The most confusing thing about German prescriptions is the chemical nomenclature, of which the following is a fair example:

Rendered into Anglo-Latin, this is :

In dealing with German prescriptions the difficulty of the nomenclature, independently of minor grammatical differences, resolves itself into acquiring the English terms for a limited number of drugs and preparations. The use of the adjective is, perhaps, the most striking deviation from the Anglo-Latin nomenclature. Thus, for ferrum sulfuricum we should read, according to English custom, ferri sulphas; for ferrum iodatum, ferri iodidum, and so on. With the exception of particular instances mentioned hereafter, nearly everything will, with a very little thought, be self-evident to the dispenser sufficiently well up in his Latin not to fall into the error attributed to an American confrere, who sent to his wholesale house for a supply of 'aqua fervida.' There still exist, however, in various parts of the Continent, medical men of the old school, who, in addition to prescribing by the old grain, drachm, and ounce system, make use of some of the cabalistic signs handed down to us from past generations. Four of these are met with as abbreviations rather frequently, viz.:+ for pulvis, V for aqua, # for saccharum, and Ω for spiritus.

The following are old terms most frequently met with:

More modern deviations from the Anglo-Latin nomenclature are given below, those adopted by the German Pharmacopoeia having the prefix P.G.:

Preparations peculiar to German pharmacy which will require reference to the German Pharmacopoeia, or to 'Pharmaceutical Formulas' or 'Hager,' are:

Ammonium chloratum ferratum (Ammon. muriatico-ferratum) Elixir aurantiorum comp. Elixir e succo liquiritiae (Elixir pectorale) Elixir proprietatis (Paracelsi) Ferrum aceticum (liq. and tinct.) Ferrum pomatum (ext. and tinct.) Linimentum saponato-camph. Liq. aluminii acetici Liq. ammon. anisatus Mixtura sulfurica acida (Elixir acidum Halleri) Mixtura oleoso-balsamica (Balsamum vitae Hoffmanni) Mucilago salep Oleum hyoscyami coctum Sal thermarum carolinensium (Sal carolinum factitium) Sapo jalapinus Species laxantes (St. Germain) Species lignorum Species pectorales Spiritus formicarum Spir. saponis Tinctura amara Tinct. ferri chlorati aetherea (Tinct. nervina Bestuchemi) Tinctura lignorum Tinctura opii crocata (Laudanum liquidum Sydenhami) Unguent. Hebrae Vinum aromaticum.

The above have been selected as being what may be called of every-day occurrence, and, although a knowledge of them does not constitute all that is required of a German dispenser quite au fait with his work, it will help to clear away many prima-facie difficulties.

All quantities ordered are understood to be by weight, fluid measures not being countenanced by the German authorities. The minim is still frequently represented by the drop (gutta), but this is measured by the international normal drop-measure. The tare of the dispensing-bottle being taken, the various ingredients ordered on the prescription are successively weighed into it, commencing with the smallest quantities and finishing with the vehicle. For this purpose English bottles may be said to hold 30 grammes or more per ounce capacity of water and denser fluids respectively, or 24 grammes of spirit or tinctures.

The very convenient way of prescribing the vehicle, ad so many ounces, is adopted by but few foreign physicians, and the few who do so have mostly practised some time in this country.

As in England, mixtures predominate in German prescribing. Solutions of extracts (such as ext. taraxaci, trifolii, and graminis), decoctions and infusions, and oil or seed emulsions, occur, however, somewhat more frequently. Decoctions and infusions are directed to be recently prepared, and, if definite proportions are not indicated by the prescriber, are to be made in the proportion of 1 in 10. Seed emulsions, prepared from almonds, poppy, hemp, or henbane seeds, are also 1 in 10, and are made by crushing the seeds, with the addition of a little water, in a metal mortar, until a pasty, homogeneous mass is produced, to which the bulk of the water is gradually added, and the resulting milky fluid strained through flannel. Oil emulsions are, according to the Ph. Germ., directed to be made of oil 2, gum acacia 1, and water 17 parts.

The Potio Riverii of the Ph. Germ, is a fair type of what are called 'saturations'- i.e., an alkaline carbonate saturated with an organic acid, the carbonic acid evolved being partly absorbed by the vehicle. The proportions are : Citric acid 4, sodium carbonate 9, water 190.

Draughts, in the strict application of the term, are almost unknown. Drops, however, are a favourite form of administering medicines. They usually consist of tinctures or a solution of extract or alkaloid.

Pills are not, perhaps, quite so much in vogue as in England, but large quantities are sometimes prescribed,120, or even 360, being ordered for one patient. Pill-machines being made to cut 30, that number or its multiples are generally ordered. Their weight scarcely ever exceeds 2 grains, 4 or 5 grain pills being quite the exception. Lycopodium is very generally employed to roll the pills in, unless some other powder, such as p. cinnamomi, is specially prescribed, and gold and silver coating is sometimes ordered.

Powders to the number of 12, 16, 24, or 48 are also much in request. When not directed to be divided off into doses they are dispensed in bulk, to be taken by the teaspoonful; in the latter case they are ordered 'ad scatulam,' or, if they contain elaeosacchara, narcotic extracts, camphor, musk, or other volatile substances, 'ad vitrum.' Extracts to be incorporated with powders are kept as 'extracta sicca,' prepared by evaporating on the water-bath a mixture of 4 parts of extract and 3 parts of powdered rad. glycyrrh. until constant weight, and adding pulv. rad. glycyrrh. q.s. to make 8 parts. Similarly, solutions of narcotic extracts are prepared : Extract 10, water 6, alcohol 1, glycerin 3. Elaeo-sacchara are mixtures consisting of 1 part of oil to 50 parts of sugar. Volatile substances, when ordered in powders divided off into doses, are ordered ' in charta cerata' - i.e., waxed paper. Either the dose for each powder is prescribed, with the direction 'dentur tales doses No. x,' or the ingredients for a number are ordered in the aggregate, with an intimation to 'divide in partes aequales No. x.'