Pulvis Cornu Cervini Usti. Dub. Powder of burnt Hartshorn

"Let pieces of hartshorn be burnt until they become white; then reduce them to a very fine powder."

Pulvis Cretae Compositus. Lond. Dub. Compound Powder of Chalk

"Take of prepared Chalk, half a pound; cinnamon, four ounces; tormentil, acacia, of each three ounces; long pepper, half an ounce. Rub them separately to fine powder; then mix."

Pulvis Carbonatis Calcis compositus, Edin. Compound Powder of Carbonate of Lime.

"Take of prepared carbonate of lime, four ounces; cinnamon bark, a drachm and a half; nutmegs, half a drachm. Rub them together to a powder."

The London preparation, owing to the larger proportion of aromatics it contains, and the addition of the tormentil root, is better adapted for checking atonic diarrhoea than the Edinburgh powder, which may be regarded as a simple but grateful antacid. The dose is from grs. v. to Эjss. given generally in the form of mixture, rubbed up with mucilage and some distilled water.

Pulvis Cretae Compositus Cum Opio. Lond. Dub. Compound Powder of Chalk with Opium

"Take of compound powder of chalk, six ounces and a half; hard opium, powdered, four scruples. Mix them."

Pulvis opiatus1 Edin. Opiate Powder.

"Take of opium, one part; prepared carbonate of lime, nine parts. Rub them together to a fine powder."

Syn. Poudre opiate (F.), Opiumspulver (G.), Polvere oppiata (I.).

The addition of opium to the compound powder of chalk renders it more useful in diarrhoea; and from the minute division of the opium, it forms a useful opiate powder for children suffering under the irritative diarrhoea of teething. Эij. contain gr.j. of opium The dose is from Эj. to 3j. for adults

Pulvis Jalapae Compositus. Lond. Compound Powder of Jalap

"Take of jalap, three ounces; bitartrate of potassa, sixounces; ginger, three drachms. Triturate separately each into powder, and then mix."

1 Pulvis opiatus, P. L. 1787.

Edin. Duh,

"Take of powder of jalap root, one part; supertartrate of potassa, two parts. Rub them together to a fine powder."

The addition of the bitartrate, besides dividing the jalap very minutely, modifies also its purgative operation. The ginger of the London formula is a useful addition. This powder is a useful purgative in habitual costiveness: it is also very serviceable to children with tumid bellies, in worm cases, and in dropsy. The dose is from Эj. to Эij. for adults.

Pulvis Ipecacuanhae Compositus. Lond. Dub. Compound Powder of Ipecacuanha

"Take of ipecacuanha, powdered, hard opium, powdered, each a drachm; sulphate of potassa, powdered, an ounce. Mix them."

Pulvis Ipecacuanhae et Opii, Edin. Powder of Ipecacuanha and Opium.

"Take of ipecacuanha root, powdered, opium, of each one part; sulphate of potassa, eight parts. Rub them together to a fine powder."

Syn. Poudre d'Ipecacuanha et d'opium (F.), Davers schmerzstillendes pulner (G.), Polvere d'Ipecacuanha ed oppio (I.).•

In this powder the sulphate of potassa is intended to divide the opium mechanically; for on the finely powdered state of the ingredients depends much of the action of the opium and ipecacuanha. In the original Dover's powder, the saline ingredient was procured by deflagrating a mixture of equal parts of nitrate of potassa and sulphate of potassa; and the nitre is still retained as an ingredient in the compound powder of ipecacuanha and opium of the French codex. The Pharmacopoeia Danica and the Pharmacopoeia Austriaca order sugar instead of any salt; but it is less calculated to assist in the pulverization of the opium, and is apt also to attract moisture, and form the powder into a solid mass. The following table shows the proportion of opium in this powder, as ordered in the principal pharmacopoeias of Europe.

Compound ipecacuanha powder operates as a powerful sudorific; and is very efficaciously given in all cases, whether inflammatory or not, in which sweating is indicated; the relaxant power of the ipecacuanha acting upon the exhalents of the skin, to which the stimulant power of the opium carries the blood, by augmenting the force of the circulation. The dose is from grs. v. to Эj., given diffused in mucilaginous fluid, or in the form of bolus. The action is assisted by plentiful dilution with tepid fluids; but these must not be drunk immediately after taking the powder, as it would aid its aptitude to be rejected by vomiting. Ten grains of this powder contain one grain of opium.