Nutrient

An agent that supplies to the body material for building tissue. Examples: Codliver oil, olive oil, gelatin, milk.

Oil

A greasy liquid not miscible with water, usually obtained' from a vegetable or animal source. According to character, they are subdivided principally as fixed and volatile (or essential). Examples: Fixed-castor oil, olive oil, codliver oil. Volatile-oils of mustard, peppermint, rose.

Oleatum-Oleate

Oleates are preparations made by dissolving metallic salts or alkaloids in oleic acid. One is official.

Oleoresin

A natural mixture of oil and resin. Examples: Oleo-resins of aspidium, turpentine, ginger.

Oxytocic

An agent that hastens the process of labor. Examples: Pituitrin, quinine.

Parasiticide

An agent that will kill parasites. Examples: Sulphur, iodine, mercurial ointment.

Pilulae. Pil. Pills

Pills are small, solid bodies of a globular, ovoid or lenticular shape, which are intended to be swallowed and thereby produce medicinal action. They may be ordered to be made extemporaneously by the druggist, or the ready-prepared pills may be used. The latter usually are coated with sugar, gelatin, chocolate, etc. The gelatin-coated pills are the most desirable, as a rule, for many reasons. • Pills are hardly prescribed as much as formerly. Administration of drugs in capsules possesses all the advantages and few of the disadvantages of the older method. There are, of course, some exceptions to this rule, as will be noted elsewhere. Seven pills are official.

Protective

An agent that will mechanically protect the part to which applied. Examples: Collodion, plasters.

Pulvis. Pulv. Powder

The official powders are mixtures of powdered medicinal substances. Seven are official.

Purgative

An agent that will cause an evacuation of the intestinal contents. Examples: Calomel, castor oil, magnesium sulphate.

Pustulant

An agent that will produce pustules. Examples: Croton oil, antimonium and potassium tartrate.

Reconstituent Tonic

An agent that improves or strengthens one or more parts or functions of the body by replacing lost material. Examples : Iron, phosphorus, calcium.

Refrigerant

An agent which, when taken by mouth, produces a sensation of coolness. Examples: Peppermint, spearmint, fruit juices. Refrigerants usually tend to allay thirst.

Resin

An amorphous, non-volatile solid or soft-solid substance, obtained as a natural exudation from or by treatment of plants. It is practically insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol. Examples: Guaiac, rosin.

As a class name, with the exception of the official"Rosin,"a resin is a powder consisting principally of the resinous principles of a vegetable drug. They are prepared by adding water to the alcoholic preparation of a drug and collecting, drying, and powdering the precipitate; so they consist of those principles which are soluble in alcohol and insoluble in water. Four are official.