iron until 
the iron is just short of an excess; a brown 
precipitate forms. Carefully filter; add 
ammonia water to the filtrate, and no pre- 
cipitate forms, showing an absence of free 
oxychloride of iron, for it is precipitated 
by ammonia water. Its presence can not 
be shown in the filtrate by any other test. 
Was it precipitated with the albumen in its 6 
natural state? Carefully cleanse the filter 
(testing the wash water with negative re- 
sults) and add to part of it water which has 
been rendered alkaline with ammonia 
water. It is dissolved completely, giving 
a reddish-brown solution. If this pre- 
precipitate had contained oxychloride of 
iron it would not have dissolved in am- 
monia water or alkalies. To another part 
of the precipitate add dilute hydrochloric 
acid and water; no change is noted at all. 
If any part of the oxychloride was present 
in a free state it would be dissolved at 
once. This gives two of the most im- 
portant conclusive proofs that a chemical 
change occurs between the albumen and 
oxychloride, in which the latter has been 
decomposed and a new salt formed. 
After thoroughly cleansing and drying 
the remaining part of the precipitate, re- 
duce it to a fine powder. Treat one part 
of the powder with hydrochloric acid; 
another part with nitric acid, and 
another with nitro-muriatic acid. No 
change occurs in any case after twelve 
hours, hot or cold. This proves again 
that iron is not present as a chloride, oxy- 
chloride or oxide; for, if suspended in the 
precipitate, it would have been dissolved. 
Other experiments are equally conclusive. 
Conclusions.-When a neutral solution 7 
of egg-albumen is added to a neutral solu- 
tion of oxychloride of iron, a chemical 
change takes place, resulting in the for- 
mation of a new salt of iron. This new 
salt is an organic compound, entirely un- 
like all other known salts of iron, and, 
chemically speaking, is termed an albu- 
minate. 
There is a series of salts called albumin- 
ates, but their formulae, as well as that of 
albumen, are so complicated and complex 
that they have never been positively 
figured. If this salt, obtained as men- 
tioned, is not a chemical albuminate, 
what is it? and what chemical tests will 
prove any other identity. The presence 
of free albumen cannot be demonstrated in 
the solutions or salt of the albuminate. 
Physiological Action.-We have already 
demonstrated the great chemical affinity 
of the salts of iron for albumen, and it is 
now proposed to carry its study one step 
farther as related to internal administra- 
tion. All therapists teach that the best 
time to administer the preparations of 
iron is after meals; and the reason as- 
signed is, the greater activity of the ab- 
sorbents as well as the presence of the di- 
gestive fluids at this time. If given as a 
chloride, its first action is to combine with 
the albumens present and form an albu- 8 
minate. If any other preparation of iron 
is given it is acted upon by the free dilute 
hydrochloric acid, converted into a 
chloride, which, in turn, combines with 
the albumens. The albuminates produced 
in the stomach are probably precipitated 
by the acid condition of its contents, but 
as soon as they pass into the intestines 
and come into contact with the alkaline 
fluids they are rendered freely soluble, 
and taken up by the lacteals, enter the 
blood as albuminates. It is altogether 
probable that this chemical change is not 
confined strictly to the digestive tract, for 
a certain amount of the other soluble pre- 
parations of iron may be taken up by the 
lacteals and absorbents; but the moment 
they are mixed with the alkaline chyle, 
which is very rich in albuminous material, 
they are converted into soluble albumin- 
ates. The blood itself is so rich in album- 
ens, and, being alkaline, iron could not 
probably exist in it in any other state than 
as an albuminate. 
The salts of iron have much to do 
with the oxidizing processes of the body, 
through the blood, and also enter into the 
composition of hemoglobin and the red 
blood corpuscles. Just what action al- 
buminate of iron plays in this oxidation is 
entirely theoretical; but, being an organ- 9 
ized nitrogenous, carbonaceous, oxidized 
product in itself, it seems to be capable of 
combining or parting with atoms of oxy- 
gen or carbon, in its contact with the tissues, 
and yet retain its physical characteristics. 
When the claim is made that albumin- 
ate of iron, being the most easily assimil- 
ated salt, because it is ready for absoption 
without chemical change, should, there- 
fore, be given the preference to all other 
salts of iron, it is open to objection and 
criticism. As has been showm, other salts 
are absorbed and fulfd their special func- 
tions as indicated. This much can be 
said, how'ever, in favor of albuminate of 
iron and its preparations. It is not as- 
tringent; does not "pucker the mouth" 
nor injure the teeth by prolonged ad- 
ministration ; does not constipate, and 
does not precipitate the digestive ferments 
in the stomach and intestines. It will re- 
main in the stomach without causing irri- 
tation when other preparations cannot be 
retained; it is readily assimilated and can 
be given to children without the least 
trouble and in any dose. It is not toxic 
in its action and will fulfil every indica- 
tion for a plain tonic. It cannot -be used 
in place of, nor substituted for, other salts 
of iron, employed for their astringent ac- 
tion or local effect. 10 
Dr. Sydney Ringer has given the subject 
of iron considerable study, and claims 
that it is present in the circulation and 
body in the form of an albuminate. Other 
writers corroborate his opinion. These 
considerations seem perfectly plausible, 
and a close chemical and chemico-vital 
examination, such as we have given, will 
add many points in its favor. . 
Dose.-Pulv. ferri albuminatis gr. j to 
xx. Liq. ferri albuminatis fj j to iv. 
Syr. ferri albuminatis cum strychninee et 
quininae (Quininae, gr. j. Strychninae 
sulphas, gr. */,„) fs ss to iij. 
Therapy. -Briefly summarized, albumin- 
ate of iron has found its most suitable ap- 
plications in my practice, in all forms of 
anemia and debility where an iron tonic 
has been indicated. Good results could 
not always be obtained from tr. ferri 
chloridi and other astringent preparations, 
and serious objection was found to its 
continued administration in the case of 
children. Convalescence from scarlatina, 
measles, influenza and diphtheria was very 
much hastened, and a bright ruddy glow 
was soon brought to the pallid faces of 
these children by administration of one 
drachm of the liq. ferri albuminatis after 
meals and at bed-time. In most cases it 
was combined with one to three drops of 11 
liq. potassii arsenitis. Several cases of 
anemia and irritability of the stomach 
have yielded to its use in combinations. 
For two years past the following combina- 
tion has given me extremely favorable re- 
.sults: 
R. Pulv. ferri albuminatis gr. ij. 
Acidi arseniosi 
Strychninae sulphatis.... aa gr. 
M. Ft., tab. (compressed) no. i. 
Sig.: One tablet after meals and at bed-time. 
Mr. , aged 48, consulted me, com- 
plaining of great prostration, nervousness, 
irritability, inability to do a full day's work, 
shortness of breath, giddiness, poor ap- 
petite, insomnia, constipation and loss of 
flesh-all the result of an attack of in- 
fluenza six months before. He was put 
on a diet of rich milk, cocoa, red meats, 
baked potatoes, eggs, oysters and all 
easily assimilated foods, and instructed to 
abstain from pork, veal, cabbage, turnips 
and all heavy indigestible articles of diet. 
He took three tepid salt-water baths 
each week,-at bed-time. Bowels were 
regulated with small doses of cascara 
sagrada and aloin in pill-form. Im- 
provement was noticed, and one week 
later he was placed on the above pill, 
four times daily, as directed. In two 
months' time he was apparently a new 
man; had gained twenty pounds in 12 
weight, and could do a full day's work 
without unusual fatigue. 
Another equally typical case was that 
of a chlorotic, single woman, aged 25, 
who had amenorrhea, general pains, giddi- 
ness, headache, nausea and great pallor. 
A similar form of treatment was ordered 
for her, and recovery was perfect in three 
months. The menstrual periods returned 
at regular intervals; the nausea, headache 
and giddiness disappeared, and the color 
returned to its natural hue. 
Many other diseases are promptly 
benefited by it. You may summarize its 
therapeutical application by the axiom, 
that albuminate of iron can be used in any 
condition where iron is indicated, provid- 
ing it is not required for its astringent and 
styptic action. 
Bryn Mawr, Penn. f I! 
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