ON NOTES AND QUERIES. 
5'9 
■which contains also a number of testimonials from well-known physicians. In 
one of these Dr. Benjamin W. Richardson writes: “ Sinapine Tissue, Mustard 
Paper, this is a thin paper charged icith mustard and forming a substitute for a 
mustard poultice. We have tried the tissue practically, and find it answers all 
the objects of the mustard poultice, with the advantages of being cleanly and 
easy in application, and always ready. It is a great improvement.” In another, 
Dr. Spencer Thompson says, “ Your Sinapine Tissue is a most excellent applica¬ 
tion. I am recommending it very generally. I am glad to be able to mention 
it in the new ‘ Appendix ’ just coming out in connection with my ‘ Dictionary 
of Medicine.’ ” 
Now I wish to point out that, in the first place, although mustard may have 
been employed in the preparation of this paper there is no evidence of its pre¬ 
sence, and that it does not owe its irritant power to mustard but to capsicum. 
In the second place, that Dr. B. W. Richardson and other gentlemen who should 
have known better, have allowed themselves to be deceived and have lent their 
names unconsciously to aid a misrepresentation. Thirdly, I would ask a ques¬ 
tion, Is capsicum a safe or pleasant rubefacient ? I do not wish to attach too 
much importance to my own experience in the actual use of this “Mustard 
RajDer,” as it is well known that the effect of an ordinary sinapism varies very 
much upon different persons, and anything I could say would weigh but little 
against the opinion of the eminent medical gentlemen whose names I have men¬ 
tioned. I may however observe, that wdiile I can employ an ordinary mustard 
poultice for the usual time, and with the ordinary effect, my sufferings from the 
use of the tissue were so great and extended over so long a time that 1 can easily 
imagine the results of its application to a person of sensitive skin or feeble frame 
might be serious. 
I would, however, only ask, in the interests of Honest Pharmacy, that the 
labels of this and other proprietary articles should set forth their real composi¬ 
tion, and that the name of one remedy should not be given to a preparation of 
which another is the basis. 
I am. Sir, yours obediently, 
Harey Naeiee Draper. 
ON NOTES AND QUERIES. 
TO THE EDITOES OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Gentlemen,—Taking advantage of the suggestions in page 5 of the Journal 
for the month of July, I suggest that there should be a more extended system 
of notes and queries, the same as there is in the ‘Lancet,’ ‘Medical Times,’ and 
other magazines ; for undoubtedly a great deal of information is to be obtained 
by knowing the results of each other’s manipulations, etc. 
For instance, in the preparation of iodized cotton, can any one say the best 
way of making it ? I had previously tried, but found it very difficult to get the 
cotton well saturated and of a uniform appearance, as there does not appear to 
be enough glycerine. 
May I also make a remark about early closing ? Looking at the observations 
made about it at present, it appears to me that we have not looked at the reason 
why late hours exist, and have existed for how long I cannot say. I think it 
is because our business partakes partly of the dispensable and indispensable." If 
people are ill, they must have medicine, whether the shop be open or shut, 
whether it be night or day ; and because of this, the public seem to think (and 
druggists apparently too) that everything else must be served. 
Now, if our shops were shut at seven, and nothing else attended to but the 
