Iodoform

Iodoform, also called triiodomethane (CHI3), is a yellow crystalline substance with a disagreeable smell. Its main practical use is in medicine, as a healing agent and antiseptic in the dressing of wounds, though its actual use for this purpose is limited in modern practice. Iodoform causes irritation to the skin and eyes on contact, and exposure may cause respiratory irritation or breathing difficulty, dizziness, nausea, depression of the central nervous system, and visual disturbance -- a hazard profile that helps explain why, despite its historic value as a wou …