254 
Examination  Questions. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1898. 
PHILADELPHIA  COLLEGE  OF  PHARMACY. 
The  following  are  the  questions  given  to  the  Third  Year  Class  at  the  recent 
examinations  : 
THEORY  AND  PRACTICE  OF  PHARMACY. 
A — (i)  How  many  grammes  of  Massa  Hydrargyri  will  be  required  to  make 
144  five-grain  blue  pills?  (2)  How  much  mercury  would  there  be  in  the  whole 
quantity?  (3)  How  would  you  take  the  specific  gravity  of  a  five-grain  blue 
pill?  (4)  What  would  be  the  object  or  purpose  of  taking  the  specific  gravity 
of  blue  mass  ? 
B — Give  the  synonym,  iin abbreviated  official  or  Latin  name,  ingredients, 
brief  outline  of  process  and  describe  the  appearance  of  Infusion  of  Cinchona, 
Spirit  of  Gaultheria,  Flexible  Collodion,  Aromatic  Tincture  of  Rhubarb,  Fluid 
Extract  of  Senega,  Confection  of  Senna,  Vallet's  Mass,  Solidified  Copaiba. 
C — Give  the  official  name,  English  name,  ingredients,  brief  outline  of  pro- 
cess, and  describe  the  appearance  of  Bismuthi  et  Ammonii  Citras,  Liquor 
Potassii  Arsenitis,  Infusum  Digitalis,  Syrupus  Scillae  Compositus,  Pilulae 
Catharticse  Compositae,  Pulvis  Aromaticus,  Unguentum  Potassii  Iodidi. 
D — What  pharmaceutical  difficulties  would  you  encounter  in  making  the 
following  preparations,  stating  the  cause  of  the  difficulty  ?  How  should  the 
preparations  be  made?  and  why?  (1)  Fluid  Extract  of  Calumba,  with  20  per 
cent,  of  alcohol  and  calumba  in  very  fine  powder.  (2)  Ointment  of  Mercuric 
Nitrate  if  lard  oil  is  furnished  of  common  quality  containing  paraffin  oil.  (3) 
Solution  of  Ferric  Sulphate  with  nitric  acid  of  specific  gravity  1.25.  (4)  Oint- 
ment of  Zinc  Oxide,  with  commercial  oxide  of  zinc  of  the  cheapest  grade. 
E — (1)  What  menstruum  is  best  adapted  for  exhausting  aconite  root?  (2) 
What  alkaloid  does  this  root  contain?  (3)  What  acids  are  found  naturally  in 
the  root  ?  (4)  What  physiological  action  do  aconite  preparations  exhibit  when 
taken  into  the  stomach  ?  (5)  Describe  and  illustrate  (by  a  sketch)  a  stomach- 
pump  ;  what  is  its  aim  and  purpose  ?  explain  its  method  of  use. 
MAGISTRAL  PHARMACY. 
F—  Define  Chemical,  Physical,  and  Therapeutical  Incompatibility,  and  write 
three  prescriptions,  giving  correct  metric  doses,  illustrating  each  kind  of  in- 
compatibility. (1)  Chemical  Incompatibility.  (2)  Physical  Incompatibility. 
(3)  Therapeutical  Incompatibility. 
G — ( 1 )  In  compounding  prescriptions,  state  under  what  circumstances  it  is  ad- 
vantageous to  aid  the  solution  of  a  solid  by  heating  it  with  the  solvent.  (2) 
State  when  it  is  proper  to  filter  a  prescribed  liquid  preparation,  and  explain 
why,  for  certain  reasons,  filtration  sometimes  should  not  be  resorted  to.  (3) 
When  is  it  permissible  to  make  an  addition  to  a  prescription  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  prescriber  ?  Give  reasons  for  your  answer.  (4)  Is  it  desirable,  when 
renewing  a  prescription,  to  follow  the  order  of  mixing  the  ingredients  origi- 
nally used  ?    If  so,  why  ? 
H — (1)  What  is  meant  by  compressed  tablets?  (2)  Describe  their  method 
of  manufacture.  (3)  Are  all  medicinal  powders  compressible  without  admix- 
ture with  foreign  substances?  If  not,  explain  why.  (4)  What  is  a  pill-excipient? 
(5)  Name  five  pill-excipients,  and  give  five  illustrations  of  official  pills  for 
which  each  would  be  well  adapted. 
