Martindale, W. H. (Various editions, early 20th century, e.g., 1920s-1940s). The Extra Pharmacopoeia. London: The Pharmaceutical Press. (Historical compendia documenting the existence, composition, and former uses of Bismuth Formic Iodide and similar compounds like Bismuth Oxyiodogallate. These sources describe its use as an antiseptic dusting powder/ointment.)
The British Pharmaceutical Codex (BPC) (Historical editions, e.g., 1911, 1934). London: The Pharmaceutical Press. (Historical standard texts that included monographs for obsolete drugs like Bismuth Formic Iodide, detailing its preparation and past indications for external antiseptic use.)
Journal Articles (Early 20th Century):
Example Search Focus: Look for articles in journals like The Lancet, British Medical Journal (BMJ), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and pharmaceutical journals from circa 1900-1950 using terms like “bismuth formic iodide”, “bismuth iodoformate”, “antiseptic powders”, “iodobismuthates”, “historical disinfectants”. (These would provide clinical reports and discussions on the historical use, efficacy compared to contemporaries like iodoform, and observed drawbacks/stability issues of such compounds.)
Modern Pharmacology/Disinfection Texts (Context on Replacement):
Block, S. S. (Ed.). (2001). Disinfection, Sterilization, and Preservation (5th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (Comprehensive text explaining why modern iodophors like povidone-iodine replaced older, less stable, more irritating iodine compounds like tinctures and historical complexes including Bismuth Formic Iodide, due to sustained release, reduced irritation, and better stability.)
McDonnell, G., & Russell, A. D. (1999). Antiseptics and Disinfectants: Activity, Action, and Resistance. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 12(1), 147–179. https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.12.1.147(Review article covering mechanisms and evolution of antiseptics, highlighting the advantages of modern agents over obsolete ones.)
Official Compendia (Confirming Obsolete Status):
The Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (Current Edition) - No monograph.
United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP-NF) (Current Edition) - No monograph.
European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) (Current Edition) - No monograph.
Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP) (Current Edition) - No monograph. (The absence from all major current pharmacopoeias definitively confirms its status as an obsolete drug with no current legitimate medicinal use.)