ON NEUTRAL MIXTURE. 
191 
store, he is under the impression that all others use the same, 
under like circumstances; and we have no doubt that greater 
diversity arises from this than from any other cause; for it 
may be said with truth, that there are almost as many differ- 
ent forms in use as there are stores in which this medicine is 
prepared. Not long since, a physician complained, that, hav- 
ing prescribed Neutral Mixture for his patient, the prescription 
was taken to a respectable apothecary to be compounded, and 
being under the impression that the medicine was one of the 
most pleasant, (and probably having told his patient so) he was 
astonished to hear, on his next visit, that the medicine was 
very unpleasant; and on examination found, that to a quantity 
of (what probably was) lemon juice, so much potassa had been 
added as to render it of a dark brown colour, and of a bitter, 
strongly alkaline taste. Another physician, a few days 
since, requested that a prescription he had given for Neutral 
Mixture should be repeated, and the tartar emetic in it omit- 
ted. On being informed that it contained none of that salt, 
and that it was not customary with us to use it, except 
when specially prescribed, he replied, that he was under the 
impression that it was prepared always according to the 
recipe in Ellis' Formulary (which contains tartar emetic 
in the proportion of one grain to f. givss.) If any thing 
more is necessary to show that great misunderstanding ex- 
ists as to the ingredients of this medicine, perhaps it would 
be proper to state, that in most cases lemon juice is used; 
often citrate of potassa, and sometimes citric acid. Su- 
gar is used in the proportion of from 31. to gss. to f. §iv., and 
not unfrequently sweet spirits of nitre, in the same proportion; 
so that in every instance the sensible properties at least vary 
much. Copies of only a few original prescriptions would be 
necessary to show that there is as much difference in the pre- 
scriptions of physicians, as there is in the forms of apotheca- 
ries. 
For copies of some of these we would refer the reader to 
Mr. Scattergood's paper in the 5th vol. of the Journal of 
the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, page 16. 
