Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
Mar.,  1879.  / 
Improved  Minim  Pipette. 
"5 
ence  of  temperature,  it  being  found  impracticable  to  maintain  a  regular 
temperature  of  6o°F.  during  the  time  required  to  take  the  percentage 
bv  volume  with  the  hydrometer  and  the  specific  gravity  with  the  bottle. 
NOTE  ON  AN  IMPROVED  MINIM  PIPETTE, 
2011 
"4 
mil 
By  Charlrs  W.  Drew,  Ph.B. 
The  disadvantages  incident  to  the  accurate  measurement  of  minute 
doses  of  liquid  preparations  by  means  of  ordinary  graduates  are  appar- 
ent, and  to  ensure  greater  precision  in  dispensing,  a  graduated  minim 
pipette  of  small  calibre  has  been  adopted  by  many  physicians  and  phar- 
macists. 
The  ordinary  method  of  measuring  with  these  pipettes  is 
to  fill  them  by  suction  applied  by  means  of  the  mouth, 
quickly  closing  the  uper  end  with  the  fore-finger,  the  excess 
of  liquid  above  that  desired  being  allowed  to  flow  out  by 
slightly  raising  the  finger.  To  this  method,  under  certain 
circumstances,  no  objection  can  be  adduced  ;  yet  if  the 
liquids  which  it  is  desired  to  dispense  are  of  a  volatile  or 
poisonous  character,  such  a  method  is  better  avoided,  especi- 
ally by  unpracticed  persons. 
To  obviate  this  inconvenience  and  danger  several  appli- 
ances have  been  proposed,  the  principle  of  all  of  which  has 
been  to  fill  the  pipette  without  the  use  of  the  mouth.  To 
all  of  these  which  have  come  to  my  notice  there  have  been 
greater  or  less  objections,  and  I  desire  to  bring  to  the  notice 
of  physicians  and  pharmacists  a  simple  appliance  which 
seems  better  adapted  to  their  needs  than  any  other  yet 
described.  The  appendage  to  which  I  refer  may  be  made 
as  follows  :  take  a  piece  of  glass  tubing,  a,  about  one-half 
the  length  of  the  pipette,  and  of  a  calibre  just  sufficient 
to  allow  the  pipette  to  pass  within  it,  and  by  means  of  a  gas 
or  alcohol  lamp,  partially  close  one  end  of  it.  Place  upon 
the  open  end  of  the  tube  a  tightly-fitting  piece  of  soft  rubber 
tubing,  about  three-fourths  of  an  inch  in  length,  allowing 
about  one-third  of  its  length  to  project  beyond  the  end  of  ^nat  size- 
the  tube.    Place  the  pipette  within  the  tube,  and  the  apparatus  is  corr- 
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loii 
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If 
Minim  Pip- 
ette. 
