WEIGHTS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPOEIA. 
103 
The  pill-machines  of  the  pharmaceutist,  as  ordinarily  con- 
structed, are  provided  with  twenty-four  grooves,  for  the  division 
of  pills :  a  very  suitable  and  convenient  number.  The  reform, 
then,  that  we  propose  on  this  subject  is,  that  accepting  the 
number  24  as  the  unit,  all  the  pill  formulas  should  be  based  in 
quantity  upon  multiples  of  this  unit,  and  in  the  binary  scale  of 
progression ;  that  is,  we  would  have  all  the  pills  of  the  Pharma- 
copoeia ordered  in  quantities  of  24,  or  of  48,  (2  times  24,)  or  of 
96,  (4  times  24,)  or  of  192,  (8  times  24,)  or  of  384,  (16  times 
24.)  There  is  no  occasion  whatever  for  any  intermediate  quan- 
tities. An  example  or  two  of  the  change  indicated  will  illus- 
trate fully  the  project.  Thus,  the  formula  for  the  "  Compound 
Cathartic  Pills  "  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  specifies  3iv.,  Siii-  and 
dii.  of  the  respective  ingredients,  and  180  for  the  number  of  the 
pills.    The  new  form  we  propose  would  be  as  follows  : — 
Pilulce  Catharticce  Composite. 
Take  of  Compound  Extract  of  Colocynth  256  grs. 
Extract  of  Jalap    -  192  » 
Calomel   192  « 
Gamboge   48  " 
Mix  and  make  into  192  pills. 
The  only  difference  between  this  pill  and  that  of  the  Pharma- 
copoeia is  the  use  of  one-fourth  of  a  grain  of  gamboge,  instead 
of  the  rather  awkward  amount  of  two-ninths  of  a  grain,  (§  gr.  in 
a  dose,  for  §  gr.) — an  addition  of  g6  gr.  to  each  pill,  or  of  }2  gr. 
to  the  dose, — a  difference  wholly  insignificant,  when  it  is  con- 
sidered that  the  full  dose  of  gamboge  is  from  2  to  6  grs.  The 
object  of  this  change  is  of  course  merely  to  avoid  the  inconveni- 
ent amount  of  42§  grs.,  which  would  be  required  by  the  present 
formula. 
Pilulce  Ferri  Ioclidi.  (U.  S.  P.) 
Take  of  Sulphate  of  Iron 
Iodide  of  Potassium 
Tragacanth,  in  powder 
Sugar,  in  powder  - 
Beat  with  syrup,  and  make  into  48  pills. 
-  72  grs. 
-  96  « 
-  12  " 
-  36  « 
