300 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTION?. 
[October 7,1871. 
than an excessive estimate of the quantity of lotion deposited 
on the skin at a singlo application ; but if the lotion be used 
as Dr. Fox recommends, bv both precept and example, “ very 
freely and very frequently,” then, of course, we should pro¬ 
bably get a much larger quantity of lotion deposited on the 
skin, and in it, of course, a much larger quantity of corrosive 
sublimate. 
If I may be permitted to say so, I think it is possible to 
have even too “ keen an appreciation of the importance of 
the chemist not usurping the duties of the medical prac¬ 
titioner,” and to be, if possible, too indignant at the bare 
idea of his “ setting himself up as a judge of therapeutics as 
against properly qualified physicians.” 
It is a good thing for some of us who prescribe, that the 
chemist does happen now and then, in a private and friendly 
way, to “set himself up as a judge of therapeutics,” even as 
against our prescriptions; and we may be glad that this 
leads to his sometimes making a courteous inquiry of us, as 
to whether some particular line in our prescription was in¬ 
tended ? Still more may we be glad that this inquiry usually 
comes before the prescription is made up. 
For my own part, if posology bo a branch of therapeutics, 
and if to understand posology requires some general know¬ 
ledge of the rest of the subject, I should feel a good deal less 
comfortable in the pursuit of my daily avocations if I thought 
that chemists would in no case venture to question my thera¬ 
peutics. 
In the case in question, we learn from the report of the 
inquest, published in your columns, that the prescription in 
question was personally shown by the prescriber to the che¬ 
mist, who was directed to make it up from the printed for¬ 
mula given to him in a book. No blame whatever could 
therefore attach to the chemist in this case. 
But if the prescription had reached the chemist in the 
ordinary way no one would think of complaining if he, on 
finding that the composition of the lotion was exceptionally 
strong, had first made inquiry as to whether it was “in¬ 
tended” before he proceeded to dispense it. 
Many people, I feel sure, would in such case have held him 
to blame if he had failed to do so. 
As Honorary Surgeon to the British Hospital for Diseases 
of the Skin I have had fair experience of ringworm, especially 
at the Finsbury Square Branch of the hospital, where con¬ 
tagious diseases of the skin are more rife than at the parent 
(Great Marlborough Street) branch. But the doubts I have 
expressed to you respecting the expediency of strong corro¬ 
sive-sublimate lotions, have always prevented my employing 
them, and my experience of their effects is confined to the 
observation of cases in which they had already been employed 
by other persons. My experience thus derived is not, on the 
whole, a very encouraging one. 
I was glad to read a letter of Dr. Fox, in the Lancet, 
written a fortnight after the accident, in which, after stating 
that he had used the lotion in question for the past thirteen 
years, he says, “ It is true I do not use the remedy now, but 
that is solely because I like other things better.” If his con¬ 
version comes late, let us nevertheless congratulate him on 
that conversion. 
Balmanno Squire. 
9, Weymouth Street, Portland Place, W. 
Tite Mistakes of Prescribers and Discretion of 
Dispensers. 
Sir,—Dr. Tilbury Fox, in his letter of September 18th, in¬ 
dulges in some sarcastic remarks on the proper duties of a 
pharmaceutist. I should like to know whether Dr. Fox 
still continues the use of 10 grs. of sublimate to 1 drm. of 
sp. for ringworm, and if not, why not ? 
About a month since a gentleman suffering from syphilitic 
sore-throat brought me the following prescription to pre¬ 
pare :— 
It. Hyd. Perchloridi gr. ij 
Acid. Hydrochlor. Dil. iipv 
Aqua? 3j. 
M. Ft. Garg. saepe utend. M. ^viij. 
I cautioned him as to its use, and hastily said I would not 
use it without diluting it. He used it the full strength once, 
and only once, as it nearly-choked him, and two hours elapsed 
before he breathed comfortably. Of course, according to Dr. 
Fox’s theory, I had no business to make any remark, but, 
after my forty years’ experience, as a chemist, I could not 
hold my tongue. 
A week since the following prescription was brought to* 
my shop:— 
R. Ammon. Carb. gr. xl (40) 
Ferri Ammon. Cit. gr. xl (40) 
Sp. Cajeputi 5ij 
Sp. Menth. Pip. ^iv {sic) 
Infus. Calumbas ad 3 viij. 
M. Sumat cochl. ij ampla bis {sic). 
Aug. 7, 1871. 
Pil. Assafoetid. 
• „ Rhaei Co., ana 5ss. 
Div. in pillul. [sic] xij. Sumat ij p. r. n. nocte. 
My assistant had prepared the mixture as written. I notice I 
that the dose of sp. menth. pip. though excessive was not 
dangerous, but as it was prescribed by a physician in one of' 
our large commercial cities, and had been dispensed by a 
pharmaceutist in the same city, of high standing, I thought 
it right to let the lady know that the dose was very large, and 
if she found it stronger than her former bottle of medicine- 
had been I would alter it to what I considered a proper dose. 
After trying one dose she requested me to do this. I wrote- 
to my brother pharmaceutist who had first dispensed it, from 
whom I received a very courteous reply, saying, “ That the- 
amount of sp. menth. pip. was so evidently an error that he 
only put 5i y of the B.P. which was the quantity he supposed 
to be intended!” I think Dr. Tilbury Fox’s sublimate 
lotion for ringworm and my young friend’s gargle much 
more dangerous than the above sp. menth. pip. mixture, yet- 
according to Dr. Fox we are to dispense but not opine. 
London, October 3rd, 1871. Thirty Years’ M. P. S. 
Druggists’ Prices. 
Sir,—In reply to Mr. W. M. Betts, who has the good sense 
to put bis name to his communication, I have no doubt that 
hundreds of chemists would be ready to dispense the given* 
prescription at the price named. 
Retail prices and dispensing prices will often clash, and if 
the pharmacist finds it infra dig. to make pennyworths, the- 
shopkeeper must supply his place to the public. 
In the prescription in question the two first ingredients are- 
pennyworths, the next two being minim quantities are in¬ 
cluded in one pennyworth, and water is not charged. 
I will illustrate this by another case; it is a fact, not ima¬ 
ginary. A customer brings a six-ounce bottle, and requests- 
lialf an ounce of compound tincture of cardamoms and a 
quarter of an ounce of spirits of sal volatile aromatic, to be- 
put into the bottle. For these he pays threepence, and re¬ 
quests the chemist to fill the bottle up with water. 
A Latin prescription is then produced, consisting of the- 
above ingredients, and the chemist is reminded that on a 
former occasion he had the conscience to charge sixpence fer¬ 
tile same. Joseph Beat. 
Chilcompton, Path, September 2bth, 1871. 
J. P .—A chemist is not liable under the Pharmacy Act 
1868, for selling yellow prussiate of potash without the pre¬ 
cautions prescribed for poisons. See No. 51, p. 31. 
“East Wind.”— The comparison drawn by you is obvious, 
but it does not affect the point to which our remarks were- 
directed. 
P. H. S.— No. 
J. H. Thomas .—See a case reported in Yol. I. of this series,, 
p. 775. 
J. Ashlin Thomas and J. Parlcer .—The letters have been 
received, but the coroner’s mistake was pointed out in last 
week’s Journal. 
“ Analuo .”—Wanklyn and Chapman’s ‘ "Water Analysis,’ 
published by Messrs. Trubner and Co. 
W. II. Peaumont .—We have received your letter, and are- 
obliged for the information furnished. 
Messrs. Arnold and Sons .—The sample bottle forwarded, 
to the Editor has been handed to the Secretary for exhibition, 
at the evening meeting. Any further notice should appear- 
among the advertisements. 
Communications, Letters, etc., have been received from 
Messrs. W. B. Cordley, Hughes, Thomas, Agnew, Hedding- 
ham, J. F. Caunt, J. H. Wilson, F. R. B., L. S., S. P. G. L., 
J. H. D., J. C. K., “Senega,” “ Humulus,” “Primus,” 
“ Ferrum.” 
In consequence of want of room, we are compelled to defer- 
answers to several correspondents. 
