EXAMPLES OF PRESCRIPTIONS 89 



Examples of Prescriptions for Different Preparations. 

 TO WRITE A PRESCRIPTION FOR A PILL. 



1. We calculate the number of pills we wish to prescribe and then 

 multiply the dose of each ingredient in the pill by that number. We will 

 suppose that we desire to prescribe 30 pills for a dog, containing reduced 

 iron, socotrine aloes and sulphate of strychnine. The dose of reduced 

 iron is gr.ii. ; of socotrine aloes gr.ss. ; of strychnine sulphate gr.l/l20. 

 Multiply each dose by 30. 



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



Aloes gr.% X 30 = gr.lS 



Strychnine gr.1/120 X 80 = gr.% 



The Latin of aloes socotrine is aloe, genitive aloes, of aloes ; soco- 

 trina, genitive socotrirUE, of socotrine. 



The Latin of strychnine sulphate is strychnina, genitive strychnin-cz, 

 of strychnine ; sulphas, genitive sulphat-is, of sulphate. 



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

 tum, genitive reduct-i, of reduced. Hence: 



Ferri reducti oi. 



Aloes socotrinse gr.xv. 



Strychninae sulphatis ^ gr.% 



Misce et divide in pilulas xxx. 

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



Signa. Give one pill three times daily. 



John Smith, D. V. M. 



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 calcu- 

 late the dose needed of each ingredient in the pill, and then write a pre- 

 scription for one pill and direct the pharmacist to make 30 pills like it. 



Ferri reducti gr.ii. 



Aloes socotrinae gr.ss. 



Strychninae sulphatis gr.1/120 



Misce et fiat pilula 1; dispense pilulas tales numero xxx. 

 (Abbreviated) M. et f. pil. 1. Dispense pil. tales No. xxx. 

 Signa or S. (as before). 



Translated: (Misce) mix (et) and (fiat). let there be made (pilula) 

 pill 1; (dispense) dispense (pilulas) pills, (tales) such, (numero) in 

 number, xxx. Abbreviated as above, (Signa) S. = Label. 



The same prescription may be written in the metric system: gr.l = 

 .06 Gm. Fractions of a grain are converted into grams, therefore, by 



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