130 THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 



SOME PHARMACY NOT TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOLS. 

 By P. Henry Utech, Ph. G., Richmond A. Ph. A. Meeting. 



It is my purpose to present some of the notes and observations 

 which were gathered en route and wliich have been of practical 

 utihty in daily store experience. It is not claimed that these notes 

 are all original, but were merely collected from authentic sources, 

 tested, tried and not found wanting. 



Suppositories. 



I first call your attention to a few hints regarding suppositories. 

 Our pharmacopoeia suggests several methods and several different 

 bases to be used in making suppositories. Of the basis, one the 

 Glycerinated Gelatine is seldom employed in retail practice and 

 hence will not be commented upon. Another, the insoluble soap, 

 forms the base of one suppository only, viz., that of glycerine. Both 

 of these are directed to be made by the hot or molded process. The 

 other base, that of cocoa butter, appears to be the only one univer- 

 sally employed, and approaches more nearly an ideal vehicle for the 

 purpose. The physical constants given for the oil state tbat it 

 should be brittle at 59 degrees F. and completely liquefied at 86 

 degrees to 95 degrees F., and it is because of this peculiar charac- 

 teristic, i. e., the temperature of liquefaction and solidification be- 

 ing within such narrow limits that renders this substance so admir- 

 ably adapted for the purpose ; in fact no other single substance or 

 combination of substances has yet been discovered which possesses 

 so many desirable requirements. 



With reference to suppositories made of this substance, two 

 methods are suggested, first ; that of mixing intimately the medicin- 

 al ingredients with grated cocoa butter and adding sufficient Ex- 

 pressed Oil of Almonds to make a plastic, pliable mass. In our ex- 

 perience, we have had excellent results from the use of Lanolin as 

 well as Petrolatum as an excipient. The second method is known 

 as the hot or molded process and has many decided advantages. 

 Suppositories made in this manner dissolve at a much lower tem- 

 perature and are therefore much more quickly effective than when 

 made either by hand or by cold compression in the regular way. 

 Another point is this : the repeated heating of cocoa butter causes 

 rancidity within a very short time. 



