98 PRESCRIPTION WRITING 



iron is gr.ii.; of socotrine aloes gr.ss.; of strychnine sul- 

 phate gr.y^. Multiply each dose by 30 : 



Reduced iron gr.ii. x 30 = gr.60 



Aloes gr.% X 30 = gr.l5 



Strychnine gr.j^o X 30 = gr.i^ 



The Latin of aloes socotrine is aloe, genitive aloes, of 

 aloes ; socotrinay genitive socotrin-ce, of socotrine. 



The Latin of strychnine sulphate is strychnina, genitive 

 strychnin-ce of strychnine ; sulphas ^ genitive sulphaUis, of 

 sulphate. 



The Latin of reduced iron is ferrum^ genitive ferr-i, of 

 iron : reducturrif genitive reduct-ij of reduced. Hence : 



Ferri reducti 3 i. 



Aloes socotrinae gr.xv. 



StrychninaB sulphatis gr. ^ 



Misce et divide in pilulas xxx. 



(Abbreviated) M. et div. in pil. xxx. 



Signa. Give one pill three times daily. 



John Smith. 



The Latin names of the drugs being put in the genitive, 



and the signs and numbers for the proper quantities and 



amounts added, we come to the Latin directions to the 



pharmacist. (Misce) mix (et) and (divide) divide (in pilulas, 



accusative plural) in pills xxx. This is a regulation phrase 



and can be employed whenever we write a prescription for 



pills, so that it should be memorized. It can be abbreviated 



correctly as follows : 



M. et div. in pil. xxx. 



Instead of writing the prescription as just described, we 

 can calculate the dose needed of each ingredient in the pill, 

 and then write a prescription for one pill and direct the 

 pharmacist to make 30 pills like it. 



?- Ferri reducti gr.ii. 



Aloes socotrinae gr.ss. 



Strychninae sulphatis gr-Tiu 



Misce et fiat pilula 1.; dispense pilulas tales numero 



