Iodoform is largely not used today primarily because of its strong, disagreeable odor, despite possessing valuable antiseptic qualities. Its unpleasant smell led to its rejection by the medical community for general use.
While iodoform was recognized for its interesting antiseptic properties, this benefit was significantly outweighed by its pervasive and offensive scent. This characteristic made it unsuitable for widespread application, particularly in clinical and patient-care settings where such an odor could be highly off-putting and problematic.
Historically, the search for alternatives began precisely due to this limitation. An early effort to find an odourless substitute was the development of compounds like bismuth iodosubgallate, known commercially as Airoform®. This substitute was designed to offer similar therapeutic benefits without the major drawback of iodoform's odor, highlighting how critical the scent issue was to its abandonment.
In summary, the primary reason iodoform is no longer commonly used is its unacceptable odor, which overshadowed its potential as an antiseptic.
