30 
ON DRUG-GRINDING. 
and important question— whether, and to what extent, do 
the operations connected with the pulverization of drugs 
affect their composition, strength, and general medicinal 
efficacy ? 
Every druggist is familiar with the usual method of 
powdering drugs by the use of the pestle and mortar. This 
is the process usually adopted by the retail pharmaceutist. 
But the greater part of the drugs which are used in powder 
are reduced to that state previously to their passing from 
the wholesale dealers, and in these cases the process is gene- 
rally conducted by persons who make it their special bu- 
siness, and who are called drug-grinders. The establish- 
ments at which drugs are thus reduced to powder, are called 
drug-mills, and the implements used there for effecting the 
disintegration of the drugs, are the grinding -mi 11 and the 
stamping-mill. 
The essential features of the means by which disintegra- 
tion is effected at the drug-mills, are the same as those 
which characterize the more familiar processes of the drug- 
gist. In both cases comminution is effected by contusion 
and by trituration. 
The druggist effects the pulverization of drugs by contu- 
sion, with a pestle and mortar made of some hard metal — 
either iron or bell-metal. 
The drug-grinder also reduces drugs to powder, in some 
cases, by contusion, and his implements are the pestle and 
mortar, which differ but little from those used by the drug- 
gist. But the pestle and mortar of the drug-grinder is called 
a stamping-mill or stamper. The pestle, instead of being 
worked by manual labour, is raised by machinery, and al- 
lowed to fall with the impetus of its own weight, as shown 
at d e f g in the drawing at page 22. These pestles usu- 
ally weigh from thirty to fifty or sixty pounds. These mor- 
tars, which, in common with the pestles or stampers are of 
iron, are not larger than those commonly used for powder- 
ing drugs with the spring pestle. 
