198 
ON  SUPPOSITORIES. 
salt,  nitre,  and  powdered  colocynth.  Until  late  years  supposi- 
tories -were  generally  used  for  the  treatment  of  uterine  affections, 
being  but  seldom  used  by  introduction  into  the  rectum,  and  were, 
consequently,  made  of  a  large  size — one  and  a  half  or  two 
inches  in  length — and  of  a  weight  as  high  as  two  drachms. 
They  were  made  into  different  shapes,  sometimes  being  spherical 
and  often  oval,  or  oblong,  in  form.  At  present  they  are  mostly 
used  by  introduction  into  the  rectum,  and  are  usually  made  of  a 
conical  shape.  The  most  convenient  sizes  are  fifteen  and  thirty 
grains,  the  former  for  children  and  the  latter  for  adults.*  They 
have  been  quite  extensively  used  in  France  for  many  years  ; 
but  in  this  country  are  comparatively  new  vehicles  for  medica- 
ments. They  undoubtedly  afford  a  very  good  mode  of  adminis- 
tration, especially  when  the  stomach  is  weak  and  refuses  to  retain 
such  remedies  as  the  practitioner  may  be  desirous  of  employing. 
Three  times  as  much  of  a  medicine  may,  in  general,  be  given 
per  anum  as  by  the  mouth,  with  a  few  exceptions,  of  which  are 
the  topical  irritants,  such  as  podophyllin,  etc. 
In  England  the  moulds  in  general  use  arc  those  which  open. 
They  are  made  of  various  shapes  and  sizes,  some  having  the 
cavities  arranged  in  a  circle,  others  in  one,  two,  or  three  straight 
lines. 
One  objection  to  these  is  that  many  of  them  do  not  close 
tightly  enough  to  exclude  water.  Some  prefer  these,  thinking 
it  easier  to  remove  the  suppositories  from  them  than  any  others ; 
but  occasionally  one  or  more  of  the  suppositories  will  adhere  to 
them  so  tenaciously  that  they  will  split  upon  opening  the  moulds. 
To  prevent  this  there  have  been  a  number  of  substances  recom- 
mended, among  which  are  glycerin  and  some  of  the  fixed  oils. 
The  moulds,  which  are  made  of  block  tin,  or  other  metals, 
each  being  cast  separately,  and  of  such  shape  that  they  may  be 
placed  in  a  perforated  sheet  of  tin,  which  is  fitted  to  a  suitable 
tray  for  cooling  the  suppositories,  are  much  preferable  to  those 
before  mentioned.    The  suppositories  may  be  very  readily  re- 
*  When  intended  for  the  male  urethra  they  are  cylindrical,  about  two 
inches  long,  and  3-16  diameter,  cast  in  a  glass  tube,  cooled,  and  removed 
after  instantaneous  warming  by  a  wooden  piston. — Ed.  Am.  J.  Pharm. 
