The art of dispensing ' as in France' is fairly told in the following description of a week's work by an English dispenser in a French pharmacy, the work consisting of 33 potions (mixtures), 1 suppository, 9 powders, 5 drops, 5 solutes (solutions), 1 inhalation, 4 collutoires (collutoria), 9 pommades (ointments), 10 syrups, 3 hypodermic injections, 7 cachets, 4 liniments, 3 pills, 2 wines, and 4 melanges.

The Codex gives some general directions to be observed in the preparation of potions. In the case of decoctions and infusions the usual proportions are 2 in 100 for leaves and flowers, and 4 in 100 for woods, roots, and stems. All powders, vegetable or mineral, it directs, should be divided by the syrup or gum which may be prescribed. Kermes mineral, which is frequently occurring, should be well triturated with sugar before the addition of the other ingredients, and all volatile substances, such as ethers, should be added last. Tinctures should be mixed with the syrup before the addition of the other ingredients. The first prescription containing the mineral illustrates the difficulties of the dispenser, and also, what is of far greater importance, the general inaccuracy of the French system. It runs thus:

Frequently this would be dispensed without gum, as the quantity of powder is so small. The uncertainty as to the use of the gum is troublesome, and so is the quantity of tincture, as drop-measures are unknown. Referring to the Codex; we find that the normal (international) drop-measure should be a glass tube with a capillary opening, having an outside diameter of 3 millimetres, capable of giving drops of distilled water of which 20 will weigh 1 gramme. Practically these tubes are in very little use, the rough-and-ready practice of dropping from the bottle being much more prevalent- in fact, in a large dispensing business it would be difficult to find the time to do otherwise.

The prescription, however, has the advantage of equalling by weight exactly the contents of a 180-gramme bottle, or about an ordinary 6-ounce English bottle- a circumstance for which the dispenser is always thankful. The next presents a dilemma in that respect:

In this case a 60-gramme or 2-ounce bottle will not contain the exact weight; it has, however, been dispensed to fill both a 2-ounce and a 3-ounce bottle- which makes an important difference in the dose of one teaspoonful every half-hour- and also in a 3-ounce bottle, not filled, but containing the exact weight, which an English dispenser would regard as the only correct course. But then occurs a commercial trouble. The customer complains that the bottle is not full, and that in other pharmacies this has not been the case, and he gets the impression either that he is cheated or that a mistake has been made. Moreover, it may be mentioned that French bottles are really remarkable for their inaccuracy; taking twelve bottles marked 180 grammes, perhaps one in the twelve on weighing will be found accurate, the others differing from 5 to 20 grammes.

Another example:

This mixture has been sent out both in 4-ounce and 5-ounce bottles. Many dispensers take the precaution to note the exact size of bottle in the prescription-book, so as to secure uniformity. Mixtures containing tinctures or other liquids in the quantity of 1 gramme, or even 2 grammes, are another fruitful source of discrepancies, as practically so small a dose cannot be weighed accurately into a 6-ounce or 8-ounce bottle on the counter-scales. The Codex offers some assistance with a table showing the numbers of drops contained in 1 gramme of such preparations as are most frequently prescribed; but this is not of practical service, as accurate measurement of drops involves a great loss of time. In this table the number of drops to a gramme varies from 20 of distilled water to 93 of sulphuric ether. The dispenser very soon falls into the usual system of adding these ingredients more or less 'a 1'oeil.'

Whilst on the subject of mixtures we note the absence in French prescriptions of a safeguard which often prevents mistakes in England. In the majority of cases French prescribes give no directions on the prescription as to how the medicine is to be taken. When given the directions are not infrequently shamefully vague. ' Take by spoonfuls' occurs constantly, without indication whether tea, dessert, or table spoons are intended.

Suppositories also give rise to many uncertainties. The standard weight, according to the Codex, should be 3 grams for adults and 2 grams for children:

To make one suppository.

Moulds as used in England are rare in France, their place being roughly supplied by extemporaneous paper cones, which require some practice and dexterity to produce of the same size, so as to obtain suppositories of uniform length and diameter. It is almost certain that no two pharmacies will turn them out in identical style. Suppositories before delivery to the customer are always covered with tinfoil- for what purpose it is difficult to say, as the patient has the trouble of unwrapping each one before using.

Powders, as a rule, are dispensed in as small a compass as possible, and many pharmaciens use powder-papers already folded, with their name and address thereon. This system offers the advantage of uniformity and neatness, not always obtainable by handwork. The papers are made both in ordinary and in waxed paper, the latter being employed for iodide and bromide of sodium and other deliquescent salts, which are frequently prescribed as powders. The following is an ordinary prescription for powders:

For one powder. Send twenty such.

The price usually charged would be 2s. 6d. Powders are often prescribed in bulk, as the following:

To be taken by teaspoonfuls.

These are usually dispensed in cardboard boxes, very seldom in wide-mouth bottles, unless at the special request of the customer.

Drops offer no feature of special interest, as they do not appear to be a popular form of prescribing, and are almost confined to arsenical preparations and such tinctures as nux vomica, ignatia, etc. These are generally dispensed in stoppered bottles fitted with a capillary tube, or stoppers with a groove and lip, or, when it is a question of price, in an ordinary phial, with a separate drop tube, at a cheap rate. Collutoires, or applications for brushing out the throat or mouth, usually have as a basis mulberry syrup, honey of roses, or glycerin, with about 10 per cent, of some active ingredient, such as potassium chlorate, borax, etc. The quantity usually ordered is about 1 fluid ounce, which is sent out in a wide-mouth phial sufficiently large to admit a camel-hair brush.

The dispensing of ointments differs little from English procedure, and the formulae do not, as a rule, present any novel features. Lard as a basis is becoming discarded for vaseline and lanoline. The preparations most in use are mercury, iodine, and zinc. Turpeth mineral occurs as an ointment of 1 part in 30; also sulphate of copper. Ung. belladonnae is a great favourite with French prescribers, and occurs in all sorts of combinations, such as the following:

The English style of covered pots for ointments is not common in France, and ointments are usually sent out in gallipots covered with tinfoil and paper or circular discs of cardboard. Recently screw-capped jars with nickel covers have found a place on the dispensing-counter, and from their convenience and low price will soon supersede the antiquated style of package.

Syrups form the real foundation of French pharmacy. The Codex gives the formulae of 51, all more or less in daily use, and the non-official may be reckoned at some 600, all of which occur more or less in prescriptions. Sirop de limaille de fer (syrup of iron filings) is a specimen of the more unusual ones. Here, again, discrepancies occur. The instructions of the Codex are seldom followed, as'most pharmaciens prepare even the official syrups from fluid extracts. The products differ widely from the original type, especially as the admixture is frequently made, from economical motives, to avoid keeping stocks of perishable preparations. In fact, the dispensing of syrups in France is exactly parallel with that of infusions in England, it is certain, however, that this system of dispensing has told against the pharmacien; many physicians prefer to prescribe the syrups of well-known specialists- such as Laroze, Chassaing, etc.- rather than risk the home-made combinations of the dispenser. Prescriptions for specialities simply are becoming more and more common.

For instance, the following:

One bottle digitalin (Homolle), 1 granule every two days. One bottle eau Gazost, as directed.

One tin meat powder (Rousseau), a teaspoonful twice a day. One tube quassin (Burgraeve), one granule at each meal.

In this case nothing is left to the skill of the dispenser, and his loss of profit is very considerable. It is probable, however, that much of this has been brought about by bad work. Glucose frequently forms an important item in syrup dispensing. Cachets are exceedingly popular in France- the home of their origin. Patients like them, and they afford a good profit to the chemist. Various makes of apparatus for filling and closing the cachets are now obtainable. The following translation of a prescription gives an idea of the French cachet:

For one cachet. Send twenty.

The price would be 5s. Cachets are sent out in cardboard cylindrical cases of different diameters, according to size, from 0 to 3, containing from five to twenty. For the exhibition of powders, salts of quinine, etc, nothing can be better adapted than this plan, which has in many instances replaced the use of pills and powders. Cachets of quinine, bismuth, rhubarb, and other popular remedies are very generally kept ready prepared. Extracts are also prescribed in this form, as in the following formula:

Make one cachet.

It is customary to mark on the prescription the size of the cachet employed, so as to secure uniformity.

Liniments are now generally dispensed in blue glass bottles with distinctive red labels. The formulae for liniments at times are very curious, as will be seen from the following:

Ft. lin.

The most frequently prescribed liniments are baume opodeldoc (similar to Steer's), baume tranquille, and baume floraventi in conjunction with sedatives.

Pills are going out of fashion in France, aperients being very seldom ordered in this form, nor can special pills be said to have any really popular demand. Natural mineral waters have superseded pills, much to the dispenser's loss; cheap screw-capped pill-tubes have taken the place of the old paper box, and are much adopted by specialists; turned wood boxes appear never to have been worth making by French sundriesmen, the few met with being evidently of English origin. Some of the pill formulae are surprising, and being frequently without any directions for taking are certainly trying to the nerves of the dispenser, e.g.:

Fiant pilulae quinque.

Another:

Make a pill, and send 30.

In this case, as the prescriber could not be consulted, the quantity of veratrine was changed from 5 centigrammes to 1/2 centigramme.

Fiat pilula. Mitte l.

The time and care required for such preparations are never compensated by the price charged. As a powder for rolling pills lycopodium is almost always employed, except when the pills are directed to be sent in orris or cinnamon powder, which happens occasionally. Silvering is becoming a thing of the past.

Wines are a favourite form of administration, and are usually prescribed by bottle or half-bottle; but in this case, as in so many others, proprietary articles are preferred. As examples of wines prescribed take the following:

Vin de quinquinae au Malaga, containing in every 100 grammes 10 drops tinct. nucis vomicae, send 1/2 litre.

These are usually dispensed in special-shaped bottles and capsuled.

Melange is a word frequently employed to head the label of a preparation, and it is somewhat difficult to define, as the following specimens will show:

Mix.

Mix.

Occasionally such prescriptions as the following crop up:Sulphate of magnesia, rose-leaves, sarsaparilla, fumitory, china-root, liquorice-root, agaric (Boletus /aricis), senna, and soap-wort, of each 1 ounce; infuse for twenty-four hours in 4 litres of boiling water. This involves thoroughly cutting up or disintegrating the whole of the materials, so as to produce as uniform a compound as possible. The price charged would be 5s. The species would be dispensed either in a paper bag or in a cardboard box, according to circumstances. Packets of different preparations for infusions are frequently ordered, besides tisanes, or teas, to be drunk between the medicinal doses. Here is an example: Quassia, 16 grammes; roasted coffee, 32 grammes. Divide into eight packets as directed.

French prescriptions are even more difficult to read than German. We give a few examples with English translations. It will be seen that familiarity with the French language is absolutely essential, as the language of the prescriptions is French.

Translation.

Tartar emetic . . . .25 centigrammes Divide into two equal packets.

Translation.

Cod-liver oil . . . . . 1/2 litre

A tablespoonful to be taken at the commencement of each meal.

Boric-acid solution in water 3% . . . 1/2 litre To be mixed with two-thirds as much warm water for aural injections.

A small glass syringe.

Translation. Calomel prepared by sublimation. . I gramme Divide into 10 packets of 10 centigrammes |each.

I box papier Rigollot [mustard-leaves].

Honey.....100 grammes.

Translation. Phenol salycile du Dr. Leben. Send one bottle.

For external use.

A tablespoonful for 250 grammes of water- external use.

Tincture of iodine . . . .20 grammes For external use.

[Tincture of iodine of the French Codex is a solution of 10 parts of iodine in 90 parts by weight of 95-per-cent. (v/v) alcohol.]

Vallet's pills......No. 100

Two to be taken in the morning and two in the evening before the principal meal.

Seidlitz water......50 grammes One bottle to be taken in the morning before food (fasting).

[One bottle containing 50 grammes seidlitz salt (mag. sulph.), charged with C02 made by adding a little citric acid and sodium bicarbonate and taking quickly.]

Mix according to art. Mixture to be taken by spoonfuls [tablespoonfuls].

Transcription.

Capsules Friant un flacon. 2 pilules au milieu, ou a la fin des 2 principaux repas.

F. Tournay.

Badigeonnages de teinture d'lode sur le cộté droit alternativement en avant et en arriére.

Translation.

Friant's capsules one bottle; two pills in the middle or at the end of [midway between or immediately after] the two principal meals.

Apply tincture of iodine to the right side in front and behind alternately.

Transcription.

Donner un lavement a l'Eau boriquee - Apres que l'enfant l'aura rendu - lui donner au moyen d'une poire - le lavement suivant:

Translation.

Give an enema of boric acid solution ; after the child has discharged it, give - by means of a pear-shaped syringe - the following injection :

The following is an Italian prescription:

Mix. For external use.