220 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [September 10 , 1870 . 
Hospital Dispensing. 
Sir,—This morning I was engaged in perusing the article 
in the Journal containing Mr. Simon’s reflections (in his Re¬ 
port to the Lords of the Privy Council) upon the power which 
is vested in the Pharmaceutical Society to prescribe regula¬ 
tions as to the keeping of poisons not having been exercised 
by them, when I was interrupted by a female who asked for 
a seidlitz powder. This was a preliminary to the inquiry 
how she ought to take a mixture, or whether it was a gargle, 
that had just been supplied to her at the dispensary of St. 
Bartholomew’s Hospital. She produced about O j of medicine 
without a label, but in its place a scrap of ungummed paper 
had been thrust into her hand, upon which was printed 
“ One teaspoonful every hours.” 
The medicine was prescribed by one of the ofRciais connected 
with the hospital, and as far as the prescription could be de¬ 
ciphered from its scrawled and blotted condition, it was this— 
“ Hj Mist. Cinch. Rosee c. Acid.” 
t. 
I presume the t meant that it was to be taken three times a 
day, although a teaspoonful dose would be quite homoeopathic. 
I tasted it, and told the patient that undoubtedly the medi¬ 
cine was nothing very potent, especially as it had been com¬ 
pounded at an establishment that did not incur the trifling 
expense of using adhesive labels. 
Coupled with the podophyllin prescription supplied by a 
correspondent last week, does not this exhibit great laxness 
on the part of the profession compared with the care and at¬ 
tention displayed in most retail dispensing establishments ? 
Ought not Mr. Simon’s strictures in common fairness to be 
applied rather to the dispensaries for the poor than to the 
dispensing chemist who, for his own interest, is careful to 
place explicit directions upon adhesive labels, and attach 
them to any medicine he dispenses ? 
I am, Sir, yours, etc., 
Robert Owen Bitch, M.P.S. G.B. 
Sir,—I have not had the pleasure of seeing the article in 
the Lancet from (which you quoted last week, but, judging 
from the choice little specimen, feel persuaded that the 
editor, if not suffering from nervous irritability, must have 
been inhaling that gas that makes people feel “jolly under 
difficulties,” as did Mark Tapley when reduced to his worst 
condition in the flourishing estate of Eden. 
General practitioners, who are everything in general and 
nothing in particular, do sometimes assume airs of import¬ 
ance that suffer an eclipse when brought in close proximity 
with educated pharmacists, whose labours they are not so 
unwilling to profit by as to acknowledge. 
The head and front of their offending is not therefore 
ignorance so much as being competitors in the healing art. 
They spoil practice, and many a profitable case is entirely 
frustrated by the timely dose that saves the doctor. 
General practitioners must sometimes find their cloth 
wofully soiled by contact with inferior people at the Poly¬ 
technic and elsewhere,—even at church, which does not ex¬ 
clude greasy butchers, dusty millers, musty pawnbrokers or 
unctuous grocers when properly dressed for the occasion. 
Above all, these gentlemen have no objection to take pay 
from the disreputable class who “prescribe (not) in the 
dark,” like some shady practitioners of questionable antece¬ 
dents, in their “hideous dens of iniquity,” as designated by 
the Times not many years since. 
I hope sufficient spirit will be found among us to assert 
our claims on public confidence and respect, and that the 
depletory influence of that very old-fashioned and almost 
obsolete instrument, the Lancet, will not succeed in taking 
one drop of blood from our body corporate. 
I am, Sir, yours faithfully, 
N on-Maleeactor. 
Mr. Coles’ Prescription. 
Sir,—Respecting Mr. Coles’ Prescription in Journal of the 
3rd inst., I should have used the Acid. Nit. Mur. Dil. in the 
mixture; and the pills I would have made into twelve, 
knowing, verbally or otherwise, something of the patient; 
and the Directions ij p. e. n. Certainly the pills would be 
powerful, but I should consider perfectly safe. 
I am, Sir, yours faithfully, 
, „ R. Parkinson. 
1, Wilham Henry Street, Liverpool, 
September 6,1870. 
As Mr. Coles is desirous of an expression of opinion from 
any member of the Profession as to how the two formulae he 
has given ought to be dispensed, I readily offer mine. At 
first glance, both appear to be unusually strong, while the 
pill formula is incomplete as to directions for the number of 
pills intended to be made from the materice ordered. 
In my experience I have frequently met with instances 
where medical men have given such decided doses of the very 
same medicines, and I will refer him with pleasure to two 
who are constantly writing such prescriptions as he has 
given. Prom the adjuvans ordered in the latter of the for¬ 
mulae, it appears to have been evidently the intention of the 
prescribers to exhibit a brisk cathartic to counteract the con¬ 
stipating effect of the acid when given in so large a dose; but 
then comes the question, how many pills were intended? 
From that quantity of the materioe I should have made it 
into thirty, and directed two to be taken every night. 
I can remember a case in my early dispensing days of a 
man who regularly took one grain of podophyllin combined 
with colocynth and extract of henbane every night with but 
little intermission for months, and with apparent ease as well 
as benefit to his health. 
However, if opportunity offered, I should certainly inquire 
into the case before delivering the medicine to my customers. 
Peltatum. 
Concentrated Medicine. 
A correspondent inquires how to dispense the following:— 
R. Ferri Pot. Tart. 3iij 
Amm. Carbonat. 5 iss 
Tinct. Aurantii, 
Inf. Calumb. Cone, aa 51 SS 
Misce. 
M. T. (Hampstead) is referred to the Erratum below, and 
to No. 4, p. 68 , where there is a note on the subject. 
G. L. C. Droivn (Louth) writes to say that he has had 
several pigeons poisoned by perchloride of mercury, and 
wishes to be informed in the columns of the Journal whether 
it would be safe to eat them. 
A. S. (Hertford) writes, in reference to the plate licence for 
smelling-bottles, stating that “ silver-capped bottles are ex¬ 
empt if under 5 dwts., gold-capped bottles are exempt if under 
2 dwts. of metal.” "We thank him for this information, which, 
we publish on his authority. It has not been the practice to- 
answer legal questions in this Journal. 
September (London) desires to have a formula for Brillian- 
tine. We must refer to the rule as to anonymous letters. 
Mr. Francis Bell (Bradford) writes to say that he has for¬ 
warded to the German Committee in that town 12 yards of 
adhesive plaster, 2 lbs. of lint, 6 bottles of Condy’s fluid and 
1 oz. bottle of Howard’s quinine. 
H. JE. D. (Wallingford) wishes to know whether any better 
work can be recommended for following in collecting an her¬ 
barium than Babington’s ‘Manual of British Botany’ (Van 
Voorst, 10s. 6d.) or Hooker’s ‘Student’s Flora’ (Macmillan 
and Co., 10 s. 6d.). 
C. W. K. (Thorne).—The exemption is granted to Phar¬ 
maceutical Chemists only. 
AT. Y. Z. asks whether the duty is taken off hops; whether 
brewers are allowed to substitute any other bitter in making 
bitter beer and, if so, whether chemists are allowed to sell it 
to them. We must call our correspondent’s attention to the- 
rule given above respecting anonymous communications. 
Erratum. —In the answer to X. Y., p. 180, col. 2, line 26 
from top ,for weaker read stronger. 
Instructions from Members and Associates respecting the 
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ridge, Secretary, 17, Bloomsbury Square, W.C. 
Advertisements to Messrs. Churchill, New Burlington 
Street, London, W. Envelopes to be endorsed for “ Bliarm. 
Journ.” 
The General Index to the7 first Fifteen volumes of this- 
J ournal may be obtained of the Secretary, 17, Bloomsbury 
Square, price 2 s. 8d., post free; bound in cloth, lettered, 3s. 8d., 
post free. 
The General Index to the Vols. XVI.-XVIII., Old Series, 
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