54 S 
PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
melted lead, are unnecessary for our purpose, and the position of the hinge, at 
one end of the instrument, gives it an undesirable tendency to gape. 
Another mode of forming the cones, possessing some advantages where large 
numbers are required, is by means of extemporaneously prepared clay moulds. 
A large piece of potter’s clay, well tempered, is rolled out into a sheet a couple 
of inches thick, in which holes are made of the required depth by means of a 
piece of hard wood turned at the end into the form of a pessary or suppository. 
I confess, when I first tried this plan I expected it to yield a great saving of 
time and labour, but I was disappointed at the outset. With the very natural 
idea that the more perfect the model the better the mould it would form, I had 
a couple of well-finished “dibbles” made in brass, which appeared to be every¬ 
thing that could be desired—indeed they had but one fault, viz. that practically 
they would [not answer : from their very smoothness, and the consequent close 
adhesion of the clay, the sides were sucked in on withdrawing the model. 
Failures are sometimes more instructive than successes, and having recourse to 
a humbler material—hard-wood—I found the difficulties much lessened, though 
the resulting suppositories or pessaries are seldom quite so symmetrical or well 
formed as when prepared in metal moulds. The process has this advantage, 
that the size can be varied within certain limits by making the hole deeper or 
shallower. On the other hand, they seldom leave the mould quite clean, and 
require washing and trimming before they are sent out. The clay is pulled to 
pieces to liberate the suppositories, and may be used over and over again. 
There is still another method which I may mention, but for want of expe¬ 
rience can do no more. This consists in the formation of paper moulds, which 
are set in magnesia or lycopodium, and then filled. I understand that there is 
some peculiar French paper made for the purpose, and that the operation is not 
a difficult one, but I know nothing practically of its working. 
On the whole, metal moulds will be found the most convenient, and for dis¬ 
pensing purposes, the only ready means of forming either suppositories or pes¬ 
saries. A copper ladle, tinned inside, set in a basin of hot water, holds the 
melted material whilst the successive lots are being cast. If a basis composed 
chiefly or entirely of theobroma oil is used, considerable time must be allowed for 
cooling, for it remains soft, and is with difficulty released from the mould, long 
after it appears to be set. 
I he size and shape of both pessaries and suppositories are matters of consider¬ 
able moment. Pessaries may be dismissed with a few words. Two drachms is 
the generally approved weight, and, since Professor Simpson proposed the Minie 
