200  Modern  Methods  in  Pharmacy.  {A\ty,\lXm' 
recent  introduction,  and  mostly  of  French  origin.  Thus  by  modern 
methods  in  pharmacy,  nauseating  remedies  are  relieved  of  disagreeable 
taste.  Medicines  in  powder  form  are  now  placed  between  two  concave 
wafer  discs,  and  in  the  cachet  thus  formed,  can  be  swallowed  without 
the  slightest  inconvenience.  Another  important  class  of  modern  rem- 
edies are  the  chemicals.  Many  of  these  are  administered  in  the  form 
of  solution,  which  is  sometimes  objectionable  in  many  cases,  owing  to 
their  disagreeable  taste.  The  essential  oils  and  balsams  are  also  fre- 
quently objectionable  on  this  account,  in  consideration  of  which  the 
artistic  pharmacists  of  France  devised  new  methods  which  have  been 
largely  imitated  in  this  country  by  manufacturing  pharmacists. 
An  English  writer,  referring  to  the  practice  of  pharmacy  in  France, 
calls  it  the  "  Pharmacy  of  Sugar."  Careful  inquiry  will  disclose  the 
fact,  that  the  pharmacy  of  science  and  art  would  be  the  more  appro- 
priate term  ;  for  they  not  only  include  sugar  largely  in  their  prepara- 
tions (thus  wisely  employing  the  confectioner's  art,  when  practicable),  but 
have  taken  an  original  step  in  the  introduction  of  soluble  gelatin  or 
gluten  capsules,  as  a  vehicle  for  the  administration  of  nauseous  reme- 
dies. Although  this  art  is  being  imitated  in  the  United  States,  the 
results  do  not  compare  with  those  of  the  French  ;  at  least,  we  have 
not  met  with  medicated  gelatin  capsules  made  here  with  liquid  contents 
that  favorably  compare  with  those  furnished  by  the  importers  of  French 
medicines.  Those  who  examine  these  medicated  globules  are  pleas- 
antly impressed  with  their  neatness  of  finish,  regularity  of  size,  trans- 
parency, and  the  complete  manner  in  which  each  globule  is  filled.  The 
attractive  form  in  which  French  remedies  are  presented  constitute  them 
formidable  rivals  of  the  delectable  homoeopathic  granules.  French 
pharmacists  employ  the  culinary  art  also — even  that  of  sacred  origin  ; 
for,  doubtless,  the  use  of  unleavened  bread,  suggested  medicine  wafers 
which  idea  has  been  brought  to  a  high  degree  of  perfection  by  M. 
Limousin,  of  Paris,  in  the  introduction  of  concave  wafer  discs.  The 
preparation  of  u  cachets  de  pain,"  is  a  new  method  in  pharmacy  of 
utility  and  importance,  which  when  understood,  will  be  generally 
appreciated.  These  envelopes  of  bread  afford  the  most  convenient 
means  extant  for  the  extemporaneous  and  tasteless  administration  of 
medicines  in  powder  form.  With  the  press  and  wafers,  prescriptions 
can  be  conveniently  and  expeditiously  dispensed  in  a  tasteless  form, 
when  it  would  be  impossible  to  do  so  by  any  other  convenient  means. 
