SUPPOSITORIES. 
333 
the conveyance and storing of this and other similar dangerous compounds; 
but this law has been grossly violated by the persons who have deposited a large 
quantity of one of the most dangerous explosive compounds known in the very 
centre of a populous town, and this even without adopting any precautions for 
its safe keeping. 
SUPPOSITORIES. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Sir,—Perhaps the following account of a simple method of forming supposi¬ 
tories may be of use to some of your readers. It is one that I have used for 
some years, and have found to be easy of manipulation, and to produce better 
results than I have obtained by any other process. 
I first prepared a model suppository in zinc, by casting it in a mould formed 
by rolling a piece of writing-paper into a cone, and sinking it in dry sand, in 
a gallipot; after cooling, the metal turned out a perfect cone, and required 
merely a little rounding at the point with a file. 
On this model the moulds are formed by rolling it in a small strip of thin 
waxed paper, taking care to avoid wrinkles, and securing the edge of the paper 
with sealing-wax : the point is then twisted up, and the superfluous paper cut off 
round the base of the metal, which is then easily removed. Waxed paper an¬ 
swers best for this purpose, as being already saturated with wax, it does not 
absorb a further portion of the ingredients. 
The paper moulds thus formed are set upright in a board pierced with holes, 
or in mouths of phials, and filled with the melted ingredients from a bottle, 
using only sufficient heat, by means of a water bath, to give the requisite 
fluidity, and agitating occasionally whilst pouring, to ensure equal diffusion of 
the active constituents. The suppositories cool quickly, being freely exposed to 
the air, and the paper is then readily unrolled ; if a knife be used for removing 
the paper, the suppositories themselves need not be touched at all with the 
fingers. 
Cylindrical suppositories may be formed by rolling paper round a pencil or 
other round body (after the manner of a squib-case), closing up one end and 
pouring in at the other. When set, the paper may be unrolled, aud the suppo¬ 
sitories cut off into proper lengths. 
The specimens forwarded are made with wax, lard, and cacao-butter, in the 
proportions of the morphia suppositories of the Pharmacopoeia, and are sent in 
the moulds in which they were cast. 
I have the honour to remain, Sir, yours etc., 
C. Ferneley. 
61, Ty thing, Worcester, December 9, 1867. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Sir,—As I had not the privilege of being present at the discussion upon my 
paper upon suppositories, perhaps you will allow me a few lines now, in reply 
to some of the remarks made. 
The President thinks there will still be the difficulty of separating the suppo¬ 
sitory from the foil. I sent several in the foil, that any one might try the ex¬ 
periment ; and I can only suppose that he had not availed himself of the oppor¬ 
tunity, as I have never found the least difficulty in doing so, excepting when, 
for experiment’s sake, I removed the foil before the suppositories were cold. 
