324 
REVIEW. 
sections, viz : Inscription, or determination of the components; 
the relative quantities of these and the order of their arrangement 
in the prescription. It consequently involves Therapeutics, to fit 
the remedy to the disease, Chemistry, to avoid incompatibles, and 
Pharmacy, to determine the excipient and adjuvant best appropri- 
ated for the active base. Subscription, or the modus faciendi 
that is to govern the pharmaceutist in compounding it. Instruc- 
tion, or directions to the patient or nurse relative to the adminis- 
tration of the medicine when completed. 
Incompatibility is considered under three heads : Physical, Phy- 
siological and Chemical incompatibility. 
All this chapter of the Offieine might well form the subject of 
an interesting lecture in our medical schools. We highly recom- 
mend it to the particular attention of our young practitioners, 
who generally prove themselves more or less deficient in this 
branch of their science. We might, perhaps, without any im- 
propriety, extend the advice to a few older physicians, whose un- 
scientific prescriptions occasionally cause among us a good deal 
of perplexity, and excite the smiles even of our apprentices. 
Execution of Prescriptions. The preceding article concerns, 
principally, the physician; this is wholly addressed to the phar- 
maceutist : 
" We have established as a principle," says M. Dorvault, "that 
a judiciously written prescription ought to exhibit the different 
substances therein specified, in the order in which they are to be 
mixed. Should the physician have neglected to do it, it is the duty 
of the pharmaceutist mentally to re-establish this order, when he 
executes the prescription. In ordinary cases, the execution of a 
formula, in itself, is a very simple process ; yet it is only by along 
experience that the pharmaceutist becomes qualified to solve all the 
cases that may occur." 
" Before proceeding to the execution of a formula, he will take 
care to read it with attention, and should he discover, or presume 
he discovers, any error which might endanger the health of the pa- 
tient, he should take care, (for the sake of the physician who owes 
him a reciprocal regard,) not to show any embarrassment to the 
bearer of the prescript ion. Alleging as an excuse, that the medi- 
cine requires some time to prepare, he should request him to 
call in one or two hours, and should take advantage of this inter- 
