510 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST 
October 5, 1895 
ICemoranda for Correspondents. 
In Utters for publication correspondents are requested to express their vieu>^ 
as concisely as possible. 
Correspondents should write on one side of the paper only^ and detote a 
separate piece of paper to each subject of inquiry, 
fke name and address of the writer should accompany all communications 
if desired, a distinctive nom-de-plume. 
Compressed Flowers. 
Sir, — I n regard to the letter of Mr. G. A. Grierson in las 
week’s issue, we find upon referring to our books that our 
first order for “compressed flowers” was received on 
April 6 last, since which time samples have been carried by 
our representatives and shown to many chemists on their 
ground. We therefore claim to have originated the idea, 
and have little doubt that our claim will be substantiated 
by the entire trade. Yours faithfully, 
Leicester, October 1. T. Howard Lloyd & Co. 
A New Box Wanted. 
Sir, — I would suggest to “ J. W. H.” the use of ordinary 
biscuit-tins for his purpose; they are not expensive, and 
they may be procured in various sizes to suit requirements. 
I use them largely in my store room and find that vegetable 
substances keep much better in them than in wooden boxes. 
To fix the labels (ordinary paper ones) I first wipe the 
surface of the tin with liq. potassm and attach the label with 
flour-paste, then size with solution of isinglass, and finally 
varnish with Maw’s copal varnish, going well over the 
edges. Yours sincerely, 
W. H. T. (156/32,) 
The/^Pill-counter. 
Sir,— In your issue of September 21 you gave a table for 
counting pills. Your readers would, I think, find the 
following rule more convenient and easier to remember than 
the table : — 
Add one to the number of rows ; then multiply the^^sum 
by half the number of rows. 
Suppose there are eight rows ; then (8 + l)x5«=9x4 
= 36 pills. ^ 
I have found this rule convenient when packing a number 
cf articles; by placing them in rows one upon another, and 
diminishing the number in the row by one packet each row, 
then the same rule holds good. 
Yours sincerely, 
Selby, September 24. P. L. Eidge. 
DISPENSING NOTES. 
Correspondents should consult Art of Dispensing" in regard to dit^ 
fensing difficulties. Difficulties liiot explained therein may be sent to the 
Editor, who invites a general expression of opinion upon the under- 
mentioned topics. 
Phenol and Rhubarb Pills. 
Sir,— Why increase the size of the pills ordered in this 
prescription to the extent of 1 to 1^- gr. ? If you add 1 drop 
of water to the carbolic acid, or on to the ingredients, a soft, 
plastic mass is rapidly made which, when rolled and divided, 
sets in as good a pill as one could wish. I enclose the 
batch. Any of the five suggestions (pages 70, 71, “ Art of 
Dispensing”) answer for powdered rhubarb alone, and the 
above method is worked on those principles — viz,, one-third 
to one-half weight of fluid to mass. You have practically 
13 gr. of fluid produced by the drop of water on the phenol 
to mass the rhubarb and quinine. 
Yours, 
DllSrENSER. (151/60.) 
Use of Concentrated Infusions, 
153;7. H. E. B. submits the following prescription. Ho 
dispensed it with fresh infusion of calumba, and the 
customer complained that previously the mixture had been 
darker, and “ H. E. B.” found that it had been dispensed 
with inf. calumbac cone. “ H. E. B.” considered it his duty 
to dispense the prescription as written : — 
Pot. bromid. 5 ij. 
Auimon. bromid. . . 3 isr% 
Pot. bicarb ", 553 . 
Infus. calumbfti .^vj, 
Aq. dost. ad. .. .« ,, ,, 3 vj. 
3ij. bis die, 5iv. hord somui. 
[Our correspondent was right, no doubt, but it is well to 
remember that some doctors mean concentrated infusion 
when they write as above, and in some parts of tbe country 
such preparations are solely used. There is no evidence, 
however, that the prescription originated in such a quarter — 
it is all the other way, in fact. It is regrettable that the 
first dispenser did not indicate on the prescription that he 
used concentrated infusion.] 
A Crumbly Mass. 
149/95. Byron can only get a crumbly mass from the 
following prescription : — 
Pepsin porci , • 
P. capsid 
Ext. aloes aquos. 
.. 
, , , 
irr. S3. 
Ext. taraxaci . . 
.. 
. 
• . gr-i- 
Ft. piL Mitte vj. 
[A drop of syrup is all that is required ; the mass must be 
moderately soft to prevent crumbling.] 
A Codeine Mixture. 
Sir, — The other day I had a prescription to dispense : — > 
Codeinas gr. iv. 
Acid, hydrocliior. dil. .. ,, .. jj. 
Aq. eiunamomi ad .. ' 5 iv, 
jr. 
I rubbed the codeine in a mortar along with the HC1„ 
but on adding the cinnamon-water, a very cloudy appearance 
was given to the mixture. I should be glad^to know the reason 
of this, and the proper way of dispensing it. 
I remain, yours, &c. 
In Doubt. (156/49 ) 
[The cloudiness is simply due to some of the aromatic 
constituents of the cinnamon-water being thrown out of 
solution. Filter the mixture.] 
249/95. J. 0 . — Yours came too late for insertion last 
week, and we imagine that you would not care to see it ia 
print now. 
LEGAL QUERIES. 
immediateinformationonpharmaco-Ugal matters it available in “ Pharmacy 
and Poison Laws of the United Kingdom," Alpe't Handy-book of 
Medicine-stamp Duty," and The Ohemists’ and Drugqisis’ Diabt, 
143/20. Lex. — “Paregoric” a B.P. synonym for tr. 
camph. CO., and the sale as “ Improved Paregoric ” of a pre- 
paration without opium would most likely be punishable 
under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act. 
153/4. Limited , — We do not know the case you alhide ta. 
You should give us tbe exact reference. A limited company 
may keep open shop for the sale of poisons, and, of coarse, 
may expose them for sale. But if an unqualified person 
actually sells them, that person becomes liable to the 
penalty. You ask, “ Would an unqualified assistant to a 
I limited company be justified in refusing to sell any scheduled 
