3°4 
Topical  Applications. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July,  1917. 
The  width  of  the  pipette  after  tapering  from  the  point  should 
be  of  such  a  diameter  as  to  consume  the  entire  amount  of  liquid  that 
will  be  drawn  up  by  releasing  the  pressed  rubber  bulb.  In  this  way 
no  liquid  will  come  in  contact  with  the  rubber. 
A  dropper  with  a  flange  should  be  used  only  with  solutions  in- 
tended as  eye  lotions.  This  flange  makes  it  less  harmful  should  the 
tube  accidentally  be  forced  against  the  eye. 
Bulbs  are  next  to  be  considered.  These  are  supplied  in  several 
colors  according  to  the  composition.  All  bulbs  will  oxidize  to  a 
certain  extent  and  it  is  this  uncombined  substance  on  the  inner  sur- 
face of  the  bulb  that  works  its  way  into  the  solution  and  when  ap- 
plied to  the  eye  causes  considerable  irritation. 
In  all  cases  the  bulb  should  be  most  thoroughly  cleansed  before 
dispensing.  Collapsible  tubes  for  all  ointments  and  glycerites  are 
by  far  the  most  convenient  and  sanitary  method  for  dispensing. 
A  tube  for  this  purpose  must  be  made  of  pure  tin  and  finely  fin- 
ished. 
Different  preparations  require  different  sizes  of  openings  for  the 
release  of  the  contents.  In  any  case  the  cap  must  fit  securely  and 
seal  the  package. 
After  a  tube  has  been  deprived  of  some  of  its  contents  it  is 
always  advisable  to  thoroughly  cleanse  the  tip  before  replacing  the 
cap. 
A  bottle  with  a  dropper  stopper  is  the  most  satisfactory  method 
of  dispensing  eye  drops. 
Solutions  ranging  from  twenty  minims  to  one  half  ounce  can 
easily  be  dispensed  in  a  half-ounce  bottle. 
The  bulb  is  made  with  an  enlargement  on  the  outside  so  that 
it  can  only  go  just  so  far  into  the  neck  of  the  bottle  and  has  a 
groove  on  the  inside  which  is  filled  by  the  flange  on  the  top  part  of 
the  glass  barrel.  This  groove  serves  to  answer  two  very  important 
purposes.  It  prevents  the  glass  barrel  from  moving  up  or  down 
and  with  the  bulb  properly  fit  into  the  bottle  allows  the  glass  barrel 
to  come  very  close  to  the  bottom  of  the  bottle. 
Eye  drops  bottle  should  be  fitted  with  a  glass  barrel  that  will 
correspond  to  the  dimensions  given  under  pipettes  where  one  drop 
is  equivalent  to  one  minim.  The  eye  lotion  bottle  is  made  under 
the  same  conditions,  only  of  a  larger  capacity.  In  this  case  a 
dropper  of  almost  any  size  may  be  used. 
Eye  baths  are  used  where  it  is  the  intention  to  have  the  solution 
