Bottle of iodine in a leather case, 1918 (c)

Iodine was issued during World War One (1914-1918) as a disinfectant for cleaning wounds and for use during surgery to reduce deaths caused by infection.

Iodine is a chemical element, a stable halogen and was discovered naturally occurring in seaweed in 1811 by the French chemist, Bernard Courtois.

From a medical orderly's pack also containing splints, a tourniquet, syringe, needles, calamine lotion, first field and shell dressings and various bandages.