AmMaJrXm4.rm'j  Sale  °f  Bichloride  Tablets.  125 
in  other  directions,  so  that  at  the  present  time  the  statement  made 
by  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania  that  bichloride  of  mercury  "  is  a 
household  commodity  "  is  altogether  too  true,  particularly  of  the 
tablets — pounds,  if  not  tons,  of  which  are  sold  annually  for  other 
than  medicinal  purposes. 
A  survey  of  the  current  price  lists  of  five  of  the  larger  manufac- 
turers of  pharmaceutical  preparations  in  the  United  States,  presents 
some  rather  startling  information,  and  suggests  a  really  valid  reason 
why  tablets  of  corrosive  mercuric  chloride  may  be  considered  to  be 
more  important  factors  in  the  health  and  welfare  of  many  members 
of  the  community  than  is  generally  supposed.  Perhaps  the  most 
startling  discovery  is  the  fact  that  not  a  single  manufacturer  of 
tablets  of  corrosive  mercuric  chloride  markets  them  under  a  name 
properly  indicating  the  nature  of  the  materials  contained  therein. 
In  the  lists  referred  to  we  find,  under  corrosive  sublimate,  mercuric 
chloride  or  mercury  bichloride,  a  cross  reference  to  antiseptic  tablets 
or  antiseptics,  and  under  this  heading  the  several  price  lists  men- 
tioned would  present  the  following  composite  table : 
A  composite  list  of  antiseptic  tablets  from  the  current  price  lists  of  five  leading 
manufacturers. 
Antiseptic  disks. — Compressed.  Green  or  white.  Corrosive  mercuric 
chloride  0.5  gm.  with  ammonium  chloride. 
Antiseptic  tablets. — Compressed.  White,  blue,  green,  red,  or  pink.  Cor- 
rosive mercuric  chloride  0.5  gm.  with  ammonium  chloride. 
Antiseptic  tablets. — White,  blue,  green,  or  red.,  Corrosive  mercuric 
chloride  0.5  gm.  with  sodium  chloride. 
Antiseptic  tablets,  alkaline. — White,  or  pink.  Sodium  borate,  sodium 
bicarbonate,  sodium  salicylate,  sodium  benzoate,  sodium  chloride,  oil  of  euca- 
lyptus, thymol,  menthol,  oil  of  gaultheria. 
Antiseptic  tablets,  alkaline,  effervescent: — White  or  pink  (?).  These  tab- 
lets are  superior  to  those  usually  sold,  which  harden  with  age  and  dissolve 
with  difficulty. 
Antiseptic  tablets,  alkaline,  improved. — White  or  pink.  Formula  same 
as  alkaline  antiseptic  tablets  with  addition  of  hydrastine  hydrochloride  and 
sanguinarine  nitrate. 
Antiseptic  alkaline,  improved. — Valuable  as  an  injection  in  urethritis, 
vaginitis,  and  all  diseases  of  the  urethral  and  vaginal  passages  requiring  a 
mild  antiseptic  and  deodorant. 
Antiseptic  tablets,  Bernays,  small. — White,  blue,  or  pink.  Corrosive  mer- 
curic chloride  0.125  gm.  with  citric  acid. 
Antiseptic  tablets,  Bernays,  large. — White,  blue,  or  red.  Corrosive  mer- 
curic chloride  0.5  gm.  with  citric  acid. 
