CHAPTEK VI 

 PRESCRIPTION WRITING 



Definition. A prescription is an order for medicine written by 

 a physician or veterinarian to a pharmacist. It contains direc- 

 tions to the compounder and directions for the use of the drug. One 

 prescribes just as much when he gives directions for regulating the 

 diet, exercise, etc., as when he writes a prescription for one or more 

 drugs to be given or applied locally, yet the word " prescription " is 

 usually applied to a piece of paper on which there is written the 

 order to the pharmacist. The term comes from the Latin prcBj 

 " before," and scriptum, " written," " written before." 



It is customary to write prescriptions in Latin. The reasons for 

 this may be given as: 1. It is a dead language and therefore not 

 likely to change, and a prescription written in Latin is the same the 

 world over and may be put up in a foreign country with equal 

 facility. 3. The Latin name of a drug is distinctive and as a 

 rule means only one drug. Turthermore, the botanical names of 

 plants are usually given in Latin ; first, because scientific men give 

 them their names, and, secondly, because not infrequently the Eng- 

 lish name for a plant in one part of a country has an entirely dif- 

 ferent meaning in another. In the third place there is an element of 

 secrecy which is often desirable to keep the owner or general public 

 in ignorance of the character of the drugs prescribed, and there is less 

 danger of " self doctoring " or using the prescription for some dis- 

 order or in some manner in which it would not be applicable. The 

 difiiculties of prescription vsrriting are much overdrawn by the stu- 

 dent or young practitioner for the following reasons : 



1. Fear that he may not express himself clearly. 



2. Distrust in his ability to make satisfactory combinations. 



3. Fear that a faulty prescription will be criticised by the phar- 

 macist. 



A prescription consists of : 



1. Superscription: The heading ^. 



2. Inscription : The ingredients and their amounts. 



3. Subscription : Directions to the dispenser. 



4. Signature : The directions to the patient or owner. 



It should also contain the name of the patient, or owner, the date 



and name of the prescriber. 



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