I4C 
Editorial, 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      Mar.,  1877. 
prove  that  there  can  scarcely  be  any  variety  of  coated  or  uncoated  pills,  if  made 
with  due  caution,  which  would  not  dissolve  in  its  passage  through  the  stomach  and 
intestines.  Experiments  undertaken  with  a  view  of  testing  the  solubility  of  the 
various  kinds  of  pills  have  only,  and  we  believe  were  never  claimed  to  possess  any 
other  than  a  relative  value,  in  so  far  as  they  enable  us  to  judge,  not  of  the  absolute^ 
but  of  the  relative  length  of  time  in  which  they  are  likely  to  produce  their  medi- 
cinal effects.  We  are  an  advocate  of  home  productions,  and  believe  that  pharma- 
cists should  make,  as  nearly  as  possible,  all  pharmaceutical  preparations  in  their  own 
store  or  laboratory,  even  though  some  of  them  may  cost  rather  more  than  similar 
preparations  as  found  in  the  market.  If  due  attention  be  paid  to  the  quality  of  the 
raw  material  and  to  the  processes,  it  cannot  but  be  a  satisfaction  to  the  pharmacist 
and  a  source  of  gratification,  to  feel  assured  of  the  quality  and  effectiveness  of  all 
preparations  dispensed  by  him,  aside  from  the  consideration  that  by  adopting  such 
a  course  many  otherwise  idle  minutes  would  be  usefully  filled  up  and  occasions  for 
practical  experience  afforded  in  which  many  apprentices  and  assistants  are  very  defi- 
cient. 
We  favor,  partly  for  the  reasons  stated,  the  uncoated  pill;  at  the  same  time  we  do 
n  ot  Jose  sight  of  the  fact  that  the  taste  of  such  pills  is  often  repulsive  to  many  patients, 
and  that  others  are  unable  to  swallow  medicines  in  that  form,  and  to  them  a  coating 
which  hides  the  odor  and  taste  is  quite  a  boon.  Formerly  such  coatings  were,  and 
are  still,  to  a  limited  extent,  made  by  the  pharmacist  5  but  the  improvements  made 
in  the  processes  and  apparatus,  as  worked  on  the  large  scale,  has  very  nigh  put  this 
labor  altogether  into  the  hands  of  the  wholesale  manufacturer,  whereby  an  elegance 
of  appearance  has  been  attained  which  is  unapproachable  by  the  means  at  the  com- 
mand of  the  dispenser.  It  seems,  therefore,  what  we  need  is  the  construction  of 
apparatus,  of  limited  cost,  which  would  enable  the  pharmacist  to  furnish  the  pills  of 
the  same  elegance  as  the  manufacturer,  and  to  this  point  should  be  turned  the  atten- 
tion of  our  inventive  pharmacists.  The  construction,  by  Prof.  Remington,  of  an 
improved  pill  press,  for  the  preparation  of  compressed  pills,  which  was  described  in 
our  last  volume,  was  such  a  step,  and  we  trust  that  the  time  may  not  be  far  distant 
when  apparatus  for  coating  pills  with  desirable  materials  may  likewise  be  in  the 
hands  of  the  dispenser. 
As  to  the  nature  of  the  coating,  we  believe  that  not  only  the  inclinations  of  phy- 
sicians but  likewise  the  tastes  of  patients  will  ever  differ,  and  the  pharmacist  should 
therefore  be  prepared  to  furnish,  at  short  notice,  pills  elegantly  coated  with  sugar, 
gelatin  or  licorice,  the  last-named  material  having  been  recently  recommended  for 
that  purpose. 
Regarding  the  heat  to  which  pills,  while  being  sugar-coated,  are  subjected,  we 
believe  that  its  effects  have  been  greatly  over-rated,  as  in  the  outcry  against  the 
employment  of  moderate  heat,  raised  some  years  ago,  in  the  preparation  of  fluid 
extracts  and  extracts.  Of  course  we  admit  that  there  is  a  possibility  of  spoiling  by 
the  injudicious  application  of  heat  almost  any  organic  material  kept  in  the  drug 
store;  but  there  are  points  in  every  process  which,  if  neglected,  will  tend  to  vitiate 
the  results. 
