Iodum

Iodum is the Latin term for the chemical element iodine, which is a nonmetal essential for human health, particularly for the production of thyroid hormones. Iodine is a halogen, meaning it is part of Group 17 on the periodic table, and it is the heaviest of the stable halogens. It is a lustrous, purple-black, nonmetallic solid that sublimes readily to form a violet gas. Iodine is found in sea water and some soil, and it is often extracted from brine wells or mined as the mineral caliche. The Hebrew translation for iodine is יוד (Yod). In French, it is called iode, in German Jod, in Spanish yodo, and in Russian йод (yod). Iodine's primary use is in medicine, nutrition, and various industrial applications, including disinfectants, dyes, and catalysts. Its discovery is credited to French chemist Bernard Courtois in 1811.