492 
Gelatine  Capsules. 
S  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
l  September,  1896. 
assistants  to  weigh  the  mass,  divide  the  weight  by  the  number  of 
capsules  ordered,  and  then  weigh  each  part  separately  before 
putting  it  into  the  capsule.  Objection  might  be  raised  that  this  is 
a  troublesome  and  tedious  procedure ;  but  this  is  not  so.  By  using 
the  metric  weight  a  division  is  quickly  made,  and  the  weighing  of 
from  12  to  20  small  parts  requires  no  longer  time  than  the  rolling 
and  cutting. 
To  introduce  powders  into  the  capsules  is  not  quite  so  simple,  and 
requires  a  small  apparatus  to  insure  correct  results.  Some  pharma- 
cists resort  to  the  rather  crude  method  to  put  the  powder,  without 
dividing  it,  on  a  piece  of  paper,  take  the  body  of  the  empty  capsule 
between  the  fingers  in  the  left  hand  and  the  cover  in  the  right,  and 
fill  both  by  shoving  them  through  the  powder  repeatedly.  This 
method,  which  is  even  recommended  in  one  of  the  newer  works  on 
pharmacy  as  the  best  means  of  filling  capsules,  is  objectionable  in 
more  than  one  respect.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  impossible  to  gauge 
the  quantity  of  the  powder  that  is  thus  introduced  into  the  capsule, 
and  repeated  weighing  of  each  capsule  becomes  necessary,  until  the 
correct  weight  is  reached,  sometimes  after  many  trials.  Secondly, 
the  very  object  of  the  capsule  is  entirely  ignored ;  particles  of  the 
mass  will  adhere  to  the  outside,  and  neither  taste  nor  odor  of  nause- 
ating medicines  can  afterwards  be  entirely  removed.  A  capsule 
filled  with  quinine  in  this  manner  will  taste  bitter  no  matter  how 
often  it  is  wiped  after  filling,  and  if  the  mass  should  contain  such 
strong-smelling  ingredients  as  asafetida  or  valerian,  their  odor  can 
never  be  removed.  The  proper  way,  insuring  correctness  and  ele- 
gance, is  to  weigh  each  powder  separately,  and  introduce  it  into  the 
empty  capsule  by  means  of  a  small  apparatus,  of  which  various 
kinds  are  in  the  market.  There  is  Reymond's  capsule  filler,  con- 
sisting of  a  block  of  wood  with  a  number  of  sockets  for  the  empty 
capsule,  and  a  second  block  with  a  corresponding  number  of  funnel- 
shaped  receptacles.  Another  instrument,  the  Davenport  capsule 
filler,  consists  of  a  metal  funnel  for  the  capsule  and  a  plunger.  Both 
these  and  other  apparatus  have  their  advantages  and  drawbacks. 
I  have  here  an  instrument  which  I  think  is  an  improvement  on 
the  others.  It  consists  of  a  base  {Fig,  2),  with  a  number  of  small 
plugs,  and  a  block  {Fig.  /),  with  a  corresponding  number  of  holes 
into  which  the  plugs  fit ;  these  holes  are  widened  at  the  upper  side 
into  small  funnels.    At  the  sides  are  pegs  as  guides  for  the  upper 
