230  The  Dose  of  Extract  Pkysostig'matis.  {"^""May'issr'""' 
of  a  grain,  and  nowhere  in  the  Dispensatory  is  the  close  mentioned 
above  one-fourth  of  a  grain  (U.  S.  D.,  p.  702).  On  calling  the  pre- 
scribing physician's  attention  to  the  matter,  he  referred  me  to  ^^Bar- 
tholow's  Treatise  on  Materia  Medica  and  Therapeutics,"  p.  423  (third 
edition,  revised),  where  the  author  gives  the  dose  one-sixth  to  one-half 
grain,  and  even  so  high  as  five  grains;  also  to  page  425,  where  the 
following  prescriptions  are  recommended : 
(1)  R    Extracti  pliysostigmatis, 
"  belladoniife. 
"       nucis  vomicfe,  .  aa  gr.  v 
M.  ft.  pil.  no.  X.    Big.  One  pill  at  bed  hour. 
(2)  R    Extracti  pliysostigmatis, 
Resinse  podoi^hylli,  .  .  .    aag..  iii 
M.  ft.  pil.  no.  vi.    8ig.  One  pill  at  bed  hour. 
In  each  of  the  above  prescriptions  the  dose  of  the  extractum  phy- 
sostigmatis  would  be  one-half  grain,  which  dose  would  have  been 
given  had  I  dispensed  the  prescription  handed  me  without  consulting^ 
the  physician. 
Now,  I  wdsh  to  ask  the  editor  and  readers  of  the  "Journal"  two 
or  three  questions: 
1.  Did  I  do  right  in  refusing  to  fill  the  prescription  before  consult- 
ing the  physician? 
2.  The  prescription  being  for  an  adult,  Avould  it  have  been  a  dan- 
gerous  dose  of  extractum  physostigmatis? 
3.  Is  not  the  dose  (5  grains)  given  by  Bartholow  an  extremely  dan- 
gerous one? 
These  questions  are  of  great  importance  to  both  physician  and 
pharmacist,  as  the  latter  might,  on  some  occasions,  delay  filling  a  pre- 
scription giving  such  enormous  doses  of  such  an  active  remedy  as 
physostigma,  and  thus  call  down  the  maledictions  of  the  prescriber  who- 
takes  Bartholow  as  his  guide.  There  is  certainly  too  much  discrepancy 
in  the  doses  given  in  Bartholow's  Treatise  and  the  U.  S.  Dispensatory, 
and  I  for  one  will  rely  on  the  latter  as  my  authority  for  not  filling 
the  prescription  referred  to.  I  hope  this  matter  will  receive  the  atten- 
tion of  the  readers  of  the  "Journal,"  and  that  satisfactory  answers  to 
the  above  questions  will  be  given. 
Newcomer stown^  O.,  April  12,  1881. 
Remaeks  by  the  Editor. — The  care  shown  by  the  author  of  the 
above  paper  is  quite  commendable,  and  if  we  understand  him  correctly 
