15 Southside Seaweed Seaport Chemists are often depicted in movies or in books as eccentric and absent-minded p:ofessors. ln reality chemists are very in touch with the needs of society and are more practical tnan you nay think. Chemists often isolate substances found in nature or create new substances that benefil our heai:h. This activity is a case in point. You will be isolating an iodide salt that will be used to prepare a tinctlrre of lodine. Sold as an over-the-counter drug in your local pharmacy, iqQlne is used as an antiseptic on cL(s and scrapes of the skin. lodine has also been used to sanitize swimming pools and medical instruments pur,fy drinking water and is used in the treatment of goiter (swelling of the thyroid). I hope that this acti\.i}, r,rill convince many of