166 
Urethral  Suppositories. 
f  Am.  Jock.  Phabm. 
\    April  1,  1872. 
in  1845,  and  proved  among  other  constituents  the  presence  of  tartaric 
acid.  Prof,  von  Gorup-Besanez  collected  the  leaves  in  June,  and 
found  them  to  contain  albumen,  bitartrate  of  potassa,  tartrate  of 
lime,  gypsum,  free  tartaric  ac'd  (no  malic  or  citric  acid),  pyrocatechin 
and  sugar,  (levulose  and  dextrose.)  Collected  in  the  beginning  of 
September  the  leaves  contained  albumen,  tartrate  of  lime  (no  bitar- 
trate of  potassa),  pectin,  pyrocatechin,  glycolate  of  lime  and  invert 
sugar  (probably  levulose  with  little  dextrose).  The  author  has  also 
analyzed  the  ashes  of  the  leaves  from  both  collections,  and  compares 
the  constituents  of  this  plant  with  those  of  Vitis  vinifera. — Ibid,,  N- 
2,  p.  109-116. 
URETHRAL  SUPPOSITORIES. 
By  Joseph  L.  Lemberger,  Lebanon,  Pa. 
In  presenting  these  suppositories  to  your  notice,  I  do  not  expect 
to  introduce  a  new  idea,  but  simply  apply  an  old  idea  to  a  new  use, 
with  a  substantial  reason  for  so  doing. 
Amongst  the  varied  demands  claiming  the  pharmacist's  attention 
was  one  for  something  by  means  of  which  to  reach  the  neck  of  the 
bladder  to  allay  "  vesical  tenesmus  "  without  the  use  of  a  syringe. 
The  case  was  one  of  "  pelvic  cellulitis,"  excruciatingly  painful,  the 
bladder  only  relieved  by  means  of  a  catheter,  and  that  operation  be- 
ing always  very  painful  in  anticipation,  and  much  more  so  in  reality, 
the  patient  for  a  number  of  years  suffered  most  excruciating  pain 
upon  the  introduction  of  the  catheter,  the  duration  of  the  paroxysm 
being  more  frequently  one  hour  than  less. 
The  idea  suggested  itself  to  the  attending  physician  that  if  there 
could  be  a  suppository  made  to  reach  the  neck  of  the  bladder,  acting 
endermically,  an  alleviation  of  pain  might  be  induced.  After  some 
consultation  and  experiment,  the  form  or  shape  herewith  submitted 
proved  to  be  the  most  satisfactory. 
The  mould  for  making  them  was  suggested  by  the  old-fashioned 
candle-mould,  on  a  miniature  scale,  as  sample  herewith  presented. 
Each  suppository  was  made  to  contain  three  grains  of  powdered 
opium,  and  the  composition  most  suitable  seems  to  be  a  mixture  of 
filtered  yellow  wax  and  cacao  butter,  in  proportion  of  seven  of  the 
former  to  three  of  the  latter,  made  as  follows : 
After  preparing  the  mould  by  stringing  it  as  you  would  wick  a  can- 
le-mould,  with  this  addition,  allowing  the  wick  or  string  to  be  seve- 
