50 PRESCRIPTION WRITING 



1. Superscription. The symbol ^ (pronounced EX, but 

 always written as a capital E with the tail crossed), is always placed 

 upon the upper left hand comer preceding the names of the ingre- 

 dients. This symbol is used as an abbreviation of the Latin verb 

 recipe, which is the imperative of the verb recipio, I take. It 

 means therefore, " take thou," and is always followed by the accusa- 

 tive case. 



2. Inscription. The name and quantity of each ingredient. 

 The quantity may be a weight, measure or number. In the typical 

 compound prescription, the inscription contains 4 ingredients. 

 Basis or principal drug indicated, adjuvant, which is aimed to help 

 the hasis, corrective which is desired to correct some disagreeable 

 action of the basis and the vehicle, a substance which will give such 

 form and consistence to the preparation as to make it pleasant and 

 at the same time dilute the whole preparation to the proper propor- 

 tion for measure. The true principles of a prescription as based 

 upon a maxim of Asclepiades, curare cito, tuto et jucunde, is to cure 

 quickly, safely, and pleasantly. Applied to a prescription we have 

 this illustrated as 



Curare (Cure) with the (Basis) 

 Cito (Quickly with the (Adjuvant) 

 Tuto (Safely) with the (Corrective) 



et 

 Jucunde (Pleasantly) with the (Vehicle) 



In veterinary practice the last factor {pleasantly) is often ig- 

 nored and the principal use of the vehicle is to dilute the ingredients 

 to the proper dosage. However, all animals object to dosing and the 

 medicine should be made as little objectionable to them as possible. 



3. Subscription. Directions for compounding, whether simply 

 mixed or made into pills, ointments, etc. This may be written in 

 full in Latin, but is usually abbreviated — M. for mix. Ft. — make, 

 etc. 



4. Signature. Directions for the label — to be placed there by 

 the pharmacist. These are always preceded by the letter S. or Sig., 

 which is an abbreviation of the Latin imperative signa, meaning 

 with a label. 



Then follows the signature of the prescriber. 



There is a tendency in modern medicine to get away from the 

 compound prescription and write one calling for but one drug. One 

 containing only the basis is a simple prescription. On the other 

 hand, in a compound prescription the agents may be neither adju- 

 vant nor correctives to each other and yet make a good prescription. 



In prescribing unusual doses of a powerful drug it is better to 

 indicate that the quantities are correct, so that the prescription will 

 not be refused by the druggist. This can be done by underscoring 



