PREPARATION OF SUPPOSITORIES AND MEDICATED PESSARIES. 265 
before they were hard, even within twenty minutes of the time the material was 
poured in. It is not recommended that this should be practised, but even with the 
most stinted time, it will be seen that they may be sent out in a condition fit for 
use. When this has to be done, it is best to throw them into cold water as soon 
as possible, and to keep them under water while the foil is being rolled off, as 
the warmth of the hand is sufficient to melt them again, and that very speedily 
while they are new. 
The plastic clay matrices, it will be observed, are somewhat adhesive, and do 
not so readily permit the removal of the suppository in its soft condition. 
There are probably many little points upon which I might have said more, 
but which are much more easily observed and attended to in practice, than pro¬ 
vided against in written directions. For example, in making the cylindrical 
foil-moulds upon a glass rod, the mould collapsed as the rod was withdrawn; 
obviously the remedy was to use a tube which admits the air while it is being 
withdrawn. 
The pessary moulds are made most easily, by folding the foil over the dibble 
in the manner of capping a bottle, but they are made smoother if a little pains 
is taken in rolling round the dibble a piece of foil of the half-moon shape. 
The bottle and syringe are sent without being cleaned, that it may be seen 
how closely the last drop of material is used. 
The composition adopted is the lead and opium suppository of the B.P. ; 
the pessaries and bougies having the same composition, except that they have 
only one-fourth the proportion of the active constituents. 
A. —1. Usual gun-metal mould; 2, tin dibble cast in No. 1; 3, foil-moulds made on 
No. 2, and disks for making the same; 4, suppositories cast in No. 3, some of them 
removed before cold. 
B. — 1 . Sealing-wax dibble made in a conical minim measure; 2, clay matrix formed 
with No. 1, kept plastic with chloride of calcium, £ drachm to 1 oz. clay ; 3, foil- 
moulds made on No. 1, and disks for making the same; 4, suppositories cast in No. 3, 
some of them removed before cold. 
C. —1. Dibble for cylindrical suppositories; 2, clay matrix formed with No. 1, and kept 
plastic with glycerine, 50 m. to the ounce of clay; 3, model on which to form foil- 
moulds for cylindrical suppositories ; 4, foil-moulds made on No. 3, and slips for 
making the same; 5, suppositories cast in No. 4, some of which have been taken out 
before cold; 6, suppository tube for inserting the same. 
D. —1. Sealing-wax dibble for pessaries, and thimble in which it was formed; 2, clay 
matrix formed with No. I, in a moist condition but without deliquescent material; 
3, foil-moulds made with No. 1, and disks for their production; 4, pessaries cast in 
No. 3, some of which have been removed before hard. 
E. —1. Bougie dibble or model; 2, foil-moulds formed upon No. 1; 3, bougies cast in 
No. 2. 
F. —Bottle in which ingredients are melted, showing how closely the last drop is taken 
up even with the materials in a creamy consistence. 
G. —Syringe with which to lift the material. 
H. —Dry clay suppository matrix. 
I. —Magnesia matrix. 
J. —Wooden awl with which the magnesia was bored. 
The President said the use of tinfoil, as proposed by Mr. Proctor, would cer¬ 
tainly expedite the removal of the suppository from the mould, but there still 
remained the difficulty of separating it from the foil. He had found Naples 
soap a good thing for preventing adhesion to the mould. 
Dr. Redwood said he had been requested by Mr. Brady, of Newcastle, to 
state that he had a communication to make to the Society on the subject, in 
which he would suggest still another mode of operating. He hoped to have it 
ready for the next meeting, if not for the next number of the Journal. 
