AMoctURi;m4RM  }  Pharmacy  Two  Hundred  Years  Ago.  463 
other  effects  of  the  same  nature,  of  which  philosophers  labour  to  give 
the  natural  reason." 
The  author  had  an  opinion  of  the  qualifications  of  a  pharmacist 
that  has  lost  none  of  truth  by  age.  "No  man  can  undertake  the 
preparation  of  any  medicin  before  he  know  it ;  no  more  can  any  man 
practice  mixture  before  he  know  preparation,  for  all  medicaments 
are  not  so  simple,  so  known,  so  usual,  so  easie  to  mixe,  as  water  and 
wine." 
I  will  close  by  giving  a  few  of  the  formulas. 
"  Emulsion  against  the  Dysenterie. 
u  R        Sweet  Almonds,  blanch'd,  .  .  .  !|j 
Lettice, 
White  Poppy, 
Quinces,    .  .  .  .  .  aa  31J 
Bruise  all  these  in  a  marble  mortar,  pouring  upon  them  by  degrees 
one  pint  of  the  decoction  of  cleans'd  barley,  purslain,  and  speedwell* 
Strain  and  press  them  :  to  the  straining  add  syrup  of  quinces  and 
white  poppy  ij.   Make  three  doses,  to  be  tak'n  at  convenient  hours/7 
Some  of  the  formulas  are  notable  from  the  number  of  the  ingre- 
dients, one  of  them  calling  for  sixty-three  different  articles. 
Here  is  one,  "  recommended  to  asswage  the  pain  and  to  facilitate  the 
delivery  of  women  ;  the  whole  region  of  the  belly  being  anointed 
therewith  :" 
11  U        Live  Vipers,  large,  fat  and  vigorous,  .  No.  xij 
Pure  Common  Oyl,  ....  Ibij 
Strong  White  Wine,  3 i j 
Pour  the  oyl  into  a  glaz'd  earthen  pot  with  a  narrow  mouth  and  let 
it  boil  in  a  hot  bath  till  you  cannot  endure  your  finger  in  it,  then 
plunge  the  vipers  into  the  oyl ;  when  they  are  stifl'd  pour  in  the  wine, 
cover  the  pot  and  set  it  a  boiling  till  the  moisture  of  the  vipers  be 
almost  consumed,  then,  having  strained  and  strongly  pressed  fortb 
the  whole,  and  separated  the  oyl  from  the  feces,  keep  it  for  use." 
"  Pills,  without  which  1  would  not  be. 
Extract  of  Aloes,  succotrin,  prepared  with  juice  of  pale  roses,  ,^xiuj 
Diagrydion,*        ......  3vj 
*  An  old  name  for  scammony. — Editor  Amer.  Journ.  Pharm, 
