Am  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  1878 
Compound  Cathartic  Pills. 
167 
Five  hundred  compound  cathartic  pills,  U.  S.  P.,  sugar-coated,  cost 
in  the  market  $1.35,  and  gelatin-coated  $1.65.  If  25  cents  is  allowed 
for  sugar-coating,  and  55  cents  for  gelatin-coating,  which  is  a  liberal 
allowance,  the  plain  pills  will  cost  $1.10,  leaving  a  margin  of  $0.40 
for  the  pills  made  with  the  purchased  extracts,  and  $0  67.82  for  the 
pills  prepared  with  those  of  own  make. 
Compound  cathartic  pills  can  be  kept  in  perfect  shape  and  thera- 
peutic qualities  unimpaired,  for  any  length  of  time,  by  coating  them 
with  gelatin.  The  coating  of  pills  with  gelatin  is  a  somewhat  tedious 
process.  As  is  well  known,  it  is  performed  by  dipping  them,  adjusted 
to  the  ends  of  needles  or  short  wires,  into  a  solution  of  gelatin,  and 
for  drying,  pressing  the  needles  or  wires  into  soft  cork  or  a  cushion. 
Finally,  the  small,  sharp  edged  gelatin  tubes  left  when  the  wires  or 
needles  are  withdrawn  are  cut  off  with  small  scissors,  and  the  orifice 
is  closed  with  a  minute  drop  of  gelatin  solution.  The  mass  ought  to 
be  pretty  tough  if  the  compound  cathartic  pills  are  to  be  immediately 
coated  with  gelatin.'  The  adjusting,  dipping,  etc.,  of  these  pills  occa- 
sions no  more  work  or  extra  amount  of  precaution  than  any  other,  but 
while  drying  a  difficulty  occurs.  Substances  during  the  process  of  dry- 
ing contract.  The  gelatin  coating  of  pills  contracts  powerfully  while 
drying.  The  solution  of  gelatin,  coming  in  direct  contact  with,  and 
remaining,  at  least  a  short  time,  in  a  semi-fluid  condition,  softens  the 
surface  of  the  pills.  When  the  coating  dries,  it  contracts  so  power- 
fully that  it  is  ruptured,  and  a  small  portion  of  the  softened  mass  is 
forced  through  the  rupture  in  the  form  of  a  small  bead,  or  one  might 
liken  it  to  a  minute  tumor.  As  a  consequence  the  appearance  and 
weight  of  the  pills  is  impaired.  From  30  to  50  per  cent,  would  thus 
rupture.  When  they  were  first  coated  with  an  ethereal  solution  of 
mastic  and  then  with  gelatin,  between  20  to  30  per  cent,  would 
rupture. 
The  solution  of  gelatin  was  made,  in  a  vapor  bath,  of  gelatin,  1  part, 
and  water,  2  parts  ;  one  dipping  was  found  sufficient  to  form  a  good 
coating.  I  have  had  occasionally  to  coat  other  pills  with  this  solution, 
but  have  not  come  across  any  that  showed  the  same  characteristics  as 
the  compound  cathartic  pills.  The  solution  of  gelatin,  however,  was 
improved  to  an  extent  that  the  coating  of  only  from  4  to  6  per  cent, 
of  these  pills  would  rupture,  by  the  addition  of  \  part  of  pure 
glycerin. 
