Am.  Jowb.  Phabv.  ) 
July  1,  1874.  j 
Pill  Coating. 
341 
•distilled  water  answers  very  well.  The  apparatus  used  may  be  found 
in  any  pharmacy,  namely,  a  small  evaporating  basin,  having  a  flat 
bottom,  capacity  eight  or  ten  ounces,  two  covered  gallipots,  one  hold- 
ing four  or  six  ounces,  the  other  double  that  size,  and  a  pill-tray. 
The  pills  to  be  coated  should  be  of  good  consistence,  not  too  hard, 
and  rolled  perfectly  round,  to  ensure  their  being  of  good  shape  when 
finished.  It  is  well  to  use  French  chalk  in  the  place  of  starch- 
powder  when  rolling  them  out. 
Into  the  small  gallipot  put  some  of  the  chalk,  and  in  the  basin  put 
as  much  mucilage  as  may  be  necessary  to  thoroughly  moisten  the 
quantity  of  pills  to  be  coated  (from  six  to  six  dozen  pills  may  be 
done  conveniently  at  one  operation).  Next  put  in  the  pills  and  shake 
them  round  horizontatly  until  sufficiently  moistened,  then  turn  them 
into  the  pot  containing  the  chalk,  and  shake  them  round  so  as  to  get 
well  covered  with  powder  ;  turn  them  on  the  pill-tray  and  allow  to 
remain  a  short  time,  and  lastly  place  them  in  the  empty  gallipot  and 
and  shake  round,  so  as  to  polish  them  and  shake  off  the  superfluous 
powder. 
To  coat  pills  by  this  method  occupies  about  the  same  time  as  to 
silver  them,  but  for  stock  pills,  which  may  have  to  be  kept  for  some 
time,  it  is  better  to  repeat  this  process,  taking  care  to  have  the  first 
•coating  dry  before  a  second  is  put  on.  This  will  be  found  to  give 
them  a  firm  pearl-like  exterior,  which  preserves  the  pills  of  good 
shape  and  consistence,  and  prevents  any  change  that  would  be  likely 
to  occur  through  lengthened  exposure  to  the  atmosphere. 
A  few  trials  will  suggest  the  best  way  of  manipulating,  and  enable 
anyone  to  produce  a  fair  sample  of  coated  pills. 
Derby. 
Since  the  above  was  put  into  type,  we  have  been  favored  with  a 
note  on  pill  coating  by  Mr.  John  Whitfield,  F.  C.  S.,  of  Scarborough. 
The  details  of  the  manipulation  are  essentially  the  same  as  those  de- 
scribed by  Mr.  Cope ;  but  as  the  result  of  experiments  in  this  direc- 
tion, Mr.  Whitfield  uses  a  varnish  made  as  follows : — 
Common  amber  resin,        .        .         1  to  2  drachms. 
Spirits  of  turpentine,    ...      1  drachm. 
Oil  of  geranium,        ...        20  minims. 
Absolute  alcohol,    .       .       .       .To  make  1  ounce. 
